Delta-Victor by Clare Revell Read Free Book Online Page B

give them a choice.” She finished what was on her plate. “It might never come to it, but I don’t want anyone dying for me.”
    Jim glanced at her. “You realize that Jesus already did that, right? All you have to do is acc—”
    Lou shook her head. “Don’t preach at me, Jim. I don’t want or need it. I just need you guys to be safe, and if that means leaving me here, then that’s what you do. I’ll write a disclaimer in the log if it’ll make you feel any better.”
    “Oh, really?”
    She scowled back. “Yes, really.”
    “Something along the lines of I, Lou Benson, being of sound mind, do hereby insist that Jim, Staci, and Ailsa leave me behind to die in the case of a natural disaster… ”
    “Words to that effect, yeah.” She held out a hand. “Give me the logbook, and I’ll do it now.”
    Jim sighed, pulled the logbook from the bag and handed it to her.
    Lou opened it to the current page. She chewed the top of the pen for a moment. She gave into the temptation and wrote what he’d said word for word. She looked at it for a long moment, once again chewing on the pen lid. The cup beside her moved as the earth trembled again.
    Then she leaned back over the page. I know no one agrees with my decision, but if something happens and the others need to run, I want them to do so. If need be, leave me behind. For example, if the volcano blows up, or if there is a chance of rescue—a boat or a plane that can only take three and not four. They can always come back for me later. But I do not want them staying and dying because I made a mistake and got injured. She signed and dated it, and then gave it back to Jim. “Sign it to say you agree.”
    Jim shook his head. “No.”
    Lou growled and pulled herself to her feet. “Then what’s the point of me doing that? Are you just humoring me?”
    “Lou…” He reached out for her.
    She shook him off. “Don’t you ‘Lou’ me! It makes sense, Jim, you know it does.” She lowered her voice. “Staci is your sister; you have to take care of her over me. She’s all you have now.”
    “And Ailsa? I’ve known her a few days. You…we practically grew up together. You’re like another sister.”
    She swallowed, bitterness filling her. “I can tell by the way you look at Ailsa that there is a whole lot more going on than either of you realize. But at the end of the day, I’m crippled and useless and you need to protect those of us who aren’t. It’s what the animals do, right? They abandon their injured to protect the rest of the herd. Survival of the fittest.”
    “We’re not animals!” he snapped.
    “Sometimes I think we treat them more humanely than we treat each other.” She turned her back on him. “It’s what I want. Please give me dignity and respect my wishes.”
    The birds in the trees suddenly took to the air, squawking and swirling, heading over their heads and away, in one movement.
    Deefer leapt to his feet and howled.
    Lou reached out and grabbed his collar. “Hey, it’s all right.”
    Staci jumped up. “What’s going on?”
    The ground moved violently.
    Staci staggered and lost her balance, landing in a heap at Jim’s feet. He instantly wrapped his arms around her.
    Lou looked at the volcano. She grabbed the camera and started snapping quickly.
    A jet of red lava shot high into the sky.
    The earth shook again, followed by a nonstop cascade of fiery molten rock that surged several feet upwards, before curling over and beginning to creep down the sides of the mountain.
    Staci screamed, tears of fright filling her eyes. “Jim…”
    “It’s OK.”
    “No, it’s not OK. We’re going to die. Just like all those people did years ago. We violated the temple and now Kuriarikan wants his revenge.”
    Ailsa nodded. “We should go.”
    “And go where?” Jim looked at her. “We can’t out run it.”
    Lou tuned them out. The lava belched high, turning the darkening sky blood red. “It really is OK. It’s erupting, yes, but we’re