Read Gone (Parallel Trilogy, Book 1) for Free Online Page B

probably push past her easily enough.
    “I’m sorry to take some of your food,” I said, almost feeling bad for her. “But I think I’m going to need it more than you.”
    She looked me up and down, then squinted. “You could stand to lose a few pounds, missy.”
    Shocked by her comment, my shoulders sagged. I thought I looked okay. Sure, I wouldn’t disappear if I lost a few pounds, but I was happy with my body. Then I became angry. Who is this skinny shrew to comment on my weight? I tightened the backpack on my shoulders and strode toward her.
    She stepped in my path, but my face must have looked fierce because she quickly stepped aside when I got close to her. I walked past her and into the living room, then out the front door. As I walked out the front gate she yelled after me, “You’d better not show your face around here again or I’ll call the police.”
    Eyeing her over my shoulder, I gave her a dirty look, angry at her for living in my house, even though I knew that didn’t make any sense. The whole thing didn’t make any sense.
    How was it possible that my family had disappeared when I’d been with them, in that house, only the day before?
     
     

Chapter Five
     
    Deciding it might not be such a great idea to stick around the neighborhood interviewing the neighbors—neighbors I’d never bothered getting to know—I walked as fast as I could, which wasn’t very fast with the heavy backpack on my shoulders, and headed away from my house. As I passed the path I had taken the night before, I stared down the wooded trail, but kept on walking, heading for the main road.
    Five minutes later I reached the road and considered hitchhiking into town. Maybe in town I could find out what had happened to my family. I walked along the road, waiting for a car to come by so I could try to get a ride. No cars came and I kept walking, thinking about the strange things that were happening.
    How is it possible that my family lived in that house mere hours ago, but are now gone? And the woman said she’s lived there for weeks. That’s impossible. Impossible.
    I tried convincing myself that this was just a nightmare and that I was asleep. I pinched my arm, hard, hoping I would wake up, but the only thing that happened was a sharp pain in my arm that was sure to leave a bruise. Tears of frustration filled my eyes.
    I thought about my family. I would do anything to find them. Then I frowned at the irony. Yesterday I had been so mad at Mom that I couldn’t wait to run away from home. Today I was devastated that I couldn’t be with her and Dad. I even missed Amy and my little brothers.
    Trudging along the road, I tried to think of a reason, any reason, why they had disappeared. Nothing came to mind.
    Finally I came to a bus stop that had a bench and a wooden structure shading it, probably built by some boy trying to earn his Eagle Scout award. That was fine with me. All I wanted was a place to stop and have something to eat.
    I dropped onto the bench, exhausted, and set the backpack on the seat next to me. I nibbled on some dried fruit, then drank some water. After my hunger was partially satisfied, I reached into a side pocket and pulled out a small notebook along with a pen. My hand trembled as I set the small notepad on my lap. I clutched the pen in my other hand until the shaking stopped, then forced myself to write.
    My name is Morgan Campbell. I’m sixteen years old and I don’t understand what is happening.
      I set the pen down and stared at the empty street, slouching on the bench, wondering if a bus would actually be coming. Fresh confusion swept over me and I gnawed on the inside of my lip. What is happening? Where is my family? Squeezing my eyes closed, I tried to make sense of the last twenty-four hours.
    But nothing made sense.
    Trying to focus my thoughts on something constructive to do, I decided to write down the steps I could take to find my family. Trying to distract myself from the bizarre errand I