Chapter Two
--Evan--
As a thin ray of sunlight escaped through a slit between the blinds covering the window in room #417 on the fourth floor of the Holiday Inn and struck Evan Alterman's eyelids, his eyes shot open and he became instantly awake.
He immediately sat half-up beneath the covers of the bed, propping himself up on his right elbow and checking his wristwatch. 14:35. "Ugh," he cursed.
He pushed aside his fatigue--these nine hours had been the most sleep he'd gotten away with in weeks, and he found he wanted more of it--and dressed himself quickly before he made the call.
"It's quarter to three here. Slept through the alarm," he told Amelia's voicemail. "I don't know why I didn't wake up...." As he nestled the cell phone between his ear and his shoulder, he bent down to remove a folded backpack from his duffel bag, and began to load it.
He continued. "Listen. I'm going to try to make it to the school anyway. There's still time, I'll just have to cut a few corners." By now he was slinging the backpack over his shoulder as he searched through the pockets of his khakis for his wallet.
"And you know I'll call you if anything unexpected happens," he concluded. He flipped the cell phone into his pocket as he shrugged on his grey-lined spring jacket and went on the door.
He took the stairs down and out of the hotel, trusting his legs to carry him speedily; he couldn't risk any elevator difficulties.
As he waved goodbye to the receptionist and exited the hotel, many thoughts were on his mind, such as I'll need transportation and The cabs don't really come down around here for pick-ups often and Is she into me? and I suppose I'll have to get a bike and There go my plans for a quiet afternoon stroll.
In the far corner of the parking lot he discovered a single bicycle--a two-seater--but it was chained to a bike rack. Looking around, he spotted no potential witnesses, and made a quick decision.
He materialized his ghost digivice and removed a short length of wire and tiny metal clamps. He hooked up his GD to the combination lock and focused.
At this, a scanner beam shot out from the digivice, and the lock clicked open almost immediately and the chain fell to the pavement. He dematerialized his ghost digivice before swinging up onto the seat of the bike.
Ten minutes later, he'd cycled into the central city. A light breeze stroked his face as he constantly increased his velocity.
As he peddled faster and faster down the street, he reflected that bike-riding was an activity to which he'd almost forgotten the exhilaration. The feeling of the pedals against his boots and the sensation of fighting the wind, was one he made special note of; if he ever had free time, he would be sure to put this near the top of his list.
His thoughts were immediately interrupted as the collision occurred; as his bike toppled to one side, he glanced briefly at the other bicycle that had cut into the main road from out of an alley.
Evan quickly set out his foot to break his fall; the other rider did the same. Neither was harmed.
Out of the corner of his eye suddenly noticed that his cell phone had slipped out of his pocket and onto the main road, where a passing car immediately crushed it under its wheel.
Each rider sat up, and looked over the other briefly while mumbling apologies. Evan judged him to be fourteen or fifteen; he clothed himself in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, with light hair and a youthful face.
It was four minutes until Evan's appointment with the schoolmaster; there was no time to lose. They parted ways as their thoughts turned to other things.
--Evan--
As a thin ray of sunlight escaped through a slit between the blinds covering the window in room #417 on the fourth floor of the Holiday Inn and struck Evan Alterman's eyelids, his eyes shot open and he became instantly awake.
He immediately sat half-up beneath the covers of the bed, propping himself up on his right elbow and checking his wristwatch. 14:35. "Ugh," he cursed.
He pushed aside his fatigue--these nine hours had been the most sleep he'd gotten away with in weeks, and he found he wanted more of it--and dressed himself quickly before he made the call.
"It's quarter to three here. Slept through the alarm," he told Amelia's voicemail. "I don't know why I didn't wake up...." As he nestled the cell phone between his ear and his shoulder, he bent down to remove a folded backpack from his duffel bag, and began to load it.
He continued. "Listen. I'm going to try to make it to the school anyway. There's still time, I'll just have to cut a few corners." By now he was slinging the backpack over his shoulder as he searched through the pockets of his khakis for his wallet.
"And you know I'll call you if anything unexpected happens," he concluded. He flipped the cell phone into his pocket as he shrugged on his grey-lined spring jacket and went on the door.
He took the stairs down and out of the hotel, trusting his legs to carry him speedily; he couldn't risk any elevator difficulties.
As he waved goodbye to the receptionist and exited the hotel, many thoughts were on his mind, such as I'll need transportation and The cabs don't really come down around here for pick-ups often and Is she into me? and I suppose I'll have to get a bike and There go my plans for a quiet afternoon stroll.
In the far corner of the parking lot he discovered a single bicycle--a two-seater--but it was chained to a bike rack. Looking around, he spotted no potential witnesses, and made a quick decision.
He materialized his ghost digivice and removed a short length of wire and tiny metal clamps. He hooked up his GD to the combination lock and focused.
At this, a scanner beam shot out from the digivice, and the lock clicked open almost immediately and the chain fell to the pavement. He dematerialized his ghost digivice before swinging up onto the seat of the bike.
Ten minutes later, he'd cycled into the central city. A light breeze stroked his face as he constantly increased his velocity.
As he peddled faster and faster down the street, he reflected that bike-riding was an activity to which he'd almost forgotten the exhilaration. The feeling of the pedals against his boots and the sensation of fighting the wind, was one he made special note of; if he ever had free time, he would be sure to put this near the top of his list.
His thoughts were immediately interrupted as the collision occurred; as his bike toppled to one side, he glanced briefly at the other bicycle that had cut into the main road from out of an alley.
Evan quickly set out his foot to break his fall; the other rider did the same. Neither was harmed.
Out of the corner of his eye suddenly noticed that his cell phone had slipped out of his pocket and onto the main road, where a passing car immediately crushed it under its wheel.
Each rider sat up, and looked over the other briefly while mumbling apologies. Evan judged him to be fourteen or fifteen; he clothed himself in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, with light hair and a youthful face.
It was four minutes until Evan's appointment with the schoolmaster; there was no time to lose. They parted ways as their thoughts turned to other things.