Read Perfection (JL Spelbring) for Free Online

everything back into the bag. With great care, she stood, focusing most of her weight on her left leg before testing her right. Her thigh throbbed, but it was nothing that could hinder her.
    Slightly limping, Ellyssa continued the search for a suitable tree to climb. She found the perfect launching spot thirty meters deeper into the forest. An old oak with a broad trunk and thick limbs stood next to a giant walnut, the limbs crossing over each other in a desperate attempt to hog the sunlight.
    She pulled out leather gloves and slipped them over her fingers. Securing the bag to her side, she walked around the tree until she found a low-hanging branch. She squatted, hissed, and jumped; her fingers brushed the underside of the limb. A tidal wave of pain shot up her leg when she landed. She cried out and hobbled around in a circle, massaging the side of her leg until the worst of the throbbing settled into a soft pulsing.
    She readjusted herself under the branch. Forcing the pain into the back of her mind, she hunkered down, swinging her arms in a wide pendulum motion, and leapt. She grasped the branch and, in one smooth motion, swung her left leg over and pulled herself up. There, she rested, short pants bursting from between her lips.
    Moving from tree to tree would delay her pursuers, but not for long. Her tricks would be easily spotted. The more distance she put between herself and her would-be captors, the better her chances.
    She forced herself up on the thick branch. Dangerously teetering, she grabbed low-hanging limbs to aid her balance. Like a squirrel, she moved from one tree to the next, keeping a rather twisted, southeast course until a break in the towering lumber forced her back to the ground, where she took up a slow-paced jog.
    As the afternoon waned and the shadows grew longer, Ellyssa’s jog changed to a trudge. Weariness pulled on every fiber of her being as she limped and stumbled and emptied one of her water bottles faster than she would have liked.
    As darkness fell and blanketed the woods, Ellyssa paused with thoughts of stopping teasing the threads of her exhausted mind until the sound of gurgling and buzzing insects floating on the air captured her attention.
    Water .
    Although, she knew she couldn’t drink the flowing water without the proper sanitization pill—a bit of information stored in her brain from field training exercises—her mouth still watered like Pavlov’s dog. The water could be used for other things.
    Ellyssa crunched over greenery and broke into a small clearing. Early twilight filtered through sparse clouds, tall grass shifted silently in a soft breeze, and silver moonlight reflected off a shallow stream that babbled over moss-covered rocks.
    She tottered to the stream and dropped to her knees. She scooped up the cool liquid and splashed it on her face, washing away the dried sweat and dirt. It felt cool and refreshing on her bruised skin.
    Temptation to pull the cool liquid between her lips overwhelmed her. The untreated water stopped her. She splashed more on her face, then rose on her aching feet.
    Sloshing through the water, Ellyssa took to the middle of the stream, her legs feeling like weights were tied to her ankles. The more distance the better , played through her thoughts, keeping her going. Sleep would be a sweet blessing better enjoyed at a later time.

5
    Though the hour was late and he was tired, Dr. Hirch looked up with a forced smile on his face when Detective Petersen strolled through his office door. By her expression, he doubted the news was good. He kept up the formalities, anyway.
    “Ah, Detective Petersen. How is the search going?”
    Before answering, Angela took a seat in the guest chair on the opposite side of his mahogany desk. Her eyes and cheeks sagged with weariness and, with the dark jacket she wore, the contrast made her look gaunt. She laid Ellyssa’s file on his desk. “I made some copies.”
    “Of what, precisely?”
    “Only things relevant to