Read Online 29:16:04:59 by Joshua Johnson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Joshua Johnson
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said.
“It has been,” I replied, trying to sound friendly.
“Well, let’s get you off this bridge, what do ya say?” He smiled again. Without wasting a moment he took off marching, though he kept turning back to make sure I was steady and upright. “They call me glasses. Don’t suppose you can guess why?” He laughed, turning back, and tilting his sunglasses up and down. “Never had the luxury of knowing my name. Never really cared, though, I suppose. What’s to a name anyway? It’s just sounds that relate us to a formality, right?”
“I guess so.” We reached the end of the bridge. The others watched on in silence. They didn’t bear grins like Glasses. They held crooked smirks, frowns, crossed arms, and disapproving glares. They weren’t used to people crossing their bridge.
What was my intent? Who was this stranger? In a city with so few of us left, a stranger wasn’t something you saw every day. Did one of them know me? Would they point me out, and shove me through the gap in the highway?
“Hard to believe you’re here. Thought maybe you had turned, or worse. Glad to know you hadn’t,” Glasses exclaimed as he set his boots on concrete. He didn’t move out of the way as I reached him, instead he leaned in close and whispered, “You’re Will for now. Eyes on the ground and keep them there.” I followed his advice, clinging close to his side with my head turned down.
“Look here, folks! Will has had quite an ordeal, and not one of you will speak to him until he’s back to normal! In fact, let’s do this. You three…” Glasses said and pointed at more than half his group. “Run over to my place and get me some clothes for our friend. I dare think he’s pissed himself. Stay together. Watch each other’s backs, and light the flare if you need to.”
There were a few gasps, but without seeing their faces I couldn’t tell how many were disgusted by my supposed urination of my underwear.
“You two will stay with me, but will be my eyes. You know what that means, right?” Glasses asked and nodded, looking for an answer. The other two moved ahead, going to different parts of the area around the highway. The one’s tasked with retrieving clothes sprinted away without a word.
“That will keep everyone busy for a time,” Glasses said. “So, Will, what brings you down to our neck of the woods? Wait, wait I know! You’re here to see IT, aren’t you? Well I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch. I go from thinking you’re dead right back to thinking our hero comes riding in to save the day again.” Glasses chuckled. I tried to sense sarcasm, but found none.
“Ahhhhhh…” I mumbled, dumbfounded.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m just glad you’re all well and good. Oh and how could I forget?” He snapped his fingers. “Olivia! How is that sweet girl doing?” Glasses’ smile widened. He had somehow remembered us, even though I didn’t have a clue who he was. Yet he was able to describe us in brilliant detail, right down to how Olivia had two different shades of blue eyes.
“Bold as ever,” I remarked. “But safe, out of harm’s way.”
“Good. No reason to get her involved in all of this. It’s been getting worse down here, you know. More are turning every day. Our food supplies are holding well, and water’s still flowing from that well, but that doesn’t exactly matter if we all turn twenty six anyway.” Glasses turned his face upwards, the sunlight bouncing off his shades.
“What about the barrier …” I cut short, worried about how exactly I would phrase the question. The barrier and the turnings hung on my tongue, but I held back. It felt like eyes were watching and ears was listening,
“It has been,” I replied, trying to sound friendly.
“Well, let’s get you off this bridge, what do ya say?” He smiled again. Without wasting a moment he took off marching, though he kept turning back to make sure I was steady and upright. “They call me glasses. Don’t suppose you can guess why?” He laughed, turning back, and tilting his sunglasses up and down. “Never had the luxury of knowing my name. Never really cared, though, I suppose. What’s to a name anyway? It’s just sounds that relate us to a formality, right?”
“I guess so.” We reached the end of the bridge. The others watched on in silence. They didn’t bear grins like Glasses. They held crooked smirks, frowns, crossed arms, and disapproving glares. They weren’t used to people crossing their bridge.
What was my intent? Who was this stranger? In a city with so few of us left, a stranger wasn’t something you saw every day. Did one of them know me? Would they point me out, and shove me through the gap in the highway?
“Hard to believe you’re here. Thought maybe you had turned, or worse. Glad to know you hadn’t,” Glasses exclaimed as he set his boots on concrete. He didn’t move out of the way as I reached him, instead he leaned in close and whispered, “You’re Will for now. Eyes on the ground and keep them there.” I followed his advice, clinging close to his side with my head turned down.
“Look here, folks! Will has had quite an ordeal, and not one of you will speak to him until he’s back to normal! In fact, let’s do this. You three…” Glasses said and pointed at more than half his group. “Run over to my place and get me some clothes for our friend. I dare think he’s pissed himself. Stay together. Watch each other’s backs, and light the flare if you need to.”
There were a few gasps, but without seeing their faces I couldn’t tell how many were disgusted by my supposed urination of my underwear.
“You two will stay with me, but will be my eyes. You know what that means, right?” Glasses asked and nodded, looking for an answer. The other two moved ahead, going to different parts of the area around the highway. The one’s tasked with retrieving clothes sprinted away without a word.
“That will keep everyone busy for a time,” Glasses said. “So, Will, what brings you down to our neck of the woods? Wait, wait I know! You’re here to see IT, aren’t you? Well I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch. I go from thinking you’re dead right back to thinking our hero comes riding in to save the day again.” Glasses chuckled. I tried to sense sarcasm, but found none.
“Ahhhhhh…” I mumbled, dumbfounded.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m just glad you’re all well and good. Oh and how could I forget?” He snapped his fingers. “Olivia! How is that sweet girl doing?” Glasses’ smile widened. He had somehow remembered us, even though I didn’t have a clue who he was. Yet he was able to describe us in brilliant detail, right down to how Olivia had two different shades of blue eyes.
“Bold as ever,” I remarked. “But safe, out of harm’s way.”
“Good. No reason to get her involved in all of this. It’s been getting worse down here, you know. More are turning every day. Our food supplies are holding well, and water’s still flowing from that well, but that doesn’t exactly matter if we all turn twenty six anyway.” Glasses turned his face upwards, the sunlight bouncing off his shades.
“What about the barrier …” I cut short, worried about how exactly I would phrase the question. The barrier and the turnings hung on my tongue, but I held back. It felt like eyes were watching and ears was listening,
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