Read Online The Sons Of Cleito (The Abductions of Langley Garret Book 1) by Derek Haines - Free Book Online

course I had expected Chara's smile to greet me.
    'Oh, good morning Leda.'
    'Good morning. Are you ready?' she asked.
    'I suppose so. Do I need anything?'
    'No, I don't think so.'
    'Right then,' I said, as I closed the door and she led me off down the corridor. She seemed to march more than walk.
    'Did you enjoy your reading?'
    'I'm not sure I would say enjoyed, more fascinated I think. It's all a bit much to take in though, what with all these gods, myths and mysterious planets.'
    'If you haven't lived with the knowledge all your life I can understand that it must be difficult for you to comprehend. It's always the same for those who were taken from us.'
    'Taken? What do you mean?'
    'It was your mother's fault. Like so many others she was tempted by what the humans had to offer and deserted her island.'
    'You make it sound like a crime.'
    'This way, I want you to see the library,' she said as we turned into a corridor. I followed in silence as we made our way. Finally entering a room that turned out to be like a small cinema and Leda gesturing for me to sit along side her in the front of two rows of chairs. She took something from her pocket and pressed it and the screen in front of me flashed still images of people boarding a boat, then a short video of an island with a voice-over telling the story of how we must fight for our survival and protected status, and be ready when the day comes to go into glorious battle to retain out rightful place on the throne. I don't know why, but the name Winston Smith flashed into my thinking as I watched.
    'I suppose you know I went up onto the island last evening,' I told her as the voice-over started repeating itself.
    'I hope it was pleasant.'
    'Um, yes it was.'
    'I'm not sure that it's the right time to ask this, but I've only met you and Chara since I've been here. Does anyone else live here?'
    'Yes,' she said, and I waited for more information that once again failed to arrive. More still images flashed on the screen and Leda seemed to be concentrating on them intently. I discovered why when she paused on one image of a woman's face. The woman was in her mid-twenties and was dressed in a jacket and skirt not dissimilar from the one I had seen Chara wear on my first day on the island. However, the style was a little different and it gave me a hint of fifties or sixties fashion but as the image was in black and white I didn't know what colour it was. The woman's hair was short, softly curled and dark, which also reminded me of the sixties styles.
    'Do you know who she is?' Leda asked.
    'No,' I replied immediately, but she just waited, looking at me. As the seconds passed I gathered she wanted me to form an opinion as to the woman's identity.
    'My mother I suppose,' I said, as I connected the dots of this exercise.
    'You've never seen a picture of your mother before, have you Lang?'
    'No. I only had the long letter that she wrote to me before her death. I don't even know where it is now though.'
    'Do you see a resemblance?'
    'Perhaps, but I'm not very good at that sort of thing. Women seem to do that much better.'
    'It's usually in the shape of the eyes,' Leda said as if to validate my theory.

'So how many people live here?' I asked, thinking that it had been long enough since I had last tried to get an answer to my question, as well as thinking that the introduction to my mother was a little worrisome. First a name and now a photograph.
    'All in due course Lang. I'm sorry, but we need to take this slowly as there will be a lot for you to digest and understand.' I nodded, but her answer, and perhaps her mention of the word digest, sent my small intestine into a tight little knot as waves of doubt swept through my stomach. My brain, just for a change, was in total agreement. Something, if not everything was very, very wrong about all this. Plus she had ignored my question yet again.
    'More books?' I asked, but only to sound as if I was still active in the conversation. My brain and mind