The Riddles of Epsilon by Christine Morton-Shaw Read Free Book Online Page A

now—honest, Avril.
    AVRIL: So let me get this right. Now you have met a ghost. Correction— two ghosts!
    JESS: No. Yes. Oh, I don’t know.
    AVRIL: And one is a little boy and one is a man called Epsilon, who is named after a bucket??? Oh, puh- leeze !
    JESS: He is not named after a bucket! The bucket just had his name carved on it.
    AVRIL: Why? And why was it buried in the ground, under an arrow? Come on then—tell me!
    JESS: I don’t know.
    AVRIL: So ask him! Ask either of them—the teeny-tiny ghost or the great big ghost.
    JESS: Epsilon said he is not a ghost.
    AVRIL: Well, he is either a ghost or he is a figment of your imagination. Either way, you can still ask him. Like, “Hey, Mr. Figment-of-My-Imagination, what’s all this about buried buckets and hidden hammocks, tell me quick ’cause I am driving my friend Avril totally crazy!”
    JESS: I knew you wouldn’t understand.
    AVRIL: You knew right. I’M GOING. I’ll catch you again sometime. But next time, do me a favor?
    JESS: What?
    AVRIL: Try to talk about something normal, okay? No more tall stories. This is getting boring.
    AVRIL HAS NOW LEFT THE CHAT ROOM
    JESS: Epsilon? Are you there?
    E: Of course I am.
    JESS: Yeah—eavesdropping as usual.
    E: She thinks you are telling lies. Why would she think that?
    JESS: She’s stupid.
    E: “Tall stories,” she said. “Exaggerating.”
    JESS: Forget her. She’s horrible.
    E: So you have a bit of a reputation for telling lies?
    JESS: Okay, okay—so what if I do? I’m bound to tell lies, aren’t I? I mean, it’s inherited. I get it from my precious mother.
    E: And what does your mother lie about?
    JESS: Not “does.” Did. Lied and lied and lied. She is such a hypocrite! Saying They’d come up here to get me away from Avril and everything. Rubbish! Dad wanted us to get away, all right—away from Mom’s boyfriend . Away from the fact she’d just had an affair . Away from all the lies she told. Lie after lie after lie. But I found out. I found her with him. Told Dad.
    E: I see. So you came away for a new start all round.
    JESS: Okay, so now you know. Can we change the subject now?
    E: Your dad sounds like a very forgiving sort to me.
    JESS: Dad? He’s a doormat. Pathetic.
    E: Is all this why you spend less and less time with them?
    JESS: Suppose so.
    E: And why you’ve moved half your things down to the cottage?
    JESS: Now who’s exaggerating? I only moved my laptop and my homeschooling books.
    E: And your files and your favorite beanbag and lots of other stuff. Running away from them won’t help matters, will it?
    JESS: Oh, stop lecturing me. Let’s change the subject. I just like spending time there. And I’ve got a million questions to ask you.
    E: As you wish.
    JESS: So—you used to sleep in a hammock? Cool!
    E: No. I do sleep in a hammock. Present tense. Although I don’t really sleep as such—just rest. But in that hammock, yes.
    JESS: Present tense? You still live there?!????!!!!!!!!
    E: Of course.
    JESS: But—you never leave any footprints in all the dust!
    E: Haven’t you gathered by now, you are dealing with something that does not follow the rules of the world?
    JESS: Tell me then. I need to know. What am I dealing with?
    E: You’ll understand much more when you read the documents in the second box.
    JESS: Aha! So I was right—the boxes ARE in order!
    E: Of course. The key will fit the others when the time is right for you to learn more.
    JESS: And why am I learning all this weirdo stuff? I mean, why me?
    E: Because of your mother. Because of the danger that she is in.
    JESS: Oh, not back to her again. I’m not talking about her, all right? I just want some answers. Like—when can I see you ?
    E: But you have seen me.
    JESS: Not a coat on a door, not glimpsed in a mirror! When can I really see you? Sebastian did—he said you appeared in his