Half Lost by Sally Green Read Free Book Online Page A

hardly speaks, just says sorry a few times. I don’t speak to her, but tie her to a tree and head back to check for anyone following our trail. Nothing. I go back to the fire and keep watch all night. It rains on and off. When it starts to get light I make one more meal up, boiling the water as best I can. Beef stew for breakfast. I cut Donna’s zip tie off and share the food with her.
    â€œThanks.” She steals a glance at me. “I won’t do anything stupid again. Sorry.”
    â€œShut up.”
    â€œFreddie, I really—”
    â€œI said shut up.”
    She’s silent and I look over at her and see she’s started crying again. So I kick the fire out, pack up, and drag her to her feet and off we go again. It’s cold and damp and moving is the only thing to keep the chill out of our bones. But at least Donna keeps going at a reasonable pace and she’s not talking.
    It’s late afternoon when we get back to Camp Three and a Half. There’s no sign of Gabriel and it looks like he hasn’t been here for a few days: the fire is cold and my fifty-two stones are scattered in the mud where Gabriel kicked them. He must be at Camp Three with Greatorex. He’ll wait there and hope I go to him. That’s his way of getting me to go and see Greatorex. Well, as it happens, that’s what I’m going to do anyway.
    Donna has sat down on the ground by the dead fire and I tell her, “Ten minutes and then we leave.”
    â€œI thought we were stopping here for the night.”
    â€œYou thought wrong.”
    â€œI’m tired.”
    â€œJoin the club.”
    â€œAre we nearly there yet?” She smiles a little and glances up at me, I think realizing she sounds like a little kid.
    â€œWe’ll be at the Alliance camp soon.”
    â€œReally?” Donna perks up but then looks at me suspiciously. “An hour soon or a day soon?”
    â€œAt my pace, an hour. At yours, it could be three days.”
    Her shoulders droop a little but she says, “Thanks,Freddie. For bringing me, I mean. I know you could have left me.”
    I drink some water and pass it to her, saying, “Shut up and drink.”
    She sips the water and says, “Freddie, I—”
    â€œCan you stop calling me fucking Freddie?”
    She smiles briefly. “Sure. It really doesn’t suit you. You’re definitely not a Freddie.” She sips the water again, then adds quietly and cautiously, “But even if you chose a better name I think I’d know who you are. You really are famous, you know. I was being honest. I’m glad I’ve met you and I am really grateful . . . Nathan.”
    â€œYeah.”
    She shakes her head. “You’re famous for being the son of Marcus. Famous for being a Half Code. Famous for being bad . . . evil. Downright nasty.”
    â€œAre you trying to piss me off?”
    â€œI’m trying to talk to you.” And she adds a small smile.
    â€œWell, I’m not into talking. But, yes, I’m mostly nasty. Sometimes I’m evil. And sometimes I do bad things. Your job is to make sure I don’t want to do them to you. So I suggest you shut up and get moving.”
    â€œYou prefer being nasty, don’t you? It’s easier for you.”
    â€œMy father would have slit your throat back at the camp. The Hunters would take you back to the White Witches and torture and kill you.”
    â€œSo now you’re saying you’re the good guy?”
    â€œAnd don’t you forget it.”
    â€œI won’t. I agree; you rescued me and I’m grateful. But being nasty suits you.”
    â€œI’ve still got the gag, don’t forget. I think that suited you.”
    She actually laughs at that and says, “See, that’s just what I mean. You love being nasty.”
    â€œSave your breath for your wheezing. Let’s go.”
    I pull her to her feet again and we’re