Read Online A Diamond in My Pocket by Lorena Angell - Free Book Online Page A

can go anywhere. What made the journey
pleasant was the fact that I couldn’t talk or read lips while running. I didn’t
hear any snide remarks or degrading comments as we wove our way toward the
destination with the other members of our team following closely behind until
we arrived.
    We sat on uncomfortable
contemporary style arm chairs with a short table holding magazines in front of
us. I noted they were normal ones; the type I would have read only last week. The
sign on the door said: Harold Bates, Master Gemologist. I deduced from the kind
of reading material set out that Mr. Bates was a regular, normal guy.
    The woman who sat at the front desk
held a nail file and gnawed down her long and elegantly colored nails. The
sound reminded me of Velcro being pulled apart over and over. The secretary was
pretty, very well put together, yet probably close to fifty years old. If
only everyone’s appearance could be as favorable when they reached her age.
    “Send in the fastest,” a male voice
sounded over the speaker at the secretary’s desk. She glanced in our direction
and Chris stood and walked gracefully to the door and entered the office. I
felt a whoosh of air and turned my head to find the secretary standing beside
us.
    Before I could even voice amazement
at her speed, she spoke to Justin, “The task at hand is the delivery of the Sanguine
Diamond to the Death Clan.” She extended her hands cupped together which held a
huge diamond about the size of a small orange, “They are holding hostages from
every clan and this stone is what they’ve demanded to gain their release. This
must be delivered by the best of the Runners’ Clan.” Justin wiggled nervously
in his chair. “You must take this, Justin.”
    “No! I’m not the best, Chris is.”
    “You know he’s not,” she insisted.
    “He’s the fastest.”
    “He’s not.”
    “What makes you think that?” Justin
asked. The flash of trepidation in Justin’s eye made me wonder what was behind
his question. Was he asking ‘why are you assuming I’m the fastest’, or ‘how did
you know?’”
    “Will you carry the diamond,
Justin?” she pressed.
    “No!”
    She turned to me, “Will you carry
the diamond, Calli?”
    I coughed and sputtered my protest
while Justin’s eyes bore holes through me, “I’m definitely not the best, in
fact far from it.” And who told her our names?
    “Being the fastest doesn’t mean
you’re the best.” The woman pulled a chair closer to me and sat down.
    “Are you going to tell me being the
slowest does?” I asked quietly.
    “Will you be the carrier of this
diamond?”
    “I don’t—”
    “She can’t, look at her! She’s a
muck!” Justin pointed at me in outrage.
    “Silence,” the woman flicked her
finger toward him and he shut right up and seemed to freeze in place and then
she turned to me, “Calli, you are here for a reason. You are different from the
others and it is you who must carry the stone.”
    “Why not Chris?”
    “He’s not to be trusted.”
    “Justin?”
    “Same.”
    “Me? Surely one of the twelve
outside would be better.”
    “No, this task will be carried out
by you or no one. I’ve watched you for some time now and you are the carrier.”
    “Well, then why did you make the
offer to Justin first?”
    “I wanted you to witness his inner
weaknesses, his insecurity and doubt. Remember this moment in the days to
follow, and never forget that, yes, he is faster than you, but you are stronger
than him in more ways than one.”
    “What do you mean you’ve watched me
for some time?”
    She handed me the magnificent
diamond, “You will understand all answers in due time. Take a long look child,
as you won’t lay eyes on the diamond again till the delivery.”
    I held the stone with both of my
hands together. I reverently studied the intense fire of the facets as they
reflected the light. On one of the facets, I saw a word etched near the bottom
point; Sanguine.
    “What does Sanguine