Read Online The Choosing by Jeremy Laszlo, Ronnell Porter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jeremy Laszlo, Ronnell Porter
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through town and find a place to shelter out the night then return in the morning.
“Seems safe enough.” Seth was saying almost to himself then added for everyone’s benefit. “If the inside walls are stone too, one of us could sleep against the door to be sure no one comes in while we sleep.”
Seeming a brilliant idea, the three marched off towards the inn, Seth and Ashton glancing around warily, and Garret glancing back to the brothel longingly. Oh the things money could buy.
They came to face the door to the inn and could hear from inside many muted voices in relaxed conversations. Light streamed around the poorly fitted door, and from two oversized windows, one to each side of the door. Above the door a sign danced in the slight evening breeze, marking this, the sunrise inn. The boys gave one another a nod of approval before pulling the door open. Garret placed his hand on the handle and giving a sharp tug, nothing happened. Thinking it stuck, Seth too took hold of the handle and the two large boys pulled in unison to no avail. Looking at each other in defeat the two boys shrugged their shoulders in acceptance and turned as if to leave. Ashton reached one of his slender hands up to the door then, the twins pausing to watch what would presumably be another failed attempt at dislodging the door; he gave it a light push, not pull, and the door swung effortlessly, silently on its hinges wide open. Ashton smiled at them as the twins faces flushed in embarrassment. The three walked through the door, Garret mumbling something about the door needing a sign saying push. They were welcomed by many strangers’ stares, and the strong scent of ale and garlic. They looked around quickly, and met the gaze of the barkeep who smiled at them widely, and welcomed them in a deep booming voice to the Sunrise Inn. They each nodded to him in response and quickly located a table. The three sat at a table in the corner keeping their backs to the wall, facing the expansive room ahead of them. They looked around the room, appraising the many people seated throughout the common room. There were a couple of men at the bar laughing drunkenly at their own jokes. Many of the tables too were occupied by men and women of varying ages. Some of them were obviously travelers like themselves, but more than half showed no sign of travel, their hair well kept, clothes clean. One man in particular caught all three of the boys’ attention. He was old, shriveled by age. His hair hung in long white cascades over his shoulders nearly reaching his waist. He had a full snowy beard as well, nearly the length of his hair. He was dressed in a peculiar gray garb, that had once perhaps been black, but faded by years of wear and travel now had a more mute earthly stone color to it. He seemed out of place, it wasn’t his clothes that seemed made in another time, in a fashion no longer used. It also wasn’t his age that seemed to keep him apart from the others here in the inn. Something about his posture, his too graceful movements left a feeling of unworthiness to those around him, as if the man were some holy artifact that was too great to touch or even look upon directly. Yet everyone within the room had looked upon him, and left him to his own musings, sitting in the opposite corner the boys had seated themselves in. The trio watched the man from the corners of their eyes, pretending to look around the room again and again. So caught up in their secret appraisals of the old man, none of them had noticed the woman when she approached their table.
“Hello fellas.” The woman greeted the boys, scrutinizing their clothes as if to measure their worth. Assured by the quality garb the twins wore she smiled at them all and continued in a softer nicer tone.
“Welcome to the Sunrise Inn, what can I get for you?”
The boys looked at each other puzzled, not having decided upon anything yet. Seth and
“Seems safe enough.” Seth was saying almost to himself then added for everyone’s benefit. “If the inside walls are stone too, one of us could sleep against the door to be sure no one comes in while we sleep.”
Seeming a brilliant idea, the three marched off towards the inn, Seth and Ashton glancing around warily, and Garret glancing back to the brothel longingly. Oh the things money could buy.
They came to face the door to the inn and could hear from inside many muted voices in relaxed conversations. Light streamed around the poorly fitted door, and from two oversized windows, one to each side of the door. Above the door a sign danced in the slight evening breeze, marking this, the sunrise inn. The boys gave one another a nod of approval before pulling the door open. Garret placed his hand on the handle and giving a sharp tug, nothing happened. Thinking it stuck, Seth too took hold of the handle and the two large boys pulled in unison to no avail. Looking at each other in defeat the two boys shrugged their shoulders in acceptance and turned as if to leave. Ashton reached one of his slender hands up to the door then, the twins pausing to watch what would presumably be another failed attempt at dislodging the door; he gave it a light push, not pull, and the door swung effortlessly, silently on its hinges wide open. Ashton smiled at them as the twins faces flushed in embarrassment. The three walked through the door, Garret mumbling something about the door needing a sign saying push. They were welcomed by many strangers’ stares, and the strong scent of ale and garlic. They looked around quickly, and met the gaze of the barkeep who smiled at them widely, and welcomed them in a deep booming voice to the Sunrise Inn. They each nodded to him in response and quickly located a table. The three sat at a table in the corner keeping their backs to the wall, facing the expansive room ahead of them. They looked around the room, appraising the many people seated throughout the common room. There were a couple of men at the bar laughing drunkenly at their own jokes. Many of the tables too were occupied by men and women of varying ages. Some of them were obviously travelers like themselves, but more than half showed no sign of travel, their hair well kept, clothes clean. One man in particular caught all three of the boys’ attention. He was old, shriveled by age. His hair hung in long white cascades over his shoulders nearly reaching his waist. He had a full snowy beard as well, nearly the length of his hair. He was dressed in a peculiar gray garb, that had once perhaps been black, but faded by years of wear and travel now had a more mute earthly stone color to it. He seemed out of place, it wasn’t his clothes that seemed made in another time, in a fashion no longer used. It also wasn’t his age that seemed to keep him apart from the others here in the inn. Something about his posture, his too graceful movements left a feeling of unworthiness to those around him, as if the man were some holy artifact that was too great to touch or even look upon directly. Yet everyone within the room had looked upon him, and left him to his own musings, sitting in the opposite corner the boys had seated themselves in. The trio watched the man from the corners of their eyes, pretending to look around the room again and again. So caught up in their secret appraisals of the old man, none of them had noticed the woman when she approached their table.
“Hello fellas.” The woman greeted the boys, scrutinizing their clothes as if to measure their worth. Assured by the quality garb the twins wore she smiled at them all and continued in a softer nicer tone.
“Welcome to the Sunrise Inn, what can I get for you?”
The boys looked at each other puzzled, not having decided upon anything yet. Seth and
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