Storm of Lightning Read Online Free PDF Page B

Taylor said. “Tomorrow could be crazy.”
    â€œWe’ll just play one more hand,” McKenna said.
    Taylor asked, “Would you like me to stay with you for a while, or do you want to be alone?”
    I shook my head. “I don’t want to be alone.”
    â€œI don’t want to leave you alone,” she said.
    We headed upstairs to my room. I unlocked the door, and we went in. I lay back on my bed, and Taylor lay down next to me. “I’m so worried about you,” she said again. “Can I hold you?”
    I nodded. “I’ll try not to shock you this time.”
    She put her arms around me. “Don’t be afraid. Remember what your mother always said, ‘Things have a way of working out.’ ”
    Hearing this made me angry. “My mother’s dead. So things didn’t really work out .”
    â€œYou don’t know that, Michael,” she said quietly. “At least not yet.” Neither of us said anything for a while. Then Taylor said, “If it’s true about your mother, what will you do?”
    â€œIf Hatch killed my mother, I’m going to hunt him down.”
    Taylor thought for a moment, then said, “Whatever you want.”
    â€œI didn’t mean you.”
    She raised herself up on one elbow. “What are you saying?”
    â€œI’m just saying you don’t need to come with me.”
    â€œIs that what you want?”
    â€œNone of this is what I want. I’d just rather not see you die because of me.”
    â€œMaybe I’d rather die than never see you again.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œYou’re asking why? After all we’ve been through, you still don’t know I love you?”
    â€œI’m sorry,” I said. “I’m just upset.”
    â€œI know. Let’s not talk, okay?”
    She pulled me into her again, and for the next ten minutes we just lay together in silence. Taylor had just fallen asleep when someone knocked. I carefully undraped her arms from around me, then got up and opened the door. It was Ostin.
    â€œSorry, you have the key.” He stepped inside. “Taylor’s here.”
    â€œYeah,” I said.
    â€œWhere’s McKenna?” Taylor asked sleepily.
    â€œShe went back to your room. She was tired.”
    â€œDo you want me to leave?” Taylor asked.
    â€œNo, you’re good,” Ostin said.
    I lay back on the bed, and this time I held her. In just a few minutes, Taylor fell asleep again. After a half hour or so, I looked over at Ostin. His eyes were wide open. “I can’t sleep,” I whispered.
    â€œMe neither. Let’s see if we can get something on TV.”
    â€œTaylor’s sleeping,” I said.
    â€œI’ll keep the volume low.”
    The television was ancient—the kind with an antenna on top. Not surprisingly, the picture came in fuzzy. Ostin adjusted the antennas, which made the picture a little better, but not by much. Then he flipped through about a dozen channels, most of which were in Spanish. He finally stopped on a show called Gilligan’s Island . It was an American show, but Spanish had been dubbed in over their voices. I had seen the show in English—I had watched it on reruns—but it was funnier in Spanish.
    After it, there were other old American shows, one called Hogan’s Heroes, the next called The Wild Wild West.
    By the time the third show came on, Ostin was asleep. I looked atmy watch. It was half past twelve. We would be meeting downstairs in just three and a half hours.
    I carefully let Taylor go, then got up and turned off the television. It was strange that turning on the TV hadn’t woken Taylor, but turning it off did. As I was about to leave the room, Taylor said, “Michael?”
    I turned back. “Yeah.”
    â€œIs it time to get up?”
    â€œNo. It’s only twelve thirty.”
    â€œWhere are you going?”
    â€œOut for a walk. I