Myles and the Monster Outside Read Free Page B

watched the back of his mother’s head as she drove. He saw the little light shining on Bea’s open book. He heard rain on the car roof and the heavy wipers thunk-thunking across the windshield. Norman snored gently in his car seat.
    Inside the car everything seemed normal.
    But outside ?
    Myles gulped and stayed low in his seat. They were completely alone on the highway; all the other cars from the ferry were long gone. And it was raining harder now. They were going the right way again, but Myles had a terrible knot in his stomach.
    The monster followed him from the ferry. It hitched a ride .
    It spoke to him !
    â€¦ I see you, Myles….
    Myles could hear the horrible whispery voice perfectly. There was no doubt about it: the monster was outside the car. It had their scent. It was following them through the rainy fields.
    Myles took four deep breaths, then two short breaths, then four deep ones again. He counted to ten, forward and backward. It helped, a little. But not enough. Not nearly enough.
    He should tell someone.
    â€œMom?”
    â€œYes, Myles?” He bit his lip and looked outside. The fields were getting darker and darker. He wished he were brave.
    Life would be so easy if he were brave. Like Bea. Or even Norman. He sighed.
    â€œMom? It’s almost midnight. When are we going to get there?” The rain splutted against the windshield then fell just a little harder.
    â€œJust go to sleep, Myles. Look, Norman’s asleep. Bea is quietly reading. If you go to sleep, we’ll be at our new house when you wake up. Dad will make us pancakes for breakfast. He can’t wait to see us. And he’s got a surprise for you, remember? Shhh.”
    But he should know I hate surprises!
    Myles fidgeted and stared out the front window. He didn’t want to turn his head a fraction. The white line of the highway darted past in the headlights, slick with rain. He needed to talk.
    â€œWhen was the last time you slept, Mom? Like for real, a whole night, not just sitting upright on the ferry?”
    His mother sighed. “I slept okay last night in the hotel.”
    Myles knew that was a lie. His mom had hardly slept at all since they left home. But he stayed silent. He thought about his dad making them pancakes, and about surprises. He thought about their new house.
    What if our new house has broken windows and the front door is hanging off the hinges?
    Myles scowled.
    Bea sighed and said, “Look, Myles, just don’t worry. I know you’re worrying. Just relax.”
    Myles didn’t answer them. They didn’t know.
    There was a monster outside.
    Shapes moved along beside the car, the bushes and long grass beside the highway rustled with the wind. The rain made everything blurry. Myles closed his eyes. He tried to let the thunk-thunk of the wipers calm him. He talked to himself, trying to be brave.
    There’s nothing out there. You are too scared of everything. Mom is braver than you. Your sister is braver than you. Even your little brother is braver than you. Can’t you be brave for once, too?
    He took a deep breath and looked out the window.
    And somehow didn’t scream.
    A huge grey figure strode across the muddy wet field. It loomed in the night sky, darker than the fields, drier than the rain. A creature of fog and air, mist and fear. Monster feet stomped across the cold April mud, keeping stride with the car. Blazing red eyes burned out of the darkness. Long, wispy arms reached out.…
    â€¦ I see you, Myles....
    Myles gasped and clenched his eyes shut.
    You’re not there! You’re not there!
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” his mother asked.
    â€œUh … uh … n … nothing.” He squeezed his eyes tighter.
    There’s nothing out there!
    â€œMom, could you lock the doors?” he whispered.
    Click. Click. Click. Click . The automatic “click” of four doors locking did nothing to calm him.
    â€œYou’re awfully jumpy,