Take Me To Your Reader: An Otherworld Anthology Read Online Free Page A
Author: Amy A. Bartol, Tiffany King, Raine Thomas, Tammy Blackwell, Sarah M. Ross, Heather Hildenbrand, Amanda Havard, C.A. Kunz
cargo shorts by Mattie's truck taking an interest in it. It's nearly impossible for them to see anything inside of it because the windows are almost opaque. Suddenly, the truck's alarm goes off, scaring the bejesus out of the one nearest the vehicle, causing the other one to double over with laughter.
Clyde growls, "Travis, go tell those two idiots to leave the truck alone!"
The man by the rack closes his magazine, stuffs it back on the shelf, and shuffles toward the door. Once outside, he says something to the two by Mattie 's truck before they all move away from it to light their cigarettes at a safer distance from the gas pumps. The truck's alarm goes silent a few moments later.
My focus returns to Clyde as he asks, "You might want to add some sunscreen to this. You look like you burn easily, especially if you're out at Nee-Ba-Naw-Baigs Lake." He watches me, like he's assessing my reaction.
I glance outside at the overcast sky. "It looks like it could rain soon," I reply.
His frown turns darker, "Still, you can never be too cautious up here, especially on that lake."
I shrug, "Okay, let's err on the side of caution then."
He doesn 't smile as he adds the sunscreen to the total. The register dings and Clyde mutters, "One twenty sixty-six."
I pay him after he puts my bottles in a brown paper sack. He hands it to me, but doesn 't let go. "You take care now, Violet," he says, his blue eyes bore into mine. The bottles within the bag bang together. When I pull a little harder on it, he lets go.
" Thanks," I manage to say before I turn and walk to the door. Outside, I pause as Travis and his wifebeater-clad friends walk toward me. I shift the bag to one arm; my other hand goes to my purse to scout for my mace.
The engine of the truck roars to life and the passenger-side window opens a crack. SOA 's voice shouts loudly, "You coming, sweetheart?"
The men in front of me stop. My voice shakes, "Yeah, babe. I got you some gum." I walk past Travis who watches me like I'm his next meal. When I make it to the truck, the door automatically unlocks and I climb inside, placing the bag on the passenger seat next to me. I pull out the vodka and take a large swig. I gasp; the liquid burns a trail to my belly.
" You shouldn't consume alcohol while taking your medication," SOA scolds. I try not to think about how truly bizarre it is to be reprimanded by a navigation system.
I let out a shaky breath. "I'll stop taking my medication then." The engine revs on its own and the truck backs up from the gas pumps on autopilot. As it pulls away from the gas station, I ask, "So-wah, are we going to Nee-Ba-Naw-Baigs Lake?"
" Some locals refer to Matteyo Dillinger's lake by that name."
" Why? Does it mean something?" I'm afraid of the answer.
" Nee-ba-naw-baigs is Ojibwe; it means water spirits. Some of the locals believe the lake is haunted."
" Why would they think that?" I ask.
" That information is classified."
Chapter 3 – BLACK WATER
In less than twenty minutes, SOA pulls off the road and onto a long dirt path partially hidden by dense trees. If I were driving, I would 've never seen it. Bouncing and jarring over huge, muddy potholes, the ride is treacherous. I hold tight to the door handle as we traverse a shallow stream and avoid a downed tree. We pass by a small log cabin in the woods. Branches screech against the side of the truck as we go deeper in; the trees get closer together.
I 'm almost afraid to see what's around the next bend, but soon the trees part and we come to a clearing. When a house comes into view, my mouth gapes in awe. Cobblestone chimneys rise under towering blue pine trees; they cut across the multiple rooflines of cedar, moss-covered shingles. Ivy crawls over the enormous, gray stone walls of the house, outlining a score of windows. It's a curious mixture of heavy stone and light glass with mountainous, gray cliffs rising in the background, making for a stunning vista. Seeing those cliffs, I have no
Clyde growls, "Travis, go tell those two idiots to leave the truck alone!"
The man by the rack closes his magazine, stuffs it back on the shelf, and shuffles toward the door. Once outside, he says something to the two by Mattie 's truck before they all move away from it to light their cigarettes at a safer distance from the gas pumps. The truck's alarm goes silent a few moments later.
My focus returns to Clyde as he asks, "You might want to add some sunscreen to this. You look like you burn easily, especially if you're out at Nee-Ba-Naw-Baigs Lake." He watches me, like he's assessing my reaction.
I glance outside at the overcast sky. "It looks like it could rain soon," I reply.
His frown turns darker, "Still, you can never be too cautious up here, especially on that lake."
I shrug, "Okay, let's err on the side of caution then."
He doesn 't smile as he adds the sunscreen to the total. The register dings and Clyde mutters, "One twenty sixty-six."
I pay him after he puts my bottles in a brown paper sack. He hands it to me, but doesn 't let go. "You take care now, Violet," he says, his blue eyes bore into mine. The bottles within the bag bang together. When I pull a little harder on it, he lets go.
" Thanks," I manage to say before I turn and walk to the door. Outside, I pause as Travis and his wifebeater-clad friends walk toward me. I shift the bag to one arm; my other hand goes to my purse to scout for my mace.
The engine of the truck roars to life and the passenger-side window opens a crack. SOA 's voice shouts loudly, "You coming, sweetheart?"
The men in front of me stop. My voice shakes, "Yeah, babe. I got you some gum." I walk past Travis who watches me like I'm his next meal. When I make it to the truck, the door automatically unlocks and I climb inside, placing the bag on the passenger seat next to me. I pull out the vodka and take a large swig. I gasp; the liquid burns a trail to my belly.
" You shouldn't consume alcohol while taking your medication," SOA scolds. I try not to think about how truly bizarre it is to be reprimanded by a navigation system.
I let out a shaky breath. "I'll stop taking my medication then." The engine revs on its own and the truck backs up from the gas pumps on autopilot. As it pulls away from the gas station, I ask, "So-wah, are we going to Nee-Ba-Naw-Baigs Lake?"
" Some locals refer to Matteyo Dillinger's lake by that name."
" Why? Does it mean something?" I'm afraid of the answer.
" Nee-ba-naw-baigs is Ojibwe; it means water spirits. Some of the locals believe the lake is haunted."
" Why would they think that?" I ask.
" That information is classified."
Chapter 3 – BLACK WATER
In less than twenty minutes, SOA pulls off the road and onto a long dirt path partially hidden by dense trees. If I were driving, I would 've never seen it. Bouncing and jarring over huge, muddy potholes, the ride is treacherous. I hold tight to the door handle as we traverse a shallow stream and avoid a downed tree. We pass by a small log cabin in the woods. Branches screech against the side of the truck as we go deeper in; the trees get closer together.
I 'm almost afraid to see what's around the next bend, but soon the trees part and we come to a clearing. When a house comes into view, my mouth gapes in awe. Cobblestone chimneys rise under towering blue pine trees; they cut across the multiple rooflines of cedar, moss-covered shingles. Ivy crawls over the enormous, gray stone walls of the house, outlining a score of windows. It's a curious mixture of heavy stone and light glass with mountainous, gray cliffs rising in the background, making for a stunning vista. Seeing those cliffs, I have no
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