Read Online Strangers and Shadows by John Kowalsky - Free Book Online
Authors: John Kowalsky
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figure out the shower controls. Their first attempt left Asher’s leg red from where the water scalded him. They climbed in the shower and danced their young lover’s dance, washing each other in turn, enjoying the excitement of it all.
They finished showering and dried off, putting on the bath robes that the hotel’s guest packet suggested.
“How much time left do we have?” Asher asked as he walked toward the watch Dorian had given him. He fastened it around his wrist.
“Roughly two hours or so.” Ava had already put hers on and was now drying her hair with the blow dryer. “These things are great, I wish we could find a way to bring one home with us.”
The hotel room was full of things that existed in their time, the difference being there wasn’t anything on the television back home. In fact, with the darkness falling, it had been a while since Asher had had a chance to visit the Museum at the Palace, with all its relics of the past. Refrigerators, toasters, curling irons, nearly anything you could imagine from the past, it even had a DVD player. I’ll have to find one of those , Asher thought as he laid down on the bed next to Ava. He fully intended to watch the television that he had read so much about as a kid, but instead fell asleep next to Ava who had already nodded off herself.
He awoke with a start. There was a loud beeping in the room, and it took Asher a few moments to realize that the sound was coming from the watches.
“RISE AND SHINE CAMPERS!” Dorian’s voice blared in stereo. “RISE AND SHINE, THE WORLD IS WAITING!”
Asher was beginning to get annoyed, not only by the sound of Dorian’s voice, but also by the fact that Dorian seemingly knew that they’d been asleep.
“RISE AND SHINE!” Dorian continued, “THIS IS A RECORDING. PRESS ANY BUTTON TO STOP PLAYBACK.”
Asher immediately hit a button as did Ava beside him. He glanced at the time. Fifteen minutes left. “Come on Ava, let’s get dressed, we’re supposed to be leaving soon.”
The watches beeped in unison. “I trust everyone’s awake?” Dorian sounded as smug as ever. “Sorry for the alarm, but I had to be sure that we’re on schedule… don’t want to miss our jump window. The jump controllers hate it when your late.”
Across the room, Ava rolled her eyes.
“Are you two there...? Oh, right, press the bottom left button to talk.”
Ava pressed her button once, slowly and deliberately. “ Uncle , is that you?”
Asher thought she seemed in a rather playful mood. A little out of character for her. Maybe she was nervous about where they were going.
“Are you two ready? We have to leave soon.”
“We’re ready, Dorian. Where should we meet you?” Asher asked.
“Stay there, I’ll come get you.”
Several minutes later there was a knock at the door.
Asher opened the door and Dorian walked in. He closed the door behind him.
“Where’s Mike?” Ava asked.
“He’ll be along at a later time,” Dorian paused, staring intently at his watch. Presently, it chirped out a little tune that Asher didn’t recognize. “That’s our cue. Be sure not to leave anything behind.” He walked over to the door and opened it, standing to one side and motioning, after you , to Ava and Asher.
Just as Ava was about to exit the room, Dorian stopped her. “I almost forgot,” he said, holding out his hand. “Watches. Let’s have them.”
Ava and Asher took off the watches with puzzled looks on their faces, and handed them to the Stranger who then placed them in a plastic bag along with his own. He left them sitting on the table of room 274.
“Won’t be needing these where we’re going.”
“Why are we leaving them?” Asher wanted to know.
“Now, now... All in good time,” the Stranger replied. “You’ll know more soon enough.” Dorian motioned them through the door and they complied, finding themselves not in
They finished showering and dried off, putting on the bath robes that the hotel’s guest packet suggested.
“How much time left do we have?” Asher asked as he walked toward the watch Dorian had given him. He fastened it around his wrist.
“Roughly two hours or so.” Ava had already put hers on and was now drying her hair with the blow dryer. “These things are great, I wish we could find a way to bring one home with us.”
The hotel room was full of things that existed in their time, the difference being there wasn’t anything on the television back home. In fact, with the darkness falling, it had been a while since Asher had had a chance to visit the Museum at the Palace, with all its relics of the past. Refrigerators, toasters, curling irons, nearly anything you could imagine from the past, it even had a DVD player. I’ll have to find one of those , Asher thought as he laid down on the bed next to Ava. He fully intended to watch the television that he had read so much about as a kid, but instead fell asleep next to Ava who had already nodded off herself.
He awoke with a start. There was a loud beeping in the room, and it took Asher a few moments to realize that the sound was coming from the watches.
“RISE AND SHINE CAMPERS!” Dorian’s voice blared in stereo. “RISE AND SHINE, THE WORLD IS WAITING!”
Asher was beginning to get annoyed, not only by the sound of Dorian’s voice, but also by the fact that Dorian seemingly knew that they’d been asleep.
“RISE AND SHINE!” Dorian continued, “THIS IS A RECORDING. PRESS ANY BUTTON TO STOP PLAYBACK.”
Asher immediately hit a button as did Ava beside him. He glanced at the time. Fifteen minutes left. “Come on Ava, let’s get dressed, we’re supposed to be leaving soon.”
The watches beeped in unison. “I trust everyone’s awake?” Dorian sounded as smug as ever. “Sorry for the alarm, but I had to be sure that we’re on schedule… don’t want to miss our jump window. The jump controllers hate it when your late.”
Across the room, Ava rolled her eyes.
“Are you two there...? Oh, right, press the bottom left button to talk.”
Ava pressed her button once, slowly and deliberately. “ Uncle , is that you?”
Asher thought she seemed in a rather playful mood. A little out of character for her. Maybe she was nervous about where they were going.
“Are you two ready? We have to leave soon.”
“We’re ready, Dorian. Where should we meet you?” Asher asked.
“Stay there, I’ll come get you.”
Several minutes later there was a knock at the door.
Asher opened the door and Dorian walked in. He closed the door behind him.
“Where’s Mike?” Ava asked.
“He’ll be along at a later time,” Dorian paused, staring intently at his watch. Presently, it chirped out a little tune that Asher didn’t recognize. “That’s our cue. Be sure not to leave anything behind.” He walked over to the door and opened it, standing to one side and motioning, after you , to Ava and Asher.
Just as Ava was about to exit the room, Dorian stopped her. “I almost forgot,” he said, holding out his hand. “Watches. Let’s have them.”
Ava and Asher took off the watches with puzzled looks on their faces, and handed them to the Stranger who then placed them in a plastic bag along with his own. He left them sitting on the table of room 274.
“Won’t be needing these where we’re going.”
“Why are we leaving them?” Asher wanted to know.
“Now, now... All in good time,” the Stranger replied. “You’ll know more soon enough.” Dorian motioned them through the door and they complied, finding themselves not in
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