Read Online Cragbridge Hall, Book One: The Inventor's Secret by Chad Morris - Free Book Online Page A

that gave Derick the impression that he had no chance of being a teacher’s assistant. “Can I go in now?” Derick asked.
    “If you understand the seriousness of the responsibility,” the boy said, “you may enter. If you prefer not to, we can have a counselor transfer you to another class, like pottery or modern dance.” Derick thought the boy was just provoking him now.
    “No, thank you,” Derick said. “I’m in all the way.”
    The boy tilted his head to the side and let out a small huff. He flicked his finger across a screen, which made several clicks. The next set of doors opened, and Derick entered into a large classroom.
    “Take your seats. Take your seats,” a man in slacks and a blue button-up shirt said. Derick couldn’t tell if the man’s short hair was blond or white—likely a decent mixture of both. “Pick any seat. You won’t be in it long.” He waited for all the students to sit. Derick picked the closest one he could find, which was at the edge of a middle row. “I’m Dr. Mackleprank, your zoology teacher.” He spoke casually and sat on top of a desk at the front of the room. “And you’ve all met my assistant Rafael, or Rafa, for short.”
    He pointed to the boy who questioned Derick on the way in. He’s Brazilian, Derick thought. That would explain why the initial “R” is pronounced like an “H.” I wonder what part of Brazil he’s from? Derick had learned that pronunciation rule after watching Brazil play in the World Cup last year.
    “Rafa took roll and made you agree to follow the rules before you could even come this far. Thank you, Rafa.” The boy nodded back at the professor.
    “You’ll find that Rafa is somewhat of a prodigy in the subjects we’ll study in here. He can be of great use to you. I suggest you follow him very closely.” The teacher surveyed the room for a moment. “In this class, we will strive to make the world of animals come alive for you. To pass, you’ll need to know anatomies, behavior, habitat, and more for several species. You know, of course, that technology has given you a great advantage. You will have the chance to earn an opportunity to use the avatars and to interact with real animals. It is a scientist’s dream and your privilege here.”
    Dr. Mackleprank swung his feet off the desk and moved toward the center of the room. “If the concept of an avatar is unclear to some of you, I will explain. An avatar is almost like another body for you, another form, which you control. In this case, we have made intricate robots to perfectly replicate animals. They move like animals. They imitate breathing and eating like animals. They can even make the same animal sounds. You control them from a lab, but when you are hooked up to our system, you see what they see, feel what they feel. Yes, the program is that accurate—for all intents and purposes, you become the animal.”
    Derick had hoped the avatar rumors were true, but he felt shocked by the magnificence of it. He would even be able to feel what the robots felt—incredible.
    Dr. Mackleprank continued. “You must pass thorough exams before ever being allowed into the animal habitats. Not only will you need intellectual knowledge, but you will also have to prove competency with your particular avatar. Real monkeys can pick out a clumsy fake any day, and they will treat you as an outcast.” Dr. Mackleprank paused. “I’ve decided that to help you begin, and to motivate you with your studies, we will start with an avatar experience today.”
    This was going to be the best zoology class ever.
    “You have probably seen the variety of avatars we offer here,” Dr. Mackleprank said. “But don’t get overly excited. They are very difficult to control, so you must start off with the easiest to move. For example, it would be nearly impossible for one of you to learn to fly an eagle as a seventh grader. Which do you think would be the easiest to learn how to use?”
    Derick raised his hand, but