Left Among the Mutants

By Kevin Singer

Strange days on the Hopper farm. The animals are showing some bizarre mutations, and 15-year-old Katrina will do whatever it takes to protect her home. But the animals aren't the only ones mutating.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kevin Singer
• Release date: Dec 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310746987

Kevin Singer

Kevin Singer is an army veteran and former journalist who has covered stories ranging from murder trials to cancer breakthroughs. His suspense fiction combines his interests in the supernatural, psychology, and the generally offbeat. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Book preview

Left Among the Mutants

by Kevin Singer

Copyright 2013 by Kevin Singer

Smashwords Edition

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For more information contact the author at [e-mail].

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

About the Author

Free Preview: The Last Conquistador

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Andy Shaffer for his veterinary expertise, Jeannette Simpson for her feedback and Jennifer Casey for her editorial guidance. Finally, thanks to Matthew Piwowarski for his cover design.

Also by Kevin Singer

Road to Magdalena

The Last Conquistador

Always Mine

Demon's Reach

1.

I'm the one who mans the front door. And the phone when the bank and the collection agencies call. Dad can't and Richie won't. I don't mind, though. I just slip on a little girl voice and that keeps them at bay, at least for a while.

This time it's a woman at the door. She's old, maybe thirty, but pretty. Long black velvet hair, brown eyes with long lashes, way more makeup than my mother would've ever let me wear. No suit or blouse though; just a polo and jeans. I get a bad feeling.

This the Hopper farm, correct? She's all business this one. No sheen of sweetness like the others. There's a patch on her polo. Green background. Gold letters. NYS DEC.

I smile and nod and twirl the end of my ponytail, playing all girly, at least as girly as I can still get away with at fifteen. She doesn't take notice. Maybe I'm too tall.

Is Steven Hopper home? She holds a clipboard stuffed with white papers but never glances at it. I'm dying to know what those white papers say. I'm pretty sure I already do know, and it scares me so bad I want to slam the door in her face and yell GO AWAY, LADY, AND NEVER COME BACK.

He's my Dad. I try to sound sweet to throw her off.

Is he here?

No. He had to go into town.

Where?

Chenango.

Where in Chenango?

I shrug. She scowls.

What do you want him for?

We received a report. I'm here to follow up.

Who's 'we'?

She smirks. Rude! It was an honest question. Department of Environmental Conservation.

People always say when something bad or disappointing happens that their heart sinks. I always thought it sounded dumb. Now I know just what they mean. My heart's dipping close to my stomach. Is something wrong?

I need to speak to Mr. Hopper about it, hon.

Hon! Don't even think about it, I tell myself. Just smile and tell her you'll pass the message along. Well, you can't right now, sweetie, cause like I just told you, he's not home.

She rolls her eyes and pulls a business card from her pocket. Just give him this. Tell him we'll be back, with a court order to inspect the premises if need be.

Court? Inspect? Did something happen? Like an oil spill somewhere?

Just tell Mr. Hopper. She's leaving the porch. I can't let her go, not like this. I was born here on this farm. I know every acre, every rise and fall, every tree and sapling and blade of grass. I can't let it slip away from us.

Nothing bad happened with the environment here, Ms... I look at the card in my hand. Vanessa Rios. Ms. Rios. Nothing. I live here. I would know. We're all fine. The environment's fine here. I swear.

She heads back to her little white Ford with the