Drinking Life (Keeper of the Water Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Kevin George
really put my finger on it but I feel it nonetheless.
More and more people are allowed to leave and the crowd in the parking lot starts to thin out. Being taller than most people makes me stand out—I’m used to the stares though I don’t quite appreciate them—and the soldiers’ blood on my uniform grabs even more attention. I see people whispering as I walk by, becoming quiet when I’m close. With the exception of Cassie and the old man, I didn’t think anyone else saw how viciously I fought the soldiers. But apparently I had a few more witnesses than I thought and the story was quickly getting around. I dodge other reporters and spot two women at the back of the lot. I’m about to call out to them but I see they’re deep in animated conversation. When I get closer, I realize it’s no normal conversation. This time it’s my turn to freeze in shock at the sight of them arguing.
One of the women is tall and dark and pretty enough to look like a former runway model. She wears shorts and a tank top, both of which show off the fact that she has strong lean muscle tone. It’s clear that she’s in the kind of shape an athletic young woman would be jealous of, let alone a 40-year-old mother. When she speaks, her eyes burn with intensity yet the rest of her face remains a mask of calm. She has an air of power and grace and a part of me takes a certain degree of pleasure whenever anyone mistakes her for my mother when we’re out together as a group. But Celeste is Cassie’s mother and the two of them look just as different as my mother and me.
My mother is much shorter than me—by nearly a foot—and she’s as pale as my father. She has the potential for a darker skin tone but spends little time in the sun. She’s usually very mild-mannered yet jumpy in public situations; she avoids conflict at all costs and even seems afraid of her own shadow. That’s why I’m so surprised to see her agitated now, red-faced with anger. I’m curious about what would cause her to become so upset so I sneak up and try to overhear though I know I shouldn’t eavesdrop.
“We have to leave right away if he found us,” my mother says. I thought before that she looked angry but I hear fear in her voice as well.
“We shouldn’t make rash decisions, we don’t know if this has anything to do with him,” Celeste answers.
“How could it not ?” my mother says. She takes a deep breath and lowers her voice. I continue to tiptoe closer. “Two soldiers attacked… soldiers . That sounds exactly like what happened to – ”
My mother stops talking when Celeste’s head suddenly perks up and cocks to one side. In one swift motion, Celeste spins and leaps in my direction, obviously ready to attack. I barely have time to see my mother shrink in fear before I turn away from the attempted strike. At the last second she holds up when she recognizes it’s only me. The fire in her eyes instantly extinguishes.
“I’m sorry for sneaking up, Celeste,” I say feebly. Apologizing is all I can think to do after seeing her awesome speed and reaction time. I know she’s an outdoorsy type but I never knew she had that in her. I used to think my father would protect her from any bear attack that might happen on a tour; now I can see that any bear that tried to mess with her would do so at its own peril. I seem to be learning a lot about everyone today.
“Zannia!” my mother cries and rushes to me. She hugs me tightly and I rest my chin on the top of her head.
“Where is Cassie? You didn’t leave her alone, did you?” Celeste asks. Now she’s the one who sounds nervous as she worriedly searches for her daughter.
“No, my dad is with her.”
The three of us walk toward the field. Celeste asks me what happened and I give her the quick version of the fight.
“What are you leaving out?” my mother asks. I look to Celeste who also nods her head. Despite my worry that they’ll think I’m crazy, I mention the old man, that he’d been
More and more people are allowed to leave and the crowd in the parking lot starts to thin out. Being taller than most people makes me stand out—I’m used to the stares though I don’t quite appreciate them—and the soldiers’ blood on my uniform grabs even more attention. I see people whispering as I walk by, becoming quiet when I’m close. With the exception of Cassie and the old man, I didn’t think anyone else saw how viciously I fought the soldiers. But apparently I had a few more witnesses than I thought and the story was quickly getting around. I dodge other reporters and spot two women at the back of the lot. I’m about to call out to them but I see they’re deep in animated conversation. When I get closer, I realize it’s no normal conversation. This time it’s my turn to freeze in shock at the sight of them arguing.
One of the women is tall and dark and pretty enough to look like a former runway model. She wears shorts and a tank top, both of which show off the fact that she has strong lean muscle tone. It’s clear that she’s in the kind of shape an athletic young woman would be jealous of, let alone a 40-year-old mother. When she speaks, her eyes burn with intensity yet the rest of her face remains a mask of calm. She has an air of power and grace and a part of me takes a certain degree of pleasure whenever anyone mistakes her for my mother when we’re out together as a group. But Celeste is Cassie’s mother and the two of them look just as different as my mother and me.
My mother is much shorter than me—by nearly a foot—and she’s as pale as my father. She has the potential for a darker skin tone but spends little time in the sun. She’s usually very mild-mannered yet jumpy in public situations; she avoids conflict at all costs and even seems afraid of her own shadow. That’s why I’m so surprised to see her agitated now, red-faced with anger. I’m curious about what would cause her to become so upset so I sneak up and try to overhear though I know I shouldn’t eavesdrop.
“We have to leave right away if he found us,” my mother says. I thought before that she looked angry but I hear fear in her voice as well.
“We shouldn’t make rash decisions, we don’t know if this has anything to do with him,” Celeste answers.
“How could it not ?” my mother says. She takes a deep breath and lowers her voice. I continue to tiptoe closer. “Two soldiers attacked… soldiers . That sounds exactly like what happened to – ”
My mother stops talking when Celeste’s head suddenly perks up and cocks to one side. In one swift motion, Celeste spins and leaps in my direction, obviously ready to attack. I barely have time to see my mother shrink in fear before I turn away from the attempted strike. At the last second she holds up when she recognizes it’s only me. The fire in her eyes instantly extinguishes.
“I’m sorry for sneaking up, Celeste,” I say feebly. Apologizing is all I can think to do after seeing her awesome speed and reaction time. I know she’s an outdoorsy type but I never knew she had that in her. I used to think my father would protect her from any bear attack that might happen on a tour; now I can see that any bear that tried to mess with her would do so at its own peril. I seem to be learning a lot about everyone today.
“Zannia!” my mother cries and rushes to me. She hugs me tightly and I rest my chin on the top of her head.
“Where is Cassie? You didn’t leave her alone, did you?” Celeste asks. Now she’s the one who sounds nervous as she worriedly searches for her daughter.
“No, my dad is with her.”
The three of us walk toward the field. Celeste asks me what happened and I give her the quick version of the fight.
“What are you leaving out?” my mother asks. I look to Celeste who also nods her head. Despite my worry that they’ll think I’m crazy, I mention the old man, that he’d been
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