Read Online Dark Days by James Ponti - Free Book Online

with us.”
    She laughed. “Judging by your expression I thought it was going to be something bad. Of course I want to celebrate your birthday. I wouldn’t miss it.”
    That response. Her eagerness, made everything else melt away. “Really?”
    â€œDinner and a musical, right?” she asked, referring to my traditional celebration. “Which one are we going to see?”
    â€œActually, this year we’re having a party,” I told her. “We’re going to Coney Island.”
    Her expression changed instantly and at first I assumed it was because she thought Coney Island was a silly way to celebrate your birthday.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with Coney Island?” I asked. “Too kiddie?”
    She paused for a moment at a loss for words. Then she said, “No, it’s just that I’ll have to check with my doctors. I’m not sure I’m allowed to go on roller coasters yet.”
    It had never occurred to me that she might not be able to ride the rides. I apologized and she told me it was no big deal. But I still felt like a total dork.
    I tried to change the subject and be a better friend. “What’s the paper you’re looking for?” I asked. “Let me help.”
    â€œâ€Šâ€˜The Hollow Men’,” she said.
    â€œIs that one of Eliot’s poems?”
    She nodded. “A really depressing one.”
    I started sorting through a different stack of papers.
    â€œI know there’s a copy in another book,” she said, getting up. “I’ll try to find it in the stacks.”
    â€œI’ll keep looking here,” I replied.
    I want to be totally honest. I was absolutely one hundred percent looking for the poem. No matter what was going on with Omega, her friendship is what mattered more. But then I noticed that her backpack was open, and I could see a piece of blue paper in the pocket where Liberty had passed her the note. It had to be the same one.
    I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but I couldn’t stop myself. I looked over my shoulder and saw that Natalie was still looking for the book on the shelf. I had a window of about ten to fifteen seconds.
    I reached in with the tip of my fingers and pulled out the note. The message was brief and written in Omega code.
    It read: 107/8/92/34 6/15/18/19
    Which translates to: BhOUSe CpArK.
    I wasn’t sure what that meant. I wondered if it was “B House C Park.” Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to think it through before she came back. I quickly folded the paper and slid it into her backpack.
    â€œDid you find it?”
    I looked up and saw her right there. Then I realized she was asking about the poem.
    â€œNo,” I said. “I don’t see it anywhere.”
    â€œThat’s all right. I know it’s in here.” She sat down and started flipping through the book to find the other copy.
    â€œWhy are the men ‘hollow’?” I asked her, referring to the title of the poem.
    â€œI think it has something to do with soldiers feeling empty after the end of World War One,” she said. “But it makes me think of the Unlucky 13, left hollow by the explosion in the subway tunnel and wandering the underground, not really living and not really dead.”
    â€œThat’s pretty deep,” I said. “Too bad you can’t right about that for your paper.”
    â€œComparing and contrasting the poems of T. S. Eliot with the undead of New York City,” she said with a laugh. “That would really catch Ms. Brewer’s attention.”
    â€œYou’ve got a lot of work to do,” I said. “I should head to lunch and let you get back to it.”
    â€œThanks for looking,” she said. “Maybe we can get together this weekend and do something fun, like pizza.”
    â€œThat would be great,” I replied.
    After seeing her I was even more confused than I had been when the day started. I kept replaying