Read Online Dying to Live by Roxy De Winter - Free Book Online Page B

over her face.
    “No! We can’t go there! I can’t go back there!”
    “Why not?” Frank frowned. The van pulled to a halt before Lucy could utter another word. She burst into tears and put her head in her hands. Frank hated when girls cried. The last time it had happened was when he had left his girlfriend. When they cried they became unpredictable. His girlfriend had thrown herself into his arms in desperation, before flipping angrily only seconds later and throwing a vase at him. He didn’t know what to do, so he edged forward until he sat close enough to pat her back softly.
    The van doors opened and Pete peered in at the two of them. Frank half shrugged at him under Lucy’s clutching embrace and rolled his eyes.
    “We’re here now...” Pete began to talk but was drowned out by fresh sobs, as Lucy started up all over again.
    “NO! we... have to... leave... NOW!” She heaved, in-between hysterical shudders. Frank helplessly patted her arm again.
    “I think we need to listen to what Lucy can tell us before we do anything else,” Frank told Pete. “I think she worked here.”
    “Okay,” Pete nodded. “Lucy, is it? Do you want me to help you out of the van or can you manage?” He asked, offering her his arm.
    “I’m staying in here!” She said, shuffling backwards in the van. “I don’t want to go back in there, those things... I saw what they did.” Lucy was visibly shaking with fear and Pete sought to reassure her.
    “Hey... Hey Lucy, it’s fine. We’re not going in there, at least not yet. It’s dark and stuffy in the van though and there are a couple more people out here who will need to hear what you have to say. So, will you please come out and talk with us?” Pete asked calmly.
    Lucy looked up at Frank, who gave her a reassuring wink. Then she turned to Pete and nodded. He offered her a hand getting out of the van but she refused it, thinking that she could manage by herself. However, she was dehydrated and wobbly on her legs. Frank was just finding his own legs as she swayed backwards and toppled into him. Fortunately, he managed to prevent them both from falling over. But as they steadied themselves, he realised that his hand was cupped just under one of Lucy’s breasts.
    “Wow. Oh jeez, I’m sorry,” Frank flustered, moving his hand as quickly as if he’d been burned and looking anywhere except Lucy’s face.
    “You’d better be!” Lucy said, managing a small laugh and smiling at him. This time she took Pete’s offered hand. She hopped down from the back of the van, onto the dusty ground that she knew so well, and thanked Pete for his help. Frank followed her down, still red faced and mortified by his little mishap.
    It seemed that the group was congregating outside a small and ominously empty guard barracks. They had parked right beside it and glad to discover that he door wasn’t locked. This place would offer them some very convenient shelter, even just temporarily. Lucy was reassured to see that there was another woman amongst them. She was loitering outside in the baked, dusty glare of the sun, whilst Pete, Frank and another man, readied weapons to check the small building out.
    “Hello...” Xin squinted at Lucy’s badge. ‘Ah, Lucy. I’m Xin. It’s nice to meet you. How are you holding up?”
    “I’m okay. A little thirsty though,” Lucy said. She was playing it down, though. She wasn’t just thirsty, she was parched and felt as though any second she may just pass out again. Xin wasn’t stupid; she gave Lucy a knowing look and asked her to wait a second whilst she dashed back to the car. A couple of minutes later, Xin was back and handed Lucy a bottle of mineral water.
    “I’m sorry, it’s probably a bit warm,” Xin apologised. “Even with the windows down, it gets stuffy in there.”
    Lucy had the cap off of the bottle in record time and greedily gulped down more than a third of the water before even taking a breath.
    “Sorry. Where are my manners? Thank