Free INK: Blue (INK Trilogy Book 3) by Al K. Line Page B

narrow rutted track that meandered off through the woods.
    Well, no doubt about it, somebody is keeping themselves hidden. A good sign, or a really bad one? Will they be happy to see us, or shoot us before we even get to say hello?
    Feeling nervous, Edsel walked back to the car, knowing without asking that they were definitely going to be paying whoever lived up the track a visit — they'd come this far, Aiden would want to see it through. Plus Edsel was curious, he found himself really wanting to know just who lived there. If nothing else it could be a good learning experience in terms of understanding how to stay hidden and out of harm's way.
    "Can we please just be careful? Aiden, do you sense how many people are up there?" said Edsel, as he started the engine and turned toward the narrow entryway.
    "No. I think maybe we are too far away yet. Maybe when we get closer?"
    "Okay buddy, just stay alert. Let me know as soon as you can sense anything."
    "Okey dokey, will do."
    Am I the only one that's worried about this?
     
    ~~~
     
    It was love at first sight, at least for Aiden anyway. Edsel had to admit that if he was a little bit younger then he would have fallen for the girl himself, but he couldn't think about such things, she was still a juvenile and although social convention had changed, and in many circles girls much younger than her were having children, it was still taboo as far as a man of his years was concerned.
    Aiden had no such qualms however; he was smitten. Although it was only the first girl he'd met as anything but a young boy, he was blindsided by her beauty and couldn't keep from constantly staring at her with his mouth half open.
    The girl's father had a different idea entirely.
    Edsel could certainly see the attraction however. It was hard to think of her as a young girl when she appeared so womanly; Edsel wondered if it was something to do with The Lethargy, that it affected those born just before or just after it happened. He figured that as those left had such a struggle, and many would succumb to it in the end, then children reached maturity younger to afford them a better chance of having offspring before they got lost to mindlessness.
    Aiden clearly wasn't contemplating any of that, he was mostly just doing a lot of staring and not very much speaking — he'd lost the power of speech in the presence of beauty it seemed.
    Shobhita was full figured, clearly well fed, had rosy cheeks and was slightly snub-nosed — what Edsel would have called a farm girl in his younger days. She was clearly at home in her environment, and judging by the freckles on her lightly tanned face she spent a lot of time out of doors and had gotten used to the sun even though she was naturally pale.
    Her hair was a wonderful auburn, and it practically danced with vitality. Short sleeves of a simple blouse showed that she was slender in terms of build, but manual work had given her a density and strength that would make her a match for any man. Yet above all she was somehow stunningly beautiful, especially to a young man like Aiden.
    With Aiden's lack of experience or opportunity to meet with the opposite sex though, Edsel suspected the lad would be smitten by any girl he met.
    As soon as they got close Aiden pronounced that there were two people ahead, and as they closed in on the simple, yet well maintained house, it was clear that whoever lived there was truly settled in their environment. There were fruit trees everywhere, herbs, vegetables and flowers, ornamental shrubs, a small pond, ducks, geese and chickens scattering as their car trundled up the compacted incline — behind the house Edsel could see the fields that had been freshly planted and were what had led them to the place.
    The meeting did not go well.
    As they drove up the track, they caught sight of the back of the girl, red hair flying about wildly, running toward the house where a man appeared. As they pulled up he ushered the girl inside, although her