Free Created (Book 1 of the Created) by Shannon Shaw Page B

along the small diameter of shiny rope.
    I thought she appeared to be thinking of something to say
though she never did. A sudden frown broke free through her constant happiness.
Recovering quickly she smiled, shook her head in a knowing, playful gesture
then flipped her long golden hair around as she swiftly moved up the concrete
walkway behind her. In a couple of seconds she was gone within the house
leaving me alone with Veronica.
    Veronica tucked a few stray strands of her dark hair behind
her ear as we both nervously stood around killing time. She traced the ground
with her foot back and forth as she looked down, pushing a small stone along
the edge of the concrete.
    I wasn't sure why we were just standing there. The silence
and awkwardness didn't help to deter my body from being ravished by hunger, but
it did allow me to take the opportunity of studying my tour guide further.
    Veronica was beautiful. For the first time since I had met
her a few hours ago, I was transfixed. As the sunlight fell across her face, I
realized her hair was a dark brown with auburn highlights and not the stunning
black I had perceived it to be last night. Veronica's skin was flawless, lips
full, cheekbones prominent. She was radiant, but something about her appeared
fragile, empty.
    I wanted to say thank you to for her helping me. I hoped if
I started a conversation it would break up the awkwardness. The thank you would
be a gateway to asking more questions about my condition I reasoned. Mouth
open, I was about to start to say it when a commotion arose behind me.
    The noise seemed to be a conglomeration of angry voices and
growls. Afraid to know what was happening I froze. In my heart, if I still had
one, I knew the source of the anger was me.

Chapter 12

 
    Veronica's hair phased to black and
her eyes grew wide, then murky.
    The sudden color change meant I hadn't been mistaken
earlier, her hair had been black.
    She grabbed my shirt with both hands, violently hurling me
out of the way with considerable force. The act was reckless, unplanned.
    The arc of my path through the air carried me into the
single column of Darby's porch. The wooded column exploded into splinters from
the impact. Slamming into the front of the house cracked the wood siding, but
stopped me from flying further.
    I found myself lying on the small porch, crumpled beside the
aluminum door. The door had received a mortal blow when I had flown into it.
The ancient piece of craftsmanship was barely hanging on by a few now pulled
loose screws that were desperately clinging to the smashed door frame. The
concrete was cold and damp. I tried to catch my breath. The porch floor was
rapidly growing wet underneath. I could feel the moisture seeping through my
pants.
    The burning in my side told the truth. My hands hurriedly
searched my torso for the source of the brownish red blood soaking the ground
beneath.
    My torso was bruised and more than one bone was broken. The
exploration of my torso revealed that internally the devastation of Veronica's
attack was extensive.
    My ribs were crushed. I could feel jagged fractures floating
around inside of me. Maybe one had punctured through the skin I thought.
    A bout of coughing caused blood to be expelled from my
mouth, covering the bent and dented storm door I was facing. Half opened eyes
could discern the denting was caused by my face. The primary dent was in the
shape of my face. I had been lucky enough that most of the glass from the door
had dropped between the storm door and the wooden door behind though some
shattered specks had fallen onto the porch.
    Shaking hands found a sharp fragment jutting from the right
small of my back. I could barely touch the sharp end; the tip was almost within
grasp. I attempted to roll over onto my side to get my arm free enough to pry
the embedded slither out. I was careful not to drive the piece any deeper.
Still I was unable to reach more than the tip which I could not grasp. My dilemma
was when I