Free Immortal Coil: A Novel (Immortal Trilogy Book 1) by James McNally Page A

Rachael,’ he said when she walked by.
    “She looked up and said hi to him, but she was looking at me when she spoke, and I got the distinct feeling she was really talking to me. He smiled, oblivious to the misdirection, however. When she was out of sight, he turned back to me and said: ‘So how about it? You want to go?’
    “‘I’ll have to ask my folks,’ I said. I really did want to go, but I wasn’t going to get my hopes up that Ralph would allow that. ‘I’ll let you know.’
    “The next day I told Tim I would go, even though I hadn’t asked Ralph. I figured I had two weeks to come up with an excuse if I couldn’t go.
    “At home I wasn’t planning to ever let my guard down again, so I never entered or left the house without the dogs at my side. I tried to work up the courage to ask Ralph if I could go to the game with the Warner’s, but honestly I was more worried about him saying no to the request, than any punishment he might inflict.
    “So I didn’t ask. I couldn’t bear the rejection, and I knew he would never have allowed it. And my mother was useless. She wouldn’t have stood up for me. Maybe I was making unfair assumptions, but I don’t think so. I knew their history too well to believe anything else was possible. Instead, I worked out a different plan. The game was on Friday night. Mr. Warner said I should be at his place by 7pm so we could head out and be there by eight. The game started at nine. On the day of the game I went to my room early, faking illness. The dogs were tied up out back. I fixed my bed to look like I was sleeping in it then climbed out my window. I made it to the Warner’s place ten minutes early. We went to the game and it was as nice as I had hoped. I thought Mr. Warner was the greatest guy on the planet. I wished he could have been my dad. I was jealous of Tim’s family—his life, for that matter. During the game I didn’t have a care in the world.
    “On the way home was another matter, though. Had Ralph figured out I wasn’t in my room? What kind of hell was I in for? So many terrible scenarios raced through my head. Tim was oblivious to my distraction, but I think Mr. Warner knew something was up with me. I caught him glancing into the rear view mirror at me several times. But if he was suspicious of my behavior, he didn’t say anything about it.
    “We arrived back at the Warner’s around two thirty. Mr. Warner offered to drive me home, but I told him it would be okay with my folks if I spent the night. When Tim was asleep, I slipped out of the house and walked back to my place. The window I had escaped through was still unlocked and I climbed back into my room. I removed my bed camouflage and climbed in for real. I guessed I had pulled it off.
    “I was wrong.
    “I woke with a gasp. My eyes were wild and searching, looking for the source of the pain that had awakened me. My frantic eyes came to rest on Ralph at the foot of my bed. He had my foot pinned down and was holding a lit cigar to the bottom of it. I kicked and screamed, but he would not let go of my foot until he was finished. As soon as he released my foot I curled into a ball.
    “His eyes were sinister slits as he glared at me. ‘Maybe you’ll think twice about running off without telling me now,’ he said.
    “With tears of pain, fear and frustration in my eyes, I spat at him. Or maybe I just wanted to, I’m not sure at this point.
    “He puffed at the cigar. ‘Your mother doesn’t like me smoking in the house, but hell with her. She doesn’t make the rules around here.’ He said this as if it was just another conversation. He smiled and turned to leave. ‘Remember what I said; it’s a dangerous world out there.’ He puffed smoke at me. ‘You should be careful.’
    “I applied first aid to my burned foot when I thought he was through with me. Later that morning, when my mother asked me why I was limping I could have sworn she was smirking. Did she know? I just glared at her and