Lost Time by Stuart Jaffe

Author:Stuart Jaffe [Jaffe, Stuart]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ficção Científica E Fantasia, Terror, Fantasia, Contemporâneo, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary fantasy, multiverse
ISBN: 9781393451174
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Stuart Jaffe
Published: 2020-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Twice, Lawrence rushed far enough ahead that Roni worried they would lose him. He picked up speed with every step, calling back in growing excitement — just up ahead! just around this turn! almost there!

The last time proved to be true. Roni felt the change in the air first. A shift into warmth like a perfect spring morning. She could practically smell the flowers and fresh dew.

Gully insisted on walking beside her to make sure none of her injuries worsened. He refused to understand her explanation on how bruising worked. But he slowed a couple steps behind, mesmerized by the wonderful aroma. It occurred to Roni that most every sensation would be a new one for the golem. At least, this one was pleasant.

Turning a sharp right in the dark tunnel, Elliot halted. Bright yellows, ambers, and reds danced across his gawking face.

“What is it?” Roni said, ducking under his arm.

Then she froze, too.

The tunnel opened into a vast space surrounded by stalactite and stalagmite teeth. However, before all else, Roni saw the books. They floated like balloons trying to escape, but chains attached to their spines extended downward, burying into stalagmites, heavy stones, and in some cases, the ground. The books strained against these chains, creating strange chimes that blended with the wet drips echoing throughout the cavern. Most of the books had spread open, and an array of colors burst upward. Violet, periwinkle, emerald, ruby, amber, brass, rust, silver, gold — the makers of crayons could spend a lifetime naming all the colors, their light playing against the ceiling in a dazzling display.

The air smelled fresh. Nothing strange about that in the caverns — even regular caverns throughout the world smelled of Nature-washed stone and fresh moss. But this cave had a fresher aroma. Each breath cleared out Roni’s lungs and reawakened her senses. It acted opposite to a drug trip — instead of fogging one’s brain into euphoria, the caverns cleared the mind to create an experience of greater sensitivity.

With his hands clasped on his head, Lawrence spun and danced and jumped around. “I told you,” he said, laughing the words. “I told you I knew the way. Look at this place.”

Regaining his senses, Elliot said, “We should not let him get too far ahead of us.”

Roni managed a nod and moved further in. It was difficult to watch where she walked when her eyes continuously wanted to gaze upward. She noticed several books had chains that wrapped around the covers to prevent them from opening. Those books she understood — ones that might depressurize the room or open a pathway for horrible things to enter this space. But these others ...

“Are all of these books like the ones we deal with?” she asked.

“Yes and no,” Elliot said. “From what I’ve read and from what Sully has told me, these are entrances into other universes, only in a sense, but each one is a trapped memory or a moment of history.”

“Are you saying these are the

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.