Read Online Phantoms In Philadelphia by Amalie Vantana - Free Book Online
Authors: Amalie Vantana
Ads: Link
the first stair. Testing my weight on the
stair cautiously to avoid creaking, no sounds met my ears, so I
stepped onto the second and then the third. I was halfway up the
stairs, when a board creaked under my weight. My teeth
instinctively clenched while my back tensed as I listened. No
sounds came from above; I blew out a silent, relieved breath.
At the top of the stairs, something ran across my
foot. My body tensed. My first reaction to kick at whatever had
touched my foot, but I refrained. I imagined it was a mouse from
the size, but still an unpleasant experience. A sound like a
grizzly bear rumbled from the room, and I jerked, nearly tumbling
down the stairs. Another sound like a shrill whistle followed. Not
only was someone sleeping here, but they were not alone.
You have fought in a war; you can
surely face a sleeping giant. Telling
myself that did little to help the feelings of anxiety as I thought
that the giant could probably take on a small troop
alone.
There was a stench of unwashed bodies, rotting
straw, and stale onions. My stomach tightened against the sickening
smell. I made my mind focus on searching the room, trying to ignore
everything else. Moonlight was shining in through a small window
near the ceiling so I could see the large frame of Dimitri, his
long limbs hanging over the sides of a bed. His grizzly, rumbling
snore echoed through the room then came the shrill sound from
another man who was sleeping on a cot. There was a second cot, but
it was empty.
With my eyes accustomed to the darkness, I could
make out a desk in the far corner. The only problem was that I
would have to pass both sleeping men to get to it.
You have not come this far to turn coward.
My little mind talk had the desired effect. Squaring
my shoulders, I stepped past the bed and cots. A cold draft swirled
around my stocking clad feet making them feel numb. With each step,
shards of pain burst in my feet, but I kept on to the desk in the
corner. As I reached it, I felt along the sides and back, then
knelt before it, feeling underneath for any latch or lever. There
was nothing, but inside the desk, there was a single sheet of paper
so after snatching it and stuffing it in my pocket, I turned toward
the bed. Dimitri would keep it under his guard. My eyes scanned the
room, but the only clothing was that which the two men were
wearing. I stepped next to the bed and felt around the bed. The bed
was made of four small posters that held a pallet in the center and
straw was thrown down for padding. Dimitri was far too large for
the bed, so his arms and legs hung off the sides. As he snored, his
breath blew on me. There were the onions. I closed my eyes,
pressing my lips tightly together. I shook my head, trying to focus
on something else other than the sickness that threatened to come
up.
There is something that I am
overlooking. Even as I thought it, I had a
strange feeling. What I was looking for was not on the second
floor. If I were Dimitri, where would I hide something I did not
want anyone to find? I considered that he could keep the box on his
person, but I immediately struck that down. He was a big man; he
exuded a grim confidence, so he would not need to keep it on him to
know that it was safe. I needed a different tactic. We would watch
his house in the light of day and wait for him to depart then
search the house.
A large hand grabbed my leg. My heart leapt so hard
I thought it would stop. As my stomach roiled, alarm echoed in my
head. I clutched my pistol and looked down at where the giant was
still laying. A moment passed then his rumbling snore sounded
again. The giant was asleep. Slowly I turned my torso. The giant
had a hold of my leg in his sleep. I bent, carefully pulling my
leg, but he held fast. If I could get him to shift he would release
my leg, but it had consequences. If I moved too much, it could
awaken him.
A distraction was needed. My calling card for the
Phantoms was a black feather which was the reason that
stair cautiously to avoid creaking, no sounds met my ears, so I
stepped onto the second and then the third. I was halfway up the
stairs, when a board creaked under my weight. My teeth
instinctively clenched while my back tensed as I listened. No
sounds came from above; I blew out a silent, relieved breath.
At the top of the stairs, something ran across my
foot. My body tensed. My first reaction to kick at whatever had
touched my foot, but I refrained. I imagined it was a mouse from
the size, but still an unpleasant experience. A sound like a
grizzly bear rumbled from the room, and I jerked, nearly tumbling
down the stairs. Another sound like a shrill whistle followed. Not
only was someone sleeping here, but they were not alone.
You have fought in a war; you can
surely face a sleeping giant. Telling
myself that did little to help the feelings of anxiety as I thought
that the giant could probably take on a small troop
alone.
There was a stench of unwashed bodies, rotting
straw, and stale onions. My stomach tightened against the sickening
smell. I made my mind focus on searching the room, trying to ignore
everything else. Moonlight was shining in through a small window
near the ceiling so I could see the large frame of Dimitri, his
long limbs hanging over the sides of a bed. His grizzly, rumbling
snore echoed through the room then came the shrill sound from
another man who was sleeping on a cot. There was a second cot, but
it was empty.
With my eyes accustomed to the darkness, I could
make out a desk in the far corner. The only problem was that I
would have to pass both sleeping men to get to it.
You have not come this far to turn coward.
My little mind talk had the desired effect. Squaring
my shoulders, I stepped past the bed and cots. A cold draft swirled
around my stocking clad feet making them feel numb. With each step,
shards of pain burst in my feet, but I kept on to the desk in the
corner. As I reached it, I felt along the sides and back, then
knelt before it, feeling underneath for any latch or lever. There
was nothing, but inside the desk, there was a single sheet of paper
so after snatching it and stuffing it in my pocket, I turned toward
the bed. Dimitri would keep it under his guard. My eyes scanned the
room, but the only clothing was that which the two men were
wearing. I stepped next to the bed and felt around the bed. The bed
was made of four small posters that held a pallet in the center and
straw was thrown down for padding. Dimitri was far too large for
the bed, so his arms and legs hung off the sides. As he snored, his
breath blew on me. There were the onions. I closed my eyes,
pressing my lips tightly together. I shook my head, trying to focus
on something else other than the sickness that threatened to come
up.
There is something that I am
overlooking. Even as I thought it, I had a
strange feeling. What I was looking for was not on the second
floor. If I were Dimitri, where would I hide something I did not
want anyone to find? I considered that he could keep the box on his
person, but I immediately struck that down. He was a big man; he
exuded a grim confidence, so he would not need to keep it on him to
know that it was safe. I needed a different tactic. We would watch
his house in the light of day and wait for him to depart then
search the house.
A large hand grabbed my leg. My heart leapt so hard
I thought it would stop. As my stomach roiled, alarm echoed in my
head. I clutched my pistol and looked down at where the giant was
still laying. A moment passed then his rumbling snore sounded
again. The giant was asleep. Slowly I turned my torso. The giant
had a hold of my leg in his sleep. I bent, carefully pulling my
leg, but he held fast. If I could get him to shift he would release
my leg, but it had consequences. If I moved too much, it could
awaken him.
A distraction was needed. My calling card for the
Phantoms was a black feather which was the reason that
Similar Books
