Snippet - Book 2 (Tara)
The lady hurried me out of the library and I looked around, disoriented because of the darkness. The sun had set and I was downtown at night and couldn't remember where I had parked. I took my keys out of my pocket, shouldered my backpack and struck out to the right, hoping I was heading in the right direction. It's amazing how different a place can look when all the lights are out... Every small noise made me fairly jump out of my skin, and each car driving by slowly made me take a step away from the road, as if I could prevent some burly man from grabbing me and shoving me in his trunk.
I turned the corner and exhaled in relief. My mom's car was parked under a street light and looked pretty much the same as I had left it. The sun had been down for a couple of hours now, so my breath let out in faint puff of vapor and I suddenly felt silly for being so paranoid. Until I felt those icy fingers of dread creep up my spine... and then I looked quickly both ways and darted across the street to the driver's door, glad I had my keys in my hand.
"Tara."
I jumped. There was no one there.
"Ta-ra..."
My heartbeat quickened. I fumbled with the key fob, pressing the panic button by mistake - which just made me even more scared. The noise was so loud and so insistent, that for a moment I couldn't even figure out what button to hit to turn it off. Blessed silence finally filled my ears, and I paused one more time - waiting for the whisper of my name, and when I didn't hear it, sighed in relief.
I tossed my book bag in the passenger seat and slid into the driver's as smoothly as I could. Just as I was slamming the door closed, a small, feminine voice whispered my name one more time, and followed it with a peal of cruel, childish laughter.
I got the engine started and threw the car into drive. I think I left tire marks on the concrete in my wake.