Powerless Revision 1 by Jason Letts Read Free Book Online Page A

he crept along the side of his house, keeping his ears open and his eyes vigilant. The mist in the air solidified in front of him, and Kevin stepped on to the dense platform and let it carry him into the air. The wind raced around him as he floated over the treetops on his way down to the outpost. When he descended near the large gate, the mist dissipated just in time for him to step onto the ground.
    Kevin ran along the wall away from the forest to a small shed hidden around the corner. As soon as he closed the door behind him, a heavy rain broke from the clouds, clacking against the shed’s tin roof and washing under the walls onto the dirt floor.
    Striking a match softened the shed’s darkness. Its flickering light revealed the cramped space he inhabited, containing a few broken tools and some rope along with a metal sheet on the floor. The sheet, Kevin knew, sealed the passageway through which he needed to pass.
    Before the match diminished, Kevin spoke clearly and confidently to the dying light. “My name is Kevin Ipswich. I have business with Corey. Whither does my voice travel?”
    Having followed the instructions he’d received, he waited for what would come next. The rattling rain on the roof drowned out any other sound. A rumbling, emanating sound escaped from below him. He kneeled down to listen.
    “A key above the door.” The voice sounded hoarse and raspy but unmistakable. Without lighting another match, Kevin groped above the entryway in darkness. His hands ran over the moistened wood and up to the gritty metal. Pawing at a small pouch tucked up above, he felt the key dance between his fingers as gravity sucked it down to the floor.
    Chasing after the slight clink with his hands, he brushed over the ground for the key. Just as he felt the silliness of his posture and considered lighting another match, his fingers felt the key and he took hold of it. Within moments the metal sheet and its lock leaned against the wall.
    Knowing one end of the rope firmly held an iron bar attached to the outpost’s exterior, Kevin tossed the coil down the hole. Grabbing hold of the section near the surface, he slowly lowered himself down, feeling uneasy about the wet rope, the water trickling from above, and the slick surface he placed his feet on.
    Dreading that he would slip, his feet lost their hold on the wall and he dangled in the middle of a dark tunnel, the depth of which he did not know. At once resolved that this danger was entirely unnecessary, Kevin rested his feet on a cloud that had condensed in the tunnel under his feet. Feeling much more at home, he descended slowly, until he felt the floor beneath him.
    In utter darkness, he spun around looking for a light to guide him. Only perfect darkness revealed itself. Having given up hope of finding the way himself, he asked for help.
    “Turn ninety degrees to the left and walk for thirty paces.” The same voice, ruminating and echoing, seemed to come from all directions at once.
    He followed the directions, and asked again, repeating the process countless times. Often the voice commanded him to turn sharply and walk only a few steps, making him wonder if he maneuvered through a large maze or foolishly wandered around in a great open space.
    Soon he stopped walking with his hands in front of him. After several more commands, he closed his eyes. Taking a few more steps and noticing a sudden increase in temperature, Kevin opened his eyes and realized that the man he’d been searching for sat just a few feet away. The light from a small fire smoldered behind the seated man, who sat peacefully with a blindfold over his eyes. Looking behind him, Kevin saw that the chair blocked the light from entering the corridor.
    “This is where your voice has traveled.” The old man said, wrinkling his face with a smile. Kevin had never been in the exclusive company of the elder before; he tried to match the man’s appearance with his revered reputation, the source of reason and