Grace Lost by M. Lauryl Lewis Read Free Book Online Page A

my own breathing and heartbeat.  Time seemed
suspended until the sound of a shot rang in the distance.  I knew by the sound
it was the handgun.  “Boggs!” I screamed.  “Boggs!”   I was crying now, running toward the door of
the trailer. I entered, the darkness blinding me momentarily. Suddenly muscular
arms were around me and I fought back hard, hitting and kicking. “Boggs!” I yelled, now pleading for help.
    “I’ve got her!” called out a voice
that I recognized only faintly.  The arms tightened around me and my body
fought harder, my foot landing on a shin followed by cursing.
    “Boggs!”   My voice was now shaking from fear.
    “Shhhh, darlin,’ calm down! 
It’s Gus.  Boggs is fine.”  Gus tightened his grip on me.
    I heard footfalls coming from the
other end of the trailer and finally heard Boggs’ voice join us.  “Shhhh,
Zo.  It’s ok.  Shhhh.”   His arms took
over and I was in his embrace, his hands smoothing my hair.  I started
sobbing quietly as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting.
    “What was the shot? Are you ok?” I
asked, pleading for answers.
    “Ya, Zo, ya.   Gus’ uncle had a woman here.  She was
handcuffed to the bed…she had turned.  She’s gone now.  It’s
ok.  She can’t hurt us now.”
    Gus broke our reunion.  “I
think we should get out of this place.  They’ve both been dead
awhile.  Nothing in here is going to be salvageable.”
    He was right.  The stench of
the dead had leached into every nook and cranny.
    “The cement building might be a
good bet.  We can stay dry there, and get some sleep,” suggested the
cowboy.  “Start fresh tomorrow,” he added.
    Boggs loosened his grip on me and
gently guided me to the door of the trailer, back out into the rain.  “Zoe,
go with Gus.  I’m just going to back the Explorer up to the
building.  I want an easy out if we need to leave in a hurry.  Gus,
sound ok?”
    We both gave our approval and Gus
put an arm around me, guiding me to the small building that first greeted us on
our drive in.  It was made from cinder blocks and concrete and partly
covered in moss.  There were a couple of brick-sized openings beside the
unusually short and narrow door.  The metal roof was patched with a blue
tarp, held down with sand bags. 
    “Do you think it’s safe?” I asked
quietly.
    “I’m willing to bet so,
Zoe.”  Gus walked to the side of the small building, lifted a rock, and
produced a key.  “Uncle Chuck used it for growing pot, so kept it
locked.  It’s pretty basic. No windows.  Just a mattress and
essential supplies inside, at least the last time I was here.  I’m going
to unlock it, and check it out, so I want you to wait off to the side, ok?”
    “Ok,” I answered as I stepped
aside and out of the way.  I hugged myself, the wind now turning cold from
the nearby mountain tops.  I found the older man growing on me slightly,
despite his foul mouth and bad habits.
    The sound of the Explorer backing
up signaled Boggs’ return from his short drive.  The engine turned off and
he got out and came to stand beside me, his pistol again in hand and readied.
    Gus put the key into the lock and
turned it.  The door opened inward.  Aside from a musty odor, nothing
emerged to greet us.  Gus entered and gave the all-clear.  Boggs took
my hand in his and entered just ahead of me. 
    “Go ahead and lock the door, Zoe,”
said Gus.  “It’ll be dark in here till I light a candle.”
    I shut the small door and turned
the deadbolt.  The room was filled with darkness, but a small amount of
light leaked in from the small openings beside the door.  A glow followed
a short time later when Gus lit a candle.  I knew I imagined it, but the
little building already felt warmer from the candle light.
     In the far corner was a
small wood stove, long since rusted from age.  It was the type that had
two old fashioned round plates on top for heating pots and pans.  It had
an old copper kettle for