Read Online Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. Lafevers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: R. L. Lafevers
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Children's Books, Fantasy, People & Places, Action & Adventure, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure - General, Magic, Fantasy & Magic, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Social Issues, Readers, Animals, Girls & Women, Adventure and Adventurers, Mythical, middle east, Myths, Fables, Parents, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Emotions & Feelings, Boys & Men, Animals - Mythical, legends, Chapter Books, Children: Grades 3-4, Orphans & Foster Homes, Birds, Animals - Birds, Phoenix (Mythical bird), Readers - Chapter Books, People & Places - Middle East
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Bedouin gathered round, pointing and whispering. Nate pushed to the front of the crowd.
Greasle was rolling in a small trickle of thick, dark liquid. She paused to slurp up a big gulp, then writhed with happiness. At Nate's approach, she looked up and grinned. "Much better than nasty dates," she said gleefully.
Nate knelt and dipped his fingers into the puddle. He sniffed, then rubbed them together. He looked up at Aunt Phil. "It's just like that stuff you had in the barrel for your airplane," he said.
[Image: Greasle.]
133
Aunt Phil knelt and tested the puddle herself. "You're right, Nate. It is oil."
Nate thought a moment. "You said it was valuable. Will they trade it for our freedom?"
Aunt Phil's eyes widened in surprise. "They just might." She raised her voice and called out to the sheik, "Our gremlin--er, jinni--has given you a gift of great value. She has discovered oil."
"Oil?" the sheik repeated. "What is this oil? It is not water and we cannot drink it. Of what value can it be?"
Aunt Phil scooped up a handful of the oozing black liquid and let it dribble from her fingers. "This is what will power the future," she said. "Airplanes, motorcars, trucks, tanks--all need this substance in order to run. Men will pay much for it."
The sheik narrowed his eyes. "You mean the machines of war. Like the Turks and British used to fight."
Aunt Phil looked sad for a moment. "Yes. Your first taste of our technology was in war. But there are many other uses for such machines. Oil may not have value for the Bedouin, but others will pay dearly for it. It will bring you much in trade."
134
The sheik studied Greasle, who now lay in an oily stupor, her little belly bulging. Then he looked back at Nate. "Very well. We will take this in trade for your aunt. But come," he said to Aunt Phil. "Tell me more of this oil and fuel and technology. I want to understand your view of the future. Then we will return your camels to you and see you on your way."
Aunt Phil looked over her shoulder at Nate. "Brilliant!" she said.
***
Hours later, Nate and Aunt Phil were escorted to the oasis. They rode behind two Bedouin, leading their own camels by ropes.
Once they had bid goodbye to the Bedouin, Aunt Phil looked toward the palm tree, her face forlorn. "I can't believe I missed the phoenix. Was it wonderful?" she asked.
Nate stared at the tree, remembering. "It was better than wonderful."
After another moment, Aunt Phil sighed and draped her arm across Nate's shoulders. It felt odd--heavy, but nice,
135
too. "Well, there's no doubt about it. You're an official Fludd now. The only one of us to see a phoenix rebirth since 1428."
Nate stood up a little taller and tried to look official.
"You'll have to tell me every detail of what happened so I can record it in The Book of Beasts."
The Book of Beasts! Nate had almost forgotten. "Aunt Phil, when you were at the Bedouin camp, did you see a man with red hair? Sort of the same color as yours? He was short and round and wore black robes."
"No," Aunt Phil said, suddenly alert. "Why?"
Nate told her of the attempt to steal The Book of Beasts. When he was done, she began to pace. "What? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Describe him to me again," she said.
Nate did. When he was done, he asked, "Do you have any idea who it might have been?"
Aunt Phil stopped pacing and sighed. "I have my suspicions. There are very few who even know the book exists. If I am right, it's very bad news indeed." Her face cleared. "But excellent work in keeping it safe, Nate."
136
"Greasle helped," he pointed out.
Aunt Phil glanced at the sleeping gremlin. "I must say, she's proven far more useful than I ever imagined."
As Aunt Phil turned away, Greasle opened one eye and winked at Nate. He winked back.
"Now," Aunt Phil said, "let's get on back to the plane. We've loads to do and little time to do it." She lifted her saddle, grunting with the effort, and headed toward her camel.
Nate followed behind. "Really?" Nate
Greasle was rolling in a small trickle of thick, dark liquid. She paused to slurp up a big gulp, then writhed with happiness. At Nate's approach, she looked up and grinned. "Much better than nasty dates," she said gleefully.
Nate knelt and dipped his fingers into the puddle. He sniffed, then rubbed them together. He looked up at Aunt Phil. "It's just like that stuff you had in the barrel for your airplane," he said.
[Image: Greasle.]
133
Aunt Phil knelt and tested the puddle herself. "You're right, Nate. It is oil."
Nate thought a moment. "You said it was valuable. Will they trade it for our freedom?"
Aunt Phil's eyes widened in surprise. "They just might." She raised her voice and called out to the sheik, "Our gremlin--er, jinni--has given you a gift of great value. She has discovered oil."
"Oil?" the sheik repeated. "What is this oil? It is not water and we cannot drink it. Of what value can it be?"
Aunt Phil scooped up a handful of the oozing black liquid and let it dribble from her fingers. "This is what will power the future," she said. "Airplanes, motorcars, trucks, tanks--all need this substance in order to run. Men will pay much for it."
The sheik narrowed his eyes. "You mean the machines of war. Like the Turks and British used to fight."
Aunt Phil looked sad for a moment. "Yes. Your first taste of our technology was in war. But there are many other uses for such machines. Oil may not have value for the Bedouin, but others will pay dearly for it. It will bring you much in trade."
134
The sheik studied Greasle, who now lay in an oily stupor, her little belly bulging. Then he looked back at Nate. "Very well. We will take this in trade for your aunt. But come," he said to Aunt Phil. "Tell me more of this oil and fuel and technology. I want to understand your view of the future. Then we will return your camels to you and see you on your way."
Aunt Phil looked over her shoulder at Nate. "Brilliant!" she said.
***
Hours later, Nate and Aunt Phil were escorted to the oasis. They rode behind two Bedouin, leading their own camels by ropes.
Once they had bid goodbye to the Bedouin, Aunt Phil looked toward the palm tree, her face forlorn. "I can't believe I missed the phoenix. Was it wonderful?" she asked.
Nate stared at the tree, remembering. "It was better than wonderful."
After another moment, Aunt Phil sighed and draped her arm across Nate's shoulders. It felt odd--heavy, but nice,
135
too. "Well, there's no doubt about it. You're an official Fludd now. The only one of us to see a phoenix rebirth since 1428."
Nate stood up a little taller and tried to look official.
"You'll have to tell me every detail of what happened so I can record it in The Book of Beasts."
The Book of Beasts! Nate had almost forgotten. "Aunt Phil, when you were at the Bedouin camp, did you see a man with red hair? Sort of the same color as yours? He was short and round and wore black robes."
"No," Aunt Phil said, suddenly alert. "Why?"
Nate told her of the attempt to steal The Book of Beasts. When he was done, she began to pace. "What? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Describe him to me again," she said.
Nate did. When he was done, he asked, "Do you have any idea who it might have been?"
Aunt Phil stopped pacing and sighed. "I have my suspicions. There are very few who even know the book exists. If I am right, it's very bad news indeed." Her face cleared. "But excellent work in keeping it safe, Nate."
136
"Greasle helped," he pointed out.
Aunt Phil glanced at the sleeping gremlin. "I must say, she's proven far more useful than I ever imagined."
As Aunt Phil turned away, Greasle opened one eye and winked at Nate. He winked back.
"Now," Aunt Phil said, "let's get on back to the plane. We've loads to do and little time to do it." She lifted her saddle, grunting with the effort, and headed toward her camel.
Nate followed behind. "Really?" Nate
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