Rev's Odyssey by R. R. Kaufman (good non fiction books to read .txt) 📖
- Author: R. R. Kaufman
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Chloe started a campfire. Zhen fetched some refreshments and Allie sat down quietly keeping an eye on Rev. Once they were all seated around the campfire, Allie became anxious to speak.
Allie
So, Rev. As a guest on our island its customary to explain to your hosts, just what brought you here. And how did you get here? Did you swim from Tailbone Island?
Allie had a good laugh. Rev felt uncomfortable around her. But when she heard her mention Tailbone Island she felt hope. She had made it through the Lux and landed on Earth. She must be close to her destination. Zhen and Chloe remained silent. Rev was hesitant about trusting these three. And she knew they didn’t trust her. What if these girls were Razor’s supporters? Or maybe spies?
Rev
I don’t know how I got here. It felt like I fell from the sky.
Allie
Or maybe you tracked us here. Possibly one of Razor’s agents?
Rev remained silent as she stared into the fire. Allie leaned into Rev’s face.
Allie
Well girls, it looks like we have a traitor among us.
Zhen
Sit back Allie. This is no way to treat a guest.
Allie
Okay, but I bet Razor’s men are closing in. That tiger locket is probably a tracking device.
Chloe
Good. Then we can get off this island.
Allie
I’m just protecting our mission. One mistake could cost us our life.
Zhen
I understand your concern Allie. But I don’t think Razor employs someone this young.
Allie
She could be one of Vice’s friends.
Chloe
I don’t think Vice has any friends. Especially not an attractive girl like Rev.
Could this be all a ploy to trap her, Rev thought. Should she tell them who she really was? How did she end up on this island and not Tailbone Island? Time was being wasted. She had to take a chance.
Rev
I’m from Brix on planet Radium. I came through the Lux.
Allie
I told you. She’s on Razor’s side.
Rev
I am not. I hate Razor. She’s destroying our town with her pollution.
Chloe
Well, if that doesn’t sound familiar.
Zhen
Okay, Rev. Give us your reason for coming through the Lux.
Rev
My mother and uncle crossed over to this planet a few days ago. Razor’s men have taken them captive. Razor has taken over our town, Brix, with her drokes. She’s poisoning our air and water. I need to get to Tailbone Island. Please help me.
Allie
I’m afraid you’re stuck here like us.
Rev
Where is this place and why are you here?
Allie
Ask Chloe and Zhen. They decided to take the short way home to Tailbone Island. They wouldn’t listen to me. I told them there was a storm coming. But no. They were in a hurry to get back.
Chloe
Oh, just button it tight.
Zhen
As you can see, Rev, we are growing a little bit irritable. We’ve been shipwrecked on this island for over a month. We’re running low on supplies and manners. Desperation and hopelessness is setting in.
Rev
Were you on some kind of mission?
Allie
What makes you say that?
Rev
You mentioned it. And because I noticed you were all wearing the same style of boots. Are you in a special unit or something like that?
Allie
Yeah. Something like that.
Zhen
We are returning to Tailbone Island with some special cargo that will help, let’s say, eradicate Razor for good.
Rev
Then I can catch a ride with you to Tailbone Island when you get rescued?
Allie
Does it look like we’re being rescued? Nobody is coming for us. It’s too stormy and there are dozens of small islands like this to search. This island is our graveyard.
Chloe
Don’t be so upbeat, Allie. Just be honest with her.
Allie
I’m going to fetch some more wood for the fire.
Allie climbed the path between the boulders to the top of the hill and disappeared.
Zhen
Whenever anyone travels through the Lux, the sky lights up in a fiery blaze. Less than a week ago it lit up twice at the same time. We thought it was Razor and Vice returning. But your explanation about your mother and uncle makes sense now. It was them that passed through. And moments before you were washed ashore today the sky was lit up by a ball of fire. Why did your mother and uncle travel to Earth?
Rev
They wanted to find information on Razor in her homeland. Something that could be used against her. Anything that could help us defeat her. We don’t have much time before there is permanent destruction in my hometown.
Chloe
Take a look around here. What do you see? Nothing but water. Most of the land on this planet is covered in water. See those islands way over there? At one time we used to be able to walk over to them. Forests and valleys are now covered in water. Razor was a big influence on the state of this planet.
Allie returned with more wood. She carefully placed it on the fire. It crackled as flames shot higher. It was dusk and the stars became visible. Eventually darkness engulfed the cove and the fire highlighted the group’s faces and bodies. Everyone remained silent as if hypnotized by the fire.
Rev looked at Chloe.
Rev
I’m curious. I’m sorry, but what are all those pictures all over your arms?
Chloe
No harm in asking, Rev. They’re called tattoos. You see, it’s my life story. All the people and events that happened to me, I express on my personal canvas. My skin. All the good, the bad, hate, and love. Whatever. It’s totally personal. I have nothing to be ashamed about. It’s all here for anyone to see.
Rev
It’s beautiful. All the vivid colors and it seems to be all meshed together. From the past few day’s experiences I could tattoo my whole arm.
Chloe
I have an excellent tattoo artist to work with. Maybe he can do it for you.
Zhen
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Chloe. She just landed here.
The group was ready to pack it in for the evening when two fiery balls torched the night sky.
Allie
Razor and Vice have returned. How deplorable.
Rev
There has to be a way to get off this island.
Chapter 35
Rev awoke to shouting. She crawled out of her tent and looked up. She heard the island girls talking loudly on the hill above the camp. She climbed the hill to join them. They were taking turns looking out to the north of the island. A large telescope was mounted at the highest point.
Chloe
It’s huge. The biggest one yet.
Allie
It looks well positioned.
Zhen
It’s drifting slowly. It does have potential.
Rev
What is it?
They seemed a bit startled to hear Rev’s voice as the island girls turned around to face her.
Chloe
Perhaps some hope.
Rev took her turn and looked through the scope at the distant object floating out at sea.
She couldn’t make out exactly what it was.
Rev
I don’t understand.
Allie
It’s a pile of floating garbage but it could mean our freedom.
Zhen
All the litter that people have thrown into the ocean over the past century has come together to form these mountains of trash. As if the ocean itself spit out everything that it detests. Mostly anything made of plastic. Billions of cans, cups, nets and fishing lines. Like a giant trap. It just keeps collecting more and more garbage. Basically anything that floats.
Allie
Ever vomit, Rev? Well this is the ocean’s way of saying it’s sick. Fed up with stupid people.
Chloe
Okay, Allie. We all agree with you but let’s focus on the positive here. I’m getting hungry and I’m not in the mood for one of your all day rants.
Rev
Oh I get it. We can climb on board this trash and get off the island.
Zhen
It’s not that simple. See that bay over to the right. If it floats off the coast there, then we can swim out to it and ease it into shore. But if the winds and currents take it down the west side of the island we can’t board it.
Zhen moved the telescope to the left of her and let Rev take a look.
Zhen
See the channel between our island and the other island west of us?
Rev
Yes. The channel in between is flowing extremely fast.
Allie
Good. She’s catching on.
Rev
So what do we do?
Chloe
Just wait.
Rev
Is this the first one like this that you’ve spotted?
Allie
Nope. We’ve seen three others, and they all blew by us down the chute.
Rev
How long before we know which direction it will take?
Zhen
At least half a day.
The group went back to the campsite for breakfast. After they ate, Rev wandered over to the west side of the island. As she edged closer to the high cliff, the north wind swayed her. She grabbed hold of a tree as she peered down to the turbulent water below.
Rev sat there for an hour, just thinking. She strolled along towards the south side of the island where she had been swept to shore. It was calm here as she noticed the mast of a sunken sailboat barely sticking out of the water. This was their boat, she realized. The one that stranded them on this island.
Then an idea flashed through her mind.
She made it back to the group. They were taking turns looking through the telescope.
Rev
I have a plan to get us off this island.
Allie
You’ve been here less than a day and you know how to rescue us?
Rev
That’s right.
Allie
We’ve been here over a month. What makes you so smart?
Chloe
Just let her talk, Allie.
Rev
I need to board your sunken vessel. I want to see if I can find any useful supplies that can do the job.
Allie
Like what? We salvaged anything of use on the Gracilis.
Rev
What about rope? And the anchor?
Zhen
We dropped the anchor to try and slow us down as we came down the chute. We lost it.
Rev
Please, can I dive down and take a look?
Allie
Sure but don’t blame us if you drown.
Rev
I won’t drown. I have a special breathing device.
Rev reached into her pants pocket and brought out her breather. She attached it to her face. Everything fit snug, including the goggles.
Chloe
Whoa! You’re telling me you can breathe underwater with that? For how long?
Rev
Indefinitely. My father invented it.
Allie
I want to try it out.
The group scurried down to the sunken boat. Rev showed Allie how to correctly put the breathing device on her face. Allie tested it out in the shallow water. After a minute she surfaced and Rev showed her how to release the breather.
Allie
It’s unbelievable. Whoever invented this is a genius. I’m diving with you, Rev. Can we switch the breather back and forth?
Rev
Yes, but l’ll need a knife.
Chloe handed Rev her pocketknife. Allie and Rev picked a safe spot
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