Read Online Virginia Hamilton by Dustland: The Justice Cycle (Book Two) - Free Book Online Page A
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statue standing there, she was that still. Not a muscle moved for at least ten minutes. They watched her, not daring to think. Without any warning, she was at Levi’s side. A rush of air from her mouth seemed to slide down the dust. It fell in whispers around her feet. Sounds and breaks, language, unlike anything they had ever heard.
The Terrij, Bambnua, reached for Levi with the finger-like digits at the end of winged forearms before Justice could think what to do. The hands, the winged arms went right through him.
Time hung over them in the dust. Justice and Dorian were stunned. Before their eyes, the form of Levi vanished. And the Terrij hawked a keening sound.
6
T OWARD THE MIDDLE OF Nolight the two of them began making their way once again. Their extrasensory allowed them to see with little more effort than was needed in daylight. Thomas kept himself loose as he jogged through the wasteland. He calculated that they were running in twenty-minute bursts, which they alternated with brisk walks of a half-hour or so. Only one of them at any one time was conscious of the power of endurance, of a shortness of breath or fatigue. Whenever Thomas got tired, he would release his brother Levi’s senses, now carried in the back of his mind. Levi would then become the aware one. And still walking or jogging beside Levi, Thomas would rest his own senses inside Levi’s head.
This cooperation between them worked well to ease Thomas’ desperate need to put as much space between himself and Miacis as he could for as long as he could. Yet, from the moment he had run, he had known that Miacis would chase him and eventually would catch him. It was all part of his plan.
The Nolight of Dustland grew monotonous. Thomas imagined he was alone, tricked by his senses into thinking he was on a treadmill which carried him through unending time. His fear grew unbearable that Miacis would overtake him before he was ready.
The next moment Thomas remembered how cleanly he had stolen Levi from under Justice’s powerful protection. His breaking from the unit had knocked each of them senseless. He had been ready for that and quickly come to. He’d taken over his brother’s unconscious mind and left Levi’s illusion.
Now Thomas ran through Dustland with Levi at his side. However, they could not possibly be running. But they were. He was definitely running, definitely escaping. He knew he was on his way, but maybe he was headed nowhere, to no purpose.
Abruptly, Thomas came to, hearing Levi call him from in back of his own mind. Thomas had fallen asleep on his feet again, as he would do when he was at the edge of exhaustion. He found himself standing still in the Nolight with a mindless Levi at his side.
Yeah? answering Levi’s call. How long have I been out? Were you asleep, too?
Levi traced from the back of Thomas’ mind: I must’ve been asleep. But I don't think either of us was out for long. I usually wake up fast when you stop in your tracks like that.
Yeah . Through his thoughts Thomas caught the strain Levi was under. He had no time to dwell on it, however. For Dustland’s striking dawn was upon them.
He traced a quick warning: Brace yourself!
The persona of Levi cringed and lay low in back of Thomas’ mind.
Thomas never permitted himself to admit how truly spectacular was Dustland’s dawning. He held fast to his hate of all aspects of the future. He told himself that, here, dawn was a sideshow lit up in a carnival. He stuck out his chin and chest, with his hands firmly on the bone weapons around his waist. He wasn’t going to wince. And made faces, stuck out his tongue, as the dawn grew. He would show his weakling brother, safe in his own head, that nothing in the world at any time could scare him.
Light of dawn broke and splintered. It attached to every particle of dust. In the air and on the ground, waves of dust grew miraculous with lights. Thomas breathed in and exhaled colors. His clothing was coated with rainbows. The
The Terrij, Bambnua, reached for Levi with the finger-like digits at the end of winged forearms before Justice could think what to do. The hands, the winged arms went right through him.
Time hung over them in the dust. Justice and Dorian were stunned. Before their eyes, the form of Levi vanished. And the Terrij hawked a keening sound.
6
T OWARD THE MIDDLE OF Nolight the two of them began making their way once again. Their extrasensory allowed them to see with little more effort than was needed in daylight. Thomas kept himself loose as he jogged through the wasteland. He calculated that they were running in twenty-minute bursts, which they alternated with brisk walks of a half-hour or so. Only one of them at any one time was conscious of the power of endurance, of a shortness of breath or fatigue. Whenever Thomas got tired, he would release his brother Levi’s senses, now carried in the back of his mind. Levi would then become the aware one. And still walking or jogging beside Levi, Thomas would rest his own senses inside Levi’s head.
This cooperation between them worked well to ease Thomas’ desperate need to put as much space between himself and Miacis as he could for as long as he could. Yet, from the moment he had run, he had known that Miacis would chase him and eventually would catch him. It was all part of his plan.
The Nolight of Dustland grew monotonous. Thomas imagined he was alone, tricked by his senses into thinking he was on a treadmill which carried him through unending time. His fear grew unbearable that Miacis would overtake him before he was ready.
The next moment Thomas remembered how cleanly he had stolen Levi from under Justice’s powerful protection. His breaking from the unit had knocked each of them senseless. He had been ready for that and quickly come to. He’d taken over his brother’s unconscious mind and left Levi’s illusion.
Now Thomas ran through Dustland with Levi at his side. However, they could not possibly be running. But they were. He was definitely running, definitely escaping. He knew he was on his way, but maybe he was headed nowhere, to no purpose.
Abruptly, Thomas came to, hearing Levi call him from in back of his own mind. Thomas had fallen asleep on his feet again, as he would do when he was at the edge of exhaustion. He found himself standing still in the Nolight with a mindless Levi at his side.
Yeah? answering Levi’s call. How long have I been out? Were you asleep, too?
Levi traced from the back of Thomas’ mind: I must’ve been asleep. But I don't think either of us was out for long. I usually wake up fast when you stop in your tracks like that.
Yeah . Through his thoughts Thomas caught the strain Levi was under. He had no time to dwell on it, however. For Dustland’s striking dawn was upon them.
He traced a quick warning: Brace yourself!
The persona of Levi cringed and lay low in back of Thomas’ mind.
Thomas never permitted himself to admit how truly spectacular was Dustland’s dawning. He held fast to his hate of all aspects of the future. He told himself that, here, dawn was a sideshow lit up in a carnival. He stuck out his chin and chest, with his hands firmly on the bone weapons around his waist. He wasn’t going to wince. And made faces, stuck out his tongue, as the dawn grew. He would show his weakling brother, safe in his own head, that nothing in the world at any time could scare him.
Light of dawn broke and splintered. It attached to every particle of dust. In the air and on the ground, waves of dust grew miraculous with lights. Thomas breathed in and exhaled colors. His clothing was coated with rainbows. The
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