Page 38 of Once an Angel
over the emerald forest to the east, giving it all the illusion of a tropical paradise. The air was cooler
here, sheltered from the sun by a tall stand of trees.
At another time Emily might have delighted in its beauty, but now it only pained her—like gazing at something she wanted desperately but could never have. She claimed the farthest tip of land as her
own, flinging her am around a tree and digging her toes into the cottony moss. A snowy bird hopped
off a vine and went dancing into the sky. She stood aching and adrift in a whisper of Dirdsong as the breeze cooled her flaming cheeks. She had ro flee the island, flee Justin before her own defenses were replaced by the tender adoration she had seen on the faces ot the natives.
A shrill giggle rang out, mocking her heart's turmoil, only to be followed by the maniacal patter of little feet. Emily whirled around. The hill was shaded, the surrounding trees rife with shadows.
On the other side of the bluff a bush shuddered. Emily moaned. What now? she wondered. Pygmies? Gnomes? She'd been awake only since noon, and the day had been one disaster after another. She
was beginning to feel like die little girl who had tumbled down the rabbit hole in Mr. Carroll's novel.
She wouldn't have been surprised if a white lizard had bolted out of the trees, pulling her father's
watch from his waistcoat pocket.
She scanned the tangled undergrowth. It trembled as if ilive. Tiny invisible eyes bored into her like
poison darts.
She turned to flee and ran straight into a tree, eliciting i demonic ripple of laughter.
"It's not funny!" she cried, spinning around.
Straight ahead of her a low-slung bush quivered with mirth. Anger surged through her. She narrowed
her eyes.
Wouldn't be laughing so hard if I had an ax, would you?"
Gathering her skirt in her fists, she dashed toward the bush. At the last possible second she jumped, clearing it in jne leap, catching the barest flash of tanned skin and shocked eyes.
The hunt was on.
The forest erupted in running feet. Emily hurtled through the dense brush, leaping bushes and dodging branches with an agility that surprised even her. She expected an arrow to tear through her tender flesh
in a second. The trees thinned, but she didn't dare pause to look behind her.
She burst out of the cool canopy into the warmth of sunlight and an endless vista of aqua sea. There
was an instant when she might have stopped, but the stampede of little feet spurred her on. The land
tilted beneath her and she went tumbling head over heels down the sandy slope. Flashes of brown and blue spun in her vision. After an eternity of undignified grunting she caught the land and held it still beneath her stomach.
Eyes closed, she turned her face to the side, gasping for breath. Her fingers curled in the warm sand.
A breeze stiff with salt caressed her aching legs. A curious silence assailed her.
She eased her eyes open to find herself surrounded by toes—dozens of plump little toes browned like raisins by the sun.
She lifted her head. Her eyes widened in shock to find a little boy wearing nothing but a necklace of
shells and an impudent grin.
Naked children ringed her. Emily had never seen so much baby fat in one place.
