A Time to Die (Elemental Rage Book 2) Read Free Page B

Raven had changed, that Raven needed
her support. For that Raven was grateful.
    Shelly returned,
enthralled in the boys and already half-drunk anyway.  Raven drifted to the
edges, finally settling on a corner table where she could sit and mostly avoid
the crush.  Watching Shelly dance made Raven a little nostalgic for the times
when she was a free spirit. Raven, the girl with a life like Teflon, untouched
by any of the bad.
    One of the guys
whispered to Shelly, hugging her too close while they danced.  Shelly nodded
and wove her way to Raven.  Leaning in close, she practically shouted, “They’ve
got some good stuff upstairs.  Come on.”
    Tugged along in
Shelly’s wake, Raven followed her past couples making out at the bottom of the
stairs and past the fellow passed out on the sofa whose face was getting
sprayed with a can of string cheese while a pair of guys laughed uproariously.
Shelly fell once on the stairs barely grabbing the rail in time while she
roared with laughter. 
    Everything was
funny to a drunk…or at least a happy drunk.  There would be plenty of angry
fighters as well, but the party hadn’t gone that far yet.  Raven wondered if
there was a quiet space upstairs where she could wait it out.  She thought
maybe she should drink a little more, try to fit in the way she used to.
    That was all
discounted when she walked into the bedroom. 
    Shelly grabbed
Raven’s arm, “We’re going to try something new today.  Go higher and faster
than we’ve ever gone before. It’s a powerful drug.”
    The offer of drug
flying didn’t appeal to Raven. She was learning how to be an Elemental, and she
really could fly…even if just a little.
    “What is it?”
    One of the guys
looked up.
    Raven shuddered.
    Air whispered in
her ear. Look at him as he really is.
    That was the
problem.  Raven had seen the flash of truth.
    It was as if she
could see the man’s soul instead of the man.  He was diseased, his face
half-eaten by something that looked like a burning fungus.  His eyes were
skeleton holes. His head was a skull.  Raven stepped backwards, ready to flee.
    And then he was just
a guy.
    He answered, “Meth. 
You’ll go and go.”
    Raven shrunk back,
“Uh, no thanks.”
    Shelly grabbed her
arm, “Raven. Where are you going?”
    “I’m sorry,
Shelly.  This isn’t my thing,” Raven wanted to leave the room, but two more
guys had just shown up and were standing in the doorway.  She was trapped
between them and Shelly.
    Everyone was
looking at her.
    She turned back.
    The guy was a
skeleton again. She couldn’t help herself. She said, “You know this stuff will
kill you.  It’s eating you alive.”
    They all laughed
at her.
    Some girl slurred,
“Where’d ya find the church lady?”
    Shelly leaned up
to Raven ear and hissed, “What are you doing?”
    It was a question
Raven had been asking herself since she climbed into the car with Shelly. She
said, “I’m sorry, Shell.  I just want to go home.”
    “Well, you can’t. 
I’m not done here,” Shelly stumbled forward a little, “So, let me try some of
this.”
    Raven tried to
stop her.  She said, “Shelly, you can’t do this stuff. The minute you take it
you’ll want more.  They say its super addicting. You don’t want this.”
    Shelly turned
around, patting her friend on the arms, “Fine. I won’t try meth.  But there are
other things here.  I’m sorry, I’m not leaving.  You’re my best friend, but I
don’t want to leave yet, and it’s my car.”
    Their friendship
broke a little in that moment.  Raven could feel the fissure.  She nodded. 
Shelly expected a certain set of behaviors from her, and Raven could no longer
comply.  She hugged her friend, “I love you, Shelly, but I have to leave.  I’ll
call Jade.  Promise me you won’t get into any trouble.”
    “Promise,” Shelly
hugged her back, but it was an empty promise.  She was already calling for more
drinks and a few pills when Raven made her way down the