Allergic To Time by Crystal Gables Read Free Book Online Page A

“Thank god.”
    I smiled wanly. “I’m Anna, by the way.”
    “Robert,” he offered back. “Robert Smith.”

    I leant down. “Look,” I whispered. “I can’t explain exactly why, but I think I have to get you out of here.”
    A look of alarm flashed in his eyes. “Why?”
    “You’re just going to have to trust me. Honestly, I don’t really know what’s going on, but I don’t think you’re safe in this hospital.”
    His blackened, charcoal rimmed eyes searched my face. He nodded. “I do trust you,” he said. “I don’t trust those other two though.”
    I glanced up at his oxygen tank, worrying if he would be okay without it. Meanwhile I tried to address his concerns about the other two. “One of them is okay,” I said. “Martin, the one who has hair.”
    Robert raised his eyebrows. “He didn’t exactly seem friendly.”
    “That’s just how he is. He’s a good guy, honestly.”
    “And what about the other one?” Robert looked worried.  
    “That’s why we have to get you out of here.”

    ***  

    I stuck my head out into the corridor to make sure it was empty. Glancing back inside at Robert sitting on the bed, dressed in his goddamn purple jumpsuit, I worried if he was going to be able to survive without the oxygen tank. He didn’t stand a chance in the hospital either though, I thought, so we were just going to have to take the risk.  
    Robert looked at his surroundings. “I guess I don’t have anything to bring with me.”
    I spun around. “Well, were you carrying anything with you at the time? You know, when… it happened?”
    “When I travelled through time you mean?”
    I nodded.  
    He sighed, thinking. “Yeah, actually. A red knapsack.”
    I stepped back inside the room, reluctant about taking my eyes off the hallway. “Well, I can’t see any bags here.”  
    “Maybe bags don’t travel through time,” he muttered.  
    “Look, regardless, I think we need to leave as soon as possible,” I said, hurrying back over to stick my head out into the hall. “Before anyone else gets here.”
    “Where are we going to go?” He stood up shakily.
    I suddenly wished I hadn’t travelled there in the man in black’s Rolls Royce. Even though we weren’t that far from either the   university or my house, I wasn’t sure Robert’s lungs would be able to survive the 2 km walk. And getting on a bus with him looking like he did wasn’t going to be ideal. Then again, we were in the Sydney’s notorious Inner West, so maybe no one would give him a second glance.  
    “Hello?” Robert asked again when I didn’t answer. “I’ve got nowhere to go - I think my lease might have been expired for a while by now.”
    “Err, right.” I scratched my head. “We’ll go back to the university first. So that you can speak to Martin, properly. He’ll already be there by now.”
    “I’m not speaking to that guy!” He reached out a hand to steady himself, almost falling back down on the bed.  
    “I’m sure, actually, that he’s secretly very sympathetic about your situation. Anyway, he’ll know what to do.” I patted my coat to make sure my laptop was still secure, then fastened the buttons all the way up. “Seriously, we have to go.”
    Robert took a deep breath and followed me out into the hall. In the slightly brighter light of the corridor his appearance was even more absurd.   His hair was a lot longer than I’d thought: jet black and feathered, a bit like Joan Jett. He had a bluntly cut fringe that hung into his black-rimmed eyes, now that he was standing. And he was tall, really tall — although, that might have had something to do with the ridiculously high platform boots he was wearing.  
    “Nice heels,” he said to me, admiring my own ridiculous footwear.
    “Thanks,” I said, raising my eyebrow.  
    “So who are you? Are you this Martin guy’s secretary or something?”
    “Secretary?” I almost forgot that we were in a hurry and paused for a moment to take