Summer Wishes by Kailin Gow

Author:Kailin Gow
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: theEDGEbooks.com
Published: 2011-06-29T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

“Help me get him off this slab,” Jocelyn said.

Matthew came around to stand next to her and grabbed Jacob’s upper torso while Jocelyn took hold of his lower extremities.

“On three.” Jocelyn steadied her grip. “One, two, three.” With all her might, she pulled at Jacob, her effort mirrored in the tension she saw in Matthew’s grip. Jacob didn’t budge.

“He weighs a ton.” Matthew wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

Jacob scanned Jocelyn’s face, a hint of recognition flashing in his pupils, a hint of understanding.

“You’ll have to help us, Jacob.” She put her hand to his shoulder, the cold metal instantly reminding her how little of her brother actually remained. Her gaze dipped to her fingers against the hard steel and she quickly moved them up to touch the warmth of his cheek. “Can you push yourself up and sit?”

The heavy metal of his torso grated and clattered as he moved. His motions were awkward at first, his arms not quite following the orders his brain gave. When he finally sat up, Matthew and Jocelyn grabbed his torso and twisted him around. The long appendage that served as his legs dangled over the edge of the slab.

“Come down,” Jocelyn ordered.

“In a move that came more easily to him than the last, Jacob pushed his heavy weight off the slab and landed on the hard tile with a loud clang. After wobbling precariously a moment, he found his balance and steadied himself.

“Okay,” Matthew said. “Now comes the tricky part. How do we get him in the barrel?”

Jocelyn looked at Jacob, confident in his capacity to understand and obey. Though the effect of this new transformation left him distant, he seemed to quickly adapt to his new limbs and their function.

“Get in the barrel,” she said.

The large wheels at the base of his legs turned and swiveled and brought him to the barrel. Extending his hydraulic arms out, he clamped down on the edge of the barrel and swung the trunk of his body inside.

Jocelyn smiled, pleased with the simplicity of his actions. Even in this condition her brother showed his capacity to do anything, master everything.

“You have to scoot down so no one can see you.”

Once again, understanding flashed in his eyes. In an instant he disappeared into the barrel. Jocelyn grabbed the garbage bag from a nearby bin, tied it up and tossed it over Jacob. “Ready to go,” she told Matthew.

They wheeled him out into the flaring light of the hall. An acute beep echoed in the silence.

“What was that?” Matthew asked.

Jocelyn peered inside the barrel. A red light flashed on and off at Jacob’s abdomen. “I don’t know. It’s like he’s just been activated.”

Matthew hurried to push the buggy to the elevator. The doors slip apart the moment he pressed the button and Jocelyn let her breath seep out at finding it empty. Once inside, Jacob beeped again.

“I don’t like it,” Matthew said.

“I know,” Jocelyn said as she looked up at the numbers that lit up on their way down.

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