Glitch by Brenda Pandos

Author:Brenda Pandos [Pandos, Brenda]
Language: eng
Format: epub

~~|~~

After a few hours, we arrived at a road that stretched out of sight in both directions. Not a soul was in sight.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“I shouldn’t say,” he said plainly. “Sorry, Sugar.”

I clamped my lips shut. After everything, he still treated me like a spy.

Memphis wrangled Cactus to the left. His hooves clopped against the aging asphalt where weeds had sprung through cracks. Up ahead were rows of trees—an orchard. After an hour, of passing farm after farm, Memphis turned down the dirt driveway. Up ahead stood an aging farmhouse and decrepit barn

“We’re almost here,” Memphis announced.

I scanned the perimeter. If there was a security gate or lookout, I never saw one. Where was everyone?

Memphis pulled into the barn and stopped. Dusty cobwebs hung in sheets from the dingy corners. Holes littered the walls where boards had long past fallen and vines had sprung in their place. The only thing remotely nice was a fresh pile of hay with an abandoned pitchfork in the corner.

“This is home?”

“Yup.” Memphis jumped from the wagon and unhitched Cactus. Once he’d removed the horse’s bridle and harness, he tossed a pile of hay in the pasture and let him have at it.

Then he moved to the wall and tugged on the corner. A hidden compartment hid hooks and various horse tack. Once he put Cactus’ things away, he turned to me with a quizzical frown.

“You need help down? Or are you going to stare at me all day?”

I blinked at him, astonished by the secret compartment. “Why is that hidden like that?”

An easy-going grin crept on his lips. “Well, we can’t let anyone know we’re here, can we?” He pointed upward, reminding me of the satellites.

“But we’re inside and as far as I know, they can’t look through walls.”

He shrugged. “The EA could always decide to visit.”

I absent-mindedly rubbed my bare wrist. No one in Brighton would ever speak their disdain so freely. Somehow, though I knew it wasn’t possible, I still felt they were listening, like this was still a test of my loyalty.

Out in the pasture, three other horses I hadn’t noticed joined in on the hay feast. Memphis moved to the doorway and motioned I follow. I removed my acorn-water compress and climbed down, clutching it between my fingers. Under a covered walkway, we left the barn and entered the house through a side door. Dust and grime covered the trash littered kitchen, as if a tornado blew through and no one had bothered to clean up.

“Wow,” I said as a bird fluttered out a broken window. “What happened?”

Memphis put his fingertip to his lips. He led me around the corner and flipped on a light. Stairs led downward to a basement. He turned, and pulled out a strip of cloth.

“I need to… you know,” he whispered.

I knew what he meant and allowed him to cover my eyes. His fingers gripped mine and he led me slowly down each step. The air changed from a balmy heat to a wet chill.

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