Journal of the Undead (Book 1): Littleville Uprising Read Online Free

by the harshness in Matt’s tone and the knowing look on the new kid’s face. Evan stepped forward and gave her a grandiose bow.
    “All hail our insipid leader.” His words dripped with sarcasm.
    “Hmm, I think you mean intrepid, not insipid.”
    “Oh no, I’m quite sure I meant insipid.” Looking her up and down, he continued, “You see, I wouldn’t classify you as dauntless, which is what intrepid means. Bland or uninspired, on the other hand, seems like a far more accurate description.”
    Emma’s look of shock only encouraged Evan to continue.
    “I mean, really, how difficult could it be to dethrone queen sycophant?” he questioned, motioning toward Whitney.
    Aghast, Emma sputtered, “I beg your pardon?”
    “Honey, you can beg all you want.”
    Emma was outraged and, for the first time, her extensive vocabulary simply eluded her. She glared at Evan with a look that could peel paint but no words would come. Flushed with anger, she managed to hiss ‘Asshole!’ before storming away.
    “Aw, come on,” Evan called after her. “You can do better than that.”
    Matt waited until Emma had disappeared before allowing his laughter to escape.
    “I’ve never seen anyone shut her up like that. Heck, I know I’ve never been able to.”
    “I’m sorry about that, Matt. But I swear, if I hear one more idiotic girl babbling about using makeup to create Whitney’s insipid eyes I’m going to puke!”
    Matt laughed so hard he could scarcely breathe. Evan fully expected Matt to rescind the offer to hang out after school. He was surprised when Matt didn’t.
    “I’d better get to class. Meet me in the parking lot after last period.”
    Evan dashed off to his next class, relieved that his rash behavior hadn’t sabotaged his chance to make a new friend.
    The parking lot was already emptying as Matt and Evan strolled to his car. Still brooding over her exchange with Evan, Emma was slumped in the passenger seat, waiting for her brother. With the music cranked on her iPod, she hummed along absentmindedly to the music, completely unaware that they were about to have company. With a fleeting twinge of guilt, Matt opened the driver’s side door and asked Emma to hop in the back. The color drained from her face when she saw Evan waiting on the passenger side.
    “You have got to be kidding me!” she protested.
    “It’s rude to make a guest ride in the back and you know I’ll get grounded too if I let you drive,” Matt insisted.
    Furious, Emma hurled her bag into the back seat and, after glaring hatefully at both of them, scrambled over the seat after it. The angry words Emma snarled were unintelligible but neither dared to ask her to repeat them.
    An awkward silence hung in the air the entire ride. Matt barely had the car in park before Emma jumped out and dashed through their front door.
    “So, Evan, you any good at Trig? Looks like Emma won’t be helping me any time soon.”
    As the boys made their way upstairs to Matt’s room, they could hear the hum of the vacuum cleaner.
    “Is she OCD or something?” Evan laughed.
    Matt explained that Emma was grounded and their stepmom, Jillian, left a daily list of chores for her to complete. It was the usual stuff: dust, vacuum, wash dishes, cook dinner.
    “With Emma doing all the housework my stepmom has more time for important stuff … like manicures. I’d invite you to stay for dinner but Em is cooking. She’d probably poison us both. I’m already a goner … no point in killing you off too.”
    After a couple of hours, Jillian crashed through the front door, arms loaded with bags from the trendiest stores the local mall had to offer. She shouted to Matt, telling him to bring in the rest. Both boys descended the stairs and Matt introduced Evan to his stepmother.
    Jillian envisioned herself as being the very picture of elegance. She dedicated many hours to hair, nails and makeup, not to mention expensive jewelry. By selecting the proper designs, her clothing