Vanishing Rain (Blue Spectrum Chronicles Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

opening the cupboard doors, I found several of the toddler’s sippy cups.  I went back to the decanter and emptied the strong liquid into one of them, a blue one that was Storm’s favorite, and another stabbing guilt prickled into my gut.  I was actually stealing from a toddler, sinking to the all-time lowest point in life.   My heart pounded as I drizzled the strong liquid into the sippy cups, figuring that I probably wouldn’t need much because the only liquor I had ever consumed was a small bottle of champagne.  Still, it made sense to err on the cautious side, making sure I had more than enough.
    I clamped the lids down tightly and tiptoed quietly back to my bedroom with them.  I stuffed the plastic cups into my satchel.  I had one more thing to do.  Find a first aid kit.
    With toddlers in the apartment, that was the easy part.  I stopped at the main bathroom and dug around until I found the kit that Dove always got out when Sun or Storm had a boo-boo.  I stuffed it under my shirt and snuck back to my bedroom. It was the last item I placed in my satchel.
    I slipped into bed and pulled the covers over my body, wishing more than anything that sleep would come easily.
    It didn’t.  I tossed and turned all night, my eyes closed in pretend sleep until the alarm clock rang at 6:30.  I yawned and stretched as if it was any other day, glancing at the camera in my room, remembering the one at my mom’s apartment.  I stifled back a laugh when I thought of what I had done to that one.  But this time I was sad to be leaving, not angry.  My chest squeezed tightly shut, and I wasn’t sure if I could follow through with my plan.
    Still, I got up, showered, and tucked myself into a school regulation uniform.  I ate breakfast. 
    I said good-bye.
    I said good-bye.
    I said good-bye to them all.  To Dove.  My Dad.  Snow and the toddlers.  With a lump in my throat, I pretended that it was any other day.
    And I said good-bye.
    It was more than I had gotten from Orion.

Chapter 6
    Caught
    I gagged, forcing myself up from the seat of the glider with my hands.  I didn’t have time for such reminiscing.  Gods, what was I thinking?  My head was spinning like a carnival ride, and my arm felt like someone had sawed it off.  Not to mention the bloody gauze that needed changing.  I dug around in the first aid kit for fresh gauze, hesitant to take the old gauze off.  But I knew that I had to. 
    I unwrapped the old gauze with trepidation.  I really didn’t want to see the wound but I knew that I had to put the clean dressing on.  Thankfully, the bleeding had slowed, but there was a gaping wound in my arm and it already looked angry.  With shaking hands, I rewrapped my arm, gritting my teeth with pain at every movement I made, every touch.  I sealed the bandage with tape and tossed the first aid kit to the glider floor, watching with amusement as it swam in the spoils of my stomach. 
    Tugging my bloody shirt off, I dug around in my satchel for a clean one and slipped it over my head.  Then I did the same with my pants, since the ones I had been wearing were a bloody mess as well.  Damn, I thought.  I should have brought some regular clothes.  I would be a shining target for sure with only my school uniform to wear. 
    Too late by that point.  I reached my hand up to my ear and dislocated my ear communicator, yanked it off, and threw it on the floor of my glider, right beside the first aid kit. Then I grabbed my satchel, taking one last glance at the broken pieces of the bloody tracker-timer.
    It would no longer dictate my life.  That had to be worth something.
    I took in a deep breath, pulling my legs awkwardly out of the glider, first one and then the other.  I struggled to stand erect, having to lean my hand on the side of the glider.  My eyes darted around the garage, searching for a camera.  There wasn’t one in sight, but that didn’t mean one wasn’t planted somewhere.  Stay calm.  Stay calm. I