Spirit by J. P. Hightman

Author:J. P. Hightman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2008-10-07T04:00:00+00:00

Outside, many of the survivors were gathered on the snow. They seemed to fear returning to the damaged cars. Some were shaking from the cold, others were passing blankets in a long line to those too injured to be moved from their train cars.

Sattler brought new clothes for Tobias, peeled from a dead man. Tobias took them with macabre amusement. Dressed in a dry suit, he emerged from the car caboose, lifting Tess gallantly to the ground, while other women noted this gentlemanly act as if it were a reminder civilization could exist even here. The couple joined the large group of survivors who were standing, numb and silent, beside the tracks. With the urgent wounds of the injured dressed as well as possible, it was clear the early work was over. No one knew what to do now.

Wilder remained at the edge of the battered camp, vigilant, his eyes on the woods.

No one had yet found the couple Tess referred to as the Tawdrys. Perhaps they had gone back into one of the train cars or had wandered into the woods and collapsed from their injuries. Tess felt guilty for judging them earlier.

A small group stood together at the rear of the train comprised of the college boys and some other travelers. The Goodravens completed the circle. Gil, whose birthmark looked like war paint in the bright white surroundings, glanced at Tobias and broke the silence. “You’re lucky. There are a lot of dead here, unh? Johnson. Hargreave. Mr. Halfstead’s gone. Cut in two.”

Tobias looked gravely at the milky sky. “Imagine the chances,” he said. “His name was Halfstead, for God’s sake.”

Gil glanced over. “What’s that? Sir, have you something to say?”

Tobias drew a long breath. “We can’t stay here long,” he said. “We need to be moving. There’s little chance for some of these people.”

“Hey now, fellow, we’re going to be just fine,” Gil answered sharply. “We’re going to pull together. By the end of it, people are going to tell stories about how courageous we all were, and how we never lost faith in…faith in our God or ourselves.”

Tobias looked to the group. “Anyone else feel that optimistic?”

Who could fail to love him, thought Tess.

“No one is coming,” a woman muttered. “It’s nearly noon now, more than two hours since the accident. When the train didn’t arrive, there should have been alarms sounded, wires sent out. What is going on in town? There is telephone service already in Salem and Blackthorne—why isn’t there any help coming…?”

Ned looked at Sattler. “Exposure like this, I mean to say…the cold…it can affect what you see, right?” Sattler nodded, uncertain.

“A rescue party’s been sent out by now, I’m sure of it,” a man was saying.

Everyone was speaking at once.

“The storm is getting worse, it could be holding them up.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Why else would they be staying back?”

A woman, wild-eyed, unsteady, moved toward the group. “I think we need to go right now, go and get help.”

Tobias looked down the tracks. “How far are we from the carnival?”

“Oh, I don’t know.

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.