Epoch Read Online Free PDF

them.
    “What are you looking at?” Big Tom wanted to know.
    “Them!” Vincent replied, gesturing all around him.
    “What, the grass?” Big Tom said.
    “No, you idiot!” Vincent said. “At the … ow!” He clutched at his shin and glared murder down at Grimbowl.
    “Did you hurt yourself?” Big Tom asked. “What happened?”
    And then Vincent understood. Chanteuse had said that few people could perceive elves. Big Tom simply couldn’t see them.
    “Your friend Vincent left,” an older and wiser-looking elf said to Big Tom. “He has gone home. You should, too.”
    “I think I’ll go home,” Big Tom said, and he began to walk away.
    “Big Tom!” Vincent cried, but his friend did not stop.
    “No one can help you now,” Grimbowl said. “Elves, take him.”

While his best friend Big Tom walked away, blissfully unaware of what was going on, Vincent was set upon by elves. They swarmed all over him, their tiny hands grabbing and poking.
    “Get off me!” Vincent yelled, pulling at them and trying to fling them off. He struggled hard, but there were too many elves and they pulled him down. So far they weren’t using any weapons, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t.
    It seemed so unfair. Vincent had only just learned of a world beyond his own. Now it looked like he was going to die because of it.
    Well, not without a fight! The elves were pulling him down, so Vincent went with it and threw himself forward. He landed smack-dab on a whole bunch of surprised elves, knocking them all flat. The tiny little “oof” noises were music to Vincent’s ears.
    The elves recovered quickly, however. Vincent had forgotten their speed; in no time they tied his legs together and pinned him down on the ground. Vincent rolled himself over, dislodging a few elves and steamrolling a few others, but all too soon he was overwhelmed. The strength in their little arms was incredible, and their numbers too many. Seconds later, Vincent’s hands were tied as well. He was helpless, and at the elves’ mercy.
    “You are helpless and at our mercy,” the wise-looking elf said, “so cease your struggles.”
    “Let’s chop him into bits!” said an elf whom Vincent had rolled over.
    “Yeah,” agreed another as he helped his friend back up. “Then we’ll feed those bits to the birds.”
    “You will not!” Vincent said, struggling for all he was worth. The ropes felt like dandelion leaves, but they were really strong.
    “I said,” the wise elf said as he reached into his robe, “stop doing that.” He produced a little bag, and from there he pulled out a handful of dust.
    “We’re bringing him to the chief,” Grimbowl said as the wise elf blew the dust into Vincent’s face. “This kid might actually be the one we’ve been looking for.”
    If they said anything more, Vincent didn’t hear it. The moment the dust touched his face, he fell sound asleep.
    • • •
    When Vincent awoke, his head felt very heavy. He realized after a moment or two that he was hanging upside down. He snapped his eyes open, and saw a whole lot of tree.
    “What the … ” he said, twisting himself around to get a better look at his surroundings. He couldn’t see much, what with the lack of light, but he could just make out that he was hanging from a tree branch. He heard voices coming from above him, but they were too faint for him to make them out.
    “This isn’t good,” Vincent said, and gave his ropes a quick struggle. Nope, they were just as strong as before. He felt around for the knots, hoping to untie himself, but his fingers found none. If there was only some more light, he thought, then I might be able to see some way to escape.
    And then it hit him. It was dark because it was nighttime. He’d been out for so long that the sun had gone down. He had no way of knowing what the time was, which only made things worse. If he didn’t get home before his parents and brother, whatever these elves had planned for him would be a picnic