Dissidence by Jamie Canosa

Author:Jamie Canosa [Canosa, Jamie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prose by Design
Published: 2012-11-25T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Peter and I pack a couple of satchels that we scrounged up from the guard’s quarters with some food and bottles of water. It will be a real luxury to actually have supplies for this trip. The only thing we really had going for us when it was me and Connor hiking out of a work camp was the weather, minus that one nasty rainstorm. Now, it feels like we’re walking through a freaking furnace. Half my water bottle is already gone by the time we stop for the night, and Peter’s shirt is clinging to each of the muscles in his shoulders and back, which I haven’t been able to stop staring at for the past three hours.

“You want to camp here?” Peter turns around, and I glance away just in time to avoid being caught gawking at him. “I could use a break, and it’ll be dark soon.”

“Looks exactly like every other piece of ground we’ve covered so far today, so why not?”

“Good. I’m starved.” Peter roots around in his bag for a minute before producing two granola bars and tossing one at me.

“Where did you score these?” It feels like my birthday all over again. A granola bar has never looked so much like a piece of chocolate cake.

“One of the cabinets in the guard’s quarters. There weren’t many left, so enjoy it.” Peter laughs as I indulge in what I’m sure could be classified as the overreaction of the century, savoring every single bite and blatantly moaning over each chocolate chip that touches my tongue.

When I’ve licked the last traces of chocolate from my fingers—which is way too soon if you ask me—we get ready to bed down. Without the metal roof and walls of the dormitory, it actually gets pretty chilly out here at night. Peter had the forethought to pack a blanket. I, shockingly, did not. Luckily, his mother taught him how to share.

After I clear away any rocks I can see in the fading light, Peter spreads out the blanket. He crawls into the center, and then motions for me to do the same. Clearly the awkwardness of the situation is lost on him because when I hesitate, he just tugs me down beside him. Then, he wraps the blanket around the both of us, sleeping bag style. I tuck the side of the blanket beneath me to make a sort of little cocoon for the two of us, and I notice the weight of Peter’s arm still slung across my waist, his chest warm against my back.

“Thanks so much for volunteering me for this little trip,” I complain as I shift positions for about the millionth time since lying down.

“No problem. I figured at least two of us should go, and if you think for one second that I’m letting you out of my sight again, then you really have lost your mind.” I’m still trying to decide if I should be insulted when he continues. “Every time you’re left to your own devices, disaster strikes.

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.