Read Online The Tears of Nero (The Halo Group Book 1) by Jason Brannon - Free Book Online
Authors: Jason Brannon
Ads: Link
did. I‘m not involved in any of this.”
“Is it ridiculous?” Franklin asked. “You seem to know an awful lot about what’s going on here. You directed us toward that letter in the bottle. Your psych file happened to find its way onto this island paradise. And you claim to be able to tell us things about ourselves that no one else would know. If you’re so smart, why don’t you use that awesome power to tell us what’s going on. ”
“It doesn’t work like that,” Kelly protested. “I can’t turn the ability on and off like a switch.”
“How convenient,” Franklin said, narrowing his eyes.
“OK, Griff, since we’re talking about strange coincidences, let’s go back to that small detail where nobody remembers you from the dinner party. If I’m in on the whole thing, maybe you are too. Care to elaborate on that? There are only five of us here. It shouldn‘t have been that hard to spot you. There wasn‘t much of a crowd there that night.”
Franklin snarled. “If you’re really a psychic, I hope you can read my mind right now.”
“Stop it, both of you,” Edward said. “Franklin, as far as I can tell, she’s in the same boat we’re in, and until I find out differently, she’s on our side. Kelly, same goes for Franklin.”
“You’re a sucker for a pretty face,” Franklin said. “Trust me, there’s something off about Kelly.”
“We have to stick together. That might be the only thing that keeps us alive.”
“Can we stop arguing long enough to get some answers here?” Sadie said.
“She’s right,” Henry said. “Anything else in that chest?”
Edward held up a sheet of yellowed paper. “Here’s a map. I assume it’s a drawing of the island.”
“Let me see,” Franklin said, snatching the paper out of Edward’s hand.
The map was drawn with very little detail. Strange characters covered the island, but there was no legend by which to discern what any of it meant.
“This doesn’t look like it will be much help,” Franklin said, handing the map back to Edward. “I say we start exploring and see what we can find. All of this might be nothing more than a big hoax. Civilization might be only a mile or two away. “
“I doubt that,” Henry said. “That tripwire wasn’t a hoax. Neither were the snakes. We‘re in trouble here. There‘s no doubt about that.”
“Maybe we’re not really on an island,” Sadie theorized.
“We’re on an island,” Kelly said, correcting her.
“And how can you be sure?” Franklin asked, not bothering to hide the suspicion in his voice.
“I just know,” Kelly said with a smirk.
“What else do you know about Nero?” Henry asked. “Is there anything else you can tell us?”
Kelly thought about that for a moment and the thought clearly made her uneasy. “Nero is evil, and he plans to kill all but one of us. He‘s also delusional enough to believe everything he tells us.”
“I’m not buying it,” Franklin said. “Parlor tricks aren’t going to save our lives. She‘s playing games with our minds. Why am I the only one who sees that?”
“You’re a moron, Franklin,” Sadie said. “Or at least that’s what I’m sensing. And the funny thing is I’m not even psychic. How crazy is that?”
“I think I know where we’re at on this map,” Edward interrupted.
He instantly had the group’s attention and pointed to a specific place on the parchment.
“According to this drawing there is a mountain on the eastern coast. If you look over those palm trees, and strain to peek through the foliage, you can make out the faint tip of what might be a volcano.”
“He’s right,” Henry said as he wiped the sweat off of his bald pate.
“If that’s the mountain shown on the map, that would mean that we’re here.” He touched the map with his index finger and pointed to a symbol that looked like the
“Is it ridiculous?” Franklin asked. “You seem to know an awful lot about what’s going on here. You directed us toward that letter in the bottle. Your psych file happened to find its way onto this island paradise. And you claim to be able to tell us things about ourselves that no one else would know. If you’re so smart, why don’t you use that awesome power to tell us what’s going on. ”
“It doesn’t work like that,” Kelly protested. “I can’t turn the ability on and off like a switch.”
“How convenient,” Franklin said, narrowing his eyes.
“OK, Griff, since we’re talking about strange coincidences, let’s go back to that small detail where nobody remembers you from the dinner party. If I’m in on the whole thing, maybe you are too. Care to elaborate on that? There are only five of us here. It shouldn‘t have been that hard to spot you. There wasn‘t much of a crowd there that night.”
Franklin snarled. “If you’re really a psychic, I hope you can read my mind right now.”
“Stop it, both of you,” Edward said. “Franklin, as far as I can tell, she’s in the same boat we’re in, and until I find out differently, she’s on our side. Kelly, same goes for Franklin.”
“You’re a sucker for a pretty face,” Franklin said. “Trust me, there’s something off about Kelly.”
“We have to stick together. That might be the only thing that keeps us alive.”
“Can we stop arguing long enough to get some answers here?” Sadie said.
“She’s right,” Henry said. “Anything else in that chest?”
Edward held up a sheet of yellowed paper. “Here’s a map. I assume it’s a drawing of the island.”
“Let me see,” Franklin said, snatching the paper out of Edward’s hand.
The map was drawn with very little detail. Strange characters covered the island, but there was no legend by which to discern what any of it meant.
“This doesn’t look like it will be much help,” Franklin said, handing the map back to Edward. “I say we start exploring and see what we can find. All of this might be nothing more than a big hoax. Civilization might be only a mile or two away. “
“I doubt that,” Henry said. “That tripwire wasn’t a hoax. Neither were the snakes. We‘re in trouble here. There‘s no doubt about that.”
“Maybe we’re not really on an island,” Sadie theorized.
“We’re on an island,” Kelly said, correcting her.
“And how can you be sure?” Franklin asked, not bothering to hide the suspicion in his voice.
“I just know,” Kelly said with a smirk.
“What else do you know about Nero?” Henry asked. “Is there anything else you can tell us?”
Kelly thought about that for a moment and the thought clearly made her uneasy. “Nero is evil, and he plans to kill all but one of us. He‘s also delusional enough to believe everything he tells us.”
“I’m not buying it,” Franklin said. “Parlor tricks aren’t going to save our lives. She‘s playing games with our minds. Why am I the only one who sees that?”
“You’re a moron, Franklin,” Sadie said. “Or at least that’s what I’m sensing. And the funny thing is I’m not even psychic. How crazy is that?”
“I think I know where we’re at on this map,” Edward interrupted.
He instantly had the group’s attention and pointed to a specific place on the parchment.
“According to this drawing there is a mountain on the eastern coast. If you look over those palm trees, and strain to peek through the foliage, you can make out the faint tip of what might be a volcano.”
“He’s right,” Henry said as he wiped the sweat off of his bald pate.
“If that’s the mountain shown on the map, that would mean that we’re here.” He touched the map with his index finger and pointed to a symbol that looked like the
Similar Books
