Free The Grimm Chronicles, Vol.1 by Ken Brosky, Isabella Fontaine Page B

tapping his mouth with one paw. “Yes, yes, yes. I do recall quite a few people here and there discussing some strange occurrences … but you must understand the Corrupted for the most part understand they don’t belong. And those that are still alive have gotten very good at staying hidden.”
    “And so who do we kill first?” I asked. “The three bears? An evil step-mother? A griffin?”
    “You know who you must kill,” Briar said.
    “Who?” I asked. “Please. I really don’t know.”
    The rabbit’s ears twitched. “Prince Charming. Of course.”

Chapter 5
     
     
     
     
    I tossed and turned for a long time that night. And when I finally slept, I dreamt. It was an awful dream, so vivid that it felt like I was actually there only instead of inhabiting a body I felt instead like I was looking through a window. I was watching a scene unfold.
    It began in a club. I couldn’t tell which club because I’d never been to any of the dance clubs downtown or anywhere else. But it was definitely downtown because it was so diverse and Milwaukee’s suburbs just don’t have much diversity. Everybody was dancing on this little scrunchy dance floor and the multicolored lights above swirled around in circles. Everyone looked sweaty. Everyone was holding a drink steady as they danced. Some danced close together, while others kept space between them.
    It was loud. I remember the music, too: some kind of mash-up between an old Beastie Boys song and a new pop single by Lady Gaga. Girls were gyrating and guys tried to keep up with their hips. You could almost taste the sweat.
    And then I began to move. Or the scene did, at least. Two people were leaving the club, a guy and a gal. The guy was wearing a silky red button-down shirt and the girl was wearing tight jeans and a white v-neck top. They finished their drinks and set the glasses on a little table near the entrance and I followed them out into the cool night.
    Immediately after the door closed, the music was gone. The three of us were on an empty city street with bars on both sides and long rows of parked cars but there was no one else in sight. Not a soul.
    “What do you want to do?” the woman asked. I followed behind them as they walked, her high heels clicking on the sidewalk.
    “Whatever you want,” the man said. He grabbed her hand. “I could stay up longer. I feel great. I feel like … some kind of electricity was running through us when we danced.”
    “I felt that too!” the woman said, turning to him. She was staring at his face, examining it. “I can’t believe you’re here with me. You’re so … hot! Did you see the look on my friend Dina’s face? She totally didn’t think you would come over.”
    “Are you sure your friend won’t miss you?” he asked.
    The girl laughed. “Pretty positive.”
    “OK.” He pulled on her hand, down a side street. “My car’s in here.” He pointed to the three-story parking structure to our right. “Can you drive stick?”
    “Of course,” the woman said. “I learned when I was a baby.”
    “Have you ever driven a BMW?”
    I felt my chest grow cold. I had this reaction even though I knew—in the dream, at least—I wasn’t really here. Something terrible was going to happen and I really didn’t want to see the car. They headed into the parking structure. Wake up, I told myself. Wake up! Before you see the car!
    “I totally want to drive your car. What floor?” the woman asked. She giggled. “I mean, what level?”
    “Just up the ramp,” he said, then laughed. “I don’t remember what level. I just remember almost slipping when I walked down the ramp.”
    “You’re funny. Do you do this a lot?”
    A shrug of the shoulders. Square, muscular shoulders. “No. I’m usually more of a stay-at-home type.”
    I tried to run forward. I wanted to spin the man around. There was no waking up now. Now I just wanted to see his face. But I couldn’t change my movement. I could only follow behind them,