RUNAWAY TWINS and RUNAWAY TWINS IN ALASKA: BOXED SET Read Online Free
Author: Pete Palamountain
anger, and she hurled a schoolbook against the bedroom wall, causing a small figurine to fall from the shelf. It didn't break, and she put it back in place.
"What can we do?" asked Janie. Her tear-filled eyes were lighter than her sister's, a brighter green, like undiluted antifreeze. Everyone knew the surest way to tell the girls apart was to look at their eyes. But those who knew them best also knew another way to identify them was to see who had taken the lead, for Rachel was the more aggressive of the two.
"Don't cry, Janie," said Rachel, "we'll come up with something. I've been working on an idea."
"What?"
And they began to plan their night run to Sheba.
5
The New Boy
Twelve-year-old Justin Patrick missed his father, his uncle, and Alaska. He missed the treks the three of them made into the back country; and he missed the rescues his father organized to save the lives of stranded climbers, skiers, and downed pilots. He missed the survival lessons, the rugged Alaskan wilderness, and the camaraderie he shared with the two men in his family. His aunt was now the only family he had left. The landslide had taken his father and his uncle, and his mother had died when he was an infant.
Aunt Ruby was not blood family. She was Uncle Garth's wife and related to Justin only by marriage. While Uncle Garth lived, she seemed as solid and stable as her husband; but after his death she began a long decline culminating in her leaving Alaska for Montana and the Sheba Hill congregation.
Justin was devastated by her decision. After he and his aunt had moved into a small home in the Sheba Hill compound, he went to her and said, "How can we be part of this?"
"These are good people," she said.
He shook his head.
"The Prophet loves us," she said.
Justin scowled. "He loves himself and young girls."
"Try to believe in the Prophet," she said. "He has your best interests in mind."
Justin closed his eyes in disgust. "I don't believe in him, Aunt Ruby, and I never will." His expression was intense, and his pale blue eyes were defiant. "As soon as I'm able, I'm going to get out of this place."
"Don't be ridiculous, Justin. Where would you go? Who would you go to? I'm all you have—me and our new family here at Sheba Hill."
"And your new husband and his other wives?"
"Elder Tate is a wonderful man, and I'm fortunate he wants me for his wife."
Justin shook his head. "One of his wives, you mean. If Uncle Garth knew what you're doing, he'd crawl out of his grave and come drag you away from here."
"That's not funny, Justin."
"I'm not trying to be funny."
**
After his aunt married Elder Tate , Justin tried to stay away from the Tate household as much as possible. He asked if he could continue to live in the small cottage he and Ruby had previously occupied, but the Prophet said Justin was too young to live alone; and besides, he needed the warmth of a family unit.
Family unit? The Tate ménage was more like a zoo, with children running everywhere and wives in cages of their own construction. Justin's only relief was to find ways to spend as much time by himself as he could. He often got up at first light and didn't return to the house until after dark. Today was no exception. He'd snuck out before dawn, intending to skip chapel if he could get away with it. He went for a long walk along the outer edges of the compound, observing the temple guards for future reference. And then he took the wilderness survival book, written by his father, to the gazebo by the old covered well. He sat down on the grass with his back against the latticework and began to read. It was a cold late fall morning, and he shivered a bit; but cold or not, it was better than the Tate house and its monstrous hypocrisies.
He heard the Lemon twins run into the gazebo above him, heard their sighs and exclamations of dismay, and then heard Janie say, "…We are not going to end up like Mary" and heard Rachel's response, "We've got to get away, get to Sheba for
"What can we do?" asked Janie. Her tear-filled eyes were lighter than her sister's, a brighter green, like undiluted antifreeze. Everyone knew the surest way to tell the girls apart was to look at their eyes. But those who knew them best also knew another way to identify them was to see who had taken the lead, for Rachel was the more aggressive of the two.
"Don't cry, Janie," said Rachel, "we'll come up with something. I've been working on an idea."
"What?"
And they began to plan their night run to Sheba.
5
The New Boy
Twelve-year-old Justin Patrick missed his father, his uncle, and Alaska. He missed the treks the three of them made into the back country; and he missed the rescues his father organized to save the lives of stranded climbers, skiers, and downed pilots. He missed the survival lessons, the rugged Alaskan wilderness, and the camaraderie he shared with the two men in his family. His aunt was now the only family he had left. The landslide had taken his father and his uncle, and his mother had died when he was an infant.
Aunt Ruby was not blood family. She was Uncle Garth's wife and related to Justin only by marriage. While Uncle Garth lived, she seemed as solid and stable as her husband; but after his death she began a long decline culminating in her leaving Alaska for Montana and the Sheba Hill congregation.
Justin was devastated by her decision. After he and his aunt had moved into a small home in the Sheba Hill compound, he went to her and said, "How can we be part of this?"
"These are good people," she said.
He shook his head.
"The Prophet loves us," she said.
Justin scowled. "He loves himself and young girls."
"Try to believe in the Prophet," she said. "He has your best interests in mind."
Justin closed his eyes in disgust. "I don't believe in him, Aunt Ruby, and I never will." His expression was intense, and his pale blue eyes were defiant. "As soon as I'm able, I'm going to get out of this place."
"Don't be ridiculous, Justin. Where would you go? Who would you go to? I'm all you have—me and our new family here at Sheba Hill."
"And your new husband and his other wives?"
"Elder Tate is a wonderful man, and I'm fortunate he wants me for his wife."
Justin shook his head. "One of his wives, you mean. If Uncle Garth knew what you're doing, he'd crawl out of his grave and come drag you away from here."
"That's not funny, Justin."
"I'm not trying to be funny."
**
After his aunt married Elder Tate , Justin tried to stay away from the Tate household as much as possible. He asked if he could continue to live in the small cottage he and Ruby had previously occupied, but the Prophet said Justin was too young to live alone; and besides, he needed the warmth of a family unit.
Family unit? The Tate ménage was more like a zoo, with children running everywhere and wives in cages of their own construction. Justin's only relief was to find ways to spend as much time by himself as he could. He often got up at first light and didn't return to the house until after dark. Today was no exception. He'd snuck out before dawn, intending to skip chapel if he could get away with it. He went for a long walk along the outer edges of the compound, observing the temple guards for future reference. And then he took the wilderness survival book, written by his father, to the gazebo by the old covered well. He sat down on the grass with his back against the latticework and began to read. It was a cold late fall morning, and he shivered a bit; but cold or not, it was better than the Tate house and its monstrous hypocrisies.
He heard the Lemon twins run into the gazebo above him, heard their sighs and exclamations of dismay, and then heard Janie say, "…We are not going to end up like Mary" and heard Rachel's response, "We've got to get away, get to Sheba for
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