Read Online Current Impressions by Kelly Risser - Free Book Online

really alone,” he
said. “The inn is full right now. We’re pretty much booked all
summer.”
    “That’s right.” Ted nodded. “A bed and
breakfast, correct?”
    “Yes.” Evan was surprised he remembered
since he seemed to forget any detail that wasn’t marine
related.
    The professor grew quiet, which Evan didn’t
mind. Classical music played at a whisper. It was pleasant and,
after a while, Evan closed his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t sleep on
the long flight—flying made him nervous—so he might as well try to
catch a bit now.
    She touched his face, sliding her finger
along his lower lip before moving her hand behind his head and
drawing him closer.
    “ I missed you.” She kissed him. “So
much.”
    His hands tightened on her waist. He angled
his head and deepened the kiss. She hummed in reply. It felt so
good to have her in his arms again. He pulled her closer. He loved
how she smelled, the summer scent of her. He sniffed her hair, but
what he smelled was so rank that it made him gag. He pulled back
and looked at her.
    Her seductive smile stayed in place even as
her face began to crack. A thick, black liquid oozed out, and the
stench increased. He scrambled back and lost his footing. Reaching
out to catch himself, he sliced his palm on a sharp stone. The warm
blood trickled down his hand, but he couldn’t look away from her
face. Her beautiful face coated in smelly, black goo. Only her eyes
remained untouched.
    “ Meara? What’s happening?”
    She opened her mouth to answer, and the
blackness flowed inside. She coughed, doubled over, and retched. He
reached for her just as she dissolved into a liquid puddle.
    “Evan! Evan!”
    He woke to the professor shaking his arm.
Sitting up, he glanced around to get his bearings. Just a dream.
They were still in the car. The airport was a few miles away.
    “Are you okay?” Ted glanced at him uneasily.
“You were crying out in your sleep.”
    “Yeah.” Evan ran his fingers through his
hair and reminded himself again that it was just a dream. His heart
seemed to have a hard time believing him, the way it jumped in his
chest. “I had the weirdest dream.”
    Ted raised his eyebrow. “Want to talk about
it?”
    “No.”
    “Okay.” Ted turned his attention back to the
road, and Evan tried to slow his breathing and pulse to match the
tranquility of the music. It was just a dream. Meara was fine. He’d
see her soon, hold her in his arms, and everything would be
okay.
    ****
    When they landed in Aberdeen, the professor
rented a compact European car. Evan pushed the seat back as far as
it would go. He still needed to bend his legs to fit in the car. It
was mildly uncomfortable, but Ted claimed the car got excellent gas
mileage. Hopefully, that didn’t mean they would be taking any long
road trips through the Scottish countryside.
    As they left the airport, Ted explained that
the airport was northwest of the city. It would take about a half
hour to reach their destination. The house they were staying at
belonged to another professor. They were going to work together,
and he offered them free rooms if they chipped in toward the food.
It sounded like a good deal to Evan.
    Aberdeen itself was a beautiful city—old
buildings mixed with new. It was early in the morning, and people
bustled about. A few sat outdoors sipping coffee and enjoying the
summer weather. Like Nova Scotia, Scotland was cold and damp most
of the year. The natives needed to soak up the warmth while it
lasted.
    Outside of the city, the roads became curvy
and narrow. The view became less metropolitan and wilder as
buildings gave way to cliffs and manicured gardens to moss-covered
boulders. A slender lighthouse in pristine white appeared on the
horizon. It reminded Evan of home.
    Ted cleared his throat. “We’re almost there.
Kenneth’s house is just past the lighthouse.”
    With the term ‘house,’ Evan was expecting a
cabin or small, weathered building like the homes in Peggy’s Cove.
He could