Read Online Infinite Testament by Greg Ness - Free Book Online Page A

and found what he thought might be the remnants from the
ritual. Instantly interested, Bruce set out to do two things: see what
they were up to and disrupt them in epic fashion. Unfortunately, the ritual was
deep in the heart of the forest and would take a while to find.
    Stephen doubted they would find anything. Over the
years, he heard plenty of stories of cults. In order for all of them to
be true, every town in the state had to have at least two practicing
cults. It was just nonsense.
    A bright white flash erupted in the distance. It
provided a burst of light that lasted only milliseconds. “Did you see
that?” Bruce asked. Stephen nodded. He saw it. Probably a
picture flash. Big deal. More kids looking for the mythical cult.
“We need to head that way,” Bruce asserted.
    A shadowy figure walked by. It startled Stephen so
much, he tripped over a branch and crashed to the ground. As he fell, a
yelp escaped his mouth. Bruce darted to a knee to avoid being seen.
    “Who’s there?” An adult male voice yelled.
    Bruce looked at Stephen with wide eyes and shook his
head. “Don’t make a sound,” he said with his eyes.
    Footsteps crunched in front of them. This was where
their all-black attire would hopefully come in handy. The sounds of
crushing sticks daunted closer. Stephen lay on the forest floor and Bruce
knelt next to him in silence. Stephen held his breath just for good
measure. It couldn’t really be a cult, could it?
    A group began chanting in musical rhythm. It sounded
like a twisted Gregorian chant. Yes, there really was a cult in this
forest. The figure reverted back toward the chanting.
    “We found them!” Bruce exclaimed as quietly as he
could. The chanting was loud enough to provide them some cover as they
tried to make their way closer.
    A tiny fire burst in front of them, about ten yards
away. It illuminated the surrounding area and allowed them to see the
full extent of what was going on. The fire was only inches high and
formed a circle on the ground. There were thirteen people standing around
it dressed in blue robes. Hoods attached to the robes drooped over their
faces and concealed them. Their lips and chins were visible, but little
else could be seen.
    Bruce helped Stephen to his feet and they inched as close
as they could to the chanting men. “What is that?” Bruce asked, “KKK?”
    Stephen shook his head. “I don’t think so.” The
hoods weren’t pointy and the robes were blue. That didn’t seem to match
any KKK footage Stephen had ever seen. He didn’t know much about the KKK,
but he was pretty sure they didn’t chant in song.
    Bruce looked on, bouncing around and giddy as ever.
“Let’s do it. You got ‘em?”
    Stephen calmed him down. He was gripped by what was
unfolding. “Hold on, I want to see what happens.”
    The blue-robed men methodically paced around the circle of
fire sprouting from the ground. They continued their chanting, which was
clearly not English. Stephen couldn’t decipher what language it
was. This could be a peaceful ceremony, but it didn’t feel that
way. The robed men simultaneously stopped and faced the fire
circle. They slowly extended their hands and raised them slightly in the
air. They crossed their feet and bowed their heads. The pose was
distinctly familiar: they looked like Jesus Christ on the cross. Maybe
this was a religious cult. Even worse, Stephen worried, a crazed Satanic
Cult. Would they start microwaving babies? Wait, what?
Stephen’s thoughts escaped him. There was no baby and definitely no
microwave. Even so, he didn’t feel safe.
    One man stood with his arms at his side, not posing like
the rest. That man must have been the leader, Stephen figured. The
man yelled, “We await your arrival!” The robed men stood in silence.
    Bruce chuckled. “Seriously?” It was one of the
most ridiculous things he had ever seen. What a bunch of buffoons.
Time to show them who ran this town. He nodded to Stephen, “Now.”
    Stephen