Read The Ark of Dun Ruah, Book 1 for Free Online Page B

Kerry,’ said Simon. ‘We all wanted to come on this trip. And we will find him. I’ve just got to find a way into that elevator. It’s the only way down to the lower decks. I’m going back to the dining cabin now to check it out.’
    Kerry hurried after him and watched as he examined the walls around the elevator doors for switches and buttons. Then he searched under the food counter.
    â€˜There must be a way of calling that lift up,’ said Simon.
    â€˜Maybe it’s operated by remote control,’ said Kerry. ‘The cooks must have taken it with them.’
    â€˜What’s this?’ Simon asked, ‘It looks like a tunnel of some kind.’
    â€˜That’s the rubbish chute,’ said Kerry. ‘It’s where they throw the waste food.’
    â€˜Perfect,’ exclaimed Simon. ‘I’m going down. I’ll just about fit in there. You wait for me here. I won’t be long.’
    â€˜But, Simon, this chute is not for humans. It’s for waste food and plastic bags. You could get stuck on the way down or mangled in a shredding machine at the bottom.’
    â€˜OK I’ll throw something down,’ said Simon, rooting in his trouser pockets. He found a few coins and tossed them down the chute. They rustled as they hit the bottom.
    â€˜I don’t hear any shredding machine,’ said Simon.
    â€˜A few coins wouldn’t be enough to set it off.’
    Simon pulled a large bag of white serviettes out from under the counter. He pushed it down the rubbish chute and leaned in to watch it fall. It landed with a faint thud.
    â€˜I can still see the white serviette bag,’ said Simon. ‘There is no shredding machine.’
    â€˜Well, if you do go down that rubbish chute,’ said Kerry, ‘have you thought about how you’re going to get back up here?’
    â€˜I’ll come back in the elevator, of course.’
    â€˜But anything could happen to you, Simon.’
    â€˜I’m going down there, Kerry, whether you like it or not. Something has happened to Pod. And we’re not going to find him talking about it up here. The only way to go is down.’
    â€˜I’m not letting you go on your own, Simon. If you go down there I’m coming with you. Just call me when you hit the bottom of the chute and I’ll follow. If you’re brave enough to go down that dirty, old chute then so am I.’
    Simon squeezed into the rubbish chute. Kerry heard him sliding down and landing with a crunch at the bottom.
    â€˜Come on, Kerry,’ his voice echoed. ‘It’s perfectly safe.’
    Kerry followed him into the rubbish chute and let herself go. She felt the downward pull as she descended into the darkness of the ship. Finally, she hit the bottom with a soft thump. She had landed on a bed of rubbish bags and serviettes.

CHAPTER 6
    Church Bells
    â€˜Come on, Kerry, let’s get out of this rubbish dump,’ said Simon.
    Kerry scrambled off the large pile of rubbish bags under the chute. They had landed in a dark room with a crack of light coming in beneath the door. She was feeling a bit nervous now. What if they were discovered in the secret part of the ship? Would they be thrown overboard like in the pirate days, and forced to swim to Eyrie Island? Kerry shuddered at the thought. She was beginning to feel apprehensive about where this search for Pod was leading them.
    â€˜Kerry, are you alright?’ asked Simon. ‘Come on. If Pod is down here we’ll find him.’
    Kerry thought about her friend Pod, nervous and lost somewhere on the ship or, worse still, in the clutches of the Giant Eagles from Eyrie Island. She took a deep breath and prepared to follow Simon. He opened the door and stepped out of the rubbish room.
    â€˜All clear,’ he said.
    Kerry followed Simon out onto a long passageway. They stood at the end of the passage looking around them. Lanterns hung intermittently along the