Free Timescape by Robert Liparulo Page A

stream of water. Sleep when we’re dead. His brother was losing it.
    â€œIt will if we don’t take care of business,” Xander said. “They know we’re weak, Dae. Tired, scared. We’re down a man. And Keal’s out with him. We’re vulnerable, we’re . . .”
    David returned his head to the water. When he came up, Xander was still talking.
    â€œâ€”been thinking about this. Everything’s getting crazier, more—I don’t know— frantic . I don’t think that’s just the way it feels.”
    He paused, and David blinked the water out of his eyes to look at him.
    â€œSomething’s happening,” Xander said. “Or going to happen.”
    â€œ Something’s happening? ” David said. “You just figure that out?”
    â€œNo,” Xander said, standing. “I mean, something big, bigger than what we’ve already seen.” He squinted at something on the edge of the two, then looked surprised: responding to his own thoughts, David thought. Xander snatched a towel off the rack and dropped to his knees by the tub.
    David scowled at him. It was like Xander was breaking into his space, a space he found peaceful and free of all the garbage. Breaking in with worries and his sleep-when-we’re-dead attitude. He said, “You’re not thinking about using that towel on me, are you? Running the water for me was good enough, thank you.”
    â€œUh . . . no,” Xander said. He ran the towel over the edge of the tub.
    Before the towel covered it, David thought he saw a smear of red against the white porcelain. “What was that?” he said.
    Xander peered under the towel. “Nothing,” he said, dropping it to the floor. “Think about it. Taksidian actually hurt Jesse, probably tried to kill him. I think he’s tried to kill us, too, like when he came after us through the closet yesterday, and when he sent Phemus and his friends after us. He’s not satisfied bribing town officials to get us thrown out anymore. He’s serious . Deadly serious.”
    David opened his eyes wide. “No kidding.”
    â€œSo, why now?” Xander said. “Why all of a sudden?
    Something’s up, I’m telling you.”
    â€œXander, I’m taking a bath.”
    His brother sat back on the floor. He sighed. “You’re not listening.”
    â€œI am,” David said. “I hear you. You’re so tired you’re on your second or third wind. You know, so tired you can’t sleep, and your mind’s going a thousand miles a minute.”
    â€œYou sound like Dad,” Xander said. He twisted his face to make sure David realized it wasn’t a compliment.
    â€œLook,” David said, “it’s not all of a sudden. The house has been throwing stuff at us since we moved in.”
    â€œBut it’s not just about getting Mom back, not now.” A drop of water dripped out of Xander’s hair and down his face. He swatted at it as though it were a spider. Jumpy. “We’ve seen the future . Everything wiped out. We gotta do something about it, and I think Taksidian knows that. He’s going to try to stop us, more than ever. Whatever he’s doing that causes what we saw, it has something to do with this house. He needs it. Maybe he’s on some kind of timetable. Maybe we’ve already stopped him from doing something he needs to do. Maybe he’s getting desperate.”
    â€œThat’s a lot of maybes,” David said. But Xander was probably right. He just didn’t want to think about it now.
    Xander grabbed the edge of the tub and hoisted himself up. David could tell he wasn’t happy.
    â€œThe next thing that hits us might force us out of the house for good. Then what are we going to do about Mom?” Xander crossed the room. “Think about it, David. For Mom.” He stepped out and closed the door behind him.
    David stared at the door.