Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“Mom!” I yelled. “Where are you?”
I pounded the steering wheel with my hand as I passed the Welcome Sign for Orca Cove.
I gripped the steering wheel with both hands as the Jeep swerved to the right and then the left like some invisible force was trying to pull me into the forest. I may as well be a chew toy.
Tears streamed down my face, and I tried to stay in control of the vehicle as I saw my mom’s face.
A dark chuckle filled the night air. A woman’s voice, hypnotic, evil to its very core, whispered. “Everyone you love… will die.” A chuckle followed.
I was going crazy too, if I was hearing the voices.
Right?
Was it my imagination?
I let out a scream as the Jeep swerved again until it completely flipped around, facing the opposite direction, back into town.
The car turned off.
“No, nope, no, no, no.” I turned the key and hit the accelerator as the wind picked up, pounding the rain against my car until I couldn’t see despite my windshield wipers being on high.
The SUV finally jerked to life. I made the decision to head back into town and the creepy safety of the inn. The conditions were too dangerous, and my mind was clearly putting me in a dark place.
Maybe I was going crazy.
Maybe I was dead, and this was all just a dream.
My SUV swerved to the left again as I let out a blood-curdling scream.
Within minutes of the gruesome scene of a deer laying bloody behind me, I was on the road, the word orca pounding into my psyche with a mind-numbing force until I put two and two together. The place my mom used to take me every summer, the same place she’d somehow disappeared into thin air.
Orca Cove, just north and west of Vancouver, Washington.
Something told me if I could just make it back to the inn—everything would be okay. I’d be safe.
Like an invisible barrier would suck me in, wrap me in bubble wrap and hold tight.
A faded blue sign appeared.
Welcome to Orca Cove.
I hit the accelerator until it touched the floor and tried to keep the Jeep straight. A flash of light appeared in front of the road, blinding me and forcing me to slow down, followed by a sudden jolt. The SUV spun around until it connected with a loud crunch. The airbag met my face, and then there was nothing but pain.
And a cruel laugh that faded off into the darkness.
“H-help.” The word came out weak as I faded in and out of consciousness. I lifted a shaky hand to my head and winced as my vision cleared and my fingertips came back stained with sticky wet blood.
A tree branch was poking through the passenger side window. A few more inches and it would have impaled my neck and pinned me against my own car.
Alive.
At least I was alive.
My head throbbed as I searched my body for more injuries. Glass from the windshield covered my bare legs, and one large piece had embedded itself in my right thigh just below my black skirt.
A light flashed in front of me.
I tensed immediately as my heart pounded against my ribcage. Did I call out for help again?
Goosebumps erupted all over my skin as the sudden urge to throw up washed over me.
The closer the light got to the car, the more intense the feeling became, along with the sweet syrupy smell of candy, and not the kind that makes your mouth water but the kind that gives you the impression that one bite might rot every last tooth you possessed.
“Miss, are you all right?” The voice belonged to a man; it had a rough edge to it. Though cultured, that didn’t lessen the feeling of fear; if anything, I wanted to hide but had nowhere to go. “Miss?”
He pointed the flashlight at my face, making it impossible for me to see his features. If I could guess, I would say he was older, but I’d also just been in a car wreck, so he could say he was Chris Hemsworth, and I’d probably be just as dazed.
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out; I tried again, only to wonder how in the hell a car crash could make it so that my voice wasn’t working properly minutes after the word “help” had fallen from my lips.
“Poor thing’s in shock,” he muttered to himself. “Can’t just leave her here; the mountain lions might smell the blood—” He stopped talking as if he was actually considering leaving me to the mountain lions. “Nah, can’t do that… can’t do that. Last time, well…”
Seriously?
I let out a guttural moan as my head lolled forward. If I didn’t do something soon, I was going to puke all over the rude man who thought he was rescuing me.