Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 4

He went on driving. He didnt sluice pause. Were almost headquarters.They were nearing the turn ontoMeadowcroft Road . Gillian tried to grab for single of the brown hands onthe steering wheel, and then looked at her own hand, perplexed. Her fingers felt like blocks of wood.You have to comprise, she state, settling for volume. T presents a kid lost in those woods. Thats why I wentin I heard this sound like margin calling. It was coming from both(prenominal)where right near the creek. Weve got to go covering there. Come on, stopHey, hey, calm down, he said. You know what I bet you heard? A long-eared owl. They roost virtually here, and they use up this noise like a moan, oo-oo-oo.Gillian didnt estimate so. I was walking home from school. It wasnt dark enough for an owl to be bug out.Okay, a mourning dove. Goes oh-ah, whoo, whoo. Or a cat they behind sound like kids sometimes.Look, he added almost savagely, as she opened her mouth again, when we follow you home, we can callthe Houghton police, and they can check things out. provided I am not letting a lit-a girl freeze just becauseshes got more guts than smarts.For a moment, Gillian had an intense longing to let him continue to believe she had either guts or smarts. barely she said, Its not that. Its just- Ive already been done so much to try to find that kid. I almostdied-I think I did die. I mean- well, I didnt die, but I got pretty cold, and-and things happened, and Irealized how important life is She floundered to a shivering stop. What was she saying? Now hewas going to think she was a nut case. And anyhow all that stuff must have been a dream. She couldntmake it seem real while sitting in a Mustang with her head wrapped in a towel.But David flashed her a peek of shock recognition.You almost died? He looked back at the road, routine the car ontoHazel Street , where they bothlived. That happened to me once. When I was little, I had to have this operation-He broke off as the Mustang skidded on someice. In a moment he was in control again and turning into Gillians driveway.It happened to you, too?David parked and was out of the car in the lead Gillian could gather herself to speak.Then he was opening her accession, reaching for her.Gotta get all this ridiculous stuff out of the way, he said, pushing her fuzz back as if it were a curtain ofcobwebs. Something a twist the way he said it made Gillian think he care her hair.She peered up at him through a gap in the curtain. His eyes were dark brown and normally lookedalmost hawkish, but just now, as their gazes met, they changed. They looked startled and wondering. Asif he saw something in her eyes that surprised him and afflicted a chord.Gillian felt a flutter of wonder herself. I dont think hes very tough at all, she thought, as something like aspark seemed to flash between them. Hes not so different from me hes-She was wracked by a sudden bout of shivers.David blinked and shook his head. Weve got to get you in attitude, he muttered.And then, still shivering, she was in the air. Bobbing, world carried up the path to her stomach.You shouldnt be walking to school in the winter, David said. Ill drive you from now on.Gillian was struck speechless. On the one hand, she should probably signalise him she didnt walk every day.On the other hand, who was she kidding?Just the thought of him giving her a ride was enough to make her heart beat wildly.Between that and the novel feeling of being carried, it wasnt until he was opening the front door thatGillian remembered her mother.Then she panicked.Oh, God, I cant let David see her-but possibly itll be all right. If there was a smell of food cooking, that meant it was okay. If not, it was one of Moms bad days.There was no smell of food as David mensurationped into the dim hallway. And no sign of life-all the downstairslights were off. The house was cold and echoing and Gillian knew she had to get David out.But how? He was carrying her farther in, asking, Yo ur parents arent home?I guess not. Dad doesnt get home until seven most nights. It wasnt exactly a lie. Gillian just prayed hermom would stay contrive in the bedroom until David left.Ill be okay now, she said hastily, not even caring if she sounded rude or ungrateful. Anything to makehim go. I can take care of myself, and- and Im okay.The he eck you are, David said. It was the longest drawn out heck Gillian had ever heard.He doesnt penury to swear around me. Thats cute.You need to get thawed out, fast. Wheres a bathtub?Gillian automatically lifted a stiff arm to point down the stance hall, then dropped it. Now, wait a minute-He was already there. He put her on her feet, then disappeared into the john to turn on the water.Gillian cast an anguished glance upstairs. Just stay put, Mom. Stay asleep.Youve got to get in there and stay for at least twenty minutes, David said, reappearing. Then we cansee if you need to go to the hospital at Houghton.That made Gillian remember something . The police-Yeah, right, Ill call them. As briefly as youre in the tub. He reached out and plucked at her dripping,ice-crusted sweater. Can you get this off okay? Do your fingers work?Urn Her fingers didnt work they were still blocks of wood. Frost-nipped at least, she thought,peering at them. But there was no way he was going to pillage her, and there was also no way she wasgoing to call her mother. UrnUh, turn around, David said. He pulled at her sweater again. Okay, Ive got my eyes shut. Now-No, Gillian said, holding her elbows firmly against her sides.They stood, confused and indecisive, until they were deliver by an interruption, a vowelize from the mainhallway.What are you doing to her? the voice said.Gillian turned and looked around David. It was Tanya Jun, Davids girlfriend.Tanya was wearing a velveteen cap perched on her glossy dark hair and a Christmas sweater withmetallic threads woven in. She had almond-shaped gray eyes and a mouth with firm lips molded overwhite te eth. Gillian perpetually thought of her as a future corporate executive. I saw your car out there, the future executive said to David, and the front door of the house wasopen. She looked level-headed, suspicious, and a little bit as if she doubted Davids sanity. Davidlooked back and forth between her and Gillian and fumbled for an explanation.Theres nothing going on. I picked her up onHillcrest Road . She was-well, look at her. She drop off in thecreek and shes rigid.I see, Tanya said, still calmly. She gave Gillian a quick assessing glance, then turned back to David.She doesnt look too bad. You go to the kitchen and make some luscious chocolate. Or white-hot water withJell-O in it, something with sugar. Ill take care of her.And the police, Gillian called after Davids disappearing back. She didnt exactly want to look Tanya inthe face.Tanya was a of age(p) like David, in the class ahead of Gillian atRachelCarsonHigh School . Gillian fearedher, admired her, and hated her, in abo ut that order.Into the bathroom, Tanya said. Once Gillian was in, she helped her undress, stripping off the clinging,icy-wet clothes and dropping them in the sink. Everything she did was brisk and efficient, and Gilliancould almost see sparks fly from her fingers.Gillian was too miserable to protest at being stripped naked by somebody with the bedside manner of afemale prison guard or an extremely strict nanny. She huddled, feeling small and shivering in her bareskin, and then lunged for the tub as soon as Tanya was done.The water felt scalding. Gillian could feel her eyes get huge and she clenched her teeth on a yell. Itprobably felt so hot because she was so cold. Breathing through her nose, she forced herself to submergeto the shoulders. whole right, Tanya said on the other side of the coral-colored shower curtain. Ill go up and get you somedry clothes to put on.No Gillian said, shooting half out of the water. Not upstairs, not where her mom was, not where herroom was.But the bat hroom door was already shutting with a decisive dick. Tanya wasnt the kind of person yousaid no to.Gillian sat, immobilized by panic and horror, until a fountain of burning pain flock everything else out ofher mind.It started in her fingers and toes and shot upward, a white-hot searing that meant her frozen flesh wascoming back to life. All she could do wassit rigid, breathe raggedly through her nose, and try to endure it.And eventually, it did get better. Her white, wrinkled skin turned dark blue, and then mottled, and thenred. The searing subsided to a tingling. Gillian could move and think again.She could hear, too. There were voices outside the bathroom in the hallway. The door didnt even muffle them.Tanyas voice Here, Ill hold it. Ill take it to her in a minute. In a mutter Im not sure she can drinkand float at the equivalent time.Davids voice Come on, give her a break. Shes just a kid.Oh, really? Just how old do you think she is?Huh? I dont know. Maybe thirteen?An explosive snort from Tanya.Fourteen? Twelve?David, she goes to our school. Shes a next-to-last.Really? David sounded startled and bewildered. Nah, I think she goes to P.B.Pearl S. Buck was the junior high. Gillian sat staring at the bathtub faucet without seeing it.Shes in our biology class, Tanyas voice said, edging toward open impatience. She sits at the backand never opens her mouth. The voice added, I can see why you thought she was younger, though. Herbedrooms knee-deep in stuffed animals. And the wallpapers little flowers. And look at these pajamas.Little bears.Gillians insides felt hotter than her fingers hadbeen at their most painful. Tanya had seen her room, which was the same as it had been since Gillianwas ten years old, because there wasnt money for new curtains and wallpaper and there wasnt anymore storage space in the garage to put her beloved animals away. Tanya was making fun of herpajamas. In front of David.And David thought she was a little kid. That was why hed offered to drive her to school. Hedmeant the junior high. Hed been nice because he felt low for her.Two tears squeezed out of Gillians eyes. She was trembling inside, boiling with anger and hurt andhumiliationCrinch.It was a sound as loud as a spoil report, but high and crystalline-and drawn out. Something between acrash and a crunch and the sound of glass splintering under boots.Gillian jumped as if shed been shot, sat frozen a moment, then pulled the moisture-beaded showercurtain aside and poked her head out.At the same instant the bathroom door flew open.What was that? Tanya said sharply. Gillian shook her head. She wanted to say, You tell me, but she was too frightened of Tanya.Tanya looked around the bathroom, spied the steamed-up mirror, and frowned. She reached across thesink to wipe it with her hand-and yelped.Ow She cursed, staring at her hand. Gillian could see the brightness of blood.What the-? Tanya picked up a washcloth and swiped the mirror. She did it again. She stepped backan d stared.From the tub, Gillian was staring, too.The mirror was broken. Or, not broken, cracked. But it wasnt cracked as if something had hit it. Therewas no point of impact, with lines of shattering running out.Instead, it was cracked evenly from top to bottom, side to side. Every inch was covered with a lattice offine lines. It almost looked purposeful, as if it were a frosted-glass design.David Get in here Tanya said, ignoring Gillian. After a moment the door stirred and Gillian had asteamy distorted glimpse of Davids face in the mirror.Do you see this? How can something like this happen? Tanya was saying.David grimaced and shrugged. Heat? tatty? I dont know. He glanced hesitantly in Gillians direction,just long enough to locate her face surrounded by the coral shower curtain.You okay? he said, addressing himself to a white towel rack on the far wall.Gillian couldnt say anything. Her throat was too tight and tears were welling up again. But when Tanyalooked at her, she nodded.All right, forget it. Lets get you changed.Tanya turned away from the mirror. David melted back out of the bathroom.Make sure her fingers and everything are working all right, he said distantly.Im fine, Gillian said when she was alone with Tanya. Everythings fine. She wiggled her fingers, whichwere tender but functioning. All she cared about right now was getting Tanya to go away. I can dressmyself.Please dont let me cry in front of her.She retreated behind the shower curtain again and made a splashing noise. You guys can leave now.Half a take a breath from Tanya, who was undoubtedly thinking Gillian was ungrateful. All right, she said. Yourclothes and your chocolate are right here. Is there somebody you want me to call-?No My parents-my dad will be here any minute. Im fine. Then she shut her eyes and counted, breathheld. And, blessedly, there were the sounds of Tanya moving away. Both Tanya and David calling goodbyes.Then silence.Stiffly, Gillian pulled herself upright, almost fallin g down when she tried to step out of the bathtub.She put on her pajamas and walked slowly out of the bathroom, moving like an old woman. She didnteven glance at the broken mirror.She tried to be settle down going up the stairs. Butjust as she reached her bedroom, the door at the end of the upstairs hall swung open.Her mother was standing there, a long application wrapped around her, fuzzy fleece-lined slippers on her feet.Her hair, a darker blond than Gillians, was uncombed.Whats going on? I heard noise. Wheres your father?Not Whass goin on? Whersh your father? But dose.Its not even seven yet, Mom. I got wet coming home. Im going to bed. The bare minimum ofsentences to communicate the necessary information.Her mother frowned. Honey- Night, Mom.Gillian hurried into her bedroom before her mother could ask any more questions.She fell on her bed and gathered an armful of stuffed animals in the bend of her elbow. They were solidand friendly and filled her arm. Gillian curled herself ar ound them and bit down on plush.And now, at last, she could cry. All the hurts of her mind and body merged and she sobbed out loud,wet cheek on the velveteen head of her best bear.She wished shed never come back. She wanted the bright meadow with the impossibly green grass,even if it had been a dream. She wanted everyone to be sorry because she was dead.All her realizations about life being importantwere nonsense. Life was a giant hoax. She couldnt change herself and live in a completely newdirection. There was no new start. No hope.And I dont care, she thought. I just want to die. Oh, why did I get made if it was just for this? Theresgot to be someplace I belong, something Im meant to do thats different. Because I dont fit in this world,in this life. And if there isnt something more, Id rather be dead. I want to dream something else.She cried until she was numb and exhausted and fell into a deadly still sleep without crafty it.When she woke up hours later, there was a strange ligh t in her room.