The Space Between Read Online Free Page A

creek winding its way through them at the bottom of the slope, far below the road. The hardwoods were more common here, and even though the rain and bleak skies dulled the life of everything in sight, Isaac found himself enamored with the multitude of colors that made up the canopy and floor of the surrounding forest.
    Suddenly the land opened up, and he found himself at the base of a valley. He brought the car to an idling stop as he took in the scene around him. He'd reached his destination, as the road ended roughly fifty yards ahead. Just before the abrupt meeting of gravel and more trees there was a driveway stretching off to the right, disappearing behind a small copse of dogwoods. It reappeared before ending at a moderately large house. The rain had yet to let up, and he could not tell much about the building from the road, but he could tell that the land there was fairly level all the way to the house and beyond.
    Isaac glanced in the opposite direction, off to the left. On that side of the road the land sloped upward, making the trees seem to grow infinitely taller as his eyes followed them up the hill. His head bumped the window glass as he leaned down to see the peak of the mountain, though unsuccessfully. He laughed and rubbed the spot on his forehead that had touched the glass. His gaze settled back to road level and he noticed a break in the trees: another driveway, though quite unassuming compared to the grand entrance across the street flanked with two large magnolia trees.
    The mailbox to the left read "90" and Isaac peered again into the rain but could make out nothing but trees and gloom. He lifted his foot from the brake and let the car coast another thirty yards to the other driveway. The mailbox there, constructed from river rock and mortar, had the number "100" bolted to the front in large, cast iron digits. This was the place.
    Isaac was mildly disappointed that the weather had ruined the grand unveiling of his inheritance, though he knew it was but a romantic notion based on his own imagination. As he neared the house, he caught a glimpse of the barn further out in the valley, though partially obscured by a run of trees. The rain was making it difficult to judge distance and anything beyond basic shapes. The car rolled down the drive, the gravel underneath the tires sounding quite loud as the vehicle shimmied across the surface. It was fresh gravel, he could tell that much, and he wondered if it were recently laid here on his account.
    A second phone call from Mick had enlightened him as to the instructions included in the transference of the property. Enough money had been set aside to reinstate all of the utilities: phone, electric and water. An inspection had even taken place to ensure the house was habitable. Isaac thought these preparations were quite thorough, if not a little presumptuous. He was only here to check it out, maybe stay a week or two to get his spirits back up, his mind right. Then, after he found himself disenchanted with the place, he would put it up for sale and take what he could get.
    Of course, there was the whole matter of why the property had been passed on to Isaac to begin with. That was a big part of the allure, he had to admit. And the answers he'd hoped to uncover may or may not play a large part in his decision on whether or not to keep the house and land.
    The distracting cloud of thought lifted as he arrived at the house. Rainwater flowed down the windshield in a continuous sheet of obscurity, preventing him from getting a good view of the structure. He ran the wipers a few times, but it did no good; the downpour seemed to have doubled its effort at drowning out any chance of making his arrival grand in any way. Isaac twisted in his seat, groping in the rear floorboard for the umbrella he kept there. As he stared out the back window, one hand flopping blindly around on the carpet, he saw a blur of headlights from the road turning into his driveway. The vehicle looked