The Rising Tide by J. Scott Coatsworth

Author:J. Scott Coatsworth [Coatsworth, J. Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction
ISBN: 978-1-64080-627-6
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2018-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight: Shapes, Dimly Seen

MARISSA KNELT next to her father to check his pulse. He was breathing shallowly, and his heart beat steadily. “He’s okay.” She smiled at Eddy. “I’m so glad to see you here.”

Eddy nodded. “Andy let us know you’d flown the coop.”

“The coop?”

“Old idiom. Never mind. Just a sec.” He tapped his loop, and his eyes went unfocused for a moment. When they focused again, he grimaced. “She had some… choice words for you three, but she’s happy you’re okay.”

“So the loops are still working?”

“The range is reduced, but yes.”

The farmer looked down at Jayson. “Is he dangerous?”

“He can be.” Eddy wondered where the man had been all this time. “I’m Eddy Tremaine, sheriff for this side of the mountains, and this is Santiago Ortiz, my deputy.”

“I’m Sven Olaf, and this is my wife, Sandra.”

“Nice to officially meet you.”

“I’m Marissa, and these are my schoolmates, Danny and Delancy.” Sven and Sandra shook their hands.

“Schoolmates?” Sandra looked back and forth from one to the other.

“Yes, we’re from the schoolhouse, up there in the mountains.”

“Ah.”

“Can we get this man secured somewhere?” Eddy asked, looking around the property.

“Matthew!” Sven called.

A young kid, maybe sixteen or seventeen, with dark hair and brown eyes, appeared from behind the barn. “Yeah?”

He was cute. And those muscles…. Marissa didn’t like to think that she cared about such things, but still….

“Matt here is staying with us on an internship, learning all about farming. Of course, we’re learning too.” Sven smiled. “Back on Earth, I was a professor of physics in Stockholm, and Sandra ran an NGO helping resettle displaced climate refugees.”

Marissa whistled and upped her opinion of the woman substantially.

“Matt, help me carry this man inside, and then grab some rope from the barn.”

They took the man into the house and soon had him lying comfortably on a bed in Matt’s room. Sven tied his arms and legs securely to the four posts. “These last few days, he’s been out in the barn.” Sven shook his head. “We had no idea he was dangerous. What did he do?”

Marissa and Eddy exchanged a glance.

“He hurt many people,” Eddy said after a moment.

Marissa nodded. No need for them to know all the gory details. “He wasn’t really himself.”

That earned her a sharp look from Eddy. “We can’t do much with him until he wakes up.”

“Why don’t you all join us for dinner?” Sandra offered. “You must be hungry after so much time on the road.”

Marissa grinned. “Yes, we’re hungry.” A little bit of normalcy would be really welcome now.

Danny and Delancy grinned. “Starving. Thanks.”

They stabled their horses in the barn, and Sandra led them inside the farmhouse. The Olafs had a small place, built by hand from one of the farmhouse kits out of Micavery, Sven told them proudly.

It was sparsely furnished, decorated with handmade crafts.

Their table was too small to accommodate all five of the new arrivals, so Eddy and Santiago stood while they ate. Dinner was simple—some cooked grains and vegetables, a hearty bread, and a small slice of meat.

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.