The Lost and Found Read Online Free PDF

one was pierced with a small, dark metal hoop.
    Those deep blue eyes were trained right on me; they pinned me to the spot and my breath hitched a little in my throat. “Crimson,” he said, his voice even, smooth, like water. “It’s time you left your room. Are you walking or will I be carrying you?”
    As soft and soothing as his voice was, there was a firmness there as well.
    “My name is Sage and you can get out. Now.”
    “Carrying you is fine by me, Crimson.” The firmness had hardened.
    “It’s Sage , and don’t you lay a hand on me.” I crossed my arms in front of me, trying to look fierce and intimidating.
    Josiah must not have noticed because he stepped right up to me without hesitation; his strong hands gripped me, lifted, and tossed me over his shoulder. Before I was completely aware of what was happening, I was being carried down the stairs and out the backdoor, past the curious stares and open mouths of the ranch boys, my brother, and Billy.
    Once the shock of his actions wore off, I began to battle him in earnest. My attempts were useless. Literally useless . He was immoveable. Unyielding. Inflexible. My will matched his, but he possessed a strength that far exceeded my own. Suddenly I was flying through the air then cold water rushed over me, shocked me into absolute awareness. I spluttered in rage as I broke the surface of the pond — it was deeper than I’d expected.
    Josiah stood on the shore, quietly watching me, his head cocked to the side, his fisted hands resting on his hips. “Billy said you were a swimmer. I guess he was right,” he stated softly.
    Words were beyond me; I was furious, beyond furious, so I just screamed at him. The sound ripped out of my throat like a wild, wounded animal. I screamed until my fury turned to tears and my tears choked me, and turned into sobs that wracked my body. Exhausted, I moved through the water, sobs still shaking me, and crawled through the mud dragging myself along. By the time I reached dry ground, I was trembling in sheer fatigue. I was drained, raw, and parched. Like every single part of me had been spilled out and I was an empty husk. My arms shook and then simply gave out; I dropped face down onto the ground.
    Josiah sat down beside me, waiting quietly, allowing me to get my breath back. His posture was entirely relaxed, like he had no cares in the world. He sat there silently for a few minutes, just resting his arms across his bent knees, his gaze focused somewhere in the distance.
    “Well,” he said softly. “Now you know you’re alive. You can learn to get back on your feet, learn to live again, or just crawl back into the water and end it all. Choice is yours.”
    I hated him for saying that. How dare he? I hated that I had to make a choice. I hated that my parents were gone and no one had given me the choice to keep them.
    Josiah got to his feet; I felt his big, warm hand brush my head lightly then he walked away without a backward glance. I rolled my head to the side, away from him; I could see the sun reflecting off the water. A part of me wanted to crawl back to it, let life be over, let the pain be over. A part of me wanted to live; I just didn’t know how. I didn’t know how to put my jagged pieces back together again — I was worse than Humpty Dumpty.
    Vaguely I heard raised and heated voices. Ethan was trying to come to me, but Josiah was keeping him away. “She needs to do this on her own, now. Let her be, Ethan. You can’t live for her,” he told my brother.
    The voices faded away. I closed my eyes and just felt the sun, discovered its warmth and let myself rest in it. I’m not sure how long I lay there. An hour? Two? Longer? Images flashed through my mind. My parents, our house, Gracie, Ethan, Billy, and Josiah. They replayed over and over again. I tried shoving them back down, but they refused to remain hidden. Suddenly a spark of heat shot through me — I wanted to live, to prove to Josiah I could.
    So I did.
    I got