Rise of the Sparrows (Relics of Ar'Zac #1) Read Online Free
Author: Sarina Langer
fear.
"What do you want?" For now the brick stayed where it was. Hunger could drive even the youngest children to desperate acts, causing them to do all sorts of things, but it was too early for her to let her guard down. Maybe the girl had come back for the bread, realizing that she needed it herself.
"I just want to talk. Please, don't hurt me."
Rachael found herself at a loss. No one had ever approached her like this before. Was it possible that the girl really just wanted to talk? Her gut told her not to let her come any closer, but what harm could she possibly be? Her instincts had never let her down before, but despite her warning, the girl didn't have a weapon. There was no knife on her that Rachael could see, and no other potential threat, either. It was just a small girl in rags, arms closed around herself, without even a doll to call her own.
"Fine. But if you try anything I'll defend myself.”
Her small body crept closer to Rachael, but stopped when Rachael raised her brick a little more.
As a sign of goodwill she put down her brick, hoping that she wasn't going to regret it.
Chapter Four
"Come here," Rachael said, motioning for the girl to come closer. She knew how to react when someone was making fun of her, when someone was avoiding her, or when someone tried to rob her or worse, but never once had she had to deal with something like this—with a girl who looked as frightened as this one did. Accepting that people were scared of her had become an inevitable part of her life, and it had never bothered her. Not until now.
The girl inched closer, not taking her eyes off the brick once. When she realised that Rachael was going to leave it on the ground she sped up until she stood right next to Rachael.
"Have a seat." There wasn't much to sit on besides her old blanket, but Rachael feared that the girl might collapse if she continued to stand up for much longer.
The girl did as told but remained silent, chewing on her own lips to keep herself busy.
"Are you here on another dare?" Rachael asked. The girl shook her head, not taking her eyes off her shuffling feet. "Then what are you doing here?" Rachael knew it was best to remain cautious and scolded herself for letting a stranger come this close to her. This was a first.
People never came right up to her or even sat down with her, not even on a dare. The only people who tried it were those who came to rape her, and she found it hard to believe that this girl had followed her for that.
"I-" Her voice was as tiny and as shaking as her thin body.
"What's your name?
"Cephy."
"How old are you, Cephy?" As uncomfortable as Rachael was with having someone sit so close to her, on her blanket, she was curious. Cephy was either very stupid or very brave, and she wanted to know which one it was.
"Twelve." The girl studied the frozen ground, looking more out of her comfort zone than Rachael had realised. Neither of them was used to this.
"How long have you been homeless?"
Cephy was five years younger than her, and didn't carry herself with the special kind of confidence only orphans who had survived for a long time could muster. This was all new to her, and Rachael wanted to know more.
"Three weeks, I think.”
Rachael watched Cephy with curiosity. It was hard when you first became homeless. Not knowing where to sleep or where to get your next meal from was difficult at any time of year, but to become homeless at the beginning of winter must have been even worse. Rachael had been homeless for so long she couldn't quite remember what time of year it had been, only that she had been scared and had cried herself to sleep, praying for help, until she had accepted that no one listened to her prayers and that she would have to fend for herself. She had been younger than Cephy, much younger, but she had coped. Life was difficult and a struggle, but she had made it work. She couldn't go easy on Cephy, or she would never learn how to take care of
"What do you want?" For now the brick stayed where it was. Hunger could drive even the youngest children to desperate acts, causing them to do all sorts of things, but it was too early for her to let her guard down. Maybe the girl had come back for the bread, realizing that she needed it herself.
"I just want to talk. Please, don't hurt me."
Rachael found herself at a loss. No one had ever approached her like this before. Was it possible that the girl really just wanted to talk? Her gut told her not to let her come any closer, but what harm could she possibly be? Her instincts had never let her down before, but despite her warning, the girl didn't have a weapon. There was no knife on her that Rachael could see, and no other potential threat, either. It was just a small girl in rags, arms closed around herself, without even a doll to call her own.
"Fine. But if you try anything I'll defend myself.”
Her small body crept closer to Rachael, but stopped when Rachael raised her brick a little more.
As a sign of goodwill she put down her brick, hoping that she wasn't going to regret it.
Chapter Four
"Come here," Rachael said, motioning for the girl to come closer. She knew how to react when someone was making fun of her, when someone was avoiding her, or when someone tried to rob her or worse, but never once had she had to deal with something like this—with a girl who looked as frightened as this one did. Accepting that people were scared of her had become an inevitable part of her life, and it had never bothered her. Not until now.
The girl inched closer, not taking her eyes off the brick once. When she realised that Rachael was going to leave it on the ground she sped up until she stood right next to Rachael.
"Have a seat." There wasn't much to sit on besides her old blanket, but Rachael feared that the girl might collapse if she continued to stand up for much longer.
The girl did as told but remained silent, chewing on her own lips to keep herself busy.
"Are you here on another dare?" Rachael asked. The girl shook her head, not taking her eyes off her shuffling feet. "Then what are you doing here?" Rachael knew it was best to remain cautious and scolded herself for letting a stranger come this close to her. This was a first.
People never came right up to her or even sat down with her, not even on a dare. The only people who tried it were those who came to rape her, and she found it hard to believe that this girl had followed her for that.
"I-" Her voice was as tiny and as shaking as her thin body.
"What's your name?
"Cephy."
"How old are you, Cephy?" As uncomfortable as Rachael was with having someone sit so close to her, on her blanket, she was curious. Cephy was either very stupid or very brave, and she wanted to know which one it was.
"Twelve." The girl studied the frozen ground, looking more out of her comfort zone than Rachael had realised. Neither of them was used to this.
"How long have you been homeless?"
Cephy was five years younger than her, and didn't carry herself with the special kind of confidence only orphans who had survived for a long time could muster. This was all new to her, and Rachael wanted to know more.
"Three weeks, I think.”
Rachael watched Cephy with curiosity. It was hard when you first became homeless. Not knowing where to sleep or where to get your next meal from was difficult at any time of year, but to become homeless at the beginning of winter must have been even worse. Rachael had been homeless for so long she couldn't quite remember what time of year it had been, only that she had been scared and had cried herself to sleep, praying for help, until she had accepted that no one listened to her prayers and that she would have to fend for herself. She had been younger than Cephy, much younger, but she had coped. Life was difficult and a struggle, but she had made it work. She couldn't go easy on Cephy, or she would never learn how to take care of
Readers choose
Kay Hooper
Anna Kendall
Debbie Macomber
Betsy Carter
Howard Fast
Karen Hawkins
Helen Wells
Michael W. Garza
Sierra Simone
Victoria Scott