Silent Symmetry (The Embodied trilogy) Read Online Free PDF

depths of my imagination had conjured up in my state of panic. He purred and snuggled against my nose.
    “Kari.”
    I froze.
    It was the young woman’s voice. Distant, but distinct. I strained my ears to hear more but I was already far from the source of the sound , and Flash’s purring obscured the rest of the words. But I know I heard it. I know I heard my name.
    “Kari.”
    I shuddered. This was so effed-up. Then Flash jumped off me, speeding back to the flap, and I realized that the second voice was Mom’s. I didn’t want her to know about the tunnel, so I crawled back toward the cupboard as fast as I could.
    Flash was blocking the way.
    “Move!” I whispered, pushing him to one side.
    I grasped the bottom of the flap with my fingernails and pulled it up. Flash sprang through it and into the kitchen. I followed, carefully replacing the flap and climbing out.
    Mom appeared in the kitchen, still wearing her jacket. “What are you doing?” she asked as I stood up and brushed myself down guiltily. She hung her keys on a hook by the door.
    “Um ... feeding the cat,” I answered, pleased at my logical response.
    “I mean, why are you holding a flashlight?”
    I glanced down at my hand. Oh. Right. Think fast.
    “There was ...” I fumbled for a credible reason. “There was... I... I... lost an earring.” Wow. Terrible reason. Luckily Mom’s usually impressive brainpower had been sapped by a long day at the office.
    “Oh,” she exhaled, looking absolutely exhausted. “I need a good soak, honey.” She turned and left the room, her weary voice receding. “Grab whatever you like from the freezer.”
    “Okay,” I shouted after her. Suddenly I realized how hungry I was. I gave Flash his supper and then washed my hands at the sink, my thoughts still racing. As I soaped them, something occurred to me. They weren’t really dirty. In fact, for a tunnel in an old building, the passageway I’d discovered was remarkably free of dust and cobwebs. It had clearly been constructed very recently. I looked back at the cupboard while Flash munched away in front of it. I dried my hands and leaned back on the counter, wondering. And more than a little bit scared.
     
    * * * * *
     
    I had weird dreams that night. In the morning I could only remember vague flashes and feelings. I was with Cruz and we were lost somewhere strange. Somewhere totally strange.
    “What’s the matter, honey?” enquired Mom as I prodded at my breakfast cereal.
    “Nothing.”
    I was a teenage girl. This was a normal response.
    Mom busied herself with some ironing. She knew me well. She knew I would tell her if I had a real problem. But how could I tell her about what I’d seen since we arrived in New York? The strange women outside The Warrington... the tunnel behind the cupboard... hearing my name? I didn’t want to sound crazy and I didn’t want her to worry about me. She had her new job to concentrate on and didn’t need me to distract her.
    I pushed back my chair and tipped the remains of my cereal into the under-sink garbage. Flash meowed and rubbed up against my legs.
    “Could you feed him?” asked Mom, setting the iron on its stand and holding up her shirt to check for wrinkles.
    “Sure,” I answered, but held back before opening the cat food cupboard. Part of me was intensely curious but part of me didn’t want to know where that tunnel led.
    Mom looked at me, frowning. “Honey? We’ve got to go.”
    “Yeah, I’ll be right there,” I said, shaking my head. I opened the cupboard and dragged out the oversized bag of cat food. Mom had left the room and I couldn’t resist. I stuck my head inside. Between two hungry meows I was sure I heard the same voices.
    I shivered.
    Flash meowed again. I withdrew my head from the cupboard, filled the cat bowl and put the bag back inside. Definitely voices.
    I slammed the cupboard door.
     
    * * * * *
     
    The next day when I got to school I waited for Cruz at the lockers. But the bell rang