Like a Bird by Laurie Varga Read Free Book Online

“He wants me to meet him on Thursday. I told you a picture would work. Guys are visual, they like that sort of thing.”
    “Uh-huh,” Daniella offered distractedly, as she flipped through her magazine again.
     
    - -
     
    On Thursday evening, as the sun slipped behind a wall of dark clouds, Sky slowly opened her eyes.
    The door of her cage was open.
    She looked around the room. She was alone. Moving cautiously, she backed out of the door and stood on the hardwood floor. She headed straight for the door to her room and turned the handle, surprised to find it unlocked. She peered around the doorway, down a long hall that led to an open foyer interrupted by a winding staircase. In sock feet, Sky stepped into the hallway and carefully shut the door behind her. She crept along, keeping close to the wall. She could see the front door from the top of the stairs. All seemed to be quiet in the house. Taking a deep breath, she flew down the stairs, her small feet slipping once, though she saved herself by grabbing hold of the banister.
    As soon as she reached the bottom she met what she took to be a large dog. It was standing between her and the door. She froze.
    Wisdom sniffed the air and began her slow, deliberate approach. Sky stepped back, hitting her foot against the bottom stair. Her gaze locked on the animal, and she began to retracing the path she had just taken.
    Wisdom lowered her head and sniffed the lower stair where Sky’s foot had been. Sky continued her ascent in slow motion, but Wisdom advanced after her.
    A deep voice echoed from nowhere, “Hey! ” Wisdom startled and Sky let out a small shriek, reaching for the banister to steady herself.
    “Wisdom, enough!” Gareth growled, as he appeared from behind the staircase. “Go!” He shooed her away with a pointed finger. Wisdom’s body softened and she backed away to stand behind Gareth, though she kept her eyes on Sky, who sprawled motionless and terrified on the stairs.
    “It’s OK. Don’t worry about her. She’s just very territorial,” Gareth said, and he gave Sky a reassuring glance. He put his hand out to her. She reluctantly reached to accept it.
    “How do you feel?” he asked, gently pulling her up.
    “Fine,” Sky replied. She couldn’t look at him.
    Gareth brushed the messy dark hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Sky turned toward him and reached to touch the hair that hung like a heavy curtain in front of his face. Gareth jerked away and gave her a stern look.
    Sky quickly pulled her hand back. “I’m sorry. I forgot.”
    “You need a shower,” he said and stepped back. He took out his phone to send a text. “Rose will help you.”
    “I don’t need help,” Sky whispered, just as Rose arrived with a clean towel and cloth. She looked kindly at the girl sitting on the stairs and motioned for Sky to follow her.
    After her hair and body had been scrubbed clean with fragrant soaps, Rose combed and dried Sky’s hair while the young woman sat in a thick robe. Rose then led Sky back down the hall and past the staircase to the furthest room. She knocked and the door opened to reveal a lightless room. Sky could make out the edge of Gareth’s looming figure, illuminated only by the light in the hall. She glanced back to find Rose gone.
    “Come,” Gareth said, and Sky cautiously entered. He closed the door to stand close behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Sky stiffened.
    “Um, would you like me to change . . . into something else?” She asked, gripping the top of her robe.
    “No,” Gareth said quietly.
    He gently squeezed her shoulders and reached around to pull the top of the robe off her shoulders. Sky reluctantly released her grip. The tips of his fingers grazed her arms, sliding up her neck to her cheeks. Sky stood motionless. He brought his face to her hair and took a deep breath. Gareth took her hand and led her straight ahead toward a large bed that was barely visible in the slim strips of moonlight