Cragbridge Hall, Volume 2: The Avatar Battle Read Online Free PDF Page B

These were old-time muskets that had to be reloaded after every shot. He ducked further behind the rocks and felt them shake as bullets collided into the other side of the wall. What a nightmare.
    Derick watched the soldier next to him as he loaded gunpowder, a metal ball, and rammed it down the barrel before shooting again. He found he was carrying the same tools and mimicked as best he could.
    He raised up and readied himself to fire again, looking down to see hundreds of men charging up the hill at him and his regiment. Hundreds. It looked as though his enemies had twice as many men. Not fair.
    “C’mon,” he heard a soldier next to him say. “I don’t want to die. Not today. Not at Gettysburg. Not anywhere.”
    Gettysburg? He was in one of the most important battles of the Civil War. The North needed this victory. It was one of the events that kept the United States of America together, united as a nation. Derick fired, this time holding the gun tighter against his shoulder. It still hurt, but not nearly as much. He didn’t hit anyone.
    The smoke and smell of gunshots became stronger and stronger. A scream tore through the air off to his left. Derick wanted out of there.
     

5
    The Basement, Bullets, and Bayonets
     
    Abby walked down the hall as fast as she could without drawing any attention to herself.
    Carol wasn’t helping by talking the whole way. “Not only is Muns up to something, but he killed our dance party before it could even get started. Preemptive dance party murderer!” Carol shuddered. “Oh, that man is evil.”
    Abby was too nervous to respond. She knew what Muns was capable of and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to find out what he had done this time.
    “Do you think he kidnapped someone else and put them in the past to die?” Carol asked.
    “I hope not.” Abby knew her parents were safe. Cragbridge Hall was one of the safest places in the world. No one got in or out without passing by guards and through several stations through a thick, guarded wall. Still, her stomach felt like it had turned to stone. She was back in the basement, the place where it had all happened months ago.
    The two girls entered the basement and approached two doors. One was to the simulator, which Abby thankfully didn’t have to go through again. One tribe of Native American braves chasing her down with spears was enough for her. She moved toward the other door. It would bypass the simulator, but only with the key she had gained from going through it.
    She reached down and gave a distinct pull on the upper rim of her belt buckle. The buckle shifted, revealing a small metal compartment underneath. Abby touched the metal, knowing that it would read her fingerprint and open. Her grandpa had designed it. She could always keep her key with her but keep it secret and protected as well.
    As Abby took another step toward the door, something moved out of the shadows. Carol gasped. Abby wanted to shriek but her fear stole the sound. A hulking gorilla stood in front of her, its thick hairy body only feet away.
    “All right, I know you’re an avatar,” Carol said, trying to regain her breath. “I’m guessing a real gorilla wouldn’t live down here. At least I’m really hoping. Really really hoping.”
    Abby looked at the gorilla. It had to be an avatar. It could be her own brother and she would have no idea. “Can we please pass?” There was no time to talk; they had to move on. Grandpa needed them.
    The gorilla moved aside, his fingers . . . typing? Whoever controlled it must have just used their rings—though it looked very strange. A message came in on Abby’s rings. She saw that it also had been sent to Carol.
It’s me, Rafa.
     
    “Thanks, Rafa,” Abby said over her shoulder as she continued toward the door. She felt better. If Muns somehow could get his men back into Cragbridge Hall and they tried to ambush their meeting, they would have to tangle with quite the opponent. A robot gorilla can do some