Released by Megan Duncan Page A

whole life.” Taya whined as we made our way at a snail’s pace toward the building.
    It appeared to be the town’s City Hal building, with a newly, yet haphazardly, built chain link fence lining the property.
    “Wel… demons wouldn’t put up a fence, so there has to be people inside. Right?” Carter asked trying to sound hopeful.
    As we came to a stop about fifty feet from the fence, we al slowly crept out of the Bronco, securing our weapons and preparing for anything to leap out at us. I could see Max sniffing the air as he made his way to the front of the Bronco.

    “I can’t smel anything. Can you?” Max asked.
    “No. That’s a good sign, so we know at least that there are no hounds nearby.” Carter made his way to an entrance of the fence and looked out toward the front of the building.
    “How do you suppose we get in?” I asked as I grabbed the links of the fence with my fingers, giving it a tug. The metal felt cold under my fingers and I quickly let go.
    “Wel, now we know it’s not an electric fence.” Max added as he approached and I roled my eyes at him.
    The four of us stood along the border of the fence and stared at the imposing building. Its windows had been boarded up and the red brick gave it an ominous look in comparison to the four pale white pilars that stood towering over the entrance.
    The wooden front doors suddenly swung open and three men appeared, one took long strides toward us. He was quickly folowed by another man, who stood protectively near the first man. We al stood frozen in place, watching each other until the first man handed his shotgun to the other and walked briskly to the fence.
    “What should we do?” Max asked in a quick whisper to Carter as the man approached.
    “I’l talk,” Carter said quickly and we al steadied ourselves as the man crossed his arms and glowered at us from the other side of the fence. He was wearing camo pants, but not the kind used by the military, they looked like something a hunter would wear. I stared at his boots that looked to be covered in some dried dark substance. Mud perhaps or dirt. I immediately didn’t like this man even before he spoke; there was just something about him that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
    “Wel, wel, what do we have here?”
    His voice was nasaly and cocky and I didn’t like it. “It’s just a bunch of kids, Jerry.” He shouted back at the man behind him and I leaned to have a better look.
    He didn’t look like a Jerry to me. “Where you kids from?”
    “Washington.” Carter answered firmly and I was proud to hear the steadiness in his voice.
    “Wow. I’m impressed. That’s quite a long ways to be traveling.” His eyes seemed to be inspecting us, giving me the urge to cover myself and Taya, even though I knew he didn’t have x-ray vision. “And you seem to have made it al that way no problem at al.”
    “We’ve had our share of obstacles,” Max added with a bit of irritation in his voice.
    “Jerry! Roger! Let those poor kids in already!”
    An older man stood just outside the doorway waving his hand in the air. The man closest to us, apparently Roger, gave a heavy sigh and started to pul keys out of his pocket to open the gate.
    “Damn it John, I haven’t even questioned them yet. We can’t let just anybody in here.” We al hesitated after Roger opened the gate and swept his arm across as an invitation to enter. “Ya’l gonna come in or what? I don’t want to stand here al damn day.”
    Carter and Max took the lead as I walked closely behind with Taya in tow. The sound of Roger slamming the gate shut behind us and locking it made us al stop and look back.
    “Come on then,” John caled from the entry way. “Come inside.” His voice was so friendly I almost felt that we were in a trance, being lured in by him. The main doors of the building led into a giant foyer that had once greeted important city officials but was now home to, who knew what. John led us quickly