Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Eric kept massaging his chest and spewing threats at them in a voice that seemed to sound weaker and weaker with each passing second. He would no doubt be running for his life, but they had him cornered against a block wall. He’d have to go through them or one of the metal freezers if he intended to make a getaway.
Ryder was about to ask what they were going to do, if it wasn’t call the cops, when Remi suddenly said, “Oh…yeah, thanks. I didn’t see them.”
“See who?” Ryder asked.
“Nobody,” Remi answered. “It’s my clothes.” He pointed to the spot right outside the door of the freezer where Eric had locked him in. “Tell Jeremy not to look; I’m going to get dressed really quick.”
“Call the fucking cops!” Eric roared. “I’m not playing your games any longer! I demand to speak to my attorney. I…I think I need to see a doctor. I plan on suing you for laying your hands on me!”
In record time, Remi shimmied into his jeans, tossed the shirt over his head and slid his arms into the sleeves, and then jammed his feet into his Vans. “It’s really gross that he undressed me,” he said when he stepped back to stand between Ryder and Jeremy.
“Uh…Remi…Mr. Peterman wants his attorney,” Jeremy joked. “What shall we do?”
Remi locked eyes with Eric Peterman. “You won’t be needing an attorney…not where you’re going,” Remi said. “Your chest is hurting, isn’t it? Do you want to know why?” He didn’t wait on an answer. “It’s because you’re about to have a heart attack. All this…torturing and killing…it’s been too much for the ticker. You’ve been feeling it for a while, I’d bet.”
Eric straightened his back and dropped his hand away from his chest. “You’re totally insane.”
Remi laughed. “Wow…that’s saying a lot coming from somebody like you.” His eyes drifted to the left of Peterman and a small smile spread across Remi’s face.
Eric looked in the same direction and a gasp of horror slipped through his lips. Ryder and Jeremy stared at the empty space, seeing nothing.
“Wow…you can see them now, can’t you?” Remi asked. “You know why? It’s because you’re almost dead. Your heart is barely hanging on.”
“Call…call an ambulance,” Eric pleaded softly. “Leave me alone! You two are supposed to be dead! I made sure of it! I did it for Joshua!”
“No, Peterman,” Remi snapped. “You did it for yourself. You enjoyed torturing people. You knew how terrified Veronica was of rats and look what you did to her! You’re a sick son of a bitch…just like your son.” Remi took a step toward Eric, but Ryder tugged him back. “You ever wonder why Joshua’s not around? Why he isn’t here to try and rescue his daddy?”
“Don’t you say his name,” Peterman whispered. “You don’t deserve to say his name.” He dropped down to one knee, and his hand went back up to clutch his chest. “Joshua! Where are you?”
Remi looked at Veronica and Gary. They could no longer communicate with him, but he’d learned to watch for Veronica’s hints, just like Jeremy’s mother had said. “Step back,” he said to Ryder and Jeremy. “Like…wayyyy back.”
The three of them took seven or eight steps backward.
Jeremy said, “I stand corrected, Remi. Watching you is way creepier than anything I’ve witnessed in my family’s history.” He looked at Remi. “Are Veronica and Gary here now?”
“Yep.”
“Get away from me!” Peterman screamed. “No! No! What are you doing? You can’t do this to me! Do you know who I am?”
“Oh…hell. What’s she doing?” Ryder whispered to Remi.
Remi watched Veronica’s fingers as she played with Petra, a wicked smile on her beautiful face.
“Just playing with her pet rat,” Remi answered. “Maybe, uh, another few steps back,” he suggested as he grabbed Ryder and Jeremy’s arms and tugged them even further away from Peterman.
Gary gave a farewell salute in Remi’s direction, a soft smile on his lips. Veronica winked at him and then took one of Petra’s feet and made her wave goodbye. When she finished, she turned her attention back to Eric Peterman. Her fingers stroked the rat…faster and faster…faster and faster….
“What in the hell is going….”
The words froze in Ryder’s mouth as he watched hundreds of rats suddenly appear out of thin air…and race toward a screaming and crying Eric Peterman. They launched their bodies on top of him and began chewing and gnawing at his flesh. Ryder, Remi, and Jeremy all turned around to face the opposite direction, a mask of horror on their faces. Squeaks and screams echoed throughout the warehouse.
“Holy. Fucking. Shit,” Jeremy muttered. “I think I’m going to be sick.” He put one hand over his mouth and wrapped his other arm around his head, trying to cover his ears, and started running toward the exit.
“Let’s go, Remi. He deserves it, but I don’t want either of us to have to see it,” Ryder said as he grabbed Remi’s hand and started tugging him toward the door.