Doors of Gold and Rust by A.N. Willis

Author:A.N. Willis [Willis, A.N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Observatory Books

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Wet snow streaked across Evelyn’s window. All day, she watched Byrne House for some sign. A break in the weather. A light in the second floor window that was serving as Alex’s room.

Nothing.

The darkened skies of the day blurred into night, though still she hardly slept. She tossed and turned, replaying every mistake she’d made the past few days, every wrong turn. Her phone buzzed with messages, but none from the two people she might’ve responded to. Her dad called, saying he’d made it home to Baltimore. Eventually, Viv forced Evelyn out of her room. She ate, showered, managed to sleep. Her mom hadn’t mentioned punishment again. Apparently she thought Evelyn’s self-imposed exile was punishment enough.

Two days passed in a blur.

Up in her room again, she went back to her post by the window. The snow had let up, and a few meager rays of sun found their way through the clouds. She wanted to charge over to Byrne House demanding answers from anyone and everyone she met. But she was afraid of what she’d find when she got there.

What if Alex was already gone?

She checked her phone again. Daniella still hadn’t written back. Evelyn hadn’t texted again, but inside, she was begging to see Daniella turn up at her door. I don’t care anymore what she wants, Evelyn thought. Just as long as she can bring him back.

New clouds were rolling in, thick and grey, from the west. It looked like it would snow again soon, unless the wind decided to change and carry the storm around them. Either way, it didn’t matter. All she could do was wait and hope.

Day shifted into night again, and still she waited by the window, stiff and cold. Her forehead was resting against the frigid glass. Her breath made circles that grew and receded. Vivian had long since said goodnight. Evelyn was about to give up and try to sleep.

Then she saw movement. Someone was coming out of the mansion.

The figure crossed the lawn. Opened the Byrne House gate. His heavy coat obscured his outline, and a duffle bag dangled by the straps from one hand. He passed through a circle of snow-filled light under a street lamp, and his profile emerged.

Her heart danced. It was him.

As he walked along the sidewalk, he looked up at Evelyn’s window. She watched him approach like she’d watched him cross the park a few days earlier—when he’d unexpectedly returned to Castle Heights and she’d thought he was only a vision—and he seemed as far away as he did then. She couldn’t quite make herself believe he was really almost here, coming back to her.

Alex kept walking straight on until he reached the intersection. Then he crossed the street diagonally, toward Evelyn’s house.

Quickly, she pushed up the sash of her window. Snowflakes blew into her room. She leaned out onto the small porch roof that extended beneath her window.

He stopped beneath the tree, staring up at her.

“Wait,” she said, raising her voice only as much as she dared.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.