Read Online Eve of Destruction by Patrick Carman - Free Book Online Page A

familiar?” asked Kate. “Us in the middle of a huge mess and you off somewhere hiding in a corner.”
    I didn’t have time to fight with Kate and figured my best play was to dive right into the instructions.
    â€œI have a map in here, it tells me where to go and how to get there. She’s giving me instructions as we go. I’ll relay them to you and before we know it we’ll be out.”
    â€œNo way I’m trusting you or that lady,” said Alex. “No way.”
    He glanced around, searching for something, and mumbled to the others, “Where’s Ben?”
    â€œHe’s trying to climb out,” I said. “I saw him go up, but he hasn’t come down yet. I have a feeling he’s not going to be very much use.”
    â€œYa think?” asked Kate sarcastically. “He’s barely holding it together.”
    â€œJust listen to me!” I yelled. The only way they could hear me was if the S1 button on the console was switched to the ON position when I was talking. I knew this because the next thing I said was “Shut the hell up, Kate!” after I turned that button to OFF .
    â€œI can read lips, you know,” she said, and this, for some reason, made Connor laugh.
    I turned the audio back on.
    â€œWhile we’re on the subject of the area around the exit, I can’t hear you guys from that position—I can only hear you when you stand next to one of these stations.”
    â€œHow many stations are there?” asked Marisa.
    â€œAccording to the map, there are five. Is there a metal box behind you, to the left?”
    I’d seen the box on the map marked emergency and wondered what was inside.
    â€œYeah, yeah,” said Connor, vanishing from the screen. A few seconds later I could hear but not see him telling me what was inside. “Two flashlights, and they work! And a first aid kit, too bulky to carry around.”
    â€œGreat, maybe take some basics out—Band-Aids or whatever—the flashlights are an awesome find.”
    Things were looking up.
    â€œTwo of you need to go back to the entrance and follow the way toward the blue zone/O zone. That’s what Goring told me—just two people, the rest will probably be going in the red direction, I’m not sure. And before you ask, I don’t know why. On the blue side you’ll find a door, which I can open from in here. Once I’ve got two of you on the other side, I can guide you to another communication station.”
    â€œWhat’s on the other side of the door?” asked Connor. “What’s the map show?”
    â€œHold on,” I said, because, really, I had very little idea myself. I’d only had a few seconds to look at the map and hadn’t really taken it all in. I backpedaled across the room while they took turns yelling instructions at me I didn’t listen to. The blue zone/O zone led through the door and down another round corridor.
    â€œI think maybe Alex and Connor would be best for this,” I said, hoping mostly to keep Marisa safe from two hazard areas that ran along the path behind the blue door. There were two pitted-out floors in that direction, two chances to fall in and die.
    â€œMust be bad,” Kate said fearlessly. “Or you’d send your girlfriend that way.”
    â€œI’m not his girlfriend,” said Marisa.
    â€œOh, I think you are,” Kate said, grabbing Marisa by the arm and dragging her off screen.
    â€œMarisa!” I yelled, but Kate had either overpowered her or talked her into it, because Marisa didn’t return as Connor leaned his entire fat head into the screen.
    â€œYou want me to chase after ’em or what?”
    A huge moment of indecision swept over me. Connor was the biggest and strongest of the group, so I wanted him with Marisa in case anything happened. But he was also vying for her attention, and being Connor, he presented a serious threat to my getting her