Poseidia Read Online Free PDF

hidden in the foliage, whittling a long stick.
    He’s human. Maybe he’ll help me get out of here.
    “Oh thank God, please help me,” I cried. Tears of joy, relief, and terror trickled from the corners of my eyes.
    His intense espresso-brown eyes locked with mine. Scars crisscrossed his torso, visible because he wore only a short, faded maroon wrap tied around his waist.
    What kind of costume is that? Is he a caveman?
    He tilted his head a fraction to the right, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply.
    “Will you help me?” I pleaded, rolling over onto my hands and knees.
    “No,” he barked, breaking his silence and returning to his chore.
    “I’ve been kidnapped and my body mutilated, don’t you care? Will you call the police for me?”
    He froze, squinted, and pursed his full lips. “No,” he answered again as he turned his attention back to his project. His forearm-long knife gleamed as he turned it.
    The spit dried in my mouth as fear ran up my spine and settled in my throat. Maybe I should try a gentler approach . “What… are you doing?” I asked, while eyeing the knife.
    “ Can you not see?” he huffed, his voice mangled with a heavy accent I didn’t recognize.
    Forget i t—I don’t have time to waste on this rude man. “Will you at least tell me which way to get out of here?”
    He laughed , and then pointed up. My eyes followed the direction he indicated, to the top of the dome.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked , exasperated.
    “If you want to leave , you’ll have to swim out of here.”
    “Swim, ok ay I can swim. I’m a pretty good swimmer.” A tiny flicker of hope built within my heart.
    He laughed again, louder this time.
    “Fine, don’t help me,” I snapped. I stood, dusted myself off, picked a random direction, and ran. I don’t have time to waste. Get out of here.
    I stopped several times to catch my breath. Staying close to the dome, I moved until I was exhausted, my muscles twitching. I needed a place to hide, to rest, and to think.
    T he closest building had a sign next to the front entrance written in a foreign language. Unable to read it, I stared, as a tickle at the back of my mind told me I should know the language. I traced the strange letters with my fingers, the cold black metal smooth under my touch. Almost as if I could hear whispers coming out of a fog, the feeling I knew what it meant intensified. Strangely, I was sure I’d been here before. Shaking my head to clear the feelings, I scolded myself for becoming distracted.
    What is wrong with me?
    As I entered the building and my feet touched the floor, a pulse of electricity shocked me, causing me to stumble and fall. At least no one was in here to witness my clumsiness.
    The floor was made of a thick, cloudy -looking material, and a light pulsed beneath it. A tingle went up my arms and feet where they touched, and permeated my entire body. I tried to crawl out of the room, but my arms became heavy. Feeling as if every cell in my body vibrated at a high frequency, I closed my eyes and swallowed a wave of nausea.
    As I opened my eyes, peace and calm replaced my anxiety and fear. The vibrations gave me a buzz, and I felt drunk.
    I regained control of my hands and feet and crawled out of the building. After a minute to gather my senses, I got up and looked around. What is this place? Oz? Wonderland? Peaceful feelings from the strange place lingered.
    Towering above everything else stood a reddish metallic pyramid, up on its own little hill. Mesmerized, I walked in the direction of it, surprised no one chased me.
    Oblivious to me, p eople walked in the gardens, but I didn’t ask them for help, they were all similar to Lily—I didn’t think they would help me. As I walked, slowing my pace, I noticed no one said a word. The more intently I listened for any kind of sound, the eerie silence intensified. Could ears burst from straining? I heard nothing but the echo of light footsteps when someone passed me. No