Read Online Because You Exist by Tiffany Truitt - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tiffany Truitt
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what he was talking about, but the longer I kept him talking the more time I had to think of a way of getting out of this. Why couldn’t I shift at will?
“What did you mean about a conductor?” I asked, trying to stay focused even though the blood that was seeping out of my head wound was beginning to run into my mouth.
“You had your chance to get your questions. I said give me the girl, and I would give you the answers. Sorry.”
“Let’s make a new deal,” I replied. I just needed more time. I could think of a way to get us out of this. I had to think of a way. I was still pretty sure that whatever happened to us in this present would follow us to our normal present.
And maybe there were things worse than death. These weren’t civilized men. I didn’t know if I could buy all his heaven and hell talk, but I did wonder how they survived. Was it purely because of their predator sensibilities—some eff-ed-up version of Darwin’s theory? Or had they been allowed to survive, chosen by the same people or thing that allowed us to be shifters?
“No deal. But I do want to play a game. Can’t say we get much in terms of entertainment around here anymore,” the leader replied, pushing Josephine next to me on the ground. Her eyes met mine and I saw fear for the first time since the men had showed up. I wanted to find her hoodie and enclose her in it. I wanted to protect her.
“Here’s how it will work,” the man continued as he circled around us. His friend still held me down, and while Josephine was free to move, I knew she wouldn’t leave me. “I will give you a five minute head start. You hear me? Five minutes. After that, game on. But you should know that we love to play rough. We don’t care if you’re shifters. As far as we’re concerned, why save the world when they didn’t want us around in the first place?”
The man holding me down must have received some signal from the leader because he let me up. I scrambled to my feet and held out my hand for Josephine, but she didn’t take it. She pulled herself to her feet and looked at me. I looked back.
We were screwed.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Five minutes started thirty seconds ago.”
Chapter 12
I couldn’t keep up with Josephine. She was so damn fast. The girl could take state, or maybe she already had. Can’t say I was up on the track and field happenings at Shepherd High. I was pushing my legs like my life depended on it because I was pretty sure it did, and I still couldn’t match her speed.
I simply followed.
I didn’t know where we were going, and there was no time to talk over a plan. Josephine seemed determined, and so I followed her. Every so often she looked back to make sure I was still behind her.
When we turned onto Jenna’s street I wondered if maybe I had been mistaken about Josephine’s focused state. Maybe she had no idea about what to do either. I couldn’t hear or see the survivors, but they were survivors for a reason. Which meant when they wanted to find us I was pretty sure they could. When Josephine finally stopped it was in front of Jenna’s house. I was about to question her when she turned her back towards Jenna’s house and jogged across the street.
I remembered her telling me she used to live there.
With astounding ease, Josephine lifted her body up and over the fence into the backyard. I was not as graceful. My chest was burning. I made a silent promise to myself to take up running in the mornings if we made it back. By the time I got in the backyard, Josephine was digging furiously into a flowerbed. I didn’t question her and began to dig alongside of her.
My body was humming with adrenaline, and I knew we were running out of time. I dug faster. The dirt wedged itself underneath my fingernails as it flew up into our faces. My hand collided with metal at the exact moment the survivors began to cat call and throw out insults to let us know that our five
“What did you mean about a conductor?” I asked, trying to stay focused even though the blood that was seeping out of my head wound was beginning to run into my mouth.
“You had your chance to get your questions. I said give me the girl, and I would give you the answers. Sorry.”
“Let’s make a new deal,” I replied. I just needed more time. I could think of a way to get us out of this. I had to think of a way. I was still pretty sure that whatever happened to us in this present would follow us to our normal present.
And maybe there were things worse than death. These weren’t civilized men. I didn’t know if I could buy all his heaven and hell talk, but I did wonder how they survived. Was it purely because of their predator sensibilities—some eff-ed-up version of Darwin’s theory? Or had they been allowed to survive, chosen by the same people or thing that allowed us to be shifters?
“No deal. But I do want to play a game. Can’t say we get much in terms of entertainment around here anymore,” the leader replied, pushing Josephine next to me on the ground. Her eyes met mine and I saw fear for the first time since the men had showed up. I wanted to find her hoodie and enclose her in it. I wanted to protect her.
“Here’s how it will work,” the man continued as he circled around us. His friend still held me down, and while Josephine was free to move, I knew she wouldn’t leave me. “I will give you a five minute head start. You hear me? Five minutes. After that, game on. But you should know that we love to play rough. We don’t care if you’re shifters. As far as we’re concerned, why save the world when they didn’t want us around in the first place?”
The man holding me down must have received some signal from the leader because he let me up. I scrambled to my feet and held out my hand for Josephine, but she didn’t take it. She pulled herself to her feet and looked at me. I looked back.
We were screwed.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Five minutes started thirty seconds ago.”
Chapter 12
I couldn’t keep up with Josephine. She was so damn fast. The girl could take state, or maybe she already had. Can’t say I was up on the track and field happenings at Shepherd High. I was pushing my legs like my life depended on it because I was pretty sure it did, and I still couldn’t match her speed.
I simply followed.
I didn’t know where we were going, and there was no time to talk over a plan. Josephine seemed determined, and so I followed her. Every so often she looked back to make sure I was still behind her.
When we turned onto Jenna’s street I wondered if maybe I had been mistaken about Josephine’s focused state. Maybe she had no idea about what to do either. I couldn’t hear or see the survivors, but they were survivors for a reason. Which meant when they wanted to find us I was pretty sure they could. When Josephine finally stopped it was in front of Jenna’s house. I was about to question her when she turned her back towards Jenna’s house and jogged across the street.
I remembered her telling me she used to live there.
With astounding ease, Josephine lifted her body up and over the fence into the backyard. I was not as graceful. My chest was burning. I made a silent promise to myself to take up running in the mornings if we made it back. By the time I got in the backyard, Josephine was digging furiously into a flowerbed. I didn’t question her and began to dig alongside of her.
My body was humming with adrenaline, and I knew we were running out of time. I dug faster. The dirt wedged itself underneath my fingernails as it flew up into our faces. My hand collided with metal at the exact moment the survivors began to cat call and throw out insults to let us know that our five
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