Midnight Sun (24 page)

The
voices
spoke
in
a
language
Sammy
couldn
’
t
understand.
Heavy
and
guttural,
it
sounded
rough
and
violent.
Then
silence.
Sammy
thought
he
heard
footsteps,
light
on
the
tiles,
sneaking
toward
his
hiding
place.
He
spun
around
in
a
panic.
Taking
three
fast
steps
across
the
room,
he
clambered
up
the
ammunition
crates
until
he
reached
the
window.
He
twisted
its
latch
and
pushed
it
outward.
It
swung
out
on
the
hinge
across
its
top.

Sammy
propelled
his
body
from
the
shelving
to
the
window ledge.
The
door
into
the
storage
room
creaked
open.
He
thrust
his
body
through
the
window
and
fell
heavily
onto
the
ground
outside.
A
painful
whoosh
of
air
burst
from
his
lungs
as
he
landed
on
the
hard
soil,
sending
up
a
puff
of
dust.
He
drove
the
pain
into
the
back
of
his
mind,
willing
himself
to
suck
in
a
deep
breath
and
rise
to
his
feet.
He
rounded
the
corner
of
the
building,
barreling
toward
the
parking
area
and
his
truck.

Angry
voices
shouted
in
the
strange
language.
He
sprinted
around
the
last
corner
of
the
building.
Deano
barked
again
and
charged
out
of
the
trees
after
him.
A
dark
shape
loomed.
Unable
to
stop,
he
slammed
into
an
old
man,
knocking
him
to
the
ground.
Sammy
tumbled,
rolled
back
to
his
feet,
and
continued
toward
his
truck.
He
leaped
into
the
driver
’
s
seat
and
thrust
the
key
into
the
ignition.
Deano
jumped
in
after
him,
forcing
Sammy
’
s
hands
back
as
he
passed.
The
old
V-8
engine
coughed
to
life
on
the
second
try.
He
threw
it
into
gear
and
punched
the
accelerator
to
the
floor.
It
burst
into
motion
and
he
snapped
the
steering
wheel
around,
spinning
the
truck
toward
the
exit.
The
tires
spewed
gravel
like
a
water
skier's
wake
in
a
high-speed
turn,
spraying
two
men
who
were
near
the
tail
with
a
shower
of
hard-edged
stones.

As
the
truck
swung
around,
the
old
man
he
had
knocked
down
glared
at
him.
Even
in
his
panic,
Sammy
clearly
recognized
the
rage
in
the
man
’
s
eyes.
Then a
pop
like
a
burst
balloon
grabbed
his
attention.
Sammy cried out in shock, a high pitched girly squeak from the center of his throat, as t
he
back
window
of
his
truck
turned
into
an
opaque
spider
web
of
cracks.
His
whole
body
flinched
and
he
let
out
a
another
yelp
as
a second shot sprayed
bits
of
glass
that
peppered
his
head
and
shoulders.
Deano
stood
on
the
seat
and
barked
ferociously
at
the
men
behind
them.

Sammy
looked
into
the
rearview
mirror, wide-eyed.
Two
neat
holes
dotted
the
shattered
glass
inches
from
his
head.
He
glanced
at
the
side
mirror
on
the
driver's
side
and
saw
two
men
standing
by
the
door
of
the
m
osque,
one
with
a
big
afro-like
hairdo
shouting
and
gesticulating
like
an
animated
cartoon
character. The
other,
holding
a
pistol
in
his
hand,
ran
toward
the
side
of
the
truck.
Deano,
teeth bared
with
excitement,
bounded
back
over
Sammy
and
out
the
open
window
as
the
man
raised
his
weapon
and
fired.
 
The
dog
hit
the
ground,
still
running.
Sammy
hesitated
for
half
a
second,
partly wanting
to
turn
back
and
grab
his
dog then realizing he’d be killed if he tried.
Deano
charged
the
man
with
the
gun
and
leaped
at
him.
Sammy
floored
the
gas
and
shot
out
of
the
parking
lot,
turning
with
a
squeal
of
tires
onto
the
pavement
of
Goldenview
D
rive.