Read Online Five: Out of the Dark by Holli Anderson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Holli Anderson
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he turned to Halli. “You aren’t going to be able to join us at the school, Hal. You’re too young and look even younger than you are. But, we’ll find something for you to do to help, don’t worry.”
Halli’s face fell; some of the sparkle left her eyes. “I kind of figured I wouldn’t quite fit in as a high-schooler. I’ll help however I can, though.”
“Thanks, Hal. Okay, since Paige will hopefully be using Seth’s sister’s records, you guys’ll need to act as siblings. We’ll just need to find a parent to sign for you. Alec and I will be brothers. We won’t need records if we play homeless … and we
are
homeless. They’ll probably just test us for placement. I’ll go talk to Joe tomorrow to see if he can play dad for Paige and Seth.” Johnathan wiped at the sweat beading on his forehead. “I’m feeling kind of funny today.”
“Funny how?” I asked.
“I’m not sure how to describe it. I feel a little shut-in, like I need to be outside. I’m just a little sick to my stomach, too. I’m sure it’ll pass soon. It’s nothing, really.”
I wasn’t reassured. For the first time in a couple of days, I thought about the bite he’d received.
“Let me see your hand, John,” I demanded.
He bunched his eyebrows, surprised, as though he hadn’t thought about his hand wound for a while either. He held his hand out to me. It looked the same as it had a couple of days ago. My concern deepened when his hand started shaking. He pulled it back quickly, probably hoping I hadn’t noticed the tremors.
“See? It’s fine, Paige.” He smiled but his eyes showed worry.
“Johnathan, hold both hands out.”
Eyes rolling, he held his hands out to me, palms down. They both shook. He closed them into fists and shrugged. “It’s just because I haven’t eaten today. Don’t be such a worrywart.”
“I
am
worried about you. I’m going to get you some food. You stay put.” Yeah, I could be bossy at times.
I made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and brought him our last can of lemon-lime soda. He ate it all. He chewed each bite for too long and swallowed like he was forcing it down—like he had no appetite at all.
We cleaned up a little more. Halli and I focused on scrubbing the bathroom, while Seth looked for a way to rig up a shower in a back room that had probably been used for storage at one point.
Late in the afternoon, we all gathered at a table near the bar. Johnathan’s face was pale, with small beads of sweat on his forehead.
“I really need to get out of here for a while,” he said. “I didn’t plan on patrolling tonight, but I’m thinking maybe Seth and I should go try to contact his family. The sooner we get those records, the sooner we can figure out what’s happening at that school, and hopefully prevent any more so-called suicides.”
“Johnny, you aren’t looking so good, bud,” Alec said. He was the only one that called him Johnny. Johnathan hated it.
“I’m fine,
Alice
,” Johnathan said, a little defensively.
“Okay, whatever, man.”
I knew I wouldn’t be able to talk him out of going, so I just said, “I’m going with you. I could use an evening stroll.”
Alec and Halli wanted to come, too, so we gathered our gear belts, set our wards, and headed for aboveground.
e walked the two or so miles to Frink Park, where Seth had found an old pay-phone with rotary dial—and he’d apparently been able to use it before without it going up in smoke and flames, although it had crackled a lot and cut him off before he was done.
He called his parents collect. He was able to convince his mom to send the records we needed. He didn’t tell her exactly what we needed them for, but assured her it was for a good cause.
We decided to hang out at the park for a while before starting the walk back to our new home. This was one of our favorite parks. The seventeen acres gave us plenty of room to roam. It had a creek, wooded areas and hiking trails. We walked a
Halli’s face fell; some of the sparkle left her eyes. “I kind of figured I wouldn’t quite fit in as a high-schooler. I’ll help however I can, though.”
“Thanks, Hal. Okay, since Paige will hopefully be using Seth’s sister’s records, you guys’ll need to act as siblings. We’ll just need to find a parent to sign for you. Alec and I will be brothers. We won’t need records if we play homeless … and we
are
homeless. They’ll probably just test us for placement. I’ll go talk to Joe tomorrow to see if he can play dad for Paige and Seth.” Johnathan wiped at the sweat beading on his forehead. “I’m feeling kind of funny today.”
“Funny how?” I asked.
“I’m not sure how to describe it. I feel a little shut-in, like I need to be outside. I’m just a little sick to my stomach, too. I’m sure it’ll pass soon. It’s nothing, really.”
I wasn’t reassured. For the first time in a couple of days, I thought about the bite he’d received.
“Let me see your hand, John,” I demanded.
He bunched his eyebrows, surprised, as though he hadn’t thought about his hand wound for a while either. He held his hand out to me. It looked the same as it had a couple of days ago. My concern deepened when his hand started shaking. He pulled it back quickly, probably hoping I hadn’t noticed the tremors.
“See? It’s fine, Paige.” He smiled but his eyes showed worry.
“Johnathan, hold both hands out.”
Eyes rolling, he held his hands out to me, palms down. They both shook. He closed them into fists and shrugged. “It’s just because I haven’t eaten today. Don’t be such a worrywart.”
“I
am
worried about you. I’m going to get you some food. You stay put.” Yeah, I could be bossy at times.
I made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and brought him our last can of lemon-lime soda. He ate it all. He chewed each bite for too long and swallowed like he was forcing it down—like he had no appetite at all.
We cleaned up a little more. Halli and I focused on scrubbing the bathroom, while Seth looked for a way to rig up a shower in a back room that had probably been used for storage at one point.
Late in the afternoon, we all gathered at a table near the bar. Johnathan’s face was pale, with small beads of sweat on his forehead.
“I really need to get out of here for a while,” he said. “I didn’t plan on patrolling tonight, but I’m thinking maybe Seth and I should go try to contact his family. The sooner we get those records, the sooner we can figure out what’s happening at that school, and hopefully prevent any more so-called suicides.”
“Johnny, you aren’t looking so good, bud,” Alec said. He was the only one that called him Johnny. Johnathan hated it.
“I’m fine,
Alice
,” Johnathan said, a little defensively.
“Okay, whatever, man.”
I knew I wouldn’t be able to talk him out of going, so I just said, “I’m going with you. I could use an evening stroll.”
Alec and Halli wanted to come, too, so we gathered our gear belts, set our wards, and headed for aboveground.
e walked the two or so miles to Frink Park, where Seth had found an old pay-phone with rotary dial—and he’d apparently been able to use it before without it going up in smoke and flames, although it had crackled a lot and cut him off before he was done.
He called his parents collect. He was able to convince his mom to send the records we needed. He didn’t tell her exactly what we needed them for, but assured her it was for a good cause.
We decided to hang out at the park for a while before starting the walk back to our new home. This was one of our favorite parks. The seventeen acres gave us plenty of room to roam. It had a creek, wooded areas and hiking trails. We walked a
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