Read Online Consequences by Carla Jablonski - Free Book Online

happiness-extractor machine.
    â€œGrease and burning gaskets, it can’t be!” Slaggingham cried. “A unicorn, drat its shiny hide. Well, get the ridiculous thing out of here.”
    None of the workers moved. It was as if the unicorn had them all hypnotized.
    Daniel stared at the creature and felt his heart flutter. It was beautiful, and hopeful, and had no right to be there amid all their dark squalor. It was too white, too clean; it made him angry. He understood Slaggingham’s rage. Seeing it was a reminder of what they were not. Was the thing laughing at them? Did it come here just to make them feel bad about their lot in life?
    Slaggingham scanned his workers and must have realized they were useless in this situation. “It’s the glue shed for you, you scurvy agitator,” he shouted at the unicorn.
    With several clicking sounds, Slaggingham popped a strange metal eyepiece into place. Daniel was startled: The weapon seemed to have grown out of Slaggingham’s coat. He’s been armed the whole time , Daniel realized. Glad I didn’t cross him.
    Then, by merely blinking his eye, Slaggingham set off a round of ammunition straight at the animal.
    The unicorn reared up and galloped away down one of the branching tunnels. Every single bullet missed its mark. No one made a move to follow the creature.
    â€œConfound you, you popinjay!” Slaggingham bellowed. “You fairy-tale jumping jack! Drat you and that meddling Timothy Hunter!”
    Daniel’s face grew hot, and his heart thudded double time in his chest. “Did you say…did you say Timothy Hunter?” he gasped.
    With several clicks, Slaggingham’s weapon folded back into his coat. Slaggingham looked down at Daniel. “I did.”
    â€œAre you telling me that he’s the one who is causing the trouble down here? Stopping work and making little blokes out of tools?”
    â€œThat is the villain. Do you know him?”
    â€œI’ll say I do. He stole my girl, Marya.” Daniel took a deep breath. “If you’re against Timothy Hunter, then I’m your man. I hate him.”
    â€œSo does that mean we have an agreement?” Slaggingham asked eagerly.
    Daniel nodded, then thrust out his hand for the man to shake. “We does indeed.”

Chapter Six
    T IM STARED AT MOLLY and Marya, both frozen mid-step. He balled his hands into fists, squeezed his eyes shut, and banged his temples.
    â€œYou’ve really done it now, Tim,” he admonished himself. He opened his eyes again. Unfortunately the scene in front of him hadn’t changed. Proof of his supreme idiocy—as if he needed any further evidence.
    â€œBut what exactly have I done?” he asked out loud. “And how do I undo it?”
    He walked in a slow circle all the way around Molly and Marya. It was as if they were statues in an art museum. They looked completely alive.
    â€œOf course they look alive—they are alive!” Tim hated the sound of the terror in his voice. It went all squeaky. He studied them again. “They’re just…on pause.” He fiddled with the junk in his pockets, hoping the familiar action would help him think.
    It didn’t.
    Tim slumped onto the curb, his eyes never leaving Molly. He got into this mess because he freaked out, and instead of facing the situation like a man, like a hero, or maybe like his dad, Tamlin, would have, he just tried to stop it so he could pretend it wasn’t happening. Which made everything much worse, because something else happened instead—and he was the one who had done it!
    He stood back up again, pacing back and forth in front of the girls. He had wanted to tell Molly himself about the magic; he had even planned a demonstration. But this wasn’t quite what he’d had in mind.
    He planted himself next to Molly, taking in her sparkling eyes. What was the expression on her face? She seemed excited and urgent. She didn’t