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.She licked at his face as he yanked her slowly from thedeadly water.She whimpered slightly as she was finally setfree, but soon her tail wagged like nothing had happened.She quaked uncontrollably. Stupid dog, he said, hugging her closely, trying to warmher. Why do you do this?She licked his face.He realized his predicament when he slowly turned, still onhis stomach, to plot his trip back to shore.It was only about200 feet, but it was miles.The ice looked like an upset jigsawpuzzle where his feet had fallen.They couldn't go back thatway.He had to stay on his stomach to distribute the weight.He slowly crept to his left, Carumba trailing cautiously behindhim.Every crack of ice sounded like a gunshot.Carumbaseemed to understand the new danger and began to whimperagain.He looked up, and the man was at the edge of the lake.Hewas on a phone.The man yelled something, to not move.But the ice underhim could go at any minute.He had to keep moving.Afterabout fifty feet, he sensed his dog wasn't behind himanymore.He turned to look, and she was sitting down, herfeatures rigid.Like she was suddenly paralyzed.Or had seensomething. Come on, he said.No response.She didn't even blink.Her hackles began torise.103The Shivered Skyby Matt Dinniman Carumba!  The ice cracked again.A thin line brokeacross the cold ice, drawn by an invisible pencil.Reluctantly,he swiveled around and slid back toward his dog. What's wrong? he asked. Do you see something? Is it abear?She looked down at him, her eyes suddenly sad.Shepushed her muzzle against his head affectionately, keeping itthere just for a moment.When she pulled back, her eyes were different.Thoseeyes.The eyes.From his dream.He couldn't move, his mind not registering what thismeant.She pounced.She vaulted at him, pinning him to the ice,growling.Her sharp teeth dug into the back of his neck, andshe began ripping, tearing at the skin.Through the pain hefelt the hot paths of blood against his nearly frozen skin, herstrong paws digging at his jacket.It was his dream.It was really happening.But this wasn'tthe monster wolf.This was a dog.His dog.He fought desperately, confusion and fear dulling hisreactions.The ice shattered, and they both plunged into thewater.Carumba nimbly hopped out as he sunk over his head.He reached up and grabbed the edge of ice, but it broke offand stuck to the skin of his hand.The ice burned like he hadtouched a hot stove.He screamed underwater, filling hislungs with cold fire.He tried to swim upwards, but he was no longerunderneath the hole.He pounded frantically at the ice.It hadseemed so weak and brittle from above, but now it was a104The Shivered Skyby Matt Dinnimansolid pane of unbreakable glass.The cold wrapped its fingersaround him, pulling him down.As he drifted down toward the mud of the frozen pond, hecould see Carumba standing above, staring down.Blooddripped from her maw, splattering against the ice.* * * *Carumba.Why? The betrayal still stung, and he wasthinking of it when he awakened.It took him a full fiveseconds to realize he didn't know where he was.He shot upfrom the small cot, frantically looking around.He was alone in a suffocating room, like a jail cell.Hisarmored suit was gone.So were all his possessions.Includingthe melted gun and the three periscepters he carried.Now hewore brown pants and a sleeveless vest, and a red cloak washeavy on his shoulders.Leather boots tightly wrapped his feetand ankles.A quiet yellowish light filled the cell, like from a lone streetlamp.But there didn't seem to be a source.Or a door.He feltalong the smooth walls, but there was no seam.It wasnoticeably colder here, and the air was musty and stale. Hello? he called. Indigo? Hitomi? Anyone?No answer.His voice didn't seem to even escape the room. Hey, he called again, banging his fist against the wall.Itmade a clunk.He banged the wall again.The wall vanished, and he fell forward, landing hard on hisface.Before him was a pair of black boots.One of them hadwhat appeared to be fresh blood on it.He looked up fearfully.Towering over him was an extremely angry-looking femaleangel [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]