"Terence West - Phantoms" - читать интересную книгу автора (West Terence)

Dylan started for the door with Charlie closely in tow. Once in the hall, Dylan glanced across at Charlie's
room. The door was still wide open and an empty glass was lying in the middle of the floor. Dylan looked
down at his son. "Did you leave that glass there, Charlie?"

Charlie nodded.

"I'm going to let it go for the moment, but as soon as we get that monster, I want you to pick that up and
put it where it belongs, okay?"

"Okay, Dad."

Turning back toward Charlie's door, Dylan lifted the club in front of him. It was his sword and he was
headed to slay the dragon to bring peace back to the kingdom, or at least a good night's sleep. Taking
another step, he stopped. Something wasn't right. Looking down the hall to his left, he caught a glimpse
of a dark form moving past the window. "What the hell was that?" he asked himself. Reaching behind
himself, he patted Charlie on the head. "Stay here for a minute, okay?"

Charlie looked up at his dad. He was transfixed, staring unblinking at the window at the end of the hall.
"Dad?"

"It's okay," Dylan assured him without turning his attention away from the window, "I just want to go
look at something. Stay here." Without another word, Dylan began to walk slowly down the hall, his bare
feet sinking into the thick carpeting.

Charlie looked at his dad, then returned his attention to his room. He glared into the darkened space.
What happened to my nightlight? He began to feel his heart pound in his chest again as he heard a soft
rustling noise coming from within. Turning around, he ran back into his parent's room and dove back
under the covers with this mother.

Dylan stopped. Turning around, his eyes widened. There was no sign of Charlie. "Son?" The golf club
momentarily loosened in his hands. "Charlie!" he said again. An odd sensation passed over him. He felt as
if he was being watched. Spinning around, he saw a pair of burning red eyes outside the window peering
in at him. Dylan's mouth fell agape as he stared.

The window shattered inward sending shards of glass sailing past Dylan. One of the larger pieces sliced
through his upper arm. Blood instantly began to seep from the wound. Slapping his hand on it, Dylan
began to stumble backwards through the hall. He kept his vision trained on the red orbs still outside his
window, barely noticing the crunch of glass under his bare feet. All at once, the eyes blinked once and a
dark object flung itself in through the shattered glass. There was no sound from the creature, only the
howl of the wind outside. The dark form undulated and transformed as it moved down the hallway
toward Dylan, its form finally settling on something vaguely human. Dylan could swear he was looking at
a man standing before him wearing a large flowing black cape, although he could make out no detail in
the creature, only darkness and those burning red eyes.

"You will not escape," the being hissed in a low, angry voice.

"Leave me alone!" Dylan cried as he moved faster. "Cynthia!" he cried out. "Cynthia, call 911!" Dylan
looked down at his hands and stopped. He gripped the golf club tightly. Taking a deep breath, he lunged
forward at the being and swung with all his might, but connected with nothing. The blade of the club
sliced right through the middle of the creature without any effect. The force of the swing threw Dylan off