Read Mundahlia (The Mundahlian Era, #1) for Free Online Page B

voice than the one she was using to describe the grand building which smelled of dust, old books, and cleaners. I chose not to pay attention. We were in a large office with tons of books surrounding us. There were dark red velvet ropes keeping us separated from the majority of the grand room complete with a large table with majestic looking chairs. I brushed my fingers against the furry rope. It felt soft, delicate, and-
    “Please don’t touch the velvet rope!” The tour guide ordered in a nice but still condescending tone. It took a while to realize she was talking to me.
    “Oh,” I said, retracting my hand. “Sorry!”
    Geez. Even the rope is special here. Sheesh! Consider yourself even more ignored for the rest of the tour lady!
    ...
    I entered the bedroom of my dull cabin after returning from a day of touring the city. We stopped by a park for an arts and crafts show after the tour of the capitol, then headed over to do some grocery shopping at the farmers market—which seemed to be the only thing that I really wanted to go see in this tour around Austin. I could get used to that. Maybe I should look into coming to the university here? Pay the rent to my cabin by proposing a babysitting plan to Celeste and George. Sorta like a live-in nanny. They’ll have a babysitter whenever they want to go out, and Rini gets to stay in the beautiful city of Austin and attend the university. Why am I thinking in third person?
     
    I threw my shell necklaces that Celeste bought me at the arts and crafts show on the desk, and unplugged my laptop from its power cord. The bed’s old metal frame creaked as I crawled to the center and laid. Upon opening the laptop screen, I was greeted by yet another captured moment from my past.
    On the wallpaper, a picture of my friends James and Lily, was placed behind the tiny icons surrounding my screen. In the picture, my friends and I stood frozen in time with our arms thrown around each other in front of the camp sign. It was almost as if I could hear the laughter of the children we would take care of as camp counselors. A summer job I took to earn extra money in the breaks between my high school years. Memories of Lake Amistad surfaced too. I missed those summers when James would run from one end of the platform—making a huge splash as he pummeled in. Heck, I even remember when he had gotten a small-mouth bass stuck in his swimming trunks. Lily and I laughed our asses off as we watched him wiggle the poor fish out.
    I was just about to turn the TV on when—
    BOOM!
    A loud noise, almost like an explosion sounded from behind my cabin. It nearly shook the whole structure. I got up from the bed and ran over to my bedroom door leaning out to see out the backdoor window.
    BOOM! I jumped back a little. There it was again.
    Whatever was making the sound, both frightened me and tickled my interest. I crept to the backdoor and felt the satiny fabric of the curtain and pushed it aside to get a better glimpse outside. Panning the forest and seeing nothing but trees and bushes blowing in the wind.
    Okay mysterious forest, can you not be creepy? I just started to relax.
    My dangling necklace unlatched and fell to the wooden floor. The curtain slid back into place as I bent over to retrieve the locket, and when I returned my gaze, a swift dark brown figure entered the forest in the blink of an eye. I could feel my mouth open as I stood still. I had missed most of it by blinking, but I knew I saw something. Shaped like a large canine with a bushy tail.
    Suddenly, another boom sounded. I jolted back quickly—catching the back of my shoe, and fell to the ground. When I scurried back up to my feet, I tried to sneak another quick look.
    BOOM!
    Running as fast as I could in the evening light, I bolted through the front door of my cabin, dashing for Celeste’s home.
    “Did you guys hear that!” I burst through the back door. She and George were nestled together on the couch—asleep with the TV on.
    “Hear