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then he put his back into it . he scrunched down , braced his feet and put his legs into it . in exchange for his labor , the crate took his breath . gideon could hear pultrie below , searching . a couple of much smaller boxes caught his attention and he pushed with enthusiasm . over they went , lids breaking , contents spilling , sides splintering , cans clattering and who knew what bouncing , twanging and tumbling to the siren call of gravity . the avalanche danced with a grace like to a herd of blind , storm crazed cattle and stampeded onto the head of the unsuspecting thug below . whilst the cast iron cookware echoed and the curses hit the walls , gideon launched himself to the comforting embrace of folds on folds of forgiving cloth . he scrambled to his feet , and then very wisely used them to make tracks . behind him , the herd bawled and bellowed their complaints to a highly unsympathetic audience . chapter 14 of frying pans and fire gallant damsel scrambled gideon froze . there was nothing fancy about it , nothing thought out or done with deliberate , measured intention . his primal instincts simply kicked in and locked every joint in his body without asking for permission . admittedly , common sense suggested one should endeavor to avoid alleyways as they did not boast many redeeming qualities . what this one had offered was privacy , until now . you know what that was ? a voice inquired . there had been no mistaking the distinctly metallic click , small yet arresting . good , said the voice , then i dont have to tell you breathing wrong would be a really bad idea , do i ? the eastern accent , liberally dosed with pure venom , left gideon in no doubt as to who held the gun at his back . you know , pultrie taunted . if you were smart , you wouldnt have crossed me . you would n't want any accidents . gideon scrabbled to imagine how his adversary stood , and completely failed . if it had been himself holding the gun , the thing might have been harmlessly aimed at the sky or not even loaded . then again if he were as wet hornet as pultrie it would be loaded and leveled in a very resolute manner . a broom left by a backdoor suggested possibilities . if he could up ! pultrie snapped . gideon measured his chances . reluctantly , he did as he was told . eh-eh , pultrie warned . i did not say talk . i said up and i mean now . there was no use trying explain it was impossible for him to lift his injured arm that high . pultrie was not receiving visitors , most particularly rational ones . so gideon held his peace and did his best . now , with his left hand full of his right wrist , anything he tried would be unpleasantly painful and awkwardly slow . this suited pultrie perfectly . since there was no longer a deed , there was also no job , no pay packet and no old lady . the critical point being , there no longer existed any impediment to doing whatever he pleased and what pleased him most was revenge . move , pultrie ordered , and his tone harbored a malicious eagerness only a man covered with syrupy , greasy , slimy , miasmic nastiness could muster . anything funny and i will not stop to ask questions . it didnt require book learning for gideon to see here was a mighty fine place to not be . amazing how that kept happening . no matter where he went , eventually , it ended up being a good place to leave often in a hurry . presuming he enjoyed breathing , not that breathing anywhere within fifty feet of pultrie counted as salubrious , exactly how much could a fellow in his position do ? pultrie willnt shoot til he gets what he wants . that theres levrage . gideon held onto that hope with a passion only a man with a gun to his back could muster . with his feet moving , and the initial gut clenching shock beginning to fade , his adrenalin gave a sheepish apology and put itself to better use . namely , compressing existence down to a single moment , this moment , until it was more tangible than inconsequentials like sanity or healthy life preserving fear . those things could get you killed . whereas , through the eyes of adrenalin , everything became a possibility . move , pultrie ordered his already moving prisoner , and reinforced the command with a shove from the business end of his revolver . gideon stumbled and wondered if he could turn fast enough . he had seen it done once . an irritated gunman had stepped in too close . his prisoner spun around , slapped the gun aside with one hand and delivered a wicked punch with the other . as the gunman staggered , the colt was neatly twisted away . it was a good move tidy , quick and effective . youll get your fool head blown off . |
r u safe ? a reply message came about fifteen minutes later , and i wondered if she was disappointed that i had not troubled myself to call her . we are both good and safe . love you always . your grandma sidney . grandma sidney was always so formal in her texts . i smiled to myself missing her even more . love me always she had . i put the cell phone on the nightstand next to my bed and froze when i heard footsteps outside my bedroom door . i hurried over and pulled it open and found brea standing there with red swollen eyes and a tight expression on her face . i wanted to tell her how sorry i was and ask her if i could go and see isabeau , but i couldnt speak . tears ran down my face as we stared at each other . she wiped a tear from my face and then continued down the hallway . i watched her until she took a turn toward the stairs and out of my sight . i closed my door still standing in the hallway and listened . i could hear nothing so i went into the vacant room between isabeaus room and mine . i could hear her crying . it was getting louder and then there was crashing , and i went into the hallway and tried her door handle . i knocked , but she didnt open the door . she was yelling and more things were crashing . i heard glass shatter and hated how useless i felt . going back into the vacant room and opened up the window . there was a small ledge there , much too small to stand on and the balcony in isabeaus room was too far to jump to . take me too . i heard her scream and more glass shattered . i went back out into the hallway and pounded on the door . the room fell silent , and i panicked . what if she did something stupid ? i pounded on the door again but there was no response . there was no one in the hallway and no one in sight or within hearing distance . i couldnt just stand here and wait and see . i ran back through the vacant room and climbed out on the tiny ledge . i would never make the jump . my heart pounded , and my hands were instantly soaking as i looked down from the three story ledge . i dont know if i could actually hear her whispering on the wind or if i was so terrified that i imagined her voice whispering , im coming duncan , wait for me . please make it . i jumped , launching myself from a surface that in that moment felt much bigger . i didnt land on her balcony , and my silent scream tore at my throat as i caught myself with my left hand on a bar of the balustrade . i was dangling and slipping . my right hand found a grip and i tried again to scream for help but the blessing of silence was still upon me . i didnt have the strength to lift myself up onto the balcony with my arms . i tried to swing my foot up so i could use my legs , but i couldnt get a foot hold . i almost let go when i heard my own voice on the wind . im going to fall ! nicholas was sticking his head out of my bedroom window . he dropped out and my palms slipped away from the bar . my fingertips were all that was holding me and when the glass doors to the balcony opened my fingertips slipped , and i was falling . isabeau was screaming . strong arms encircled me . catching me and propelling me back up toward isabeau and onto her balcony . i was alive and so was isabeau . she hugged me , and we both cried while nicholas demanded to know why i had tried to kill myself . i couldnt answer him , and even if i could i didnt want to out isabeau , who had whispered to me twice that she was so sorry . when seraph and brea were let into isabeaus room , i was taken to my room . seraph was furious wanting to know how i could have been so stupid . she cried the entire time she yelled at me , and i just listened . not that i could talk if i wanted to . isabeau would have to out herself . anytime now , isabeau . brea and nicholas came in a few minutes later and brea hugged me crying while nicholas whispered to seraph . i hugged brea back knowing that although i already loved isabeau like a sister , brea loved her as a real mother should . she thanked me and was crying so hard it took both seraph and nicholas to help her from my room . isabeau was sitting at her dresser looking into a shattered mirror when i entered her room . duncan is probably never going to forgive me for almost doing something so stupid . she looked at me and stood up . i cant believe you tried to jump onto my balcony . her brown eyes filled with tears again . i cant believe i was being such a selfish idiot . i hugged her wishing that grandma sidney was there with the perfect thing to say . |
i was hoping you wouldnt pick up on that , he said . 7.7 percent , remember ? ive got to get you back before theres no room for your ego over here . we both laughed at that one . well , i said , theres only one way to find out . with a flash , we were gone . i dont think boris even noticed we had disappeared . __________ we were back in the room with the same 4 people . i looked them over as they lay there , and found myself wondering if they viewed life in real time . if so , maybe they had nothing better to do , and really got into the mundane aspects of human existence in the distant past not that my time in the coma had been mundane , mind you . however , i would hate to think that they spent days and days hooked up viewing the first 24 years of my existence . they must have been bored out of their gourds if they had had to tap into that . i hoped for their sake that it was like a download , and they got the whole timeline in just a few hours . after our first trip there , it had occurred to me , why only four ? giddeon thought that maybe they were among the first to use such technology , and it wasnt in widespread use , yet . i was partial to the hypothesis that the group was related and they were experiencing it together like watching a television show on family night . what mattered was if they had information that could help melody . this time , they all opened their eyes at once . __________ immediately , i got that same feeling of warmth and compassion as before . no holograms appeared as they did , the first time , and it occurred to me that most likely that had been for our benefit so we would know what it was that they had been seeing . the original female on the end smiled . just the slightest upward curvatures marked the corners of her mouth , and several seconds passed . as time dragged out , i began to think that they werent going to help us , or maybe , that they couldnt . i feared that they were constrained by laws , or physics , or some futuristic morality . __________ then , through the wall came a tray , for lack of a better word . it hovered silently in the middle of the room , so giddeon and i stepped up to it . there , on a piece of paper plain ordinary paper was writing . i beheld a list of ingredients some i recognized and some i didnt thirteen in all . there was a paragraph concerning the proper amounts , and how to prepare and administer them as an elixir . i could tell giddeon was memorizing what was before him , and i did my best to do the same . he was done almost instantaneously it took me the better part of five minutes , mainly because i kept repeating it to myself over and over to make sure i had it right . the tray then made an exit just as something else made an entrance through the smooth surface of the silver wall . or , at least the closest copy of him possible . he sauntered to the middle of the room and sat there looking at us with big , yellow eyes oddly , there was a small scar on his face . he meowed , and then turned his attention to licking a paw and rubbing at the old wound . chapter 67 my heart was hammering when we returned . our boris had moved to the couch , and , i could have sworn he was smiling . he licked a paw and rubbed at his face , also . i shook my head and turned to giddeon . im not sure i remember it all ! i asked and exclaimed . got it dont worry . giddeon walked over , sat down at the table and produced a pen and paper . he recorded what we had seen . i was very quiet while he did that , not wanting to disrupt his train of thought . when he finished , i had him check it against my version while i recited what was in my head . i was pleased that i had remembered it verbatim , too . plan b sounds kind of nasty , said gid . plus , she has to drink it every day for a year . i cant believe it they actually communicated with us , again . theyre trying to help . i sat down on the couch next to boris . thats not even original . best i could do on short notice . i accepted his explanation . it just seems like they could be jeopardizing their own existence . boris meowed and rolled over onto his side , wanting to be petted . i reached over and scratched him on his belly . ive been thinking about that , said giddeon . maybe you cant jeopardize your own existence when new worlds are created with each and every decision new timelines and new probabilities , you know ? its all so confusing , i said . or , maybe weve been thinking about time all wrong , in our frame of reference . you remember the way some say space is curved ? he continued , that would include time . it may not really be a straight line because reality could be more like a sphere . |
a pawn in everyones game but by own ? the barrel is wide this close to my skull . if i had sweat glands , they 'd be working overtime . he has to pull the trigger . i gave him the orders . there is no way out . the answer then comes to me . it is so simple . it is the only choice . it is time to end like an enforcer . before r17 realizes , i am running in the opposite direction . before i 've completely processed my thought , i am halfway across the chamber . a flash of plasma buzzes past me . it wo n't be long until r17 's pistol pops another . pulling over one of the scattered chairs , i land on the obsidian floor . r17 cries , crouching behind the minister of marketing 's throne . something i should have done nearly half a century ago . i am choosing to end on my terms . '' a traitor ? '' `` traitor ? this chaos ? we are meant to prevent it . whoever is stealing this information , these activists , they shall know what these leaders truly think of them , of us all , we rusty pawns . `` what about your duty ? this is that purpose , captain . '' `` their purpose ! i 've lasted this long because i only obeyed that purpose . i 've been unable to prevent new babel 's fall because i 've never done anything else . i enabled its corruption . now is time to serve something greater . '' i can not let you do this , he says and a blue bolt streaks past me . as you should n't . big red caps then flash in my vision : upload complete in 10 ... just a little longer . like a prisoner unleashed , i dash for the door far across the empty chamber , then -- balled in a knot of metal , r17 rolls into the middle of my path . 9 lunging forward , i attack . fist forward , head down , momentum in the thrust . unfortunately , r17 is unrolling , whipping out his pistol . 8 in mid-air , the blast hits me in the chest . it tingles as it swells through me . melting through my uniform , the plasma radiates through the interwoven fibers of my body , sintering them with a hint of burnt plastic . luckily , my sinex casing absorbs most of the blast , redirecting the energy . in that fraction of a millisecond , i get an idea . i 'll only be able to do it once , it 'll leave my skin as brittle as a bone , but i only need a few more seconds . i reroute all that surplus energy through my skin into my fist as i hammer it down on the back of r17 's neck . 7 the spray of electricity arcs from the contact and loosens r17 from his protected posture . he collapses to the floor as i take off again . 6 the door is only a few feet away . somehow , this seems to be working . 5 a burst of pain stops me . a hole burns through my stomach . entrails of wire , veins of oil , shattered fragments of casing are splattered on the ground before me . 4 i fall to the ground . r17 trots up to me , his pistol still smoking . i am sorry , sir , he says . no , you had to . just as i had to do this . why , sir ? 3 the people must see this . see what we have become . those writhing masses , that unhappy crowd on sector 5 , they will . through my memories , through all these decades of thoughts , they can . r17 slowly raises the gun . 2 remember today , i say . all this is more important than any upgrade . experience is what makes you superior , inspector . all of what happened today will be more of who you are than the way you were built . he stares at me , eyes blank . 1 you know what must be done , i say . i look down the barrel . transmission complete . i finally have served my purpose . his finger tugs the trigger . a 3.14 smile . end intercepted transmission of d-death trojan with r3 's memories , the growing numbers of unhappy would see why they were , infact , in misery . learning the real reason why so many were n't getting better from the pox would enrage them even more . but it was what this hacker , this d-death , would do next that would truly set the citizens free . -nh thank you for reading the citizens . now that you 're finished , please consider writing a review at : http : //www.amazon.com/dp/b00k6wua3o reviews are one of the best ways readers discover great books . i would truly appreciate it . other episodes of the citizens of oblivion : in dreams out now cecilia abandonato has come to the 'city of paradise ' to fulfill a dream - to start a life free of the past . |
rose went into orgasm when she felt the warm mass , she lay limp . `` we have ten minutes . '' `` head out to sea , i 've done this before . '' anthony knelt up , changed heading on the auto pilot . rose played and admired his penis , she went down on him , he groaned and began to harden . `` go for it , i 'm really enjoying you , how about you . '' `` he lunged back into her . `` enjoying it , only got six hours of fuel liable to run out . '' `` go go darling give me your fill and take your will . '' the jet was on the tarmac outside the hanger , anthony was over an hour later that he should have been . he shut down and walked rose to the little jet . rose ran to the pilot putting her arms around him , you taking me home . '' `` rose what a pleasant surprise , we better get in the air . '' peter helped her up the short steps from the tarmac . `` you know rose . '' `` i 've flown rose around many times . '' `` you never mentioned it to me . '' `` things are on a need to know basis '' he pulled up the steps and closed the door in haste . anthony could see rose stripping off through the portal windows as the jet fired up , the co pilot was assisting her in discarding her clothing , he could see them embrace and rose fell back out of sight with the co pilot on top of her . he turned to walk back to the chopper and muttered to himself . `` that is the most dangerous women i 've ever met and they say bella is worse , or better depending how you look at it . '' he had a quick look back as the little jet taxied out of sight . `` i 'm going home where i 'm safe . '' jodi was late , this was unusual for her , stanton looked at his watch every few minutes , and she failed to answer her phone . over two hours late jodi entered the kitchen , stanton had been in the den and prepared a coffee when the security system told him she was coming down the street . `` your late i was worried . '' jodi froze , she smelt the air , stanton turned and looked at her . her eyes sparkled , her hair although brushed was uncharacteristically untidy , her blouse appeared crumpled in places . `` red door . '' `` red door , the perfume , its hanging in the air . '' `` i had visitors . '' stanton placed a coffee in next to her on the breakfast bar and they sat down . `` an fbi agent looking for help . '' `` the women . '' `` rose fleming . '' jodi 's face turned to fire . `` yes , she backed mccrae up in lexington , brought him back here , he will come in handy , he 's on the island , rose is on the way back to london . '' jodi suddenly broke down face in her hands . `` oh god , i 'm sorry john . '' stanton was completely bamboozled and dug for clues , he took one of her hands an held it . `` what an earth is wrong , you 're late and i know that twinkle in your eye . '' she took a napkin from the dispenser on the breakfast bar and used it to dry her eyes , talking spasmodically between sobs , stanton pushed her buttock length hair back over her shoulders , the hair band she had used for a pony tail was gone . `` i have the audacity to fly off the handle about rose and ... .. '' she sobbed . `` whatever it is you need to tell me . '' `` i 've been with somebody . '' `` no law against that poppet . '' `` stop mothering me john , i 've been having sex with a young man . '' `` it 's happened before and will probably happen again , i 've been away allot , you have needs . you remember when i first came back and you told me about how and where you got information . '' `` do n't remind me , god i 'm a whore , my father would be disgusted . '' stanton raised his voice and sat upright . `` your father was not exactly whom you thought he was and you use him as a pedestal , we are human beings not robots . '' `` your angry with me . '' `` you 'd like me to be but no . '' `` do you want to get it off your chest ? '' she looked at him , nervous and broken . `` young men are chatting me up , all of a sudden i like it , i 've tried to stop but ... '' there was silence . `` but you enjoy it . '' `` yes , there i 've said it , i 'm a damn whore like bella and that blonde thing that was here . '' `` firstly young men have chatted you up all your life , look in the mirror jodi , what do you see . |
marie and i staring at each other , glancing over at the searchlights outside the windows , hearing the footsteps of the guards , the occasional cough or sneeze , or , heaven forbid , the crack of a rifle bolt because a rabbit disturbed a garden ? that 's not living , that 's imprisonment . your sister and i could n't handle it . '' `` neither could i , not the way you describe it . but what can paris solve ? '' `` i can find him . `` he 's got the manpower over there . '' `` i 've got jason bourne , '' said david webb . `` i do n't buy that crap ! '' `` neither do i , but it seems to work . i 'm calling in your debt to me , johnny . cover for me . tell marie i 'm fine , not hurt at all , and that i 've got a lead on the jackal that only old fontaine could have provided -- which is the truth , actually . a cafand # 65533 ; in argenteuil called le coeur du soldat . tell her i 'm bringing in alex conklin and all the help washington can provide . '' the jackal would hear about it ; he 's got ears up and down the quai d'orsay . solo 's the only way . '' `` do n't you think she 'll know that ? '' `` she 'll suspect it , but she ca n't be certain . i 'll have alex call her , confirming that he 's in touch with all the heavy covert firepower in paris . but first it comes from you . '' `` you should n't have to ask that , bro . i 've put her through enough . '' `` all right , i 'll tell her , but she wo n't believe me . she 'll see right through me , she always has . since i was a kid , those big brown eyes would look into mine , most of the time pissed off , but not like our brothers ' , not -- oh , i do n't know -- not with that disgust in their faces because the `kid ' was a screwup . `` it 's called caring . she 's always cared for you -- even when you were a screwup . '' `` yeah , mare 's okay . '' `` somewhat more than that , i think . call her in a couple of hours and bring them back here . it 's the safest place they can be . how are you going to get to paris ? the connections out of antigua and martinique are lousy , sometimes booked days in advance . '' `` i ca n't use those airlines anyway . i 've got to get in secretly under a shroud . somehow , a man in washington will have to figure it out . he 's got to . '' alexander conklin limped out of the small kitchen in the cia 's vienna apartment , his face and hair soaking wet . in the old days , before the old days fell into a distillery vat , he would calmly leave the office -- wherever it was -- when things got too heavy too fast and indulge himself in an unwavering ritual . he would seek out the best steak house -- again , wherever he was -- have two dry martinis and a thick rare slab of meat with the greasiest potatoes on the menu . the combination of the solitude , the limited intake of alcohol , the blood-rare hunk of beef and , in particular , the grease-laden potatoes , had such a calming effect on him that all the rushing , conflicting complexities of the hectic day sorted themselves out and reason prevailed . he would return to his office -- whether a smart flat in london 's belgravia square or the back rooms of a whorehouse in katmandu -- with multiple solutions . it was how he got the sobriquet of saint alex of conklin . he had once mentioned this gastronomical phenomenon to mo panov , who had a succinct reply : `` if your crazy head does n't kill you , your stomach will . '' these days , however , with postalcoholic vacuum and various other impediments , such as high cholesterol and dumb little triglycerides , whatever the hell they were , he had to come up with a different solution . it came about by accident . one morning during the iran-contra hearings , which he found to be the finest hours of comedy on television , his set blew out . he was furious , so he turned on his portable radio , an instrument he had not used in months or perhaps years , as the television set had a built-in radio component -- also inoperable at the time -- but the portable radio 's batteries had long since melted into white slime . his artificial foot in pain , he walked to his kitchen telephone , knowing that a call to his television repairman , for whom he had done several favors , would bring the man running to his emergency . |
damon raised an eyebrow . `` well , i 'd be remiss if i did n't say things were interesting here . '' his lips curved in a private sort of smile that made me suddenly want to grab his shoulders and shake him . the force of my emotions surprised me , so much so that i had to sit down and shove into my mouth a muffin from the overflowing basket on the table . i 'd never felt jealous of my brother before , but suddenly i was dying to know : had katherine ever snuck up to his bedroom ? last night , she 'd seemed so nervous about getting caught , having me promise over and over again that i 'd never breathe a word to anybody about what we 'd done . betsy , the cook , came in , her arms laden with plates of grits , bacon , and eggs . my stomach rumbled , and i realized i was starving . i quickly tucked in , reveling in the saltiness of the eggs combined with the sweet bitterness of my coffee . it was as if i 'd never tasted breakfast before and my senses were finally awakened . i sighed in contentment , and damon looked up in amusement . `` i knew all you needed was some fresh air and good food , '' damon said . and katherine , i thought . `` now let 's go outside and cause some trouble . '' damon smiled wickedly . `` father 's in his study , doing his demon studies . do you know he even has robert in on it ? '' damon shook his head in disgust . while i did n't necessarily believe all the discussion about demons , i did respect father enough to not make fun of his thoughts . it made me feel vaguely disloyal to hear damon 's dismissal of him . `` i 'm sorry , brother . '' damon shook his head and scraped his chair back against the slate floor . `` i know you do n't like it when father and i fight . '' he walked over to me , pulling out my chair from under me , almost causing me to fall . i scrambled to my feet and good-naturedly shoved him back . damon called with glee . `` now , let 's go ! '' he ran out the back door , letting the door slam shut . cordelia used to scream at us for that offense as children , and i laughed when i heard her familiar groan from the kitchen . i ran toward the center of the lawn , where damon had unearthed the oblong ball we 'd been tossing two weeks before . `` here , brother ! damon panted , and i turned and leapt into the air , just in time to catch the pigskin in my arms . i pulled it tightly to my chest and began running toward the stable , the wind whipping my face . `` y boys ! '' a voice called , stopping me in my ou tracks . katherine was standing on the porch of the carriage house , wearing a simple , cream-colored muslin dress and looking so innocent and sweet that i could n't believe that what happened last night was n't a dream . `` burning off excess energy ? `` i sheepishly turned around and walked toward the porch . `` playing catch ! '' i explained , hastily throwing the ball to damon . katherine reached behind her , braiding her curls down the back of her neck . i had a sudden fear that she thought we were tiresome with our childish game and that she 'd come out here to scold us for waking her so early . but she simply smiled as she settled on the porch swing . damon called from his position on the lawn . he held the ball far back behind his head as if he were about to throw it toward her . katherine wrinkled her nose . besides , i feel people who need props for their games and sports are lacking in imagination . '' `` stefan has imagination . '' `` y should hear him read poetry . he 's like a ou troubadour . '' he dropped the ball and ran toward the porch . `` damon has imagination . y should see ou the imaginative way he plays cards , '' i teased as i reached the steps of the porch . katherine nodded at me as i bowed to her but did n't make any other effort to greet me . i stepped back , momentarily stung . why had n't she at least given me her hand to kiss ? had n't last night meant anything to her ? `` i am imaginative , especially when i have a muse . '' damon winked at katherine , then stepped in front of me to grab her hand . he brought it to his lips , and my stomach churned . `` thank you , '' katherine said , standing up and walking down the porch steps , her simple skirts swishing down the stairs . with her hair pulled back from her eyes , she reminded me of an angel . she gave me a secret smile , and finally i relaxed . |
strolling near to him , she said , ive got a sworn affidavit for ashley to sign stating she witnessed your promise to my mother . we will take it to court if you dont honor your promise to my mother before then . her attorney said that if ernie wanted to change his mind , it was his prerogative , but perhaps the affidavit would convince him otherwise . however , if he died intestate , which meant without a will , then tennessee law dictated who received whatjeremiah had first rights , albert second , and she and felicity were third in line . along with casey , should annie ever prove her paternity claim . without jeremiah in the picture , delaney knew she would have a better chance in court . armed with ernies deathbed promise to her mother , the lawyer said it would then depend upon whether uncle albert fought her for titlesomething she was certain would not happenand which judge heard the case . who sat on the bench was anyones guess . ernies eyes became beads of hate in his colorless face . he pulled the pipe from his mouth and rubbed the white whiskers of his jaw . what do you want , delaney ? i want the property . she wants money , clem responded for her . its not the money , she said to clem , irked by his nosey presence . but ernie knows my desire runs deeper . its about family and tradition . its about ensuring my daughter has a place to live , a legacy to pass on . she paused , allowing it to sink in . its what you were supposed to do , uncle ernie . my mother would turn in her grave if she knew you were even considering allowing this property to fall out of family hands . he didnt reply and clem became squirrely . youre as greedy as they come , dell . he sees right through you , cant you see that ? its up to you , ernie , she said , without acknowledging clem . this isnt about me , its about felicity . your granddaughter , she emphasized , as though it were a fact that had slipped his mind . we can play nice , or we can play ugly , but one way or another , felicity and i will not be kicked off of ladd springs . without another word , delaney stomped off to her truck . boots crunching over gravel , she hoped it sunk in . she hoped ernie would remember his sister and do what was right . clems cozy visits were doing nothing but stir up mudespecially after his stupid stunt in the forest . what the hell possessed him to do such a thing ? hed been after her all through high school , but since she married and divorced jack , not a peep . she swung open the door to her truck and hopped in . it was strange behavior , even for him . shed brought up the part about jeremiah , because delaney suspected clem and annie had a thing , years back , but it was only speculation . was casey clems daughter ? she turned the ignition and tore out of the driveway . sure would make her life easier if she was . delaney drove the short distance to ashley fulmers house , a modest log cabin sitting on ten acres of manicured lawn , a backdrop of forest to the rear . potted plants filled with flowers hung across the front porch , knick knacks of every size and shape littered the walls , hung from shutters , sat perched out by the walkway in welcome . but the eccentric dcor was but one facet of the woman inside . after a quick rap on the door , delaney let herself in and called out for ashley . ashley poked her head out from the kitchen and waved with a toothy grin . hey , darlin ! dressed in denim skirt and sequin-covered fuchsia blouse , her platinum hair twisted high atop her head , she had more bracelets jangling from her wrist than delaney had owned in the course of a lifetime . but ashley was the queen of bling around these parts and clogging champ . when she spruced up for a run on the dance floor , watch outthis woman had fire in her boots , glitter in her eyes and a win in her heart . she and her husband booker were county champs for five years running now . cmon in , make yourself comfy . im in the middle of supper . ashley was her mothers closest friend , closer than any sister could be . she had laughed with her mom during the good times , cried during the bad and held vigil bedside as she fought through the darkest days of her life . smells like someones making pie . youve got a nose like a bloodhound . my blueberries were ready early so i decided to make pie . its in the oven now . delaney laughed softly . what else would you do with blueberries ? aw , honey , you know theyre my weakness . and oh-so-delicious in pie form . ashley laughed in agreement . you know life is good when the blueberries are plump on the bush ! |
dembe , what does kato mean ? asked daniel , curious . the room went quiet for a moment . said dembe softly . kato . it means second of twins . donald dropped his fork . harrys jaw dropped . daniel bit his lip . mac put his right index finger on his lip and tucked his left hand under his right elbow , coming to the correct conclusion before anyone else did . a long silence hung over the room . rachel broke the silence . donald , asked dembe . baba what ? your twin brother ? donalds jaw went slack . i have a twin brother ? donalds a twin ? balondemu . your older brother , older by fifteen minutes . he had a birthmark , similar to yours . i have a twin brother , donald was perplexed . i have no recollection . what happened to balomd dem mu ? daniel struggled to pronounce it . balondemu , repeated dembe , his eyes filled with pain . it means , the chosen one . the first born male was very important in our tribal culture yes ? harry couldnt contain his curiosity . he was also taken that night . the same night as donald . taken with me ? tears ran down donalds cheeks . harry put his arm around donald . theres very little chance hes alive , continued dembe . but then i thought the same about you donald . maybe perhaps , in our work in northern uganda with new hope maybe we will find him . a download of expectation charged the circle of family and friends . dembe turned slowly to harry . mzee , he said softly . then it will be even better than this ! the end about the author craig r. kirkby and his wife lorna are currently based in melbourne australia with their two daughters hannah and jenna . having served as a pastor and missionary for twenty years , he has a passion to inspire jesus-followers , young and older , and to catalyse kingdom exploits in our world today . check out his personal weblog here www.abetterfuturenow.com and the dayspring adventure series weblog here www.dayspringadventure.wordpress.com gaia elios and gaia series by monica la porta smashwords edition this is a work of fiction . copyright 2013 by monica la porta all rights reserved , including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form . discover more works from monica la porta at http : //www.monicalaporta.com table of contents dedication gaia backstory and acknowledgements the team about the author other book by monica la porta dedication to mom . chapter 1 i first saw him in a crowded street , in a crowded city , on a sunny summer day . i was on vacation with my family , visiting greece for the first time . i was eighteen , with long , ash-blond hair and hazel eyes always on the verge of changing to a dark green . athens was warm that day , the sun kissing my skin , the radiance of the daylight caressing my eyes like a lovers hand . my father had just parked the car , and i was happily basking in the mediterranean light while the constant humming of the engines passing nearby made me feel drowsy . the only sound out of register was my sister claras crystalline voice laughing at something silly i had just said , which kept me from falling asleep right there on the sidewalk . a playful wind tangled my hair and brought to my sensitive nose the smell of freshly baked honey-dipped pastries . i smiled , turning my head to see where the bakery was , when a single sunbeam touched only my lips , warming them . the air stood still , the sweet aroma disappeared , and the wind stopped moving my unruly haireven the luminosity waned , coloring the ancient city in an ethereal light . i became suddenly aware of somethingsomeone . a sudden sparkle of electricity in the air gave me goose bumps . my whole body reacted as if magnetized , and i turned my head slowly toward a precise point in the middle of the street , where i singled out one car slowing to a halt . i dont remember the make or the color of the car at all , but i will always remember his eyes staring back at melight blue , with a hint of green and lots of gold , full of wonder and relief and sadness all at the same time . i had only a few seconds to contemplate his face , but it felt like a lifetime to me . he was tanned , with regular features . his nose was beautiful and straight , his mouth a faded pink , cracked by exposure to the sun and the sea wind , his curly , untamed blond mane equally sun bleached . he had a mona lisa smile , his lips curved upward even though he wasnt smiling at all . i existed out of time , content to be pulled by the invisible force emanating from his eyes . |
`` why are you ignoring my question , sofia ? '' claws appeared from her hands and , without warning , she launched herself toward my chest . i managed to catch her hands just before they dug deep . abby , stop it ! '' `` you tore out my mommy 's heart . now i 'll tear out yours . '' i managed to scramble to my feet so i could take advantage of my height . unable to reach me , she sank her teeth deep into my right arm . the pain caused me to lose my grip on her . she positioned herself on a high rock and was about to jump on me again when ashley appeared behind her , grabbing her by the waist and hurling her to the ground against the sharp stone floor . but this barely deterred abby . she got up and this time turned on ashley . letting out a shriek , she climbed up the rock and grabbed ashley 's foot , making ashley tumble to the ground . abby followed her down and , with her claws still bared , was about to tear through ashley 's throat when a chilling breeze entered the cave . abby let out a small scream and halted mid-motion . her eyes turned translucent and her mouth hung open awkwardly . then she stepped back and made her way toward the exit of the cave . as she left , her own voice said : `` you need to control yourself , little girl . we ca n't have you spoiling perfectly capable vessels . '' abby left the cave and sped down the mountain . `` where do you think it 's taking her ? '' `` to be locked up with the others , i guess . that one 's feisty . '' ashley was still catching her breath . i stood rooted to the spot , stunned . my sweet little abby . where has she gone ? i thought about my best friend , ben . and then his parents . they had lost their lives because of their connection to me . i ca n't let that happen to abby . i had n't noticed a second cold breeze enter the cave until ashley let out a cry . her body contorted before she stood upright . her eyes were still clear though and her face looked normal ; i assumed she must have paid a visit to the witch in the cells like i had . `` i 've given you enough rest . now we have work to do . '' she walked toward the exit and began to climb down the mountain . as if to answer me , another cold breeze blew through the cave , but this time it settled within my own bones . my mouth spoke . i climbed down the mountain after ashley and followed her back toward the direction of the port . on arrival , we were met with a dozen vampires huddled together and talking with each other-all of them female . many of them had familiar faces ; they were residents of the shade , but most of them i had never spoken to . each of them had a normal appearance like ashley and i , but it was clear from their conversations that they too were possessed . a beautiful young vampire with black hair walked up to ashley and i , handing us two short cocktail dresses . `` put these on . we 're leaving in a moment . '' everyone else was wearing the same type of clothing , the type one would wear on a night out or to a party . without considering modesty , ashley and i stripped and quickly pulled the new garments over our bodies . what on earth are we doing ? my voice spoke up above the chattering . `` yes , '' they replied in unison . my head turned toward a large submarine that had just surfaced . it was the biggest i 'd seen of the shade 's fleet . it looked capable of carrying at least a hundred people . the hatch opened and we began to pile in . i was the last to enter . i closed the hatch behind me and climbed down the metal ladder . while ashley and the others took seats in the main passenger area , i headed directly to a small room at the front of the ship , where i found liana sitting in the captain 's seat behind all the main controls . once again , it seemed like she would be forced to navigate the submarine to wherever we were headed . `` i need another vial . '' i held out my right arm to show liana where abby had bitten me . i had almost forgotten about the wound . she reached into her cloak and withdrew another one . i gulped down the sweet blood and within a few moments i had healed . i sat down in a chair next to liana . she started moving switches and punching in coordinates . then she took hold of the wheel and we jolted forward . her eyes were still translucent , yet i knew that she must now be in control of her actions for her to be navigating the submarine . it must have been a struggle to control such a large piece of machinery with impaired vision , but she was managing it somehow . there was n't much to look at as i sat there . |
she parried the swords coming her way , and then she counter attacked . some people used brute strength to hammer blows on their opponents , but joyahs strokes were full of grace . they formed beautiful lines after hours upon hours in the studio . the last man she faced was the treacherous jeweler . joyah swiped her sword across his chest , sending something he had been wearing around his neck flying . he lunged in , planning to catch her while she was off balance . but joyah had recovered faster than he had anticipated and sidestepped . she brought the hilt of her sword up as he came in . it connected with his forehead , and he dropped like a stone . with all of her side taken out , she turned to deal with the other side . joyah was surprised to find that her helper was successfully holding off his opponents , and they even bore marks from his sword . joyah and her helper finished them off quickly . joyah knelt by the pendant that she had cut off the jeweler . it was a black square the size of her palm with a symbol of a white thorny vine loosely winding around itself . joyah looked up at her helper . he was a boy who seemed around her age and size . he had short black hair that got longer and stuck up when it got towards his forehead , pale skin , and chocolate brown , olive shaped eyes . she could tell from his clothes that he came from a higher class family . he was holding her sword in one hand and had an incredulous look on his face . dont you know any better than to go waving that around ? ! he gestured to the crystal joyah was still holding in her hand . i didnt go waving it around , she snapped . i was showing it to a jeweler for help identifying it . i was trying to keep it hidden from people who might steal it , which is impressive that i knew to do that since where i come from people dont just attack one another for crystals . it obviously didnt work since you saw it . how did you see it ? i was in the stall next to the jewelers , he said . i got a lucky glimpse of it . then i saw you follow him to here . its lucky i did , too . you wouldnt have held out much longer . its actually incredible you held them out this long . there was a martial arts studio where i came from , she said dismissively . do you recognize this ? she held out the pendant . he walked over to the first man joyah had struck down . i recognize him , though . hes part of the river boys . a bunch of these guys are . who are the river boys ? a big street gang , the boy said . no one knows why they picked that name , since theres no river around here . anyway , theyre a bunch of thugs . i have no idea how they got so good at fighting like that . the boy looked at the hand in which joyah held the red crystal . joyah looked down . the cut from blocking a sword with her arm was dripping blood . she raised it horizontally so it didnt drip onto the crystal . doesnt it hurt ? joyah set down her pack and opened it . she was careful not to drip blood on it . she took out a bandage and wrapped it around her forearm . she did not do a very good job of it , seeing that she could only use one arm . the boy sighed and squatted to help her tie it . you might as well come to my house to get this cleaned and properly bandaged . joyah gave him a wary look . the last person who helped me tried to kill me . well , considering i just saved your life i think you can trust me , he said . or you could have saved my life to gain my trust so you could take the crystal yourself , joyah pointed out . the boy rolled his eyes . one minute youre overly trusting and the next youre paranoid . make up your mind ! the boy stood up and slung joyahs pack over his shoulder . and youre coming with me . joyah sighed and jogged to catch up . you know , joyah said as they walked side by side . im jeffery , he said . jeffery raymond , though you can call me jeff . im joyah pain . jeffs house was in the middle-to-large range for the city , but to joyah it was huge . her idea of a large house had been six rooms , a wood floor , and a door for each room . jeffs house had big double doors and stone steps leading up . it had two floors and many , many rooms . it was made from gray stone with slate roofing . the windows actually had glass , and they each had a curtain that could be drawn across to hide the room inside . jeffery pushed open one of the doors and walked in . joyah followed . the room beyond had a grand staircase with a blue carpet and shining wood railings . the floor was marble , and the walls were painted white . |
priya bhardwaj 2014 to the moon ... a disk , a globe , a crescent shape ; to dance , to fly on high ; waxing and waning , waning and waxing ; endless revolving cycles ; eternal lunar moods ; wandering , passing time languidly and aimlessly ; too distant , alone , far away from our perfect home ; yearning , pining , amongst ancient stars ; a reliable friend to brighten the night ; hot cider , a companion moon , and shelter from the cold ; together we both lament her loss ; together til the very last ; gazing upon the midnight heavens , that autumn weight , tormenting loss ; queen of the night ; protector from the darkness ; stirrer of passions ; pass the cider ; a toast to the moon p.w collier 2014 when love came knocking by sonya c. dodd cold . the nightmare was becoming a regular occurrence now or was it a dream ? it always began scarily but i was assured of a happy ending , wasnt i ? i tried to comfort myself that something would eventually have to give and i hoped it wouldnt be my sanity . i was trapped in an enclosed space , unable to move and although i kept telling myself it wasnt real , it was still terrifying . abandoned and alone , i waited for the end , never quite sure whether it would be the happy ever after which came or whether by some sick twist of fate the ending would change and id be left to slowly die in here . meanwhile time stood still . the cold crept over me like invading fingers of ice , clawing at my skin . the darkness was silent and kept me oblivious to my surroundings . the fear fed on itself , building the tension without let up until my mind would suddenly thrust me back into the land of the living , reality : the life i knew . this time something was different though . my bedsit in east london remained out of reach . the darkness was particularly enveloping and dense , almost suffocating in its intensity . the fear was ever present but tonight something had altered . tonight i knew i was waiting . i had no idea what i was waiting for but it was evident there was going to be an awakening , a purpose or end to the perpetual anticipation . tonight time was at a premium . why i bothered keeping my eyes open in the darkness , i had no idea . however it now showed me that the blackness was perhaps becoming less dense and i was positive i could almost feel some warmth on my bare arms . my ears had stopped ringing in the silence too . the distant sound of birdsong carried to my ears . i wanted to smile but my fear was increasing because i was moving into unknown territory . after a while i knew i was definitely looking into grey nothingness rather than black and a blackbird seemed to be singing right overhead , although i couldnt see it . something bumped against my prison . it was near my feet but i couldnt move my head to see . then i saw a shadow moving upwards . it was coming towards me and i prepared myself to scream . with the sound stuck in my throat , i relaxed as a deer came into view . it was hazy , as though it was surrounded by a thick fog . the animal appeared to be unaware of my presence and fed on grass or roots outside my tomb . the grey was still getting lighter and there was a hint of blue mixed in with the darker shades . i surmised i must be outside and the blue was the sky . with the deer in close proximity and the birds singing all around me now , i guessed i must be in some wilderness where the creatures were unused to human contact . a squirrel hopped up onto the screen in front of my face . it sat munching on a nut which it held between its front paws . i wanted to knock on the glass and see its reaction when it looked down and saw me but my arms were pinned tightly at my sides . i realised the warmth was increasing along with the growing light . the sun was warming me . it was as though i had been trapped in a never-ending night which had finally been broken with a new dawn . the squirrel and deer suddenly looked up , facing the same direction i could see their hesitation and fear . in a flash they both took off leaving me alone . whatever had scared them was heading in my direction . i could hear fast-moving footsteps . it sounded like a horse . would there be a rider ? i was now looking up into a blue sky . the footsteps stopped and there was a rustling sound then a thump on the ground . someone had definitely dismounted . i held my breath and clenched my eyes tightly shut . if i was about to die i didnt want to see my assailant . a sudden rush of air told me the lid had been removed from above me . a clean , fresh smell of woodland air filled my nostrils . put me out of my misery quickly , i prayed to no one in particular . i could sense someone looking at me . i wondered what they were thinking as they looked at my tensed face . did they find it amusing to hold such power over me ? then there was a soft brushing of lips against my cheek , followed by my lips . in spite of my terror i felt my eyes opening . i had to see who had planted the lightest of kisses upon me . a handsome , chiselled face framed with brown waves of hair . his eyes were almost green in colour and drew me into their warmth . i didnt know this stranger but i found myself smiling back at him . he offered me his hand which i accepted . shakily i rose from my resting place . his grip felt firm as i rested my weight against him , unsteady on my feet from lying down for so long . i glanced around us and saw we were on a high spot of ground with trees below us spreading out as far as the eye could see . |
oh , well , said skeres , youre the government agent , mr poley , the man trusted with secret documents , youre so smart , you come up with an idea ! i will , mr skeres , hissed poley , dont you worry , i will . there was silence as they stared at the forlorn figure . i have it , said a voice triumphantly . it was poley . whats your solution , mr government agent ? snarled skeres . the judgement of solomon , mr skeres . seeing as you have cut him , then he shall cut you . lie down , mr skeres , while we do some surgery . youre not cutting me ! poley moved forward , and leaned into skeres ' face . this is the only way out , mr skeres , he hissed . what 's the plan , then ? interrupted frizer . we cut you , mr skeres , and cut ? nothing serious , mind . at least , nothing that will cause you more than a little inconvenience . but we spread the blood around a bit , get you to scream in agony , make it look much worse than it is . and then we call in the owner of this most commodious house , dame eleanor . theres been a terrible fight , we say . our young theatrical friend here , after a long day on the wine , got nasty about paying the bill , and suddenly grabbed mr skeres knife from his belt when he wasnt looking , dame eleanor , and stabbed him . naturally enough , mr skeres was surprised by all this . we all were , as you can imagine , madam . but mr skeres had the presence of mind to wrestle the knife from his enraged attacker , and , in the mle that followed , alas , had to strike him a similar blow in self-defence , and now he is dead . sound all right to me , said frizer , slowly . its all right for you - you dont get cut ! shouted skeres . listen , hissed poley , you are a low-life con-artist , skeres , a skiver , double-dealer and street-wise poltroon in the employ of sir thomas . and as i am the most senior man in this group here , you will do what i tell you . thats the point , replied skeres , with a smarmy tone in his voice . i am just a low-life con-artist , and proud of it . so , who would believe that this man would attack me over a bill when i have never paid a bill in my life ! there was silence , as poley looked across to frizer . hes right , said frizer . itll have to be me , instead . cut me , not him . it will look more convincing that , in his rage , our friend here has attacked the one who would obviously be paying the bill , and that is me , sir thomas personal servant . poley looked down at the floor , and went into deep thought . all right , then , said poley slowly after a few moments . see , you 're not as smart as you make out , mr government agent , said skeres . shut up , skeres . besides , theres one further little hiccup to your great plan , added skeres , as derek felt another prod in the chest . he aint dead yet . ive thought of that , too , mr skeres . after all , i am also tired and want to go home , too . here , take this pillow , place it over his head , and do your duty . for a moment , no one moved in the room . then derek heard the footsteps , felt the cool satin of the pillow on his skin , valiantly tried to struggle against the increasing pressure against face , but could not resist the final curtain of death coming down on his sad , unfulfilled career . the only feeling of goodness surging through his body was the realisation that on this day , his final day of existence , he had , unwittingly or otherwise , played his greatest ever character role . and when the alarm was raised , and dame eleanor rushed in , and heard the explanations , and saw the body in the green doublet lying on the bed bleeding , she put her head in her hands and sobbed , my god , my god , what a tragedy . the great christopher marlowe graced this house with his presence today - and now he lies here dead chapter twenty at first , the on-duty sentry at the port of deptford thought it was a mirage . after all , with the plague knocking people down like flies , staff resources were stretched , and he had been standing there with his spear for seven hours straight , without so much as a drink of water . maybe his eyes were playing tricks . he blinked twice , shook his head , and looked again . no , it had not gone away . it was still there , advancing inexorably down the muddy road from london toward him . |
she walked over and sat beside him . `` brother hesus , why are you sad . is n't this wonderful news ? '' hesus nodded `` yes indeed . it is very good news for you and your sisters . but just when i found my best friends , you will all leave me . '' his head sunk lower . `` oh i 'm so sorry . i should have explained . dear brother hesus , you have to come with us . without your translation of the greek texts we do n't know what to do with the special herbs and medicines . i asked abbott jowan , and he wants you to come as well , and work in their scriptorium . it 's only small now , but they can enlarge it '' `` but i explained before - i wo n't be allowed to work in the scriptorium . `` cried hesus . `` ah , but we have a plan . '' `` you wo n't write anything . you will be just like galan of pergamon . you will read the greek texts and dictate in latin to the scribes . they will write it down . '' `` said hesus in a hopeful tone . `` but i do n't know how to , what do you call it , 'dictate ' . '' laughed fea . `` you read that greek text and spoke to me in latin , as you translated . '' `` that 's 'dictating ' ? '' `` well bless my soul . '' said hesus as he sat there with the biggest grin anyone had ever seen . * * * * the preparations to leave for lios mr took only two days . abbott ecne feigned sorrow , but everyone knew he was pleased to see them go . he initially questioned why brother hesus should go and leave them without a herder , but after a quiet word from the blind brother slane , he gave his blessing . meanwhile abbott jowan , ever keen to ensure his new nuns would arrive as promised , sent two curachs the next day with instructions to the sailors they were to wait at jura until the nuns , together with brother hesus , embarked , and bring them all safely back to lios mr. and so lios mr became a joint monastery , literally overnight , just 102 years after it was first founded by saint moluag from ireland . accommodation was the first order of the day and the monks of lios mr worked feverishly to build first a temporary shelter , then a permanent building for the nuns . fea , as soon as everyone was settled in , began a daily ritual of surveying the island to locate any interesting plants . within a week she discovered dandelion and one of the farmers wives showed her where liquorice plants grew . brother hesus was installed in the small scriptorium where two monks were allocated to him , to transcribe all the greek texts he dictated , into latin . within a month a building was set aside to act as the infirmary . it was divided into male and female wards , but sister fea was firmly in control of both sections along with her former 'milk maids ' . * * * * brother hesus had soon translated all the greek texts they had brought from st brigit 's . fea sat with him every night trying to understand the complexities of the writings of the greek physician galen , as well as other greeks galen referred to ; hippocrates of kos , [ hippocrates is considered the 'father of modern medicine . he invented the hippocratic oath for physicians , which is still in use today ] who died approximately 370 bc ; and herophilus of chalcedon , who worked at the alexandria medical school in egypt . fea noted that herophilus distinguished between arteries and veins - arteries pulse , while veins do not . galen also noted the difference : venous blood is dark while arterial blood is bright . fea was also pleasantly surprised , when one of the scribes working in the scriptorium , noting fea 's interest in medicine , pointed out several health related items in the hebrew text called the torah , [ the five books of moses , later incorporated into the christian old testament ] . these included ; ( i ) hand washing after handling a dead body [ numbers 19:11-19 ] ( ii ) isolating infected people ; [ leviticus 13:45-46 ] and ( iii ) burying excrement away from the camp . [ deuteronomy 23:12-13 ] hearing of this good work , other monasteries , including iona , began sending copies of medical treatise they had translated from egyptian , greek and hebrew . one gem sent by iona , was the babylonian medical text , diagnostic handbook , which was written by physician esagil-kin-apli , around 1,050 bc . |
we have both locations under multiple surveillance with teams on constant stand by in case anyone chooses to leave . one team has commandeered an empty apartment in a building within sight of the device and weve put the technician in with them , the back of the building is covered by rotating teams so they cant possibly move it without our knowing , the only danger is that they arm it in place ! well know if they do that , said george , everybody doing a sudden flit will be a dead giveaway so its important that everyone be on the ball all the time . they dont seem to be in any sort of hurry though , if they were why bother renting the house and the warehouse ? they could just arm it , leave it somewhere and take off . maybe theyre waiting for something , retorted the commander . georges phone did its demented dance across the table . mudd ! alpha team sir.a gent we havent seen before just entered the house in whitechapel , he was carrying a small suitcase . april in seattle can be either glorious or miserable . seattle gets a ton of rain but the month of april is a shoulder month . this particular april was one of the glorious ones . the cherry trees were in bloom and people were milling around outside as though it were the height of summer . harry vance hadnt heard from obrian too often over the winter . although there had been a couple of glitches last fall they had gotten away with it unscathed . he knew that the second phase of the plan had gone perfectly and that his cousins were safely in london . he periodically checked the operation gypsy file but that seemed to have died a death and gone cold . every now and again he would communicate with obrian using their carefully encrypted system and their private code . although his original thought had always been about the cause , originating in boston with the irish , he found the money useful tooalways the added incentive . he keyed his laptop . nothing new in the file , youre free and clear . obrian checked his messages in his inbox , smiled to himself , deleted everything and turned to his wife . ill be going away in about three days . i have to meet up with a freighter up in liverpool and from there im going over to belfast.. probably be gone about a week . youll be okay for a while on your own ? george slipped into bed besides jen who was reading the paper . he lay there gazing up at the ceiling . okay george , whats going on ? you might be able to kid the others but not me . youve got something cooking and youre not letting on . jen..the problem is that we might well be able to catch the callahans and the russians but for acts of terrorism not murder , however it would be extremely difficult to prove the involvement of either obrian or harry vance and theyre the ones i hold responsible . im not bothered about the russians but the others need to pay . what i have cooking is something that , put simply , will flush them out.thats all . george hang on a minute , she was reading the front page of the newspaper after having read the racing section first , i think i know what theyre waiting for . what who is waiting for sweetheart ? obrian and company..in five days time theres a meeting in london of the commonwealth first ministers . theres a do hosted by the queen and then a series of meetings . the royals are flying down from balmoral in a couple of days . breakfast was a quiet affair . everyones nerves were stretched . for two days there had been no activity either at the warehouse or the townhouse in whitechapel and obrian seemed to be enjoying family life at his home in thurrock . george was worried that the watchers would get careless and the commander was getting pressure from the home secretary . david rowdens phone rang ; he listened carefully and hung up . the fella with the suitcase has just left the house but he took a cab . the other four are still in the house . we have two teams on the cab , looks as though it may be heading towards kings cross . the commander stood and stared at the map on the wall . alert all the teams particularly the teams on obrian . i want to know immediately if he makes a move . george , i want you to go down to kings cross , join the team in the apartment . be very careful.remember kevin callahan knows what you look like . we should also bring in the sas teams now ; we need to be ready to take them down . with the commonwealth conference in three days theres no way the home secretary is going to remain inactive and anything he might do will be a dead giveaway . the end of the beginning . chapter 42 robbie mcelroy and paan stepped off the plane in san jose , costa rica , the heat hitting them like a palpable thing . |
when she went silent , grunts and curses and the noise of a scuffle turned every eye in the theatre to his grace 's box . arabella ran to the edge of the stage , but the gas footlights were too bright for her see past . a masculine cry of pain rang through the hall and the audience gasped as a body tumbled out of the box and landed in the aisle a few rows back from the orchestra pit . `` william , bring up the house lights , '' arabella shouted as she ran to the wings and sprinted down the stairs leading from either end of the proscenium . her heart nearly choking her , she shoved her way through the throng to reach the broken man on the floor . he was wearing lord granger 's livery , but she recognized fernand 's pale eyes staring sightlessly under the white wig . the hilt of a dagger protruded from his chest . a debutante in a salmon pink gown swooned , but relief washed over bella in waves . she jerked her gaze up to the duke 's box . there were several men jammed into the space , all with their backs to the main hall , but she could n't see sebastian . the crowd around her began to surge toward the exits and arabella was lifted off her feet , swept along like flotsam on a river in full spate . people shouted and shoved and more than one elbow connected with her ribs . before she knew it , she was outside the theatre . `` make way , '' lord granger bellowed and four men pushed past , bearing the body of a fifth between them . arabella was too far away to catch a glimpse , but they bundled the man into sebastian 's elegant coach . lady moorcroft and lady hermione were handed in after him , their faces taut with concern . the driver snapped the ribbons over the backs of the matched bays and the brougham rattled away over the cobbles , dragging bella 's heart behind it . the long row of private carriages before the theatre meant arabella had to make her way against the throng to a side street where a string of hackneys waited for fares . she gave the driver orders to take her to the duke 's townhouse , offering him one of her earrings as payment since she had no money with her , if he would only hurry . once she reached sebastian 's townhouse , she was met at the door by the butler . she had no right to demand to be taken to his grace , so she asked for his aunt , lady moorcroft . instead she was ushered into the parlor where lady hermione received her . `` oh , miss st. george , you are kindness itself to come at this dark hour . '' sebastian 's sister greeted her with outstretched hands and led her to the sofa . hermione plopped down , her angelic looks marred by weepy eyes and a reddened nose . `` what news of his grace ? '' he was insensate during the ride home and the doctor has n't allowed me into his chamber since . he was so pale . '' `` is n't it awful ? do you think sebastian knew something like this was going to happen ? '' `` why do you think he might have ? '' `` well , he would n't let me sit in his box with him . he insisted we join lord granger 's party instead , '' she said . `` and to be honest , i thought it was because ... well , i thought he was ashamed to be seen in public with me . '' despite her tears , she dimpled in a small smile . `` my aunt has told you all , i understand . '' `` enough to know that his grace cares about you , obviously enough to protect you , '' arabella assured her . `` the duke has never spoken of you as his half-sister to me . only as his sister . '' hermione erupted in fresh tears at this as the butler entered the room . `` his grace is asking for you , miss st. george , '' the man said . `` then he wishes to see lady hermione . '' relief flooded through arabella as she squeezed hermione 's hand and followed the butler out of the parlor and up the long stairs to the ducal suite of rooms . sebastian was sitting up in his bed , pillows propped around him . as hermione had said , his color was poor , but his eyes focused on arabella with a reassuring sizzle . `` out , '' he said , his voice a rasping shadow of its former booming timbre . bella did n't care . `` everyone but miss st . after the door latch clicked behind the doctor , lord granger , and the rest of the people who 'd crowded the space , arabella did n't wait for an invitation . she ran to the bed and climbed in beside him . |
it reared out of the black , its dank , granite construction littered with spires and grotesques . at the end of the jetty , a long flight of stone steps wound up to where the building sat , perched on its bluff above the sea ; a heavy wood and iron door in its near face clattering in the swirling winds . he began to crawl , cold and desperate , as he strived to reach the security of the building . then it came to him , a name . it was difficult to pick out through the distant mire of his thoughts , but he could tell it was his name . he ran the memory repeatedly , desperate to extract anything it contained . was it alter ? maybe lestaff-something . he concentrated hard and tried one last time . walter , the figure thought , my name is walter wagstaff . for ten arduous minutes , the newly realized persona of walter scrambled toward the doorway . his muscles urged protest to his motions with every strained attempt to propel himself onward . he shambled , half crawling and half walking , as he rose up the steps and faced the austere edifice . the outside of the institute filled walter with dread . he did not want to go back inside . the thought tore through his mind , as another shaft of brilliance crackled into the railings surrounding the structure . he would not survive outside . no matter what , he must continue on . walter stumbled forward , his world a blur of flashes and noise , as he reached the doorway and sprung through . the polished stone floor of the building was awash in rainwater . walter slipped and slid as he struggled to close the door and keep the elements at bay . eventually , the wind conspired to assist him in his task , and flung the door back into its frame long enough for him to push the bar-lock into its socket , holding it firmly shut . walters mind exploded in joy and triumph . the relief felt , as he collapsed to the floor and leant back against the door , unbridled . he laughed aloud , unable to restrain his emotion . walter wiped his face and began to appraise his surroundings . he sat in a wide entrance corridor , lit with a series of spaced oil lanterns , many of which had blown out in the raging winds . just enough light remained from those still pouring forth their orange warmth to make out a wooden clerks desk to his right . behind that , a bank of numbered pigeonholes contained an assortment of neatly stacked mail . the institute , his mind repeated , sending an involuntary shiver down his spine . he did not like the images that meandered to the surface when he thought about the place . walter stood , holding the lip of the desk to save from tumbling to the ground , and looked down at the floor where water lapped his bare toes . through the half-light of the interior , he could see something , a vague swirl of crimson interspersed with the water . instinctively , his eyes traced along the corridor . each foot further away , the tendrils grew darker and more numerous , until his eyes found the source . walter howled like a wounded animal and turned away from the gruesome scene , but was sure he could still feel the stare of the body in the corridor . for its part , the body remained unmoved , its lifeless eyes directed toward the door , and its brains slowly drooling out across its once pristine , white shirt and on along the corridor of its previous employment . chapter 2 doctor levi thaddeus bolted upright and shook his head . he felt stunned , somehow distant , and yet content . it was a strange ambivalence of thought , but one that pleased him greatly . he was not sure quite what that meant , but even to think the words made him smile . thaddeus stared at his surroundings , unsure of what recently transpired . his memories of anything beyond the vagaries of self were unfortunately absent at present , but that mattered little . here and now was all that was important . if he focussed on that , everything else should fall into place . thaddeus sat in a simple room , about fourteen feet square . a single , iron barred window flashed with the light emanating from an electrical storm raging outside . the walls were bare and reassuringly white , and the floor covered in smooth , porcelain tiles . in front of him , a slightly ajar , iron-barred , oaken door led to a flicker-lit corridor . other than this scant array of pointlessly irrelevant data , there was nothing to give him any sense of where he was or indeed how he had come to find himself here . it was a situation he knew could only be remedied through empirically gathered information . so , he picked himself up and went over to the door , striding carefree into the corridor beyond . just outside on the floor , was the body of a caucasian male , maybe thirty to thirty five years of age . thaddeus knelt down and flipped the mans head over in his hands . |
i 'd lost nearly twenty pounds since i 'd begun my neighborhood strolls , and i 'd developed the habit of swinging by the post office box daily to collect items i 'd solicited from others . i worked on my special project while i was at the office to keep it a secret from jane . additionally , i 'd decided to take off the two weeks surrounding our thirtieth anniversary-the longest vacation i 'd ever taken from work-with the intention of spending time with jane . considering what i 'd done the year before , i wanted this anniversary to be as memorable as possible . then , on the evening of friday , august 15-my first night of vacation and exactly eight days before our anniversary-something happened that neither jane nor i would ever forget . we were both relaxing in the living room . i was seated in my favorite armchair , reading a biography of theodore roosevelt , while my wife was leafing through the pages of a catalog . suddenly anna burst through the front door . at the time , she was still living in new bern , but she had recently put down a deposit on an apartment in raleigh and would be moving in a couple of weeks to join keith for the first year of his residency at duke medical school . despite the heat , anna was wearing black . both ears were double pierced , and her lipstick seemed at least a few shades too dark . by this time , i had grown used to the gothic flairs of her personality , but when she sat across from us , i saw again how much she resembled her mother . her face was flushed , and she brought her hands together as if trying to steady herself . `` mom and dad , '' she said , `` i have something to tell you . '' jane sat up and set the catalog aside . i knew she could tell from anna 's voice that something serious was coming . the last time anna had acted like this , she 'd informed us that she would be moving in with keith . but she was an adult , and what could i do ? anna looked from jane to me and back to jane again before taking a deep breath . `` i 'm getting married , '' she said . i 've come to believe that children live for the satisfaction of surprising their parents , and anna 's announcement was no exception . in fact , everything associated with having children has been surprising . there 's a common lament that the first year of marriage is the hardest , but for jane and myself , this was not true . nor was the seventh year , the year of the supposed itch , the most difficult . no , for us-aside from the past few years , perhaps-the most challenging years were those that followed the births of our children . there seems to be a misconception , especially among those couples who 've yet to have kids , that the first year of a child 's life resembles a hallmark commercial , complete with cooing babies and smiling , calm parents . in contrast , my wife still refers to that period as `` the hateful years . '' she says this tongue-in-cheek , of course , but i strongly doubt she wants to relive them any more than i do . by `` hateful , '' what jane meant was this : there were moments when she hated practically everything . she hated how she looked and how she felt . she hated women whose br**sts did n't ache and women who still fit into their clothes . she hated how oily her skin became and hated the pimples that appeared for the first time since adolescence . but it was the lack of sleep that raised her ire most of all , and consequently , nothing irritated her more than hearing stories of other mothers whose infants slept through the night within weeks of leaving the hospital . in fact , she hated everyone who had the opportunity to sleep more than three hours at a stretch , and there were times , it seemed , that she even hated me for my role in all this . after all , i could n't breast-feed , and because of my long hours at the law firm , i had no choice but to sleep in the guest room occasionally so i could function at the office the next day . though i 'm certain that she understood this intellectually , it often did n't seem that way . `` good morning , '' i might say when i saw her staggering into the kitchen . `` how did the baby sleep ? '' instead of answering , she would sigh impatiently as she moved toward the coffeepot . `` up a lot ? '' i 'd ask tentatively . `` you would n't last a week . '' on cue , the baby would start to cry . jane would grit her teeth , slam her coffee cup down , and look as if she wondered why it was that god seemed to hate her so . in time , i learned it was wiser not to say anything . then , of course , there is the fact that having a child transforms the basic marriage relationship . no longer are you simply husband and wife , you are mother and father as well , and all spontaneity vanishes immediately . going out to dinner ? |
though she did n't want him to think she was that easy or he was that good , they both had their answers . she did n't need to concern herself with covering her reactions or not being herself . he truly did accept her and the relief she felt knowing that was huge . and more emotionally frightening than she 'd bargained for . he asked , still grinning . she focused on the ceiling as she replied . `` arrogant as you may be , no , you have nothing to worry about . '' `` then i think it 's time we stop talking , do n't you ? '' he leaned back against the pillows . she followed so she could kiss him , taking unbelievable pleasure in the taste , texture and feel of his mouth . he kissed her back , tangling his hands in her hair and running his fingers through the long strands . the tugging sensation at her scalp had a rippling , erotic effect in her body . her throat swelled and her back arched of its own volition , her body seeking deeper contact with his hard erection . `` i want you , ryan baldwin . '' her hand snaked between them , slowly trailing down his chest and stomach , ending at his groin . her fingertips gently teased the head of his erection . he clenched his jaw and fought not to allow the physical need pummeling him to become overpowering . no woman had ever made him come so close to losing control . he wondered if it was because she openly challenged every notion of propriety and behavior that had been ingrained in him since childhood or because she wanted him despite it all . yet he was going to have to be that by-the-rules man she 'd mentioned earlier . `` as much as i hate bringing up reality , i do n't have protection . i was n't prepared for this . '' he should have stopped at a drugstore on the way back here . she brushed his hair off his forehead . `` not a boy scout , huh ? '' `` would you settle for the fact that i 'm on the pill and i 've been tested annually ? i 'm safe . '' she was hardly that , ryan thought as he looked into her green eyes . `` it works for me if you can accept my word that i 'm safe , too . '' never in his past had he had sex without a condom . he was n't lacking for women when he needed a date for an occasion and he knew who to turn to when he desired sexual release . but no woman had ever become a priority in his life , made him shift his focus from his work . no woman had made him stop and take notice . then there was this one , who 'd caught his eye despite that she stood between him and the end of a long journey- his search for sam , the young girl who was the answer to his long-held dreams of family . zoe threaded her fingers through his . `` i accept . '' which was all he needed to hear . the time for foreplay and talk was over . he eased his hand between her legs , feeling the slick wetness and damp heat that moistened his fingertips . she moaned and clenched her thighs around his hand . she trembled and sighed , her need aching and obvious . somehow he managed to roll her onto the mattress and continue what he started , caressing her slick outer folds as she writhed beside him . he came over her and spread her thighs , his thick , hot erection poised at her dewy entrance . then , placing his hands on her thighs , he locked his gaze with hers and thrust deep inside her waiting body . she gasped and let out a load moan of satisfaction , tightening around him . he found her slick , warm and snug , everything he 'd dreamed of even when he had n't known her at all . unable to wait , he began to move , sliding in and out , a motion she met by grinding her pelvis into him , hard . her inner walls contracted , milking him with every thrust of his body into hers . they were in sync and each motion brought him closer and closer to release . zoe 's vocal moans told him she was right there with him . seconds before he reached his peak , she locked her legs around his back , bringing him so deeply into her body , he thought he saw heaven . then he exploded , his orgasm more powerful than he 'd expected and lasting longer than he thought possible . zoe came at the same time with a succession of cries that ended with her calling out his name and pulling every last bit of energy and emotion from him , as well . he collapsed on top of her , completely spent and satisfied in a soul-deep way . `` wow , '' she said , her voice muffled beneath him . he could n't manage more than one word in agreement . they lay that way for what felt like a long while until the jarring ring of the motel telephone broke into the sound of their heavy breathing . `` who could that be ? '' with a groan of complete regret , he rolled off her to the cold side of the bed and answered the phone . |
aj 's taller than me , but somehow we make the hug work and her arms go around my back and i feel safe . if only for a second . her words are barely a whisper , but i know peter hears them . i pull back and she studies my face . the way she does it reminds me of peter . as if she 's looking down into the well of my soul . searching for coins or sparkling things . `` i 'm ... '' i struggle to find the right word . the thing is , there is no right word . but failing most of the time . she holds my face in her hands and kisses my cheek , like a blessing . i feel peter behind me . he 'd stayed back a bit to give us some privacy . because he was considerate like that . my chest starts to feel tight and it 's hard to breathe . `` aj , this is peter . peter , this is my aunt jenny . '' she turns me so that she can keep her arm around me . i feel her fear . for the first time since i hugged her , i smell her blood . it 's sweeter than dad 's . if i 'm categorizing the smell of blood . which i 'm totally not . i try holding my breath . `` nice to meet you , peter . '' she says his name as if she 's unsure . the hand that 's not holding onto me sticks out , waiting for a handshake . `` it is nice to meet another part of ava 's family . '' human hand , meet noctalis hand . i feel her flinch all the way through her body . a worse sign . she 's got noctalis radar . i say , trying to distract her attention . `` claire called me . '' her eyes pull away from peter 's face and focus back on me . i can almost smell her unease . i was so hoping they would get along . she does smell like honeysuckle and bricks . the honeysuckle i knew about . it 's her favorite scent . and she lives alone in an old brick house that she calls her castle . a weight presses on my chest , making air a precious thing . i try to take a deep breath , but it 's not easy . peter is concerned , sending soothing vibes my way . they 're not working . her arm holds tight , as if she 'll never let go . eyes , absent of tears , search mine again . `` we should probably go in , '' i say . dad 's at a charity golf tournament , so peter 's allowed inside . the smell of blackberry jam cake fills my nose , tamping down the smell of blood . i trail my hand in the air behind me , and peter briefly touches my fingers . letting me know he 's there and that i should stop freaking out . i really do n't understand why i 'm so stressed about aj being here . `` hey baby , look who came to see us ! '' aj laughs and mom plants a kiss on her cheek . they look like they could be sisters . with her dark brown hair and similar height , jenny and mom are two peas in a pod . jenny 's are a lovely brown . they remind me of chocolate with gold swirled through it . i have to get back to work , but i 'm going to come more often . i miss knowing what 's going on in your life . '' this is a direct jab at peter , who lurks in the doorway . he 's out of place in this situation , but i do n't want him going anywhere . `` who wants cake ? '' peter `` do n't you want some cake ? '' ava 's aunt asks . `` no thank you , i am lactose intolerant . '' it is the line ava and i agreed on when my eating habits came up . ava 's energy is frenetic and panicked , but also she is happy to see her aunt . it is hard for me to follow as she flits from one emotion to the next . her panic continues to rise , escalating with each second . that must be horrible . '' she takes a bite of cake and i am reminded of ava and her earth-shattering cheesecake . ava toys with her fork , trying to calm down . i brush my fingers on her back , giving her reassurance . `` i am used to it , '' i say . i am used to not eating . she takes another bite with relish . `` so , how did you two meet ? '' ava looks at me , and i take the lead from her . `` i went to a party with my brother that ava was also at . our eyes met across the room and i knew i had to speak to her . '' i meet her eyes and try a smile . she chokes a bit on her cake , so i must have done it right . the flash of desire also indicates i have done well . `` and then i spilled a drink on you , '' she says , blushing . |
somehow i 'd expected dr. jamerson to have the answer ready right then -- had madeleine been drugged or had she not ? -- and not knowing had thrown me even further off course . as madeleine yowled on the way home , i had found myself thinking of getting a dog , a medium-sized stupid one who was everyone 's friend . a mutt with brown rough hair and a black muzzle ... but jane engle , who 'd left me madeleine and a heck of a lot of money , had somehow astral-projected her strongly disapproving face right into my consciousness . so i trudged into the library 's back door feeling dispirited . at least angel had been out running this morning as i was driving in to town . she 'd grinned and waved at me . a smiling angel -- and one with a bulging abdomen -- was something i would have to get used to . i smoothed my own oversized orange t-shirt over my stomach ; i was wearing orange leggings , too , and there was a big gold sun on the front of my tee . i was hoping the children would think it a cheerful outfit . i 'd pulled my hair back with an orange-and-gold barrette , and i was wearing my gold-framed glasses . just a blaze of color , that was me . `` who was that woman who came in to see you yesterday ? '' perry asked , as i stowed my purse in my locker . he was using the microwave to make hot chocolate , which he drank regardless of the outside temperature ; he had quite a sweet tooth , though by his leanness you would n't have guessed it . here i was , i thought wryly , glowing all over the place , and as usual , i was being asked about ... my bodyguard . `` angel youngblood . '' `` she 's not local . '' she 's from florida . '' `` very , '' i said firmly . `` and a black belt in karate , as is her husband . '' perry did n't seem dismayed by this news . `` she 's just stunning , '' he said . `` i could tell by the way she walks that she 's an athlete . and her coloring is so unusual . '' `` yep , she 's gold , '' i answered , burrowing in my locker for a tube of breath mints . i 'd had this conversation with many men ( and some women ) about angel . `` i thought you were pretty tight with jenny tankersley ? '' `` oh , we 're dating , '' perry said casually , though his mother sally had told me they were all but engaged . jenny would n't have been pleased to hear perry dismiss her so cavalierly , from what i 'd heard of her . she 'd been married for a few years to a man who ran his own crop-dusting service , and when jack tankersley had made a fatal mistake regarding plane altitude one summer , jenny had ended up selling the business and doing very well for herself . she 'd stayed on as general dogsbody for the three pilots who 'd bought it , doing every task from answering the phone to ordering supplies to making out the checks , and occasionally she flew herself , as she had with her husband . perry seemed drawn to strong women . `` your friend angel must be the woman paul was talking about last night , '' perry said , stirring his swiss miss with a plastic spoon . i was standing awkwardly , my weight on the foot closest to the door , waiting to terminate this conversation so i could get to my area , though i was dreading seeing beverly . i had a kindergarten class coming in fifteen minutes , and i 'd left a note requesting yesterday 's volunteer to cut out twentytwo spring flowers , one for each child to write his or her name on , to stick to the ends of the bookshelves . hopefully , each child would bring a parent into the library to see the flower , and the child and the parent would both check out books . i had to get out the yellow stickum , and i had to count the flowers ... `` you had supper with your mom 's ex ? '' i said with some surprise . `` paul and i have always gotten along . he 's been more like a father than an uncle to me . especially since i 've only seen dad a few times in my whole life , '' perry added with understandable bitterness . the fact that sally 's latest ex , paul allison , was the brother of sally 's first ex , perry 's father steve , made the situation a little complicated emotionally . i was glad there was n't a third allison brother , and i was willing to bet sally was too . `` jenny 's giving flying lessons now , '' perry said , determined to chat . `` i 'm taking , and so is paul , and your friend arthur smith ... '' `` that 's great , perry , and i want to hear more about it later , '' i said insincerely . |
*** part three 1 edmond lorz edged with difficulty into his study . his overcoat was powdered with the first heavy snow of the new year . it was january 29 , a sunday evening , fourteen hours and eleven minutes removed from tomorrows decisive meeting with dr silberman . he squeezed past the low tables cluttered with the jigsaw puzzles and other trophies of his victory almost three months before , struggled out of his overcoat and sat down at the desk . he opened the top drawer and removed the two notebooks and a bottle shaped like a peasant-lass . unscrewing her vapid head , he granted himself , exceptionally , a small glass of plum-alcohol . sipping , he gazed at the pastoral jigsaw puzzle hanging on the wall . the golden landscape deserved more expert framing . but his candidate had given up that activity . lorz himself had glued the puzzle to a rectangle of cardboard and mounted it under glass with clips . the job had taken him the better part of a day . he set the alarm clock to ring at nine for dinner . it had already happened that hed gone past midnight without eating , his mind totally monopolized by the two notebooks devoted to the astonishing progress of his candidate . for the next two hours hed pore over the pages , intervening with black , blue or red ink . then , after the brief concession to dinner , hed return to them till bedtime . the notebooks had replaced the encyclopedia . each reading revealed subtle connections between apparently unrelated incidents and yielded new hypotheses . it was exciting , almost creative , fitting things together , shaping order and meaning out of the welter of chronologically noted happenings . the first of those notebooks had soon proved insufficient for all the things hed had to record since the cascade of gifts on october 25 . before that date , as he could see , his impoverished notes huddled in the center of the pages , surrounded by white void like the arctic terra incognita of old globes . what had there been to record outside of the chess moves , the terse indication of new obsession , refused gifts or , for want of anything more significant , the boys clothing ? then with the memorable breakthrough what lorz thought of as the day of giving the white wastes ended . the pages were now crowded with notes and illustrations of his candidates progress . if giving was the start of it all , logically he should have devoted pages of analysis to the twelve gift-wrapped packages weeks before instead of the pitiful complaint about the watches he would supposedly have to pay for . the true significance of the boys gesture had been obscured by his stupid reaction of outrage and apprehension . he recalled his initial perception of the twelve boxes as aftermath to massacre . that day was like a fine poster hopelessly overridden with indelible graffiti , beyond repair . the director flipped forward to november 11 . those eleven pages , which he started rereading for maybe the hundredth time , recounted total triumph . hed omitted certain inappropriate reactions like imagining laughter behind his back as the ceaseless gifts spilled over his arms to the floor , his absurd concern with the technicalities of disposing of the gifts , the even more absurd fear that his candidate might have added the great table to the pile of gifts in his embrace , crushing every bone in his body . also unrecorded were the rival claims . he couldnt even recall the name of their drug , could only come up with an association with a female dog and so referred to it in his mind as bitchine . he had no more than a faint memory of the feeling of exclusion hed briefly experienced in the corridor , looking down behind glass at his assistant and his candidate on the bench below . what he felt now was a certain pity for her . charitably , hed refrained from recording her guilty look as she spirited his candidates drawings into her bag . a few days later , shed transformed them into gifts to her from teddy . the last paragraph of lorzs comments for that day began with the cautious remark that his candidates face seemed to be losing its habitual expression of brutality . three question marks followed the observation . he was suspicious of subjectivity in the matter . but it was pointless to ask his assistant . shed never recognized that expression of brutality in the first place . as for the doctors , theyd surely credit the change to the switchover to bitchine . an obvious solution had came to him . his notes for that day ended with the underlined word , camera . the director was about to reach for the second log and the photographs when the phone rang . she came up with more suggestions about what he should say to dr silberman tomorrow morning . he assented mechanically at regular intervals . when she finally rang off he sat motionless for an instant and then remembered what her call had interrupted : the photographs . he opened the second log , took off his glasses and placed his face inches from the first of the fifty-eight photographs of his candidate . they were pasted side by side and carefully dated . in theory they should have furnished objective proof of the transformation of the boys face , like a speeded-up film-sequence of a bud opening to flower . |
bears rarely came this far south , and wolves rarely attacked unless they were starving highly unlikely in spring . the path widened and undulated a little ahead , the tree canopy above their heads became less dense , allowing them to see more of their surroundings . up ahead the path dipped to form a dimple in the mud . a cluster of dark foliaged trees grew to one side of this mini-clearing . eric peered towards them and with a puzzled expression , stepped closer , holding his lamp higher . the trees ' leaves gleamed brittle and hard in the lamp 's light . staring closer , neb realised they were holly trees and wondered why they still had berries at this time of year . then the red beads moved and leaves rustled and a ghostly white figure gathered mass as it reared up from its resting place . 'get back ! he swung eric around in the opposite direction , spinning around himself at the same time and dragging eric with him , sucked a deep breath into his lungs and sprinted for his life . ******** chapter nineteen : savaged . they ran helter-skelter along the muddy track , with the roars of the enraged stag from behind growing ever louder . a branch slammed across neb 's forehead , he ducked too late and collided head on with a tree trunk . winded , he collapsed to the ground , rolled up into a ball and waited for the stag 's antlers to tear into his flesh . the earth trembled under the stag 's weight as it hurtled towards neb . with a sickening feeling in his stomach , neb pulled his knees higher into his chest , tucked his chin in and locked his arms over his head . his back felt terribly exposed . neb had only caught a brief glimpse of the albino stag : but could imagine its antlers ripping through his cloak and tearing open his spine to expose the marrow of his bones . he choked back a sob , screwed his eyes up tighter and hoped death would be quick . then unbelievably , above his own rapid heartbeat and a series of snuffles , he heard eric shout 'hey you ! over here ! ' a swoosh filled neb 's ears and a sudden heat sizzled his delicate arm hairs . the rogue stag snorted , and neb screamed in terror as it trampled over his back . the beast snorted again and seemed to be pawing at the earth . neb peeled his arms away from his head and glanced upwards . a sob rattled in his chest : eric appeared like an avenging angel , holding aloft a burning staff in one hand . three paces away away the stag lowered his head and glared at eric . its massive antlers were festooned with green vegetation , its white shape appeared as large as blain 's hut and its eyes glowed like embers . it was the stuff of nightmares ; only wild boars were more dangerous than rutting stags . but there was some hope , for all its size , it appeared to be a youngster , inexperienced in the ways of men . still dangerous , but without the cunning of an older beast . although its eyes gleamed with hatred , eric 's actions confused it . it pawed the ground , lowered its head to swing its antlers from side to side , then galloped towards eric . at the last moment , eric wielded his flaming torch like a sword and leapt from the stag 's path . unable to stop , the beast collided with a tree just as neb had . unlike neb , it simply retreated , shook its head with a rattle of antlers and began to turn around for another charge . neb swallowed against a dry throat , unable to take his eyes from eric 's back and the flaming staff he goaded towards the stag . he realised eric had wrapped his cloak around a branch and set it alight . already the flames flickered , they would go out soon . snatching up a fallen branch neb scrambled towards his own lantern , mercifully somehow still alight . ripping his cloak from his shoulders , neb swirled the material around one end of the branch and fumbled to secure it firmly with the cloak 's fastenings . he shuddered as the stag slammed into a nearby tree , then with a shaking hand held the lantern to his makeshift torch and blew a gentle encouragement . from the corner of his eye he saw the stag retreat , shake its head and with a terrible growl from somewhere deep in its belly , turn to charge at eric again . neb was on his knees now , after a quick glance in eric 's direction he resumed puffing at the tentative flame growing over his cloak . 'please , please , please , ' he breathed . as soon as his torch flared into life , neb forced himself to stand . eric 's face was a mask of fear and his torch now nothing but embers . sparks exploded as eric smacked it across the stag 's chest , then screamed and fell backwards . |
heat crept over her face , especially since she could see proof of his desire . you should have warned me you were heading in here . '' smiling , he sidled up to her and pulled her into his arms . she could feel his hard c*ck against the center of her body , and it made her ache for him even more . `` i like catching you unawares . '' she closed her eyes as he nuzzled her neck , and chills went over her . `` you have to stop doing this , steele . '' `` josh , '' he murmured . `` josh , '' she repeated , savoring the fact that he let her use it . he cupped her rump and pressed her h*ps to his so that she could feel the large bulge of him even more . `` if i live through today , promise me that i get a taste of you again as a reward . '' syd slid her hands down until she pushed his towel to the floor . she cupped him gently in her hand before she slid her hand to the tip of his c*ck so that she could coat her fingertips in his moisture . steele hissed in response . she fingered the wet tip of him before she brought it up to her lips to taste it . `` you live through today , and tonight , i 'll get a taste of you . '' he actually whimpered at that . `` you are cruel , agent westbrook . '' `` i know , but it 's a great incentive not to get yourself killed today , is n't it ? '' she rose up on her tiptoes and gave him a sizzling kiss as she rubbed herself against his erection . pulling away from her was the hardest thing steele had ever done . but unfortunately , they did n't have any more time to waste . they had an all-too-pressing engagement with a lunatic . m street was still crowded , but at least this time a car pulled out a few feet from the front door of aps . syd deftly slid their bmw into it . she glanced over at steele with a worried brow . `` i still wish you 'd wear a wire . '' he just gave her a droll stare . `` it did n't help us yesterday . '' and she did , but still she hated to send him in alone . `` keep the engine running , just in case . '' he reached around her back and pulled her gun out . he tucked it in beside her thigh . `` no , i just want to make sure nothing happens to you . '' his concern warmed her . steele nodded before he got out of the car . he sauntered down the street as if he owned it . in the event he was being watched , he wanted wallace to know that he had no fear of the cheap-ass punk . he opened the door to the office and narrowed his eyes on the receptionist . `` hi , agnes . buzz wallace and tell him his three-thirty appointment is here . '' she looked a bit surprised to see him , which played into his thoughts about her yesterday . she must know what it was that they really did for a living . before she could press the button , wallace 's voice sounded over the intercom . `` buzz him in , agnes . '' steele looked up at the camera and gave it a mean , shit-eating grin before he headed toward the door . as expected , the bruiser was there again , waiting for him . `` do n't even look at me , a**hole . in the mood i 'm in , i 'll break your neck in half . '' bruce did n't say anything as he escorted him from the hallway up to wallace 's office . just like the day before , the prick sat at his desk with a stony look on his ugly , chubby face . i 'm a walking corpse . wallace snorted . `` you know , just because you 're here proves nothing . for all i know you just ran away from my contractor . '' steele gave him an equally deadpan expression . `` you did n't tell me i had to prove anything other than to be here today . '' wallace glared at him as he reached for his phone and picked up the receiver . steele crossed his arms over his chest as he watched him dial it . two seconds later , the cell phone in his pocket vibrated . steele pulled it out and flipped it open . `` lee perry ca n't come to the phone right now , since he 's unfortunately suffering from a fatal dose of lead poisoning . if you would like to leave a message for him , i suggest you see a priest or a psychic . '' he hung the phone up and tossed it to wallace , who actually paled . `` so do i have a job or not ? '' syd could n't stand not knowing what was going on . her nerves were completely racked . |
she kept tiny occupied while he gave tate what she always wanted . climbing up the building murphy cursed his efforts . `` fucking killed men and wasting my time making shit special for my woman . bad f**king form . i should just use my dick instead . '' her window was partially open . `` if you 're trying to make women go crazy then stop ranting at yourself , '' tate said . she was stood facing the window with her arms folded . `` how the f**k did you know i was coming ? '' he asked , closing the window behind him . `` i heard the bikes and saw you heading toward the back . you 're a creature of habit , murphy . you 've told me loads of times before how f**king lame it is . '' she left the bedroom , and he went after her . he was struck by the curves of her ass , and his c**k thickened . fuck , he needed to get inside her again very soon . `` my guy is downstairs . he 's got cherry 's clothes for her . '' `` her name is kelsey . okay , k.e.l.s.e.y . that 's her name , not cherry , not tubby , but kelsey . '' `` okay , killer 's got kelsey 's clothes for her . '' seriously , you 've got a killer with my friend . '' he grabbed her arms stopping her from pushing him away . you do n't want me calling your friend by any other name . give me her number , and i promise you he wo n't hurt her . '' `` she 's not part of the club , murphy . '' murphy agreed . tate gave him the room number . he sent the text to killer and got the response that he was there . turning his cell off , he threw the device on the coffee table . he found tate in the kitchen , making a hot chocolate . the scent of cinnamon , milk , and chocolate filled the air . it was her mother 's recipe . he knew because she 'd told him about it . `` does tiny know eva 's leaving ? '' `` she wo n't leave . '' he moved up behind her , wrapping his arms around her waist . burying his head in her neck , murphy groaned . `` then you 're all going to be shocked because she 's leaving him . '' tate did n't pull away from him . `` why did you run this morning ? '' he searched for the sash of the robe and started to untie it . this , us , is staying there . '' he tugged on the sash releasing her robe . **** why was he being difficult ? they were never going to work together , and he was only going to make it worse . not to mention what her father was going to do when he realized the truth . tiny had known about her feelings , but he 'd never known how far things had gotten . his hand touched her bare stomach , and she gasped , sucking her stomach in . `` you should n't be doing this , '' she said , trying to find ways to stop him . do n't stop him . i want his touch so damn much . she was drowning with her need for him . from the sight of him coming through her bedroom window she 'd been ready for him . his long hair , wide shoulders , and impressive c**k was all it took to make her horny . she 'd never been the type of woman to be controlled by her hormones . murphy was her only exception . `` no , we should be doing this . our mistake was waiting this long to do this . '' he nibbled on the lobe of her ear . she squealed as his tongue pressed inside . `` you left to f**k your whores , murphy . she spun around facing him and gasped as he pushed the robe to the floor . he lifted her up onto the counter , spreading her thighs wide . tate wondered how he moved so fast . one moment she 'd been dressed , and now she was waiting for his cock . she watched him push his jeans to the floor and grip his c**k in one hand . within seconds he was inside her . tate moaned , feeling him stretch her inch by glorious inch as he sank to the hilt . `` that 's it , baby , squeeze my dick . let me feel all of you . '' he sucked on her nipple at the same time he gripped her ass , plunging inside . perfect tits , perfect pu**y . '' `` we need to stop , '' she said , moaning . `` no , we 're doing this all the time . you 're not turning me away or pushing me away . we 're in this together , tate . '' he slammed into her , gripping her neck and claiming her lips . she held onto his jacket as he drew her away from the counter . squealing , tate held on . he shoved her against the fridge . |
it was an era when robots were still uncommon sights on earth-almost the very dawn of the age of robotics , not much more than a generation after the days when the great early roboticists like alfred lanning and peter bogert and the legendary robopsychologist susan calvin had done their historic work , developing and perfecting the principles by which the first positronic robots had come into being . the aim of those pioneers had been to create robots capable of taking up many of the dreary burdens that human beings had for so long been compelled to bear . and that was part of the problem that the roboticists faced , in those dawning days of the science of artificial life late in the twentieth century and early in the twenty-first : the unwillingness of a great many human beings to surrender those burdens to mechanical substitutes . because of that unwillingness , strict laws had been passed in virtually every country-the world was still broken up into a multitude of nations , then-against the use of robot labor on earth . by the year 2007 they had been banned entirely everywhere on the planet , except for scientific research under carefully controlled conditions . robots could be sent into space , yes , to the ever-multiplying industrial factories and exploratory stations off earth : let them cope with the miseries of frigid ganymede and torrid mercury , let them put up with the inconveniences of scrabbling around on the surface of luna , let them run the bewildering risks of the early jump experiments that would eventually give mankind the hyperspace road to the stars . but robots in free and general use on earth-occupying precious slots in the labor force that would otherwise be available for actual naturally-born flesh-and-blood human beings-no ! no robots wanted around here ! well , that had eventually begun to change , of course . and the most dramatic changes had begun to set in around the time that robot ndr-113 , who would someday be known as andrew martin , had been undergoing assembly at the main northern region factory of united states robots and mechanical men . one of the factors bringing about the gradual breakdown of the antirobot prejudices on earth at that time was simple public relations . united states robots and mechanical men was not only a scientifically adept organization , it knew a thing or two about the importance of maintaining its profitability , too . so it had found ways , quiet and subtle and effective , of chipping away at the frankenstein myth of the robot , the concept of the mechanical man as the dreaded shambling golem . robots are here for our convenience , the u.s.r.m.m . public relations people said . robots are here to help us . robots are not our enemies . robots are perfectly safe , safe beyond any possibility of doubt . and-because in fact all those things were actually true-people began to accept the presence of robots among them . they did so grudgingly , in the main . many people-most , perhaps-were still uncomfortable with the whole idea of robots ; but they recognized the need for them and they could at least tolerate having them around , so long as tight restrictions on their use continued to be applied . there was need for robots , like it or not , because the population of earth had started to dwindle about that time . after the long anguish that was the twentieth century , a time of relative tranquility and harmony and even rationality-a certain degree of that , anyway-had begun to settle over the world . it became a quieter , calmer , happier place . there were fewer people by far , not because there had been terrible wars and plagues , but because families now tended to be smaller , giving preference to quality over quantity . migration to the newly settled worlds of space was draining off some of earth 's population also-migration to the extensive network of underground settlements on the moon , to the colonies in the asteroid belt and on the moons of jupiter and saturn , and to the artificial worlds in orbit around earth and mars . so there was no longer so much excitement over the possibility of losing one 's job to a robot . the fear of job shortages on earth had given way to the problem of labor shortages . suddenly the robots that once had been looked upon with such uneasiness , fear , and even hatred became necessary to maintain the welfare of a world that had every material advantage but did n't have enough of a population left to sweep the streets , drive the taxis , cook the meals , stoke the furnaces . it was in this new era of diminishing population and increasing prosperity that ndr-113-the future andrew martin-was manufactured . no longer was the use of robots illegal on earth ; but strict regulations still applied , and they were still far from everyday sights . especially robots who were programmed for ordinary household duties , which was the primary use that gerald martin had in mind for ndr-113 . hardly anyone in those days had a robot servant around the house . it was too frightening an idea for most people-and too expensive , besides . but gerald martin was hardly just anyone . he was a member of the regional legislature , a powerful member at that , chairman of the science and technology committee : a man of great presence and authority , of tremendous force of mind and character . what gerald martin set out to achieve , gerald martin inevitably succeeded in achieving . |
how could such an arrangement work when he was basically an outsider looking into a legal , established relationship ? `` i made a mistake , '' cole said in a tortured voice before she could voice her own question . i swore i 'd never walk away again but then lucas came for you and i saw how that affected you . how relieved . and then i realized that making you choose would make me the biggest a**hole in the world and i could n't force you to do something that would , in the end , make us all miserable . i hoped by me walking away that you could find happiness with lucas . but i ca n't let you go , ren . i ca n't be the better man here because i 'm only better if i 'm with you . '' her breath left her in a silent exhale , her chest caving in at the agony in his voice . would you be happy in such a situation ? you 're okay with sharing me with another man ? '' so much uncertainty . the only thing she knew for sure was that she loved both of these men , heart and soul . and if there was a way ... any way ... of her having a life with both , she 'd be a fool to walk away , would n't she ? his eyes sparked with determination and when he spoke , the conviction in his words was crystal clear . `` i love you , ren . i love you so goddamn much i ca n't sleep , i ca n't eat and i 've got a hole in my gut that 's never going away . so yeah , if i 've got even a small chance at having a life with you ? i 'd share with you satan himself . '' `` i hardly think i 'm the equivalent of satan , '' lucas said dryly . she smiled and oh god , did it feel good . she wanted to weep again but now of all times she did n't want to dissolve into another weepy mess . this was too important-the most important moment of her entire life . hesitantly she turned to lucas . `` i do n't think we should get married . '' lucas blinked . then his brow furrowed . he opened his mouth , no doubt prepared to argue but she put a gentle finger over his lips to silence him . `` think how you would feel if cole and i sat in front of you talking of marriage and inviting you into our relationship , '' she said gently . `` if this is going to work-if it has a prayer of working-the relationship has to begin on equal footing . i do n't ever want cole to think that he 's less important in my eyes . i do n't want you to ever think you 're less important . '' cole 's hand tightened around her leg and when she glanced from lucas to him , she was shocked to see a glitter of tears in his eyes . `` do you have any idea how much i love you right now ? '' `` i want you to marry me , '' lucas said stubbornly . `` i 'll find a way for you to marry us both if that 's what has to happen . but i want you tied to us , legally , emotionally , physically and mentally . '' `` now the man is speaking my language , '' cole muttered . `` and finally we find common ground . see ren ? the one thing that unites us is you . you 're the one thing we both love beyond reason . you 're the one reason we 'll put aside our stubbornness and be willing to compromise . because neither of us wants to face the prospect of losing you . i 've lost you twice . two of the most goddamn miserable moments of my life . the one thing i can promise you above all other things is that i will never willingly walk away from you again . you may not trust that yet , but in time , i 'll prove it to you . it was hard to believe they were on their knees in front of her having a perfectly civil discussion about entering into a relationship where both men would have to share the woman they loved with each other . the amount of sacrifice involved boggled her mind . she turned to lucas and stared a moment at this hard , unapologetic man . her throat knotted again at what she suspected and she was moved to find out . she needed to know if her suspicions were accurate . `` was this your idea ? did you go to him ? '' `` i may have gone to see him to inquire as to whether he 'd be open to such an arrangement . '' she launched herself into lucas 's arms , knocking him flat on his back . she kissed him and then hugged him tight . `` you 've always understood me better than anyone . '' he stroked her hair and kissed her long and leisurely , seemingly content to lay there on the floor with her perched atop him . `` i love you too , ren . she pushed herself back up and glanced shyly at cole . he stared back at her , his heart in his eyes for her and the world to see . |
her eyes shone at me with emotion and she patted my knee as if consoling me for the hidden feelings that she knew were trying to escape . sidney 's voice was serious and low . `` i remember the boy that walked through my front door , so incensed about the injustice that i had been through , that many blacks have been through . the boy who felt my pain but did n't quite understand the dynamics of that history . and now you 're a man , and you 've got your own story , one that you want to tell , and i 'm hurting for you inside . but behind that hurt is pride . i 'm proud of you , my son . i 'm proud of the man you 're becoming . i was proud of the boy you were . but i 'm proud of the man you are becoming as well . just do n't let what you 've gone through break you . we love you , and we are all here for you when you 're ready to talk about it . '' sidney sat up slowly . `` and i 'll tell you all one thing , one thing that hits home in this whole conversation . my life changed the day i stopped looking at myself as a black man first and foremost . i look at myself as a man and a husband . my race , as categorized through the eyes of others , does n't make up who i am . if someone chooses to be afraid of me , or to look down upon me , or think i 'm uneducated , or inferior , well , that 's on them . that 's between them and their god . i do n't take on those stereotypes anymore . i 'm not a criminal and i 'm not inferior . i 'm black and i 'm god damn proud of it , but that does n't define my life . i wo n't let that fear of what others are thinking or feeling about me control me . it 's taken me a long time to get to this place . my identity has always been that of a black man and what that means for me and for everyone around me . now my identity is that of a loving husband and father . '' `` do n't get it wrong , though . i 've only recently gotten to that place . but i 've been angry and upset for too long now . i realized that god did n't want me to carry that burden any longer . '' `` that 's not an easy thing to do . '' my stomach twisted as i thought about skylar and the burden i carried around with me every day . `` it 's not easy , but sometimes letting go and forgiving others and yourself is the only way to move forward in life . '' sidney stared into my eyes . `` there 's always more life to live , and sometimes you just have to live it . you do n't want to wake up and be eighty years old and regretting the path you took . '' `` it 's just not that easy to move on . especially when you know the other person is still living in that place , in that pain , and there is nothing you can do to stop it . '' `` there 's never nothing you can do . '' sidney looked up and stared at me . `` you just have to think it through a little bit harder . but there 's never nothing you can do . '' i nodded at him and sighed . there was one thing i could do , but if i did it , there was a possibility i could go to jail for the rest of my life . and even worse than that was the possibility that i could put skylar in even more harm . chapter 5 `` are n't you going to kiss me ? '' she grinned up at me , with a devilish glint in her blue eyes . `` we 've been on two dates now . '' `` i did n't want to assume anything . '' i smiled at her and studied her pouty bright red lips . `` though i suppose i should have read the signs a bit better . '' `` the signs ? '' `` your hooker red lipstick . '' `` hooker red ? '' she leaned in closer to me and ran her fingers down my chest . `` not that i 'm calling you a hooker . '' she pressed her br**sts against my chest lightly . `` you 'd be paying me if i was a hooker , and i would be demanding payment upfront . '' `` payment upfront , huh ? '' `` are you trying to take me for all my money ? '' `` it depends on how much money you have . '' `` i 'm still waiting , by the way . '' `` i suppose if you want a kiss , i should n't disappoint you . '' `` i do n't suggest that at all . '' her arms encircled my waist and she pulled me towards her . i felt the bulge in my pants hardening against her stomach , and i guess she felt it as well because i saw her grin and lick her lips . |
`` we were n't stranded in the ranges by accident , simon , '' lavina explained . `` it was cold blooded and deliberate . '' she detailed everything that happened and concluded , `` i walked in the sitting room just after breakfast to find cathy slumped over the couch . i thought he 'd killed her . i ran outside in hope of getting to my car where i had left my mobile phone . that 's all i remember except a bang and pain in my shoulder . i guess he had fired one of those dart pistols at me . i woke up to find steve there . '' `` have you told this to the police ? '' they did n't seem very interested . they were more concerned about asking why steve was with me and insinuated we were just having an affair together . '' `` as if we 'd expose ourselves , not to mention cathy to all that danger for a naughty weekend . '' `` i 'll speak to them , '' simon answered . `` and as for this mortgage '' he added . `` i doubt if we can save the farm , lavina but you wo n't be left destitute . '' `` i trust you simon . do what you can for me . '' `` i shall , '' the lawyer answered . `` do n't you worry about a thing . '' lavina found steve waiting for her in the foyer . `` strange events , '' she sighed and related the information learned . `` his father knew what he was like . no wonder grant kept me around . he needed me or he 'd lose the farm . that was why he never cared about the debts , either . it was my farm he was ruining , not his . '' * chapter 10 emerson heights middle school was a private school that shared the same spacious grounds as the junior and high schools of the same name . the fourth major complex on the grounds was the boarding house that boarded girls for all three schools . lavina drove up in front of the administration building and walked inside with some apprehension . the principal , diane cameron , had personally phoned her at steve 's place that morning and asked her to come in for a meeting . a girl about cathy 's age dressed in the blue school uniform glanced up from a small desk just inside the door . `` good afternoon , madam . i 'm ellie , student host for this afternoon . lavina smiled and gave her name . `` you 're cathy 's mum ? '' the girl grinned and forgot all about the ladylike manners . `` i 'm in her class . when is she coming ' back to school ? did she get our cards and flowers ? '' all the questions came tumbling out . `` i hope she 'll be back before too long . she 's not boarding , though . '' `` aw , we 'll miss her , mrs. ryland . everyone likes cathy . she 's just about the only one in the middle school who 's not scared of the seniors . '' this was a different version of school life from what cathy had told her . perhaps their decision to withdraw her had been a little hasty . but in the present circumstances , she could n't afford the fees , anyway . `` want a cup of coffee , mrs . i have an appointment with miss cameron in five minutes . '' `` that 'll be a quarter hour , '' ellie said , chuckling . `` old candy bar , '' she flushed , `` i mean miss cameron believes in keeping parents waiting . it makes her feel important , i guess . '' however , in exactly five minutes , the thin forties aged principal walked out of an office with her hand outstretched . `` come in mrs . ryland . '' lavina saw ellie 's surprise as the girl shrugged at her from behind the principal 's back . `` first , let me offer our deepest sympathy for the untimely death of your husband and also cathy 's traumatic surgery , '' the principal continued . `` that 's kind of you , '' lavina said . `` the cards and flowers from the trust board , staff and the girls in cathy 's class were appreciated . her hospital room is full . '' `` that 's what i rang you about . there was an emerson heights trust board meeting last night to discuss cathy 's time at our school . '' here it comes , the we 'd love to keep her with us but due to your present financial position routine . she was about to say they were going to enrol cathy at the local state school when diane cameron 's expression made her stop . the woman was smiling as she spoke . lavina had missed the first words but tuned in to listen . `` the carolyn andrew scholarship is one of several we award . it 's awarded to deserving pupils who have shown fortitude and bravery in their young lives . this is quite distinct from the other scholarships awarded on pure academic grounds . the emerson heights trust board has decided to offer the carolyn andrew scholarship to your daughter , mrs. ryland . |
i nat be short o a few gold , an ye seems liken a favourable investment t these eyes o mine . his companions laughed heartily at this and i guess he was encouraged by their response for he bent down and grabbing me behind the legs lifted me across his shoulder and made to walk away . but before he had gone two steps and before i could think of any way to retaliate , i heard nws bass voice , looking up i saw my friend standing close by his hands grasping the hilt of the great battle axe he kept slung across his back , na then laddie ye salt spittin drunkn dolot , ye be aputtin tha wee lassie down on er feet agin ye hear before i chops yes legs off an makes ye crawl like t low life ye professes t be by yes actions agin a lady . i felt my stomach being winded as i was jostled up and down on the mans shoulder , i assumed he was laughing . he turned and looking at nw he said , whoa , cutesy i dint know ye ad yer kid broter wit yeh . at this some the gathered sailors burst into laughter , but a couple of them drew knives from their belts and brandished them towards my companions . but then i felt a jolt of a different kind and the man who held me doubled over releasing his grasp upon my legs and i was flung backward landing heavily on the ground knocking the wind out of me . i found myself staring up at nw for i lay at his feet . at the same time i heard the familiar metallic swish as serinae drew her swords and the familiar growl of teouso now in wolf form . i sat up , jondris was rubbing the knuckles of his right hand and looking down at the crumpled sailor who was rolled into a ball holding his stomach with both arms . as i tried to stand my companions formed a circle around me , each battle ready in their riposte . all was silent apart from my gasps for breath and the same from the sailor prostrate upon the dockside , but then one of the sailors said , hey , nat so fas eh ? we was only avin a bit o fun . then i suggest you find fun in helping your friend here to his feet and allow us to be on our way without having to harm any of you any further , said serinae . the sailor grumbled something and nudging one of his companions they lifted the now gasping man to his feet and dragged him along the dock . after making sure they were on their way and did not intend to retaliate further we also made our way off along the dock in the opposite direction . ye ok min ? asked nw . i replied that yes i was , my breath was regained and after massaging my arm back to life again , i thanked my companions for stepping in to help . at this they all said that thanks were not needed . serinae suggested that all of us should not go about alone , but always we should be accompanied by one other for safety and security . i wondered rather amusingly if she meant for our safety , or the safety of the inhabitants of port town . our attentions eventually returned to the dock and more importantly the ships that were tied up along it . one of the ships , much larger than the other four because it took up over half of the dock , seemed to be made of metal and had no mast to which to rig a sail to . it had a painted grey metal hull , the steel plates of which were held together by large round rivets . it looked to be in a bit of a state , paint was flaking off its hull and the bare metal beneath was rusting badly in many places . it looked to be low in the water and leaned slightly towards the dock i assumed from this that it was not in fact afloat but rested on the sea bed tilting over slightly . it looked like it had given a great sigh and finding its torment at last over , had just given up and succumbed to its fate . gang planks that had the look of permanent fixtures were welded to the hull and lead from the dock to an entry door that was swung back in the hull and permanently open by the look of the thickness of rust that hung down from the hinges . at the dock end of both the gangplanks stood a gnome guard . tnie motioned towards the old metal ship and said , wed best go there to the port office to see about passage on a ship . i prayed that we wouldnt get passage on the ship upon which the sailors that accosted us were part of the crew . as we walked i caught up with tnie and asked him about the metal ship . he said that it had once been one of many , it was one of the ships that the surviving gnome population had sailed within when they had fled to this continent after the ognods were victorious in attacking the old gnome city back on dahlambronis . |
so she was n't ignoring mackenzie mat well ; she would get better at it . for her own sake , she had to . sure enough , when she walked back to the office , with her clothing damp with sweat and wisps of hair sticking to her face , adrian looked at her and sneered . `` did n't you know it 's too hot for a quick tussle ? you 'll learn to save it for a weekend in vegas . '' yates looked up and frowned . caroline caught his eye and shrugged to show that it did n't matter . the laser program was fully developed ; they were there as a trouble-shooting team , and since the day 's tests had gone well , there was little more to do than recap what they 'd seen . then they went over the next planned test , the first one using a moving target . the aircraft that would be used in the next tests were n't the two that had flown that day , and their targeting systems had already been checked as part of the regularly implemented maintenance schedule . all of that had been done before caroline 's arrival on the base . they did have to check the systems on the aircraft that had flown that day , and she , yates and adrian changed into coveralls for the job . cal remained behind , rechecking the computer data . `` all the different systems people working on the night wing project have gotten along well , '' yates said as they walked to the hangar . `` it 's been one of the smoothest operations i 've been involved in . '' `` so do n't go screwing it up by insulting any of them , '' adrian said . yates stopped and swung around to confront adrian . `` that 's enough , '' he said evenly . `` it 's only the truth . you know she has a reputation for being hard to work with . '' `` i know what i 'm hearing , and caroline is n't the one who 's being an ass . i hope i do n't have to tell you that colonel mackenzie can have anyone on this team replaced with one phone call , and he 'd do it in a heartbeat if he thought friction between any of us was hindering the work . if mat happens , your career at boling-wahl would effectively be over , and that goes for both of you . '' caroline stuffed her hands deep in the pockets of her coveralls . though yates had been directing his ire toward adrian , she knew that her position at boling-wahl was a bit tenuous , due to her past difficulties on a couple of jobs . one of those incidents had been with adrian . perhaps she had been assigned to work with him as a sort of test and her job depended on passing it . adrian turned to glare at her . `` i 'll stay out of her way , '' he finally muttered , `` if she stays out of mine . '' then he strode on ahead of them . yates sighed , and he and caroline resumed walking , but at a more leisurely pace . `` ignore him as much as you can , '' he advised . `` i did n't realize the situation between the two of you was so hostile . '' `` i 'm not hostile , '' caroline said in surprise . `` no , i do n't guess you are . is it just a case of mutual dislike , or did something happen that i need to know about ? '' `` i do n't suppose it 's any big secret . he came on to me when i first started work for boling-wahl , and i turned him down . '' a hurt ego . '' `` it would make more sense if we 'd been involved and then broken up , but it was never that personal . i guess he does n't take rejection well . '' `` that 's all it was ? you turned him down for a date ? '' yates asked skeptically . he made a pass at me . '' she stared straight ahead , but she could feel her cheeks heating again . `` he was ... well , it was a pretty strong pass , if you know what i mean , and i could n't seem to make him understand that i was n't interested . i tried being polite , but it was n't getting through and he would n't let me go . so i told him i 'd have gone to work at a zoo if i 'd wanted to be grabbed by an ape . '' `` not very tactful , but effective . '' that was n't all she 'd told adrian , but she thought she had admitted to enough . `` he took it personally . '' `` the two of you will have to get along for the duration . '' i wo n't snipe back . but if he grabs me again , '' she warned , `` i wo n't be nice . '' yates patted her arm . `` if he grabs you , knock him on the head with something . '' she fully intended to . |
caerfydd was welsh and one of our slaves . the next day , i found him in the kitchen as he and his wife were grinding barley in a hand quern to make flour . he poured the flour into a crock bowl , added fat , water , salt and finally sourdough . as he rolled the dough and cut it into loaves , i asked him if he knew who had built the villa . he looked at me for a moment , perhaps surprised i was interested . well master cerdic , that was the romans , he replied as he opened the door to the bread oven . the romans ; my father talked about them last night . they ruled the land before king aelle , didnt they ? i sat down on a stool and watched as he checked the heat in the oven . oh long before , master . the romans conquered my people five maybe six hundred years ago . their soldiers and traders lived here and built many buildings , not just this one . they built cities too like eoforwic - and beyond it a great wall to keep the picts out . i had heard of the wall . lilla the poet had talked of it in a thrilling tale of other angles battling the barbarians beyond it . caerfydds mention of eoforwic had also excited me . i would like to see a city one day . perhaps , this year , father will take me with him to market in eoforwic , i said . then i asked something that had just occurred to me . tell me , caerfydd , why are you here and not in the west where the welsh live ? at this question , caerfydd blinked and his face darkened . the welshman did not answer immediately , but he frowned as he appeared to think carefully about what he was going to say . all this land was ours once , he said at last . when the romans left , your people came across the sea . in time you conquered our land and drove us west . he paused again and fixed me with an intense stare from beneath his black eyebrows . my fathers grandfather owned this villa actually , master , he said , his voice suddenly defiant : challenging even . then he looked down at the bread and continued to knead it . when the angles came , all my family were killed , but my grandmother and my father survived by hiding in the hills . a few others survived as well , including gwens grandparents , he nodded at his wife . when your grandfather came , he was strong and we were weak . we submitted to him and he was ... , his lips twitched slightly , kind and at least he did not kill us , but allowed us to live and work for him . i heard a snorting laugh coming from behind me and saw that aedann , caerfydds son , was sitting on the floor against the wall . he was a lad of about my age , but we had never been friends . after all , he was a slave and i was the masters son . he was welsh too and my friends and i were angles . aedann said something in his own language and caerfydd replied with a few harsh sounding welsh words . the dark-haired boy scowled and then he turned to stare with undisguised hostility at me and i finally realised that i was treading on dangerous ground . do you not hate us , for what we have done to you ? i asked caerfydd , quietly . i had never really thought about our conquest of this land from the perspective of the welsh who had lived here before us . to a seven-year-old , the stories of war and victory seem magical and inspiring . for a moment , i had an image of deiran axes and spears striking caerfydd and his family down and found that i did not like the thought . caerfydd stopped kneading the next batch of dough and considered my question . there are many who do , master , i will not lie . there are others who say it was the will of god as punishment for my ancestors straying from obedience to him . he shrugged and then punched the dough again . i can not change what has been . your grandfather and your father have cared for us and they are not harsh masters . i 'm too old to hold onto hatred , so i accept my life and try to teach my family to accept theirs , he added , staring at his son . aedanns eyes glittered darkly and i wondered just how well the boy actually did accept his fate . now , master , caerfydd went on , i really must get to my work or your mother may well be harsh to me , after all , he said , slamming the dough down hard onto the table . i left him to his work and went out to find edwin and cuthbert , taking with me a freshly baked piece of bread i had hidden under my tunic . |
he lay completely drained of life , with his eyes open , as if they were still experiencing the final physical bliss that a strange woman had offered him that day . # part ii - metamorphosis 27 the discovery they appeared to be quite dead ironically , the bodies at lindy 's were discovered by late-arriving members from both gangs . they had run into each other on the road to the bar . they were all hurrying to make it to the bar before last call and were besting each other on the highway with motorcycle stunts . they soon caught the eye of a state trooper hidden near an overpass . he followed them down fordham rd , and down the long dirt road to the bar , knowing where they were heading . he decided to make an impressive show by turning on his lights when they turned into the parking lot . when the trooper got out of his car and walked toward the bikers , he wondered why they were so silent . a few seconds later he discovered why . there were bodies on the ground . they appeared to be quite dead . acting on instinct , the trooper pulled his gun and commanded all the bikers to lay down on the ground while he checked out the building . slowly he made his way to the front door and looked inside . as his eyes became used to the dark he saw more bodies all over the bar . the trooper felt his heart caught in his throat . his gun hand was shaking uncontrollably . jesus christ , he thought , there must be seventy people here . who in the hell killed them ? he stepped inside and walked around exploring the bar area . how had all these people died ? there was no blood anywhere that he could see . did they all die from poisoning ? suddenly he heard motorcycles , he had forgotten about the other gang members . he rushed to the door to see all the riders making dust down the road in the biggest hurry they could manage . the trooper did not bother to follow them . he made a call to headquarters . he wondered if the killers were still close by . this made him nervous to ponder . but then if all these people had been poisoned , maybe there was poison in the air . maybe he should do like the bikers and get the hell out of there . half the state police in colorado descended on lindy 's bar in the next hour , with all the detectives , technology , and armament they could muster , with orders to contain and cover up the crime scene as long as possible . thanks to the escaped bikers , the entire state knew about it before breakfast . # 28 mose hartlick no kool aid here mose hartlick , chief of homicide in colorado springs , had never seen anything like it . he was standing in the middle of the dance floor surveying the bodies . visions of jonestown kept swimming through his mind . jim jones . kool aid spiked with cyanide . some seven or eight hundred people on that one . yet it was different somehow . but it felt different . there was no kool aid here . no obvious poisons , at least none that the coroners had picked up yet . now where was that at ? no wounds except for a few bruises where some of the unfortunate folks had fallen and scraped their elbows or knees . but nobody had ever died from a bruised knee , to his knowledge . he had been chomping nervously on a lit cigar . it usually helped him to think while chomping on a cigar . only it was n't helping now . his assistant , dick bowler , was checking out the bar area , troopers were everywhere examining every square inch of the bar , the parking lots and the grounds . they were even finding bodies in the woods . dick came over and joined him . `` do n't look so worried , mose . '' mose snorted a laugh and flicked the ash off the cigar . `` hey , who 's worried ? we got god knows how many bodies here , no marks , no blood ; no horrified faces like they 've all seen mick jagger 's face in the morning . '' `` there are signs of a struggle between the gangs over by the pool tables ... '' mose shrugged . that does n't tell us a lot about why everyone in the whole damn place is dead . he walked over to the bar to three people still sitting on stools . complete surprise , like they did n't know what hit them . '' `` apparently they did n't . '' mose nodded . `` yeah , and neither do we . '' `` what about the other guys who split when the call came in ? `` i 'll take a wild guess we are n't going to find them for a while . even if we do , i do n't think they had anything to do with it . they got freaked is all , like anyone would be . they got out of here before someone could blame them for it . i 'd have done the same thing . '' `` i guess our only hope at this point is to wait for the autopsy reports . '' one of the troopers came in the front door . |
hovering around where the hump of my butt started . kneading thumbs and fingers , making the towel slide lower . i gasp from the jolt of pain and exhaled deeply , lips slightly parted . the pain felt good and welcomed it . the stress i had for the last couple of weeks took its toll on my body . opening my eyes , i found blake staring , intently at me . he did n't smile or speak , but kept those magnetic eyes locked unto mine . he 's been doing that a lot today . not knowing what to do , i closed my eyes again . christ , i 'm so screwed ! heaven help me if he does try something . god knows i have a hard time resisting blake when he asks something of me . but this blake-pure full-on casanova mode blake-will be my undoing . the smell of roses and crackle of fire lulled me to sleep , unperturbed and tranquil . i dozed off to a blissful slumber . i woke up from the soft-click of a door closing . befuddled from my nap , i glanced around and realized that i was alone , lying here almost naked and asleep . the darkened lighting from the candles made it hard to see much further of the room . `` blaaaake ? '' i sat up and looked for my robe , but it seemed to have vanished ! biting my lip , i pulled my long hair forward to cover my br**sts ; it was good enough to cover my ni**les , but not enough to cover the outline of my br**sts . i tried to gather ground . `` in here ! '' called out blake . where was in here ? he barely echoed . slowly walking barefoot , in a thong , and my boobs partially covered by my long hair , i glanced around in the dimly lit room . `` blake ! '' my voice laced with urgency . i started my way to the pool area , but could n't see him . instantly , out of nowhere , he started gliding from the darkened corner on the farther left-side of the pool . my eyes rounded , in admiration . my , god ! i 'm going to have heart-attack . gaping at his muscled pecs and six-pack abs , his wet hair swept back , i felt a jolt of instantaneous lust . he was breathtaking . i 've never seen his chest before . now , i really think he was made perfect ! rooted to where i was standing , heart beating erratically and barely just-breathing , i was mesmerized by his sheer beauty-barely , forgot to take note that i was almost as naked as he was . `` care to join ? '' glancing at me , with that same very look at the massage table . he looked like he was ready to pounce . still and waiting ... that look was full of yearning ... and pure blatant lust . my stomach flipped-flopped . standing here in my virtually naked stature , i was staggered , astonished . being in this room with him , the air-the smell of heady perfumed roses-the darkened setting of candles , making the room aglow-i suddenly felt like i was here purposely to do his bidding ! enraptured and enthralled , i slowly walked to the pool-joining my god-like mortal of a man , without breaking eye-contact . i was in a dreamlike state . i went in the pool scattered with rose petals . the water gently rippled as i came deeper in the water , but stopped when the water barely hit the tips of my hair . standing on the very last step of the pool , i looked to where he stood , unmoving like a statue-but his electric midnight eyes , roved all over my body , branding me . i gasped from the burning , ardent-filled scrutiny from his roaming eyes . he moved towards me . his tanned rippling body glistened with water was in my line of view . my eyes examined his abs , slowly making my way to his hardened chest , his broad shoulders , his neck , his enticing lips until my eyes stopped to his burning silver-rimmed midnight blue eyes . the air was charging , electric and perfervid . looking up to his face , i was stunned in place . he was so tall and all-male . i gasped , as he traced his thumb over my bottom lip , his eyes darkened . `` you look like a goddess-exquisite and beautiful , '' he rasped out as the back of his finger gently stroked my neck and collarbone with utter thorough concentration . i shuddered from his delicate touch . `` you do n't know how long i 've been waiting for you , my sweet , sienna , '' i drew breath and slightly wetted my dry lips . `` i 've always wanted you-from the moment our eyes met . i wanted you , badly-but you were with someone else . |
after a few verbal exchanges the waiter walked away and julian moved toward them , smiling at camille . sitting , he scooted his chair close to hers . `` well , are we all set now ? '' `` yep , '' tasha said . `` we 're all on the same page . '' she reached for her glass . `` i am invited to the wedding , right ? '' she asked julian in particular . `` of course you 're invited to the wedding . '' he draped his arm around camille 's chair . `` i 'm sure camille will want you by her side . '' `` since the wedding is n't going to be for a couple of weeks , could tasha join us in france in maybe a week or so ? '' camille 's insecurities leaked out as she spoke to julian . julian glanced at tasha . `` i can send a jet for you when you 're ready to come . '' `` a private jet ? '' tasha 's eyes lit with excitement , but she masked it with smooth composure . uneasiness knotted inside camille and escaped in her nervous laughter . `` say , julian ... ? '' tasha asked . `` you got any brothers ? '' `` i have one brother . '' `` older or younger ? '' `` younger , by two years . '' julian smiled . camille kicked tasha 's shin under the table . tasha yelled and glared at camille . she bent over , rubbing her leg . julian hid his chuckle behind a cough . the waiter julian had stopped to talk to earlier appeared with a tray of food , including a plate of hamburger and fries for julian-he 'd told camille that he loved the american delicacy-and a slice of apple pie with a side of vanilla ice cream for camille . after serving them , the waiter hesitated over tasha with a plate of cheesecake . `` mr. de laurent asked me to choose something from the dessert menu for madam . '' he sat the dish in front of her . `` i 'm sure you 'll find it to your liking . or , if madam prefers something else ... ? '' `` no , this is fine . '' tasha smiled politely and grabbed her fork , ready to feast on the cafe 's sweet treat . as the trio munched , they reserved the conversation to minimal small talk until they 'd nearly finished with their desserts . `` well , tasha , are you going back to l.a . tonight ? '' julian asked , pushing his plate aside . `` if you 'd like to say in vegas a couple of days , i can extend our villa upstairs for you . '' julian paused , catching his breath . `` i do hate to risk looking like a poor host , but we are due at the airport soon . we 'll be leaving for london this afternoon . '' `` well , vegas ai n't exactly london , '' she said in lighthearted quips . `` but okay , i 'll take it . '' the three of them stood and went back inside the hotel lobby where julian made sure the staff knew tasha would be staying on through the end of the week-four days away . they were to see to her every need and desire . camille was surprised to learn that while they were lunching , her belongings inside the suite had been packed into brand new designer luggage . a notion that made tasha swoon . the girls said their goodbyes . tasha went upstairs and camille climbed into a limo with julian , soren , and heinz , julian 's pilot . during the drive to the airport , uneasiness crept over camille and left her with a troubled feeling . leaving the country with three men she 'd known for less than a week might not be construed as prudent . she knew her qualms were crazy . julian and soren were honorable men ; even though they came from two separate classes of society , their morals and principals were the same . maybe that 's why each was able to put so much faith and trust in the other . they got as good as they gave . at the airport , julian showed camille the stateroom on the plane . `` once we 're in the air , '' he said , `` you can rest in here if you 'd like . '' he wondered about camille 's friend . she was loud and flashy . the exact opposite of camille . how had they become friends ? but no matter , if camille wanted her to come to france , he 'd bring her there . better yet , he 'd send andre to get her . that 'd serve him right . `` so , we 're going to london and then on to marseilles ? '' she asked , as if she was just trying to fill the silence . `` we will spend a day or two in london where you can do a little more shopping . '' |
keeping her head turned away from the painting , she went through the living room and up the stairs , grabbed the book on her bedside table , then went into the bathroom to take a bath . she added a generous amount of lavender bubble bath to the running water , lit a candle , and stepped into the tub . she sat there a moment , thinking there was nothing more relaxing than sitting in a nice warm bubble bath . she read until the water was cool and her skin was pruney , and then , reluctantly , she got out of the tub . drying off , she blew out the candle , then slipped on her nightgown and robe . now what , she thought ? she was tired of reading . it was still too early for bed . her computer and the big-screen tv were both in the living room ... . `` oh , for heaven 's sake , kari , you ca n't stay out of the living room for the rest of the weekend ! '' she muttered , even though it seemed like a good idea . squaring her shoulders , she walked briskly down the stairs and into the living room . sitting on the sofa , she picked up the remote . keeping her gaze fixed squarely on the screen , she turned on the tv . it took all her concentration to keep from glancing up at the vilnius . was it her imagination , or could she feel the man gazing down at her , willing her to look up ? `` not real , '' she murmured . `` he 's not real . '' perspiration beaded on her brow . she looked at the fireplace , her gaze slowly moving up , up , until she was staring at the painting from hell . and he was there , looking at her through the glass , his gaze intent upon her face . his eyes ... what was there about his eyes that made her want to go to him , to take him in her arms and soothe the ache she saw in his gaze ? she leaned forward , felt her heart plummet to her toes when , with a smile , his lips formed her name . karinna . with a cry , she leaped from the sofa and ran out of the room . chapter 4 rourke swore softly as the woman fled the room . of course , he could n't blame her for being startled . after all , how often did a figure in a painting move , much less speak ? he supposed he should be grateful she had n't fainted dead away . but , dammit , how was he going to establish contact with her without scaring her half to death ? one way or another , he had to communicate with her . she owned him now . his fate , his future , the end to his relentless hunger all rested in her hands . when she was in the room , he could hear the steady beat of her heart , smell the warm red river of life flowing through her veins . three hundred years since last he had fed , and with every passing year , the ache had grown stronger , until what had at first been mere discomfort turned to pain ; the pain into never-ending agony . these days , the need clawed at him relentlessly , the pain unceasing . sometimes , when it became more than he could bear , he fed off the horse . the animal 's blood took the edge off his thirst but did nothing to satisfy either his hunger or his endless craving . he slammed his fist against the glass . relief was so near . he closed his eyes , remembering the last time he had fed , the rich salty taste , the warmth that had flooded his being as the elixir of life flowed down his throat . it had been but a momentary pleasure , though , as , unexpectedly , the sweetness of her life 's blood had turned sour and scorched his tongue . only then had he realized the seductive young woman in his arms was n't an ordinary mortal . he pounded his fist against the glass again , but yet again , to no avail . his preternatural powers had been neutralized by his imprisonment , leaving him with little strength , supernatural or otherwise . frustrated and angry , he paced the length of his prison until the worst of his anger dissipated . someday , he vowed , someday he would reclaim not only his freedom but the sword that vilnius had stolen from him . rourke clenched his hands into tight fists . the sword had belonged to his father , thomas , who had fought with prince edward in the eighth crusade in 1272 . since becoming a vampire , his father 's sword had been the only tangible thing rourke had owned that held any meaning for him , the only memento he had left of the life he had once known . thanks to the wizard 's twisted sense of humor , a picture of that sword hung over the mantel inside the castle , a constant reminder of all rourke had lost . with a sigh , he dropped to the ground , his gaze moving toward the box with the moving pictures . it was a wondrous creation called television . he marveled at the witchcraft that had conjured such a miracle . much of what he knew of the modern world he had learned from watching the people trapped inside the mysterious machine . |
luckily the venue was small , sturdy , and fairly new . despite that though , barely anyone showed up . it was the most timid , lackluster , and small crowd i 'd seen yet on the tour . i would have thought new orleans and its occult and black magick leanings would have brought out the fans and music goers with morbid curiosity , kind of like a car wreck , but that was n't the case . people were scared of hybrid and stayed away . there were maybe fifty people there , tops . the band looked scared of themselves too . they played subdued and with an air of defeat . robbie went through the motions , containing himself ( the drugs probably had a hand in that ) , and even graham 's drums sounded faint . it was a sad , sad show , and as i stood on the side stage with the increasingly mysterious jacob , i could see the lines of worry on each and every band member 's foreheads . i had thought about asking jacob some more pressing questions about graham and the gtfos but judging from the swears that spilled out of his lips every five minutes and the hate-filled glare in his eyes , i decided against it . whether he had something to do with it all or not , he was the band 's manager and for once he was n't able to manage everything . there was no doubt that a lawsuit was going to follow from the stage collapse and there was certainly no way the band was going to make a profit from the new orleans show . things were slowly spiraling out of control . maybe jacob did n't care about needless deaths and mental illnesses , but he did care about money and now it was finally hitting him where it hurt . when the band was finished and slogged off the stage with heavy hearts and shoulders , i walked to the backstage area to go wait for sage . there was more than one dressing room for the guys , so sage had taken one for himself and i sat on the chair outside , waiting patiently . i only left his side for a few minutes when i had to go to the bathroom and when i came back , the door was still closed . one of the other dressing rooms opened and mickey came out . `` hey , '' i said to him , almost tempted to call him 'boyo ' as the others did . `` did you see sage come out ? '' mickey finished buttoning up his plaid shirt and shrugged . `` mickey . i know i have n't had the chance to tell you this , but i 'm really sorry about noelle . i liked her you know . '' he twitched for a second and stopped . `` do n't talk about her like she 's not coming back , '' he said . his eyes held mine for a brief second and i could see a wealth of sadness in them before he disappeared around the corner . i sighed , feeling lost and stupid , like i overstepped my bounds , and sat back in the chair for a few moments . finally i got up and rapped lightly on the door . i heard something from inside the room , like a chair being pushed back . `` i 'm coming in , '' i said . `` you better cover up what you do n't want me to see . '' was it wrong to hope he was n't covering up anything ? i nearly drooled at the thought . i wiped my mouth cautiously then opened the door . what i could see of it anyway . it was obviously never meant to be a dressing room and had an extra room that was separated by half a wall . there were stacks of chairs and old pa equipment spilling out from around the corner . that 's where i heard the noise again , followed by the sound of a chair being pushed back . i ventured again . i walked toward the noise , wondering what he could be doing back there . i wished the light from the middle of the room reached far enough , but most of the chairs and equipment were lost in shadow . i was nearly at the wall , ready to peak over the side , when i heard another noise . one that made my blood run cold . it was a wet , slopping sound , like something slimy and heavy was being dragged along the tile floor , heading in my direction . i had heard and seen the shadow of the same thing on the bus , and i was in no hurry to see it again . in my head i pictured a giant earthworm with two legs , dragging its slimy gray segmented body along , leaving trails of goo and blood , a round mouth filled with rotating teeth , open and ready for sucking . i almost vomited from fright . i gasped and whipped around , startled to see sage standing in the doorway , rubbing a towel at his curls . the noise had stopped . that was probably the only chance we were getting . i turned and ran toward him . `` i think we need to get out of here , '' i said , grabbing his forearm . my fingers barely fit around it . he did n't budge , his eyes on the back of the room . |
'i came as soon as i was told , mother , ' she blustered , 'how much time is there between contractions ? ' 'about two minutes , sister . ' 'then she is almost ready , ' freena pulled back the blankets covering amberlay . three hours later a baby 's cry echoed through the halls of the old nunnery . the mother superior cleaned the child as sister freena tended to the patient . amberlay smiled as the boy was placed in her arms . she kissed his head and her tears flowed . 'congratulations , my dear , you have a healthy son . have you chosen a name ? ' asked mother thronso . 'yesbrinn . after his grandfather , ' amberlay stroked his wispy black hair . her tears dropped down onto the baby 's face making him blink and turn away . 'and what of the father , my dear . who is it we should contact ? ' amberlay looked up at the faces of the smiling nuns . magilla was cooing at the baby and freena was pouring a glass of water for her to drink . 'i ca n't thank you all enough for what you have done to help me . ' the nuns all smiled and nodded . 'please do n't be offended . i would like to speak to mother thronso alone . ' the two nuns simply straightened and inclined their heads in acceptance before leaving the two women alone . amberlay looked down at her son 's face . his eyes were dark brown , almost black , just like artatan , but his hair was like her 's , raven black . 'i 'm afraid that i have placed you all in great danger , mother . ' the old nun 's face became serious , 'how so , child ? ' 'creatures of the dark , even now , track me here to this place . they will show little restraint if they arrive and find me here . 'our walls and doors are strong and will not easily be breached . ' 'your doors will not be a hindrance to those that follow . they will smite them in a trice . i must leave your midst immediately . ' 'you are in no condition to travel ! and what of the newborn ? he will not survive the cold . ' amberlay hugged brinn close to her and kissed his head again . fresh tears dropped , 'will you take him into your care , mother ? i would n't ask if i was not at my last . whence i go he can not travel . ' 'is there no other way , child ? what of the baby 's father ? ' 'dead upon the mountain , his head , a trophy , hanging from a karesh saddle . ' the old nun sat back on her haunches for a moment , 'i would argue , but i see the truth of your words in your eyes . i am sorry for your pain . i will protect your babe as if he were my very own . ' amberlay 's body shook as she sobbed , 'thank you , mother . ' amberlay retrieved her saddlebags and gave the old nun two bags of gold coin of unknown mint . then she donned her armour . belted on her sword . strapped a quiver of arrows to her back , and held a bow in her left hand . she was transformed . a warrior 's steel shone in her eyes . 'i go now , mother , but i will not return . love him as i would have . ' the mother superior held brinn in her arms . amberlay took a strange gold medallion of a crouching panther from her bags and placed it inside the baby 's blanket . 'for when he comes of age . ' he will be safe have no fear . ' 'there 's one thing more that you must do , mother . ' 'by all means , child , speak it . ' 'they will smell my scent upon his skin and come here . you must bring him into your deepest cellar and surround him with herbs and strong smelling flowers . thorn-root would be best . they can not abide its fragrance . ' 'i will see to it . ' amberlay bent down and kissed her son one last time . then sprang up into her saddle , 'i will lead them a merry dance and extract a heavy price before i am done . ' 'go with the blessings of the gods , child . i hope we will meet again . ' 'not in this life , mother . ' she turned the horse and rode out of the courtyard and into the hills and never returned . over the following weeks farmers found grave-mounds all along the route , she had taken . some were opened . they contained the bodies of foul looking wicked creatures never before seen in the lands of jarro . but amberlay was never seen again . high up on the mountain a karesh chieftain lead what was left of his company back across the benteer pass . tied to his saddle were three heads . one was a dwarf , the others were not . the young lovers were together again . revenge lord darrik 's fortress year 540 mur-ro . |
after she puts the finishing touches on what im sure is a reapplication of the days eyeliner , ronni sits down across from me , grabbing a fork and knife as though nothing happened . she dives into her spinach ravioli as i start to spill my guts over a well-prepared batch of chicken parm . bursting at the seams with excitement , i tell ronni everything . of course , i give her the rundown of the days events after prefacing that my encounter with carla was a matchmaking appointment . and i bend some of the details , such as carlas economic status . instead of telling her that carla was an impoverished single mother who wants so badly to escape her daily life , i tell her that carla was an affluent single mother who wants so badly to escape her daily life . ronni buys it , too , though i dont think shes enjoying the story as much as i am . id even go so far as to say that she seems sad , though thats nothing new . for the past few years , ronnis been exuding a sort of subtle sadness and it wafts over me whenever were together . she wont admit it but im certain it has to do with our relationship . while im content with what we have , that sentiment is not mutual . her feelings began to intensify after i was abandoned by the girl i thought i was going to marry . but i could go on and on . oh , she says , waving me off , it was the same old , same old . everyone at work complaining about city hall . bean counters actually have feelings and get mad ? she shoots me a tired look . whats the latest with that ? a lot of people were giddy yesterday , like today was going to be christmas or something . the state just finished investigating the mayor . yeah , i heard he was cleared . not what you guys were hoping for , huh ? not for the mayor , the city council chair or the police chief . it wouldve changed things for us . when she doesnt answer , instead only looking down at her food , i take a moment to regard ronni and notice how the dining room light hanging above us gives her jet black hair a sort of navy blue tint . i then look at her face , which she holds in her hand as she plays with her food . she cant be full , she hasnt eaten much . somethings on her mind . she speaks without looking at me . it wont bother me . yes , it may be sadistic but hearing ronni profess her desire for more out of our relationship never truly annoys me . i care about her feelings . but i do wish there was something i could do about them . im sorry i cant , you know , give you what you want . ronni raises her head and simply meets my gaze with a blank stare . she shakes her head before again looking down at her ravioli with a melancholic gaze . i stand up and take my phone over to her small kitchen . its jimenez . hi , elena , i say . i trade glances with ronni . i probably shouldnt have let it be known that i was speaking with another woman . do you think you can come in to the branch ? im in the middle of dinner . fine , jimenez says . when youre finished , get over here right away . something new with carla ? its someone else . we need to brief you , she says . its an emergency case subject . possible suicide . damn , im on my way . i hang up the phone and look over at ronni . a friend of minedont look at me like that . whyd you even come over ? if looks could kill , ronni would be tried for murder and given the chair . i walk over to her side of the table , her eyes locked on me the entire time . i say , kneeling down to her level . we dont even talk anymore . we did tonight , right ? whatever , just go . i take a deep breath and pat ronnis leg . look , when all of this dies down , i promise , well pick a day and just hang out . maybe even go to six flags . i notice a subtle change in ronnis expression . i can at least leave her apartment in one piece now . i kiss her on the cheek and stand up while looking into her razor-sharp gaze again . love you , too , she says . i will , i say , opening her door . keep my chicken parm in the fridge , will you ? she nods with a faint smile before i close the door . i love ronni but i wish she didnt mope around me all the time . maybe she needs a visit from her friendly neighborhood agent of influence . i leave ronnis apartment building , hop into my kia and drive toward south philly , burning rubber in the process . chapter six with rush hour long gone , i make it to franklin d. roosevelt park in less than twenty minutes . i admit , i flew down the interstate , pushing the limits of the old nine , youre fine ; ten , youre mine proviso . |
all she wanted was a lover unlike all the men shed had ; what came after was the ogre , and at first , she thought him mad ! in the days that quickly followed , she fell deeply into love , and once a month they still repeat it when the full moon hangs above . we just hang our heads in sorrow for the men who have no wives , for none among them can compare to the ogres ten-and-five ! raucous laughter rumbled from them as he listened with a grin ; when their comments eased to silence , to a chuckle now-and-them , he still sat there softly strumming , waiting for the proper time ; when he felt them growing restless , he prepared his favorite rhyme : this song i purchased from a man with hair of silver-gray ; hes sold me many others , too , since that fateful day . i traded in my innocence and blind naivet ; he taught me all about the world with every song he sang . he was my mentor for a time , and this was once his harp ; he showed me how to find the words and when and where to start ; he taught me how to build a tune and play these tangled strains , but i have never been so moved as by his first refrains . the music that he chose to play was dark and glumly strung , and as he set the morose mood , this is what he sung : my aching head was weary and my thoughts were all but clear ; a wretched scent assaulted me from dungeon cells too near ; the smell was too familiar ; i knew from whence it came : a putrid thing of terror : a troll as known by name . i moved away as best i could from that noxious stench ; it smelled too much like rotten wood , decaying fish , and death . i huddled in a corners cramp and looked about my cell , and from the light of yonder lamp , there wasnt much to tell . the cell was damp and musty with rug of matted straw ; the windows bars were dusty i heard the troll guffaw ! there came a massive scraping sound from the cell next door to mine , and then a claw came creeping round to see what it could find ! it patted round a moment , but before it turned away , laughter filled the dungeons hall like sickened donkeys bray ; a chill that wasnt made from cold splintered through my spine ; an image too intense to hold went jumping through my mind ; come , my little human friend , i find i need some food ; i promise you an easy end , if you promise to be good ! i never knew a troll before and did not know they spoke , so i was unprepared , for sure , when the silence broke . just as i would answer him , a new sound came to bear : the sound of footfalls coming down the musty dungeon stair . a moment later came the source , and shudders ran me through ; it was a person of great force , without a doubt , i knew . welcome to my humble home , my friend from years gone by ; you know by now youre not alone , and now ill tell you why : a troll is quite uniquely made and very hard to kill ; its severed hand or sharpened claw regenerates until it is another troll with all its skills intact ; together with its mother-troll , the twain make their attack . but what of you , you ask of me ? where do you fit in ? the trolls my tool for treachery , and soon , revenge begins . you see , a troll has fingers , and each one can be cut , and like the wrath that lingers in the bottom of my gut , they feed on seeming nothingness , getting stronger every day ; their hungers pull is endless ; it never goes away . i watched his smile slipping down as he looked in my cell concentrating on the words for casting off the spell ; when he finished chanting , there was one thing i knew : no matter what he asked of me , i would surely do ! his smile came back once again as he unsheathed his sword ; the troll held out its hand to him as servant to his lord . one finger from the troll was cut it wriggled round and round he turned to me and held it out i made squawking sounds . here you go , my long-time friend ; your dinner has been served . not the most pleasant one , but no less than you deserve ! i tried to fight the spells control but could not break its hold ; i took the finger of the troll and swallowed it , whole . he played the final , haunting notes as if his harp had died ; then let their echo fill the room a weepy , ghostly sigh . he paused and said in whispered tones to make them strain to hear ; i asked him if his song was true and met his sternest glare ; if it is true , i ask of you , then why are you not dead ? ill tell you why i did not die , but that was all he said . |
on their first christmas morning as man and wife ( they had moved into lois 's tidy little house and put his own white rhino up for sale ) , lois gave him a beagle puppy . '' `` i almost did n't get her , dear abby says you should never give pets as presents , but she looked so sweet in the petshop window ... and so sad ... if you do n't like her , or do n't 756 want to spend the rest of the winter trying to housebreak a puppy , just say so . we 'll find someone- '' `` lois , '' he said , giving his eyebrow what he hoped was that that special bill mcgovern lift , you 're babbling . '' `` you am . it 's something you do when you 're nervous , but you can stop being nervous right now . i 'm crazy 'bout dis lady . '' nor was that an exaggeration ; he fell in love with the black-and-tan beagle bitch almost at once . the next four years were happy ones for helen and nat deepneau , as well . they lived frugally in an apartment on the east side of town for awhile , getting along on helen 's librarian 's salary but not doing much more than that . the little cape cod up the street from ralph 's place had sold , but that money had gone to pay outstanding bills . then , in june of 1994 , helen received an insurance windfall ... only the wind that blew it her way was fohn leydecker . the great eastern insurance company had originally refused to pay off on ed deepneau 's life insurance policy , claiming he had taken his own life . then , after a great deal of harrumphing and muttering under their corporate breath , they had offered a substantial settlement . they were persuaded to do this by a poker-buddy of john leydecker 's named howard hayman . when he was n't playing lowball , five-card stud , and three-card draw , hayman was a laxvyer who employed lunching on insurance companies . leydecker had re-met helen at ralph and lois 's in february of 1994 , had fallen head over heels in fascination with her ( `` it was never quite love , '' he told ralph and lois later , `` which was probably just as well , considering how things turned out '' ) , and had introduced her to hayman because he thought the insurance company was trying to screw her . `` he was not suicidal , '' leydecker said , and stuck to that long after helen had handed him his hat and shown him the door . after being faced with a suit in which howard hayman threatened to make great eastern look like snidely whiplash tying little a nell to the railroad tracks , helen had received a check for seventy thousand dollars . in the late fall of 1994 she had used most of this money to build a house on harris avenue , just three doors up from her old place and right across from harriet bennigan 's . `` i was never really happy on the east side , '' she told lois one day in november of that year . they were on their way back from the park , and natalie had been sitting slumped and fast asleep in her stroller , her presence little more than a p k os 1 in n e-tip and a fog of cold breath below a large ski-hat which lois had knitted herself . `` i used to dream about harris avenue . `` i do n't think dreams are ever crazy , '' lois replied . helen and john leydecker dated for most of that summer , but neither ralph nor lois was particularly surprised when the courtship abruptly ended after labor day , or when helen began to wear a discreet pink triangle pin on her prim , high-necked librarian 's blouses . perhaps they were not surprised because they were old enough to have seen everything at least once , or perhaps on some deep level they were still glimpsing the auras which surround thinls . i creating a bright gateway opening on a secret city of hidden meanings , concealed motives , and camouflaged agendas . ralph and lois babysat natalie frequently after helen moved back to harris avenue , and they enjoyed these stints tremendously . nat was the child their marriage might have produced if it had happened thirty years sooner , and the coldest , most overcast winter day warmed and brightened when natalie came toddling in , looking like a midget version of the goodyear blimp in her pink quilted snowsuit with the mittens hanging from the cuffs , and yelled exuberantly : `` hi , i miss ! i come to bizzit you ! '' in june of 1995 , helen bought a reconditioned volvo . on the back she put a sticker which read a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle . this sentiment did not particularly surprise ralph , either , but glimpsing that sticker always made him feel unhappy . |
the village centers about a travel lodge , the horrison motel , situated at the bottom of a valley formed by two hills . atop one hill is a honky-tonk bar and grill . on the opposite hill is the hitchcock dildo factory . early spring rains leave the hills dotted with bluebonnets , filling the air with a fresh , clean aroma , while flocking birds , on their way north after wintering in mexico , flood the fading twilight with their migrant chirping . back at the motel , another migrant soul was attempting to gain the attention of the desk clerk . the clerk 's interest was fixed on a local pbs broadcast where a distinguished panel of experts gave their views on the latest j-man theory . ( this being public television , there were maybe six people in the whole state watching it . ) kicking off the discussion was the learned professor from fredericksburg who held the runty rudo was several different people , like in a droopy cartoon , based upon the six separate masked appearances he 'd made early in his career . the scientist from nasa however discounted the droopy theory as an inefficient mode of travel , suggesting instead he was able to slip through inter-dimensional corridors utilizing a new application of quantum physics , while the scar-faced fellow with the potted aloe preferred izak blitzen 's `` dust devil '' concept of traveling on the wind as random floating particles . the red-haired guy with the big nose favored the martian cat hypothesis , claiming the gaunt-faced grappler bounced his personality from one cat mind to another , similar to skipping a rock over the surface of a lake , until reaching his destination . `` hel-lo-oo ? '' closing the show was a bitter , black-haired girl who said the reason he got around so well was because no one paid attention to him in the first place ; her remarks drawing hearty laughs from the rest of the panel . it was only when the station did their customary plea for funding that the desk clerk glanced down . `` sorry kid , '' he apologized ; `` did n't see you there . '' `` kin i git a room fer th ' night ? '' the gaunt-faced guest inquired graciously . the clerk nodded absently as he peered into the driveway . `` was the bus early ? i did n't hear it pull in . '' there was a slight tingling in the air and a settling of dust with tiny paw prints leading from outside . `` about th ' room ? '' here 's a nice one ; comes with electricity , air , and running . '' `` runnin ' whut ? '' we 've never been able to catch one . '' j-man signed the register , asking if there was any place to get a bite to eat as he felt a headache coming on . `` ah , yes , mr ... '' the clerk scrutinized the scratchy signature , `` d claude , '' and suggested the honky-tonk at the top of the hill . outside , a peaceful darkness settled in and the birds ceased chirping as the quarter moon came into view . the warm night air was clean with the scent of bluebonnets and all was quiet save for the occasional barking of a dog as j trudged up the hill . arriving shortly after eight that morning , the gaunt-faced grappler squandered the day inquiring as to the fate of cal desac . few took notice of him , and those who did had little to say ; although he did manage to interview cal 's mother : `` he 's been rather quiet lately , not active like he used to be . '' `` i thought he wuz dead . '' `` well , yes , that too . '' nor had the neighbors proved helpful . `` he was a quiet guy , what you 'd call poker-faced . '' `` did n't show much emotion , eh ? '' `` especially after the accident in the fireplace . '' he 'd nosed around , asked questions , and gotten nowhere . now , tired and hungry , his only desire was to grab a burger and turn in for the night . a corroded metal sign creaked over a dilapidated service station , its back lot piled high with worn tires and rusted parts . across the highway stood a tall-chimneyed smokehouse . next to that , occupying the greater part of the field , was the lizard king bar and grill . it was no different from any other texas hangout , with good food and cold drinks and willie nelson on the jukebox . `` dammit , willie , '' scolded the proprietor , `` how many times must i tell you not to sit on my jukebox ? '' j wove his way to the counter where a sign read : bread is made for laughter , wine gladdens life , and money answers everything . a waitress took his order ; her name tag said helen . did n't gordon say cal had a sister named helen ? `` excuse me , but are ya helen desac ? '' |
he took a deep drag and exhaled , watching the grey smoke disappear into the night air . then he noticed that there was scaffolding all the way up the side of the pub , and rows of neatly stacked slate tiles just outside the entrance to the toilets . a new roof was in the offing , clearly . theo and his friends never missed an opportunity to climb scaffolding late at night , especially after a few beers . so he took a couple more drags from the cigarette and a couple more swigs from the beer and looked for a way up . all ladders to the first floor platform had been removed , so he jumped as high as he could and managed to grab a pipe at platform level . his battered hand complained briefly , but the excitement of the climb pushed it to the back of his mind . he pulled himself up and stood on the platform . he remained motionless for a moment , in case he had disturbed anyone . no lights came on , so he continued . he located the ladder up to the next platform and climbed until he got to the roof . once there he could see that the roof was definitely in need of repair : several of the slates were cracked or missing completely , revealing the weather-beaten woodwork underneath . there was an open skylight just in front of him , and it was near enough for theo to peer over and see what was below : some kind of storeroom . he leant over on to the roof and reached for the open window . he reckoned he should be able to squeeze himself in . but then a moment of clarity came over him . why would he want to go in ? what 's the best that could happen ? he 'd sneak down to the bar and pour himself a beer ? would that even be possible ? do n't landlords lock the pumps or something when the bar is closed to stop people like him from nicking the booze ? and the worst case scenario would be that the landlord would call 999 and theo would turn up at home in the back of a police car . so instead he walked along the platform to the rear of the building and looked out across the playing fields beyond the beer garden . the moon was still bright and he could see shadows cast by trees at the side of the rugby field . beyond the trees stood a row of houses . a light came on in one of the upstairs rooms . someone going to the loo . or maybe this was a nightshift worker starting their day . theo mused that the secret to life was to be the one going to bed at this time , not the one getting up . he looked down at his injured hand . he was used to the pain from his knuckles - the punching of inanimate objects had become something all too common-place recently . but the more focused pain from the back of his hand was giving him cause for concern . the handkerchief covering his cut was now completely sodden with blood . he carefully unwrapped it and looked at the centimetre-long gash . he clenched his fist and watched as a small spurt of blood arced towards him and landed on his beige jacket , missing his brother 's breton top by a fraction . then he started to really worry . should n't it have stopped bleeding by now ? does n't blood clot after a while ? he knew he was not a haemophiliac , so it gradually dawned on him that the wound must be serious , that he must have clipped an artery . he looked down at his feet and saw dark spots dotted around the scaffolding planks . good god , he was leaving a trail ! would future generations be able to retrace his steps by following the faded blood spots on the ground ? he turned the handkerchief over and reapplied it to his hand , keeping it in place with his clenched fingers . he was now over half way through his journey home , and he decided he would worry about the cut once he got home . he may have to wake his parents up and get them to drive him to the hospital . what excuse could he use this time ? maybe he could just say he got picked on by some older kids and had fought back . perhaps one of them pulled a switch-blade on him . that was the sort of thing that happened to teenage kids was n't it ? he started to feel the cold and pulled his collar up against the breeze . he made his way down the scaffolding and continued his journey . once out of box , he began the steady ascent of box hill . determined to keep his mind off his dripping hand , he thought of his fledgling songwriting efforts , and what he 'd be able to actually offer the guy from ambient pleasures if he were able to find him . he was pleased with some of what he had written thus far : the dead white sky music obviously , and the tune for something happened was half-decent . and enough money sounded upbeat and commercial - the sort of thing he could imagine hearing on radio 1 . and maybe his lyrics were n't really that bad . |
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