The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 434

* course. Why wouldn’t 12″ Griffin grinned. “The real question is, are you scared? If you are, you can hide in my agus I’ll protect you.”

Hayley stared at him for a second before punching him.

“Ow! Alright, never mind. You don’t need protection. Even ghosts would be scared of you.”

Just then, they heard the sound ofa cane.

Thump.

Thump

Thump!

Hayley tightened her grip on Griffin and looked toward the sound.

It came from the long corridor.

Under the dim lights, an elderly woman leaning on a cane slowly emerged from the darkness.

She wore an old, knitted cardigan. Her back was hunched so deeply that she looked like a turtle carrying a massive shell. She moved painfully slowly, stopping every few steps to catch her breath.

Someone appearing out of nowhere in a place like this was deeply unsettling.

The old woman shuffled forward, inch by inch, until she entered the range of Hayley’s mental abilities.

Hayley detected that the woman was human, not a zombie.

She glanced at Griffin.

He frowned, then shook his head. “Not a zombie.”

The old woman came to a stop about 15 feet away.

She lifted her head with effort, revealing a deeply wrinkled face. Her drooping eyelids nearly covered her eyes, leaving only narrow slits.

All her teeth were gone. Her gums had shrunk, pulling her mouth inward until it puckered like a tight knot.

She stared straight at them.

Then, her lips trembled as she asked, “Have you seen my son?”

Hayley’s heart gave a hard thump.

Griffin couldn’t help grabbing her wrist and whispering in her ear, “That kid wasn’t lying. This place really is

haunted.”

Hayley said nothing.

The instant Griffin finished speaking, the old woman suddenly stiffened. Her eyes locked onto him.

“Samson!”

Hayley blinked.

She watched as the old woman raised her cane and rushed toward Griffin.

Her speed was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, she was right in front of them, swinging her arm and flinging Hayley aside.

Griffin reacted instantly. He yanked Hayley into his arms and shoved the old woman’s hand away.

“What are you doing?”

The old woman

ed, but her glowing eyes never left Griffin.

“Samson, it

your mom! Don’t you remember me?”

“Who say

The o

mom?” Griffin snapped. “You think you could give birth to a son this good-looking?”

ached out, trying to grab him.

must still be angry with me. You didn’t want to work at the mine, but I forced you to go. I was forgive me.”

ong with you?” Griffin said coldly, clearly done with her.

oment, Hayley pinched his arm hard. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? You don’t even recognize mom?”

froze.

nson…” the old woman kept saying.

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