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"How are we supposed to get there?" I said "Ju across the deck and launching herself across the wide gap between the deck and the roof of the next apartht It was one thing vaulting backyard fences with Katie on e which would hurt htened as I contee A whiainst et off and hide," I said "You shouldn’t be involved in this" Plus I really wanted the extra load off I was pooped
"You’llthis? I told you I love Elyssa"
"I want you, Justin, but if I can’t have you, I want to knohat in the world is going on here You’re like superheroes or so Just like the ones my little brother reads about in his co, I was the villain Demon spaeren’t heroes in anyone’s book
Elyssa and Dad waved ency I took a deep breath Ran at the ledge Juap I couldn’t help but look down at the hard concrete sidewalk far, far below My feet hit the roof I stuht A asped I spun and saw our pursuers staring fro deck roof at us One of theinhuman hohich about made me wet my pants It was a howl of despair and hopelessness Resistance is futile, it seemed to say No matter how hard or fast we ran, they would catch us Besides, why run? We had nowhere to go
Dad grabbed nore the howls, Justin Shut them out of your rip loosened onto die It’s useless Life is pointless"
Elyssa dropped to her knees as tears poured from her face "He’s dead," she said "And it’s allslid frooing on?" I asked, shaking off the melancholy mood as both the men continued to hohile they slowly advanced across the parking deck roof for us
"Their howls kill hope," Dad said "They bring back our worst htmares Thankfully, we spawn are not as easily influenced" He dragged Elyssa to her feet, tried to shake her out of her misery, but it didn’t help
Katie dropped offher eyes out
"Dad, they’re colared at our pursuers, his eyes glowing ice-white with fatigue Mine probably o to sleep, and dream about kittens "Justin, if they corner us while we’re this tired, we may spawn"
"We’ll ave me a sideways look "If that happens, on’t be able to control ourselves We e People could die"
"What do we do?"
He took a deep breath and picked up Katie, slung her over his shoulder "We’re alo for miles in any direction we’ll run into densely populated areas"
"So, our only chance is to outrun them"
He nodded "Yeah" The answer sounded dry in his throat
I looked back at the hounds "Why aren’t they running?"
"I don’t think they can howl and run at the same time They probably think we’re i her over a shoulder, grabbed ave me a lopsided smile "One Two Three"
We bolted The howls ceased Elyssa and Katie bounced against our backs with each long stride, and flopped with each leap We cleared six rooftops and leapt to the parking deck roof The hounds leapt each gap with high, graceful ju for deck wall Dropped my duffel Gripped the inside of the tire with my free hand Spun and launched it as the hounds leapt the next-to-last roof It caught one square in the chest as he hit the apex of his ju, and vanished between the buildings His co, his unnaturally long tongue flapping and slavering
Dad paused at the top of the raht behind him I retrieved my duffel, sprinted to hi deck Shouting echoed from ahead Athe side where a woman in a blue Toyota must have hit him The woman cowered in fear as he screa tide of hot anger in my chest
"You stupid, blind idiot!" theme when I backed out? Women drivers are all brain-dead Shouldn’t even be allowed behind the wheel of a car!" Thedown the ra over our shoulders like a couple of cavethened my stride, reached hiered in a wobbling half-circle before face-planting on the concrete I grabbed hiainst the opposite wall, out of the way "We have an eency," I told the shocked woet his precious pickup later" I glanced back up the raet out of here and hide!"
She bolted like a crazed jackrabbit
Dad and I slung the girls into the back seats of the crew cab, not bothering to buckle the the duffel from my shoulder, tossed it to Dad, and hopped in the driver’s seat The truck peeled out under uidance while Dad turned around and tried to buckle the dazed girls in