Down the Road

By Cameron Miller

For the first time in their lives Mike and Ron thought about leaving the old run down foster home. With no future to stay here they both decided to leave and head out of the city that is almost completely cut off from the rest of the country. All thats left are some homeless men scavenging through garbage cans and gangs roaming the streets blocking most of the exits and using the city as a new drug empire. Or so they say, nobody really knows their real purpose. To make matters worse there are reports by several people that a monster is roaming the city looking for prey. Mike and Ron could be next. Will they strive? Or die trying as they suffer cold, hunger and fear. Watch out for twists and turns as all is not as it appears.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Oct 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781504371476

Cameron Miller

Cameron Miller was born in Alpena, Michigan in 1990. He was diagnosed with Autism at age 6, then, more specifically, Asperger Syndrome at age 9. His disability came with challenges both social and academic. He struggled with reading levels in his early years. With a strong focus on reading and support from family, friends and teachers, he was able to overcome his reading delays and go on to become an avid reader. Now he was become an author. Cameron grew up in Hazel Park, Michigan and graduated from Hazel Park High School. He has been working in the fast food industry while he finished this book and started the next one. Cameron comes from a large family that supports him in his goals. His grandmother Linda was a key factor in this book project. Cameron enjoys video games, movies, books and is an enthusiastic collector of Godzilla memorabilia. He’s looking forward to the future and writing more stories.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

DOWN THE ROAD

The characters in this book are not based on anyone in real life, but here we are, in a dark and least desirable place. Most people would call it hell. Although one’s idea of living in hell isn’t even true since most people have never seen hell and the only way to reach hell is after you die.

In a dusty old room laid a boy named Mike who, unlike most kids his age, turned into a wise ass kid who often talked back. His first reaction was to use his swollen fists that could open any kids jaw. Although, he had never actually been in a real fight. Brittany, the caretaker of the children that stayed in these dark and dusty rooms, possessed the heart of an ass. She was worse than a man on drugs with a bad temper and she caught Mike in the backyard of the old Inn much past his curfew one day. Angry at the sight of one of her smokes in his mouth, she let her pointy nails sink into his skin as she grabbed hold of his left arm forcing him back into the house.

The Inn was aged and ugly and chips of paint fell off the walls with tiles barely holding onto their place. Oh, how it was once a beautiful place to go near the suburban area to get away from the rising gang behaviour and drug dealers that took over the streets. Year after year residents started leaving the suburbs, taking anything they could carry until almost no resident was left. Anything left behind was up for grabs by anyone. Eventually, even the gangs no longer found interest in the place and left it barren too. It became the turf that no one wanted, not even the lowest members of society.

The inn had been built by Edward Maple, a single entrepreneur, ready for business in 1948 as the post war baby boom brought countless families to the country style of living on their vacation. Years of the cityscape withering away and brutal crime in the area put the Inn out of business. The building no longer had a purpose. Taxes and debt put a toll on the old man Maples health. He became so stressed and depressed that his family begged him to move in with them. Selling it was heartbreaking for him. It was like losing a member of his family. Regardless, he sold it and moved out. The city at the time, 1972, was full of orphan children or runaways trying to survive. Sandra, the new owner of the Inn, cherished her beloved city and refused to give up on it. She put her heart and soul into raising these outcasted kids by turning the Inn into a foster home. With the old Inn a little far from the city and surrounded by trees, it was the spot to retreat from her tough job at the old jelly factory.

Sandra lived on for thirty years looking after the orphans. It made her happy. She had the help of her only living daughter Brittany, who the kids liked to call THE BIG NOSE DEVIL. She had a horrible face from years of refusing to smile. Her mother’s money was the only thing on her mind and eventually she was paid big, using it all on herself. When Sandra’s days began to come to an end, many of the volunteers came and went while the city got worse. Brittany was allowed all the money with a condition that she continued to work at the inn until every last child was over the age of eighteen. Times were hard so as reluctant as she was, she was persuaded by her desperation to accept the conditions.

The kids never dared to look at Brittany due to her unpleasant face. She never gave them a smile or anything for that matter. The old home would soon deteriorate while the terrible witch of a caretaker, Brittany, used nearly every penny for herself instead of keeping up with the building. She never showed emotion with anyone but herself and the rumor was that she was once a stripper. It seemed likely to the kids as she was money hungry and willing to do just about anything to get it. The kids were just burdens she wished would just all die.

Don’t ever make me catch you out of bed before breakfast again you freak or you’ll be tied to it! Brittany was shouting as loud as she could before slamming the door in his face. Mike kept quiet. This was such common abuse that he was pretty much used to it. A while ago he stood outside in the backyard smoking a cigarette to relax himself. That was until, one of the other orphans, a little brat who saw him outside, tattled him out to Brittany. He often tried not to let his guard down, but this night he got careless, thinking everyone was asleep. His favorite hide away was a very old shed that had nothing but thick webs, weird bugs, and rusted tools scattered about aside from the lawn mower which was used every now and then. Regardless it was his only way to escape the chains of reality that typically had him trapped in that dilapidated old Inn.

Mike heard the noise of footsteps coming from down the hall making his body stiff. It could be Brittany coming back to whip him. Mike took big steps to reach his bed. Still, he wasn’t fast enough. The knob started to turn. He felt cold and unable to move a muscle. He couldn’t even close his eyes out of fear. The door opened quickly making Mike almost jump. Ron stepped inside holding his stuffed Triceratops.

Oh, thank God it’s only you. I thought you were that witch.

Ron chuckled. He was Mike’s roommate and also his best friend. Both of their parents had died. Mike was a couple of years older so he had been there a bit longer than Ron but both dreamed of seeing the outside world that wasn’t on TV.

Mike frowned at him. So what did you do this time? Ron asked. Mike didn’t respond he just turned his head the other way to avoid eye contact. Can’t you at least tell me? Ron pressed.

Mike frowned even bigger. So… what did you do this time? Ron asked again with a more exaggerated tone. Mike didn’t respond again. Instead, he turned his head the other way to avoid meeting Ron’s gaze again. It was pointless talking about it and Mike knew it. Have you ever thought about leaving this place? Mike inquired. He sighed and looked blankly at the wall. If Ron responded he had didn’t know it. The big loud bells from the kitchen were ringing in his ear drums. It was the signal for breakfast each morning. Mike wasn’t in the mood. Ron sprinted out of their room and down to the kitchen. He was always the first person in line for food. Mike slowly made his way down, stopping to gaze out of one of windows at the end of the hallway. He wondered what was beyond the trees hiding the Inn. He showed up 20 minutes late to the dining room where Amanda, the only remaining volunteer at the Inn, shook her head. Just sit down and hurry up, she said in an exhausted tone. No one knew how old she was but all of the kids swore she was over 100. Oatmeal for breakfast per usual. Mike groaned as he slopped some into his mouth. Although he hated it, it was the only meal he would get until lunch; and who knew what that would be.

CHAPTER 2

WELCOME TO HELL

It was becoming night over the horizon as Mike watched the sun set down showing its ability to paint the mighty sky pink. The house was quiet, dinner came to an end, Amanda decided to spend the night so she could leave in the morning. Most of the boys were in bed aside from Mike who was out in the backyard smoking another stolen cigarette. The feeling of the summer breeze blowing in his face felt good. This was way better than a fan. The sky was dark now, nearly pitch black except for a street light next to the house which was the only light working out there. Alone time seemed to make everything terrible go away. There was no yelling and no fighting. It was the life he wished he could have all of the time. He periodically glanced over his shoulder with the hope that no one came looking for him.

Ron was inside of the Inn and had not gone to sleep yet. He was worried about where Mike had gone off too. It was already dark outside and his roommates bed was empty. He looked down in the basement, a dark and dreary place that no one dared to go into. The spider webs and the occasional rat scared everyone away. Everything looked like it was ready to cave in but Mike, being more concerned with avoiding the wrath of Brittany, often hid down there. Brittany never looked in the basement for anything or anyone and she probably wouldn’t go into that wretched place even if she knew Mike was hiding there. Mike wasn’t in the basement this time. There was no sign of him anywhere.

Ron headed back up the stairs, he looked out of the window to the front yard and then again through the window to the