Eve of Destruction Read Free

felt a wave of regret for having brought her back—for having brought all of them back—to the place where they were cured of their fears. They had no memory of the things that had been done to them. But I knew.
    I knew, and still I’d brought them here.
    I would soon regret that decision.
    â€œThere she is,” said Connor, lolling back and forth like the walk down had taken a lot out of him. “Same as before.”
    I crept closer and saw what he was talking about. The looming concrete-slab walls covered in moss and ivy, still looking more like a giant coffin than a building.
    Fort Eden.
    â€œGod, it’s so creepy looking,” said Kate. She was rattled, which was saying something. “How’d we ever get the nerve up to go in there the first time?”
    Ben Dugan went so far as to back up and bump into me before stopping cold.
    â€œThis is starting to feel like a bad idea,” he said. “Why the hell are we even here?”
    â€œBecause Mrs. Goring wants to see us,” I said.
    â€œWhat about Rainsford? Is he here, too?” Ben asked.
    This was the tough part. There was a huge secret about Rainsford only I among the group knew. I hadn’t even told Marisa.
    â€œLet’s get it over with,” Connor said, manning up as he always did. “I’m hungry. Maybe she’s got some Mrs. Goring Spaghetti in there waiting for us.”
    Connor started into the clearing, then looked back at us like we were a bunch of lowly players required to follow him. Kate rolled her eyes but trudged off, giving in to the inevitable, and that started an exodus from the foot of the trail to the entrance of the fort.
    The guys took turns knocking on the locked door, but no one answered.
    â€œWhere’d she say she’d be?” asked Alex. He was settling into the adventure even as he kept looking around like someone was watching us.
    I shrugged, I didn’t know. Everyone was staring at me like I was insane.
    â€œMaybe we should leave,” I suggested. It felt like there was still a chance to get everyone out safely before Mrs. Goring showed up with a shotgun and guided us all into a fear chamber in the basement of the concrete building. My mind was starting to fill with bad possibilities.
    Kate laughed unkindly and started marching for the second of two structures on the property, 1 the Bunker. “You talked us into this, Will. This was your thing, not ours.”
    She rubbed her temples as she stormed off, and I felt sad for her. The headaches hadn’t stopped. They probably never would.
    Marisa followed after Kate, but all four of us guys stayed put. It felt like we weren’t really being invited to go knock on the Bunker door, like we better stay right where we were and keep our mouths shut.
    â€œDang, Will. What were you thinking?” said Connor. “Dragging us all the way out here for what?”
    â€œYeah, what gives?” asked Alex.
    Ben just stared off into the woods like he wished he was home.
    â€œAll I know is I got a letter and it said she’d be here. It said she was sick or dying or something. She wanted to see us, that’s it. End of story.”
    They already knew everything I was saying, I’d told them about ten times each. But it didn’t matter. We’d spent half the day getting down here, and the place was looking deserted as Kate and Marisa came back.
    â€œNobody home,” said Marisa.
    â€œUnless she’s already dead.”
    Kate had said the thing I was wondering, and looking at the faces staring back at me, it seemed like everyone else was thinking the same thing, too.
    â€œNo way I’m climbing through some window looking for a dead body,” said Ben. “Forget it. I’m outta here.”
    He started walking away, but Connor grabbed him by the arm.
    â€œLet’s at least jump in the pond while we’re down here. It’ll take like ten minutes.”
    More likely Connor was