Read Online The War for Mare (The Fall of Man Book 3) by Jacqueline Druga - Free Book Online

people
do. Have fun not go out looking to kill.”
    “I have fun,” I said in my defense.
    “Sure. But killing Savages and Ancients is
always in the forefront.”
    “Um, yeah, Snake, they’re a threat.”
    “Not here,” Burt cut in. “I don’t believe we
ever had a Savage attack. Too close to the Ancient City, I suppose.
Or they just don’t catch our scent.”
    “So they play games all day?” I asked.
“Seems counterproductive.”
    “No, they have jobs. We farm down here, we
keep the solar generators running. Cleaning, cooking. You name
it.”
    “How many people do you have down here?”
Snake asked.
    “One hundred fifteen,” Burt replied. “We
have everything but a good seamstress. Thought we’d snag one up,
but that didn’t pan out. She…”
    While I listened to Burt, my attention was
on the loud fun the two people playing air hockey were having.
    Burt must have noticed my attention was
there. “Go on. Go introduce yourself. We don’t bite. We aren’t
Savages or Ancients.” He chuckled. “Get it? Bite. Ancients? Maybe
not.”
    Snake laughed loudly at the really bad
joke.
    “I get it,” I said and made my way over to
the air hockey table. I needed to get a closer look.
    “Score!” the girl shouted. “Ha!’
    “You suck,” her competitor said. “Best out
of five?”
    “Sure…” she looked at me. “Unless the new
guy wants to play.” She set down her paddle and extended her hand.
“Brea.”
    “I’m sorry?” I said, shaking her hand.
    “Brea. That’s my name. That’s Josh.”
    “What’s up?” Josh nodded.
    “Did you want to play?” She reminded me a
lot of Erin from Angeles City. Perky, cute, darker hair that was
straight and came to her shoulders. Only Brea seemed, I don’t know,
more tomboyish.
    “No, I…. I haven’t a clue what this is. This
is the first time I ever saw this game.”
    “Seriously?” she asked. “You been living in
the Straits?”
    “Nah,” Josh said. “He doesn’t look or dress
like he’s been in the Straits. Maybe a rogue.”
    She tightened her lips and nodded. “Yeah,
makes sense. You from a rogue?”
    “Okay, I am really lost now,” I said. “A
rogue?”
    “That’s what we call places that are maybe a
farm with one or two families,” Josh explained. “Small
communities.”
    “No, I’m from Angeles City.”
    The paddle dropped from Josh’s hand as if I
had said something shocking. “For real? You’re a rebel?”
    “Yeah, if that’s what you call us.”
    “Wow. Pretty cool. Pleased to meet you.” He
finally shook my hand.
    “Thanks. Nice to meet you, too.”
    “So, Rebel, instead of a game, they hand you
a gun, growing up,” Brea said.
    “Pretty much.”
    “That sucks.”
    “It’s the way of life.”
    “Not really. Not for all. How about
playing?”
    “I told you, I don’t know this game.”
    She handed me a paddle, grabbed my arm, and
pulled me over to the same spot at the end of the table. “How about
you learn? Josh here is the perfect first opponent. He’s
horrible.”
    Josh laughed one of those fake exaggerated
laughs and took his spot.
    “I have no idea what to do,” I said.
    “No worries.” Brea smiled. “I’ll teach you.”
She placed her hand over mine to show me how to hold the paddle.
Her hands were soft and delicate. No scars, no rough edges. No
rough life.
    If I wasn’t so aware of how bad things were
out there, Hopeland would be a great place to stay, at least from
what I was seeing.
    For the time being, while there, I would
enjoy all it had to offer.

TWENTY-ONE – NITO
     
    I suppose I
appeared a little silly basking in the moment with Davis. I didn’t
think so at first and my arms stayed tight around him, my face
plastered to his chest. Then he said, “Okay, okay, that’s
good.”
    He removed my arms and smiled. Something
changed at that moment. I believe he saw me differently. Suddenly,
he wanted to spend time with me and know everything there was to
know about me.
    He had me wait and then