Read Online Lightning by Bonnie S. Calhoun - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Bonnie S. Calhoun
Ads: Link
disintegrating paper books. Emerging painfully on the other side with shredded palms, she scrambled for the open door. The ceiling roared down behind her. A billowing cloud of dust trailed her out the door.
Hugging the wall, she felt her way down the long, darkened hallway. Her perception of where the front door stood was skewed by the fallen partitions and debris. She hadnât been in this section of the complex before.
Selah coughed and wheezed, gasping for air. To keep from inhaling the grit, she shoved her face into her shirtsleeve, her lungs filtering only small wisps of oxygen from the enveloping dust cloud.
She tripped and lurched forward, arms spread out to cushion the fall. Her palms skidded across the rubble-strewn floorand her chest slammed into the hard surface, knocking the precious little wind from her.
The shaking subsided. Selah lay on the debris-strewn floor, disoriented, her brain fogging from lack of oxygen. She tried to think, but it had happened too fast. She labored to push herself to her knees. Panting, she rose on shaking legs. Her palms were bleeding and raw. An explosion of pain tore through her right ankle as she limped out of the crumbling building.
She coughed a few times, clearing the dust from her lungs and the gritty taste from her throat as she brushed the hair from her forehead and raised her eyes.
Shaking her head a few times, she tried to make her brain understand what she was seeing in the courtyard in front of her.
6
S elah gaped. She glanced right to where a bunch of girls sat on the benches around an oasis of grass among the stone walkways. Off to her left two educators stood comparing notes on halo-tablets. The ocean air was still crisp and cleanânothing appeared out of place, no screaming mobs, no damage. Selah clutched at her throat where it had hurt a few seconds ago. It now felt fine. She stopped and stared down at her handsâboth hands. She turned them over and back again, inspecting every surface. No damage. No grit, blood, or shredded skin, just perfect, soft, clean hands.
Her heart raced.
What manner of craziness had gripped her mind? She spun to face the Repository. The debris-clogged doorway sheâd just escaped stood there pristine and clean with no signs of the disaster she had just experienced. Blood pounded in her head, filling her vision with micro-stars that floated before her eyes.
She felt faint. She extended her hands to steady herself.
She glanced into the Repository hallway. Every surface was in order. No dangling fixtures or dirt on the shiny floors.
The data glass! She scrambled to locate the contents of her pocket. Her hand found the small chip. She clutched it in her fingers and shut her eyes. A sigh of relief crossed her lips. She wasnât completely crazy. What manner of deception was this? Did she do it to herself, or did someone do it to her?
Selah carefully descended the few stairs to the stone pathway. Her balance returned and her head cleared by the time she reached the bottom.
She took off running across the quadrant to her quarters and scurried into the lift. She leaned back against the wall and was breathing hard as the vehicle rose to the sixth floor. Her pounding heart threatened to blow out her ribs. She squeezed her arms tight across her chest. Sheâd never felt so confused or scared in her life.
Was this her imagination? Was she asleep and in some weird dream? No, she felt awake. She pinched her arm. She yelped, then snickered as a single tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek. What a stupid thing to do. She looked at her arm. That was going to leave a mark.
The lift doors slid open and she hurried down the hall. With a palm identification, she was in. She slid onto her seat and inserted the data glass in her other reader sitting on the corner of the desk. This part was real. She was holding the glass. What could explain the rest?
Her machine made the same strange noise as the one in the Repository.
Hugging the wall, she felt her way down the long, darkened hallway. Her perception of where the front door stood was skewed by the fallen partitions and debris. She hadnât been in this section of the complex before.
Selah coughed and wheezed, gasping for air. To keep from inhaling the grit, she shoved her face into her shirtsleeve, her lungs filtering only small wisps of oxygen from the enveloping dust cloud.
She tripped and lurched forward, arms spread out to cushion the fall. Her palms skidded across the rubble-strewn floorand her chest slammed into the hard surface, knocking the precious little wind from her.
The shaking subsided. Selah lay on the debris-strewn floor, disoriented, her brain fogging from lack of oxygen. She tried to think, but it had happened too fast. She labored to push herself to her knees. Panting, she rose on shaking legs. Her palms were bleeding and raw. An explosion of pain tore through her right ankle as she limped out of the crumbling building.
She coughed a few times, clearing the dust from her lungs and the gritty taste from her throat as she brushed the hair from her forehead and raised her eyes.
Shaking her head a few times, she tried to make her brain understand what she was seeing in the courtyard in front of her.
6
S elah gaped. She glanced right to where a bunch of girls sat on the benches around an oasis of grass among the stone walkways. Off to her left two educators stood comparing notes on halo-tablets. The ocean air was still crisp and cleanânothing appeared out of place, no screaming mobs, no damage. Selah clutched at her throat where it had hurt a few seconds ago. It now felt fine. She stopped and stared down at her handsâboth hands. She turned them over and back again, inspecting every surface. No damage. No grit, blood, or shredded skin, just perfect, soft, clean hands.
Her heart raced.
What manner of craziness had gripped her mind? She spun to face the Repository. The debris-clogged doorway sheâd just escaped stood there pristine and clean with no signs of the disaster she had just experienced. Blood pounded in her head, filling her vision with micro-stars that floated before her eyes.
She felt faint. She extended her hands to steady herself.
She glanced into the Repository hallway. Every surface was in order. No dangling fixtures or dirt on the shiny floors.
The data glass! She scrambled to locate the contents of her pocket. Her hand found the small chip. She clutched it in her fingers and shut her eyes. A sigh of relief crossed her lips. She wasnât completely crazy. What manner of deception was this? Did she do it to herself, or did someone do it to her?
Selah carefully descended the few stairs to the stone pathway. Her balance returned and her head cleared by the time she reached the bottom.
She took off running across the quadrant to her quarters and scurried into the lift. She leaned back against the wall and was breathing hard as the vehicle rose to the sixth floor. Her pounding heart threatened to blow out her ribs. She squeezed her arms tight across her chest. Sheâd never felt so confused or scared in her life.
Was this her imagination? Was she asleep and in some weird dream? No, she felt awake. She pinched her arm. She yelped, then snickered as a single tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek. What a stupid thing to do. She looked at her arm. That was going to leave a mark.
The lift doors slid open and she hurried down the hall. With a palm identification, she was in. She slid onto her seat and inserted the data glass in her other reader sitting on the corner of the desk. This part was real. She was holding the glass. What could explain the rest?
Her machine made the same strange noise as the one in the Repository.
Similar Books
