The Deadly Nightshade by Justine Ashford

Author:Justine Ashford [Ashford, Justine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SJA Books
Published: 2016-05-04T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30

“Nightshade, don’t drag behind! This is the third time I’ve told you today. Stay with the group!”

Stay with the group, Nightshade. Don’t wander off, Nightshade. Be a team player, Nightshade. “Bite me, Nathan,” I mutter under my breath.

The five of us have been tracking a deer Sophia spotted for the past hour with no success, and tensions are running high. This blows. I miss the days when I could wake up at dawn and leave my resting place behind forever, when I could raid abandoned stores and eat fruit preserves out of a can, when I could set up snares and sit and wait for my dinner to catch itself. I miss the days when I had no one to order me around, when I had no responsibilities other than taking care of my own needs. I miss the days when I was on my own.

Deciding there is no point in being difficult, I stop dragging my feet and pick up the pace like I am asked. I happen to catch Claire glaring at me from a few feet ahead, her thin, rodent-like eyes narrowed to slits. She emits an audible sigh, loud enough for me to hear even from where I am. What I wouldn’t give for a chance to wrap that pretty blond hair of hers in my fists again and beat her half to death. You would think the bashing I gave her last week would have been warning enough not to give me attitude, but I suppose some people just don’t learn.

But as much as I want to tear Claire’s hair from her head again, I promised Connor I would try my best not to stir up trouble. We’re already standing on the edge of the precipice after that town meeting; one more step and we’re done for. And while getting thrown out of Sweetbriar might be liberating for me, it would be certain damnation for Connor. I have to do what’s right by him, and if that means keeping my cool around Claire then I guess that is what I will do.

We spend another half hour or so tracking what I am beginning to believe is an imaginary deer, and still we have no luck. I can already tell it’s a dead end, but saying so would just piss everyone off more than they already are. I don’t even know what I am doing out here, to be honest. These people don’t need my help.

Just as I have mentally abandoned this witch hunt, Sophia breaks into an excited whisper, crying, “I think I see it! I see it!” The others hurry over to look at where she is pointing, presenting me with the perfect opportunity to slip away unnoticed. I creep slowly at first, being careful not to draw any attention to myself, but soon I am home free and I am running. My feet slosh through the dank black soil as I glide across the ground, feeling like I can finally breathe for the first time in days.

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.