Nil Unlocked by Matson Lynne

Author:Matson, Lynne [Matson, Lynne]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781627794848
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Published: 2015-05-12T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

34

SKYE

DAY 4, MID-MORNING

Christmas in the islands was not at all I what I’d expected.

I had the blue sky and gorgeous beaches, the freshest fish I could ask for, plenty of downtime, and if I was honest, I had hot guys in skimpy island shorts that made me shiver at weird and unexpected moments. And I had people getting mauled by invisible predators and disappearing into thin air.

Merry deadly Christmas.

If Nil didn’t like thieves, I was in big trouble.

I hoped that wasn’t Nil truth number one.

I watched Rives paddle out, diving under the breaking waves like a pro. I didn’t know how to surf, and right now I hoped I wouldn’t stay long enough to learn. Noon would show up soon, maybe bringing a gate, maybe not. But midnight would show up eventually, too. I wasn’t so naïve as to think the stationary gate appeared every night at midnight; that would be too easy. But if there was a pattern to the rolling gates, why couldn’t there be a pattern to the stationary gates, too? And I wouldn’t find it sitting here on the sand, watching Rives surf.

My frustration with Rives grew.

Archie’s freak death made me want to find that elusive outbound right now. To not waste another single second, let alone a day. Not waste time goofing off in the ocean when we had a chance at a City-wide escape, here on land.

Rives pulled up and sat on his board. He faced the horizon, his board drifting, his body still. He made no attempt to catch a wave or come back to land, and he sure wouldn’t find the stationary gate at sea.

Why didn’t Rives feel the same urgency to find it as I did?

And how long did he expect me to keep the stationary gate a secret?

No more, I thought. He’d had a day. Twenty-four hours, which on Nil was a lifetime. Rives basically said so himself. Births, deaths. Arrivals, departures.

It all could happen—and did happen—in one day.

Rives had had his chance. Instead, he chose to surf.

It was time to make a new plan. My plan, which did not involve piddling the day away on the water.

I spun around and nearly knocked Macy down.

“Hey,” she said, backing up with her hands raised, smiling. “Most people only move that fast around here when they see a gate.”

“Or a predator,” I said. I didn’t smile. Less than three hours past dawn and a boy was dead.

Macy’s face softened. “True. I’m so sorry for what happened to Archie. Sometimes there are no words, Skye. Sometimes life is cruel.”

I noticed she said “life,” not “Nil.”

Reaching out, Macy pressed something into my hand and squeezed. “It’s small, but Jillian and I just wanted you to know that we’re glad you’re here even though we’re sorry you’re here.” Macy smiled. “Merry Christmas, Skye.”

I opened my palm to find a bracelet. Soft twine held a cluster of three small white shells, each unique in shape, none perfect, yet totally perfect for the day. Simple and gorgeous.

Pressure squeezed my chest like an invisible gate.

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