Read Online Barcode: Cavern of Youth by Kashif Ross - Free Book Online

man walks around a corner. He’s skinnier and shorter than me. His flesh is pale, almost to the point that it’s blue, and his hair is red and curly, like an Afro. Though he is the size of a child, his muscles are ripped, and his hands are four times larger than they should be and calloused.
    The man carries an extremely large shield. I don’t plan on attacking because I’m aware that he notices me. I no longer have the element of surprise. It seems that coming here alone was a horrible mistake. Oh well. I hope he kills me quickly.
    “Hey, my friend. There’s no way you’ll work like this,” his raspy voice booms like the man that appeared in my room the night after I killed Spencer.
    “You have to speak proper English with me. Mind reading isn’t one of my skills.”
    “You’re too weak. I can’t stock the basement if you’re like this. I only chose to work this section because of the great job you’re doing. Most of the gladiators they leave stationed here are worthless.”
    “So you know me?”
    “Yes. Kode Payne. You’re a legend to the blacksmiths and deliverymen. Everyone wants your route. Even the areas nearby are special because of you.”
    “Amusing. Tell me more.”
    “I can’t say much here or with you like this. If I die, Hades will send me back to the underworld for a month. I have to teach you how to breathe the fog or you’ll get us killed.”
    I don’t know what he’s talking about, so I shrug my shoulders and nod my head. My nameless guide gestures for me to follow him. Though I’m not supposed to leave this post, there’s no way I’d turn down a random adventure where someone I don’t know could possibly set me up and kill me.
    As we walk down the uneven pathway, I ask Mr. Blue-Skin, “Why did you appear out of nowhere? I never heard you coming.”
    He doesn’t answer, but walks over to a wall with a large hole. For a second, he disappears in the shadows. I can hear him stuffing the shield in the space. Then, he appears behind me from another dark corner. We continue our expedition.
    “Deliverymen can travel through some shadows, but we have to show ourselves to hide weapons. I always carry multiple packages and hide them once you leave—Hades said you’d hear me if I stepped out. Then, I reenter the shadows until I’m back home. There’s a select group of people, hunters, that know about our abilities. They often come down here posing as militia or wanderers. You’re one of the only gladiators that never fall for their traps.”
    “Nice. Where are we going?”
    Mr. Blue-Skin leads me to a corner where two massive rocks meet. “We’re not allowed to speak of it until we’ve entered the area.”
    “Mysterious. I like that. But if you want to build this relationship, you’ll have to open up a bit more.”
    His giggle is the very opposite of his raspy voice. The high-pitched sound almost startles me.
    “You’re funny as well.”
    Turning sideways, he shimmies between the two stones. I never could have fit in this tiny space in my big-boy size. Being the younger, weaker me, I slide through almost as easily as he does.
    While tightening my stomach, I ask, “What’s your name, Mr. Blue-Skin?”
    “We’re not allowed to say out here, but I like Blue-Skin. If you call me that, the others will be so jealous. Can I tell them?”
    “Sure. Break a leg.”
    The moment we exit the cramped space, I smell sea water. Blue-Skin and I walk to the edge of a large cliff with a golden bridge attached. The waterfall on the opposite side travels nearly half a mile before striking the river below.
    “Hey, Blue-Skin.”
    “Yes, Kode?”
    “Why do I smell sea water underground, and more importantly, why is it boiling hot?”
    “The cavern is mythological in a sense, but I was told not to talk about those things with you.”
    “What can you say out here?”
    “We’re permitted to talk about the replica of Hades, but I was told you don’t listen to those types of things. It’s