Read Online A Shadow's Light BK 2 by J.M.Pierce - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J.M.Pierce
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shoulders and shaking him violently.
“Hey!” the figure yelled.
Test’s eyes came into focus and he could see James take a knee in front of him. The truck had come to a stop and Rob was already standing at the tailgate.
“What the hell was that?” asked James.
Confused, Test replied, “What?”
“You just went off to la-la land, dill-weed,” barked Rob.
Test lifted his head and regained his bearings. They were stopped on the dirt road in the middle of the forest, not far from the job site. The morning light was now streaming through the trees, and the shadows danced in and out of the cloud of dust left by the truck as they had driven down the road.
“You gonna be okay?” asked James. “You want me to take you back into town?”
Pushing James away, Test stood to his feet and replied red faced with embarrassment. “I’m fine. Let’s just get to work.”
“Are you…,” James began.
Agitated, Test interrupted and retook his seat.
“I said I’m fine!” Test leaned over his knees and rubbed his forehead in frustration. “I’m sorry,” said Test with his gaze focused on the bed of the truck. He lifted his torso and rested his elbows on his knees. “All I want to do is work. I don’t want to let anyone down again.”
James stood in the truck and looked at Rob.
“Well…you heard the man. Get goin’.”
Rob pounded the tailgate with the side of his fist as he turned and walked to the cab. “Damned waste of breath if you ask me,” he said malevolently.
James stepped quickly to Rob, placing one foot on the side of the truck bed, and leaned down to him aggressively. “I don’t remember asking you, Rob, so shut your smart ass, God forsaken, diarrhea mouth and drive the damned truck!”
Test looked at Rob’s face and was delighted to see a flinch of submission. The delight was short lived as Rob quickly squared his shoulders and looked to him with a vicious stare. Amused, Test let a smile creep onto his face, further annoying Rob. Without further incident, Rob stepped to the driver’s door and hopped into the cab. Before James could take a seat, the truck was started and put into gear, leaving him to scramble for balance and take the seat opposite Test.
“Thanks,” said Test.
James grinned and smacked Test on the knee. “No need for thanks. I’ve been looking for a reason to do that for a long time.”
*****
Once on the job site, the morning had gone relatively smooth. Test’s body had loosened up to the point that, with the exception of the back of his head, he didn’t notice the soreness as he had before. The sweat seemed to sear into the cut with a burning sensation that was nearly constant.
With the sun high overhead, Test looked up to realize that he was the only one working. He looked through the maze of skeleton walls in front of him to see Alyssa walking towards him with a burlap grocery sack hanging from her right arm. She had a wonderful sparkling smile that rendered the smudges of dirt on her face invisible to Test’s eyes. Her hair was pulled back and there were stray strands hanging here and there.
“You ready for lunch?” she asked standing outside of the maze.
With a smile Test dropped his nail gun and took off his tool belt. Unable to stop smiling, he looked at her and replied. “Now that you mention it, I am kinda hungry.”
“Good. I made us some sandwiches. Is turkey okay?” she asked timidly.
“It’s perfect,” he replied.
Test stepped to the ground and walked towards her. Her eyes were locked on him, and as he stood before her he unexpectedly reached his hand to her face and wiped the smudge from her cheek. Alyssa’s face became flushed as she glanced back and forth between Test’s face and the ground.
“I must look awful, huh?”
“Actually,” replied Test, “I was thinking just the opposite.”
He surprised himself at how direct and unafraid he was able to be. Typically, when he was around a girl that he liked, he was always
“Hey!” the figure yelled.
Test’s eyes came into focus and he could see James take a knee in front of him. The truck had come to a stop and Rob was already standing at the tailgate.
“What the hell was that?” asked James.
Confused, Test replied, “What?”
“You just went off to la-la land, dill-weed,” barked Rob.
Test lifted his head and regained his bearings. They were stopped on the dirt road in the middle of the forest, not far from the job site. The morning light was now streaming through the trees, and the shadows danced in and out of the cloud of dust left by the truck as they had driven down the road.
“You gonna be okay?” asked James. “You want me to take you back into town?”
Pushing James away, Test stood to his feet and replied red faced with embarrassment. “I’m fine. Let’s just get to work.”
“Are you…,” James began.
Agitated, Test interrupted and retook his seat.
“I said I’m fine!” Test leaned over his knees and rubbed his forehead in frustration. “I’m sorry,” said Test with his gaze focused on the bed of the truck. He lifted his torso and rested his elbows on his knees. “All I want to do is work. I don’t want to let anyone down again.”
James stood in the truck and looked at Rob.
“Well…you heard the man. Get goin’.”
Rob pounded the tailgate with the side of his fist as he turned and walked to the cab. “Damned waste of breath if you ask me,” he said malevolently.
James stepped quickly to Rob, placing one foot on the side of the truck bed, and leaned down to him aggressively. “I don’t remember asking you, Rob, so shut your smart ass, God forsaken, diarrhea mouth and drive the damned truck!”
Test looked at Rob’s face and was delighted to see a flinch of submission. The delight was short lived as Rob quickly squared his shoulders and looked to him with a vicious stare. Amused, Test let a smile creep onto his face, further annoying Rob. Without further incident, Rob stepped to the driver’s door and hopped into the cab. Before James could take a seat, the truck was started and put into gear, leaving him to scramble for balance and take the seat opposite Test.
“Thanks,” said Test.
James grinned and smacked Test on the knee. “No need for thanks. I’ve been looking for a reason to do that for a long time.”
*****
Once on the job site, the morning had gone relatively smooth. Test’s body had loosened up to the point that, with the exception of the back of his head, he didn’t notice the soreness as he had before. The sweat seemed to sear into the cut with a burning sensation that was nearly constant.
With the sun high overhead, Test looked up to realize that he was the only one working. He looked through the maze of skeleton walls in front of him to see Alyssa walking towards him with a burlap grocery sack hanging from her right arm. She had a wonderful sparkling smile that rendered the smudges of dirt on her face invisible to Test’s eyes. Her hair was pulled back and there were stray strands hanging here and there.
“You ready for lunch?” she asked standing outside of the maze.
With a smile Test dropped his nail gun and took off his tool belt. Unable to stop smiling, he looked at her and replied. “Now that you mention it, I am kinda hungry.”
“Good. I made us some sandwiches. Is turkey okay?” she asked timidly.
“It’s perfect,” he replied.
Test stepped to the ground and walked towards her. Her eyes were locked on him, and as he stood before her he unexpectedly reached his hand to her face and wiped the smudge from her cheek. Alyssa’s face became flushed as she glanced back and forth between Test’s face and the ground.
“I must look awful, huh?”
“Actually,” replied Test, “I was thinking just the opposite.”
He surprised himself at how direct and unafraid he was able to be. Typically, when he was around a girl that he liked, he was always
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