Forever Black (Nightwalkers 2) by H.N. Sieverding Page B

him." Ashleigh grabbed the ticket and papers from her hand.
"Thanks again."
    "Five minutes to boarding." The woman pointed down
the hallway. "Terminal fifteen."
    Ashleigh took off toward the gate, her feet aching from the
shoes she was wearing.

 
    * * * *

 
    Ashleigh quickly sat down on the plane. A great excitement
washed over her at the thought of going home. The cabin was filled with people,
but luckily, she had found an empty seat in the back.
    She peered out the window and onto the dark runway. Her legs
bounced up and down nervously as she waited. Her tattered-looking jacket made
her look very out of place, but she didn't care, she was going home and that's
all that mattered.
    She glanced briefly at the man who sat down next to her. He
spoke to her in his language, his voice friendly as he tried to start a
conversation. She didn't answer him, instead, she looked down at her phone when
it started ringing. She checked the number, and not recognizing who it was,
didn't pick up. She then called Robert.
    "Yes?"
    "Robert." She smiled when she heard his voice.
"Can I talk to Caleb?"
    "Yes."
    "Hey!" Caleb's voice was so loud, the man next to
her could hear everything he said. "Did you make it on the plane
okay?"
    "Oh my God, thank you so much Caleb. You're amazing.
Super, super amazing."
    He laughed. "I know."
    "It's going to be okay, right?" Her eyes turned to
the stewardess, who was standing near the front of the plane. She was talking
to a few passengers as they got ready to take off. Pushing her lips together,
Ashleigh tried to hold back her tears.
    "Of course, it is. Just hang on. You're almost
home."
    "How are you feeling?" Gazing down at her lap, she
pulled at the tattered edges of her coat.
    "Cell phones off please!" the stewardess spoke.
"We'll be taking off in a few…"
    "Better," Caleb answered.
    "I'm sorry about everything." She sniffled as her
voice lowered. "I've messed everything up."
    "No, you haven't."
    "I have to hang up." She looked up at the
stewardess. "But one more thing."
    "What?"
    "Make sure my laptop's charged. I've got to
finish—"
    "Right, babe." Caleb laughed. "I'll charge it
for you."
    "Thanks." Her face filled with a gentle smile as
she glanced down again. "I'll call you when I get to Stockton."
    "I'll have someone pick you up and take you to the
hotel. I won't be there till Friday, though."
    "Miss?" The stewardess pointed to Ashleigh's
phone. There was a slight anger in her voice, even though she was trying to be
polite. "Please turn off your cell phone."
    "Knock ' em dead tonight,
baby. Bye." She hung up then powered it down. Letting out a deep sigh, she
shoved it into her pocket and put on her seatbelt.
    "I'm Jake." The man next to her spoke, his eyes
settling on hers.
    "Ashleigh." She glanced at him briefly then back
at the front of the plane.
    "We're gonna be riding
fourteen hours next to each other, so I thought it'd be polite to introduce
myself." He ran a hand through his messy blond hair, his brown eyes almost
hazel in color.
    "Yeah."
    "So, where you from?"
    Her voice was snippy, showing her sour mood, "Not
here."
    "I live in Nueval . This is my
first visit to the mainland."
    She turned to him and laughed, the word "mainland"
sounding humorous. "You mean Morgan."
    "Yeah." He laughed too, studying her. "So,
why do you hate it here?"
    "It's not here that I don't like." She forced a smile then peered out the window and
watched the plane move forward. "It's the—" She turned toward the
front of the plane when it stopped. "What's—?"
    "Excuse me," the stewardess spoke. "Is there
an Ashleigh Brown on this flight?"
    "Oh fuck." Ashleigh let out an annoyed sigh. She
closed her eyes as she slumped down in her seat.
    "Is that you?" The man glanced at her then the
stewardess.
    "Ashleigh Brown?" The stewardess looked down the
aisles and waited for someone to stand up. "Please come to the front of
the plane."
    Ashleigh peered out the window at a black limo parked on the
runway. " Errr …that