Lucas Ryan Versus: The Hive (The Lucas Ryan Versus Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

tried to lift it up, but found that I couldn’t. The harder that I tried, the heavier it felt. I could probably pull the school’s flagpole out of its concrete home before I would be able to make this crazy thing budge. Its weight had increased so much in just a few hours, I was amazed. I pulled at it, in vain, one last time.
     
    ~ Pick me up. ~
     
    “Pick me up? Yeah right!” I pouted. I tried to release my grip, but found my fingers welded to its surface again. Last time I had held it, I had to pry it from my palm and I barely managed to do it. Now, it was impossible to do. I began scratching at my hand, trying with all my might to unwrap my fingers from the stone. No use. I was trapped and growing scared.
    “Great!” I yelled. It echoed down the empty hall. There was no way out of this. With a soft thud, I rested my forehead against the locker door. Taylor and the gang would start to wonder where I was at if I didn’t show my face soon. How would I explain this?
    “Come on...think,” I said. My head continued to bounce off the locker surface repeatedly. In my mind, I begged the mysterious rock the same thing, over and over again... please let go, please let go, please let go . All I heard in response was... pick me up.
    “Ugh! Let go!” I ordered, again. Nothing changed.
     
    ~ Pick me up. ~
     
    I can’t! I was going crazy in my head. I was stuck inside my open locker and talking to myself. This wasn’t normal. The moment began to suffocate me.
    “Please let go of me. I need my hand back,” I tried to reason with it. Nothing, no response. I felt insane talking to it, but I was quickly approaching the end of my emotional rope. A long, sad sigh slid from my mouth. I was now feeling the moisture of a nervous sweat breaking all over my body. Maybe it would help.
    With a final gasp of hope, I asked it one last time. “Please let me go...I need my hand back...I wish I had my freedom...”
    A burning sensation rolled over my knuckles and wrist. Instantly, my hand was free. I clutched my fist to my chest, amazed that it had let go. My palm was coated in fresh sweat. I stared at it hard, studying a stunning side effect. Inside my palm was a lightning storm of bright gold lights, that raced around, tracing the lines of my hand. They danced just under the skin, painlessly. It was unbelievable. I pulled my fingers together into a hard fist, and the lights died away. I closed my eyes and shut the locker door in a loud crash.
    “See, I just needed to sweat my way out,” I convinced myself, with a grateful smile. The happiness melted away as I turned around to find I wasn’t alone.
    “Did you just say you sweated your way out of your locker?” Felicity asked, disgusted. Not her, not now. Her face crinkled up as she waited for my response. Her twisting curls dangled along her big brown eyes. I slid my backpack over my shoulder, still holding my hand in a sweaty fist.
    “I guess so.”
    She looked at my closed fist. “You are a strange, strange boy, Lucas.”
    “Wow Felicity, you sound like you’re crushing on me a little!” I teased. I couldn’t help myself. One of my greatest joys in this world was getting a rise out of her. She flinched violently in an over exaggerated spasm at my suggestion.
    “Dream on!” she cringed. I started to laugh. She turned around and stormed off toward the exit. I quietly followed her with a smile on my face. She made her way to her parents car in the parking lot. I threw her a polite wave, and she stuck her tongue out at me and climbed into the passenger side of the vehicle. I laughed even harder and stole a quick glance at the palm of my hand. It was normal again. I gently rubbed it with my other hand and made my way to the Holy Lands.
     
    Desert Vista High School was home to the big and brash Thunder football team. Their football field was big, green, lush and touched by the divine. Most students referred to the field as special or blessed. I just called it, the Holy Lands ,