Read Online Book Three of the Travelers by D.J. MacHale - Free Book Online Page A

years—he was starting to be quite sure that some of it was man made. He’d found a piece of something, blue and flexible material that had raised letters on it. The letters didn’t make any sense, but it was easy to see they were letters.
    And yet when he showed it to his father, Jen had just said, “Well, I know it looks like letters. But it’s probably just an accident. Some sort of coral maybe.”
    An accident? Did Jen really expect him to believe that?
    Siry wandered off the beach and began shuffling through the town. Here and there, people called out to him. “Nice work, Siry!”
    Siry didn’t even acknowledge them. He just kept walking and thinking. No, there was something else out there. Something his dad wasn’t telling him about. Something the elders were hiding. But what was it?
    Without really making any particular decision, he found himself standing in front of the small hut where the occasional prisoner was held. Several guards stood outside. The hut was made from bamboo, topped with thatch. It hadn’t been used much since most people in Rayne behaved themselves, so it was decrepit looking.
    Siry knew both the guards pretty well. They were big, solid men, friends of his father.
    â€œHello, Kemo,” Siry said. Kemo was the leader of Rayne’s guards. “Is she in there?”
    â€œYes,” Kemo said. He held up his arm, showing off a set of purple teeth marks on his skin. “Look at that, huh? You better believe I gave her a good hit after that, huh?” He grinned. “Nice job, spotting these animals.”
    Siry shrugged. “Hey, I was just standing there.” He looked over Kemo’s shoulder. There was a small window, barred with bamboo. “Can I look at her?”
    Kemo narrowed her eyes. “Why such an interest in the Flighter?”
    â€œI just want to look at her,” Siry said.
    Kemo waved at the barred window. “Just be careful. They’re tricky. Don’t get close or she’s liable to try to attack you.”
    Siry walked over to the window and peered in. The Flighter girl was huddled on the floor. Her shoulder was bruised and there was a large cut on her leg.
    â€œHey,” Siry said. “Can you talk?”
    The girl didn’t even look up at him. Siry studied her for a while. Other than being a little skinny, she looked perfectly healthy. If he’d seen her on the street, in different clothing, he’d never have known she was a Flighter.
    As he was staring at her, a gaggle of little kids came by and joined him in the window, pointing and laughing at the Flighter. They were all eating juba nuts from a bag. After a minute one of the kids threw a juba nutshell at the girl. It bounced off her forehead and fell on the floor. Another kid threw a whole juba nut. It hit the girl in the face. The girl pounced on it, smashed it on the floor, and began picking the meat out of the broken nut.
    Other kids began hurling nuts at the girl.
    â€œHey!” Siry said. “Stop!”
    The kids backed away from him. One of them, a little girl with blond hair, started crying. Kemo gave Siry a nasty look. “Siry, what’s wrong with you?” he said. “They’re just kids having a little fun.”
    Siry turned back to the window. Inside, the girl began ravenously swallowing the nuts as if she’d never eaten before. When she was done, she went back to staring blankly at the floor.
    After he’d stared at her for a while, he said, “Hey, Kemo. Who’s bringing her food?”
    Kemo’s eyebrows went up. “Well—uh—usually when somebody’s in the jail, their families bring them food.”
    â€œYou’re saying you don’t have any food for her?”
    Kemo shrugged. “I didn’t really think about it.”
    â€œI’ll go talk to my father,” Siry said. “He’ll have some food sent over.”
    Â 
    Siry came back with a steaming