Carrier Read Online Free Page B

them in years, so Patrick’s ocean eyes were a sort of novelty — at least that was the best excuse I could offer for not being able to drag mine away.
    He was up on his feet within seconds.
    I did the same and held out the food container and the flask of milk.
    â€˜I made a stew. But I’m not sure if it’s still okay to eat seeing as it spent an entire night out here. The goat’s milk in the thermos should be okay...I hope.’
    â€˜Thanks. The night was fairly cool so...’ Patrick shrugged and smiled softly, showing a little of his teeth. The front two were slightly crooked, the left one overlapping the right one a little. Everything about him was so fascinating I found it hard to not stare.
    â€˜My brothers and I will pretty much eat anything anyway,’ he added. His eyes widened and his smile disappeared. ‘Not that I think your food is bad or anything. I bet it tastes great, just like that rabbit.’
    â€˜I knew what you meant,’ I said, with a smile, hoping to elicit another one of his, but Patrick’s face grew serious.
    â€˜My brothers wanted to thank you themselves,’ he said, his eyes to the floor. ‘But I told them that you lived far away, and that you probably wouldn’t be able to leave your mother to make the journey. It’s too dangerous to drag them all out here.’ He shrugged. ‘They were pretty sad knowing they’d never meet you.’
    In the time it took me to glance back at my house and turn back round to face Patrick, my decision was made.
    â€˜Then I’ll come to see them,’ I blurted, the first rays of sunlight warming my back. ‘Not today, but maybe tomorrow?’
    Patrick stepped forward and gripped the fence with both hands. ‘You’d come see them?’ His eyes flickered in the direction of the house and back. ‘Will she let you?’
    â€˜My mum is...indisposed right now. I don’t even think she’d notice if I was gone, at least for a day or so.’ It felt strange, talking like this, making plans without Mum. I pressed a hand to my mouth, my forehead and my cheeks, searching for some sign of delirium, but I felt perfectly fine. This was real. This was me — planning a visit to somebody’s house.
    â€˜Even if she doesn’t let me, I’m going to leave.’ I shook my head at his frown and the worried look in his eyes. ‘Don’t worry,’ I said, my heart coursing with excitement. ‘This has been a long time coming.’
    â€˜Are you sure?’ he asked, rubbing his chin and shaking his head from side to side. ‘I sort of don’t blame your mum for wanting to keep you penned up in here. There are not as many Carriers around as there were, say, five years ago, but there’s still some floating around.’ His ocean eyes held mine. ‘You have to be certain about this, Lena.’
    Before I could change my mind I nodded.
    Patrick swallowed thickly before his face broke into a wide smile that showed most of his teeth. ‘They are going to go crazy when they see you — in a good way.’ He shook his head, still smiling. ‘What time should I meet you tomorrow?’ he asked.
    A morning bird broke out into a bright, chirpy song and for some reason that bird inspired me.
    I shook my head and grinned back at Patrick.
    â€˜Forget tomorrow. Come tonight. I want to leave tonight.’
    Patrick stepped back and stared at me for a long time. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘Tonight it is. We can maybe look around for my dad, too.’
    I looked into his ocean eyes without blinking. This was the moment I should have said something about the man Mum had shot. But there were tiny flames of hope flickering in Patrick’s eyes and I could not bring myself to douse them.
    â€˜You should probably take these now, so you can go home and get some sleep for tonight,’ I said, holding up the milk and the stew, deliberately