Page 114 of Steinbeck
TWELVE
Maybe she was dead.
At least, that was the crazy thought that punched through the darkness as Emberly forced her way up, out of the soft layers of darkness, cotton, the sense of something carrying her as she drifted...
And surfaced to light.
So much light.It streamed in through the windows of...Oh, a hospital.She lay in a bed, an IV line strapped to her arm, blankets warming her, the room big and bright and?—
She spotted a uniformed officer through the strip of glass in the door.But no Steinbeck.Not that she’d expected him to stay—oh, who was she kidding?
He’d said things.She remembered them landing sweetly in her heart.Something about holding on, or begging her not to leave.She scrolled back through her most recent recollection.Oh yeah.Tomas had shot her.From about ten feet away.
Maybe shewasdead...
Except, she wore an oxygen cannula under her nose, giving off the slightest hiss, and with the presence of a heart monitor beeping...
Alive, yes.But alone.
She blinked, her eyes burning.Sheesh,what was her problem?She’d been alone most of her life.
Besides—Black Swans worked...
She closed her eyes.No.Not anymore.And maybe never, because a memory eased in, words recently remembered.
“You’re not alone.You never have been.”
Right.She opened her eyes.Stared out the window.The New York skyline, buildings, blue sky.Thank You, God, for not letting me die.The prayer rose, took hold.
And right behind it, words tremored through her.
“Come with me if you want to live.”
Her breath caught.What?
Outside the room, laughter drifted down the hallway.She leaned back, closed her eyes.The door opened.
“Oh good.She’s still sleeping.”
Really?
Footsteps, and then a warm grip slipped into hers.
She opened her eyes.
Stein froze, blue eyes wide.
“You were going to pretend you were here the entire time?”she said.
Behind him stood—wait—“Nim?”
Her sister came over, leaned past Steinbeck, and kissed her forehead.She wore a pair of baggy floral pants and a tank.“For the record, hehasbeen here the whole time.Look at him.He’s a disaster.”
Emberly gave Steinbeck a hard look.Bloodshot eyes, wearing a pair of scrubs, a delicious growth of dark-blond and copper whiskers on his face, and maybe he seemed a little underslept.
Steinbeck shrugged.“I only scooted out because I was on an important foraging mission.”He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Snickers bar.
She reached for it.“You’re my favorite.”
