End of the Line (Book 2): Stuck in the Middle by Lara Frater Read Free Book Online

deck including the stairs, parts of the mast, and the deck chairs.
                  The bridge was made entirely out of glass and while not bulletproof was pretty strong. It was lit up with several lanterns. Dave sat in the leather captain’s chair that was dead center in the room, and looked asleep. Now I know why he hadn’t seen Keith. His dog Olive was asleep on one of the leather seats. She was a sweet terrier and the only one who adored Dave. I don’t even know if Tanya liked him or just wanted sex.
    I knew a lot of people fell asleep on watch, me included, so I wasn’t mad. Not much to do but watch the dark. I loudly opened the door to wake Dave. Olive woke up too, ran to me and demanded affection. She licked my hand twice before going back to the chair.
                  “Hey,” I said.
                  “Hey,” he said, pretending that he wasn’t asleep. He yawned and stretched.
                  “I was up so I bought you coffee,” I said, handing him the cup. I worried it might be cold.
                  The whale began singing again.
                  “They must like our boat.”
                  “Maybe they miss us.”
                  Dave didn’t respond. I think he was disappointed that when I was bed hopping, I never went to his. He sipped the coffee. If it was cold, he didn’t complain.
                  “I’m going back to bed. Have a good night.”
                  “Can you stay for a bit? It gets dull overnight. What time is it anyway?”
                  “I don’t know, I’m kind of beat. I just got up to use the bathroom when I heard the whales.”
                  “How about a half hour until the coffee kicks in.”
                  “All right,” I said. I yawned to show that I was tired. I wasn’t lying though. I thought about Keith and about the other carriers and about the hunters who killed them. I wondered how the hunters knew about it.
                 
                  When I woke up, it was cold and I pulled the blanket around me tighter. Mike rationed the fuel so it should run out mid-March but he often lowered the heat overnight. On mild nights, we used less to use more on very cold nights. At least the sun shined through my port window. I looked at my wind up clock: 7:08 am just at the edge of dawn. Henry wasn’t next to me. I guess he got tired of lying in bed. I got up, put on my robe and went to see if anyone was in the bathroom.
                  There was a short line. Dena and Jim were ahead of me.
                  “Who’s in the bathroom?”
                  Brie sat on the bed reading a picture book and occasionally giggling. I loved hearing her laugh. Despite all she’s been through, losing her natural parents and three adopted ones, she seemed to have bounced back nicely. I only hoped nothing happens to Hannah. Simon was also on the bed playing silently with two toy dinosaurs.
                  “Grace,” Jim said and rolled his eyes.
                  “How long?”
                  “Five minutes.”
                  “Jim,” I said, annoyed, probably still pissed with her for yesterday. “We made a deal, toilet only unless it’s allotted shower time. We all have basins.”
                  Jim knocked on the door. “Grace, come on out.”
                  “One moment,” she said, her voice annoyed.
                  He knocked again. “Princess, get out here.”
                  I heard the toilet flush, so it wasn’t mellow. A minute later, the door opened and Grace came out. She looked flawless with a dash of makeup. She wore a Ralph Lauren jacket over a black shirt and jeans. On her feet were Jimmy Choo slippers. Dena went in before Grace said