Once Upon a Halloween Read Online Free Page B

team..."
        "Left them in the dirt?"
        "I left 'em behind, but I don't know how far."
        "What sort of runner is Connie?" Shannon asked.
        The look on his face was answer enough. But he said, "She's not very athletically inclined."
        "So you think they caught her?" Shannon asked.
        "She might've gotten away. I bet they got her, though."
        "Where does she live?" Laura asked.
        "The Estates."
        "Doesn't everyone," Shannon muttered. "You ran this way and she ran the other way," Laura said, "so she was heading away from where she lives."
        "Yeah."
        "Deeper into the cemetery."
        "Yeah."
        "Maybe she didn't try to outrun them," Shannon said. "Maybe she hid."
        "Maybe," Hunter said. "I sure hope so."
        Laura turned to Shannon. "So what should we do?"
        "Guess we can forget about the Halloween party."
        "And do what?" Laura asked.
        "Call the cops."
        Shannon led the way into the living room. She dropped into an easy chair, reached over to the table and picked up the handset of the cordless telephone.
        The doorbell rang.
        Alarm filled Hunter's eyes.
        Shannon grimaced. "Maybe you'd better not get it this time."
        "The screen door's locked."
        The doorbell rung again.
        "The faster I give them candy, the faster they'll go away."
        "Just make sure they're kids."
        "I'll be careful."
        As the doorbell rang again, Laura hurried toward the foyer. Hunter started to go after her.
        "No." Shannon reached out and grabbed his wrist. "You stay here. You might need to answer some... SHIT!!!"
        

CHAPTER SIX
        
        Hunter jerked his hand out of Shannon's grip and whirled around.
        And squealed.
        Out of the darkness of the dining room came a man with a Bowie knife. He ran toward Shannon. He was flanked by two women, a blonde with a saber, a brunette with a hatchet. Except for shoos, leather belts and sheaths - and a rope coiled around the neck of the blonde - all three were naked. Their skin gleamed with sweat. They grunted as they ran. Their eyes looked fierce.
        Shannon hurled the cordless handset of the phone at the man. It hit him in the mouth with a clash of plastic against teeth, then bounced off. By the look on his face, it must've hurt. But it didn't stop him.
        Laura ran into the living room, let out a cry of alarm, and brushed past Hunter as she dashed toward the attackers.
         She's gonna take them on?
        Hunter ran the other way.
        As he raced into the foyer, the doorbell rang again.
        Trick or treaters or more of them?
        From behind Hunter came gasps and thuds, crashes of furniture and maybe bodies striking walls or the floor. Smacks of skin striking skin. Brawling sounds. But no sounds of anyone running toward him.
        He stopped at the foot of the stairway. By the noises, the struggle was still going on.
        He imagined himself returning, joining in the fight and saving the girls.
        They haven't got a chance, he thought.
        But they seemed to be keeping all three of the attackers busy, because nobody was coming after Hunter yet.
        Quickly but quietly, he climbed the stairs.
        On his way up, the doorbell rang again and made him flinch. He kept climbing.
        At the top, he turned around. The stairway was empty. Crouching, he could see a portion of the foyer. Nobody was there.
        He no longer heard noises of struggle from the living room. Was the fight over?
         When they 're done down there, they'll come looking for me.
        He started making his way slowly down the hall toward the light from Shannon's room.
        Better not hide in there, he thought. At least not behind the door. They'll find me for sure.
        His mind filled with memories of the last time he'd hidden behind the door. The