Twisted World: A Broken World Novel Read Online Free PDF

of it was soothing, so I started tracing them with my gaze. Focusing on the lines while my heartbeat slowed.
    “How is she?” I’d only made it a few rows before Lila’s musical voice broke through my thoughts. I looked up to find her standing only four feet away from me, her brown eyes sad. How I didn’t hear my aunt walk up was an utter mystery.
    “Horrible,” I said, hauling myself to my feet. A piece of paper taped to the door caught my eye and I pulled it off without thinking about it. “I was a couple hours late and she lost it.”
    Lila’s eyes moved to the door at my back and she frowned, her beautiful face marred by the creases that seemed to have grown deeper in recent weeks. She was part of this family, and for her the loss of Dad and Joshua had been like losing brothers.
    “She’s suffered so much. It doesn’t seem fair,” Lila mumbled, her eyes still on the door.
    “Everyone has lost people,” I pointed out, my hand tightening until the paper I’d just pulled off the door crinkled in my grasp. “Both of your parents died when the virus hit.”
    Lila’s gaze moved to my face, and I could feel her mental chiding. “I’ve never lost a child.”
    The words were nicer than I deserved, but that had always been Lila’s way.
    “You’re right.” I looked down as heat spread across my face. Red print started up at me from the paper in my hand, but I couldn’t read what it said. “She’s been through a lot,” I mumbled, smoothing the paper out. It was an invitation.
    “Two kids.” My aunt’s words pulled my attention away from the paper and I looked up to find her shaking her head. A second later, she sighed and turned toward her own apartment. “How does anyone survive that?”
    Images of my sister flashed through my mind, but I pushed them away. Even after all these years there were times when the pain felt so sharp that it took my breath away. Like now, standing where we had once played, feeling as if her ghost was still hanging over me. Sometimes, if I stood still long enough, I could almost hear the tinkle of her laughter echoing through the hall.
    “Come on,” Lila called, holding the door open for me.
    I followed, the invitation still clutched in my hand. My legs were heavy and my head felt like it was floating above my shoulders. Mom’s voice was still audible, but I knew I’d be safe from it in Al and Lila’s apartment.
    It was one of the only safe places I had left.
    “Charlie should be in her room,” Lila said as she headed toward the kitchen. “Have you eaten?”
    “I’m not sure we have any food in the apartment,” I replied. “I’m not even sure we’ll have an apartment much longer at this rate.”
    Part of me hated throwing my problems on my aunt’s shoulders, but I also knew I wouldn’t be able to hide them from her forever. The credits I made had to go toward rent, leaving nothing for food. I did my best to eat at Jackson’s, or pop into Lila and Al’s. Even Parvarti’s if I could catch her at home, which had been less and less frequent now that Joshua was gone. But I needed to be sure to take some home to Mom, which left little for me. She wasn’t the only one who’d lost weight.
    “We won’t let that happen,” Lila said firmly.
    “You have your own family to worry about. You have Charlie and Luke.”
    “You won’t have a choice.” Her hands went to her hips. “Luke is barely home anymore. I’m pretty sure he’s seeing someone, and if he gets married he can apply for an apartment. And Charlie has her own job. Hopefully she starts that apprenticeship soon, too.” Lila rolled her eyes before turning to head into the kitchen. “She may spend most of her credits in the entertainment district, but she’ll pitch in if we need it. I won’t have any freeloaders in this house.”
    Despite my shitty day and horrible circumstances, I found myself smiling. All my life I’d heard stories about how wealthy Lila’s family had been before the virus. It