Reunion Read Online Free
Book: Reunion Read Online Free
Author: Sharon Sala
put the bag in your room. You…boy…take your uncle Mike out to the patio and sit. I will bring cold drinks.”
Gabriel watched her bustling away and wondered how old he would have to be before she quit calling him boy. He glanced at Mike.
“Hope you didn’t have other plans. Sounds like you’re expected to stay for dinner.” Realizing how offhand the invitation sounded, he added, “And I would appreciate the company.”
Mike pretended not to notice Gabriel’s despondency. “It’s a good thing she offered. It saved me from having to beg later.”
They started through the house, talking amiably about nothing in general and moving at a pace that would accommodate Gabriel’s healing injuries. But he was having a difficult time focusing on Mike’s conversation. Everything reminded him of his parents and the happy life they had shared. He wondered if coming back here had been wise after all.
And then they turned a corner in the hallway, and it felt to Gabriel as if the air was suddenly devoid of oxygen. His chest felt heavy with each indrawn breath, and the skin on his face began to tighten. Even though he knew it was impossible, something was invading his mind.
Help me.
Gabriel cursed beneath his breath as he staggered toward a nearby wall, desperate for the touch of something solid—something he knew was really there. When his hand connected with the cool, flat surface, he closed his eyes and groaned.
Startled, Mike reached for his arm.
“Gabriel? Are you okay?”
Gabriel braced himself with both hands against the wall, shuddering as a cold sweat covered his body.
Can’t find you.
Struggling against the unwanted invasion of his mind, he made himself stand when he wanted to fall. He hated this. He wasn’t a weakling, but it seemed that his mind didn’t know it. This constant cry for help was making him crazy. He hit the wall with his fist.
“Son of a bitch.”
Mike spun away. “I’m calling a doctor.”
Gabriel stopped Mike’s intent with a fierce glare and a firm grip.
“Let it go. I’m all right.”
Mike took one look at the pallor of Gabriel’s face and shook his head. “No, damn it, you’re not.”
“A doctor can’t fix what’s wrong with me,” Gabriel muttered, then walked away.
The house was silent. The evening meal had been strained, but somehow they’d gotten through it, as well as Mike’s reluctant exit to his own home. Now Gabriel walked through the empty rooms, listening for the echoes of happier times. He paused in the hallway just off the kitchen and closed his eyes, remembering the sounds of his mother’s voice and his father’s exuberant shouts of laughter. But when he walked away, all he heard were the distinct sounds of his own footsteps upon the gleaming floors.
Without conscious thought, he was following in the footsteps his father had taken each night before retiring. He paused in the foyer, glancing at a panel of numbers in a small, recessed area of the wall near the front door. A red light glowed. The security system was on and locked. Having seen to that much of the business of living, Gabriel turned and walked to the foot of the stairs, then paused and looked up.
The upper two stories of the house seemed to mock him. He shook off the feeling and took the first step. It was the hardest. After that, it was simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.
Within the hour he’d fallen asleep.
The man lifted his head and sniffed—like an animal testing the air for things that didn’t belong. It was dark beneath the trees, and he moved quickly toward the clearing beyond, anxious to get away from things unseen.
Gravel crunched beneath his feet as his steps hastened. The bag he was carrying bumped against his leg. Moments later, he dropped to his knees before the marble edifice and then down on all fours, stretching out upon the blanket of roses as if it were the softest of beds. His cheeks were wet with tears as he turned his face to
Gabriel watched her bustling away and wondered how old he would have to be before she quit calling him boy. He glanced at Mike.
“Hope you didn’t have other plans. Sounds like you’re expected to stay for dinner.” Realizing how offhand the invitation sounded, he added, “And I would appreciate the company.”
Mike pretended not to notice Gabriel’s despondency. “It’s a good thing she offered. It saved me from having to beg later.”
They started through the house, talking amiably about nothing in general and moving at a pace that would accommodate Gabriel’s healing injuries. But he was having a difficult time focusing on Mike’s conversation. Everything reminded him of his parents and the happy life they had shared. He wondered if coming back here had been wise after all.
And then they turned a corner in the hallway, and it felt to Gabriel as if the air was suddenly devoid of oxygen. His chest felt heavy with each indrawn breath, and the skin on his face began to tighten. Even though he knew it was impossible, something was invading his mind.
Help me.
Gabriel cursed beneath his breath as he staggered toward a nearby wall, desperate for the touch of something solid—something he knew was really there. When his hand connected with the cool, flat surface, he closed his eyes and groaned.
Startled, Mike reached for his arm.
“Gabriel? Are you okay?”
Gabriel braced himself with both hands against the wall, shuddering as a cold sweat covered his body.
Can’t find you.
Struggling against the unwanted invasion of his mind, he made himself stand when he wanted to fall. He hated this. He wasn’t a weakling, but it seemed that his mind didn’t know it. This constant cry for help was making him crazy. He hit the wall with his fist.
“Son of a bitch.”
Mike spun away. “I’m calling a doctor.”
Gabriel stopped Mike’s intent with a fierce glare and a firm grip.
“Let it go. I’m all right.”
Mike took one look at the pallor of Gabriel’s face and shook his head. “No, damn it, you’re not.”
“A doctor can’t fix what’s wrong with me,” Gabriel muttered, then walked away.
The house was silent. The evening meal had been strained, but somehow they’d gotten through it, as well as Mike’s reluctant exit to his own home. Now Gabriel walked through the empty rooms, listening for the echoes of happier times. He paused in the hallway just off the kitchen and closed his eyes, remembering the sounds of his mother’s voice and his father’s exuberant shouts of laughter. But when he walked away, all he heard were the distinct sounds of his own footsteps upon the gleaming floors.
Without conscious thought, he was following in the footsteps his father had taken each night before retiring. He paused in the foyer, glancing at a panel of numbers in a small, recessed area of the wall near the front door. A red light glowed. The security system was on and locked. Having seen to that much of the business of living, Gabriel turned and walked to the foot of the stairs, then paused and looked up.
The upper two stories of the house seemed to mock him. He shook off the feeling and took the first step. It was the hardest. After that, it was simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.
Within the hour he’d fallen asleep.
The man lifted his head and sniffed—like an animal testing the air for things that didn’t belong. It was dark beneath the trees, and he moved quickly toward the clearing beyond, anxious to get away from things unseen.
Gravel crunched beneath his feet as his steps hastened. The bag he was carrying bumped against his leg. Moments later, he dropped to his knees before the marble edifice and then down on all fours, stretching out upon the blanket of roses as if it were the softest of beds. His cheeks were wet with tears as he turned his face to