Earth: Population 2 (Paradise Lost Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

I yanked it closed.
    “You sure this thing is safe to drive?”
    “Yeah. We’re not going far.” She pulled away from the crumbling curb. They hadn’t repaved the parking lot since I was in junior high. The building’s siding flaked off, and a few of the windows had blue plastic tarp instead of glass. The greenish-yellow water in the community pool stank, and, the last time I dunked my feet in, I had a rash for a week. Home sweet home. The poor maintenance explained our cheap rent.
    Hailey drove through town and up the winding road leading to the mountain ridge overlooking the valley where we lived. As the woods thickened, a chill crept up my spine, and I searched the shadowy undergrowth for scrawny white arms, spider legs, and tentacles with suction cups. Let’s just say my imagination ran on overdrive.  Normally, I’d want to get out of the car to get a better view of the sky and the constellations, but after what had happened, I’d keep the door locked. If the lock still worked.
    “We’re not going deeper into the woods, are we?” Hailey never told me the whole plan. I fidgeted with the lock. The top didn’t go all the way down, making me nervous.
    “No way. Not after what happened. Do you think I have noodles for brains?”
    “Just checking.” Noodles were in aisle six, along with the international foods.
    I shook my head, trying not to think about groceries or aliens. What were the chances asteroids would strike twice? Weren’t they like lightning? I tried to focus on my own personal matters. “What about Mike?”
    She shrugged. “What about him?”
    “I don’t want to kiss him, that’s what.”
    “Julie, Julie, Julie. What am I going to do with you?” Hailey sighed like I’d disappointed her. “Think about this—who are you going to meet working at the grocery store? Sure, Mike is a little bit chubby cheeked, and he drinks too much beer, but he’s good at wrestling.”
    Wrestling. I liked wrestling as much as twelve-hour shifts, earwigs, and moldy eggplant. “We have nothing in common. Quit trying to hook me up. This isn’t The Bachelorette .” My mom loved that show. She made me watch every episode despite my cringing reactions when all the ladies crushed on some dork. None of the bachelors compared to Gale Williams.
    “Who says you need to have stuff in common? Look at us. We don’t have anything in common. You like science, I like English. You watch movies, I like plays. You like the red gummy worms, and I like the green ones.”
    I laughed. “That’s different.”
    Hailey pulled into a parking space between two cars stuffed with other graduates. They rolled down their windows and waved. Hailey turned to me with a serious expression. “I’m worried about your romantic future. Tell me, who are you going to meet working at Save ’n Shop?”
    I thought of Leonard, the balding shift leader who played video games all night; John, the deli assistant who picked his nose when customers weren’t looking; and Roy, the cart pusher who couldn’t pass the cashier test. “Maybe a hot customer will walk through my line?”
    “At the local grocery store in Nowheresville?” Hailey gave me her derr look, scrunching up one side of her face.
    “Meeting someone is the last thing on my to-do list right now. I have to take care of my mom, and having a boyfriend would only complicate things.”
    “That’s what I was afraid you’d say.” Hailey opened her door. “I have to talk to Brooke about getting my sweater back. You know; the nice one with the pearl buttons? I gave it to her at Randy’s party after she complained everyone could see through her shirt to her bra, and she’s had it all year. Be right back.”
    Before I could protest, Hailey slipped out of the driver’s seat and ran to the nearest car. I curled my legs up against my chest and hoped the aliens weren’t lurking outside my door to stick their suction cups in my hair. In front of me, the town started to glow with