The Forsaken (The Chosen Series Book 2), Patricia Bell [e textbook reader .txt] 📗

“The authorities have no idea who is born into this community,” his father had assured him. “We don’t keep records of birth.”

“No. He did not. Another—” she stopped.

“Someone else came? Malachi?”

She stared at him in silence.

“It is okay. I will not tell. He brought you food?”

She nodded.

“Oh, good. I was so worried about you, but I could not come. I was too busy getting my Frankenstein face fixed.”

“Your what?”

“Never mind.” He pulled on the vent. It didn’t budge. Rubbing his fingers along the ends, he felt that there was nothing but two screws to hold it in place. “I will be right back.”

“Wait. Where are you going?” she cried out.

“I will be right back this time. Don’t worry.” He ran off to get a screwdriver, a bottle of water and something for her to eat.

He opened the door to the garage and walked straight to his father’s toolbox. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out a Phillips screwdriver then strolled over to the extra refrigerator his father had installed out there the year before.

He chose two bottles of water, a package of Twinkies and a can of soda. Bundling it all inside a grocery store bag, he headed back to Abigail.

She was not standing at the vent where he left her. Most likely she heard his footsteps and ran and hid.

“It’s just me,” he called and immediately her face was visible.

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

He pulled the screwdriver out of the bag. “I am going to open this thing up.”

“What good will that do?”

“It won’t get you out of there, but it will be much easier to get things in.” He unscrewed the first one and moved on to the other.

“But what if he comes back? Won’t he notice?”

Daniel didn’t have the heart to tell her that his father was not coming back. That he had left her there to die a long agonizing death. “Don’t worry. I will put it back in and just leave the screws out. That way if Malachi comes, he can just pull it out.” He was proud of himself for his creativity. His father would be proud. If he wasn’t a lying, murdering . . . “Just make sure he puts it back.”

He pulled the second screw out and carefully tugged on both sides of the vents. “Voila!”  he said as the vent came easily out. He reached into his bag and pulled out a cold bottle of water. “Here put this on your face. It will make it feel better.”

She took the bottle from him and pressing it to her face, she winced. “Thank you. But why are you helping me?”

“Ever had a twinkie?” he asked.

“You are a strange boy.”

“Here.” He reached into the bag and pulled out the snack pack and pushed it through the hole.

“What is that?” she asked, taking it from his hand.

“Open it. Taste it.”

She looked at him hesitantly and then opened the wrapper. As she took a bite, her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

“Are you okay?”

“This is the best thing I have ever tasted!”

Daniel smiled widely. “I have something even better but maybe you shouldn’t . . . I mean it might bother your stomach.”

“If I am going to die, I might as well go happy.” She took another bite of Twinkie.

Daniel didn’t like to hear her talk like that, but he couldn’t assure her that she would live. He handed her the soda.

Abigail took it in her hand and stared at it. “What is it?”

“Open it.”

She turned it around several times.

“Stop.” He held out his hand. “Give it here before you make it explode.”

She covered her mouth. “Are you trying to kill me here and now?”

Daniel laughed. He popped the tab on the soda and handed it back to her. “Drink it.”

Abigail took a small sip. “Mmmm.” She took a large swig, and then she belched loudly.

“Oh!” she covered her mouth. “Excuse me.”

“It is good, is it not?”

“It is.”

“I must go now, Abigail. I will come back tomorrow.” He grabbed the vent and slipped it back into the hole.

“What if he comes back? What will he say if he sees these wrappers and . . . this!” She held up the can of soda.

“Finish them now. I will take them back with me and dispose of them.”

Abigail finished the Twinkie, washed it down with the soda and let out another huge belch, only this time, she did not cover her mouth. She handed the evidence back up to him. Daniel removed the vent again and took the goods.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” he said as he left.

He rushed to the front of the house and into the garage door, replaced the screwdriver and started for the door to the house. Before he could reach the handle, it opened, and the High Prophet stood, staring at Daniel, who was still holding an empty soda can and Twinkie wrapper.

“Where have you been?”

Chapter 29 ― Rachel

As Rachel stared down at her sweet sleeping baby boy, a tear fell down her cheek. Baby Jacob had arrived only two weeks early and was as healthy as could be. After plenty of tests, the doctor had told her he was fully developed in every way.

“He was just screaming to get out,” the doctor had said.

And here he was, sleeping peacefully in her arms. If only Jacob were there to see his sweet baby boy. Her heart yearned to be with him. With each look down into her son’s eyes, she saw him. The boy who never got to become a man. The one who died trying to save her.

She laid back with the baby in her arms. She was tired. She just wanted to cuddle with him and sleep. Only for a second.

WITH A SUDDEN JERK, Rachel opened her eyes. A man leaned over her bed and stared at her. His dark, disheveled hair hung down almost obstructing his equally dark probing eyes. She’d only seen him for a moment before he was gone.