Free Ties to the Blood Moon 2nd Edition by Robin P Waldrop Page B

curtains. As quiet as I had been, Luna was looking right at me. I let out a lungful of air, realizing then I’d been holding my breath the whole time.
    “How did you get here so fast?” I asked incredulously.
    She pointed to the small boat tied at the dock. “I live across the lake. It only takes, like, five seconds to get here by boat.” She wasn’t her usual happy self, and I could tell.
    “Come on in, I’m watching—”
    “I need a ride into town—like, now.” Luna cut me off.
    “What’s wrong, Luna? Is someone in trouble?”
    “Yeah … no … I don’t know. There’s been a meeting of the town council called.”
    “Uh, I know. That’s where my aunt told me she was going.”
    “You don’t understand, Gen.” Luna’s voice sounded frantic and desperate. “This is not like a regular meeting. Someone ‘called’ it.” Luna said, doing air quotes with her fingers.
    “Which means …?” I held both arms out, palm up.
    “I’ll tell you what it means. It means something’s up, and they want it kept a secret.” She followed me into the den. I dropped onto the couch while she just stood across the room, not bothering to take off her jacket. “I want to go there to find out why they’re all being so secretive.”
    “Luna, I’m sure it’s nothing. You want something to drink?” I asked her before taking a large drink of my soda.
    “Fine. If you won’t take me, I’ll … I’ll hitchhike.” Angry tears filled her eyes as she spun on her heel and headed out of the room.
    “Wait,” I yelled, jumping up from the couch. I didn’t realize how determined she really was until the front door swung open.
    I ran out of the den, through the living room, and caught up to her just as she was headed out the door. “Wait here and let me throw on some jeans.”
    I found Luna pacing back and forth in the foyer when I came back down stairs. “Let’s go,” she said sounding anxious as she started to open the front door.
    “No. Lock that door. We’re going out through the kitchen. I hit the garage door button then we jumped in the Jeep, and backed out.
    When I glanced at Luna, she was chewing the inside of her lip, and nervously bouncing her knee at record speed. “All this really has you freaked out, doesn’t it?” I asked, softly rubbing her shoulder.
    Luna paused for a minute before answering. “You don’t understand how important this meeting is, Gen. Something big is happening. The last time they called a meeting was after …” her voice trailed off and she started fidgeting with the zipper on her jacket, then peered at me again. “If I tell you something, you promise to have an open mind?”
    “Yeah … sure. I guess so.”
    “For many years there has been this …” Luna paused.
    I looked at her and saw tears welling up.
    “What is it Luna?”
    Luna shook her head, but stayed silent the rest of the way to town.
    There was an eeriness as we drove through town. Even though it was still fairly early, the streets were empty. I didn’t even see a dog or cat anywhere. I felt around on my door and quietly pressed the lock down.
    Following Luna’s directions it seemed as though we were headed straight toward a dilapidated fishery. The building sat next to the water beside a few broken down, decaying fishing boats. She had us park behind a tall bank to hide the Jeep from view of the factory and the road.
    “Why are they having a town council meeting here? Shouldn’t it be at, like, city hall or something? Isn’t that where towns have their town meetings?” I asked sardonically.
    Luna furrowed her brow. “Shh. Keep your voice down or they’ll hear us,” she whispered. “Stay down and follow me.” She then looked briefly over her shoulder at me. “Quietly.”
    I felt silly following Luna’s zigzagging motions, and thought maybe she’d watched Rambo a few too many times.
    When we got to the building my heart was pounding so hard I could feel the pulsing in my temples, which was giving