Free Harvest, Quietus #1 by Shauna King Page B

seven years of age, but all the socializing he had to do,
burning the candle at both ends, was dragging him down. He couldn't
blame his job entirely, as a lot of it was self induced. He'd
partied way too hard and far more than was necessary. And he'd
enjoyed it in the beginning. Swanky restaurants and bars, heavy
drinking, clubbing, loads of beautiful girls passing through his
bed. But it had lost it's appeal lately. It was beginning to feel
like a shallow existence. He was tired of it, mentally, and it was
time to tone things down, before his life and health went
pear-shaped.
    He knew he needed a girlfriend.
Someone special to get close to. Someone to come home to. Someone
to care for and love.
    He heard Evelyn moan and groan to herself as she sat up in
bed and he smiled. They'd have a real blast together. Morning's
aside.
    Evelyn had bugged him for an age about
the cave diving, but until she was sixteen, he agreed with his mom,
that she was too young and hadn't really had enough scuba
experience. But his dad had helped with that, and now, they were
all set, eight days after her sixteenth birthday. He was really
buzzing for her.
    She'd finally get to see what it was
all about.
    The power of the caves was
addictive.
    Being deep down, under the surface of
the earth, submerged below tons of rock, in the cold, pitch
black... it was another world.
    And it blew his mind.
     

Chapter 1
    Hernando County,
Florida.
    Nursery Sink.
    08.08.08
13.30p.m.

    I'm lost in my thoughts, churning my
whole life over in my mind as I arrive at my
destination.
    What the hell?
    I'm surprised as I draw up behind a
black Land Rover Discovery. I didn't expect anyone else to be here.
This sinkhole is well hidden and little known. And that was one of
the main reasons I'd chosen it.
    “Dammit...” I say to myself. I'm not
happy about sharing the sink space with others, although I do
appreciate it's not my personal property and there's not much I can
do about it.
    I take a good look at the guy and
young girl who are in the process of unloading their car. Their air
tanks are already lying on the ground and they stop rummaging
inside the trunk and turn to face me as I arrive behind
them.
    The guy is looking at me warily. A
little guiltily, maybe? I wonder why...
    I switch off the engine, and with a
long sigh of irritation, I open the door.
    I don't want to
converse — with
anyone — but now it
seems I've got to.
    I know I'm a real misery guts, but I
have good reason. That's what I tell myself anyway.
    As I swing my legs out of
my battered Chevy Tahoe, I'm feeling especially anti-social today. It might be hormonally induced.
    Well. Here goes. I shall
try to be very brief and pleasant.
    They both watch me as I approach, my
footsteps crunching on the light gravel of the track.
    “Hi there,” he says, smiling at me
broadly. As I close in, I take in the brooding good looks
instantly. But they have no positive effect on me. Not even a
flutter of interest ruffles my female psyche. I'm immune. Inured.
Deadened to every male of the species. Since Joe and I split, six
months ago, I've not been interested in men. In truth it wasn't
just Joe, Ronnie, the boyfriend before him, was just as bad, and he
hurt me badly...but Joe... he was the one who broke my
heart.
    Broken? No... smashed to
pieces... Crushed and ruined... Scattered to the far reaches of the
universe... that's how betrayed, lost and alone I really
felt.
    I know I'm wallowing in self pity, but
I just can't stop myself from doing it. Over and over and
over.
    Shit...
    His image flashes through
my mind, yet again — despite everything. I'd loved him with every breath in my
body.... he had the most gorgeous blue eyes I've ever seen... a
voice like smooth velvet and looks that men would sell their soul
for...
    Goddammit girl, are you a
masochist or what?
    I stop myself thinking about him. He
has absolutely no right to space in my thoughts anymore.
    “Going down?” I ask, without a
returning smile. It's the