Dead Stop Read Online Free

road
worker dismounted the tractor and headed for the gates. His job was to cut the
grass of the cemetery every month when his route of mowing roadsides brought
him back around to it. The tractor pulled mower was not feasible for this job,
but the county had an old riding mower stowed in a tool shed hidden in the
trees at the back of the graveyard.
    A quick peek at
his watch told him he had about an hour before it started getting dark, so Amos
picked up his pace. It left just enough daylight to get the job done if he
wasn’t too picky, and get out of here before the rain started falling. A quick
glance to the northwest revealed the heavy clouds marching in, and a distant
rumble promised atmospheric mayhem in the future.
    He needed to
move, and get this over with.
      Then he
would be finished for the week, and could get home in time to change and go
watch his grandson play football at the high school. The Masonfield Pirates had
a good team this year. They were only two wins away from getting themselves a
place in the state tournament. And with their running game, the rain tonight
would favor them over the visiting Bulldog’s vaunted passing attack.
    Amos strode with
hurried purpose through the tombstones, intent on the little aluminum shed
under the trees in the back. The sun already hung low in the sky. This resulted
in much of the place being cast in shadow, both from the dirt piles and the
tree line of Clark Creek. At least this took the edge off the heat, but it
still counted as a stark reminder he needed to hurry if he didn’t want to be
mowing a cemetery alone after dark.
    His eyes fixed
on the door to the little shed and he hustled straight to it. A few seconds of
fumbling in his pocket produced the key ring he used to hold all his county
keys. As he flipped through the keys, Amos noted how much darker it was here
under the trees and wondered if perhaps it was already too late to be starting
this.
    For a brief
moment he paused and considered the idea of putting it off till next week. Then
he remembered Monday would be the last day of the month and he had to finish
the rest of his route by then.
    It must be done
now.
    With a sigh, he
found the right key and inserted it into the padlock. It opened with a
satisfying click and the chain rattled in a loud, metallic staccato as Amos
pulled it free from the door handles. He wasted no time in opening the doors
and stepping inside.
    The mower
squatted in the center of the gloom under a black plastic tarp.  Amos
yanked the tarp off and threw it into the corner before moving over to the
shelves loaded with containers of different shapes and sizes. Most were
fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals necessary for the maintenance of a
green graveyard, but he found what he sought on the bottom shelf next to a coil
of rubber hose.
    The county
worker pulled the gas can out, and gave it a quick shake. Satisfied with the
weight and slosh of liquid within, he set it next to the mower. Amos wished the
shed came with electricity so he could have better light for this. Kneeling by
the mower, he fumbled in the murk for the gas cap and started unscrewing it.
    Thoom!
    He had just
pulled it free when a loud thump against the side of the shed almost made him
jump out of his skin.
    “What the
hell?!”
    Amos dropped the
gas cap in surprise, and nearly kicked over the fuel can while stumbling to his
feet. The confined area made sudden movement difficult, and he almost fell
before reaching out and grabbing the shelves to keep from going down. The
rickety apparatus shook under his weight. A jug of weed killer started to
topple from the top shelf but he managed to turn and steady it before getting
himself drenched in herbicide.
    Finally catching
both his breath and his balance, Amos straightened to his feet and stared
wide-eyed at the walls of the shed.
    What the hell
was that ? He was supposed to be alone out here.
    Wasn’t he?
    Once again, a
thump sounded against the thin walls…but this