Read Online FINNED (The Merworld Water Wars) by Sutton Shields - Free Book Online Page A

disappeared during Katrina Zale’s Halloween party, and I’m just trying to find out where he went. I’m worried about him.”
    No answer.
    “All right, I’ll go. Sorry to have bothered you,” I said, turning to leave, but before taking a step, a hand grabbed my backpack and yanked me into the house. “Crashing to the dirty floor wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I asked to talk.”
    “Sorry. Had to be sure,” muttered Trey’s grandfather. Polly and Meikle were right—he looked completely mad.
    “Be sure of what exactly?” I asked, getting up off the gritty floor.
    “That you were a friend. Marina Valentine. Am I right?” he asked, swiftly turning to peek through cracks in the plywood.
    “Yes. Do you know what happened to Trey? He’s not fishing, is he?”
    “No, he’s not fishing, but I don’t know where he is,” he said, once again whipping around to look outside.
    “What’s going on? Why are you so frightened?” I gently asked.
    His face perked up, as though he heard something in the distance. Sniffing the air, he said, “They’re coming, get away.”
    “Who’s coming?”
    “They are.” He shuffled forward, grabbed my wrist, and shoved something into my hand.
    I looked at the object he gave me and immediately recognized the silver owl. “This is Trey’s luck charm. He always wore it.”
    His grandfather nodded. “He’d want you to have it. Oh, they’re coming, get away,” he said, shoving me backward.
    “Please, who’s coming, and where’s Trey?”
    “They are. Trey’s hiding. He knows things. He has discovered the secret.” Mr. Campbell flipped around, grabbed his gun, and ran to the window, but he didn’t have to check—this time I heard something outside. “They’re here.”
    “Mr. Campbell? Open the door. We just want to talk with you!” shouted Vice Principal Anderson.
    “What’s Mr. Anderson doing here?” I asked.
    “Shhhh. They know you’re here! Come, come,” he whispered, urging me to follow him into a back bedroom.
    Hesitantly, I followed him into a room covered in newspaper clippings, calendars, and books open to pages on the Loch Ness Monster, the Kraken, and various sea beasts. This was Trey’s room.
    “Listen! Listen! Something’s happening in this town—something horrible. Trey knows. You are in danger.” A loud boom distracted him.
    “MR. CAMPBELL!” yelled Mr. Smarmy.
    “Are they inside?” I asked, alarmed.
    “Out the window! Stay along the houses. Take a right at the first street. Keep between houses until you get home.”
    “What about you? What will they do to you?”
    “I’m an old man. I need to help my grandson any way I can. Please, find a way out of this town,” he said, shoving me out of the window.
    I crashed to the ground, landing flat on my back.
    “Run!” he yelled.
    As soon as I turned down the first street, I heard Mr. Campbell scream. I sprinted all the way home and climbed through my bedroom window just in time to hear my mom knock on the door.
    Throwing off my coat and bag, I shouted, “Come in!”
    “What are you doing in here, pumpkin?”
    “Just working out,” I said, wiping sweat from my face.
    “How did your visit go with Mr. Campbell?”
    “Um, fine. No news of Trey, though. Mom, did you tell anyone I was going to see him?”
    “Don’t think so…wait, yes, I did tell someone. He wondered why you left school so quickly.”
    “Who wondered?”
    “Mr. Anderson.” Suddenly, Mr. Campbell doesn’t sound so crazy. “Anyway, whatever you and Mr. Campbell talked about must have done the trick.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “I got a call from Mr. Anderson just now. Apparently, Mr. Campbell found Trey! He said Grandpa Campbell has decided to join Trey on his fishing trip!”
    “What about school? Wouldn’t Mr. Smar—Anderson—require Trey to come back for school?” I asked, my stomach churning.
    “Actually, he’s going to make up his exams over Christmas break. Why don’t you look