Read Online Preda's Voice (Guardians of Vaka Book 1) by Carolyn Gross - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Gross
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handbag. How did she get that through security? She was young—in her twenties at the most. She was wearing a perfectly tailored business suit. She was one of the most beautiful women Preda had ever seen. Her expression was one of well-rehearsed boredom while she continued to wait in line.
Once the door was shut, Preda stood helplessly with her shaking hands held at her sides. What could their plan possibly be in a crowded airport bathroom with Al standing guard outside? Without knowing what else to do, she stood perfectly still and listened. If there was one thing Preda was good at after years of silence, it was listening.
She heard a toilet flush two stalls to her right. The door opened, and the next person walked in. That had to be her. The click of the high heels matched the vision of the person in her head. At least she had a direction for her enemy. Unfortunately the only exit also happened to be on her right. Preda considered running, but she didn’t know if there was anyone else in the bathroom who could stop her if she made such a foolish attempt.
This approach seemed well coordinated and planned. Al’s last words came back to her, and she whispered them to herself like a litany. “You can’t trust anyone, Preda.” She slowly started to lower herself down to one knee and risked a glance under the stalls to check for those beautiful black stilettos. Preda took in the sight as quickly as she could, but it was difficult to process.
She saw a metal canister drop on the ground and start rolling toward her with white smoke hissing out of the top. The beautiful woman was wearing a mask over her face and had started to slide herself under the stall doors. She was crawling on the floor on her belly in Preda’s direction.
Preda whipped her head up and climbed up on top of the toilet. She carefully balanced herself with her feet on the sides of the seat. She saw white smoke curling under the stall door, and she knew that the beauty in a mask was not far behind. Cursing herself for being so short, Preda wished she could see over the stall door. It was not as if she could call for help. She heard the sound of somebody falling on the ground and a lipstick tube rolled under the door.
Preda took in a deep breath and held it as she propped her right foot on top of the toilet paper dispenser. She prayed it would hold her. She reached the top of the stall’s sides with her fingers and lifted herself up so she was standing on one foot and could see what was going on in the rest of the bathroom.
The line of women was gone. Someone was facedown on the floor with her purse open and contents splayed out in front of her. Preda looked down and saw a perfectly manicured hand appear under the side of the stall. The smoke had surrounded her now, and she didn’t know how long she could hold her breath. She heard a thump to her left, and she peeked over the side to see a woman slumped over on the floor with her panties around her ankles. She was still breathing.
Half of her pursuer’s torso was under the side of her stall now. Preda saw the metallic gleam of the knife in her left hand. She had to try to jump over the stall door. She looked one more time out into the bathroom. Two women were now standing in the middle of the room. Both were wearing masks and staring directly at her without moving or making a sound. Their sudden appearance and quiet stillness were terrifying.
They were waiting for her to be killed. It didn’t matter that Al was right outside. Preda was going to die in this bathroom. She had to face either the woman with the knife or the two statues out there. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold her breath, and the knife was getting closer.
Preda placed her left foot on the stall wall so she could get some higher leverage. She vaulted herself over the door and landed awkwardly on her side. The breath was knocked out of her, and she involuntarily tried to draw some air in. Preda realized too late she
Once the door was shut, Preda stood helplessly with her shaking hands held at her sides. What could their plan possibly be in a crowded airport bathroom with Al standing guard outside? Without knowing what else to do, she stood perfectly still and listened. If there was one thing Preda was good at after years of silence, it was listening.
She heard a toilet flush two stalls to her right. The door opened, and the next person walked in. That had to be her. The click of the high heels matched the vision of the person in her head. At least she had a direction for her enemy. Unfortunately the only exit also happened to be on her right. Preda considered running, but she didn’t know if there was anyone else in the bathroom who could stop her if she made such a foolish attempt.
This approach seemed well coordinated and planned. Al’s last words came back to her, and she whispered them to herself like a litany. “You can’t trust anyone, Preda.” She slowly started to lower herself down to one knee and risked a glance under the stalls to check for those beautiful black stilettos. Preda took in the sight as quickly as she could, but it was difficult to process.
She saw a metal canister drop on the ground and start rolling toward her with white smoke hissing out of the top. The beautiful woman was wearing a mask over her face and had started to slide herself under the stall doors. She was crawling on the floor on her belly in Preda’s direction.
Preda whipped her head up and climbed up on top of the toilet. She carefully balanced herself with her feet on the sides of the seat. She saw white smoke curling under the stall door, and she knew that the beauty in a mask was not far behind. Cursing herself for being so short, Preda wished she could see over the stall door. It was not as if she could call for help. She heard the sound of somebody falling on the ground and a lipstick tube rolled under the door.
Preda took in a deep breath and held it as she propped her right foot on top of the toilet paper dispenser. She prayed it would hold her. She reached the top of the stall’s sides with her fingers and lifted herself up so she was standing on one foot and could see what was going on in the rest of the bathroom.
The line of women was gone. Someone was facedown on the floor with her purse open and contents splayed out in front of her. Preda looked down and saw a perfectly manicured hand appear under the side of the stall. The smoke had surrounded her now, and she didn’t know how long she could hold her breath. She heard a thump to her left, and she peeked over the side to see a woman slumped over on the floor with her panties around her ankles. She was still breathing.
Half of her pursuer’s torso was under the side of her stall now. Preda saw the metallic gleam of the knife in her left hand. She had to try to jump over the stall door. She looked one more time out into the bathroom. Two women were now standing in the middle of the room. Both were wearing masks and staring directly at her without moving or making a sound. Their sudden appearance and quiet stillness were terrifying.
They were waiting for her to be killed. It didn’t matter that Al was right outside. Preda was going to die in this bathroom. She had to face either the woman with the knife or the two statues out there. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold her breath, and the knife was getting closer.
Preda placed her left foot on the stall wall so she could get some higher leverage. She vaulted herself over the door and landed awkwardly on her side. The breath was knocked out of her, and she involuntarily tried to draw some air in. Preda realized too late she
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