Read Online The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mary E. Pearson
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, adventure, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Social Issues, Survival Stories, Survival, Identity, Bioethics
Ads: Link
more trash.
"Where is she?" I whisper.
"Where are we ?" Kara whispers back.
I wish I knew.
We hear a sound, the swishing clap of tires over wet stones. It grows louder, and suddenly blinding lights turn a corner and come at us. Kara and I both frantically look around, searching for escape, pulling on boxes that tumble down around us, rats the size of cats squealing for cover. The lights zoom down on us, then just a few feet away screech to a halt. Kara and I are frozen in the beams. The lights go dead, and I hear a voice. "Escapees! You made it!"
Kara lets out a rumbling angry breath. My knees go weak. This body that Gatsbro gave me is too much like my old one. "Yes, Dot," I say. "We made it."
She calls us over and begins to give us further instructions. We are to go down some steps that are hidden by a Dumpster. Her Network is down there, in the labyrinth of abandoned basements below. They are expecting us. They are trolling for IDs tonight and we will have them by morning. Don't ask questions. Just do what they say. They will give us something to eat and a place to sleep since they know Eaters and Breathers cannot manage long without these things. She will wait for us and take us where we want to go in the morning.
"Go," she says. "They're waiting."
Kara grabs me by the arm to go, but I lean back toward Dot. "What about you?" I ask. "You're going to stay out here with the rats?"
She briefly looks down at where her lap should be, her torso firmly attached to a console. The answer is obvious even before she tells me. "Yes," she says. "I'll be staying right here."
I hesitate. She's only a Bot .
"Let's go," Kara says, tugging on my arm. "I'm starving."
I nod at Dot. I am not sure what my nod even means. It is a placeholder for all the things I don't know how to say.
Chapter 19
If I thought walking down a dead-end alley was a huge mistake in judgment, walking down dark abandoned basement stairs is complete lunacy. We hold on to sticky walls to find our way, since not even slivers of moon will venture into this particular corner of hell. When the last glimmer of outside light disappears, my breaths freeze in my chest.
I stop. I can't move forward.
The darkness is as thick as cement.
The panic inside me fights with reason. We're not there. Kara walks behind me, her nails digging into my arm.
Never show your weakness again.
I concentrate. We need help, and these people can give it to us. I strain to see anything at all. Focus . I feel a rush somewhere behind my eyes, a dull ache, but then suddenly, the blackness takes form. Dark red edges, a wall, a landing. A door. Stale air enters my lungs at last. I draw on every last bit of reflected light in the stairwell. Maybe Gatsbro was at least right about one thing. If I focus, maybe I'll surprise myself. Or maybe this body is learning new tricks, just like a dog. Sit up. Fetch. See in the dark.
"We're almost there," I whisper.
"How do you know?" Kara asks. "I can't see anything."
"My eyes are adjusting. There's a door ahead."
We reach the landing, and I push on the handle. The door opens easily, and a rush of light hits us. It is a dim orange glow, but against the dark it seems bright.
"Come in. We've been waiting for you."
Three people inhabit the room. At least I think they're people. In adjacent hallways and rooms we see more people, all busy with something. The large man in the center of the room takes charge of us and guides us down a long, poorly lit hallway. He is definitely human. His face is slashed with a deep scar from his temple to the corner of his mouth, and he walks with a marked limp. He leads us to a small, windowless room with a single cot in the corner. The only light is what spills in from the hallway.
"Probably not what you're used to, but it's only for one night. We don't take repeats, you understand? You either make it or you don't."
"Repeats? We don't know what--"
"And we don't take questions."
I nod.
Kara meets his somber stare and
"Where is she?" I whisper.
"Where are we ?" Kara whispers back.
I wish I knew.
We hear a sound, the swishing clap of tires over wet stones. It grows louder, and suddenly blinding lights turn a corner and come at us. Kara and I both frantically look around, searching for escape, pulling on boxes that tumble down around us, rats the size of cats squealing for cover. The lights zoom down on us, then just a few feet away screech to a halt. Kara and I are frozen in the beams. The lights go dead, and I hear a voice. "Escapees! You made it!"
Kara lets out a rumbling angry breath. My knees go weak. This body that Gatsbro gave me is too much like my old one. "Yes, Dot," I say. "We made it."
She calls us over and begins to give us further instructions. We are to go down some steps that are hidden by a Dumpster. Her Network is down there, in the labyrinth of abandoned basements below. They are expecting us. They are trolling for IDs tonight and we will have them by morning. Don't ask questions. Just do what they say. They will give us something to eat and a place to sleep since they know Eaters and Breathers cannot manage long without these things. She will wait for us and take us where we want to go in the morning.
"Go," she says. "They're waiting."
Kara grabs me by the arm to go, but I lean back toward Dot. "What about you?" I ask. "You're going to stay out here with the rats?"
She briefly looks down at where her lap should be, her torso firmly attached to a console. The answer is obvious even before she tells me. "Yes," she says. "I'll be staying right here."
I hesitate. She's only a Bot .
"Let's go," Kara says, tugging on my arm. "I'm starving."
I nod at Dot. I am not sure what my nod even means. It is a placeholder for all the things I don't know how to say.
Chapter 19
If I thought walking down a dead-end alley was a huge mistake in judgment, walking down dark abandoned basement stairs is complete lunacy. We hold on to sticky walls to find our way, since not even slivers of moon will venture into this particular corner of hell. When the last glimmer of outside light disappears, my breaths freeze in my chest.
I stop. I can't move forward.
The darkness is as thick as cement.
The panic inside me fights with reason. We're not there. Kara walks behind me, her nails digging into my arm.
Never show your weakness again.
I concentrate. We need help, and these people can give it to us. I strain to see anything at all. Focus . I feel a rush somewhere behind my eyes, a dull ache, but then suddenly, the blackness takes form. Dark red edges, a wall, a landing. A door. Stale air enters my lungs at last. I draw on every last bit of reflected light in the stairwell. Maybe Gatsbro was at least right about one thing. If I focus, maybe I'll surprise myself. Or maybe this body is learning new tricks, just like a dog. Sit up. Fetch. See in the dark.
"We're almost there," I whisper.
"How do you know?" Kara asks. "I can't see anything."
"My eyes are adjusting. There's a door ahead."
We reach the landing, and I push on the handle. The door opens easily, and a rush of light hits us. It is a dim orange glow, but against the dark it seems bright.
"Come in. We've been waiting for you."
Three people inhabit the room. At least I think they're people. In adjacent hallways and rooms we see more people, all busy with something. The large man in the center of the room takes charge of us and guides us down a long, poorly lit hallway. He is definitely human. His face is slashed with a deep scar from his temple to the corner of his mouth, and he walks with a marked limp. He leads us to a small, windowless room with a single cot in the corner. The only light is what spills in from the hallway.
"Probably not what you're used to, but it's only for one night. We don't take repeats, you understand? You either make it or you don't."
"Repeats? We don't know what--"
"And we don't take questions."
I nod.
Kara meets his somber stare and
Similar Books
