Shadow on the Wall: Superhero | Magical Realism Novels (The SandStorm Chronicles | Magical Realism Books Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

you."
    She stood and patted down her skirt. Rebekah left and quickly returned holding two bowls of oatmeal with raisins and dried apricots.
    "I didn't add anything to it. Do you want sugar or cinnamon?"
    "No, this is wonderful."
    Recai took the proffered bowl and blew on the steaming meal. He shifted on his bed, hoping she would join him again. But Rebekah lowered herself to the floor, her skirt pooling around her legs.
    "Are you feeling better? Your color has improved."
    "Yes, much. I don't feel like I'm actually being processed through a meat grinder."
    He sat up straighter, away from the wall and began eating. The thick oatmeal warmed him within.
    "I can fix that. I have one in the kitchen."
    Rebekah's tone was flat as she cocked her head and looked at him with mock sincerity. Recai barked a laugh.
    "Such a generous offer, but no, I'll pass for now."
    "If you're sure."
    She shrugged her shoulders and began her meal.
    Silence surrounded them as they ate. Rebekah's eyes remained on the floor or her food, for the most part, but now and then Recai would catch her peering up at him. She was a curiosity. Living out here at the edge of civilization was a woman with intelligence and humor. She was more interesting than most of the men he encountered in Elih, but was graced with a soft beauty. This world had beaten the individuality out of most people and here, where chickens strolled casually in the street, was a woman of worth.
    The day passed slowly, with Recai napping on and off. Rebekah went about her day as usual, dusting the thin film of sand that covered every surface in her home and then sweeping it all outside, only to have the wind blow it back in through the cracks around the doors and windows. Sometimes she would hum softly to herself, and Recai would close his eyes, pretending to be asleep so she would continue.
    She prepared lunch and they ate together again, laughing more easily, becoming comfortable with the strangeness of their burgeoning friendship.
    Recai still found it difficult to move, His badly blistering feet required Rebekah to change the dressings often. His vulnerability embarrassed him but Rebekah tended to him quickly and without fuss. She simply did what needed to be done and moved on to her next task, her smile quick to return whenever she glanced his way. A sharp knock at the door broke their peaceful afternoon.
    Knock . Just one solid sound.
    Recai sat up too quickly and fell back against his mattress gasping as Rebekah stuck her head into his small room, her face creased with worry and fear.
    "Cover yourself and stay silent," she whispered before closing the door and rushing back into the living room to retrieve her burqa and open the door. Recai heard the movement of the heavy fabric she wore on top of her house dress as she moved across the room to greet their visitor. He wondered if she had retrieved her father's gun which he'd overheard Hasad say was under the couch in the living room.
    Before hiding beneath the thin sheet that covered him, he reached down and pulled the rug from the floor and threw it across his legs. He covered his head and melted against the wall with the pillow on top of his upper body. Feeling foolish, Recai laid there, wishing he had his ID, his phone, anything to help bribe his way out of this situation if it was indeed the RTK at the door.
    Perhaps it's just a neighbor , he thought. A neighbor come to ask after Rebekah's father's health or to borrow some salt. His attempt at rationalizing the unexpected visit did not quell his fears. The RTK made a habit of performing home inspections, especially if they suspected a woman alone. It wasn't a safe time for anyone under the jurisdiction of Mayor Yilmaz.
    Rebekah's voice from the front room was soft and gentle. Recai could not make out the words but he managed to hear the sound of another voice. Was it a man? What man would she let into her home, knowing he was back here and her father away? Only one she could not turn