After The Fall by Megan Glock (best thriller novels of all time TXT) 📕

But the raging hunger in his stomach and the aggravated thoughts of everything Charlotte said kept him awake. He twitched and ached to do something, anything but sleep. He grumbled incoherently, rolling over and leaning half of his body off of the bed to reach for the contract. Once he grabbed it, he sat up in bed and read it over and over.

"He's going to die anyway." Dayton mumbled, flipping back and forth through the pages. Unless Dakota woke up before the end of the week, he was going to get the plug pulled and then he'd be gone. And the chances of him waking up were slim. The thought made Dayton's stomach turn. As he sat there, what if's swarmed his head. Namely, what if this contract wasn't a prank? Who was to say there couldn't be some miracle working medicine out there? He wanted to believe it, but his rational side was calling bullshit.

Dayton side, laying on his side as he read the contract for the hundredth time. "What are the pros and cons, here?" He asked himself aloud. "If I sign it and it's a prank, then I'll just look like an idiot and then we can move on." He reasoned, flipping the page, "If I sign it and it's not a prank, then there's a possibility that Dakota will live." He reread one of the paragraphs.

'In order to receive the medication, Dayton A. Wilson would need to be willing to sign this contract, ultimately signing his services and completely obedience over to Charlotte K. Lawson for the remaining of his life or until she broke the contract.'

The words on the page were beginning to blur out, the effects of sleepiness finally hitting him. He yawned, dropping the contract next to him as he closed his eyes. He couldn't believe he was actually considering this.

When he woke up again, light pooled in through his window. Someone was banging on his door again. He hoped this wouldn't become a common occurrence. He dragged himself out of the bed and went to the door, pulling it open. 'Deja vu.' He thought, and proceeded to feel even more deja vu, due to the fact he was experiencing deja vu for the second time in less than twenty four hours. His brain hurt.

"Get yourself a damn phone." It was Grady again, holding up his phone to Dayton. "I don't need these hospital wanks calling me in the wee hours of the morning every other day."

"If I had any money, it'd be going to you." Dayton grumbled, taking the phone away from Grady and putting it against his ear. "Hello?" He yawned. "This is Dayton."

"This is Dr. Kwoski." His tone was urgent, "Dakota flat lined again."

By the time he got there, they'd already been able to revive Dakota, much to Dayton's relief. He sat next to his brother's bed, holding his hand and tracing the lines across his palm. He talked about frivolous topics, like the weirdos that came into the rune shop or the weather. "You're the only one I can talk to." He mentioned.

Dakota didn't answer.

"Charlotte's right, you know?"

"We both already knew that."

Dayton scoffed, rubbing his tired eyes. If he kept going like this, he'd probably die soon after Dakota did...

"I don't have to die..."

"The contract's probably fake."

"It's worth a shot. Like you said, I'm going to die anyway."

Dayton looked up at him. Dakota was practically lifeless, his face was paler than Dayton had seen it in a long time, and his chest was barely moving. The only indication that he hadn't died again was the repetitive beeping of his heart monitor. He swore he was going insane. "So you think I should do it?"

Dakota was silent.

He got up and left the room in search for a phone he could use. He dug Charlotte's card out of his pocket. It rung three times before she picked up, "I'm in."

Dayton was desperate, but he wasn’t stupid. “Could you say that again, please?” He asked, not trying to disguise how incredulous he was. “I would be doing what?”

“Basically, you’d be my gofer. When I need things done, you’ll be there, my jack of all trades.” Charlotte explained.

He squinted. “And that’s supposed to pay my hospital bills?” A lot of things had changed since the Fall, but one thing stayed consistent; hospital services costed an arm and a leg (or in Dayton’s case, an apartment and his sanity). “I’m about to get evicted, but running your errands is supposed to cover all that too, I’m assuming?”

Charlotte sighed. For a moment, he felt bad for allowing his skepticism to come out so scathing, but he was promised help. He felt like an idiot putting faith in this scam, but—

“Do you want to help your brother or not?” She asked. “I’m willing to provide you with new living arrangements, and free treatment for your brother.” She said, “We both have something to gain from this; you need help, and I need an errand boy.”

There was a long silence as he stared at the paper and pen in front of him. He felt as though he had been cornered. She was right. He needed something, and he had nothing to lose. The worst case scenario would be that she didn’t provide everything that was promised, but he’d have two jobs which would still be better than the one he had. And the best case scenario was that all his problems would be solved…

He signed the paper.

He wasn’t sure what he expected to happen the moment his signature was written across the bottom line on Charlotte’s contract. Maybe a tingling sensation as he was controlled by a curse. Charlotte definitely had a witch’s atmosphere about her. But nothing happened, she simply took the contract back and placed it delicately back into the folder.

“That’s a year’s lease.” She said, putting the folder into the drawer of her desk and standing. “If you have time, we can go downstairs so I can introduce you to the rest of the staff?”

Dayton got to his feet. “I don’t have anywhere to be.”

She led him out of her office, her heels clicking loudly against the steps as they walked down the stairs. “There are only a couple here today, you’ll meet the rest when you come in for your first day.” She explained. “You’ll start tomorrow, if that works. I want to help your brother as soon as possible.”

Dayton hummed in acknowledgement. He was still skeptical about her promise to treat his brother. Dr. Kwoski was said to be the best in his field. The hospital had used that to comfort and reassure Dayton the first day Dakota had been admitted, but Dayton’s expectations were never met. Logically, he knew it was wishful thinking to think Dakota would ever wake up, but he supposed if he didn’t have a little hope he wouldn’t be here with Charlotte.

At the end of the staircase was a wide open lobby. It was sparsely decorated, only a couple of couches, chairs and an end table or two, and the high ceiling made it feel larger than it really was. There was a set of metal stairs leading up to a balcony that looked over the space, a door or two that lead to what looked like a couple of offices.

Charlotte pointed to one of them, “That’s where you’ll be working. Everyone else will come and go to different departments in the building, but this is the common area.”

On one of the couches, a man sat leaning over several papers spread out neatly across the table in front of him. The first thing Dayton noticed was how formerly dressed he was; dress shirt and pants, with a vest and tie— he was definitely wealthy. He lifted his head to look at them as they approached.

“This is Andrew Coltan.” Charlotte introduced. “Andrew, this is the new team leader, Dayton Wilson.”

Dayton held his hand out to the other man, but was not met with the same gesture. Instead, Andrew looked him over. His eyes were cold, almost lost looking. It made the hair on Dayton’s neck raise— he let his hand fall back to his side. He wanted to say something, break the proverbial ice wall this man was creating with his eyes alone, but (thankfully) someone else took the honor.

A younger girl stood leaning against a doorway to their right.“Oh geez, he looks like a lost puppy. Where did you find him, the pound?” Her tone was snarky, but she had an amused smile plastered on her face.

Charlotte sighed, “This is—”

“My name is Mara.” The girl interrupted, walking forward and taking a seat on the couch opposite of Andrew. Charlotte shot her an annoyed look, but Mara either ignored it or didn’t notice. “Dayton, was it? Did I hear that right?”

He nodded. Though slightly taken off guard by her very presence— she looked no older than fifteen so what she was doing here, he had no idea, but he decided not to question it —he was thankful someone was at least partially welcoming. He glanced back to Andrew, only to see the man wasn’t there anymore, and neither were any of his papers. A pang of guilt struck his chest but he ignored it the best he could.

“I’ll make sure the rest of the team are here to greet you when you come in tomorrow.” Charlotte said, gently touching his arm to lead him back up the stairs. The kept silent until they up the stairs and outside the building. “Andrew will pick you up some time in the morning to take you to your new place, so be prepared for that.”

Dayton stifled a frown.

Charlotte took something from her pocket, “Oh, and here’s something for your brother— Dakota, right?” She placed it in Dayton’s hand. It was a vile of clear liquid. “When you visit him next, put two or three drops under his tongue.”

Dayton turned it over in his hands, “What is it?”

The woman was already walking back into the building— “The solution.”

Coming soon!