River: A Novel by Lewis Erin

Author:Lewis, Erin [Lewis, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Erin Lewis
Published: 2014-03-22T00:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

Asher swept me into the cold, closing the door in the same motion. Apparently, I had been standing still a beat too long, and he was afraid I would give away the hiding spot of the secret entrance, which upon a glance was the wall to a nondescript building. I stumbled out and caught up with him. He was already crossing the tram line, and I wasn’t sure where we were. Skeletal trees and scrubby bushes decorated the landscape. It was beyond freezing. My teeth began chattering before we’d walked five minutes. I hunched into myself and shoved my hands deep into the pockets of my coat. All feelings of the warm room where Gwen had sung were replaced with icy lungs and shooting pain when I breathed.

Asher walked fast, and I tried to keep up. After a short time, I looked around, wincing from the stiffness in my neck. We were not in the area where River Elodie lived. This was on the other side of town, Dan’s neighborhood. Asher had actually listened to me and complied. I was surprised to say the least.

A short time later, we stood across from Dan’s apartment, in the shadows, of course. The usual doorman was gone; replaced by another I didn’t recognize. This didn’t really concern me, but Asher became rigid and tense.

I waited impatiently, and did not understand what was going on. In becoming wound up tight from the mixture of stress, confusion, and the cold, my whole body ached. I stared at the back of Asher’s neck, psychically willing him to turn around. Hiding behind him, the darkest place to be, I could just see Dan’s windows over his shoulder. A light flashed, and I involuntarily grabbed Asher’s coat. I released the fabric just as quickly, though he hadn’t acknowledged my gaffe.

Dan was pacing from room to room—turning lights on and off. Panicking that he’d gone completely mental, I suddenly saw through the haze of strain and worry that there were patterns to his madness. He was coding.

I concentrated on the light show. Danny seemed to be deliberately not looking outside his windows. Just when I thought my neck muscles would pull themselves taut and tear… I got the first word.

D-O-O-R-M-A-N

Asher hadn’t moved at all. When he finally turned to face me, I lost focus. Fervently, I nodded toward the building. Dan needed us. I was ready to go and help. Kick and claw at whomever. Do whatever was needed to get my friend out of there. Before I was able to move, Asher grabbed both my arms with his gloved hands, and I forgot the cold for a microsecond. He shook his head once and stole us into the night.

As he led me through a passage smaller than an alley, I stopped resisting. Evidently, Asher knew something I didn’t. After a couple of blocks, he stopped and peered out to the street ahead. He’d let go of my arm almost immediately when we’d first set out, but hooked my elbow lightly before we entered the sidewalk.

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.