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CHAPTER 14 A SURPRISE WELCOME

“There!” Kylie exclaimed, pointing to an old dock, bobbing in the water. “We can tie the boat to that dock.”

As Billy guided the boat toward it, he studied the island. Darkness hid everything beyond the end of the dock. Tall trees towered over the shoreline, blocking out the moon, making the night even darker.

“This place is too weird,” Billy muttered.

Bats flapped overhead. The sky was full of them. They fluttered from tree to tree. From the dock into the darkness. Billy heard a low growl carried on the wind. Were there dogs on the island, too? If so, they had to be wild. Another howl made him shiver.

“Isn’t this exciting?” Kylie asked breathlessly.

Only if you have a death wish, Billy thought.

He eased the rowboat up to the dock. Kylie tied it to a ladder.

“Come on,” she urged. “This is so cool. Let’s see what’s here.” She started up the ladder.

“Watch out,” Billy cautioned. “Half the rungs are missing.”

Kylie made it easily to the top. “Come on up,” she urged him. “It held me okay.”

The rung Billy grabbed was covered with some sort of slimy, dark goo. He reached down to rinse his hand in the water.

Something instantly splashed to the surface. Startled, he yanked his hand out of the murky water.

“It was just a fish!” Kylie exclaimed, laughing.

Billy took a deep breath, then climbed the ladder.

“Let’s go!” Kylie urged.

They moved slowly onto the island, stepping cautiously in the darkness.

A shrill cry made Billy jump.

“What was that?” he gasped.

“Probably a bird or something,” Kylie replied. “I bet there are all kinds of things living here.” She glanced over her shoulder at Billy. “They’re probably all harmless,” she added.

Nothing here is harmless, Billy thought. Some of the creatures on this island are very dangerous.

They killed Joelle.

Vines and bushes clogged the path leading inland from the dock. The plants felt slimy and cold as he pushed through.

Billy searched for the burned-out houses. But he didn’t see any houses at all. Maybe that was only a story.

Maybe everything he’s heard about the island was a lie. Stories told again and again. Stories that grew wilder each time they were repeated, until there was no truth left in them.

No way, Billy thought. He knew one story about this island was true. A horror story. About vampires.

“I see something up ahead,” Kylie whispered. She crashed through the bushes and disappeared from sight.

Billy followed her. Kylie led the way up to a tall, dark ruin. The remains of a burned house.

Most of it had collapsed, but jagged boards remained standing. Dark and charred.

“We should have brought flashlights,” Billy commented.

“It’s more fun this way,” Kylie insisted. Her eyes met his. “Are you scared?” she teased.

Before Billy could answer, he heard a low moan.

From the trees around the house.

He turned back to the woods. But saw only shadows.

Ignore it, he told himself. It’s just an animal.

Kylie had already started down an overgrown path. Billy went after her. The path led to another burned-out house. This one was still a shell, gutted by fire.



Billy examined the door. Only a small piece of it remained. A charred chunk of wood attached by a single hinge. Blackness oozed from the doorway.

Kylie stuck her head inside. “Look,” she breathed.

Billy peered into the house—and gasped.

Bats.

Everywhere.

Hanging from the ceiling.

The doorways.

A few clung to the overhead light fixtures.

Two of them detached themselves from the ceiling—and launched themselves at Billy and Kylie. Billy raised his hand to protect his face. But the bats flapped past him and vanished.

He clung to the door frame, his heart racing.

This is the vampire island, he thought. Every one of these bats could be a vampire. Any one of them could attack us. Kill us.

His gaze fell on a charred piece of wood. It looked like it had once been a table leg.

Billy reached down and grabbed it. The wood felt heavy in his hand.

“Let’s get out of here,” Kylie suggested. She pushed past him and continued down the path. Billy followed.

A long, loud howl made Billy stop. He searched the trees frantically.

Kylie had disappeared.

Another howl. Closer this time.

“Kylie!” Billy yelled. Where was she? Why didn’t she answer? “Kylie, get back here!”

Silence.

Billy held his breath as he peered into the trees. No sign of Kylie.

No animal. Nothing there.

Then—branches snapped. Dry leaves crackled.

Footsteps.

An animal charging through the trees.

Billy spun to face the sound.

Too late. A snarling black creature sprang at him. Knocked him to the ground.

Its yellow eyes glowed as it sank razor-sharp fangs into Billy’s neck.

 

 



Date: 2015-04-20; view: 626


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