H.A.L.F.: The Makers Read Online Free PDF

large, black, mirrorlike eyes that Erika had seen when she was on the alien ship. They wore identical clothing that was nearly as grey as their skin and gossamer thin, almost papery. It had a slight sparkly sheen that reflected the dim light and made them look as though they glowed. The fabric covered them from neck to toe and down to their wrists. There were no zippers, buttons, tabs or openings of any kind. How do they get that on?
    While their eyes were enormous, at least twice the size of a human eye, their noses were small bumps on their face, their mouths nearly nonexistent. They had tiny ears on the sides of their bald heads, as if hearing was God’s afterthought for these beings. The greys looked like smaller, exaggerated versions of Tex and Alecto.
    They did not speak, but both raised their spindly arms and pointed into the room. Dr. Randall shuffled forward and planted himself beside Ian. The silence in the room was suffocating and offered no answers to the dozens of questions in Erika’s mind.
    The beings turned to leave, taking any answers with them.
    “Wait,” Erika called. “Where are we? Why are we here, in this dark room? Where’s Tex, and why didn’t you bring Jack with us? And …”
    Erika’s questions were muted by the return of the buzzing pain that filled her skull. Her hands flew to her head, and she fell to her knees from the torment. She feared that the alien would strangle her with his invisible hand as she had seen Tex do to people.
    Ian rushed forward toward the small creatures. “Stop it. You’re hurting her.” But before he could get his hands around one of their scrawny necks, the door closed. The room was again dark save for the dim blue lights along the floor.
    The buzzing inside Erika’s head quickly subsided when the greys left. But the throbbing ache was back.
    Ian gave her a hand and helped her up. “Are you all right?”
    Erika nodded. “How about you, Dr. Randall?”
    “Physically? Yes, I’ll be fine.”
    “And emotionally?” Erika asked.
    Dr. Randall shook his head slowly. He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes and put them back on. He sighed and let out a long breath.
    “What happened?” Ian asked.
    “Yeah, why did they separate us?”
    “I’m not sure you really want to know,” Dr. Randall said.
    Erika planted herself mere inches from him. She looked into his pale grey eyes, her fists on her hips. “Tell us everything you know. Don’t leave anything out.”
    “I’m afraid their intentions are not honorable.” A small tear came to his eye and he sniffed, and a quivery breath escaped his lips.
    “No shit, Sherlock. What was your first clue? Oh yeah, throwing us into a dungeon,” Erika said.
    “Ease up, Erika. Hear him out.”
    Erika unbunched her shoulders from around her ears and took a step back. Ian was right. It wasn’t Dr. Randall’s fault they were a gazillion miles away from anything, stuck in a dark hole God knew where. And if Tex had been separated from the three of them, maybe he had betrayed them and sided with the greys.
    “Sorry.”
    “No need to apologize. It’s all my fault. I should have known,” Dr. Randall said. He shook his head, his fists at his temples as though he could somehow make sense of it that way.
    “What should you have known?” asked Ian.
    “They lured him to get to me. Oh, they probably wanted him, too. But mainly they wanted me.”
    “You’re talking about Tex?” Erika asked.
    “Yes, of course. Who else.”
    “What do they want with you?” Ian asked.
    Dr. Randall shuffled around the room as if searching, but for what, Erika could not guess. Apparently unable to find what he was looking for, Dr. Randall eased himself to the floor, using the wall to help himself down. He leaned forward, his elbows to his knees, his head in his hands.
    “Tell us what you know,” said Erika.
    He raised his head. “That horrible buzzing in your head? That’s them trying to communicate with you.”
    “It hurts like a son of