Read Online Children of the Uprising by Trevor Shane - Free Book Online Page B

few steps toward Christopher, meeting Christopher halfway across the room. “Christopher,” Max said as Reggie approached them, “this is Reggie. Reggie, this is Christopher.” The two of them—one a tall thirty-six-year-old black man with graying hair and one a powerfully built but scared white boy three days past his eighteenth birthday—shook hands. “I believe Reggie knew your mother, Christopher,” Max said by way of introduction.
    Christopher recognized Reggie from the description in Maria’s journal, focusing on the startling green color of Reggie’s eyes. “I read about you,” Christopher announced.
    Reggie nodded. “Would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes, Max?” Reggie said to the man who had already become the second best friend Christopher had in the world.
    â€œSure thing,” Max said. He backed out of the office, closing the door behind him.
    â€œSo what did you read?” Reggie said to Christopher once they were alone.
    â€œMaria talked about you in her journal,” Christopher answered him.
    â€œSo you know that your mother saved my life. In fact, if it wasn’t for her, neither of us would be here. So we have at least one thing in common.” Reggie laughed at his own joke, trying to be simultaneously casual and authoritative. He waited for some sort of response from Christopher, but none came. “Do you know what we do here?” Reggie finally asked Christopher after waiting out the silence.
    Christopher nodded. “Max told me.”
    â€œBefore or after you got in the car to come here?”
    â€œBefore.”
    â€œThat’s good.” Reggie walked over to a cabinet that was pushed up against the far wall. “I’m going to have a drink,” he said as he opened the cabinet door. Inside were a bottle of whiskey and a few glasses. “Do you want to have a drink?” Reggie lifted two glasses into the air.
    Christopher shook his head. “I don’t drink.”
    â€œThat’s probably smart,” Reggie said, sounding more like a father than he wanted to. “Will you be offended if I still do?”
    â€œNo,” Christopher said. “I’m a pretty hard person to offend.”
    Reggie poured out a half glass of whiskey and carried it back to his desk. He sat down in the chair behind the desk. Following Reggie’s lead, Christopher took a seat in one of the other chairs. Reggie leaned back in his seat and took a long swig from his glass. “So you read your parents’ journals. That’s good. After reading them, do you think you understand how dangerous this War is? How big this War is?”
    Christopher thought about his answer, rehearsing it in his head before saying anything. He knew that saying “yes” or “no” wasn’t adequate. “I’ve spent every single day of my life afraid, without having any idea what I was afraid of. Everything I’ve done in my life was done out of fear. The other night, two men tried to kill me in the woods outside the house where I grew up. Instead, I killed them, but I know that I got lucky. Everything else that I know, I read in the journals of the people that you guys keep calling my mother and father, but I get the impression that they didn’t know how big or how dangerous the War was either. Do you know how big and how dangerous the War is?”
    Reggie picked up his whiskey and finished it in two massive gulps. “I only know that it’s too big and too dangerous for anyone to make it alone.” Reggie lifted his eyes over the rim of his glass and looked at Christopher. “Especially you.”
    â€œMax already gave me this speech.”
    â€œYeah, but he didn’t know your mother. Your mother wanted to get you out of the War, and I think I can do that if that’s what you want. I owe her that much.” Reggie stood up and walked back to the cabinet to refill his