LOT'S MOUNTAIN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Etched in Stone

After Tim and the Stone Man get back into the car, the Stone Man pulls a u-turn and we haul it out of there. I don't know why, but it strikes me all of a sudden that Tim and Diane don't have a car like this. It's gotta be the Stone Man's car.

We drive back to the Shermans' place and pull into the driveway. Why are we stopping here? I mean, crazy lives a few houses down, so shouldn't we be hightailing it to another state?

The Stone Man doesn't say anything. No one does. After Tim gets out, still holding the gun, he stares down the road. Somewhere in those shadows, the little church is waiting. So is the Glass Man.

Everybody gets out, except for the Stone Man.

"You need to start explaining crap. Right freaking now," I say. The car window's rolled down, and I can see the Stone Man inside. His hands grip the steering wheel a little tighter, but he's not driving away. He's still not saying one damn word.

"Dylan, we need to go inside," Diane says as gently as she can.

"Look, Diane, you said there was no Glass. But something's living down the street, and it sure as hell isn't the Easter bunny."

Diane looks at the Stone Man and pleads, "Tell him something."

"No," is all he says.

I'm tired of this. Tim and Diane told me some stuff in the basement but only what they want me to know. But what they don't want me to know is getting ready to kick my ass.

"Somebody needs to stop lying and give me some real answers," I growl. "So let's start right now. The Glass Man takes powers, right?"

So do we feed him.

God, I can't get Esther's voice out of my head or the sound of her hacking up glass.

"Diane Sherman, get him inside," the Stone Man says, his voice ice-cold.

Diane hesitates.

Ignoring the Stone Man, I say, "Why doesn't Esther just leave him?"

Diane actually does answer me. "He pulls powers from ones like us and that makes him stronger. Sometimes he leaves small bits of power so that they can use it to serve him. Other times, he takes it all. Once he does any of that to ones like us, they'll always be loyal to him and do whatever he says. Once they give in, he can hurt them."

Like Esther throwing up glass.

"Dylan ..." Diane starts again.

"You will tell him nothing more," the Stone Man snaps.

"And you'll shut your mouth," I snarl right back at the Stone Man. He thinks he can get all nasty? Let him try. I can get nasty right back.

"But he might listen if he knows more," Diane pleads with the Stone Man, keeping real close to me. "He has questions. It's only natural."

"I have not given you permission, so you will not speak on this," the guy says. He still doesn't back out of the driveway. What is he waiting for?

I push a little more. "Screw permission. He takes powers. What's going to keep him from waltzing down here and playing vampire with us?"

"Your powers, as you call them, are too valuable to him. He seeks something and you find. If he took your power, his would become stronger, but he would find nothing," the Stone Man says. Diane seems surprised that the guy answers me. Hell, so am I.

"What are you going to do about him?" The Stone Man doesn't answer, but pushing my luck is just what I do. "If you won't give me answers, then maybe you better start telling me who will."