Read Online Surviving Passion by Maia Underwood - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maia Underwood
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know, and how much could you possibly know with only one set of eyes and ears? With no one else to talk to? People live in groups because it’s the only way to survive.”
“But you’re all afraid of these men and you’re sitting ducks here. All you have to do is pack up and just walk away from your danger, but for some reason, none of you even thought of that. You would rather risk your lives—”
“Some of us aren’t ready to let go of civilization, Selena. Our way of life gets more primitive and feral every day. We’ve lost too much ground since the Crash. We don’t need to give up more. The world still has some people left and those people are going to rebuild. It’ll be different, but we’re going to have some security again. Some law and order. Wandering around with only what we can carry is just going to set us back. We shouldn’t have to run.”
Selena bristled. Her lifestyle and that of her parents was not primitive. “You’re giving up ...” she struggled for the right word, “ resourcefulness for safety you can’t maintain. You all have too much to lose here. At some point, someone is going to take it from you.
“And my lifestyle is based on mastery of the natural world, not clinging to the past. I think you’re living a lot more dangerously than my family ever did. According to them, things were pretty wild before the Crash too. No shortage of danger then either.”
Selena stopped herself with a sigh, turned abruptly and walked away. No point in arguing with him. She knew his response would only make her irate and she didn’t want to wait around for it.
He had answered her question, and she didn’t have to defend her decisions. Who was he to judge her? Selena briskly came back down the hill, needing some time to clear her head.
When she got back to the cabin, someone was sitting on the steps in the darkness. Case in point , she thought, with mounting vexation. This was exactly what Dan didn’t seem to get, despite how perceptive he seemed. He can’t understand, she decided with resignation. He’s a man.
“Hello?” she asked the shadow; glad she was in earshot of all the other cabins.
“Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you coming,” said a startled masculine voice. He stepped away from the stairs and into the moonlight.
It was the short guy that she had disliked on sight earlier. He hadn’t participated in the discussion so she didn’t know his name. Short as he was, he was still quite a bit taller than she. With his big, bulky muscles and exaggerated body language, he looked like the kind of person who tried too hard. She thought she remembered something about a syndrome for short men that her parents mentioned, but couldn’t remember what it was. All in all, there was no one she’d be less happy to see between her and her front door. She folded her arms over her chest and faced him squarely.
“So you’re Selena? I’m Clint,” he said sticking his hand out to her.
She shook it firmly and drew it back as quickly as possible.
He stepped in closer before continuing, “I just had to come here and tell you that the whole thing with you hanging out up there in the tree was great. That was totally smooth. No one had any idea. I mean, I noticed early on but I wasn’t going to say anything. Dan is such a pain in the ass, isn’t he? He really shouldn’t have busted you on it.”
Selena frowned at all the chatter but he continued on as though there was some private understanding between the two of them.
“I know you haven’t known him for very long but he thinks he’s the best thing ever. But you know what?” And here he leaned forward like he was going to entrust her with some confidential information, “It’s all bull shit. You’ll see. You’re smart. So don’t mind him. I thought it was great.”
Selena only nodded, humoring him.
“Anyway, I’d better leave you alone to get some rest. But if you ever get bored, my cabin is the second on the left side of the path
“But you’re all afraid of these men and you’re sitting ducks here. All you have to do is pack up and just walk away from your danger, but for some reason, none of you even thought of that. You would rather risk your lives—”
“Some of us aren’t ready to let go of civilization, Selena. Our way of life gets more primitive and feral every day. We’ve lost too much ground since the Crash. We don’t need to give up more. The world still has some people left and those people are going to rebuild. It’ll be different, but we’re going to have some security again. Some law and order. Wandering around with only what we can carry is just going to set us back. We shouldn’t have to run.”
Selena bristled. Her lifestyle and that of her parents was not primitive. “You’re giving up ...” she struggled for the right word, “ resourcefulness for safety you can’t maintain. You all have too much to lose here. At some point, someone is going to take it from you.
“And my lifestyle is based on mastery of the natural world, not clinging to the past. I think you’re living a lot more dangerously than my family ever did. According to them, things were pretty wild before the Crash too. No shortage of danger then either.”
Selena stopped herself with a sigh, turned abruptly and walked away. No point in arguing with him. She knew his response would only make her irate and she didn’t want to wait around for it.
He had answered her question, and she didn’t have to defend her decisions. Who was he to judge her? Selena briskly came back down the hill, needing some time to clear her head.
When she got back to the cabin, someone was sitting on the steps in the darkness. Case in point , she thought, with mounting vexation. This was exactly what Dan didn’t seem to get, despite how perceptive he seemed. He can’t understand, she decided with resignation. He’s a man.
“Hello?” she asked the shadow; glad she was in earshot of all the other cabins.
“Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you coming,” said a startled masculine voice. He stepped away from the stairs and into the moonlight.
It was the short guy that she had disliked on sight earlier. He hadn’t participated in the discussion so she didn’t know his name. Short as he was, he was still quite a bit taller than she. With his big, bulky muscles and exaggerated body language, he looked like the kind of person who tried too hard. She thought she remembered something about a syndrome for short men that her parents mentioned, but couldn’t remember what it was. All in all, there was no one she’d be less happy to see between her and her front door. She folded her arms over her chest and faced him squarely.
“So you’re Selena? I’m Clint,” he said sticking his hand out to her.
She shook it firmly and drew it back as quickly as possible.
He stepped in closer before continuing, “I just had to come here and tell you that the whole thing with you hanging out up there in the tree was great. That was totally smooth. No one had any idea. I mean, I noticed early on but I wasn’t going to say anything. Dan is such a pain in the ass, isn’t he? He really shouldn’t have busted you on it.”
Selena frowned at all the chatter but he continued on as though there was some private understanding between the two of them.
“I know you haven’t known him for very long but he thinks he’s the best thing ever. But you know what?” And here he leaned forward like he was going to entrust her with some confidential information, “It’s all bull shit. You’ll see. You’re smart. So don’t mind him. I thought it was great.”
Selena only nodded, humoring him.
“Anyway, I’d better leave you alone to get some rest. But if you ever get bored, my cabin is the second on the left side of the path
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