Skin Walkers: Gauge Read Online Free Page B

that  Walkers didn’t like it, but that was the point. 
    One of the women quickly composed herself and tapped the other woman on the arm.  The woman dropped her head and busied herself.  “Hi, Ms. Garrett.  You here to pick up Alysa?   You’re early.”
    “Yeah , calling it an early day,” she lied, not wanting to explain that she was being sent home because of her appearance.  “Is she in the back?”
    “She is,” the daycare worker led Ella into a back room where Alysa sat on a multi-colored carpet that resembled a tiny town with roadways for pushing toy cars. 
    “How was she today?” Ella asked quietly. 
    The worker slowed, “Better.  Kids are always a little traumatized by their first few days in a new environment, especially one that doesn’t include their momma.  But she did great today.  She interacts very well with the other kids.”
    Ella’s tense shoulders dropped in relief.  It had been near impossible to walk away from Alysa on her first day of work.  She’d taken the child to the daycare, but Alysa had screamed and cried to remain with her mother.  It had been a heartbreaking ordeal that Ella hoped would get better.  Thankfully it had. 
    Daycare was something new for Ella as well.  When she’d been on the run with Alysa, she’d refused to leave the child with anyone else.  Here at StoneCrow it was a different story.  Stoney had told her of the Skin Walkers’ fierce loyalty and allegiance.  They were also extremely protective of women and children, even children that weren’t their own.  It was a blessing.  Ella knew she could leave Alysa with the Walker women and that she’d be well-protected.  It also helped that the entire Estate was fenced in with a manned gate and Sentries posted on guard.  Funny, here among these rare creatures that would terrify anyone else Ella felt safer than she had in years.  Her spirits lifted as Alysa turned and smiled up her.  Could it be?  Had she and Alysa finally found a home? 
    “Hey baby, you ready to go?”  She bent and retrieved the child.
    For the time being, Ella and Alysa were staying in a small dive in the nearest city, Great Falls.  She’d applied for housing at the Estate, but apparently there needed to be a background check before her application could be considered. It’d come up clean.  She’d changed her and Alysa’s names so many times that it’d be impossible to trace them.  Everything would come up looking clean.
    As they stepped out into the front room, the other daycare worker began sneezing hysterically.  Ella didn’t miss the annoyed look the Walker beside her gave to her co-worker.  “You okay, Mel?”
    Mel sneezed a few more times before stopping to dab at her nose.  “S’cuse me.”  She eyed Ella and Ella knew what was coming.  “I’m sorry to have to ask, Ms. Garret, but would you mind not wearing perfume?  I’m allergic and even the slightest whiff starts me in.”
    “Sorry,” Ella winced.  “I’ll try to remember tomorrow.”  She wouldn’t try to remember.  She had no choice now that Gauge had threatened her job. 
    “Thank you!” 
    When the Walker woman smiled at Ella, she felt a pang of guilt.  She wished she could befriend these people.  Tell them of her problem and see if they’d help, but she looked down at the child in her arms and knew she couldn’t risk it.  It was one thing to gamble with her own life, but she refused to do so with Alysa’s. 
    “Thanks ladies, see you tomorrow.”  She and Alysa exited the daycare center to make their way to the parking garage.  They were passing by the cafeteria when Alysa declared, “I’m hungry!”
    All staff and residence were permitted to eat at the Estate's cafeteria or two dining establishments free of charge.  Another blessing.  Just getting started with work meant that she was extremely low on cash, and what little she had was going to the crappy motel room she was renting and the gas needed to get her to