Alaska Twilight Read Online Free

could she even sleep on hard ground? She was used to a pillow-top mattress.
    Her grandmother opened her sleeping bag, sat down and pulled off her boots, then scooted inside. “Sleep well, darling.”
    “Aren’t you even going to talk about Mort?”
    “What’s to talk about? What might have been was a lifetime ago. He’s not a Christian, and our lifestyles are too dissimilar. It would never have worked. I see that even more clearly now. God saved me from a terrible mistake twenty years ago.” Her serene voice held no disappointment.
    Haley studied Augusta’s face. “You’re serious.”
    “Completely. I have the Lord, you, my work. What more could I want? I’ve had a full and happy life, Haley. Now get some sleep and quit worrying.”
    Easier said than done. Haley looked around. At least the tent had a floor. She unzipped her satchel and pulled out a copy of Primitive Wilderness Living and Survival Skills . She opened the cover and looked at the table of contents. Chapter 1 was on brain-tan buckskin. Ick. She glanced through the chapters. They covered everything from making fires to building structures. Not that she planned to need such skills, but she intended to be prepared.
    Augusta propped herself on one elbow. “I figured you would bring a how-to of some kind with you. What do you need to know? Maybe I already know it.”
    “Nothing yet. I just want to be prepared.” Haley closed the book with a snap that made Oscar look at her. She took off her boots, then released her prosthesis and rubbed the stump of leg that ended just below the knee. The skin looked good, much to her surprise. She’d expected it to be red and chapped. It felt good to be free again.
    She slipped into her sleeping bag. Oscar burrowed next to her, his warm little body a comfort even though he was wiggling. “Night, Augusta.”
    “You’re a brave girl, Haley,” her grandmother said softly. “Where do you want to start your tribute to Chloe?”
    “Kipp says we’ll be shooting the bears during early morning, late afternoon, and evening hours. That will leave me midday free to go to the cabin and to town to see the old haunts. I thought I’d start at the cabin.” She wet her lips.
    “I’ll go with you the first time. It will be hard.” Augusta studied her granddaughter’s face.
    “Hard, nothing. I have this as a reminder every day of my life that I killed my sister.” She slapped the prosthesis lying beside her.
    Augusta’s face softened. “It was an accident, Haley. I hate it when you say that.”
    Haley shrugged. “My parents blamed me until the day they died, Augusta. They sent me away and never forgave me for something I did when I was eight years old. Now that was hard, but it made me stronger. I learned that I don’t need approval from anyone. I can stand on my own.”
    “But you never really engage life, Haley,” her grandmother said softly. “You observe it from there behind the lens of your camera. That’s not strength. It’s a twilight kind of existence that turns away from the light of truth.”
    Haley turned her back to her grandmother. “I’m tired, Augusta. Good night.”
    Augusta didn’t answer for a long moment, then she finally sighed. “Good night, darling.”
    Haley shifted numerous times on the hard ground. Strange sounds echoed through her tent. She was used to horns blaring and tires rolling on concrete. At least those noises were all harmless.

Two
    H aley blinked, not sure what had awakened her. The quality of twilight had changed to a strange golden haze from the full moon. She tossed in her sleeping bag, then sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her bladder was uncomfortably full, and she knew she was going to have to go out. Her muscles clenched at the thought. Could she awaken Augusta and ask her to go along? She rejected the thought as soon as it came. Her grandmother needed her rest. Haley had to do this on her own.
    She glanced at the soft illumination of her watch. Three in the morning. She