BooksBarbecue
Back When Darkness Loves Us Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. CoverImage
  2. Title page
  3. Copyright page
  4. Introduction by Grady Hendrix
  5. Foreword by Theodore Sturgeon
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US
  8. Part One
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. Part Two
  16. 1
  17. 2
  18. 3
  19. 4
  20. 5
  21. 6
  22. 7
  23. 8
  24. Part Three
  25. 1
  26. 2
  27. 3
  28. 4
  29. BEAUTY IS ...
  30. 1
  31. 2
  32. 3
  33. 4
  34. 5
  35. 6
  36. 7
  37. 8
  38. 9
  39. 10
  40. 11
  41. 12
  42. 13
  43. 14
  44. 15
  45. 16
  46. 17
  47. 18
  48. 19
  49. 20
  50. 21
  51. 22
  52. 23
  53. 24
  54. 25
  55. About the Author
  56. About the Cover

Her face burned a bright red, and she was grateful for the fading light. “Oh, hello. I was, uh, just admiring your house.”

He looked at her carefully. “You’re Cora’s friend, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I was just out walking.”

“It’s getting late. I think you should be getting back.” His face softened. “Can I give you a lift?”

“Oh, well . . .” She smiled. “If it wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience. I am rather tired.”

“Not at all. Why don’t you come in and meet my wife while I get the keys to the truck.”

Sally Ann smiled inwardly. She felt devilish. She followed him to the door.

“Maggie? Honey, come meet a friend of your mom’s. She was out walking and got a little too tired, so I’m going to give her a lift back.” He turned to Sally. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He disappeared down the hall.

Maggie walked warily into the living room. Her tone was venomous. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

Sally Ann smiled. “Well, hello, Maggie. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? You’re looking well.”

“Don’t play cutsie with me, Sally Ann. If you tell Michael who you are, I’ll finish ruining your ugly face.”

Sally took a step toward her sister. “Maggie. I don’t want to hurt anybody. I just want to make a life for myself.”

“Then go make it somewhere else. You can’t do it here, and you can’t do it with us!” Maggie almost spit those last words, then turned on her heel and went back to the kitchen. Sally Ann sat down, put her face in her hands, and started to cry.

She felt Michael’s hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right, Mrs . . . Mrs . . . uh, I don’t even know your name—I’m sorry.”

“SALLY ANN HIXSON!” she wanted to scream in his face. She looked up at the concern in his face and started to cry harder. “Can’t . . .”

“Mrs. Cant? Maggie? Would you fetch a glass of water for Mrs. Cant, please?”

Sally Ann took the proffered glass of water and drank it down without looking at Maggie. She didn’t need to see the hate that was written all over her face; she could feel it emanating from her whole being. “Thank you very much. I’m feeling better now. Maybe we’d better go.”

She went straight to her room, past her mother sitting silently in the living room. The next morning she was gone.

8

8

“Clint? Clint, It’s Mommy. I’m back.” Sally Ann raced through the tunnel, holding tight to the wrist of the wailing child she was half dragging behind her. “Get up and walk or I’ll leave you here!” The child cried louder, trying desperately to keep up, hiccuping fear. “Clint!”