Imperfect Creatures by Thomas J. Maine

Author:Thomas J. Maine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas J. Maine

Chapter 23

“Hey, kid! Wake up!”

Muffled by the snow, the cold, and his exhaustion, the sound was but incoherent noise. His jaw was locked in place, his eyelids frozen shut. It didn’t take long for the darkness of unconsciousness to return.

There was no telling how long it had been when the boy at last began to wake. It wasn’t cold anymore. There was something heavy wrapped around him. His clothes were gone too. As was the silver man’s voice. When he managed to open his eyes, he woke to a room he had never seen before.

The heat faded the moment he pushed back the blanket. Even then, the air was only cool on his bare skin, like a fire was burning close by. Wrapping himself in the blanket, he pushed open the door. It swung with just the touch of his hand, opening into another room. The floor was soft on his feet, embracing every step. The room was long and thin with doors on every side. The one at the end was half open, and there were sounds gushing out.

Another room waited beyond. There was a board on the wall, the image it showed constantly changing. Two people sat in the room, both of them big and tall, but he’d ever seen either of them. Their hair was smooth, with no strands standing out. They saw him and spoke. “Well, look who finally woke up.”

Pushing through the door, he stepped into the room, looking around. The moving picture had been replaced with black. There were gaps in the walls, but they didn’t look like the ones up high—they looked purposeful, and there was a slight gleam, like something invisible was there. “I never expected to find a kid out in the snow, let alone for him to still be alive. Are you all right? Do you know where your parents are?”

He didn’t answer. He just kept looking down, croaking his own question. “Wolf hide?”

This time the other man answered. “Your clothes were soaked. We had to get them off you. They are in that room just there. They should probably be dry by now.”

The boy turned to where the man pointed and immediately started in that direction. “Hey, kid, slow down, okay? My name is Harold, and this is my house. I called a doctor to take a look at you, but he will be a while. There will also be an officer soon. He will help you find your family. So, I guess I want to ask you where you came from.”

Pausing, the boy gave a single word. “Up.”

Harold shook his head. “Up? There are no more properties on this side of the Alps.”

He just said it again. “Up.” The man swore. And the boy recoiled. “Up mountain. Near top.”

“I told you, kid, there is nothing up there.”

Speaking up, the other man said, “I mean, there might be. We don’t know that for sure.”

“Oh, not you too.”

“I’m just saying. No one who has gone that high has ever come back.

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