[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
surprised by the action that I don t have time to block the blow before she punches me. Hard. In the
jaw. I stop, completely stunned and clasp my hand to my face. I m not injured. It would take more than
her small hands to hurt me. But I am still shocked. I did not know Boons are capable of violence.
I don t regain my composure quickly enough to stop the girl from getting away. She grabs an object,
which I recall from Simon s monologue is called a bicycle. She glances back at me as she flees, fear
dancing in her blue eyes.
chapter twelve
daphne
My hand hurts from punching him, but it s caused enough of a diversion for me to get away. I run for
my bicycle, realizing that I don t have time to stop for my tote bag or guitar case, but I won t leave
Gibby behind. I sling her over my back, with her strap resting against my chest, and jump onto my
bike. I glance back at the stranger, and then pedal as fast as I can from the grove.
Gravel spits out from under my tires as I hit the narrow trail that leads from the grove to the bridge. I
don t know if he follows, and I don t stop to check. I cross the bridge that connects the grove s island
to the paved jogging paths that surround the lake, and keep on going.
I careen down the trail, gaining speed, putting as much distance between me and the stranger as
possible. I don t see the girl until it s too late. I try to stop, but the brakes on my vintage bike are old
and I don t normally ride this fast. I try to skid around her just as she looks up and counters in the
wrong direction. I clip her elbow with one of my handlebars.
Ouch! she shouts and tries to push me.
Sorry! I swerve away from her, and it takes all my balance to
stay upright as my bike keeps skidding along the path. I glance back at her once I ve regained control.
You re such a freak! she yells when she sees me looking. She clasps at her scraped elbow and
starts jogging up the trail despite the fact that she s wearing a miniskirt with pink and silver wedge
platform sandals. Hardly the right outfit for a run.
That strange boy is nowhere to be seen, but I still don t stop for anything until I get to the school.
chapter thirteen
haden
I could have caught her easily. But it is the fear that I saw in her eyes that stops me. Makes me realize
my grave mistake.
I have done it again.
I ve acted without thinking straight.
I have been here for fewer than twenty-four hours, and I have already erred in the most terrible of
ways. If Rowan were here, he would delight in telling me that I have no idea of what I am doing. That
I am failing before I m even getting started.
She fears me now, instead of trusting me.
Another pulse of energy swells in my chest. I grab the branch of the nearest tree. I squeeze the energy
into it until the branch disintegrates. The ash slips through my fingers.
I am fighting the urge to fall to my knees and send up a prayer to plead for forgiveness from the Fates
when I hear the crackle of footfalls on the forest floor. A low hiss echoes through the grove. Someone
else is coming. I can t afford to be seen. I can t afford to make another mistake. I pick up one of the
items that the girl left behind, then slip behind the partially burned tree.
I disappear into the shadows.
chapter fourteen
daphne
My legs shake from riding so hard as I roll my cruiser into one of the slots of the bike rack. My voice
warbles when I try to whisper to myself to calm down.
I m okay. Nothing bad happened. Not really.
But the question I can t get out of my mind: where did he want me to go with him?
As if.
I might have been dumb for talking to him in the first place. But I m not a complete idiot. I d never
follow some stranger into the woods.
My mother had made darn sure I knew better than that after what happened during my hospital stay in
Saint George. . . .
The second day we were there, my mom had slipped out of my room to get some coffee while I was
napping. I remember waking up to a strange man standing over my bed. I was startled at first, but he
said that he worked for one of the doctors, and that I was supposed to go on a walk with him. I was
groggy from the painkillers, and I didn t feel like walking. I told him to come back when my mom was
here, but he d insisted that I go with him now. That it was very important. I was just getting out of bed
when my mom came back.
Where are you going? she asked me. You re not supposed to get up.
On a walk, I said. He said I had to go with him.
He? she asked.
The man, I said, but when I looked up, she and I were alone in the room. The man was gone.
My mom had totally freaked out in her overprotective way. My nurse tried to reassure her that no one
had been in my room while she was out, and that the medication I was on was known to cause
hallucinations. I didn t really see what the big deal was at the time, but after that, my mom used to
drill it into me that if I ever encountered something strange or dangerous, or if someone ever tried to
get me to go somewhere with him, I should run away and find someone trustworthy to tell. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
surprised by the action that I don t have time to block the blow before she punches me. Hard. In the
jaw. I stop, completely stunned and clasp my hand to my face. I m not injured. It would take more than
her small hands to hurt me. But I am still shocked. I did not know Boons are capable of violence.
I don t regain my composure quickly enough to stop the girl from getting away. She grabs an object,
which I recall from Simon s monologue is called a bicycle. She glances back at me as she flees, fear
dancing in her blue eyes.
chapter twelve
daphne
My hand hurts from punching him, but it s caused enough of a diversion for me to get away. I run for
my bicycle, realizing that I don t have time to stop for my tote bag or guitar case, but I won t leave
Gibby behind. I sling her over my back, with her strap resting against my chest, and jump onto my
bike. I glance back at the stranger, and then pedal as fast as I can from the grove.
Gravel spits out from under my tires as I hit the narrow trail that leads from the grove to the bridge. I
don t know if he follows, and I don t stop to check. I cross the bridge that connects the grove s island
to the paved jogging paths that surround the lake, and keep on going.
I careen down the trail, gaining speed, putting as much distance between me and the stranger as
possible. I don t see the girl until it s too late. I try to stop, but the brakes on my vintage bike are old
and I don t normally ride this fast. I try to skid around her just as she looks up and counters in the
wrong direction. I clip her elbow with one of my handlebars.
Ouch! she shouts and tries to push me.
Sorry! I swerve away from her, and it takes all my balance to
stay upright as my bike keeps skidding along the path. I glance back at her once I ve regained control.
You re such a freak! she yells when she sees me looking. She clasps at her scraped elbow and
starts jogging up the trail despite the fact that she s wearing a miniskirt with pink and silver wedge
platform sandals. Hardly the right outfit for a run.
That strange boy is nowhere to be seen, but I still don t stop for anything until I get to the school.
chapter thirteen
haden
I could have caught her easily. But it is the fear that I saw in her eyes that stops me. Makes me realize
my grave mistake.
I have done it again.
I ve acted without thinking straight.
I have been here for fewer than twenty-four hours, and I have already erred in the most terrible of
ways. If Rowan were here, he would delight in telling me that I have no idea of what I am doing. That
I am failing before I m even getting started.
She fears me now, instead of trusting me.
Another pulse of energy swells in my chest. I grab the branch of the nearest tree. I squeeze the energy
into it until the branch disintegrates. The ash slips through my fingers.
I am fighting the urge to fall to my knees and send up a prayer to plead for forgiveness from the Fates
when I hear the crackle of footfalls on the forest floor. A low hiss echoes through the grove. Someone
else is coming. I can t afford to be seen. I can t afford to make another mistake. I pick up one of the
items that the girl left behind, then slip behind the partially burned tree.
I disappear into the shadows.
chapter fourteen
daphne
My legs shake from riding so hard as I roll my cruiser into one of the slots of the bike rack. My voice
warbles when I try to whisper to myself to calm down.
I m okay. Nothing bad happened. Not really.
But the question I can t get out of my mind: where did he want me to go with him?
As if.
I might have been dumb for talking to him in the first place. But I m not a complete idiot. I d never
follow some stranger into the woods.
My mother had made darn sure I knew better than that after what happened during my hospital stay in
Saint George. . . .
The second day we were there, my mom had slipped out of my room to get some coffee while I was
napping. I remember waking up to a strange man standing over my bed. I was startled at first, but he
said that he worked for one of the doctors, and that I was supposed to go on a walk with him. I was
groggy from the painkillers, and I didn t feel like walking. I told him to come back when my mom was
here, but he d insisted that I go with him now. That it was very important. I was just getting out of bed
when my mom came back.
Where are you going? she asked me. You re not supposed to get up.
On a walk, I said. He said I had to go with him.
He? she asked.
The man, I said, but when I looked up, she and I were alone in the room. The man was gone.
My mom had totally freaked out in her overprotective way. My nurse tried to reassure her that no one
had been in my room while she was out, and that the medication I was on was known to cause
hallucinations. I didn t really see what the big deal was at the time, but after that, my mom used to
drill it into me that if I ever encountered something strange or dangerous, or if someone ever tried to
get me to go somewhere with him, I should run away and find someone trustworthy to tell. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]