Requiem Read Online Free PDF

pressed the button to the first floor, and
then leaned against the back wall of the elevator. “Too much for
one day,” I whispered.
    Above the door, the number one lit in a soft
glow, accompanied by a pleasant dinging sound. The double doors
spread open, and I squinted from the sunlight penetrating through
the glass walls of the lobby. To my surprise, Jared stood at the
revolving door.
    “ It has been a lot for you
today. Let’s go home.”
    I smiled, remembering my whispers in the
elevator.
    He let me lean against him as we walked to
the Escalade hand in hand. The gulls seemed particularly loud,
calling to each other along the harbor. The breeze brought in the
sweet stench of fish and motor oil. The sounds and smells
surrounding Titan always reminded me of my father.
    “ It’s no wonder I’m having
the dreams,” I said.
    “ What dreams?” Jared
teased.
    I smiled. “Coming here everyday, being
around everything that embodies what I remember about Jack. It’s
not some supernatural mystery. I’m just surrounded by him.”
    Jared replied only with a thoughtful nod. He
was careful to avoid the subject during the ride home, sticking to
the weather and happenings at Brown. Once we reached the loft, he
was all to eager to start preparing dinner, so I left him to his
thoughts and ran a bath in the downstairs tub.
    After lingering far too long in the cooling
water, I wrapped my towel around me and opened the door, noticing
only one plate of food. Jared was in the corner, dripping with
sweat.
    “ You ate without me?” I
asked, sitting at the table.
    “ I didn't want to disturb
you,” Jared said, grunting with the massive amount of weight above
him.
    Jared was hiding something, and his behavior
told me it was probably something I didn't want to know.
    I finished my dinner and started the
dishwasher, and then made my way up the stairs. I slipped on my
night gown and crawled into bed beside Jared. He was reading, and
put his book down long enough to kiss my forehead. I relaxed,
trying to think peaceful thoughts. Wondering if I would wake up
screaming wouldn’t help to keep the dreams away, so I forced my
mind in the direction of Jared and our Oak Tree.
    “ No studying tonight?”
Jared said.
    “ Test is Monday. I’m too
tired tonight.”
    Jared nodded. “Mom called today. Bex’s
coming home tomorrow.”
    A yawn interrupted my response, but I spoke
in spite of it. “Oh?”
    “ I invited him over for
dinner. I thought I could whip up a pot roast.”
    I smiled, drifting off. “Sounds good.”
    Just as Jared kissed me goodnight, I fell,
dropping thousands of feet to a dusty, wooden floor. Landing face
down, my palms flat to the ground, I hesitated to move until I was
sure of my surroundings. It was dark and quiet, except for the
subtle disruption of the rustling of papers. I turned my head,
struggling to focus two shadows on the floor; two hunched figures
desperately searching.
    I closed my eyes. “I’m not moving,” I said,
balling my hands into fists. “I won’t watch.”
    The rustling stopped, and Gabe whispered the
warning to my father. “It’s too late.”
    “ I won’t watch you die
tonight,” I said, gritting my teeth.
    Jack and Gabe escaped with
their book, and I sat on my knees. The shrieking echoed through the
halls, and my heart beat faster. I stood, determined to stay,
focused on the room I was in, trying to ignore the fiendish and
frightening noises growing louder as they closed in. It was my dream. I would
stay.
    The room blurred, and time pulled me away.
My stomach tugged, and then I was gone, violently thrust to the
roof. Gabe took my father in his arms and leaped with
transcendental strength to the site of my father’s brutal end. Once
again I refused to move, locking my knees in place. The tugging
began, but my feet remained on the ground.
    Just then, countless shadows swept past,
traveling with such momentum that my hair blew forward, as if two
trains were passing at full speed on each