The Gathering Read Online Free PDF

dog's ears as Sam worked.   He then stood up and leaned against the wagon, crossed his arms and thoughtfully watched Sam.   After several minutes Scott looked down and took off the dusty cowboy hat that covered his short brown hair.   He wiped the sweat from his brow, then put the hat back on his head and looked over at Sam, who finally turned around.
    "What?"
    "Are you gonna ask her?"
    Sam looked at Scott and shook his head.
    "I don't know…I’m kind of pathetic, huh?"
    "Kind of."
    Scott smiled at his friend as Sam sighed.
    "My mother thinks I’m gay, did you know that?"
    Scott leaned forward and patted his friend’s shoulder.  
    "You should tell them you're planning to move to We Ho."
    "Shut up."
    Scott started to laugh, but Sam continued.
    "I don't even think she knows I’m alive."
    "That's probably true."
    "Thanks."
    “It's not personal, Sam.   She only has about a dozen guys following her around at every Gathering."
    "Tell me about it."
    "Not to mention the fact that you never talk to her.   You watch, but you never speak.   No, I'm sorry… I think you have told her hello about a dozen times.   Then you watch her walk away."
Sam frowned at his friend and moved to grab more items to lift into the wagon, when a breeze brushed past both of them, but the air was not just cool, it was freezing. All the hairs on their arms stood at attention and Sam could feel himself shudder, but it wasn't from the cold.
    He looked up at the spot where he had looked earlier and he thought he saw a mist moving quickly and darkly towards his village.
    "Scott?"
He looked over at his friend, who was now on the ground, grabbing the back of his head.   Sam tried to move towards him, but his muscles seized and he felt himself falling. Then he felt as if something were stealing his very breath.   He could feel the air being taken from him, the lack of oxygen making his lungs constrict.   He wanted to scream for help, but he couldn't.
    He struggled to get air, but the darkness was coming.   Just as his eyes closed, he swore he saw a light.   “ A light ,” he laughed to himself.   “ I knew there was a god .”   Then, black.

 
     
     
     
     
    6
     
Aaron Levine and his wife Lorraine sat in the front of their wagon looking out across the low desert of the old San Fernando Valley.   Aaron was the president of Bethel Israel, the Jewish camp, which was located in the area once known as Simi Valley.  
Riding along side the wagon were their oldest children, David and Rachel.   At sixteen, David was tall and thin with short dark hair and brown eyes that were gentle and wise.   Rachel was fifteen and a spitfire.   She and David fought often, but they were fiercely protective of one another and their younger brother, Joe, who was twelve and was leaning on the seat between his mother and father.   David looked over at his sister.
    "Hey, Rach?"
    "Yeah?"
    "Do you think Rebecca would dance with me tonight?"
    Rachel raised her eyebrows and looked ahead, smiling.
    "If nobody else asks her… maybe."
    David let his shoulders slump and looked ahead, disappointed.   Rachel could see she hurt his feelings and stared at the back of her horse's head.   She then raised her glance to her older brother.
    "I'm sorry, David."
    "No, that's ok.   I was just wondering."
    "Honestly, I don't know.   I don’t see why not though.   I mean I guess you're good-looking enough."
    As she said this last sentence, she shook her head and had a look of distaste.   After all, he was her brother.
    Aaron and Lorraine had heard the conversation and were trying not to laugh.   Joe popped his head up.
    "I don’t get why you want to dance anyway.   What's the point?"
    Aaron pushed his youngest son's head back down.
    "In a few years, you'll know why.   For now, don't worry about it and leave your brother alone."
    David blushed as he realized that his parents had heard the conversation.  
    "I don't think so," Joe announced.
    Lorraine turned to her