Winter Sky Read Online Free PDF Page B

leaned against the counter, talking to Mike with the tattoo. They stopped to wave at Siria. She wanted to thank Mike for helping her at the movie the other day, but he shook his head. Maybe he was embarrassed in front of Jason, so she just smiled.
    In the pet aisle, Siria found a pyramid of dog food cans: beef, lamb, chicken, and vegetables. “Dogs eat beef like crazy,” Mike said, behind her now. “They love it.”
    “All right.” She took a couple of cans and some cardboard bowls.
    She plunked down the money and trudged around the apartment house, mounds of snow covering the path. Someone had strewn bread crusts around, probably Mrs. Gold, and sparrows swooped down, starving.
    Siria went in through the open basement door. A woman was singing in the laundry room, her voicelow and sweet. Mrs. Byars?
“Sleigh bells ring. Are you listening?”
    “I’m listening,” Siria whispered. Not alone after all.
    She edged her way down the aisle between the metal storage bins, then opened a can of beef. “Here, dog.” She didn’t hear him. Was he there? Maybe he could smell its horrible meaty smell. Yuck!
    She took a few steps away from the laundry room and the woman singing. She could run back if she had to, but as long as the woman kept singing, she was safe.
    She saw him! At the end of the bins, the dog stared at her. Fur wet and matted down, he was panting, teeth gleaming.
    Siria moved back against the wall. He was almost as big as she was. She dumped the beef into one of the cardboard bowls, hands shaking, and pushed it away from her on the floor.
    He strained to get to the food, his claws scrabbling against the cement. He was panting harder, desperately. Why couldn’t he reach it?
    Even in the dim basement light, Siria could see how hungry he must be. Ah, the end of the chain around his neck was caught between the wall and the end bin. He was trapped there.
    How to help without getting too close?
    Siria pushed the food toward him with one foot.He began to eat as she darted forward, yanking out the chain.
    “You’re free.”
    He stopped eating and looked up.
    Only a faint hum came from the electricity room; the woman had stopped singing. Maybe she was gone. Siria took a breath, her heart in her throat. She rushed toward the elevator, tripping over an empty box, and pressed the button.
    The elevator was right there. She slid in and leaned her forehead against the
Mery Christmas
graffiti to catch her breath.
    The elevator stopped on the first floor. “What’s the matter with you?” a voice said.
    Douglas stepped in, carrying a shopping bag.
    It was too much to tell him everything. “I just … Let’s get out of here.”
    He punched the button for three, and she saw his hands: raw, red, and thumbs blistered. “Douglas! What happened …?”
    For a moment he didn’t answer. Then he grinned. “I was moving the boards. Without help.”
    “I’m sorry. Really …”
    He waved one chapped hand. “Don’t worry.”
    She pictured the dog that needed to be fed.
    Desperate.
    She had a lot to worry about.

CHAPTER 9
    Wind swept across the fire escape outside the kitchen windows and rattled the panes.
    “It’s cozy in here, though.” Mimi slid a warm platter of curly pasta twists onto the table, and then hot rolls and butter. She raised one shoulder. “But I don’t know about the dessert. A chocolate ice cream sundae? On a night like this?”
    “Love it,” Siria said.
    “Now, Christmas,” Mimi said. “I wish I knew what to knit for your father. Socks? A quick scarf, maybe?”
    Siria bent her head, hiding a smile. Pop had dozens of Mimi’s socks in his drawer, and four or five scarves hanging from hooks in his closet. “He’ll be happy with anything.”
    “Slippers for Izzy,” Mimi said. “I know that.”
    Izzy was always part of their Christmas. She’d take Siria shopping on her next day off and help trim their tree.
    Mimi waved Siria away when it was time for dishes. Siria blew her a kiss. “You’re