Touching Eternity (Touch Series 1.5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

decide. Go ahead.” He waved at the food when Isaiah made no move to take anything, not sure if he was supposed to serve himself. “Help yourself.”
     
    Cautiously, he piled food onto his plate, his movement tense, his eyes darting to the plate across from his, barely filled with enough to feed a small child. Something sharp and bitter burned the back of his throat. But Amalie didn’t seem to mind it, or if she did, she made no fuss. She ate quietly with her plastic fork, eyes fixed down, motions slow like she might break if she wasn’t careful.
     
    Garrison made small talk through most of the meal about the lab, the number of guards on duty, the rotation and flexibility. He talked about the benefits and how most of those on duty were Isaiah’s age and how everything that took place within the lab was so essential to the development of mankind. Isaiah listened with only half an ear, making appropriate noises when necessary, but his attention was tuned on the ghost across from him.
     
    Amalie hadn’t said a word, not one. She never glanced up. Even her eating made no sound. There was no clink of silverware against china or scrape of knife carving through meat. She didn’t exist. She was an illusion meant to drive him insane. He was almost certain his fingers would pass through her if he ever dared reach out. But he would never dare do so with Garrison sitting there. He wouldn’t dare at all, but he had to know.
     
    Carefully, he stretched out his right foot and lightly brushed the side of hers. It didn’t pass through, but she jerked violently as if his touch burned her. The pathetic fork dropped from her fingers, making no sound hitting her plate. She yanked her foot back. What little color she had in her cheeks washed away and he was suddenly panicked that she might faint.
     
    “Amalie?” Garrison’s voice was tight, controlled. “Is something the matter?”
     
    She shook her head. “No, sir.” But Isaiah didn’t miss the way she sunk lower in her seat, shrinking like a deflating balloon.
     
    She didn’t touch her food again. She sat with her back hunched, her shoulders at her ears, face down, hands clasped at her lap, rocking. No. She wasn’t actually rocking, but her body was jerking uncontrollably, shaking.
     
    “Derek.”
     
    The guard appeared in the doorway, alert, tense. He stepped into the room, his boots making no sound against the stone. He inclined his head stiffly. “Sir?”
     
    “Please escort Amalie back to her room. I think she’s had enough for one evening.”
     
    Again, he bobbed his head. “Yes, sir.”
     
    Carefully, he reached for Amalie’s chair, his movement calculated. He didn’t touch her, kept his fingers clear of ever touching her, but she flinched, jerked forward.
     
    “Wait!” Her gasp was barely audible, but it somehow ricocheted through the room like a bomb. The small, frightened sound slashed through Isaiah’s chest. His hands fisted around the lip of the table.
     
    Derek snapped back, automatically relinquishing his hold on her chair.
     
    “Amalie, what are you doing?” Garrison swiped his napkin over his mouth, slapped it down over his plate. “This is unacceptable. Return to your room! Derek, take her!”
     
    “Wait!” It was louder, splintered with terror. “Wait!”
     
    Derek twitched, a visible motion towards her, but away at the same time, his expression equally torn.
     
    “Solider, I gave you an order!” Garrison barked, hand slamming on the table, rattling dishes.
     
    Amalie jumped as if he’d thrown something at her. Her eyes were enormous against her face, the irises pinpricks, barely visible in the ocean of wet blue. “W…wait…!”
     
    Isaiah leapt to his feet. “Sir—”
     
    “Sit down, Isaiah!” Garrison was out of his chair now, one hand digging into the pocket of his blazer. “Derek, restrain her!”
     
    “No! No! Please! I’ll go! I’ll go…please…please!” The chair shrieked, loud, piercing, Amalie