Read Online Seven Wonders Journals by Peter Lerangis - Free Book Online Page A

maybe she’s not going to rip out his soul so fast. If we hurry maybe we can . . .”
    There was a booming sound from deep inside the tunnel. I knew my plea would go unanswered but I tried anyway. “Ahmet? P-please?” My voice broke.
    The men exchanged glances.
    â€œI’m not going down there, I won’t fit,” Ahmet said.
    â€œThe tunnel is completely blocked,” Dodi added.
    â€œKhalid should never have gone down there,” Ali said. “Is this the curse Nigel talked about?”
    â€œI warned him,” Gencer sighed, shaking his head. “I told him it was a bad idea.”
    I turned away, sickened, as one by one Father’s friends abandoned him.
    For a piece of jewelry.
    A fortune, yes, but was it worth it?
    They think so, but they didn’t just lose their whole family.
    I can’t even think about tomorrow, Diary. I am lost.
    Saturday
    I DON ’ T KNOW if I slept or not. Or if I ever will again. All I know is that I am wrapped in Father’s military coat. My arms are stiff, my back bruised. No one remains. The blue bauble is gone, too.
    I have scoured the earth for the gash, but it, too, has disappeared as if it never existed.
    So this is it, Diary. Today I bury you and start a new life. Today I am alone.
    I will embrace Alone. Alone will be my ally. If you have no one, then you have nothing to lose.
    I know Artemisia is down there. I can feel her through the earth. She may think she has the souls of my father and my brother. But she is wrong. I have them. My mother’s, too, deep inside me. In a way the zombie queen could never understand.
    I am all of them. And I will have my revenge.
    My vow:
    I will track down that scum, Gencer, and get the jewel back. It might well have magical powers, and if it does I will find out how to use them. I will become rich, powerful, and influential. Gencer will wish he’d never met my father and my family.
    And then I will teach Artemisia the meaning of pain.
    Dear Diary, I know now that my brother had the mark. I will find out what that is. I know this blue ball is the key to more than nothingness. My father and brother will not have died in vain. I will make their lives mean something.
    This is my solemn promise. Even if it takes all of eternity.
    â€”Aliyah

L EAVING THE LOCULI at home was out of the question. Dad and I were both paranoid the Massa—or some snoop hired by Morty Reese—would break in and steal them. So we took them with us on Dad’s jet. For protection.
    The ride was bumpy. We argued for six hours about how to proceed. Aly was still thin and quiet from being sick. But by the time we reached the Kalamata Airport, we had a plan. Cass, Aly, and I would grab a taxi. Alone. Bringing Dad with us, we decided, would make the Massa suspicious.
    So we left him and the Loculi behind in the plane.
    I was a nervous wreck.
    The taxi had no air-conditioning and a hole in the front passenger floor. Rocks spat up into the car from the road as we drove. As we sped noisily across Greece, the mountains of the Peloponnese rose up in the distance to our right. And Cass had a revelation. “Whoa,” he cried out, looking up from his phone. “The meaning of Roudouni is nostril !”
    â€œIs geography!” our driver said. (Everything he said seemed to come with an exclamation point.) “Just north of Roudouni is long mountain with—how do you say? Ridge! To Ancient Greeks, this looks like straight nose! Greek nose! Strong! At bottom is two valleys—round valleys! Is like, you know . . . thio roudounia . . . two nostrils!”
    â€œAnd thus,” Cass announced, “Roudouni picked its name.”
    â€œCass, please . . .” Aly said.
    Cass began narrating like a TV host. “Our car develops a moist coating as it enters the rim of the roudouni . It is said that the people here are a bit snotty, tough around the edges but soft at the core.”
    â€œHa! Is funny boy!”