Read Eden for Free Online Page A

whatever it is that you saw, right?
    Mia’s eyes light up. “That’s exactly right Max!” Thank God, she thinks to herself. This is going so much better than I could have possibly imagined. “Okay, this is what I know...”
    She is immediately cut off by an announcement over the intercom. “Good day, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. We are now nearing our destination and we will be preparing for our final descent and landing. Conditions in Auckland are partly sunny skies with a chance of rain this evening. The temperature is a very comfortable twenty-two degrees Celsius and the current time is…” The captain’s announcement ends abruptly, followed by a series of loud thuds and then a few seconds of rustling before cutting out completely.
    Max takes notice, turning his attention toward the front of the cabin. “That’s odd,” he states, trying to make sense of what’s happening.
    He doesn’t notice Mia sinking further into her chair. Her face has turned pale and the familiar nausea has a stranglehold on her stomach. She forces a whisper. “Max.”
    Leaning out into the aisle Max turns to look at his sister. “Yeah? What is it?” In one look, he knows something is terribly wrong. Her hand trembles as she grabs his shoulder and pulls him closer.
    “I just had a vision, it’s happening. Oh God, Max, it’s terrible.” Her bottom lip quivers uncontrollably.
    “Wh… what’s happening?”
    She reaches across to his flight station and pushes the button that enables his shoulder harness and then does the same for herself. She places both hands flat against the armrests, squeezing them so hard that her knuckles turn white. “Brace yourself,” she gasps.
    Before he has a chance to respond, the shuttle drops suddenly, sending objects and flight attendants flying through the air. The sound of passengers screaming, along with the din of items rattling in their compartments, turns the seconds into hours. But just as quickly as it started, the shuttle rights itself and levels out. As the moment of fear subsides, the relief in the cabin is audible and a certain odd calm begins to settle. Mia releases her shoulder harness and pulls herself out of her seat, looking quickly to her right and further back as if waiting for something to happen. She sees a man quickly moving down the aisle toward the front of the shuttle.
    “It’s him!” Her voice is barely above a whisper.
    “Who?” Max is confused, not to mention completely freaked out.
    “Max, listen to me carefully. There is going to be a woman who is going to give instructions. Listen to her and do exactly as she says. You got me?”
    “Okay... but... what about Mom and Dad?”
    Mia’s eyes glaze over and a frown reveals itself as she turns to the woman who is now giving instructions.

Chapter 4
     
    Noah hangs precariously against a sheer cliff, his fingers consumed with pain as he grips a narrow slit in the face of a jagged peak. With his feet clinging to what little foothold he has, he peers straight up to determine his next move toward the summit. He loosens his left hand from the tiny crevice, quickly dipping it into the chalk pouch nestled in the small of his back, and places it on a small ledge that will help him advance to the next obstacle.
    With that ascension he has now entered what free climbers call the point of no return — the only way out is to keep going; retracing his steps is no longer an option. With no room for error, knowing any misstep will be his last, he glances down at his shoes growing damp, as they often do, from the condensation surrounding the mountain. Before he steps on to the next foothold, he delicately wipes away the collected moisture by rubbing his climbing shoe against the back of his knee. The methodical process is repeated over and over again, until finally the top of the mountain is just a few more pull-ups away.
    When he reaches the summit, he realizes he is not alone. He encounters a man he often