Read Online Between by Megan Whitmer - Free Book Online

on top of her head, and a third dangles from the scooped neck of her dress. The book before her lifts, and the yellowed pages make a crinkling noise as they fan open. Her head moves up and down as she traces the lines on the page with her bony finger.
    Her fluid movements and natural voice seem too real for a robot. Then there’s her book, which seems like it might have a mind of its own. When her eyes reach the bottom of each golden-edged page, the page lifts and turns without her assistance.
    “Ah! There you are!” she announces. The book hops up and turns on the pedestal for me to see. My own blue eyes stare back at me, like I’m looking in a mirror.
    “Very good!” Vera says, and the book slams shut, pivots on its spine, and lays flat. “You may take her up.”
    I lean over the strange book. “Is Sam, I mean, Samuel Page here yet?”
    Vera says nothing, and I watch while her hands fold back into place on the book’s cover and her head slowly turns downward.
    “You have to greet her first,” Seth says.
    “Huh?” Didn’t we already do that?
    “Vera is a slape. Their brains operate at extremely high speeds, devoting all of their energy to collecting and processing information, so they go into a hibernation state when they’re not interacting with anyone.”
    Seth steps toward her, bringing his face right next to her cheek while he talks. She doesn’t react to him at all. I inch closer, staring up at her. I can see the slightest ripple beneath her eyelids as her eyes move quickly from side to side.
    “It allows more focus for their cognitive processes. You have to use certain phrases to get their attention,” he says.
    A human computer. She reminds me of some of the brainiacs back at school—super brilliant, terrible social skills.
    “Hello, Vera,” Seth whispers, prompting me.
    Huh? Oh, right. I step closer to her. “Hello, Vera,” I say, loud and slow.
    I watch her come alive again—her head popping up, her eyes landing on me. I repeat my question, and the book’s heavy cover swings open. Vera scans the pages. After a few seconds, she shakes her head.
    A cold sensation pours over my shoulders and down my arms. They’re not here yet? My eyes dart to Seth’s face.
    “Hello, Vera.” Seth steps closer. “He hasn’t checked in yet?”
    “No. When was he expected to be here?” Vera’s tone is too pleasant to be delivering such troubling news. They should be here, right? Seth’s been telling me all along that they would be here.
    Seth hesitates for the slightest moment, his eyes falling across the pages of the book. “Never mind. He’ll probably be here any minute. Send him to Charlie’s room when he arrives. Adele will be with him.”
    The book slams shut again, and I shiver. Where are Mom and Sam? They left before we did. What’s taking them so long? Seth’s hand finds my elbow and pulls me along, thanking Vera over his shoulder. I watch her recede into herself again before I ask, “Where are they?”
    “They’ll be here any minute,” Seth says, but he won’t look at me.
    I stop, pulling my arm from him. “You’re not the least bit concerned?”
    Seth’s eyes finally meet mine, and he swallows. “Adele is the best. There’s nothing to worry about.”
    I raise my eyebrow, studying his face. His expression is blank, and his stare is steady. I want to believe him, but I saw his reaction when Vera said Sam wasn’t here yet. He’d expected them to be here. What if something’s happened? Sam and I hadn’t even said goodbye. Would Seth lie to spare me the worry?
    Seth lowers his chin, staring me in the eye like my thoughts are displayed there. “They will be here.”
    I take a deep breath and study the grain of the wood floor beneath my feet. I blow out a breath and shake off my worry. They’re going to meet us here. Mom said so.
    Listen to Seth .
    If he says they’ll be here, they’ll be here. A sprawling burst of color on the wall behind him catches my eye.
    “What’s