Deception by Evie Rose Read Free Book Online Page B

month. The chief has the not so fun job of politely informing her family that she may be better suited to a higher level of care, and if it happens again, a fine will unfortunately have to be issued. Even though it wasn’t done on purpose, she still took us away from other potential deadly situations.
    The crew gets a decent night’s sleep other than that. I on the other hand, clean both trucks we have here at the station. It’s one of the jobs none of the other guys are very fond of, but I take meticulous care in every aspect, no matter how big or small. Most of the crew are young. They’re here for the adrenalin rush and excitement of doing something dangerous. I spend several hours studiously making sure everything is in order, while they sleep. Keep them safe, so they can get back to their families.
    By the time morning rolls around, I’m well and truly ready to leave. Although it’s great when the city is safe from fires, car crashes and the likes, it makes the time go by awfully slow, and I get bored out of my brains. I worry I’ll fall asleep and have night terrors.
    Jake starts the car and I jump in, eager to see Roxi on our morning run.
    *****
    W hile I stand in what I’ve now come to think of as our meeting spot, I’m wide awake, despite not sleeping last night, and keen to show Roxi some real sporting gear. Nothing like a crappy Titan’s football, I turn the Frisbee over in my hands as she jogs up to me. “Hey, want to go to the park again today?”
    “Sure. What you got there?”
    I flip it over and enjoy the amusement that takes over her face.
    “A Broncos Frisbee, cool. I’ll enjoy throwing them to the dirt.” She throws my ill spoken words that I used for her favourite team back at me. Her eyebrow is quirked as if to say ‘go on, I dare you to issue a comeback’, and her mouth is in a hard line as she tries not to laugh.
    “What do you mean ‘throw them to the dirt’? I’ll have you know, I’ve never missed a catch yet. The only reason this baby is going near the ground, is when you fail to get it.”
    Her eyes become more animated; popping out of her head a little, and when she plants her hands on her hips, I grin back at her.
    “Oh, game on,” she challenges.
    It amazes me Roxi can appear so shut off and vulnerable one minute, then so sassy and confident the next. It’s as though right now, while she beams back at me, little parts of the real person inside are trying to escape. My sense of pride has me stoked that I’m able to draw the genuine Roxi out. I want to peel away the layers she hides behind. Each one I discover fascinates me. Becomes a fleeting ray of light to the darkness I fight each day.
    We hit the edge of the park and I throw the Frisbee long. Time slows down as it sails through the air and we come to a stop to watch it. A yellow disc splitting a perfect blue sky as it’s carried on the breeze.
    Turns out we both drop the Frisbee a lot. I wasn’t just talking myself up before. I really am great at this, just not when I can continuously feel her eyes on me. It kind of ruins my concentration.
    I purposely throw short and we meet halfway in between, collapsing on the ground, next to each other in an exhausted heap. All I’m aware of is the constant thud of my heart and the sound of our uneven breaths intermingling. Our hands rest mere inches apart. Close enough, yet miles from where I want them to be at the same time.
    Clouds have strewn across the sky since we first got here and I admire their shapes as I catch my breath. “Oh look, that cloud kind of looks like a hand.”
    I hear her throaty chuckle, as she looks and probably sees the detail I left out. “Yeah and it’s giving you the finger.”
    Yep, she saw it.
    “Probably God telling me to go to hell,” I’m only half joking, it’s most likely where I’ll end up.
    “Do you ever think there’s more out there than just this?” she asks. I turn my head to study her, but she is deep in thought, oblivious to