A Moment in Time Read Online Free Page A

the wall.   Both she and Lolita slid to the floor together.
           Dizziness gripped her and she held her head as she turned to look at the painting one more time.   "This is it," she whispered, knowing she would die tonight.   There was no escape.
           The flames bathed the portrait in a red-orange glow, and Lolita's face faded before Jackie's eyes.   Barely conscious, Jackie reached toward the portrait as a face reappeared.
           Not Lolita's.
           The face staring back from the canvas now was a mirrored image.   Dazed, Jackie touched her likeness just as something seized her.   God, help me.
           Powerful and swift, the force delivered her from the flames.          Darkness bathed her in blessed coolness.   No longer frightened, Jackie closed her eyes.
           And prepared to face death.
     
     
     

 
    Chapter 2

     
           Voices–loud ones–ganged up on Jackie.   Then she remembered the fire!   Her heart bolted and her stomach lurched upward to press against it.  
           I'm alive.   Under the circumstances, that was a miracle in itself.   Maybe the voices belonged to paramedics coming to her rescue.   She struggled to open her eyes, but they declined to cooperate.   Considering the entire Sahara Desert must've filtered in beneath her lids during the night, she could understand their reluctance.
           "She shore don't look like I reckoned she would," a man said.
           Jackie managed to open one gritty eye, but quickly closed it to regroup.   She must be dreaming.   For a second, she'd thought she was at a wild west amusement park.
           But this was far from amusing.
           "Scrawny thing, but who else could she be?"   This time, a woman's voice intruded.
           I'm asleep and this is a dream.   Jackie would simply ignore the voices until she could wake herself.   Though that seemed her wisest course of action, wisdom and patience had never been her strengths.   She couldn't resist peeking once more.   Partly opening both eyes, she peered through a sticky veil of smudged mascara, confirming that she was still in the saloon.
           Gray beard stubble covered the man's face; a dark stain shaded one side of his chin.   Yuck.   Why couldn't she dream about attractive men?
           Yeah, like Blade?   On second thought, maybe ugly was safer.   Even Aunt Pearl might approve of ugly.
           "Well, I reckon it must be her."   The unattractive owner of the gruff voice stood less than a foot away, peering down at Jackie as if she were a side of beef.
           I'm not asleep.   But she had to be.   God, please let me be asleep.   Allowing her eyes a few minutes to tear and refocus, she blinked several times and forced them open completely.
           "Well, it's about time," the woman said, coming closer to stare down at Jackie.   "Don't just stand there–help her up, Zeb."
           Grumbling, the filthy man–apparently the Zeb in question–reached down and grabbed Jackie's hand.   A moment later, she found herself being hauled to her feet, which seemed less than capable of supporting her weight this morning.
           She wavered and the man grabbed her arm to steady her.   His stench was unbelievable, and up close, his gap-toothed appearance did even less to restore her faith in a benevolent god.   "Who–"
           "What are you wearin'?"   The woman shooed Zeb away and gripped Jackie's other arm.   "You're a mess.   We'd better get you cleaned up real quick-like, before Rupert gets a look at what he paid for."
           "Rupert who?"   Jackie blinked again, trying to determine what sort of bizarre rescue team had found her, but after examining the woman's clothing, she realized the magnitude of her error.  
           The middle-aged woman wore a bright red dress, adorned with gold braid at its single shoulder and at the hem.   Her