Abbie's Gift by M. R. THOMAS Read Free Book Online Page B

down she again felt light-headed and a bit dazed.  Once she reached level ground she made more determined efforts at running but her body had other ideas:  her legs were now beginning to ache continually, and she realised her body had given its all and could do no more.
     
    Sudden pangs of hunger gnawed at Abbie’s insides, and she felt hollowness in her stomach that she knew only food could satisfy. Also, there was the unmistakable oncoming sense of a headache, most likely due to getting overheated and dehydrated she thought.
     
    Nearer home the slow motion running effort had deteriorated further, and Abbie’s legs had completely seized up. The final few 100 metres were at walking pace but when she finally crossed the threshold to the house she smiled to herself; her body was exhausted but, for the first time in ages, she was inspired both mentally and physically and it actually felt good to be alive.
     
    By the time on the kitchen clock, Abbie estimated that she had been running for some 45 minutes, a bit over what she had planned. She gulped two glasses of cool refreshing water, her thirst almost unquenchable, but as the cold water hit her stomach, she was reminded how hungry she was; starving in fact, so a shower would have to wait.  Abbie stood in the kitchen and devoured a pineapple yogurt, the first thing that came to her hand when she opened the fridge.  The sourness tingled at her taste buds; food had not tasted better in days. After this, she ate some lean meat as she stretched out her aching legs in the kitchen.  Abbie chuckled to herself when she realised that she was eating from the open packet straight out of the fridge, something that she would tease Peter about if he didn’t use a plate or sit down to eat.  Abbie smiled at this unexpected behaviour and thought that maybe she was turning into him, but then she didn’t mind if she did.
     
    After a brief snack that seemed to fill her empty belly very quickly, she was aware of getting cool, so for few more minutes she did leg stretches, hoping that tomorrow the pain would not be too bad.
     

 
    Chapter 5.
     
    Once upstairs Abbie stripped off her damp running clothes and enjoyed the warmth and soothing comfort of the hot shower. It caressed her aching frame and, as her body began to relax, her limbs felt suddenly heavy and she had an overwhelming sense of tiredness and longing to lie down and rest.
     
    Abbie thought that a brief nap would do her good but at the same time felt guilty that she should be doing other things, but then she realised that she could do as she pleased, she had no-one to answer to. As she stood in the shower, she remembered how she and Peter would shower together after they’d been running, then go to bed and enjoy each other; the sleep that followed was blissful.
     
    After drying herself and combing her damp hair Abbie went to lie down, fatigue creeping over her as though it was moving from her legs and into her brain and mind.
     
    Getting into bed, the coolness of the sheets was lovely against her warm skin. Abbie stretched and felt over to Peter’s side of the bed; it too was cool to the touch.  How often she had touched him whilst he lay there next to her, aroused him and made love to him. 
     
    At that moment, a deep and urgent sense of desire and wanting rose within her. She so missed him and wanted to make love to him, and she felt the familiar in her abdomen and a flutter of sexual emotion. As her nipples stiffened she closed her eyes and willed herself to be with Peter… kissing him again, touching him, feeling his hands caress her body and curves, his hands moving over her thighs and breasts… that imagined sense of his touch on her skin made her ache for him more. Kissing his imagined lips was so real, so powerful she could taste him. She lay on her back and with one hand caressed her breasts, brushing the nipples and being aware of how sensitive they had become. Her other hand glided downwards and, to her