Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“Cyrus!” I shout, taking purposefully strides toward the kitchen, then finding it empty, I take hall toward his office. The thick door is closed tightly and I knock a panicked rhythm.
“Come in.” His deep voice is muffled by the door, and I slowly open it, careful to not create static, not create any friction. “Cyrus, don’t you smell that? It’s a gas leak, we need to get out of here, and oh no! Cat!” I panic and turn, looking for the him .
When I turn back to Cyrus, I expect some sort of urgency in his expression, but what I see is exhaustion, and then reluctant acceptance. Does he not care? His bar could blow up at any minute, his cat’s missing, and what about other employees? Tenants?
“It’s probably better this way.” He mumbled so lowly I almost missed it. I do a double take. Is he insane?
“Did you want your bar to blow up? Am I missing something? I mean, I kind of have a will to live.”
His eyebrows rose, then he gives me a scornful grin.
I try to stay as calm as possible. “Call the fire department, isn’t what were supposed to do? I can’t remember, I—”
He actually as the audacity to flip the page he’s working on and keep reading. “Thinking under pressure isn’t your strong suit, is it?”
I cast him a baleful glare, then sober. “I’m leaving and grabbing Bast. I’m saving myself.” Turning I was about to leave when I hear him murmur,. “If only.”
Whatever I’m not going to stay for any more cryptic remarks. I start towards the front door. “Bast! Kitty kitty!” I call . When I open the front door of the Pub its to find the naked cat waiting for me on the porch. “Ah, so you’re the smart one, unlike your owner.” I reach down and pick him up. His warm skin presses against my hands. The sound of fire engines fill the air. Maybe Cyrus decided to live another day and call the authorities.
An hour later, I decide that maybe moving to Deer Harbor wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made as I watch the Fire department put a sign on the Bar’s door that it’s closed for the next few weeks while the gas company does repairs.
I feel rather than see Cyrus walk up beside me. Odd how I can always tell it’s him, like instinct.
“The gas is shut off but they can’t find the leak, so you can’t stay here. But don’t worry, I’m not going to turn you out onto the streets. I have a guest house, you’re welcome to stay there. As far as employment, the bar’s closed, but I have some research I need another set of eyes on. You were studying similar subject matter as your brother, were you not?”
I take a deep breath. “Yeah, I took a break from University, but I’m familiar with all the Egyptology material.”
“That’s good, then I can still offer you employment, just of a different variety. And you’ll be at my house where I have the collections so that will be easier for you as well.”
Being in that close proximity to Cyrus presented a new sort of danger, one that seems riskier than the gas leak at the bar, but what choice did I have? “Thanks, I appreciate it. Um, my stuff? Can I go and grab my things or is the whole place shut for the time being?”
“I’ll ask the firemen.” Cyrus replies , then moves away, taking the ever-present heat that surrounded him away as well.
It was later that night, lying in Cyrus’guesthouse bed attempting to fall asleep that I first dreamed of the light, and the fire. The dream was so real, it took me a minute to clear the fog from my mind when my eyes finally open and adjusted to the sunlight streaming through my window. “Ok, weird.” I croak . Rolling to my side, I slowly stood from the bed and frowned. The pristine white sheets were smeared with faint black streaks, like thick pencil marks or…smeared ashes. The faint scent of campfire lingered in the air and I wondered if maybe I’d missed a bondire the night before, but I was exhausted, so I’d fallen directly asleep, clothes and all.
I wake up and stretch, then move over to the window. I need fresh air, but when I look out I see the same squirrel from the bar or I’m assuming so? The other animals are gathered all around too. Cryrus must have moved all the animals too, which would make sense since no one will be there to care for them. I wave at the squirrel, odd that it seems normal, and make my way outside.
I stop at the tree where the squirrel lives. He scurries down and stops right by my feet. His fur’s a deep caramel with black stripes down to his tail.