shelter?
“It’s too far. The land between here and Folsom’s Hollow isn’t suitable for building. The cave is safe enough. We won’t be the first to shelter there. We’ll be safe, I promise.”
Tobias stared back for a long moment, nodded. Good. His eyes slipped shut as his body relaxed again, his fingers loosening on Jasper’s hand. Don’t want to get caught in a storm again. I don’t like them.
“No one does.” Though Tobias had more experience with them than most, and was able to say so with far more authority than Jasper.
Yeah, well…. Tobias grinned, his eyes opening just enough to sparkle mischievously at Jasper before he rolled over and pulled Jasper fully onto the small bed.
Jasper yelped, too surprised to protest more, and blinked when Tobias let his eyes drift fully shut again. “Tobias?” He did not need to spend the morning lying next to Tobias, not when there were things to be done.
What? came the all too innocent sounding response, the sleepiness in it belied by the strength with which Tobias clutched Jasper’s hand. You have to still be tired.
Jasper wanted to protest that he wasn’t still recovering from injuries, that he didn’t need much sleep, that there were things he needed to do before they could leave, any number of excuses he could come up with, but his limbs were heavy, the bed soft, and Tobias’s body warm next to him. A few minutes couldn’t hurt. He would lay there, rest a bit, let Tobias fall back asleep, and then go do what needed to be done.
He wasn’t giving in, just humoring his… companion. Friend. Whatever he was.
T HE post office had drastically cut down their hours due to the storms, but they sold envelopes and stamps and were still making deliveries as far as Brightam’s Ford, which was all Jasper really needed. The inn had provided a pen and paper enough for him to scribble a note to Darius, telling him of their encounter on the road and what they’d seen on the truck.
He didn’t start the note until he got to the post office, afraid that if he did, they’d have already cut the route back to Brightam’s Ford. When the clerk cheerfully informed him that they were still delivering―though she would make no promises about for how much longer―he had started scratching away at the hotel stationery.
He was almost done when a commotion arose across the street at the store where Tobias had gone to browse. Jasper scrawled the last line and signed quickly, stuffing the paper into the envelope and tossing it to the clerk with a shout of thanks as he ran out the door.
Just as Jasper reached the street, Tobias stumbled out of the shop, shoved by a pair of hands and followed by angry shouts. He staggered a few steps, almost falling before he regained his balance and limped to Jasper.
“What happened?” The mob pouring out of the shop did not look happy, and people from neighboring businesses, including the post office Jasper had just left, were joining them, scowling and casting threatening looks toward Tobias even before the low murmur that circled the crowd told the newcomers what had transpired inside the store.
I, uh, Tobias looked around with wide eyes, pressed himself closer to Jasper’s side. I sent to one of them. The woman in the purple. He glanced over at a woman in the center of the crowd with a bright purple dress and a canvas bag over her arm.
“Tobias….” Jasper kept his voice soft and out of the ears of the nearest bystanders.
It was an accident! Tobias pressed close to Jasper. The crowd grumbled in agitation, with several people stepping closer, steely gazes directed at Tobias.
“How?” Jasper turned shocked eyes toward Tobias. “Can’t you control it?” If Tobias was losing control….
Yes! I just…. He scanned the crowd, pulling Jasper with him as he backed away from the main group. She bumped into me and I just told her to go ahead. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t want to send anything to anyone; just to look and
“It’s too far. The land between here and Folsom’s Hollow isn’t suitable for building. The cave is safe enough. We won’t be the first to shelter there. We’ll be safe, I promise.”
Tobias stared back for a long moment, nodded. Good. His eyes slipped shut as his body relaxed again, his fingers loosening on Jasper’s hand. Don’t want to get caught in a storm again. I don’t like them.
“No one does.” Though Tobias had more experience with them than most, and was able to say so with far more authority than Jasper.
Yeah, well…. Tobias grinned, his eyes opening just enough to sparkle mischievously at Jasper before he rolled over and pulled Jasper fully onto the small bed.
Jasper yelped, too surprised to protest more, and blinked when Tobias let his eyes drift fully shut again. “Tobias?” He did not need to spend the morning lying next to Tobias, not when there were things to be done.
What? came the all too innocent sounding response, the sleepiness in it belied by the strength with which Tobias clutched Jasper’s hand. You have to still be tired.
Jasper wanted to protest that he wasn’t still recovering from injuries, that he didn’t need much sleep, that there were things he needed to do before they could leave, any number of excuses he could come up with, but his limbs were heavy, the bed soft, and Tobias’s body warm next to him. A few minutes couldn’t hurt. He would lay there, rest a bit, let Tobias fall back asleep, and then go do what needed to be done.
He wasn’t giving in, just humoring his… companion. Friend. Whatever he was.
T HE post office had drastically cut down their hours due to the storms, but they sold envelopes and stamps and were still making deliveries as far as Brightam’s Ford, which was all Jasper really needed. The inn had provided a pen and paper enough for him to scribble a note to Darius, telling him of their encounter on the road and what they’d seen on the truck.
He didn’t start the note until he got to the post office, afraid that if he did, they’d have already cut the route back to Brightam’s Ford. When the clerk cheerfully informed him that they were still delivering―though she would make no promises about for how much longer―he had started scratching away at the hotel stationery.
He was almost done when a commotion arose across the street at the store where Tobias had gone to browse. Jasper scrawled the last line and signed quickly, stuffing the paper into the envelope and tossing it to the clerk with a shout of thanks as he ran out the door.
Just as Jasper reached the street, Tobias stumbled out of the shop, shoved by a pair of hands and followed by angry shouts. He staggered a few steps, almost falling before he regained his balance and limped to Jasper.
“What happened?” The mob pouring out of the shop did not look happy, and people from neighboring businesses, including the post office Jasper had just left, were joining them, scowling and casting threatening looks toward Tobias even before the low murmur that circled the crowd told the newcomers what had transpired inside the store.
I, uh, Tobias looked around with wide eyes, pressed himself closer to Jasper’s side. I sent to one of them. The woman in the purple. He glanced over at a woman in the center of the crowd with a bright purple dress and a canvas bag over her arm.
“Tobias….” Jasper kept his voice soft and out of the ears of the nearest bystanders.
It was an accident! Tobias pressed close to Jasper. The crowd grumbled in agitation, with several people stepping closer, steely gazes directed at Tobias.
“How?” Jasper turned shocked eyes toward Tobias. “Can’t you control it?” If Tobias was losing control….
Yes! I just…. He scanned the crowd, pulling Jasper with him as he backed away from the main group. She bumped into me and I just told her to go ahead. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t want to send anything to anyone; just to look and
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