Red Angel Read Free

emerged from
my shirt and wrapped himself around my neck with his head lying on my shoulder
and pointing in the direction of the open door. I reached up and rubbed his
body and somehow felt better. Red never answered me, but I found touching and
talking to him helped relax me. Feeling a little better, I stepped in, decided
on a seat next to a window, and sat. Adela came and sat next to me. The door
closed and the vehicle rose into the air. I took a gasping breath and my hand
went to Red as I watched the hospital grow smaller as we rose higher and
higher. I wanted to scream but couldn't while struggling to breathe.
    "Nothing to worry about, Anna," Adela said
as she took my free hand. "Skimmers are very safe. Your new home is many kilometers
away, and it would take all day by car. It will only take an hour this way, and
you can see the world as a bird sees it."
      I began to
breathe normally as she pointed out various towns, lakes, and other interesting
sites and talked about each. I had so many questions I forgot about falling to
the ground.
    * * *
    The house, a white three-story brick building, had a
circular driveway that led to the red front door. In the middle of the circle stood
a large fountain with four statues of chubby children with wings. The grounds
were grassy up to the trees, which blocked further view. Mommy and Daddy's
house had been made of wood in a town surrounded by wheat fields and houses
within easy walking distance of each other.
    This house looked to be alone in the middle of a
forest. At the front door, a tall man with a bushy beard and shoulder-length
hair answered. He gave Adela a broad smile.
    "Hi, Adela. It's been a while. I heard you got a
promotion." His voice rumbled low in his chest.
    "Yes. Mr. Veles had health problems, and the
doctor said he should do something with less stress, so I got it." She
choked out a laugh. "Jarek, this is Anna. I called Mira yesterday to let
her know Anna was coming."
    "Hi, Anna. I'm Jarek. Welcome to Koria Hall."
He stepped back so we could enter.
    Just then an elderly lady wearing glasses came
striding down the long hallway. She looked at me and then Adela.
    "Hi, Adela. I assume this is Anna." Her
smile was pleasant as she held out her hand. I took it carefully. "Welcome,
Anna. I'm Mira. Come, Jarek will bring some milk and cookies while we get
acquainted. Afterward, I'll introduce you to the others and show you
around."
    She led us down a hallway to a large room with a
wooden desk, four padded chairs of different colors surrounding a round table,
and a lot of pictures of children on the walls. In back of the desk was a large
curved window that looked out across a green lawn that ended at a thick line of
trees. It looked dark and scary.
    "Adela, I'm a little troubled by the snake ... a
poisonous one. If it bit one of the children or the help ..." Mira scanned
me up and down looking for Red.
    "The krait never leaves her. Their relationship
is symbiotic. In addition, the krait is lazy and isn't inclined to bite unless
teased. In the unlikely event someone is bitten, I will leave this anti-venin
and syringe. Fill it to the mark, which is at 0.5 cc."
    "Can I see it, Anna?" Mira asked. I reached
inside my blouse, and Red wrapped himself around my wrist. I pulled him out and
held him up for her to see but kept him close to my chest.
    "What does it eat?" she asked, leaning a bit
closer while pushing up her glasses.
    "My blood," I said, and she jerked back in
her chair. "When he bites, he puts something in me that keeps the virus
from killing me. He never leaves me ... even when I shower." Thinking
about it, I couldn't help giggling. Red seemed to love the water and even the
soap.
    Mira looked at Adela for a long moment. "All right,
Adela. We'll try. I trust you wouldn't allow Anna here if it was dangerous."
    "Anna and her krait aren't dangerous; however,
the other children need to be warned her snake isn't a pet and is
poisonous."
    When Adela left, I was given a tour of