Read Online Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow by James Rollins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: James Rollins
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rooftop again. “Ow…Jake, you idiot…”
Jake twisted around to his new backpack, khaki colored to match his clothes, and fumbled it open. He searched inside. Back at the hotel, he had simply dumped all the stuff from his old backpack into the new one. He should have spent more time organizing it.
The T-rex roared.
At last, Jake’s fingers blindly found what he was searching for. He pulled it out and scooted next to Pindor by the entrance.
“What are you planning?” the boy asked. “Do you have a weapon?”
Jake lifted the dog whistle up. “I hope so.”
The T-rex filled the world outside the cave. One claw lifted to attack the boulder pile again.
Jake took a deep breath and brought the whistle to his lips. With all the strength in his chest, he blew as hard as he could. No noise came out, but Jake knew the effect the whistle had on his basset hound at home. Watson could hear it from a mile away.
As he blew, the T-rex lowered its raised claw and backed a step away—then another. It shook its head, plainly bothered.
Out of breath, Jake had to stop and suck in more air.
The T-rex lowered its muzzle and bellowed.
Jake’s hair blew back from his forehead. The T-rex’sbreath reeked worse than a gym locker.
“What are you doing?” Kady said, and tried to pull Jake away. “You’re just making it more angry.”
Jake shook her off. “That’s the point!”
Turning back to the entrance, Jake blew the whistle again. The T-rex shook its head and began to wobble on its feet.
“What’s happening?” Kady asked.
“The skulls of T-rexes,” Jake explained, sucking in another breath. “At least, their fossils…show they have giant tympanic cavities.”
Kady frowned at him. “In English, Einstein.”
“They have big ears!” he gasped out. “So high pitches are magnified to them. Dog whistles should be excruciating.”
Bringing the steel whistle to his lips, Jake blew with all the strength he could muster. It felt like his head was going to explode.
At last, the giant carnivore swung around with a heavy sweep of its tail. It pounded away with a final roar over its shoulder—then dove back into the jungle.
They waited to be sure.
Marika finally spoke. “I think she’ll head back to her nest now!”
Just in case she was wrong, Jake kept the whistle in his hand.
“Is it safe to leave?” Kady asked Marika.
The girl shrugged and stared at Jake’s hand. “A silent flute that scares away thunder lizards. You bear powerful alchemies.”
With the immediate danger over, questions flooded Jake’s mind. They jumbled together. What was this place? How were humans and dinosaurs living together? How did Jake and Kady get here?
Before he could settle on a single question to ask, Marika said, “We should go now. All the noise might attract other creatures.”
Pindor shoved forward with his spear. “Let me go first,” he said glumly. “In case there are more beasts about.”
But the boy’s look betrayed him. He would not meet Jake’s eye. After the demonstration here, Pindor plainly wanted some distance from these strangers. Suspicion pinched his face.
Pindor’s companion was not as wary. After they climbed out of the cave, Marika’s gaze locked on Jake for a moment. Sunlight flashed from her eyes with an emerald fire, revealing a mix of curiosity and amusement.
She pointed an arm up toward the neighboring cliff. “There’s a path up that way. We must get past the Broken Gate. Then we’ll be safe.”
Safe?
Jake glanced back toward the dark jungle as it resumed its squawking and buzzing chorus. Just as he suspected, no place was truly safe in this new world. A saurian bellowechoed out of the deep jungle.
Jake shivered, suddenly remembering the darkness that had brought them here. And the words that had scratched out of the blackness between their world and this one.
Come to me…
6
BROKEN GATE
Jake climbed the narrow trail that headed up the cliff in a series of steep switchbacks.
Jake twisted around to his new backpack, khaki colored to match his clothes, and fumbled it open. He searched inside. Back at the hotel, he had simply dumped all the stuff from his old backpack into the new one. He should have spent more time organizing it.
The T-rex roared.
At last, Jake’s fingers blindly found what he was searching for. He pulled it out and scooted next to Pindor by the entrance.
“What are you planning?” the boy asked. “Do you have a weapon?”
Jake lifted the dog whistle up. “I hope so.”
The T-rex filled the world outside the cave. One claw lifted to attack the boulder pile again.
Jake took a deep breath and brought the whistle to his lips. With all the strength in his chest, he blew as hard as he could. No noise came out, but Jake knew the effect the whistle had on his basset hound at home. Watson could hear it from a mile away.
As he blew, the T-rex lowered its raised claw and backed a step away—then another. It shook its head, plainly bothered.
Out of breath, Jake had to stop and suck in more air.
The T-rex lowered its muzzle and bellowed.
Jake’s hair blew back from his forehead. The T-rex’sbreath reeked worse than a gym locker.
“What are you doing?” Kady said, and tried to pull Jake away. “You’re just making it more angry.”
Jake shook her off. “That’s the point!”
Turning back to the entrance, Jake blew the whistle again. The T-rex shook its head and began to wobble on its feet.
“What’s happening?” Kady asked.
“The skulls of T-rexes,” Jake explained, sucking in another breath. “At least, their fossils…show they have giant tympanic cavities.”
Kady frowned at him. “In English, Einstein.”
“They have big ears!” he gasped out. “So high pitches are magnified to them. Dog whistles should be excruciating.”
Bringing the steel whistle to his lips, Jake blew with all the strength he could muster. It felt like his head was going to explode.
At last, the giant carnivore swung around with a heavy sweep of its tail. It pounded away with a final roar over its shoulder—then dove back into the jungle.
They waited to be sure.
Marika finally spoke. “I think she’ll head back to her nest now!”
Just in case she was wrong, Jake kept the whistle in his hand.
“Is it safe to leave?” Kady asked Marika.
The girl shrugged and stared at Jake’s hand. “A silent flute that scares away thunder lizards. You bear powerful alchemies.”
With the immediate danger over, questions flooded Jake’s mind. They jumbled together. What was this place? How were humans and dinosaurs living together? How did Jake and Kady get here?
Before he could settle on a single question to ask, Marika said, “We should go now. All the noise might attract other creatures.”
Pindor shoved forward with his spear. “Let me go first,” he said glumly. “In case there are more beasts about.”
But the boy’s look betrayed him. He would not meet Jake’s eye. After the demonstration here, Pindor plainly wanted some distance from these strangers. Suspicion pinched his face.
Pindor’s companion was not as wary. After they climbed out of the cave, Marika’s gaze locked on Jake for a moment. Sunlight flashed from her eyes with an emerald fire, revealing a mix of curiosity and amusement.
She pointed an arm up toward the neighboring cliff. “There’s a path up that way. We must get past the Broken Gate. Then we’ll be safe.”
Safe?
Jake glanced back toward the dark jungle as it resumed its squawking and buzzing chorus. Just as he suspected, no place was truly safe in this new world. A saurian bellowechoed out of the deep jungle.
Jake shivered, suddenly remembering the darkness that had brought them here. And the words that had scratched out of the blackness between their world and this one.
Come to me…
6
BROKEN GATE
Jake climbed the narrow trail that headed up the cliff in a series of steep switchbacks.
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