Festival of Shadows (37 page)

Read Festival of Shadows Online

Authors: Michael La Ronn

Pinwheel

Xylophone

Train

Puzzle

Castle

Horse

Paddle

Trumpet

Arrow

Balloon

Robot

Controller

Skate

Scooter

Dart

Clown

Boat

Top

Doll

The touchscreen shut off.

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Theo said.

“You’re going to get us killed! You touched it wrong!”

“I didn’t even touch it.”

The monkey screamed again, and the touchscreen blinked on.
 

Select the word that
doesn’t
belong.

~ Dart

~ Dreidel

~ Clown

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Select the word that
does
belong.

~ Mouse

~ Palace

~ Horse

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Select the word that
doesn’t
belong.

~ Paddle

~ Pinwheel

~ Marimba

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Select the word that
doesn’t
belong.

~ Ball

~ Teddy

~ Bear

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Select the word that
does
belong.

~ Scooter

~ Pony

~ Mallet

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Select the word that
doesn’t
belong.

~ Doll

~ Truck

~ Drum

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Select the word that
doesn’t
belong.

~ Gamepad

~ Joystick

~ Xylophone

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

“Zero out of three correct,” the touchscreen said. It powered down, and the monkey screamed. “You blew it. We’re going to die!”

“I’m sorry,” Theo said.
 

The monkey screamed again. The area exploded with light and he disappeared. When the light faded, Braindon was floating over Theo.

“That’ll cost you two moves.”

I can’t afford to lose any more challenges.

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

“Zero out of three correct,” the touchscreen said. It powered down, and the monkey screamed. “You blew it. We’re going to die!”

“I’m sorry,” Theo said.
 

The monkey screamed again. The area exploded with light and he disappeared. When the light faded, Braindon was floating over Theo.

“That’ll cost you two moves.”

I can’t afford to lose any more challenges.

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

“Congratulations! Two out of three correct,” the touchscreen said.

“Phew,” the monkey said as the dynamite fell off him. “I’m out of here!”

He scampered across the plains and was gone.
 

“Well done,” Braindon said, snarling. “You may proceed.”

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

“Congratulations! Three out of three correct,” the touchscreen said.

“Phew,” the monkey said as the dynamite fell off him. “I’m out of here!”

He scampered across the plains and was gone.
 

“Well done,” Braindon said, snarling. “You may proceed.”

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward and landed on an empty space.
 

Theo < Empty < Empty

~ Move.

~ Draw.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward one space and landed on an empty square.
 

Theo < Challenge < Empty

~ Move.

~ Draw.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward and landed on a challenge square.

“I can’t wait to see you fail this one,” Braindon said.
 

CHALLENGE!

A Game of Chance

“Time for a new challenge,” Braindon said.
 

He retreated into the saucer, and the ship divided into three units. They spun around so fast Theo couldn’t follow them. Then they stopped, and he heard Braindon’s laughter.
 

“Where am I? Best two out of three!”

Theo scanned the saucers—it would be a completely random choice.

Theo picked the:

~ Left saucer

~ Middle saucer

~ Right saucer

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked opened, and Braindon stuck his head out. “I thought for sure you wouldn’t find me,” he said. “Here we go again!”

The saucers spun around at a dizzying speed again and then stopped.
 

Theo picked the:

~ Left saucer

~ Middle saucer

~ Right saucer

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked opened, and Braindon stuck his head out. “I thought for sure you wouldn’t find me,” he said. “Here we go again!”

The saucers spun around at a dizzying speed again and then stopped.
 

Theo picked the:

~ Left saucer

~ Middle saucer

~ Right saucer

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked bounced up and down, but there was no one inside.
 

“Pathetic choice,” Braindon’s voice said, echoing from one of the saucers. “Try again!”

The saucers spun around at a dizzying speed again and then stopped.
 

Theo picked the:

~ Left saucer

~ Middle saucer

~ Right saucer

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked bounced up and down, but there was no one inside.
 

“Pathetic choice,” Braindon’s voice said, echoing from one of the saucers. “Try again!”

The saucers spun around at a dizzying speed again and then stopped.
 

Theo picked the:

~ Left saucer

~ Middle saucer

~ Right saucer

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked opened, and Braindon stuck his head out. “I thought for sure you wouldn’t find me,” he said. “Here we go again!”

The saucers spun around at a dizzying speed again and then stopped.
 

Theo picked the:

~ Left saucer

~ Middle saucer

~ Right saucer

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked bounced up and down, but there was no one inside.
 

“Pathetic choice,” Braindon’s voice said, echoing from one of the saucers. “Try again!”

The saucers spun around at a dizzying speed again and then stopped.
 

Theo picked the:

~ Left saucer

~ Middle saucer

~ Right saucer

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked exploded; another exploded, and Braindon popped out of the one that remained.

“Failure,” he said. “That’ll cost you two moves. My game is better than I thought.”

“That’s because it’s rigged,” Theo said, readying himself for the next space.

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

The saucer that Theo picked shook from side to side, and Braindon popped out.
 

“It cannot be,” he said, clutching his temples. “The odds were supposed to be in my favor.”

“Be quiet. It’s my turn now.”

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward and landed on an empty space.
 

Theo < Slide+1 < Final Challenge

~ Move.

~ Draw.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward and landed in a slide square, and he slid into the final challenge.
 

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Braindon drew a card and laughed. “Poor luck,” he said showing him a card with huge C on it. “That’ll cost you two moves. And, you must proceed to the final challenge.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Had you not drawn, it would have been fair,” Braindon said, snickering.
 

Theo slid across the board against his will and landed on the final square.

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward and landed on an empty space.
 

Theo < Slide+1 < Final Challenge

~ Move.

~ Draw.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward and landed in a slide square, and he slid into the final challenge.
 

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Braindon drew a card and laughed. “Poor luck,” he said showing him a card with huge C on it. “That’ll cost you two moves. And, you must proceed to the final challenge.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Had you not drawn, it would have been fair,” Braindon said, snickering.
 

Theo slid across the board against his will and landed on the final square.

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Braindon drew a card from the deck and showed it to Theo.
 

“Blast you,” the alien said. “Proceed forward two spaces.”

Theo slid forward two spaces and landed an empty square.
 

Theo < Slide+1 < Final Challenge

~ Move.

~ Draw.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Theo moved forward and landed in a slide square, and he slid into the final challenge.
 

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Braindon drew a card and laughed. “Poor luck,” he said showing him a card with huge C on it. “That’ll cost you two moves. And, you must proceed to the final challenge.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Had you not drawn, it would have been fair,” Braindon said, snickering.
 

Theo slid across the board against his will and landed on the final square.

~ Continue.

SORRY!

You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.

Braindon drew a card and laughed. “Poor luck,” he said showing him a card with huge C on it. “That’ll cost you two moves. And, you must proceed to the next challenge.”

Theo slid across the board against his will and landed on the next challenge square.

CHALLENGE!

A Game of Chance

“Time for a new challenge,” Braindon said.
 

He retreated into the saucer, and the ship divided into three units. They spun around so fast Theo couldn’t follow them. Then they stopped, and he heard Braindon’s laughter.
 

“Where am I? Best two out of three!”

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