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Back The Desert of Glass Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. BY MICHAEL C. GRUMLEY
  2. Prologue
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. 73
  76. 74
  77. 75
  78. 76
  79. 77
  80. 78
  81. EPILOGUE
  82. II
  83. III
  84. IV

Angela thought about it, then answered in a low voice.  “Joe lost his wife and daughter in an accident he couldn’t do anything about.  He wasn’t there, and had no chance to try to protect them, which I think has haunted him for a long time.”  She paused, blinking.  “I suspect saving Eshe and Mona helped him with that.  Not healed him, but I think it certainly helped him.”

Townsend gave a somber nod before quietly leaning forward to peer past Angela to the window seat where Rickards was leaning uncomfortably against the interior wall, the side of his face still black and blue and dead asleep.

II

II

The room was dark when Omar awoke, illuminated by a single fluorescent light above the door and leaving little for the rest of the room under which everything else was still.

On top of him, the bed’s sheet and blanket were neatly tucked, with railings up and a tube running from his left arm to a machine above him, while the gentle ticking of a clock could be heard high on the wall overhead.

Soft snoring came from the chair next to his bed.

His gaze moved to the chair and he found a sleeping Mona Baraka curled up and leaning against the padded arms, her hair strewn loosely around her face with an outstretched hand wrapped tenderly around his on top of the sheet.

He studied her for a long time before finally stretching his hand and fingers.

The movement immediately woke her.  Her brown eyes fluttered open and stared forward, then at him.  Excitedly, she straightened and lowered her feet.  “You’re awake!”

Omar smiled and nodded, keeping her hand in his while he examined the rest of the room.  After a long pause, he reached with his left hand and pressed lightly against his sore chest, wincing.  “Did I at least win?”

Mona laughed at the joke and stood, leaning over the rail and hugging him.  “I am so glad you’re okay.”

“Me too.  Maybe you can tell me what happened.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said.  “All that matters is that you’re all right.”

“I agree with that.”

Mona lowered the rail and sat on the bed, picking up his hand again.  “Are you in pain?  I can call the nurse.”

Omar tried to adjust to a better position and abruptly grimaced.  “Only if I move.”

“Then don’t move,” she replied coyly.

He looked down to see her gently stroking his hand.  “Are you all right?”

“Yes.”

“Good.  So, are you going to tell me what happened?”

She inhaled and tilted her head.  “Well, what do you remember?”

Omar thought it over before smiling broadly.  “I remember we’re engaged.”

Mona grinned warmly.  “When you’re up to it, I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

He raised an eyebrow.  “Should I worry?”

“Hardly.  She’s eight years old.”

III

III