Werewolf Suspense (Book 4): Outage 4 (The Reckoning) Read Free

a better watch over us."
    Tom's attention shifted to the children. "How're you holding up?"
    Katherine, the older sibling, fiddled with her magazine, tucking her long brown hair behind her ears. "We're doing okay."
    "I'm glad to hear that."
    Silas stared at Tom, his blue eyes wide and hopeful. His head was covered with a shock of blond hair. "The nurse said more people are coming. I bet my parents are with them."
    Tom forced a smile. The child's words tugged at his heart. "I'm sure they are." Tom looked away before his eyes could betray his doubt. He was pretty sure their parents were dead. He'd scarcely paid attention to the children earlier. He'd been too preoccupied with relaying his story to the officers. Katherine was about eleven years old, Silas about six. They were cute kids.
    Realizing Abraham was watching him, Tom turned his attention to the older man. "Can I speak with you in the hall, Abraham?" he asked.
    "Sure thing," Abraham said. He turned to face Sally, who was watching them intently. "We'll be right back," Abraham reassured her.
    Tom and Abraham stepped out into the hallway. With the nurses out of sight and Officer Dickson gone, Tom blew a breath. "I just wanted to see if you knew anything else, Abraham. The nurses seem pretty busy. I heard there are no doctors left."
    "No, they didn't survive," Abraham said gravely.  
    "Have you turned on the news?"
    "I did for a bit, but I turned it off so it wouldn't upset the children." Abraham winced. Up close, Abraham was more aged than Tom had first thought. Wrinkles lined his cheeks and the corners of his eyes. He was probably in his mid-sixties.  
    "What did you find out?" Tom asked.
    "There are reports from all over the place. New England looks like a war zone. Pretty much every town has a skeleton crew. The government is sending help, but it'll take a while, given how widespread this thing is. It's difficult to travel, and resources will need to be spread out."
    "I know the nurses here could use some help."
    "They're pretty overworked," Abraham continued. "There are a few people with severe injuries. A man down the hall lost most of his arm. The things tore it off. The nurses stabilized him until more help arrives. He'll need surgery."
    Tom nodded. "It sounds like there aren't many of us left in town."
    "The police said everyone on the lower floors was killed." Abraham sighed.  
    "That's what I heard. I can only imagine what the nurses went through."
    "Have you seen Al since he dropped us off?"
    "No, I haven't," Tom answered. "He's probably out with the rest of the surviving police officers, searching for survivors."
    "It must have been a chore clearing the lower floors. They had to make sure those things weren't inside, then shut off most of the lights so they'd conserve the remaining generator."
    "I don't envy that job." Tom peered back into the room. Silas and Katherine were engaged in conversation with Sally. Confirming that they were distracted, he asked, "Any idea what happened to their parents?"
    "From what I gather, their parents were in the house when the creatures attacked. Their father tried shooting one of the things, but it kept coming. At the last minute, their mother and father pushed them out the back door and they ran."
    "Jesus," Tom muttered.
    "If they hadn't hidden in the trees, they wouldn't have made it." Abraham stared at the floor. "They were lucky."
    "It's great you're taking care of them."
    "We're doing what we can. They remind me of my grandchildren. A few years ago, my daughter and her family relocated to London. We miss the kids dearly."
    "At least they're not here." Tom gestured across the hall, toward one of the windows. He sighed. "I can't imagine returning home after all this."
    "Which street do you live on, Tom? We probably live right near each other."
    "I live on Tomlinson. It's off Pickney. Do you know where that is?"
    "Sure do. We're on Mayflower, in a little house behind the bowling alley. We've been there for years. I'm