Read Online Blue Noon by Scott Westerfeld - Free Book Online Page B

beds edged Jessica’s house, her father’s latest project. He was getting into gardening in a big way, she’d said, trying to grow all the vegetables the family ate. Apparently he hadn’t noticed that the season was changing into fall, the ground turning cold and hard at night.
    Jonathan tried to step lightly on the overturned earth, wondering if Don Day’s gardening efforts weren’t just an excuse to look for footprints under Jessica’s window. Jonathan cursed his Flatland heaviness; in the blue time he could have just floated over to the sill.
    Voices. He ducked down.
    He could hear Jessica speak, then someone answering. Muffled through the window, the voice’s high-pitched insistence reminded Jonathan of a mosquito trapped under a glass.
    His heartbeat settled a little. Probably only Beth. He eased his head up to peer inside.
    They both sat on the bed, no parents in sight. Jessica was dressed, her little sister huddled in pajamas. Beth was still talking, waving her hands around frantically, as if warding off an attack of houseflies. Jonathan saw Jessica glance over at her bedside clock, where the approach of midnight was clearly displayed.
    Why didn’t Jessica just get rid of her? On a school night it had to be past Beth’s bedtime by now.
    Jonathan raised a fist to the glass, steeling himself to knock. Jessica wouldn’t appreciate him announcing his presence in front of the little sister, especially on the very last night of her grounding. But Beth wouldn’t tell her parents—Jessica’s sister wasn’t that uncool.
    Besides, there were more important things at stake here.
    According to the news, Cassie Flinders was thirteen, about the same age that Anathea had been when the dark-lings had taken her. Jonathan remembered how small she had been, almost disappearing into the darkling body they had grafted to her.
    Of course, Cassie was no seer. She couldn’t read the lore; the darklings wouldn’t bother to make a halfling out of her. She wouldn’t last very long in the blue time, except maybe for the fillings in her teeth.
    He knocked.
    Both sisters jumped at the noise, the sound of Beth’s voice choking off mid-sentence. She stared at Jonathan’s face in the window for a moment, then focused a cold gaze on Jessica.
    As Jonathan pushed the sash up, he heard her whisper, “I knew it!”
    Jessica just stared at him.
    “Hey, guys,” he said.
    “Well, hey there, Jonathan,” Beth said sweetly. “Just dropping by?”
    “Jonathan!” Jessica groaned. “Couldn’t you have…” Her voice trailed off.
    He climbed in and looked from one sister to the other. Beth’s eyes were narrowed, and Jess was staring at the floor and shaking her head. He sighed. “Look, I’m really sorry to interrupt, Beth. But something’s come up. Something important,” He looked at Jessica to emphasize that last word.
    “You’re sneaking out tonight?” Beth said, her whispering only making the words harsher. “You’ve only got one more day, Jess. Do you want to get grounded again?”
    “Believe me,” Jessica said. “I really don’t.”
    “Listen, Beth, I only need to borrow your sister for…” Jonathan glanced at the clock. “Eighteen minutes. I promise she’ll be back by then.”
    Jessica closed her eyes as Beth’s stare swung across to the clock.
    “Eighteen minutes?” Beth said.
    Jonathan swallowed. Jessica’s little sister didn’t know anything about the blue time, of course, but she had an uncanny way of making you think she did. “Yeah. More or less.”
    Jessica stood, pulling her jacket from the bed. “Come on. Let’s just go.”
    “ Jessica ,” Beth whined.
    “Look,” Jessica said tiredly. “If you’re going to tell Mom and Dad, go ahead. I don’t have time for this.”
    “Jess, I don’t want you to be in trouble,” Beth whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “I just want to know what’s going on with you.”
    “I’m sorry, okay?” Jessica paused, as if struggling for words. “But I