The Project Eden Thrillers Box Set 1: Books 1 - 3 (Sick, Exit 9, & Pale Horse)
Page 77
About two hours earlier, it had started to snow. He had walked in it for a while, but was getting too wet, so he moved into the trees just off the side of the road, and gathered enough branches to build a lean-to against a large trunk. It’s not perfect, but it is keeping most of the snow out.
Should he have stayed at the woman’s house? At least he had shelter there.
No. I did the right thing.
To warm up, he unravels his sleeping bag and crawls inside, but he remains sitting, his back against the tree.
Tomorrow he needs to find a house, or some kind of building, hopefully someplace with a phone that he can try to call the only number he knows—his father’s cell phone. He’s not sure if his father even has a signal where he is, but Brandon doesn’t know what else to do.
He doesn’t even realize he nodded off until the noise wakes him. It’s the sound of a high-pitched engine. Given the weather—it’s still snowing—he wonders if it might be a snowmobile, not knowing that the thin cover that has fallen so far is not enough for one of the machines to operate on.
It seems to be coming from somewhere down the road. After another few seconds, he realizes it’s heading in his direction. He unzips his bag and tries to pull himself out, but his foot gets tangled in the bottom. He twists it around until it finally comes free, then shoves his feet into his shoes and stumbles through the darkness toward the highway.
After a whole day of not seeing anyone, he is no longer worried about who he might run into. He needs help. He needs to find someone, anyone.
The delay at the sleeping bag causes him to arrive at the road just seconds before the snowmobile passes. He sees the single headlight and starts waving. As it goes by, he realizes it’s not a snowmobile at all, but a motorcycle.
“Hey!” he yells, already knowing his voice will be drowned out. “Hey!”
But the red taillight recedes at the same speed the headlight came toward him.
Brandon rushes to the center of the road and jumps up and down. “Hey! Hey! Come back!”
The motorcycle continues on, and soon the light and the sound of the engine fade to nothing.
IN HIS DREAM Ash is playing catch again. The air is springtime warm, and on its breeze the smell of barbecue.
Brandon arcs the ball into the air, and Ash takes a few steps back so that it’ll land right in his mitt, but he stumbles as he catches it, and falls onto the grass.
His son breaks out into hysterics, doubling over in laughter.
On the porch in front of the house—a house that kind of looks like the one they had in Barstow—Josie, book in hand, is also laughing.
He always loves it when she laughs. It reminds him of Ellen, his wife.
Just as he thinks this, Ellen walks outside carrying a plate of brownies. Never mind that she’s been dead nearly nine months. She’s here now.
“They’re still hot. Who wants one?” she calls out.
“I do!” Brandon said.
Josie looks up. “Me, too.”
“How about you, sweetheart?” Ellen says, looking directly at Ash. “I know they’re your favorite.”
They are indeed. No one can make a brownie like Ellen can.
“Get up,” Josie says to him. “Come on, Dad. Wake up.”
THE ROOM IS many rooms. The locations, too numerous to count.
Lit or dark, it doesn’t matter.
The only thing important is the sound of the cough.
Thanks for reading PALE HORSE
The Project Eden Saga continues in the Project Eden Thrillers Box Set 2 | Volumes 4 - 6.
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About the Author
Brett Battles is a Barry Award-winning author of over thirty novels, including the Jonathan Quinn series, the Logan Harper series, and the time-hopping Rewinder series. He’s also the coauthor, with Robert Gregory Browne, of the Alexandra Poe series.
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You can learn more at his website: brettbattles.com
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Facebook • Twitter: @brettbattles • Instagram: ikstterb
Also By Brett Battles
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THE SILENCED
THE DESTROYED
THE COLLECTED
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THE DISCARDED
THE BURIED
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LITTLE GIRL GONE
EVERY PRECIOUS THING
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EXIT NINE
PALE HORSE
ASHES
EDEN RISING
DREAM SKY
DOWN
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TAKEDOWN
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For Younger Readers
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