Mr. Alexander Garrick's Traveling Circus Page 3

  “Not long now, then. Not long now, Jessica.”

  Anna shook her head as she led me out of the room.

  “Told you. Total nutjob. I have so many stories,” Anna said as she locked the room tight. “Don’t want to scare you away though. With your actual medical experience, you’re a godsend.” She turned to walk down the hallway, spewing off information about night shift and records for medicine, leading me to the filing system at the front desk. I knew I should pay more attention, but I had to have one more look. I put my eyes up to the tiny window, peering in at him.

  He was still on the cot, but his head was turned, staring at the window as if he knew I’d be back. He pointed a finger at me, strong and serious. Entranced, I stared as he proceeded to put the finger in his own mouth and gnaw at the flesh, wild animal sounds echoing in the room. My heart thudded as I watched, horrified. A cold hand touched my skin, and I jumped.

  “Are you coming, new girl? You have so much to learn. I’ll tell you, Mama always said my generation was lazy here at Redwood. If she could’ve seen the ones your age. You’re not a zoo tourist, you know. You’re more like the keeper. Now come on. We’ve got an injection to administer in the A wing. 2A is getting out of hand. Bit one of the staff when he was delivering his meal this morning. Doctor wants to calm him for the day.”

  I let myself be led to the newest horrors in the A wing, wondering if every newbie was graced with the pleasure of the top floor—and wondering how long until I could switch to a new one.

  “You’ll be fine. Honestly. I was overwhelmed my first week, too,” Anna reassured, seeing the troubled look on my face.

  “How does anyone get used to this?” I asked, the thought of the gnawing, snarling man in 5B sticking in the fringes of my mind.

  “You can get used to anything if you’re around it long enough. That’s what Mama said. And if that doesn’t work, there’s also wine.”

  I grinned, knowing that at least I had a good partner in crime. Anna knew the asylum inside and out. It was the family business, she’d told me yesterday. Her mother had been a nurse in the asylum for twenty years before passing the trade down to Anna. From what I could gather, she was basically the keeper of the place. She knew everything, all the patients. All the history, the legends. She was a good one to learn from and the one everyone came to for help. She was essentially the main supervisor since the actual board of owners stayed at home counting money instead of showing up.

  I trekked down the hallway to the other wing with her after we entered some medical information in the archaic computer system. The hallways were cold and draughty, and I chilled as I walked forward. Anna was probably right. I just needed time to settle in.

  I had a lot to learn, but it was good to keep my mind busy. Maybe in a way, Redwood was the penance my soul needed. Still, it’s hard to find peace for one’s deeds when you’re surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of instability all around.

  WANT TO FIND OUT MORE about the man in 5B? Read on wherever books are sold.

  Did you love Mr. Alexander Garrick's Traveling Circus? Then you should read The Flayed One by L.A. Detwiler!

  It comes at night, when the world is a dusty, quiet ball of forgotten memories. The thing of shrieks, of shrill, wanton fears makes its presence known.At seventeen, Mia Rose Ellis is haunted by a tragic summer and painful secrets. Seeking refuge in the forest behind her house, however, she finds two things that change everything: a rotten corpse and an archaic journal filled with horrifying tales. As Mia begins to read the eerie stories of a terrifying, malicious creature, she begins to realize the forest surrounding her house is more dangerous than she could've imagined.Its origins are the whispered legends of the curious, carved on victims' hearts.The town of Oakwood, home to the infamous Redwood Asylum, has always harbored its own sinister enigmas. The journal, however, launches Mia into a world where legends become reality and the frights of the forest follow her home. Will Mia be able to find the help she needs to survive The Flayed One's malicious hunting game, or will she be its next victim?For when the Flayed One comes for you, make no mistake.You will not be saved.From USA Today Bestseller L.A. Detwiler comes a hot new creature horror series sure to give you nightmares.

  Read more at L.A. Detwiler’s site.

  Also by L.A. Detwiler

  The Flayed One

  The Journal of H.D. Wards

  The Flayed One

  Standalone

  The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter

  A Tortured Soul

  The Christmas Bell: A Horror Novel

  The Redwood Asylum

  The Christmas Bell: Rachel's Story

  The Arsonist's Handbook

  Mr. Alexander Garrick's Traveling Circus

  The Butcher's Night

  The Witch of War Creek (Coming Soon)

  The Delivery (Coming Soon)

  Watch for more at L.A. Detwiler’s site.

  About the Author

  L.A. Detwiler is USA TODAY Bestselling author and high school English teacher. Her debut thriller, The Widow Next Door, is a USA Today and International Bestseller with HarperCollins UK/Avon Books. Her second thriller, The One Who Got Away, released in 2020 with HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter. The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter released in 2020.

  L.A. lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Chad, their five cats, and their mastiff named Henry. Her writing has appeared in several women's publications and online magazines. She also writes romance under Lindsay Detwiler, including her popular Lines in the Sand Series.

  Join her Readers' Club with this link: http://eepurl.com/gkZ2Sf

  Read more at L.A. Detwiler’s site.

 

 

  L.A. Detwiler, Mr. Alexander Garrick's Traveling Circus

 

 

  Thank you for reading books on Archive.BookFrom.Net
Share this book with friends