Wisteria (Wisteria Series) Read Online Free PDF

were toast.
    “Do you have any weapons?” Wisteria realized they hadn’t checked.
    Diving under the bed, Tim dragged out a battered trunk, trembling as he struggled with the lock.
    “Hurry!” His older brother stood over him.
    Tim opened the case. “It’s empty.”
    “No.” Wisteria ran to look closer at the empty case.
    The groaning got louder.
    “Where’s the rifle?” Tears escaped from Tim’s eyes.
    Gareth opened his mouth, but couldn’t speak.
    A violent thud sounded on the door.
    “Crap.” Tim kicked the case. “Cliff, the idiot. Our loser step-father, he didn’t put it back!”
    Another moan came from the other side of the door.
    “I’m going outside.” Gareth moved toward the ladder.
    “What?” Tim gripped his arm.
    “I’ve got to do something,” Gareth insisted. “Maybe I can—”
    “You’re mad!” Wisteria pulled him back.
    “Gareth, you’ll die.” Tim wrestled him to the floor.
    “Brains, brains, we want to eat your brains!” a guy yelled from the other side of the door.
    Gareth was laughing hysterically.
    “Open up.” Steven laughed from outside the bunker.
    Wisteria couldn’t believe she had taken Gareth seriously.
    “You should see your face, Tim.” Gareth snickered and turned to Wisteria. “Do you have any weapons?” he mocked as he continued to laugh and unlocked the door.
    Steven appeared. “You sounded like six-year-olds.” He descended into the bunker, carrying a large glass bottle.
    “Wisteria-Hysteria, I thought you were going to wet yourself.” Gareth sneered.
    “Gareth, you’re an idiot.” Wisteria stormed up the ladder. “I’m going home.”
    “Wisteria, you can’t go out there. If the soldiers pick you up, then you’re going to be in trouble,” Gareth called still sounding amused. “Come on, don’t be dumb. It was a joke.”
    “Ria, I’ve got cider from Mulberry Orchard.” Steven waved the bottle at her. “Come on, have some.”
    Ignoring them, she climbed out of the bunker and headed to the stairs.
    “Man, talk to your woman,” Gareth teased.
    “Come on, come on Ria.” Steven raced after her. “You know Coles will lose his mind if anyone’s caught out there during a drill.”
    “So?” Wisteria shrugged.
    If Coles found out they violated the lockdown, they’d be disciplined. All their rations would be cut, but they wouldn’t starve, not this time. It would be her first major offense. Gareth, Tim, and Steven would all lose their sweet jobs, working in the supermarket and the library. They could be moved to sewage treatment, sanitation, or pest control. Since Wisteria was a tracker, and the island needed more trackers, Coles would probably just shout at her.
    “Listen Ria.” He came up to her. “I’m sorry.”
    Wisteria turned to tell him where to stick his apology.
    Steven’s frown broke into a smile and in the diminished light, he looked so beautiful. “Please, for me?” He leaned over until his sandy blond hair brushed against her face. “I’ll owe you.”
    She stared into his blue eyes, wanting to believe what he said. “I’m going home.”
    He curled his fingers through her braids. “I’ll walk you home tonight,” he offered while breathing deeply into her ear. “Once this is over.”
    “I don’t need you to take me home tonight,” she muttered nervously.
    “Why not? You know you want me to take you—home,” he whispered brushing his lips against her ear.
    Her heart pounded violently inside her chest. She knew she should never say yes to him. He was a toad and he was using her. “Fine, whatever.” She pushed him away from her. “I’ll wait.” She sat down on the step, kicking herself for caving to him.
    Wisteria could hear the guys in the bunker howl with laughter when Steven joined them.
    “Do you think she’s safe out there?” Amanda asked one of the boys.
    “She’ll be fine. It’s just a drill,” Steven replied.

 

     
    CHAPTER THREE
     

    Two days later, Wisteria was back at work. She, her