Island of Echoes by Roman Gitlarz Read Free Book Online

of the world do you call home?”
    Father Daniel stole a brief glance at the woman before him. “Far from here, I’m afraid.”
    “Ah. The center of the continent would be my guess, no?” she continued to probe.
    “It is not our origin that defines us,” he retorted.
    Lady Pearson chuckled. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you had something to hide.” She had a twinkle in her eye and her air of superiority returned twofold.
    Father Daniel met her gaze. “Nothing of the sort. But if I did, I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one.”
    The point was made. Lady Pearson directed her glower out at the water while Ella pretended to be distracted by some hill in the distance. An uncomfortable hush fell over our coach as we continued on. It was quite a while, several miles perhaps, before Travert finally broke the silence.
    “Mon Dieu!” he exclaimed, and I was thoroughly startled at the outburst. He stood up to observe some point of interest behind me. I saw Rémy’s eyes grow wide and Father Daniel crossed himself. I looked to see what had caught their attention.
    “Good heavens!” I burst out and we all turned to face the structure before us.
    It stood taller than any tower I had ever seen. I would describe it as a cone in shape, but the sides, rather than straight, were curved inward elegantly like a giant trumpet. Its tip came to a perfect point high in the sky and the entire exterior gleamed like silver. Its base was still obstructed by the hills before us, and I could only surmise how much of the monolith our eyes were privy to. We were mute with awe as we scrutinized the monument, half expecting it to disappear before us like a mirage.
    I felt such a complexity of emotion at that moment. Fear, naturally, for I realized I was seeing something wholly unknown. Excitement about the marvel before me. But most of all I think I felt lonely, for I instinctively realized that my companions and I had no friends, acquaintances, or even methods of communication among these truly foreign people. We gaped in silence for many long minutes as the structure loomed ever-taller before us.
    “I need to put my head down,” Lady Pearson finally murmured, clutching her temples. Ella took a hold of her arm.
    “I...” Rémy began, but was unable to finish his sentence.
    “What sort of place is this?” Father Daniel whispered.
    “I just can’t believe my eyes. I can’t believe our predicament! We have just discovered a new world,” Lady Pearson surmised.
    “Come now, grandmother,” Ella retorted, “How could that be?”
    “Do you have any other explanation? Anyone? My head is spinning,” she closed her eyes and placed a hand over her forehead.
    “I admit, I have never heard of anything like this,” I agreed hesitantly.
    “A blank space on the map?” Travert scoffed. “In the middle of the Mediterranean?!”
    “I’ve read about these things, you know!” Lady Pearson piped. “Just look at what Napoleon’s men discovered in Egypt, and that’s not far from here. Or King Solomon’s mines in Africa.”
    “That was a fantasy story, grandmother,” Ella reproached gently.
    “No matter. Our eyes don’t deceive us, and that thing is entirely unnatural,” she declared heatedly.
    “Well who knows what these foreigners may want with us,” said Travert, authority returning to his voice. “I say we prepare ourselves. Let’s get those rifles out.”
    Rémy opened our trunk and searched through the blankets and tarps. “I can’t find them,” he admitted nervously.
    “But you packed it!” the Captain growled.
    “I helped,” I quickly added and assisted him in combing through the provisions, “but I honestly don’t recall even seeing them.”
    “Well they didn’t just disappear during the night.” Travert began rummaging through the crate himself, though it was clear that the arms were nowhere to be found.
    “We certainly would have noticed two rifles lying out on the grass, wouldn’t we?” Lady