Nil by Lynne Matson

Author:Lynne Matson [Matson, Lynne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Race you back,” he said. “Winner bakes the other a chocolate

chip cookie when we get home.”

“You can bake?” I asked.

“I have hidden talents.” He grinned.

I laughed. I’ll bet you do. “You’re on.”

We lined up beside each other, two track stars toeing an

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invisible line.

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“On your mark,” Thad started, “set . . . go!”

I hung with him until the end, when Thad easily pulled away.

Huffi ng and puffi ng, I jogged up to Thad, who was breathing

hard, hands on his hips. “Did you quit on me?” he asked.

“Did you hold back?’ I shot back.

“Nope. You quit. Or at least you didn’t kick it at the end.” He

laughed as I made a face.

“No way. You’re just fast.”

“Well, we’ll have to work on that. Fast is good on Nil.” Thad’s jaw

hardened despite his smile.

“I’m getting that idea.”

Looking away, Thad pointed. “Perfect timing.”

Up the beach, Heesham and Rives were pounding two wooden

poles into the sand. A net stretched across the middle. Talla held a

green ball; it appeared to be woven from the same green strips I’d

tried to fashion a net from on my second week here, only these strips

were cross- hatched in a tight pattern, forming a ball.

A volleyball.

Heesham cupped his hands. “Court’s ready. If you’re game,

bring it.”

“Is he talking about volleyball?” I asked cautiously. Nothing here

was exactly what it seemed.

Thad nodded. “Yup. Nil style. Be my partner, and I promise to

bake you a full batch of cookies when we get home.” Thad’s dev ilish

grin was back.

“You’re on.”

“Ever played before?’

“A little.” I smiled.

“All right,” Thad nodded. “Let’s bring it.”

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C h a p t e r

2 8

Thad

Day 290, After Noon

“We’re in.” I called.

“You a team?” Rives asked.

As I nodded, Rives took point. “First game,” he announced.

“Charley and Thad against Bart and Talla.”

Talla shot Rives a hard look, then trotted onto the sand, loosen-

ing up her shoulders.

“Hey, Charley,” Bart called. “I’ll take it easy on you, seeing as

you’re new and all.”

“No need,” Charley said. “I’m a big girl.”

“Oh, I know,” Bart said. “What are you, like, seven feet?”

Charley’s cheeks fl ushed. I guessed her height was a sore spot. I

wanted to tell her it just made her sexier, but I left it alone.

“You want to serve?” I asked her.

“All yours.” She stared at Bart. But now her chin was raised, and

her look was calculating, almost dangerous.

I served to open the game. Talla connected, setting up a sweet

shot for Bart, who sliced a weak shot across the net. The ball fell like

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a wounded duck, and Charley spiked it home with the force of an

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Amazon warrior. The ball landed at Bart’s feet, where he yelped

and fell.

Fighting a smile, I turned to Charley. “You play a little?”

Grinning, she pinched her thumb and forefi nger together. “A

little.”

I laughed.

We pounded Bart and Talla. They never scored once. Sy and

Jillian lost too. Jason and Heesham put up the best game, but we still

won handily. Talla had just called for a rematch when the ground

rocked, violently.

“Quake!” I shouted, grabbing Charley’s hand.

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