man.
“Are you okay?” Wesley asked as he skidded to a stop beside him. He leaned over to help him, and the man’s hand flashed out.
The man turned to him, mirrored glasses hiding his eyes. His strong jaw and features seemed familiar, as did the long raven hair that shifted around his face as he turned his head and tightened his hold on Wesley’s arm.
Wesley brought up his other hand, but the man blocked it effortlessly. A small, cruel grin curved his lips.
An image of eyes almost translucent grey flashed in Wesley’s mind, and a sting on his arm made him jerk back. The man released his hold. Wesley’s head swam. A growl sounded behind him. He turned. Newton flew across the road towards them. He saw her stumble and fall.
“No!” Wesley screamed.
It came out instead as a weak murmur. He stumbled to Newton , but his knees buckled. Nausea swamped him. Blackness clouded his vision.
The man walked into his line of sight and knelt next to Newton . He ran his hand, seemingly gently, across her fur then looked at Wesley, a malevolent smile on his face. Then darkness swallowed Wesley, and everything went black.
Wesley jerked awake and looked around frantically, his heart pounding. The room he was in was unfamiliar. He swung his legs out of bed, and his foot touched fur. He looked down and saw Newton by the bed. She barked weakly and tried to stand, but couldn’t. Shifting his legs, he got down by her side and searched her for marks. He felt none. She licked his hand then laid her head back on her paws.
Cautiously, he got up and walked to the windows by the door. He stood to one side and looked out. His dark red SUV was parked in front of the door. He tested the door and it opened. Quickly, he stepped outside onto the porch and glanced around.
A little distance away he saw a house. He continued to glance around and realised there were a bunch of them. Confused, he turned and went back inside. A paper on the table caught his attention. Going over to it, he picked it up.
Blackstone Bungalows. Check in February first at 8:15 p.m.
His legs wobbled as he saw the date and his signature on the bottom. Wesley reached for a chair, pulled it out, and sat.
“Three weeks. I’ve lost almost three weeks.” Wesley stopped, considering. “Or have I? What is real? What’s happening to me? I was in my house, and I went for Newton to get out of town. We were driving, then—”
He stopped, trying to remember how he had got here, but couldn’t.
Fear coated his skin, and he breathed rapidly. “Did any of it happen? Is any of this real? It has to be. I’m here. Newton is with me. How did we get here?”
A weak bark grabbed his attention. Newton was dragging herself on the floor towards him. Getting up, he ran to her.
“ Newton , what’s wrong with you?” He leaned over her and felt her pulse. It was weak and thready. Her eyes were unfocused. Quickly, he stood, lifting her in his arms. Frantic, he looked around the room for his keys. Spotting them on the table by the bed, he went and grabbed them. Slipping his feet into his loafers, he ran out the door to his car. He put her on the passenger seat, then ran around to the driver’s side and got in.
“Hold on, Newt.” Wesley turned on the car and drove down the road.
He tapped a key in his dash, and his computer slid out from its compartment. Silently, he thanked Pan for insisting they all have their cars outfitted with the special computers so they could work from anywhere. He rapidly punched in a request for the nearest veterinarian. Within seconds, the screen displayed the address with directions.
“We’ll be there in ten minutes, Newt. Hold on.” He touched Newton .
Her breathing was laboured. Wesley pressed down on the gas and roared past the office where a sign read Blackstone Bungalows . In minutes, he spotted what he was looking for. He screeched to a halt and jumped out of the car, going to the passenger side. Picking up Newton , he ran to the door,
“Are you okay?” Wesley asked as he skidded to a stop beside him. He leaned over to help him, and the man’s hand flashed out.
The man turned to him, mirrored glasses hiding his eyes. His strong jaw and features seemed familiar, as did the long raven hair that shifted around his face as he turned his head and tightened his hold on Wesley’s arm.
Wesley brought up his other hand, but the man blocked it effortlessly. A small, cruel grin curved his lips.
An image of eyes almost translucent grey flashed in Wesley’s mind, and a sting on his arm made him jerk back. The man released his hold. Wesley’s head swam. A growl sounded behind him. He turned. Newton flew across the road towards them. He saw her stumble and fall.
“No!” Wesley screamed.
It came out instead as a weak murmur. He stumbled to Newton , but his knees buckled. Nausea swamped him. Blackness clouded his vision.
The man walked into his line of sight and knelt next to Newton . He ran his hand, seemingly gently, across her fur then looked at Wesley, a malevolent smile on his face. Then darkness swallowed Wesley, and everything went black.
Wesley jerked awake and looked around frantically, his heart pounding. The room he was in was unfamiliar. He swung his legs out of bed, and his foot touched fur. He looked down and saw Newton by the bed. She barked weakly and tried to stand, but couldn’t. Shifting his legs, he got down by her side and searched her for marks. He felt none. She licked his hand then laid her head back on her paws.
Cautiously, he got up and walked to the windows by the door. He stood to one side and looked out. His dark red SUV was parked in front of the door. He tested the door and it opened. Quickly, he stepped outside onto the porch and glanced around.
A little distance away he saw a house. He continued to glance around and realised there were a bunch of them. Confused, he turned and went back inside. A paper on the table caught his attention. Going over to it, he picked it up.
Blackstone Bungalows. Check in February first at 8:15 p.m.
His legs wobbled as he saw the date and his signature on the bottom. Wesley reached for a chair, pulled it out, and sat.
“Three weeks. I’ve lost almost three weeks.” Wesley stopped, considering. “Or have I? What is real? What’s happening to me? I was in my house, and I went for Newton to get out of town. We were driving, then—”
He stopped, trying to remember how he had got here, but couldn’t.
Fear coated his skin, and he breathed rapidly. “Did any of it happen? Is any of this real? It has to be. I’m here. Newton is with me. How did we get here?”
A weak bark grabbed his attention. Newton was dragging herself on the floor towards him. Getting up, he ran to her.
“ Newton , what’s wrong with you?” He leaned over her and felt her pulse. It was weak and thready. Her eyes were unfocused. Quickly, he stood, lifting her in his arms. Frantic, he looked around the room for his keys. Spotting them on the table by the bed, he went and grabbed them. Slipping his feet into his loafers, he ran out the door to his car. He put her on the passenger seat, then ran around to the driver’s side and got in.
“Hold on, Newt.” Wesley turned on the car and drove down the road.
He tapped a key in his dash, and his computer slid out from its compartment. Silently, he thanked Pan for insisting they all have their cars outfitted with the special computers so they could work from anywhere. He rapidly punched in a request for the nearest veterinarian. Within seconds, the screen displayed the address with directions.
“We’ll be there in ten minutes, Newt. Hold on.” He touched Newton .
Her breathing was laboured. Wesley pressed down on the gas and roared past the office where a sign read Blackstone Bungalows . In minutes, he spotted what he was looking for. He screeched to a halt and jumped out of the car, going to the passenger side. Picking up Newton , he ran to the door,
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