Elysian Fields Read Online Free PDF Page A

hungry. By the way, I’m Allan,” he said, putting out his hand. “And you are Jules, as I learned last night.”
    “They call me Julia in the city, but I’m Jules to friends,” she explained. “How are you even up so soon? Last night you were a complete mess.” She sat up and moved away from his face, offering the blanket back to him. The closeness appeared to make her uncomfortable.
    “The nanobots did their job,” he answered, taking the blanket and trying to cover his nakedness.
    “I forgot you ’re an Elite. The privileged class and all,” she replied, standing up.
    “Was that sarcasm? Anyway, that’s just how my body was equipped, with enhance d natural abilities to heal,” Allan continued, wrapping the blanket around his body. “It’s rather chilly to be naked in the woods at this time of day.” He looked at her with a sheepish look in his eyes. “Do you think you could help me get some clothes so I can go back home?”
    “So you want to go home now? After they killed you ?” She drew quotes with her hands.
    “What else would you suggest?”
    “I suggest you take some time to think about what happened to you last night and think about all your options before you rush head firs t to your next untimely death.”
    What’s wrong with her? Allan was puzzled by Jules’ aggressive reaction to everything he said.
    Suddenly he remembered. “By the way, I forgot to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving me. And I truly mean it.”
    Jules just glanced back in his direction and started to wipe away the leaves and grass from her clothes.
    “You know,” he said after a moment of silence. “I think you’re right. There was something odd going on. Maybe I should go to one of my friends.”
    She shook her head, as if his agreeing with her wasn’t acceptable either. “Tell you what. You might be healed physically, but I think your mind still needs some mending. It’s dangerous to stay here any longer. Why don’t you tear two pieces off this blanket and wrap them over your feet? Then wrap the rest of the blanket around yourself. We’ll go to my place. It’s time for you to meet my friends and get some advice from them. Oh, and thank you for covering me up last night.”
    “You’re welcome,” he felt his lips curling up in a tiny smile, too embarrassed to admit that he had covered her only minutes earlier. ”I’ll follow your lead then.” He started ripping the blanket.
    They entered the forest, leaving the city behind, and walked under the canopy of trees. Dead branches and last year’s leaves abundantly covered the ground. It was obvious that people took care of areas close to the city but nobody bothered to clean up further away. Jules walked in front, following an almost invisible path that started somewhere inside the forest.
    She asked Allan about the details of his ordeal, and he was glad to be able to order his thoughts as he expressed them out loud. There was not much to be said, though, and he soon found himself again at a loss of understanding what had happened. He asked for her opinion, but she couldn’t come up with an explanation either. They continued their journey through the forest.
    “Is it far, where we’re going?” Allan was curious, avoiding sharp stumps that could hurt his wrapped feet.
    “About three miles,” Jules replied without turning her head.
    “I’ve never been out here be fore. Is it safe?”
    She turned her head, glancing at him. “Safer than the city; for me, anyway.”
    “How far have you gone?”
    “Just as far as the lake, on the other side of downtown.”
    “Downtown?”
    “That is what they used to call this place. That was before the great quake.” She was silent for a while, as if she was thinking of the tragedy.
    “I know about the quake,” Allan remembered the stories his father had told him, which filled him with deep sadness. “More than two million people died back then. Most of the high risers were badly damaged. But