Read Online Ghost of Doors (City of Doors) by Jennifer Paetsch - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Paetsch
Ads: Link
as the ghostly hands held his foot, he almost let go when a scream belted out behind him. Finally freed, he shot forward like a coiled spring, and turned back to see Marie with her knife out in one hand clambering toward him through the wreckage. He lunged back to pull her through, relieved that she must have caught him in a moment of solidity, and also grateful that she didn't go through Johnny's grip and into his foot. "Thanks," Wolfgang said.
"Run," she urged. "It won't last." The pressure changed in the corridor at the bottom of the stairs and Wolfgang felt the wind pick up.
If Johnny went up for air again, out of the tunnel and the train station, then he would restore his power, but he would lose them. But Wolfgang knew him better than that. If he was angry enough to follow Marie thinking she was Wolfgang to tear him apart, then he was angry enough and close enough to his goal to keep following him now. He was still stronger than Wolfgang and knew it. But like a man trying to swat a fly, sometimes the fly, no matter how small, gets the better of him, gets away. Wolfgang relied on that chance, and knew how to make it into something more than a chance, to make into a real, honest-to-goodness possibility. Up ahead, trains were still pulling into and out of the station, their factionless zombie drivers uninterested in and undisturbed by the disaster above. Wolfgang could hear the trains running, hear the brutal screech of the wheels on the rails, and, without looking back and no time to read signs, he chose a tiled-lined hallway at random, hoping that a train would be there soon, or on its way. And there it was. One was about to pull out of the station.
The long, yellow train lingered, its doors tantalizingly open, when he heard the beeping that signaled the doors closing. Wolfgang thought he could dive for it, and prepared to take a spring forward off his good foot this time. Just as his foot left the platform, a breeze slammed into him, pushing him into the side of the train. Stretching all of his bones out on end, Wolfgang grazed his fingers along the edge of the door frame and clamped on. The doors wiggled hard, struggling to shut, but couldn't. All of them jerked open almost as fast as they began to close, sensing an obstruction at one door that couldn't be overcome. Focusing on drawing himself in, Wolfgang didn't notice Johnny swoop up beside him. When a punch fell on his kidney, he let out a scream and almost let go. But the thick sound of a knife diving into an over ripe melon stopped the punches almost immediately. A gurgled cry resounded in the platform and Wolfgang used the moment to slide himself into the train. The doors shut.
Marie hovered over him. "Can you stand?" she asked. Wolfgang took that to mean, judging by the way he looked or the way he lay there, that she was afraid to try to move him. He was afraid to try to move himself.
"I think..." he began, and slowly rolled himself over, just in time to cry, "Look out!" Behind her, Johnny had reformed, no doubt seeping into the train after Marie had stabbed him.
Johnny was trembling, now, visibly weakened, and pale. But, even removed from the sky and waning in strength, he could still murder them outright, now that he had them trapped. Wolfgang could feel the air in the car start to change. Breathing harder, he worked to fill his lungs but came up shorter with each breath. It wouldn't be long before darkness consumed him. Marie was out of sight now, probably already succumbed and on the ground.
He didn't want to hurt Johnny, no matter how corrupt he had become. He had been his friend, even though he turned out to be no more trustworthy than any other fae. Wolfgang had never given back the same he had gotten from the Fair--that was their despicable code, not his. If they wanted to live in a world where they destroyed each other, they were welcome to it. He refused to take part.
Each breath became more painful than the last, and Wolfgang knew he had to act
"Run," she urged. "It won't last." The pressure changed in the corridor at the bottom of the stairs and Wolfgang felt the wind pick up.
If Johnny went up for air again, out of the tunnel and the train station, then he would restore his power, but he would lose them. But Wolfgang knew him better than that. If he was angry enough to follow Marie thinking she was Wolfgang to tear him apart, then he was angry enough and close enough to his goal to keep following him now. He was still stronger than Wolfgang and knew it. But like a man trying to swat a fly, sometimes the fly, no matter how small, gets the better of him, gets away. Wolfgang relied on that chance, and knew how to make it into something more than a chance, to make into a real, honest-to-goodness possibility. Up ahead, trains were still pulling into and out of the station, their factionless zombie drivers uninterested in and undisturbed by the disaster above. Wolfgang could hear the trains running, hear the brutal screech of the wheels on the rails, and, without looking back and no time to read signs, he chose a tiled-lined hallway at random, hoping that a train would be there soon, or on its way. And there it was. One was about to pull out of the station.
The long, yellow train lingered, its doors tantalizingly open, when he heard the beeping that signaled the doors closing. Wolfgang thought he could dive for it, and prepared to take a spring forward off his good foot this time. Just as his foot left the platform, a breeze slammed into him, pushing him into the side of the train. Stretching all of his bones out on end, Wolfgang grazed his fingers along the edge of the door frame and clamped on. The doors wiggled hard, struggling to shut, but couldn't. All of them jerked open almost as fast as they began to close, sensing an obstruction at one door that couldn't be overcome. Focusing on drawing himself in, Wolfgang didn't notice Johnny swoop up beside him. When a punch fell on his kidney, he let out a scream and almost let go. But the thick sound of a knife diving into an over ripe melon stopped the punches almost immediately. A gurgled cry resounded in the platform and Wolfgang used the moment to slide himself into the train. The doors shut.
Marie hovered over him. "Can you stand?" she asked. Wolfgang took that to mean, judging by the way he looked or the way he lay there, that she was afraid to try to move him. He was afraid to try to move himself.
"I think..." he began, and slowly rolled himself over, just in time to cry, "Look out!" Behind her, Johnny had reformed, no doubt seeping into the train after Marie had stabbed him.
Johnny was trembling, now, visibly weakened, and pale. But, even removed from the sky and waning in strength, he could still murder them outright, now that he had them trapped. Wolfgang could feel the air in the car start to change. Breathing harder, he worked to fill his lungs but came up shorter with each breath. It wouldn't be long before darkness consumed him. Marie was out of sight now, probably already succumbed and on the ground.
He didn't want to hurt Johnny, no matter how corrupt he had become. He had been his friend, even though he turned out to be no more trustworthy than any other fae. Wolfgang had never given back the same he had gotten from the Fair--that was their despicable code, not his. If they wanted to live in a world where they destroyed each other, they were welcome to it. He refused to take part.
Each breath became more painful than the last, and Wolfgang knew he had to act
Similar Books
