Read Online Atherton #3: The Dark Planet (No. 3) by Patrick Carman - Free Book Online Page A

soft and warm along the
    stone walls where Edgar stood. He had come to the end of the
    passageway. It was slightly wider here, but other than that, it
    had the appearance of a dead end.
    Edgar was suddenly gripped with the alarming realization of his
    own hunger and thirst. Could he die in here? The thought
    scared him, more because he was alone than anything else.
    He touched one of the walls and found it trembling ever so
    slightly. Looking back, the passageway was entirely empty.
    There was nothing but walls to touch, a floor to walk on, a
    ceiling to look at.
    "I wonder what Isabel and Samuel are doing. I bet Isabel is
    mad." Talking to himself made Edgar feel better, less hungry
    and afraid. "She's going to kill me if I ever get out of here."
    Lifting his heavy feet with great effort, he closed the final
    distance to the wall at the back of the chamber. When he
    reached it, he touched it, he pushed against it, and then he
    kicked it.
    Nothing happened.
    This is a disaster, thought Edgar. He was really trapped this
    time. There was a gigantic monster blocking the way out that
    spewed molten rocks and firebugs. And even if by some miracle
    he could make it past, it wouldn't matter, because there were
    seven more monsters waiting for him on the outside of Atherton.
    He ran his hand over the surface of the passageway and,
    overwhelmed by a feeling of total despair, he punched the wall.
    Edgar crumpled to the ground, holding his throbbing knuckles.
    And then, in the dim yellow and gold light of the room, he spied
    a hole near the floor about twice the size of his closed fist. It had
    blended in at first, but there was no doubt of its existence now. It
    was black as night inside as he peered down the gullet of the
    hole.
    Why are there always holes? I hate holes! thought Edgar,
    shaking his hand until the pain started to go away. He was
    imagining what might happen if he reached inside. Something
    might eat his hand. Something might grab his hand. Or maybe,
    just maybe, a treasure of some kind would be hidden inside,
    like the book he'd once found on the cliffs leading to the
    Highlands.
    Edgar looked all around the room one last time for other holes.
    None. He crouched in front of the hole and imagined what might
    be inside. A minute passed. Then another. Finally, he put his
    fingers a little way inside the hole.
    The wall inside was smooth as glass, which he hadn't
    expected. It felt alive with slickness, and Edgar was sure his
    fingers would be wet when he pulled his hand back out, but
    they were not.
    He put his hand back in, a little deeper this time, and his heart
    raced at the thought of having his fingers bitten off. He took a
    series of deep breaths and tried to calm down, then he shut his
    eyes tight and reached deeper still.
    His fingers touched a handle. Surprised, he quickly pulled his
    hand away, but then he wrapped his fingers around it and
    pulled. It wouldn't move, so he tried to turn it. The handle spun
    and clicked to the right. He tried pulling on it again, and this
    time the handle moved toward him.
    Should I keep pulling? he wondered. It seemed the only natural
    thing to do. He had to pull hard on it, but eventually the handle
    came flush with the wall. When Edgar let it go it wanted to slide
    slowly back into the hole, so he pulled it back and turned it to
    the left. This locked it into place, where it stayed.
    Edgar had no idea what he'd just done. He turned toward the
    back wall, once so hard and immovable, and saw that it was
    changing before his very eyes. The thick yellow veins of light
    had turned molten red. The veins widened more and more, until
    there were no veins at all but a throbbing wall of heat.
    "What have I done?" said Edgar, his voice trembling and
    unsteady. The place seemed to have come to life and he feared
    for his life all over again.
    Edgar scrambled for the handle and tried to turn it back, but it
    had locked into place. Whatever Edgar had set in motion would
    continue whether he