Read The Last Summoning---Andrew and the Quest of Orion's Belt (Book Four) for Free Online Page B

I’m only a silly coon after all,” he sniffed. Then, taking
his book in his hand, he turned and began marching down the cliff
towards the village. His skunk’s tail swished this way and that as
he bobbed over the slippery slope. “Coming?” He asked, pausing to
look behind him at Freddie and Andrew.
    They nodded, and slowly made their way after
him. Once at the bottom of the cliff, they found that the air had
become far more hot, and dry. A relentless wind pushed against them
as if trying to blow them into the village. Sand and dust polluted
the sky making the sun look red, and hotter than ever.
    The closer they got to the village, the dryer
the earth became. The road was lined with tall trees, that were dry
and as bleached as brittle bones. Their once green leaves were
brown and crunchy, baked to their branches as if the entire row of
trees had died in one night, and hadn’t gotten the chance to shed
their leaves. Fields of once green grass, and wildflowers were
parched and brown. The wind blew through the dry field, making
their brittle stems rustle and pop, a sound so dry that it might
cause the field to suddenly combust.
    The heat dripped down from the sun in sticky
sheets. And once the sun’s rays touched your skin, there was no
shaking it off. It wrapped around you like a pile of blankets,
smothering you, making the air heavy and unbearable. Sweat trickled
down Andrew’s back, causing his clothes to stick to his skin,
making him hotter and more miserable.
    He groaned, wiped his forehead, feeling very
tired, and very thirsty. Wafts of heat rose up from the ground to
greet the sun, creating mirages with wings and dazzling hair that
swirled and danced, and beckoned to them enticingly.
    Andrew’s head felt hot and dizzy. The heat
was so concentrated that he could not think. His tongue felt heavy,
and stuck to the roof of his mouth, like cotton. He reached for his
canteen, but it was empty. Angry, he glanced up, instantly
transfixed by a dozen mirages that beckoned to him. They were
beautiful creatures, these mirages, fairies of the sun, created by
pools of concentrated sunshine. They shimmered and glistened like
liquid. Their hair flowed down around them like flowing waterfalls,
and gurgling brooks. Their faces were warm, but glistened like
frozen ice. Their arms were slender and reached out, urging him to
come to them, to be cooled by their liquid touch.
    He was mesmerized by their beauty. Their
faces were gentle, their wings like rivulets of water that sparkled
in the sun. He licked his cracked lips, as if the mirages could
quench his thirst.
    “Come,” their voices urged. “Come!”
    Their words fell on his ears like soft rain,
soothing him, causing him to hear nothing else.
    Andrew’s thinking became fogged. He could
think of nothing else but to greet these mirages, and to be cooled
by their touch. He took a step towards them, and let one of the
mirages take him by the hand. Its touch was pleasant, like ice and
snow. It cooled him, caused him to feel as if he was floating. The
sensation made him feel very good. The mirage tugged at his arm,
trying to pull him deeper into the haze of mirages that gathered
around him creating a strange mirror-like wall.
    “Come!” the mirage urged him, pulling him
towards the glass wall of liquid.
    Andrew stepped towards the crystal wall. In
it he could see his own reflection. He touched the wall. Bits of
the liquid stuck to his fingers, causing his fingers to tingle.
“Hurry!” the mirage called to him.
    He moved closer, then suddenly stopped,
seeing not only his reflection, but Croffin’s and Freddie’s, as
well. They were running towards him looking frantic.
    He thought he could hear muffled voices.
Recognition dawned on him.
    “Wait!” He cried, struggling as several
mirages wrapped their flowing fingers round his arms, tugging at
him.
    Just as he was thrust into the wall,
something yanked him back. Instantly the mirage, cracked,
evaporated, dissolving into a puff