Earthquake by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page A

They shuffle us toward a loud noise that I finally take note of. A helicopter! There’s a small feather and flame emblem near the nose of the helicopter. Curatoria. Is that good news or bad news? I’m paralyzed by indecision, but the helicopter blades spin so fast the wind threatens to knock me over until a person I can’t see pushes me forward, toward the ramp, despite my resistance.
    The same one they’re dragging Logan up.
    I give up my struggle. At least I’ll be with Logan. If we’ve gone from one dangerous situation to another, I’ll have to decide what to do about that later. For now, I reach out my hand for Logan, and with my fingers gripping his, I follow them up the ramp.
    Inside the helicopter is chaos, and I’m shoved down into a seat that—though cushiony—jars my shoulder and thumps the back of my head. A small groan sounds in my ears.
    My own.
    Then there’s a woman in my face, her cheeks red and flushed, probably from the mask now pushed up on her forehead.
    “I’m sorry,” she says. “It’s just a precaution.”
    Something covers my face, and I gasp in a surprised breath of something strong and sweet. I think briefly to hold my breath, but whatever I’ve inhaled has already made my head fuzzy and my eyes roll strangely as I continue to breathe, my eyelids going heavy. I get one last look of Logan sprawled over two seats, surrounded by people in black clothing. I’m not sure whether I imagined the feeling of the helicopter leaving the ground, but sleep is too tempting, and I let my eyes close.
    “You’re safe now,” a low voice whispers, just before I fall asleep. “Both of you, you’re safe.”
    I try to open my mouth, but my jaw feels like a heavy steel trap and I can’t even mumble, “I don’t believe you.”

SEVEN
    “You can wake up now,” a calm voice says. “We’re out of danger.”
    A warm cloth rubs softly across my face, moistening my eyelids and making me feel clean and refreshed. I’m ready to smile until I remember what just happened. My eyes fly open and I try to jerk to a sitting position, but there’s a heavy strap across my chest that holds me in place.
    “Stop, please.” The same voice. Soft hands on my shoulder. “Let me unhook you. You were only restrained to keep you from rolling while you were asleep.”
    Asleep
.
She says it like I just dozed off.
But I hold still while she unbuckles the strap and helps me to sit up. She then props up the bed behind me so I can recline.
    “Logan?”
    “He’s right there. Look. He’s fine.” I see him almost near enough to touch, on a tiny stretcher that looks just like mine. I slowly register the noise around me, the rhythmic pulsing that fills the tiny, cramped space. We’re still in the helicopter.
    “I’m Audra,” the voice says, pulling my eyes back to her.
    I startle at the sight. She’s . . . she’s a girl. Younger than me.
Maybe
fifteen.
    “And this is Glenn and Christina. We’re doctors with the Curatoria.”
    Doctors. Curatoria
. I don’t know what to think. I notice now that they’re wearing light-colored scrubs, and I vaguely remember seeing the feather and flame.
Doctors. Curatoria
. What have I done?
    I’m still considering whether we may have jumped from the frying pan into the proverbial fire when I glance again at Audra. “Doctor?” I say, the question popping from my lips in a scratchy croak.
    She catches the look of skepticism I can’t hide and laughs. “Yes, I’m a doctor,” she says. “And yes, I’m fifteen. I actually have been a doctor for several lifetimes now and was lucky enough to have my memories restored almost three years ago.”
    An Earthbound then. “That’s amazing,” I say, still staring at her and trying to comprehend that this girl—younger than I am—could already have the knowledge and maturity of a long-practicing physician.
    “We can talk later. They wanted you patched up by the time we reach Curatoria headquarters.”
    “How long will that take?”