Bloody Sunset by Gwendolyn Harper (classic books for 11 year olds TXT) 📗

Caitlin snorted so hard she thought she’d blow a blood vessel.

“Hey,” Booker exclaimed. “I ain’t gonna stand here and get lectured at by a fourth grader.”

“Fifth,” Desi corrected. “And you need to use higher mileage oil from now on. Your engine will thank you later.”

Biting the inside of her cheek so she didn’t howl with laughter, Caitlin struggled to inhale.

Crossing his arms, Booker glared down at the little girl. “Y’think you’re smart, huh?”

“I’m just good at fixing things,” Desi told him. “Always have been.”

Steadying herself, Caitlin cleared her throat.

“Desi, does Sister Agnes know you’re out here?”

When she didn’t answer, Caitlin took it as a no.

“It’s dangerous for a kid out here by yourself,” Booker added. “Y’should be inside, learnin’ or goin’ to story time—”

“Story time’s boring,” Desi interrupted, rolling her eyes. “And they hardly teach any of the stuff I like.”

“Which is?”

“Science. We only spend thirty minutes a day on it.”

Caitlin started to smile at the little girl’s precociousness.

“I like math too but I’m not very good at fractions,” Desi added.

Leaning down a little, Caitlin said, “How about I make you a deal? If you go inside where it’s safe and stay there until we get back, I’ll have my friend teach you more science before dinner.”

Desi squinted at her. “It’s not him, is it?” She asked, looking at Booker.

With an affronted noise, Booker scowled. “Listen here, I might not be a science whiz, but I know a thing or two about a thing or two, so you better quit your judgin’.”

For the first time, Desi’s lips started to curl in a grin.

Looking up at Caitlin with sharp hazel eyes, she nodded. “Okay,” she said, handing the wrench to Booker. “See you later.”

They watched as she hurried back to the school building, tight brown curls bouncing with each step. Once she was inside, Caitlin doubled over with laughter.

“Stop it,” Booker said.

“Oh man, she really raked you over the coals.”

“Smart mouthed rug rat…”

“That bit about the dipstick was genius,” Caitlin wheezed. “You should’ve seen your face.”

“Cut it out, Meadows.”

Wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, she tried to take a breath.

“How’s it feel to get dunked on by a ten year old?”

Booker gave her his back, striding towards the thin line of trees. “Better watch it, or I’ll make you sleep over at Nicole and Scott’s bunk.”

“Worth it.”

* * * * * * *

The shed, as it turned out, was more like a shack and while it would have been cramped, it was absolutely feasible to hold seventy or more Geeks inside.

Booker pushed the unlocked door open, gun at the ready.

When nothing undead or alive came rushing for them, they took a few steps over the threshold.

“It definitely smells like a bunch of Geeks were in here,” Caitlin muttered, covering her nose.

Inspecting the muddy floor, Booker nodded. “Some of these footprints are older than the others. Those are only a couple days old… ‘N those are from at least a week or more. See the dried spots in the treads?”

Caitlin looked to where he pointed. The smudged shoeprints all looked the same to her, but she could see what he meant about the layered dirt.

Glancing up, she noticed suspicious chains and hooks hanging from the ceiling.

“Booker, is that what I think it is?”

Following her gaze, he angled his head for a better look.

“Yup. That’s blood on those,” he said, gesturing to the rust colored stains on the hooks. “Seems like our squirrel butcher found a way to lure the groaners inside.”

Caitlin’s skin crawled.

“This took premeditation,” she said. “Someone planned this, thought about how to execute it… Whoever they are, they’re more dangerous than we realized.”

Examining more of the room, Booker scowled. “The only thing I can’t figure out is why. Why put themselves at risk? They ain’t got a specific target in mind, they’re just doin’ it to cause trouble.”

Caitlin worried the inside of her lip in thought.

“Maybe their target is all of us,” she said. “Or maybe their motive isn’t that simple.”

“Meanin’?”

She shrugged. “They could be trying to send a message… Like people who poison at random to prove safety standards aren’t up to par.”

“Y’think they’re tryin’ to teach us a lesson?”

Caitlin turned to look over her shoulder at him. “I don’t know. But I’m not sure we can rule anything out yet.”

Making a soft grunt of approval, Booker continued following the footprints along the wooden floorboards.

“Whoever they are, they must’ve been collectin’ groaners for weeks. Months, even,” he said. “Might be why we ain’t seen that many around the school.”

“Lulled us into a sense of security. Made us think we didn’t have to worry about too many Geeks and then…”

Booker groaned. “Man, I hate this sonuvabitch.”

“Me too. We’re beyond lucky we didn’t lose anyone yesterday.”

She stalled, the first thread of connection almost within grasp.

“What if that’s it?” She asked, facing Booker. “Their motive. What if they’re not trying to hurt people, what if they want to play the hero?”

Frowning, Booker considered her words.

“Then we’re roundin’ up the wrong list of names,” he said. “They’d be friendly and helpful, not loner types with anger problems.”

“That matches ninety percent of our group,” she said with a heavy sigh. “I hate to say it, but we might not be able to figure out who they are until…”

Booker held her stare. “Until what?”

A sickened feeling pulled at Caitlin’s insides.

“Until they stage another attack.”

Chapter Nine

The longer they waited, the jumpier Caitlin got.

It was like waiting for a grenade to go off, while simultaneously trying to find and dismantle it.

Three days without incident should have felt like a blessing, but it only felt like delaying the