Jackson Read Online Free Page A

D’Lo went to one knee beside me, holding me in his big arms. My eyes closed as whiteness crept into the sides of my vision, but D’Lo squeezed me.
    “Don’t you faint, now. He needs you, Pren.”
    “Oh, god,” I wailed, fresh tears slicking my face. “Oh, god, Dee, it’s too much. It’s all just too much.”
    My breathing was shallow and difficult, but D’Lo rubbed my back.
    “Stay with me, girl. You’ve got to be strong.”
    “I can’t anymore. I don’t know how to fight this. I don’t know what to do—”
    “Do it for your brother.” His deep voice urged in my ear. “They did this to him. They’re the reason.”
    My body shook so hard, I couldn’t stand. I could only cry, gulping in hoarse breaths as I clung to my friend. I was sorry for Braxton, of course I was, but my tears were also for a loss I couldn’t share with Dee.
    In spite of what Gallatin had revealed, in the last few hours since I’d left him in the woods, my mind had gone from shock and fear to sadness and pain. All the moments we’d shared these last few days and nights, the experiences we’d had...
    We wanted the same things—our own place, family, peace. He called me strong. He watched everything I did and truly saw me, not what I needed to become or how I need to change. He saw me as I was, and he was proud of me. He said I was smart, and he wanted me to be a doctor.
    He told me his wishes and dreams, his hopes for us—dreams I’d been watching slip away between Jackson and me in the past months. Things I didn’t believe could grow so fast and be so strong...
    And just as fast, they would disappear. In a matter of hours, it would all be taken away. I’d never even remember what I’d lost. I gulped another breath.
    “It’s too much,” I whispered.
    “Come on, now,” Dee said. “Try and stand up. You need to talk to Braxton. Try and get him to come around.”
    I blinked back my tears, knowing he was right. I was being selfish, and we didn’t have time for such things. I grasped D’Lo’s arm. “Where is he?”
    “We got him in his bed, but he can’t let go of the bad feelings. He says we should’ve let him die.”
    Holding Dee’s arm for support, I got to my feet and followed him back, past the empty bunks to the corner where my brother lay on his side, his back facing outward the same as before when I’d left him. I wiped my tears away and focused on helping him.
    “Braxton?” I placed my hand on his arm. “You okay?”
    “Leave me alone.” His voice was cold.
    “Braxton, listen to me. You can’t do this. You just can’t.” My voice broke, and I started to cry again.
    My brother didn’t move. He didn’t turn or try to comfort me, and he didn’t speak. I looked up at the faces of my friends all looking back at me waiting, wanting me to do something. Wanting answers, anything, but I couldn’t tell them what Gallatin had said. Anyway, what did it matter if in two days none of us would remember any of this?
    I turned and walked back to my bunk. The tone sounded for dinner, but I couldn’t eat. Everyone walked toward the door, but my heart was so heavy, I lay over on my side and stared at nothing. I had become like them—hopeless, defeated. But unlike my friends, my hopelessness centered on a coming loss I couldn’t stop. I sniffed and began to cry again, and this time it was because my heart was breaking. I was saying good-bye to something I’d only just discovered I wanted so very much, something that had changed absolutely everything in my life.
    My eyes closed, and I thought about what Gallatin had said when he’d held me in the creek, his dream of us together, our life. I remembered seeing the mixture of a million different colors shining in the sunlight, through the leaves, on the water like a prism. I remembered wanting to kiss him. I remembered his touch...
    Instantly, I sat up in the bed. That was it. I’d found the answer—for one of us, at least.
    The room was empty except for my