Blood Red Road Read Free Page A

fast as wolfdogs on the hunt.
    I look over my shoulder an git a shock. The dustcloud’s halfways across the lake. I never seen one move so fast. We got a minute, two at most, before it’s on us.
    We cain’t outrun it! I yell at Lugh. It’s comin too fast!
    The shanty comes into view an we start to shout an wave our arms.
    Emmi’s still ridin around on her two-wheeler.
    Pa! we scream. Pa! Emmi! Dust storm!
    Pa appears in the doorway. Shades his eyes with his hand. Then he makes a dash fer Emmi, snatches her an runs full pelt fer the unnerground storm cellar.
    The cellar ain’t more’n fifty paces from the shanty. He hauls up the wooden door set into the ground an drops Emmi inside. He waves his arms at us, frantic.
    I look back. Gasp. The great mountain of orange dust races towards us with a roar. Like a ravenous beast, gobblin the ground as it goes.
    Faster, Saba! Lugh yells. He rips off his shirt an starts wrappin it around his face.
    Nero! I says. I stop, look all around. Where’s Nero?
    No time! Lugh grabs my wrist, pulls at me.
    Pa yells somethin I cain’t hear. He climbs into the storm cellar an pulls the door to.
    I cain’t leave him out here! I pull myself free. Nero! I yell. Nero!
    It’s too late! Lugh says. He’ll save hisself! C’mon!
    A fork of lightnin slashes down an lands with a almighty crack an hiss.
    One Missus Ippi, two Missus Ippi, three—
    There’s a sullen rumble of thunder.
    Less’n a league! Lugh says.
    Everythin goes black. The cloud’s on us. I cain’t see a thing.
    Lugh! I scream.
    Hang on! he yells. Don’t let go!
    The next thing I know, a tingle runs across my skin. I gasp. Lugh must feel it too because he lets go my hand like he’s bin scalded.
    Lightnin’s comin! he yells. Git down!
    We hunker down, some ways apart. We crouch as low to the ground as we can git. My heart’s stuck in my throat.
    One more time, Saba. If lightnin catches you out in the open, whaddya do?
    Crouch down, head down, feet together, hands on knees. Don’t let my hands or knees touch the ground. That’s right, ain’t it, Pa?
    An never lie down. Don’t ferget that, Saba, never lie down .
    I hear Pa’s voice loud an clear in my head. He got struck by lightnin as a boy. Nearly got killed from not knowin the right thing to do, so he’s made damn sure we all know what to—
    Crack! The darkness splits open with a bright flash an a slam boom. It sends me flyin. I bang my head aginst the ground—hard. Try to pull myself up but fall back. Dizzy. My head spins round an round. I groan.
    Saba! Lugh shouts. Are y’okay?
    Another flash an boom splits the darkness. I think it’s headed away from us, but I cain’t be sure, my head’s so muddled. My ears ring.
    Saba! Lugh yells. Where are you?
    Over here! I call out, my voice all thin an shaky. I’m here!
    An then Lugh’s there, kneelin beside me an pullin me up to sit.
    Are you hurt? he says. Are y’okay? He slips his arm around me, helps me to stand. My legs feel all wobbly. Did it hit you?
    I … uh … it … knocked me offa my feet, is all, I says.
    Then, as we stand there, the dark rolls away.
    An the world’s turned red.
    Bright red like the heart of a fire. Everythin. The ground, the sky, the shanty, me, Lugh—all red. Fine red dust fills the air, touches every single thing. A red red world. I ain’t never seen nuthin like it before.
    Me an Lugh stare at each other.
    Looks like the end of the world, I says. My voice sounds muffled, like I’m talkin unner a blanket.
    An then, outta that red dust haze, the men on horses appear.

    There’s five of ’em. Ridin sturdy, shaggy coat mustangs.
    Even in normal times we don’t git folk passin by Silverlake, so it’s a shock to see strangers blowin in on the tail of the worst dust storm in years. The horsemen pull up near the shanty. They don’t dismount. We start over.
    Let me do the talkin, Lugh says.
    Four of the riders is dressed in long black robes. They got on heavy leather vests strapped