Free The Thirteenth by G L Twynham Page A

has an amazing new job he wanted to tell you about. You’d better speak to him about it.” Susan pushed Val towards the lounge where her father was busy watching golf.
    Val had to shout to be heard over the TV. “Hi Dad. Have a good day?” There had been questions in the past about Mike’s hearing although they had eventually agreed it was selective rather than damaged.
    “Huh,” and a back-handed wave was the total of Mike’s reaction.
    “OK Mum, now can I get something to eat?” Val moved into the kitchen with Susan still hot on her heals.
    “There’s food still left from the party in the fridge.” Susan started sniffing around Val. “Can you smell smoke?”
    “Do you think Dad has been smoking again? Val asked searching Susan’s face for a reaction; she got exactly what she was looking for. Val felt guilty for lying but she couldn’t take another minute of questions.
    “Do you think? If he is, I’ll kill him.” Susan picked up the cordless phone and headed towards the French doors that led out onto the patio. “I’ll check out here for evidence while I call your aunty Janine.” Susan was now dialling and Val knew she was scot-free. Her mum would be on the phone for the next sixty minutes with only a break for the odd breath.
    “See you in the morning, Mum.” Val filled a plate, grabbed a bottle of water and was off. Her mother didn’t even bother trying to answer. Val made her way past the lounge, popping her head in to wish her Dad good night and received the same meaningful grunt as before. Well, at least she could rely on them for consistency.
    Val dropped her plate of food onto the bed and took a long and much needed drink of water. Putting the bottle down, she checked that the door was shut and slipped off her clothes. Putting on a pair of long sleeved pyjamas, she made her way down the landing to the bathroom. The mirror there revealed horribly matted hair and various bumps bruises and bumps. She wondered how many more she was going to get before this was all over.
    Val made her way back into her room to devour the plate of food she had thrown together. Being a strange teleporting, water floating and fire-resistant creature sure gave you an appetite. She finished up and grabbed another sip of water before climbing into bed. What would she dream of tonight Val wondered as she started to drift off into a sound and restful sleep. That was until she woke to the sound of a woman’s screams.
    Val sat bolt upright. She was covered in cold sweat. The scream had been so loud! Turning to look at her clock, she realised that it was only three in the morning. Then she heard the scream again. It was here, real, and she instantly thought it must be her mum. She leapt out of bed, quickly moving in the dark towards her bedroom door. The screams seemed to be coming from the landing. She touched the door handle, then had to release it quickly as sharp pains shot up her arm. Taking a deep breath, she grasped the handle again and pushed it down. She needed to find out who was in trouble and where. Coming out of her room, Val was surprised it was so dark given the volume of the screaming, which must have surely woken everyone. Nor was there any light coming from under her parents’ door.
    Where was the noise coming from? She stopped and listened, and then it became clear: it was coming from the bathroom. Val opened the door placing her hand hesitantly around the wall to turn on the light. Everything looked normal. Moving cautiously she crossed the room towards the window, still hearing the pounding screams in her head, and feeling the pain in her arm that didn’t seem to be lessening. Opening the frosty window, she leaned out to see if anyone on the street was in need of assistance. The street was empty apart from a couple of stray cats, visible only by the glow of the dim streetlights. No one screaming for help out here, she thought.
    Closing the window, she made her way back to the door and locked it. Once