Read Online The Intruder by Greg Krehbiel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Greg Krehbiel
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behind a woman who was seated, facing away from Jeremy. The ghost appeared to be studying something intensely, but Jeremy couldn't decide what it was. The woman was completely oblivious.
Jeremy closed his left eye and studied the empty space with his right. He could see no sign of the creature. He considered asking if anyone else on the train could see it, but he didn't want to look like a fool.
The thing was facing away from him, and Jeremy had a sudden urge to touch it. He got up and wandered toward it as casually as he could manage. He stood right next to it, and then he noticed something odd about its movement. The subway car took a sharp right turn and Jeremy almost lost his balance. He remembered the screw. But unlike Jeremy, or the dangling screw, this image wasn't affected by inertia. It remained completely still relative to the wall of the subway car, despite the irregularities of the ride.
The car stopped at his station and the doors opened. Jeremy reached out and put his hand through the image, then he turned and got off the train without looking back.
As he came out of the subway station near his hotel, he configured his favorite search engine to look up everything available on angels.
Chapter 5
When Jeremy walked into the restaurant at five after eight the next morning, he was thankful to see Hanna in her usual seat. He had ordered his breakfast through his implant and knew it would be waiting for him in the autodispenser, but he didn't know how to get it out. Of course he could download the instructions, but instructions were never any good because they were always written by people who understood the process too well. Instead of saying "open the big orange door," it would say "open the dispenser lid," and there would be five things that might qualify as a dispenser lid.
"Hi," he said as he took a seat opposite Hanna at a small table.
"Good morning, Jeremy. No breakfast today?"
"No. I'll eat just as soon as you tell me how to get my food out of that contraption over there."
Hanna rolled her eyes, but explained anyway, very carefully. "You just open that big door, the orange one, put your right thumb on the big button-shaped thing that says 'identification plate,' and the inside door will open up. Your order will be inside."
"Sounds easy enough, but please don't watch me, okay? I'm tired of being a spectacle in this place." Hanna laughed and hid behind a book.
The dispenser worked just as Hanna described, and he was back in a minute, handing her a muffin and a bowl of fresh fruit from his tray. She gave him a grin and picked at the fruit.
"Thanks, Jeremy," she said.
As Jeremy opened his coffee and unwrapped his muffin she continued. "So, my friend MacKenzie told me about you. She's in that sociology class you've been visiting. She said you did a good job."
"MacKenzie" is a girl?
"I'm flattered that you asked about me," he said, looking squarely into her eyes, noticing how the blue gave way to bright green around the edges. Her eyes seemed to sparkle under the attention. "And I'm glad she gave a good report. I didn't expect to like the class, but I did."
Hanna's cheerful face took on a serious aspect. "Yeah, I suppose you would be a little nervous about it, huh? It must be weird to be in a totally different culture, and then to be placed under a microscope. But," she continued with a happier expression, "I think this is a great way for you to learn the ropes. You can ask them about Society stuff while they ask you about the Community."
"Yes. It was helpful," he said.
"Feel free to ask me anything you want to know. I won't bite."
"I wouldn't mind," he said, and then, seeing her confused expression, shook his head. "Never mind. But let me take you up on your offer. My first question is, why do you have a book? Are some titles not unavailable on the hole?"
"Just about everything is available, although some things are expensive, so if you can get your hands on a book you can save some money.
Jeremy closed his left eye and studied the empty space with his right. He could see no sign of the creature. He considered asking if anyone else on the train could see it, but he didn't want to look like a fool.
The thing was facing away from him, and Jeremy had a sudden urge to touch it. He got up and wandered toward it as casually as he could manage. He stood right next to it, and then he noticed something odd about its movement. The subway car took a sharp right turn and Jeremy almost lost his balance. He remembered the screw. But unlike Jeremy, or the dangling screw, this image wasn't affected by inertia. It remained completely still relative to the wall of the subway car, despite the irregularities of the ride.
The car stopped at his station and the doors opened. Jeremy reached out and put his hand through the image, then he turned and got off the train without looking back.
As he came out of the subway station near his hotel, he configured his favorite search engine to look up everything available on angels.
Chapter 5
When Jeremy walked into the restaurant at five after eight the next morning, he was thankful to see Hanna in her usual seat. He had ordered his breakfast through his implant and knew it would be waiting for him in the autodispenser, but he didn't know how to get it out. Of course he could download the instructions, but instructions were never any good because they were always written by people who understood the process too well. Instead of saying "open the big orange door," it would say "open the dispenser lid," and there would be five things that might qualify as a dispenser lid.
"Hi," he said as he took a seat opposite Hanna at a small table.
"Good morning, Jeremy. No breakfast today?"
"No. I'll eat just as soon as you tell me how to get my food out of that contraption over there."
Hanna rolled her eyes, but explained anyway, very carefully. "You just open that big door, the orange one, put your right thumb on the big button-shaped thing that says 'identification plate,' and the inside door will open up. Your order will be inside."
"Sounds easy enough, but please don't watch me, okay? I'm tired of being a spectacle in this place." Hanna laughed and hid behind a book.
The dispenser worked just as Hanna described, and he was back in a minute, handing her a muffin and a bowl of fresh fruit from his tray. She gave him a grin and picked at the fruit.
"Thanks, Jeremy," she said.
As Jeremy opened his coffee and unwrapped his muffin she continued. "So, my friend MacKenzie told me about you. She's in that sociology class you've been visiting. She said you did a good job."
"MacKenzie" is a girl?
"I'm flattered that you asked about me," he said, looking squarely into her eyes, noticing how the blue gave way to bright green around the edges. Her eyes seemed to sparkle under the attention. "And I'm glad she gave a good report. I didn't expect to like the class, but I did."
Hanna's cheerful face took on a serious aspect. "Yeah, I suppose you would be a little nervous about it, huh? It must be weird to be in a totally different culture, and then to be placed under a microscope. But," she continued with a happier expression, "I think this is a great way for you to learn the ropes. You can ask them about Society stuff while they ask you about the Community."
"Yes. It was helpful," he said.
"Feel free to ask me anything you want to know. I won't bite."
"I wouldn't mind," he said, and then, seeing her confused expression, shook his head. "Never mind. But let me take you up on your offer. My first question is, why do you have a book? Are some titles not unavailable on the hole?"
"Just about everything is available, although some things are expensive, so if you can get your hands on a book you can save some money.
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