Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
I hit the clearing where my family’s mansion has stood for over two hundred years, and now it’s gone. In its place is a small one-story house, white with a wraparound porch and green shutters. A cord of wood is neatly stack beside the front door.
What the fuck?
In the gravel driveway, a dark blue truck. My snowmobiles are gone.
What the hell is happening?
I park behind the truck and turn off the engine. I’ve lost my fucking mind. I’m sure I have.
I step from my truck and press my hand over my flat stomach. My eyes scan the forest and land. It’s all the same, but the mansion is gone.
The front door opens, and my ex, Dave, rushes out. “Lake, are you all right?” He bolts toward me, catching me just in time before I stumble.
“You-you’re alive? How’s that possible?” And he looks different. No stark-white veneers or gelled-back hair. He’s wearing Levi’s instead of those five-hundred-bucks-a-pop designer things he always bragged about owning.
He scoops me into his arms. “Lake, you’re scaring me.” He takes me inside and sets me on a blue couch I’ve never seen before. His phone rings, and he pulls it from his pocket. “Yes, she’s here. Uh-huh. Oh. I’ll let her know, Dr. Francis. Thank you.” He ends the call.
“Lake, that was your doctor.”
I think he’s going to ask why I’m not pregnant anymore or why I ran out of there like a bat out of hell.
“He says you forgot your prenatal vitamins. I’ll swing by tomorrow and get them.”
I don’t understand. I’m apparently still pregnant, but not very far along. I grab a pillow and hug it to my chest. Where did Gabrio’s baby go?
My eyes whip to Dave’s face in horror. Oh God. This baby’s his.
“Lake? What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“This is all wrong.” I stand. “Where’s the window?” There used to be one upstairs in my grandma’s bedroom, right on the wall. She framed it to make it look like a painting. But I could see directly into a room inside the wall at Monsterland, and the Wall Men could see into the bedroom. One touch, though, and you’d get sucked in and spit out on the other side.
“Window?” Dave’s eyes toggle to the living room window overlooking the front porch. “The window’s right there. What happened to you?”
Wrong window. “Something’s not right, Dave.” I have to find that window. That or I need to figure out where one of the many doorways back to Monsterland is. But then I’d still need a key to unlock it. In the mansion, Grandma Rain used to keep her set of keys in the freezer. But there’s no more mansion.
There has to be a way to get in contact with Alwar or get back to the wall.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
I spend all day searching in the house, under the house, and around the property. I can’t find a window, set of keys, or any indication of a doorway, but there has to be one, right?
On the other hand, Dave is alive. That means he was not eaten by Bard. I’ve also learned that he and I married right after college.
Because Bard wasn’t there to make sure I found out Dave was cheating on me. Bard kept watch over me while I was away at college. I never knew until recently.
Shit. I can’t believe this is my life. Something must’ve changed. Something happened to alter the future events of Monsterland. Bard never becomes part of my life. The mansion is never built. The Norfolk history was completely changed.
But they still came over the bridge at one point because I’m here. I was born. I ended up going to the same university as Dave.
I stand on the spot where my grandmother’s rose garden once stood. I need to find out what changed. It has to be something I did.
On the other hand, maybe Alwar succeeded. Maybe he held the wall and prevented an invasion.
“Lake! Your grandma’s on the phone.” Dave is standing at the back door, holding his cell. “She says it’s urgent.”
Grandma Rain? She’s alive? I cover my mouth, my lips quivering.
“Do you want to call her back?” he asks.
“No!” I come running and snatch the phone from his hand. “Grandma Rain?”
“Why haven’t you called me back? I’ve left three damned messages this morning, child.”
Tears pool in my eyes. I can’t believe I’m speaking to her. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Ass kisser. We just saw each other last Sunday.”
“Where are you?” Please be close. What I wouldn’t give to hug her one more time.
“Where the hell do you think? Didja hit your head this morning?”
“I-I—”
“Go by my apartment and check the coffee maker for me,” she demands. “I think I left it on.”
Her apartment? She doesn’t live on the estate?
“Gotta go. They’re boarding the cruise now. See you next week. Oh. And congratulations again on the baby. Even though Dave is a fucking waste of space, I’m happy for ya. Bye, sweetie.”