Shaken Read Online Free Page B

yards away. It turned and for the first time they saw the tail.
    â€œSick!” Lionel said.
    Instead of hair, a snake’s head writhed on the end of the tail. It bared its fangs and looked at the kids.
    â€œSo this is why you came out here,” Judd said to Mr. Stein. “You knew this was going to happen.”
    â€œI had no idea,” Mr. Stein said. “I felt God wanted me to speak and I did. Follow me.”
    â€œWe can walk right through the horses?” Judd said.
    â€œThese are not physical beings. Their effect is real. They will cause the deaths of many, but we have no reason to fear them.”
    Sirens wailed throughout the city as Judd and the others walked up the steps. The deputy commander lay on the steps, clutching his throat. As Judd passed, Woodruff reached out and grabbed his leg. Judd quickly jerked away. The man summoned his strength and stood, finally recognizing Judd. He reached for the radio on his shoulder and clicked the button.
    Woodruff gasped and tried to speak. Before he could utter a word, a horse moved toward them and turned, its tail crashing into Woodruff’s back. The man flew into the air like a child’s toy and crashed into the building. His limp body fell to the sidewalk.
    Judd shuddered. How could the horses strike with such force when they weren’t physical beings? He and the others had walked directly through them!
    Lionel reached the deputy commander’s body and checked his pulse. He shook his head.
    â€œLet’s go,” Mr. Stein said.

    Vicki started to run, but Conrad grabbed her arm.
    â€œStay right where you are!” the man in the truck said. Vicki noticed a gun rack in the rear of the pickup. The man stepped out and walked in front of the headlights. He was thin and had a long face with a stubbly beard. His arms were gangly, and he walked with a slight limp. He cocked a pistol and held it out as the car arrived.
    â€œHow many are there?” the woman said as she stepped out of the car. She was short and wore a leather jacket. She waved the shotgun as she talked.
    â€œThree,” Long Face said. “Two girls and a guy.”
    The driver of the car was a man in his mid-thirties. He was stocky with curly hair. He got out and eyed Vicki and Shelly. Something didn’t seem right about him.
    The woman threw a bag in front of Conrad. “Put all your Nicks and valuables in there and step away from the van.”
    â€œWe don’t have much,” Vicki said. “This isn’t even our car—”
    â€œShut up and do what you’re told!” the woman screamed.
    Conrad turned to Vicki and said, “Give them what they want. Main thing is getting out of here alive.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you think of that back on the road?” the woman yelled.
    â€œYeah,” the man by the car whined. “You almost scratched my car.”
    Conrad shrugged. “The stuff’s going to be hard to get. Van’s all smashed and—”
    The woman pointed the shotgun at Conrad. “Shut up and get out of the way.”
    Long Face crawled inside the van and rummaged around. He threw out Vicki’s notebook, and papers flew everywhere. Vicki started to retrieve them, but Conrad held her back.
    â€œI’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Shelly whispered.
    â€œHey, look what I found!” Long Face said from the van. He handed a metal box to the woman.
    â€œSo, you were holding out on us!” the woman said. “Where’s the key?”
    Conrad pulled a key from his pocket and tossed it to her. She tried to catch it, but it pinged off the side of the car. The curly-headed man glared at him.
    The box held enough Nicks to get the kids back to the schoolhouse, but not much more. The woman stuffed the money in her jacket pocket.
    â€œVan’s torn up,” Long Face said. “Probably couldn’t drive it even if we got it out of the ditch.”
    The woman kicked the van and