Terminus by Joshua Graham Read Free Book Online Page B

he’d somehow gotten tangled in the line and thrown overboard.
    No longer concerned he might be heard, Yuri began to hyperventilate.  He was not one to mourn the death of such a man as Jonas.  But he had no idea how to pilot a boat.  And in the vast ocean around it, not a trace of land could be seen.

12
     
    THEY’D BEEN AT IT FOR HOURS, and Nick was sick of it.
    Talking, muttering, whining, Elaine’s voice rising in pitch, volume, and intensity, then Jon’s voice catching up, eventually booming over hers.  If they only understood just how short mortal life was, how little time they really had to get it right, they might think twice about arguing over money, control, sex, and other such minutiae.
    The door to their bedroom slammed shut, but the shouting seemed every bit as loud as when it had been open.  When Matthew scooped up Riley, their golden retriever puppy, and ran down to the foot of the white-carpeted stairs, Nick wondered why it had taken him so long.
    He went over and sat next to Matthew, who sighed like an old man as he stroked the dog’s ears. 
    No child should have a sigh like that.
    Nick wanted to step in and chide Matthew’s parents— An innocent child’s future is being irrevocably cast in a mold of your wrath and self-centredness!
    Stupid mortals.
    But what could he do?  He couldn’t reveal himself—the interaction might complicate his assignment.  The yelling continued.  Now they were accusing each other of just about everything under the sun.
    He looked upstairs and glowered at the shut door that did nothing to shield Matthew from the hatred spewing forth and bleeding into his spirit.  He had to get him outside for some fresh toxin-free air. 
    Nick leaned over and whispered to Riley, “Want to go for a walk?”
    Riley looked right at him, opened her mouth for a big puppy smile, and leapt down from Matthew’s lap.  Her tail swiped left-right, left-right, left-right.  She looked up at both of them and barked.
    “What is it, girl?” Matthew said.
    Riley ran to the front door.  Barked twice, then ran back and barked once.
    Matthew pointed to the door.  “You want to go out?”
    The ongoing combat in his parents’ room paused for a moment, and Matthew looked up. 
    Nick called out to Riley.  “Out?  Out?”
    Riley started yapping incessantly.  The yelling upstairs resumed.  Matthew  barely had the door open before Riley dashed out.
    “Hey, wait up!” Matthew started out the door.
    Just then, the door at the top of the stairs swung open. 
    “AND WHAT ABOUT MATTHEW!”  Elaine screamed.  “DO YOU THINK HE CAN RESPECT A MAN LIKE YOU?”
    Matthew froze.
    “Oh, for pity’s sake,” Nick muttered. 
    If only he could cover Matthew’s ears.  His blue eyes were about to fill up, and the doorknob rattled in his hand.
    But Riley’s barking outside alerted Matthew.  He turned around to look. 
    “Riley, no!”
    He bolted out the door, which shut before Nick could see what was happening. 
    Something felt wrong. 
    Nick rushed out and saw it all. 
    Barking excitedly at a white toy poodle across the two-way street, Riley ran between the parked cars and out into the oncoming traffic.  Matthew ran after her.
    “Stop, Riley!  Come back!”
    Knowing what was about to happen, Nick flew out after him. 
    Two cars coming from both directions came down the street.  Matthew,  focused on his puppy, didn’t see them.

13
     
    JUST AS NICK REACHED HIM, Matthew saw the car coming from the left and blasting its horn at him.  With a terrified shriek he dove forward and out of the way.
    He landed face down on the pavement in the opposite lane.
    When she heard Matthew scream, Riley stopped barking and ran over to him.
    But the car from the right was coming.  Both the boy and dog were in the middle of the street.  With the first car in the left lane and the curb blocked by parked cars, it had nowhere to swerve.
    Ignoring all angel dictates and canon, Nick grabbed Matthew by the