Strange Exit by Parker Peevyhouse

Author:Parker Peevyhouse
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

15

TAREN

Taren darted after Lake and Willow, into a shadowed alcove. The pattering of falling dust and rubble filled the space as the alcove slowly deepened into a shallow hallway.

“What’s wrong?” Taren asked.

“We saw someone we know,” Willow said. “They’re holding him prisoner.”

Taren looked to Lake. The hallway went on widening behind her, so that it seemed she was being swallowed by shadow and stone. “We have to get him out of here,” she said, “before we try to close the pocket.”

What? Taren had come to wake the dreamer. This was only a distraction. And anyway, it didn’t make sense. “He’s someone you know from the ship?”

“From the sim,” Lake said. “He’s a sleeper.”

“The deepest sleeper,” Willow said.

Taren dodged a fall of dust. “What does that mean?”

“He knows he’s in a simulation,” Lake explained, “but he still can’t leave it, no matter how hard he tries.”

That didn’t really clear things up. I just want to get on with finding the dreamer.

“If we close the pocket while he’s inside,” Lake went on, “I don’t know what’ll happen to him.”

“He knows he’s in a simulation but he can’t get out?” Taren said. “That doesn’t make sense. Are you sure there isn’t something else going on with him?”

Lake rubbed a hand over her face. Behind her head, an intricate pattern etched itself into the rock wall of the hallway. “We just need to get him out of here.”

There’s something she isn’t telling me.

As usual.

“What’s he even doing here?” Taren asked. “He wanted to join the Battery club?”

“Ransom’s more of a loner,” Willow said. “He’s a bit of a grouch.”

Taren shook his head. “I don’t get it—he just showed up here for no reason?”

“I don’t know why he’s here,” Lake said, an edge to her voice. “We just have to get him out.”

Taren gritted his teeth. He didn’t understand any of this. But Lake was hunched with misery, the gloom of the hallway a dark cloak around her.

He took a deep breath. “I’ll go tell his guards I vouch for him. Maybe they know Ajay.”

Lake straightened, a hopeful glow in her eyes. It was almost enough to counter Taren’s frustration. Almost. “His name’s Ransom,” she said.

Taren nodded. Then he left the hallway before he could change his mind.

Ransom looked up as Taren stepped into the doorway. The two guards went on balancing carved-stone dominos on a table of stacked crates.

“Looks like my friend showed up before I could get here,” Taren said to the guards, nodding at Ransom. “Sorry about the mix-up. I can vouch for him.”

Ransom stared, the torchlight gleaming in his eyes.

Just play along. Taren tried to say it with a look.

One of the guards glanced up, gave Taren a smirk. “It’s a little late for that.”

“He was asking a lot of interesting questions,” the other guard said. “I think we’re past vouching.”

“So he’s curious about his new hangout.” Taren forced a smile that neither guard returned. “Who wouldn’t be?”

The first guard plunked down another domino. “We’re taking him to Eden as soon as we finish our game.

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.