Billy Purgatory and the Curse of the Satanic Five Read Online Free PDF Page B

about being on top of a mountain and talking to the Devil Bird. It was allkinda coming true and maybe this is what prophesy meant. Oh, and he still wanted a sandwich.
    â€œYeah, can't you fly? I wanna skate this ramp, but Pop is gonna be looking for me. He send you?”
    The Devil Bird looked down the ramp. “I wouldn't try to fly off that thing. I'd smash my head in the rocks.”
    â€œYou are the worst bird in bird history.”
    â€œYou're going to smash your head in the rocks too, Billy. It's prophesy.”
    â€œI wish people would stop using that word. I can make that jump.”
    â€œThere's nowhere to jump to.”
    â€œI'll eventually sail smooth to the ground, just like going off old man Stringer's roof.”
    The Devil Bird shook his head and made the big red and orange flap of skin under his beak shake like a wino's walking stick. “You landed in his hot tub.”
    â€œThat water was boiled—gnarly. Like landing in stink-foot soup.”
    â€œThere aren't any hot tubs around here.”
    â€œYeah, there's a hippo lake down there somewhere. Besides, I've never listened to you, chicken. I ain't starting now.” Billy wished he had his lucky trick-doing goggles. “How's my Pop?”
    â€œYour father is in a panic. He is making a big mistake in who he is aligning himself with to rescue you.”
    Words. Chicken-nonsense. Words. “I knew Pop would have a plan to come get me.”
    â€œYou need to forget about skating down this mountain. You need to get yourself back before he does something stupid.”
    â€œI'm in the zoo in Asia, and you can't fly, and Pop never does anything stupid. How am I supposed to get back, anyhow?”
    â€œAfrica.”
    â€œI'm there too, yeah. And besides, ain't it just as hard to get back from there?”
    â€œYou got here, now get back. Do it before your father makes a big mistake.”
    Billy looked down the mountain. “Maybe I'll jump so far I'll just fly back.”
    The High Elder was suddenly back at Billy's side and looking down over the boy. His face was more confused than normal. “Who are you talking to?”
    â€œThat stupid chicken.” Billy raised his thumb in the direction of the Devil Bird. The High Elder and everyone else in robes just stared at the boulder, and Billy realized that the Devil Bird wasn't there anymore. “Lying bastard, I knew he could fly.”
    â€œIt is good that you are insane, Billy Purgatory.” The High Elder was smiling like a fat kid at the business end of a cupcake dump truck on full-tilt. “It might be just the edge you need.”
    â€œThat's not what the lunch-line lady said.”
    The High Elder, and everyone in a robe, raised their arms into the air and embraced the morning rays of the sun. Billy looked on as they began a slow chant.
    â€œWhat're you doing?”
    The High Elder answered Billy in the most condescending voice he was able to while still singing. “Before you fly, we do the sacred chant.”
    â€œI'm not waiting on you to sing your dumb song, Square Dance.”
    Billy dropped his wheels to the rock and put his foot on the deck. He rolled the board back and forth with his foot and crossed his fingers. The guys in robes got even louder and started shaking their asses and dancing.
    â€œI gotta get outta Argentina.”
    His other sneaker pushed off and Billy rolled, then hit the sharp incline down the side of the mountain. He could hear the High Elder screaming at his back as he rolled further away, and the world around him was again a blur.
    â€œLook at him. Look how fast he goes.”
    The warm breeze coming up the mountain felt good in his hair. Billy steadied his body more than once at the onset. The ramp was as smooth as you could wear down the side of a mountain, but that didn't mean there weren't any bumps in the road. This was the fastest he'd ever rolled. He had expected his heart to be thumping out of his