Read Ghoul for Free Online

sweat, booze, and despair. Timmy wondered if he was still drunk.
    “What the hell do you two want? Ain't you got jobs this summer?”
    Timmy shook his head, his spirits sinking. Clark Smeltzer's slurred speech answered his question.
    “No, sir. We were just looking for Barry.”
    “You woke me up. Didn't go to bed but an hour ago.”
    “We're sorry,” Timmy apologized. “We didn't know.”
    “Banging on the door this early in the morning. The hell's wrong with you? Ain't you got nothing better to do?”
    “We just wanted to show Barry something,” Doug explained, holding up the black tube.
    Clark Smeltzer eyed it and frowned. “What's that? Poster?”
    “A map,” Doug said. “I made it.”
    “Should be playing baseball or football, instead of drawing. That's queer shit. You a fag? Ain't no wonder your old man took off.”
    There was a shocked gasp of dismay behind him. “Clark! Don't say such things to that boy.”
    “Get the fuck back in the kitchen, Rhonda, if you know what's good for you!”
    Timmy started to turn away. Doug looked like he was ready to cry. His bottom lip quivered, and his ears and cheeks had turned scarlet. The color made his freckles seem more numerous than ever.
    “Where the fuck you going?”
    “Sorry we woke you up, Mr. Smeltzer,” Timmy apologized again. “Can you tell Barry we stopped by?”
    “He ain't here. He's over in the cemetery, working. Same way you boys should. Kids today are lazy. Don't know how good you got it. Ought to get a damn job.”
    Timmy froze. “If we're so lazy, how come Barry's out doing your job, while you're sleeping off last night's bottle?” The words left Timmy's mouth before he could stop them.
    Clark Smeltzer stared at him in angry surprise. His eyebrows narrowed. Both Doug and Barry's mother groaned.
    “You know what your problem is, Graco? You're a fucking smart-ass. Got a real attitude problem.”
    Timmy didn't respond.
    “I've got a good mind to tan your hide.”
    Mr. Smeltzer shoved the screen door open and stepped out onto the porch, towering over the boys. His hand curled into a fist. Doug retreated into the yard. Timmy held his ground.
    “Go ahead,” Timmy challenged. “You lay one hand on me and I promise you'll regret it.”
    Barry's dad charged. Timmy stood his ground.
    “Clark!”
    Barry's mother rushed outside and grabbed her husband's arm, wrestling him away from the boys. He shook her off and grinned humorlessly.
    His flashing gray teeth reminded Timmy of a shark 's.
    “Bet your father will want to hear about this, Graco. He won't be too goddamned happy when I tell him how his son is smarting off to adults.”
    “Go ahead and tell him. He's right down over the hill, working in the garden. In fact, I'll go with you.”
    Timmy knew that his father despised Clark Smeltzer as an abusive, bullying drunk, but furthermore, Clark Smeltzer knew it, too. Timmy wasn't worried.
    “Come on, Doug.” He turned his back on Barry's parents.
    “You get out of here,” Mr. Smeltzer hollered. "And don't go bothering Barry, either.
    He's got work to do!"
    The boys ignored him.
    “And stay out of that cemetery. You hear me? I don't want to see you playing there no more.”
    Doug stopped. “But we always play there, Mr. Smeltzer.”
    "Not no more you don't. Stay clear of it. I've told Barry the same thing. He's not to be there except for when he's helping me, and never after sundown. Those are the new rules. Gonna put up signs this week saying so."
    “You don't own the cemetery,” Timmy said. “You're just the caretaker.”
    “Don't matter. You mind me, boy. I catch you there and it'll be your ass. That's a promise.”
    Without glancing back or responding, the boys hopped on their bikes and pedaled away, still careful to stay out of Randy Graco's line of sight. Timmy wondered if his father had heard Mr. Smeltzer 's outburst, and then decided that he didn't care.
    “Jesus,” Doug panted as they reached the end of the parking lot. "You're