Cole: The Mangler: Book 1 (A Phoenix Club Serial thriller)

CHAPTER 5: Heaven Help Us

"What about mom and dad?" Sammy cried.

Solomon huddled in a ball next to his brother, sobbing and rocking back and forth, eyes wide with horror.

"I-I don't know," Kiley choked on a sob. "But we can't go out there. Dad...dad will do something." She didn't really believe that but what else could she say to the boys?

"W-What's wrong with that one?" Sammy whimpered. "He... he had sharp teeth."

Kiley double-checked the doors. How long would the locks hold, though? What if they broke the windows? The wild one ran around the RV, pounding on the sides, talking crazy, repeatedly calling out – "Little pigs, little pigs, let me in!"

The two outside were both covered in blood. Had they killed someone?

"What're we gonna do?" Sammy wailed.

"I don't know!" Kiley yelled. Sammy cried harder. "I'm sorry," Kiley cried with him. "I-I don't know what to do."

Solomon didn't speak. He looked in shock. How could he not be?

What do I do? What do I do?

Kiley spied her phone and grabbed it. "I-I'll call the police... they'll come... and save us."

There's no service. She remembered losing service bars miles back. Still, she tried.

"No-no-no," she choked, smacking her phone.

Sammy screamed and Kiley whirled around, crying sharply. The wild one had climbed up the front of the RV and gripped the windshield wipers, leering in at them, teeth bared in a psychotic grin.

Kiley grabbed the boys and ushered them into the rear bedroom area where their parents slept and closed the accordion door. If the men got inside the RV, this door wouldn't hold them back. Kiley sat on the bed and wrapped her brothers in her arms.

Despair consumed her; there was no way out.

• • •

Byrne walked back to the Jeep and rummaged through the back compartment, then returned with a car-jack handle and began prying open the side door. Jitterbug rubbed his hands excitedly, dancing around. Byrne thought about stabbing the bar through the freak's skull but focused on getting the door open.

"Hurry-hurry-hurry," Jitterbug tittered.

Byrne ignored him and put his weight into it, finally busting the door free of the lock. Jitterbug howled and rushed past him. This time, Byrne caught hold of his jumpsuit and yanked him back, throwing him down into the snow.

"After me," Byrne said and climbed inside.

"Okay. Okay." Jitterbug scrambled to his feet unfazed and crowded into the RV behind Byrne. He peeked over his shoulder. "Where are they?"

"There." Byrne pointed the bar at the closed door at the far end of the RV. "Behind that door."

"Let's get 'em." Jitterbug pressed against his back, eager to get at the prey.

Byrne pushed him back. "We will. Calm down."

The freak didn't calm down or back off but continued to hover close behind Byrne as they moved down the short, narrow hall. Byrne tried the door. It caught, latched on the other side. He motioned Jitterbug back, then smashed the lock with the bar and ripped open the flimsy door.

The siblings screamed and the three of them scrambled back on the bed until they were huddled against the rear wall of the RV. "Stay back!" the girl cried, clinging to her younger brothers. "Help!! Daddy! DADDEEE!!"