Arkadium Rising by Glen Krisch Read Free Book Online

God of His chosen people. The Election of those He chooses to carry on, to advance to the next stage of life."
    "You're babbling on about God, but you hurt that boy," Jason said, not following Marcus's explanation, but knowing his own rage was growing. His mind flashed with the image of the boy's duct tape necklace, his delicate blond hair clinging to its crinkles.
    "And?"
    "You sick sonofabitch." Jason charged at his brother. Marcus turned away as Jason threw a punch and his fist glanced off his jaw.
    "Marcus!" Delaney cried out and rushed to his side.
    Marcus fell to one knee, holding his chin, and started laughing. In an instant, his followers fell in on Jason, holding back his arms before he could get in another blow. Though it felt good punching his brother, Jason's fear was growing. He was playing a deadly game and he didn't know the rules.
    "Easy, easy. That's my brother," Marcus said. When he looked at his fingers, they came away bloody. "I hurt a boy? What boy in particular? There are so many. And little girls, and grandmas and soccer moms and factory-working daddies... oh, I lose count."
    Jason struggled to free his arms, but the hands of the PTA moms and dads held him firmly.
    Marcus consulted his watch again. "Oh, just look at the time! This little impromptu family reunion is about to come to a close. As is most of the rest of the world."
    Marcus started dialing his cell phone, the intonations sounding faraway but altogether damning and final.
    "What are you doing?"
    "Giving back what doesn't rightfully belong to us."
    His followers closed in around him, collectively raising their hands toward the cell phone as if to touch holiness cast off by its computerized beeping.
    And with the seventh pushed button, an explosion roared through the valley, violently shaking the ground. Jason's captors fell to their sides, nearly bringing him down with them, but suddenly he was free, standing a stone's throw from the damaged river dam. Water gushed through wide fissures where huge concrete chucks had broken away. The force of the waves widened these gaps, sending more and more water rushing down toward the silent town.
     
    3.
     
    Jason couldn't hear himself think for all of the rushing water. But he was free. With the commotion and excitement of the explosion, Marcus and his followers seemed to have forgotten about him. They were leaning over the edge of the hill, gaping at the unfolding destruction. Jason slinked away to his car, hopped inside, and locked the door.
    Delaney saw him and grabbed Marcus's arm to get his attention.
    Jason turned the ignition, and with all the noise, didn't know if the engine engaged until he shifted into reverse. Marcus frantically waved his arms, trying to get Jason to stop. Whipping the car through a semicircle, he shifted and recklessly gunned the engine down the winding road.
    By the time he closed on the tree where he'd left the boy, the raging water hit the Accord's tires, creeping as high as the rims. He lost control of the car when he stomped on the brakes. He went sliding across the road before slamming to a stop when he hit the curb.
    He kept the engine running as he hurried out into the rising water. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a huge surge of water falling from the uppermost part of the dam where the explosion had sheared away a large section of concrete. He hoped the rest would hold long enough for him to find the boy and get out of here.
    He didn't see the boy right away and was about to call out his name, but suddenly realized he'd never introduced himself.
    "Hello? Are you there?" he shouted, looking up into the tree branches. Water splashed his shins and would soon reach his knees. He slogged through it, trying to spot the boy among the branches. The boy was gone.
    Must've run when he heard the explosion , Jason thought.
    "Hello? If you can hear me, we have to get out of here!"
    Jason scanned the neighboring yards and the living room windows of nearby houses, but the boy