Read The Aurora (Aurora Saga, Book 1) for Free Online Page B

couldn’t even remember placing it there. Sunlight reflected mysteriously on its dark-grey surface which was acting like a prism, casting a rainbow onto the far wall. James reached across and held the box in both hands.
    It was about half the size of a shoebox and cold to the touch. It was extremely light and James thought it was probably metallic. All the corners were rounded off and its grey surface had no blemishes or scratches on it. Looking for a way of opening it, James could hear things rattling around inside. He noticed there was a very faint line near the base, or was it the top? James turned it over and placed it on the table just in front of him. He went on trying to open it until the faint line slowly widened and the top came away with a soft click.
    Inside there were five objects which James removed to have a look at.
    The first appeared to be a watch. It was entirely jet black, had a mirror-like shine and felt warm when held. There were no buttons, and where the face would have been was an embossed symbol of the letter ‘A’ without the right leg, set inside an ellipse.
    There were two thick cartridges which reminded him of a large computer flash drive. One was pearlescent green and had the words ‘BAL OUF LOVAXYISPID’ printed on it. The other was bright red and had ‘FTOEF RISEWTAQ ———’ written on it. The final word had been deliberately scratched away. One of the corners of the red data cartridge was missing and it looked like the casing had been melted.
    There was a torch and finally a large brass key which was slightly worn.
    At the bottom of the box James discovered a sealed envelope and a piece of folded notepaper with writing on it. The handwriting started off neat but degenerated into scrawl. The note was in Carol’s handwriting, and James suspected that she had finished it just before her death.
    ‘Son, you must forgive me for not telling you this face to face,’ James read. ‘ What you’re about to read will seem unbelievable, even impossible, but you must believe me; it’s not fiction. We were waiting for your twentieth birthday, but now both Lex and I have passed on to another place you must now know the truth. James you must return home…’
    James stopped for a moment remembering what Carol had said just before she passed away. He thought, but I am home, what can she mean?
    ‘…It’s been fifteen years since we made this planet our home. It was an ideal hiding place for us, because our form is identical to that of the humans. However, there was one problem; we found that we couldn’t risk becoming sick. Any Earth virus we contract could kill us, with a 50/50 chance of survival. I know this sounds like I’ve lost my mind, but you must believe me. It’s the reason Lex died all those years ago and why I’m dying now. You always wondered why we had to live out here and why I would never see any of your friends. I’m sorry, James, but it was too much of a risk for me. Think back; when did you last have a cold—’
    James stopped once more. I can’t remember, but I must have.
    ‘—We thought at first that you would run the same risk like us. That’s why I had to keep you away from everyone and why Lex and I often wore masks—’
    Those funny masks, James thought. That’s why.
    ‘—But when you were eleven years old I realised that your body had adapted. James, you are immune to Earth viruses. I discovered that the younger you are the more chance your body has to overcome Earth’s bacteria and adapt to prevent illness. If we had been younger, then we would have developed some resistance also, but unfortunately Lex and I were just too old. I’m afraid that no doctor on this planet will be able to save me; this time my luck has run out. My name is really Karunet, yours is Jameilo and our real surname is Brasdoi—’
    James went on reading, although in disbelief.
    ‘ There’s a planet, on the far side of the galaxy, over one hundred and forty-three thousand light