Read The Dark Rift: Ascension (The Dark Rift Book Series 1) for Free Online Page B

and Fester's mother appeared. She looked pale, with a grim, impatient expression on her face.
    "Tim won't be going out today. He's not feeling well," she blurted out.
    "I just wanted to see him and give him these," Noah said, holding out some weathered Yankees cards.
    Without saying another word, she grabbed the cards and closed the door. Noah was left speechless and worried about Fester. He sneaked around the side of the house and crept behind the shrub below Fester's bedroom window. From his hiding spot, he could hear Fester ask, "Who was at the door?"
    Fester's mom didn't answer the question, but replied that he needed to rest so he could get well and he should go back to sleep. Noah heard her voice fade as she left the room and closed the door behind her. He tapped on the window, drawing Fester's attention. Fester put a finger over his mouth and slowly got out of bed. He stopped to blow his nose and came toward the window.
    "Open up," Noah said.
    "Better get up quick so's my mom doesn't hear you," Fester pushed the window upwards. "I got some sorta cold or something. Feel like my body's on fire."
    "Maybe you got something from getting so wet." Noah pulled himself into the room.
    "I'm thinkin’ it's something else," Fester said quietly as he lifted up the leg of his pajama bottoms. His leg was a massive open sore, from his ankle to above his knee. He showed Noah similar patches of irritated skin on his arm and abdomen. "Guess I'm tryin' to live up to that nickname you gave me, huh?" Fester said.
    "Whoa. Did you show that to your mom? You need some first aid cream or something," said Noah.
    "No, she's got too much to worry about with Dad bein' gone and all. He left without tellin’ anybody where he was going. Mom called his work. He’s not there and nobody knows where he is. I keep thinkin' it's got somethin' to do with that watch," Fester said.
    "What watch?" Noah asked.
    "The one offa that dead guy. I didn't tell you, but while you were gone gettin' the police, I took it offa his wrist. The strap was kinda busted up and it looked like it was gonna fall off, so I grabbed it. Brought it home that night and tried wiping it with some alcohol pads outta the first aid kit, but it still stunk. Mom asked me what that smell was and saw it over by the sink. She showed my Dad and he got all kinda worked up about it and threw it in his briefcase before he left town. I'm wonderin' what his briefcase smells like by now. Anyway, he was supposed to be home by supper yesterday, but didn't show. Mom called his work and nobody knows where he is. Knowing him, he sold that watch and is sittin' in a bar somewhere, drinkin' up his profits." Fester had a sour look on his face.
    "Well, whata those sores got to do with the watch?" asked Noah, wondering what Fester got himself into when he left him alone at the dam.
    "When I was takin' it offa that guy's arm, it kinda exploded," Fester said.
    "Exploded? Whadya mean? The watch exploded?"
    "No, not the watch. The dead guy was all bloated, remember? Well, his skin was really tight. I had to pull on the watch and his wrist kinda like blew up and sent some awful shit right in my face. Some of it ended up in my mouth. I think I can still taste it."
    Noah felt sick. The images of the bloated corpse, the exploding wrist and the weeping wounds on Fester's body all came together at once and smacked him deep down in the guts. He slid down to the floor, sitting on his heels, and tried to keep the room from spinning.
    "I know, really gross, isn't it? Just wish I knew what them numbers meant," Fester said.
    "Huh? What numbers?" asked Noah in a thick voice, really wishing Fester would stop talking altogether.
    "The numbers and shit on the back of that watch. I wrote 'em down. Here," said Fester as he handed Noah a small piece of paper and sat down next to him.
    Noah read two sets of numbers off the paper, wondering what they could mean.
    Just then, Fester's mom called out, "Do you want some soup, Tim?"
    "Sure,