Laura had been accepted to Foxbury Institutes distinguished biology program. She was leaving in less

Laura had been accepted to Foxbury Institutes distinguished biology program. She was leaving in less than a week. Fortunately, Foxbury was only about three and a half hours north of Newcrest so, not too far. They were driving Laura out there to get settled well before her start date.Carla’s excitement and wonderment from meeting Dr Jones almost pushed out the anxiety she felt over Laura’s impending departure. Almost.Alkirakuroo. The name invoked curiosity and many unanswered questions. Carla tried to find more information about the place on the internet but all she came up with were the few news articles that had been published around the time the lab was destroyed. There was barely anything on the origins of the town and not much regarding it now. Even the information she could find seemed sketchy at best. Odd. Very, very odd.She left the computer to search for Nate. She found him in the basement at his easel.He didn’t look up from his painting when she entered and sat nearby. When she was quiet for quite some time he turned, looking at her carefully.“Everything okay?”“I was offered a job today.”“What? Carla! That’s great!” He held the loaded brush aloft. “Isn’t it?”“Kind of.”He frowned. “Okay?”“It’s not here.”“Well, where is it?”“Alkirakuroo.”The furrow between his brow deepened. “Where have I heard of that?”“There was a laboratory accident. Maybe nearly ten years ago?”He started to nod. “I think I remember. It was in the news. Whole thing was a real mystery.”“Yes. Well, I met this man today. He works in a new lab there and he told me to send him my resume.”Nate studied her. He set his brush down and moved to sit next to her.“What did you say?”“I didn’t say anything. I’m not sure what to do.”“How far is it? Isn’t it way out west somewhere?”“Only about an hour and a half from Oasis Springs apparently.”“I didn’t know that.”“Me neither.”“Well, do you want to?”“Work there?” She sighed. “I would love to work in a lab again, especially in a place like that. I can only imagine what they might discover but…”“But…”“I have Matthew. I can’t just uproot him and take him out to the back of Burke. I don’t even think there’s a school there. From what I could find out, the kids are sent to boarding school at a young age. I couldn’t do that to him. What about his friends?”Nate sat thinking awhile.“He could come and live with me.” He lifted his blue eyes to hers. “It’s his second home. He knows a few kids in my building and there’s plenty of good schools.”“Isn’t it a lot? I mean, a lot of change for him?”“Well, if you really want to do this, we can ask him. See if it’s even something he would want. What do you think?”Carla nodded. It would definitely help her decide. -- source link

More pics about