The Grasp of Nighttide Read Online Free Page A
Author: Sadaf Zulfikar
she took another look at the watch. She most probably wanted to show it off in front of her. Who cares, Alice concluded her thoughts.
Of all the houses around, Anna’s was the nearest one to Alice’s. She was the one in the area who spoke to Alice the most, even though Alice did not like her very much and rather preferred the 'not-so-nosy' younger sister, Bell. But it couldn't be denied that Anna was truly beautiful: her lips were perfect, and her eyes had the sensational blue-grey color that Alice adored the most. Her oval face was perfect, as was her clear skin. Despite her average height, she would make an attractive model. There was no need for a special runway for this damsel-she could showcase herself just about anywhere. She was in a black parka that outlined her slim, fit body, still pretending that she needed the support of the mailbox to be able to stand.
“I was wondering if you have a bar of dark chocolate. I’ve baked a cake,” she continued. “I have to make icing and lots of other things and my car isn’t…”
“No, I don’t.” Alice snapped.
By Anna’s expression it was clear that she was not the least bit affected by Alice’s response. She pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear with her left hand. The white dial shone with a crystal outline. The hands pointing to 4 and 12 seemed crystal too. “I should dash to the store then, bye.”
Without another word, she ran past Alice. The store was a five minute bolt from there and Alice could only imagine her reaching the store. It would take several minutes before Anna was going to be able to speak. If so, it would not have made a difference even if she had walked.
Totally exhausted now, Alice stood at the mouth of the dark narrow road which was a diversion from the main street. A number of closely knit pine trees grew on either side and they silently welcomed her as always. With a sigh, Alice started down the well-known road that would lead her home, the road that led only to one isolated home.
CHAPTER 2
The road stretched for about a hundred and twenty feet, then curved and went on for a few more feet before meeting the tiled driveway. The quite sizeable property held a house with a garage. Swings occupied a spot in the corner and a white fence marked the horseshoe shaped boundary. The whole scenario was reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Beyond the fence began the boundary of the research area, The Grelt Nature Conservation Research Area (GNCRA). It had recently been shut down, allegedly due to illegal practices. The boundary ran from the start of the narrow road on either side of the house and continued for many yards beyond the house. Years ago, the neighboring land had been purchased for construction purposes, but the owner of this plot stood her ground to keep the property.
The house and garage stood apart from each other. The four-car garage seemed to take pride by being clearly noticeable beside the house though it was rendered useless. Alice would sometimes open it−though she had no car−just to look at the red Vespa it housed. A means of transport that would have helped her make her way around town easier. She had found the key on the seat which had initials ‘R.W’ on it. As good as it appeared to be, the Vespa would not budge. Alice hesitated to get it fixed, as it did not belong to her, but wished it would start someday. The riding lawnmower that had appeared to be in bad condition at first−unlike the Vespa−functioned perfectly, at least well enough to help Alice work on the grass around the house.
To the right of the garage stood the house. The front, like most of the homes there, had an inverted-V sloping roof. A light-brown colored door and window frames of the same color stood against the off-white walls. What gave a
Of all the houses around, Anna’s was the nearest one to Alice’s. She was the one in the area who spoke to Alice the most, even though Alice did not like her very much and rather preferred the 'not-so-nosy' younger sister, Bell. But it couldn't be denied that Anna was truly beautiful: her lips were perfect, and her eyes had the sensational blue-grey color that Alice adored the most. Her oval face was perfect, as was her clear skin. Despite her average height, she would make an attractive model. There was no need for a special runway for this damsel-she could showcase herself just about anywhere. She was in a black parka that outlined her slim, fit body, still pretending that she needed the support of the mailbox to be able to stand.
“I was wondering if you have a bar of dark chocolate. I’ve baked a cake,” she continued. “I have to make icing and lots of other things and my car isn’t…”
“No, I don’t.” Alice snapped.
By Anna’s expression it was clear that she was not the least bit affected by Alice’s response. She pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear with her left hand. The white dial shone with a crystal outline. The hands pointing to 4 and 12 seemed crystal too. “I should dash to the store then, bye.”
Without another word, she ran past Alice. The store was a five minute bolt from there and Alice could only imagine her reaching the store. It would take several minutes before Anna was going to be able to speak. If so, it would not have made a difference even if she had walked.
Totally exhausted now, Alice stood at the mouth of the dark narrow road which was a diversion from the main street. A number of closely knit pine trees grew on either side and they silently welcomed her as always. With a sigh, Alice started down the well-known road that would lead her home, the road that led only to one isolated home.
CHAPTER 2
The road stretched for about a hundred and twenty feet, then curved and went on for a few more feet before meeting the tiled driveway. The quite sizeable property held a house with a garage. Swings occupied a spot in the corner and a white fence marked the horseshoe shaped boundary. The whole scenario was reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Beyond the fence began the boundary of the research area, The Grelt Nature Conservation Research Area (GNCRA). It had recently been shut down, allegedly due to illegal practices. The boundary ran from the start of the narrow road on either side of the house and continued for many yards beyond the house. Years ago, the neighboring land had been purchased for construction purposes, but the owner of this plot stood her ground to keep the property.
The house and garage stood apart from each other. The four-car garage seemed to take pride by being clearly noticeable beside the house though it was rendered useless. Alice would sometimes open it−though she had no car−just to look at the red Vespa it housed. A means of transport that would have helped her make her way around town easier. She had found the key on the seat which had initials ‘R.W’ on it. As good as it appeared to be, the Vespa would not budge. Alice hesitated to get it fixed, as it did not belong to her, but wished it would start someday. The riding lawnmower that had appeared to be in bad condition at first−unlike the Vespa−functioned perfectly, at least well enough to help Alice work on the grass around the house.
To the right of the garage stood the house. The front, like most of the homes there, had an inverted-V sloping roof. A light-brown colored door and window frames of the same color stood against the off-white walls. What gave a
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