Mindquake by Nissa Harlow

Author:Nissa Harlow [Harlow, Nissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nimble Hope Publishing

6

In Which a Flash Foretells Disaster

As if in silent agreement, we walk back to the front of the station. Instead of heading for the platform, though, we step onto the tracks and start to walk. I guess we both have the same idea. This is probably the most direct route to Everlea Bend. And there won’t be a train sneaking up behind us, if the stationmaster is to be believed. The only thing we really have to worry about is the train making the return trip . . . but we’ll be able to see that one coming.

When we go around the first bend, it’s like walking into another world. Out of sight of the station, it’s so . . . still. Sure, there are birds and whatnot in the trees around us, but the isolation is almost making my skin crawl. The iron rails on either side of our path are the only sign that the world isn’t completely uninhabited. I tilt my head back and look up into the clear blue sky, taking a deep breath while I do so. Aside from a slight whiff of creosote from the railway ties, I can’t really smell much else.

“We going to talk?” Lincoln asks. I glance sideways at him.

“Depends.”

He shakes his head. “We’ll talk about whatever you want to talk about. Whatever you want to know. Just ask.”

“You haven’t exactly been forthcoming up to this point. Now you want to talk?”

He gives a quick nod, then focuses on the railway ties under his boots. “You’re not enjoying yourself.”

“No kidding. This is boring.”

“Boring?”

“Yes, boring,” I repeat, because I kind of can’t believe the puzzlement in his tone of voice. “All we’ve done is walk through the woods, get dressed in some really uncomfortable clothes, and miss a train.”

“My clothes aren’t uncomfortable.”

I come to a stop, my hiking boots scuffing on the wooden tie beneath them. “Are you serious? What’s the matter with you?”

He sighs heavily and stops a few feet away before turning back to me. “I’m sorry, Sadie. This isn’t going the way I thought it would.”

“Maybe because I don’t want to be here at all! Nobody ever asked me if I wanted this. And now you won’t even tell me how to get out of it.”

“I can if you want me to.”

“Hello? Yes, I want you to tell me!”

“Okay.” He sounds a bit sheepish. I realize that the confidence he usually has is gone, blown out and away like the air from a deflated balloon.

“Okay.” I fold my arms across my chest. It almost feels like hugging a rigid robot, what with the corset and all. “So? How does this end?”

“There are three ways to end a Reverie,” he says, turning and starting to walk down the tracks again. I don’t see why we can’t just have this conversation here, but it’s not worth arguing about. The more I can keep him talking, the sooner I can find a way out of this; being a little farther along the track isn’t going to matter.

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.