Read Online Oden by Jessica Frances - Free Book Online

run through it like I can. I look back, seeing him moving slowly and having to twist his shoulders to fit through. I know this is the biggest advantage I’m going to get, therefore I push myself harder
    When I make it out of the other side, I am almost crushed by a machine landing next to me. I scream, having not anticipated such an unexpected thing to happen, and then cry out when someone grabs hold of my arm.
    As I look to the side and see Marduke’s panicked face, I don’t get time to thank him or hug him before he’s dragging me away. We sprint towards the building where the entrance to the tunnels is, and when we are inside, he moves me straight towards the back room.
    He taps his hand against a wall and it opens up a control panel. From there, he holds his hand flat against it and below us a hidden door appears. He moves away from the wall, grabbing the door and opening it up. All I see are stairs, and as soon as I step over the edge, coolness overwhelms me and causes me to shiver.
    I rush down the steps, watching as Marduke moves over the entrance as well. Then, as he begins to close the door, a loud crash blasts over us and the door is forcefully slammed shut. Marduke is pushed down, not ready for the force of the building surrounding the entrance to collapse onto the door
    As we’re sealed into the darkness, he falls down and knocks into me. We both collapse, and thankfully, I’m wearing my vest to protect the baby. Regrettably, my head doesn’t have any such protection, and I feel the painful jolt as I crack the back of it on the ground. Marduke’s body crushes mine for only a few moments before he rolls off me and wraps his arms around me.
    “Mattie, are you okay? I’m so sorry; please say I didn’t hurt you.” His hands skim over me, moving from my face, down my arms, over my vest, and even touching my legs before he moves back to resting his hands on either side of my face.
    “I’m okay,” I gasp, hoping that is true. I don’t have time to not be okay. “Where are the others? Did you get them here safely?” I panic when I realise there will be no going back now. Not with the only entrance to the city above trapped under a collapsed building.
    “Yes, we should keep moving if you are sure you’re unharmed.” Marduke’s voice echoes around us.
    He helps me stand, but I feel shaky on my feet. I lean in and hug him tightly, needing his warmth and strength as he wraps me up in his arms.
    “Thank you. I’m sorry I ran, but I saw Logan, and I had—”
    “It’s okay, I understand. I’m just grateful we got him here safely. You’ll all be safe in here, I promise.”
    I nod, trying to let his words soak in and comfort me. I’m still in shock over everything that happened since being taken on Roth, though. I might have been in some weird sort of coma on Jeprow’s spacecraft, but my brain hasn’t been able to process anything I’ve been through. As soon as I woke up, I was fighting my way out of that room and getting to Marduke. Then, after we grabbed Ival, we were dropping out of a moving spaceship and arriving on a war stricken Oden. I am overwhelmed and exhausted.
    Therefore, when I hear yelling echoing down to us and sobbing, I fear that the comfort Marduke just tried to give me is already pointless.
    What threat is down here with us? What is waiting for us now? What is happening to the others?

 
     
     
    Chapter 4
    Mattie
     
    The farther down we travel, the louder the voices and a light in the distance grows. I recognise one of the voices yelling. It is Lisa, and she sounds angry, not scared. Since she is down here with only Hannah, the kids, and Ival, it’s obvious who she is yelling at.
    When we enter the new area, a light trailing along the ceiling of the tunnel reveals the scene in front of us. Hannah loses her grip on Logan’s hand as he sprints at us and throws himself at my legs, knocking me back into Marduke, who is able to catch me and keep me upright.
    “Careful, Logan,”