Read Online A Shift in the Water by Patricia D. Eddy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Patricia D. Eddy
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underneath the warm spray, soaking up the precious moisture. She gulped down water from her insulated bottle and her nerves steadied. When the shower cooled, she dried off, donned her pajamas, and opened the bathroom door.
“Goddess!” Mara yelped. The wolf lay on the threshold. He raised his head. Mara bent down and stroked his matted fur. “Stubborn thing, aren’t you? Come on. Back to the blanket with you.” The wolf crawled after her and flopped down on his side. Nestled in the sheets, Mara stared down at the animal who was so much like herself. Weak, frightened, and alone. “Don’t die on me tonight, okay?” She didn’t know what she expected him to do, or if she expected him to answer her, but he laid his head down and closed his eyes. She did the same.
The wolf woke in the middle of the night. It was dark, but he was warm. Panic held his body still, pressing down on his chest. It suffocated him and left a bitter taste in his mouth. Where was the bad woman? Where was he ? He couldn’t remember. He sniffed the air. Water, illness, coconut, smoke from a fire, and something wonderful, beautiful, and safe. Home . The woman. Mara . Man say Mara. The words shocked him. He hadn’t thought in words in a very long time.
He raised his head. Every movement hurt, but he wasn’t in the cage any longer. His belly was full. The blanket under him was thick. His paws felt funny. Mara. Mara helped him. Her skin was soft and cool and she’d laughed when he’d licked her. An inquisitive sound escaped his throat and something moved close by. Instantly on alert, he shrank into the corner of the room, trying to hide himself.
A quiet sigh and hum a few feet away calmed him. Mara. She was here, sleeping close to him. He crept forward on bruised, blistered, and shredded paws, stifling his whimpers. She was sick and he wouldn’t disturb her.
He was tall enough to lay his head on the mattress and watch her. Mine. She clutched a pillow to her chest, her long hair fanned out behind her. She was beautiful, kind, and smelled good.
Man. He was a man.
Taking a risk, he nosed her hand and licked her fingers. She smiled in her sleep. Some of his pain lessened at her touch. The fire that seared him from the inside out cooled slightly. Even now, with his nose inches from her hand, he felt better. Calmer. He would do anything to stay with her. He’d dragged himself across the floor to reach her, terrified of dying alone. He tried to get his paws on the bed, but too weak, he fell back on the blanket, panting. Images flashed in his head. Fire. Mara’s face. The bad woman. Other wolves. He was scared. His body tensed, desperate to run, but he could barely move. A low whine escaped his blistered lips.
“Hey.”
The most beautiful face in the world hovered over him. Gentle fingers stroked his muzzle. She smiled in the darkness, illuminated by a dim nightlight in the bathroom across the hall.
“You’re okay.”
The wolf looked up and licked her fingers again. He sighed a deep, low sound, and settled. He was okay. Mara was here.
The next morning, he was sitting up and staring at her when she woke.
“Well now. Someone looks better.” She rubbed her eyes and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her toenails were painted blue.
The wolf half-limped, half-ran to her patio door and yipped. He needed to go outside. “I don’t think most wolves are house-trained,” Mara said, a hint of bemusement coloring her words. “But I’ll take it. Come on. If you come back in when you’re done, I’ll give you the rest of the meat.”
The wolf understood one word. Meat . He knew that word. His stomach growled, hollow again, but at least the shooting pangs of hunger hadn’t started.
Outside, he sniffed around the entire yard. It smelled different. He couldn’t smell the sea. No burnt scents of dirt. A few small animals, herbs, mud, and decaying leaves. No threats. A tall wood fence offered privacy and lush
“Goddess!” Mara yelped. The wolf lay on the threshold. He raised his head. Mara bent down and stroked his matted fur. “Stubborn thing, aren’t you? Come on. Back to the blanket with you.” The wolf crawled after her and flopped down on his side. Nestled in the sheets, Mara stared down at the animal who was so much like herself. Weak, frightened, and alone. “Don’t die on me tonight, okay?” She didn’t know what she expected him to do, or if she expected him to answer her, but he laid his head down and closed his eyes. She did the same.
The wolf woke in the middle of the night. It was dark, but he was warm. Panic held his body still, pressing down on his chest. It suffocated him and left a bitter taste in his mouth. Where was the bad woman? Where was he ? He couldn’t remember. He sniffed the air. Water, illness, coconut, smoke from a fire, and something wonderful, beautiful, and safe. Home . The woman. Mara . Man say Mara. The words shocked him. He hadn’t thought in words in a very long time.
He raised his head. Every movement hurt, but he wasn’t in the cage any longer. His belly was full. The blanket under him was thick. His paws felt funny. Mara. Mara helped him. Her skin was soft and cool and she’d laughed when he’d licked her. An inquisitive sound escaped his throat and something moved close by. Instantly on alert, he shrank into the corner of the room, trying to hide himself.
A quiet sigh and hum a few feet away calmed him. Mara. She was here, sleeping close to him. He crept forward on bruised, blistered, and shredded paws, stifling his whimpers. She was sick and he wouldn’t disturb her.
He was tall enough to lay his head on the mattress and watch her. Mine. She clutched a pillow to her chest, her long hair fanned out behind her. She was beautiful, kind, and smelled good.
Man. He was a man.
Taking a risk, he nosed her hand and licked her fingers. She smiled in her sleep. Some of his pain lessened at her touch. The fire that seared him from the inside out cooled slightly. Even now, with his nose inches from her hand, he felt better. Calmer. He would do anything to stay with her. He’d dragged himself across the floor to reach her, terrified of dying alone. He tried to get his paws on the bed, but too weak, he fell back on the blanket, panting. Images flashed in his head. Fire. Mara’s face. The bad woman. Other wolves. He was scared. His body tensed, desperate to run, but he could barely move. A low whine escaped his blistered lips.
“Hey.”
The most beautiful face in the world hovered over him. Gentle fingers stroked his muzzle. She smiled in the darkness, illuminated by a dim nightlight in the bathroom across the hall.
“You’re okay.”
The wolf looked up and licked her fingers again. He sighed a deep, low sound, and settled. He was okay. Mara was here.
The next morning, he was sitting up and staring at her when she woke.
“Well now. Someone looks better.” She rubbed her eyes and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her toenails were painted blue.
The wolf half-limped, half-ran to her patio door and yipped. He needed to go outside. “I don’t think most wolves are house-trained,” Mara said, a hint of bemusement coloring her words. “But I’ll take it. Come on. If you come back in when you’re done, I’ll give you the rest of the meat.”
The wolf understood one word. Meat . He knew that word. His stomach growled, hollow again, but at least the shooting pangs of hunger hadn’t started.
Outside, he sniffed around the entire yard. It smelled different. He couldn’t smell the sea. No burnt scents of dirt. A few small animals, herbs, mud, and decaying leaves. No threats. A tall wood fence offered privacy and lush
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