Pale Stranger (PALE Series) by Mac Flynn Read Free Book Online Page B

frowned at him. "Come on, that's really childish."
    Benson's head snapped back, and I wish it hadn't. Those bright blue eyes revealed a deep, bitter anger beneath the surface of his calm demeanor. "Try being on the receiving end of fear from every new person you meet. They whisper and gossip about you because of your appearance, and shun you for the same. Everyone is the same."
    Since I was 'everyone' I took offense at his whining. "But I'm not like that. I'm not afraid of you," I insisted. I nodded at his pocket. "And you're the one keeping that around in your pocket. Nobody else is making you look at that picture and keeping you out of sight of everyone. Of course the less they see you the more they're going to be afraid of you. What else are you expecting?"
    "Humanity. Dignity," he snapped back.
    "You're going to have to earn that from the strangers you meet, not expect them to greet you with open arms and chocolate."
    "I don't like chocolate," he told me.
    I threw my arms up in frustration. "Fine, expect everyone to greet you with open arms filled with torches and pitchforks, but don't blame anybody but yourself. You're the one keeping yourself shut up in this musty old house, and when you die alone and bitter you're going to be just as musty and old."
    Benson plopped back down in the chair and sullenly glared at me. "So everything is my fault?" he bit back.
    I frowned back. "No, just all of the decisions you make in your life, including shutting yourself in here," I replied.
    He sighed and all the fight went out with the air. His shoulders slumped and he ran his hand through his hair. "What did you say your major was?"
    "Geology."
    Benson scoffed. "Perhaps you should go into psychology."
    I wrinkled my nose. "No, it'd be too tempting for everyone else."
    He raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
    "They'd want to study me for their cases in abnormal psychology," I joked.
    That cracked a smile on his stoic face. "But think how much science is missing from your not taking psychology."
    "Science may be missing something, but I know I'm not. I'll take rocks any day over being a lab rat or working with one," I countered. "Now back onto the subject that's most important, which is your mental health."
    Benson gave me a pensive, careful glance. "You seem to have a strange fixation with my mental well-being. Why?"
    I shrugged. "New life goal."
    That surprised him. "To help me?"
    "To help you help yourself, and I've only got a week to do it," I replied.
    He raised both eyebrows. "So you're staying?"
    I shrugged. "Why not?"
    "My outburst didn't startle you?" he wondered.
    I rolled my eyes, walked over to him and leaned an elbow on his shoulder. "If you think that's scary you should see when a trucker fights a trucker. That's a whole lot of testosterone duking it out in a tiny diner, and other people usually get mad at their meals being spilled and join in."
    He smirked. "Sounds exciting."
    "Yeah, until you have to beat them off the counter with a tray and clean up the mess afterward," I pointed out. "But enough talking, let's go for a walk."
    "I'd rather not."
    "Come on, we have a few hours before work." I grabbed his hand and gave a playful tug on his arm. He glared up at me and I performed my best puppy-dog look. Fortunately it didn't scare him; he actually smiled.
    "Fine, but not for long. I have my weights to do after the walk."

CHAPTER 6
     
    Preparing my boss for his walk reminded me of getting a kid ready to go outside and play in the snow. There was always that time where they were all ready to go and needed to go the bathroom. That wasn't quite the case here; instead there was a heavy knock on the door as we were walking downstairs. Benson turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "Are you expecting anyone?"
    My jaw dropped open and I gestured around us. "Does this look like my home?"
    "It would be if you agreed to stay for the week," he countered. The visitor knocked against the door, this time with their fist.
    "Better answer that before