Read Festival of Shadows Online
Authors: Michael La Ronn
Festival of Shadows (33 page)
~ If he lands on a Challenge space, he will have to complete a challenge in order to move forward. If he fails the challenge, he will take a move penalty. Challenge spaces can be skipped if he plays the board skillfully.
~ Theo can see two spaces in front of him, so think ahead.
~ The fewer moves he takes to clear the board, the better . . .
Theo < Slide+1< Empty
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 a Slide+1! He slid forward and landed on an empty space.
Theo < Challenge < Empty
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Theo landed on the challenge square.
Braindon flew over and laughed. “Prepare yourself!”
CHALLENGE!
A Game of Memory
The square shimmered, and a purple monkey appeared. He was blindfolded and tied to a chair, and he was screaming. Blue dynamite sticks were strapped all over his body, and on his chest a touchscreen tablet blinked.
“Help me!” the monkey cried.
“What kind of challenge is this?” Theo asked, disgusted.
“An experiment,” Braindon said. “I left my dissection tools back at the colony, so blowing up my subjects is the next best thing—that is, unless you can defuse the bomb.”
“I’m going to die,” the monkey said. “I’m going to diiiiie!”
“Shut up,” Theo said. He bent over, inspecting the touchscreen on the monkey’s chest, and the screen lit up with words.
RULES OF THE GAME
~ The touchscreen will display a list of words.
~ At the end, Theo will have to select the words that he remembers—or doesn’t remember.
~ Read the instructions carefully.
Duck
Airplane
Car
Blocks
Boomerang
Kite
Ball
Bear
Drum
Joystick
Pail
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.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Select the word that
does
belong.
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.
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.
SORRY!
You didn’t make a selection. Go back to the previous page. Otherwise, you may get lost.
Select the word that
does
belong.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
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
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
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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.”
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.”