Interlude- Brandon Read Online Free PDF

empty, which made them look even uglier. The three rats remained very still, making eerie chittering sounds and slowly turning their heads from side to side in a searching motion.
    Brandon sensed another presence to his right. He turned his head very slowly and discovered that the wall beside him had opened onto a lush, tropical rain forest. The green landscape was tinged with a faint but noticeable golden glow. In the tree closest to him, Brandon noticed a giant sloth gazing at him as it hung lazily from a large branch.
    “Don’t move,” the sloth said. Its voice was deep and rich, and the tone of its command made Brandon obey without hesitation. “Don’t make a sound or move an inch. If they hear you, they will attack.”
    Brandon followed the sloth’s advice and remained frozen in place. The rats didn’t move, but continued to chitter excitedly, stopping simultaneously every few seconds to move their heads and listen.
    How long will I have to stand here? Brandon thought to himself.
    Sensing his thoughts, the sloth replied. “Not very long. They will soon move along to continue  their hunt.”
    Would they eat me? Brandon asked silently.
    “They most certainly would,” the sloth said. “A small boy like you, with no protection or knowledge of the world you are living in…? Yes, they would eat you, and be pleased with their good fortune at finding such a tasty morsel.”
    After a few tense moments, the rats abruptly dug down into the floor, disappearing as quickly as they had materialized. As they vanished, Brandon felt the golden glow from the rain forest begin to fade as well. He looked toward the sloth, but the jungle scene was slowly fading as the bathroom wall began to reappear.
    “Farewell, young one,” the sloth said, raising one arm. “I will see you again soon.”
    What is this place? Brandon asked . Where are you going?
    The sloth chuckled. “It is you who are going, Brandon. This is a dream, and you are leaving this place to go back to your other dream.”
    I feel like I’m waking up , Brandon thought.
    “So young, and so naive,” the sloth said. “You are simply moving from one dream into another; goodbye for now.”
    Brandon opened his eyes and found himself lying on his bunk. The other students were waking up around him. He felt like he’d only been asleep for a few moments, but the night had passed entirely.
    It was time for his first day of gaming lessons

 
    Chapter 9
    The mess hall was a huge, underground cavern with tall walls and a rough natural stone ceiling. It looked like the great halls described in books that Brandon’s last teacher used to love to read to the class. He imagined bats or owls suddenly swooping from the dark rafters and causing havoc.
    Brandon was an instant celebrity among the rest of the facility, but it hadn’t been a positive thing so far. He sat alone at a table in the back, ignored by the other students as they laughed and joked around him throughout the giant room.
    An older student bumped Brandon’s table as he walked past. “This the baby superstar?” he asked his friends as he passed. The other boys laughed and slapped the student on the back.
    “More like a toddler,” Brandon said.
    The student stopped, turned around, and walked back to Brandon, towering over him. “What did you say, snot?” he asked.
    Brandon stuffed his mouth full of food, then looked up at the boy with a big smile on his face. “I said,” he crunched loudly, food dribbling down his chin as he spoke, “That I’m more like a toddler. I’m almost out of diapers; that’s how I know I’m not a baby.”
    The other kids laughed at Brandon’s joke, but the main boy silenced them with a dark scowl.
    The boy leaned forward until he was only inches from Brandon’s face. He was tall with brown hair and dark eyes. He looked around 13 or 14, his nose was normal width and length, and cruel, thin lips formed a straight line as he glared at Brandon. “I hope by some strange miracle