Nightmare Mountain Read Online Free

the white ambulance, with its red lights still going around and around, and into the house. She could hear voices, but she decided against going upstairs to see what was happening. She knew it would be best to stay out of the way.
    Buckie scratched at the door and Molly let him in. He trotted past her, and went straight up the stairs. He’s worried about her, too, Molly thought. He’s going to see if she’s OK.
    Molly followed. She didn’t want him bothering the medics.
    “Buckie. Sit,” she said, when she reached the top.
    Buckie sat down near the door to Uncle Phil and AuntKaren’s bedroom. While Molly watched, he threw back his head and howled once more.
    “Ooowuuooah!”
    Glendon stood in the doorway of his room, watching silently.
    One of the medics was talking on a cordless phone. “Before she slipped into the coma,” he said, “her respiration was slow and gasping. She’s asthmatic but has never had a severe attack. We’re starting out with her now; tell Emergency to watch for us.”
    He hung up and he and his partner lifted Aunt Karen onto a stretcher. She was wrapped in a blanket and her face was the color of fireplace ashes. They hurried past Molly and down the stairs. Uncle Phil was right behind them; Glendon and Molly followed.
    “We’re taking her to the hospital,” Uncle Phil said, as he walked. “Glendon and Molly, you will have to stay here by yourselves. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.”
    Buckie trotted at Uncle Phil’s heels, whining.
    “Keep Buckie inside until you close the gate,” Uncle Phil said. “I don’t want him running after the ambulance.” Molly clutched Buckie’s harness while Uncle Phil held the front door open. While the medics slid the stretcher into the back of the ambulance, Uncle Phil ran to his car, started it, and pulled up behind them.
    One of the medics got in back with Aunt Karen; the other medic started the engine and the ambulance roared away, with Uncle Phil right behind it. Molly, Glendon, and Buckie stood in the doorway and stared after them until the red taillights disappeared in the distance.
    Molly held tightly to Buckie, while Glendon closed the door. When she let go, Buckie scratched at the door and whined.
    “I guess we’d better go close the gate,” Molly said.
    Glendon didn’t answer. He just looked at her, the way he had when the ship fell. It didn’t bother her so much this time. Glendon was weird and rude but right then Molly was too worried about Aunt Karen to try to figure out what was wrong with him. If he wanted to stand there and stare at her, let him.
    Glendon walked slowly toward the stairs. When he reached them, he looked at Molly and said, “A dog howls that way when his owner dies. I read about it in a book.” Without waiting for her to reply, he turned and started up the stairs to his room.
    Molly watched him go, her stomach churning. Buckie pawed at the door and whined some more. “You have to stay in until the gate’s closed,” Molly said. Glendon apparently wasn’t going to do it so she supposed she would have to go back out and close it herself.
    She slipped carefully out the door, making sure thatBuckie didn’t squeeze past her. It seemed darker than before and colder. Molly shivered. She wished Buckie could walk along with her.
    That’s silly, she told herself. You weren’t scared to run down the lane and watch for the ambulance; why should you be nervous now?
    She glanced at the barn; all was dark. She’d forgotten to ask Glendon if the baby llama was being born but it must not be. Glendon wouldn’t go upstairs to bed if the llama needed attention.
    A dark cloud covered the sliver of moon and the shadowy barn faded into the trees beyond. Molly shivered once more and then stepped resolutely off the porch and hurried down the lane.
    She was halfway to the gate when she thought she heard a noise behind her. She stopped and listened for a moment but she heard nothing more. When she shone the flashlight in