Half World Read Online Free PDF

some kind of criminal past. She should phone the police!
    She grabbed the receiver once more and raised it to her ear.
    There was no dial tone.
    Melanie jabbed the switch hook, once, twice, three times.
    Silence.
    The phone was dead. He had cut the line. That hideous man had—
    Melanie’s eyes widened. The receiver fell from her nerveless fingers onto the carpet. She slowly backed away from the phone.
    It shouldn’t have rung. The phone shouldn’t have worked.
    Their service had been terminated five months ago. . . .
    Melanie’s heart bulged into the back of her throat. She could scarcely hold back a wave of nausea, and when she closed her eyes white lights flared behind her eyelids. Instinctively she sank to her haunches and took slow, deep breaths. When the dizziness passed she stood up. Snatched her mother’s overlarge khaki-colored industrial coat with the fake wool collar. She pulled it on, and for a moment the smell of her mum enfolded her. Melanie shook her head.
    What else? What should she take with her?
    She didn’t know . . . just go! Go!
    She slammed the door shut.
    The cold night wind pressed against her face with a wet touch. From inside the house the phone began ringing once more. Melanie ran.

    Her adrenaline burned off quickly, and soon all she could muster was a shuffling jog. The rain had turned into soft patters; her mother’s coat was not soaked through, but she was very cold.
    In the early hours of the morning, it all seemed so surreal. Maybe she had dreamt it all; maybe she was dreaming this very moment.
    What if it was all a joke? Some kind of elaborate trick . . . but who would do such a thing?
    She came to a standstill, her breath escaping her lips in small puffs. Melanie looked up. She had stopped in front of Ms. Wei’s corner market.
    Ms. Wei . . . Ms. Wei knew troubles. Her lover, Nora Stein, had been killed in a burglary many years ago. It had been the talk of the neighborhood, although Ms. Wei had never brought it up herself on those days Melanie had run into the store, fleeing from the Valkyries. Ms. Wei had been sad for years but she had somehow survived her pain. There was something about the old woman. . . . She wasn’t the type of person anyone would go to for a hug, but there was a kind of strength about her. Compassion. On rainy afternoons, Ms. Wei would beckon Melanie to come inside and give her a free hot chocolate. They chatted about books, the cleverness of crows, and why sometimes people turned into bullies. . . . Ms. Wei never pried, but she would give Melanie loaves of day-old bread and sometimes soy milk and eggs. At the very least, Melanie could tell her that she was going to the Cassiar Tunnel, so one person in the world would know if she disappeared from the face of the earth.
    The sound of a window opening.
    A round glare of light, blinding.
    Melanie raised her arm to shield her eyes.
    â€œWho’s there?!” a strong voice demanded. “What do you think you’re doing!”
    â€œIt’s me,” Melanie answered in a small voice.
    â€œIs that Melanie?” Ms. Wei asked wonderingly. “At this time of night? Is she in trouble?”
    Tears of relief and gratitude filled Melanie’s eyes at the sound of concern in Ms. Wei’s voice. She could not stop a jagged sob from escaping.
    â€œStay there!” Ms. Wei commanded. The glare of light clicked off and Melanie, suddenly blinded by its absence, heard a window slam shut. Shortly, the light above the store door was turned on and Ms. Wei was standing there, gesturing, come, enter! Melanie could not help smiling with relief. She ran inside.
    The familiar smells of dried mushrooms and papayas, lemon-grass and durian filled the warm air, and the horror of the night receded.
    Ms. Wei did not hug. She patted Melanie’s back as if something were stuck in her throat.
    â€œMelanie is in trouble. Melanie needs help.”
    Melanie blinked through her tears,