Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
“No. No, we rarely have so many spiders.” Mullmag shook his head violently, sending his hair fanning out around him. “I think…I think one of the neighbors had an exterminator over. I bet all the spiders fled their house for ours to escape the poison.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right.”
Dante cawed at him, and Luke gazed at him to find that the crows had emptied the stairs and hallway of the spiders. The fat bird and his friends had enjoyed quite the feast, and those that escaped had left the house in order not to be eaten.
“You look like you can’t eat another bite. It’s best you go sleep it off.” Luke motioned to the doors, shooing the birds outside. Several were so full, they needed to make several attempts to get off the ground and fly. Luke followed the birds to the doors and closed them.
As he turned into the house, Luke found Mullmag still standing at the foot of the stairs, a very confused expression on his face, his hands twisted together in front of his chest.
“Is everything okay, Mr. Mullmag? Is there something I can help you with?”
“No. And you can call me Mullmag. Or just Mull. That’s what the others do.” He lifted his head and squinted at Luke as if he were struggling to see him clearly in the dark hallway. “You must be a very brave person. Most people would have been terrified by so many spiders crawling at them.”
Luke laughed and shook his head. “Not brave. I’m not brave at all. I’m really fucking exhausted. Today was supposed to be my day off, but I ended up working fourteen hours.”
“Oh.”
Luke stared at Mullmag for another couple of seconds, but the strange man didn’t appear to have anything else to say. With a sigh, Luke scooped up his duffel bag and his backpack, sliding them onto his shoulders. “Well, I’m going to steal a few hours of sleep before I have to get up for school. If you have any more spider trouble, come and get me. I’ll be happy to take care of them for you.”
Mullmag blinked impossibly black eyes at him, and his thick lips formed a crooked smile. “That’s very nice of you. Thank you.”
“Not a problem. I figured since we’re roommates now, we should help each other out.”
“Yes. Yes, that’s a wonderful idea.”
Luke trudged up the stairs, feeling so drained that his eyes were burning and his stomach was churning. But at least he’d met one of his roommates properly. Mullmag might be quiet and nervous, but he seemed like a nice enough guy. Hell of a lot better than some roommates he’d had in the past.
Chapter 5
Beware the Cats
LUKE
One week later…
Weekends sucked.
That was when he had to pull a double shift. It usually started at Burger Hut and then finished with a shift at Sinful Soaps stocking and entering products into the system. Both were exhausting in their own way. At least during the week, he had only classes and a shift at one of his jobs.
Life on Sleepy Hollow Road wasn’t bad. His bed was comfortable, and during the rare times he had the chance to relax there, the place was quiet, allowing him to study without a problem. There was also plenty of food in the fridge, which Az invited him to enjoy. He was eating better and sleeping better than he had in a long time.
He saw little of his roommates, though. Of course, he wasn’t there all that often. Az was the one he encountered the most. Mullmag was shy and would wave at him before darting off to another room. Ogos was usually in the library reading a book or playing solitaire. Tog would sometimes watch horror movies at frightening volumes and cackle. He’d glimpsed Bath’tuk out the window in the backyard a couple of times. He seemed to enjoy spying on the neighbors.
Annod had avoided him completely thus far. Maybe he was shy like Mullmag.
Luke shrugged off the thought and pulled out his phone after it vibrated in his pocket. He was a few blocks away from the house after stepping off the bus. A text from his bestie was waiting for him.
Harper
Where are you?
Luke
Almost home. Where are you?
Harper
At the Kappa Charity Car Wash and Keg Party looking for YOU!
Luke stopped walking and tipped his head back with a groan. He’d forgotten all about that stupid party he’d said he might attend with Harper. Not that he’d wanted to go, but since she’d been there to help him through his near-homeless drama, he’d agreed to go out with her to some social events.
He had a feeling this was more of an attempt on her part to make him less of an antisocial outcast. It might also have been in the darker corners of his mind that Matteo might attend one of these social functions and he could…what? Talk to him? Luke mentally snorted at the thought. Not fucking likely. He’d probably just stare at him like the awkward, dorky stalker that he was.