Free Remnants 13 - Survival by Katherine Alice Applegate Page B
Authors: Katherine Alice Applegate
do. He was trying to access some part of Mother that was still “alive,” still available in the circuitry he knew better than anyone else.
Time is meaningless in a dream.
Billy spoke on and on.
And then —
Mother’s voice. “Billy,” she whispered with such devotion that the raw emotion made Tate shiver uneasily.
Now time slowed. Not only could Tate understand Mother’s and Billy’s words, but they spoke in a draggy slow motion.
“Mother,” Billy said with horrible longing. “I missed you. I — I never want to be separated from you again.”
“I can arrange that,” Mother replied.
Again Tate felt the urge to get involved, to talk to Billy, to tell him to be careful — but knew she was powerless to do so. She didn’t even understand what she was witnessing. Somehow she guessed that the scene before her had never taken place, that it was being created for her viewing. But why?
“Tell me what to do,” Billy said eagerly.
“Become me,” Mother said with a slight tone of pleading. “Become a part of me and no one will ever be able to separate us. Not even you. Not even me.”
“Yes,” Billy agreed immediately.
“You will no longer live,” Mother said, but she made this sound like nothing. “You will never again go back to a human life.”
“That is what I want,” Billy said without hesitation. “I want us to be together.”
“What about the five?” Mother asked. “They must come willingly.”
“They do,” Billy said.
Tate watched in horrified fascination as Billy rose from his chair and walked slowly toward the center of the bridge. He raised his arms above his head and tipped his face toward the ceiling.
Then it was as if lightning struck him, and continued to strike. A powerful burst of golden energy took hold of Billy’s body and raced through it. His muscles vibrated with pulsing energy. His expression was surprised, then agonized, then — transcendent.
Billy’s fingers pulsed and reached higher, higher. Slowly his feet left the ground and he began to shift into a horizontal position. He was floating, engulfed in the familiar golden glow.
Mother had taken him. Billy was no more.
<>
Tate woke too suddenly. She was disoriented, her dream more real to her than reality. Billy was much more real than Charlie — wait, why was Charlie calling her a lump ?
<> Charlie’s voice was shrill with panic.
Tate began to get her bearings. She was lying on the floor of the computer pit. Charlie, Yago, Amelia, one of them — or all of them — was/were madly jerking her arms and legs. Her eyes flicked open, open, open.
“Quit it!” Tate snapped. “I’m awake and I’m in control. If any of you so much as wiggles my nose, I’ll make you sorry, I swear it.”
<> Yago ordered quickly. <
Tate sat up, her skin tingling with panic, her heart rate surging with an adrenaline burst.
This was it.
Duncan was attacking.
One of them was about to die.
CHAPTER 13
“GET RID OF ME AND YOU’LL BE ALL ALONE.”
Tate scanned the space — up, down, left, right. There! Duncan was about fifty feet away. A glaze of slime on the ceiling.
<> Amelia said quickly. <>
“I see him,” Tate grumbled. She didn’t bother to point out that Amelia couldn’t have seen him unless Tate had looked at him. If Amelia insisted on pointing out the obvious, fine.
Whatever
Tate scrambled to her feet — and cursed as pain shot through her foot and traveled up her leg. She stumbled, but managed to reach the chair and fling herself in.
“How may I serve you?” Daughter asked in her unctuous tone.
<> Charlie demanded.
“Saving our butts,” Tate muttered.
<
![Jo Beverley - [Malloren 03]](http://fs.thenovelorange.com/555400/thumbs/152x264/jo-beverley-malloren-03.jpg)
Time is meaningless in a dream.
Billy spoke on and on.
And then —
Mother’s voice. “Billy,” she whispered with such devotion that the raw emotion made Tate shiver uneasily.
Now time slowed. Not only could Tate understand Mother’s and Billy’s words, but they spoke in a draggy slow motion.
“Mother,” Billy said with horrible longing. “I missed you. I — I never want to be separated from you again.”
“I can arrange that,” Mother replied.
Again Tate felt the urge to get involved, to talk to Billy, to tell him to be careful — but knew she was powerless to do so. She didn’t even understand what she was witnessing. Somehow she guessed that the scene before her had never taken place, that it was being created for her viewing. But why?
“Tell me what to do,” Billy said eagerly.
“Become me,” Mother said with a slight tone of pleading. “Become a part of me and no one will ever be able to separate us. Not even you. Not even me.”
“Yes,” Billy agreed immediately.
“You will no longer live,” Mother said, but she made this sound like nothing. “You will never again go back to a human life.”
“That is what I want,” Billy said without hesitation. “I want us to be together.”
“What about the five?” Mother asked. “They must come willingly.”
“They do,” Billy said.
Tate watched in horrified fascination as Billy rose from his chair and walked slowly toward the center of the bridge. He raised his arms above his head and tipped his face toward the ceiling.
Then it was as if lightning struck him, and continued to strike. A powerful burst of golden energy took hold of Billy’s body and raced through it. His muscles vibrated with pulsing energy. His expression was surprised, then agonized, then — transcendent.
Billy’s fingers pulsed and reached higher, higher. Slowly his feet left the ground and he began to shift into a horizontal position. He was floating, engulfed in the familiar golden glow.
Mother had taken him. Billy was no more.
<
Tate woke too suddenly. She was disoriented, her dream more real to her than reality. Billy was much more real than Charlie — wait, why was Charlie calling her a lump ?
<
Tate began to get her bearings. She was lying on the floor of the computer pit. Charlie, Yago, Amelia, one of them — or all of them — was/were madly jerking her arms and legs. Her eyes flicked open, open, open.
“Quit it!” Tate snapped. “I’m awake and I’m in control. If any of you so much as wiggles my nose, I’ll make you sorry, I swear it.”
<
Tate sat up, her skin tingling with panic, her heart rate surging with an adrenaline burst.
This was it.
Duncan was attacking.
One of them was about to die.
CHAPTER 13
“GET RID OF ME AND YOU’LL BE ALL ALONE.”
Tate scanned the space — up, down, left, right. There! Duncan was about fifty feet away. A glaze of slime on the ceiling.
<
“I see him,” Tate grumbled. She didn’t bother to point out that Amelia couldn’t have seen him unless Tate had looked at him. If Amelia insisted on pointing out the obvious, fine.
Whatever
Tate scrambled to her feet — and cursed as pain shot through her foot and traveled up her leg. She stumbled, but managed to reach the chair and fling herself in.
“How may I serve you?” Daughter asked in her unctuous tone.
<
“Saving our butts,” Tate muttered.
<
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