Stone Soldiers 1: Mythical Read Online Free Page A

heal.
    He looked confused.
    “What are you?” Josie finally asked, breaking the silence.
    The stranger looked up at the sky, at the stars, for several seconds. Then he turned his strange black-green eyes to Josie.
    “An American,” he said. “And judging from these stars, you are too?”
    Josie’s throat felt dry. “Yes, Yes... No- I mean, how-?”
    The stranger dropped the metal bullet fragments from his hand and pointed to his chest. “How’d I do this? No idea.”
    “Who are you?” Josie asked, taking a slow step forward. It all seemed so surreal.
    The stranger watched her closely. “I’m Mark. Mark Kenslir,” he finally said, extending his right hand.
    Josie looked at the large hand for a second then reluctantly shook it. Despite his freakish strength and bulging muscles, the stranger’s grip was gentle. Firm, but not vice-like as she had worried it might be. The stranger’s hand was dry and smooth- and warm. At least he wasn’t a zombie.
    “Are you sure?” Josie asked as she slid her hand away.
    “To be honest,” the stranger, Mark, smiled, “I had to think about that.”
    The stranger looked around the camp as he continued to speak. “When I first walked in here, I wasn’t sure who I was, or where I was.”
    “You’re in Arizona,” Josie said. This was getting stranger and stranger.
    Mark looked at Josie again with his strange green-black eyes. “What’s your name, kid?”
    Josie had never seen eyes like the stranger’s. Hazel eyes were green and brown. The stranger’s were green and black, with the green being a deep, emerald hue.
    “Josephine Winters- Josie. My friends call me Josie.”
    The stranger smiled warmly. “Pleased to meet you, Josie.”
    Josie couldn’t help but smile back. Even though she knew she should be afraid, that she shouldn’t be talking to this odd man, she felt perfectly safe.
    “Speaking of your friends- you think they’re coming back?” Mark asked, looking around.
    Josie looked around. She hadn’t realized all the guys had fled the area. Well, almost all of them. Logan was laying on a collapsed tent, where Mark had thrown him.
    “I don’t-” she started to say.
    The stone man, Mark, pointed a thumb over his shoulder, at Logan. “Let’s check on that one.”
    Mark turned and walked to the flattened tent Logan was laying in. He knelt carefully beside Logan.
    Logan was lying in the tent, trying not to make noise, but holding his side. He had come down hard, and he was sure his ribs were broken. When he saw the stone man approaching, he panicked. His eyes went wide and he held his hands up defensively.
    Mark smiled genuinely. “Relax sport, I’m not going to hurt you.”
    Despite the fact this was the guy that had just thrown him through the air with no apparent effort, Logan relaxed and lowered his hands. He noticed Josie was standing next to the stranger, and didn’t appear frightened at all.
    Mark gently probed Logan’s side, expertly feeling the ribs and not applying too much pressure. Logan winced but didn’t cry out in pain.
    Mark stood up and faced Josie. “I don’t think anything’s broken- maybe just bruised. We ought to wrap the ribs... you have any first aid kits?”
    Josie was relieved. She turned and cupped her hands to her mouth and began to call out for her friends. “Guys! Guys- we need your help! Logan’s hurt!”
    After several seconds, nothing happened. Josie was about to try again when the guys started to come back, tip-toeing around the tents cautiously.
    Jimmy was first to walk over. He eyed the stranger, Mark, with great suspicion.
    “Is he okay?” Jimmy asked, trying to see around Mark.
    Mark nodded an affirmative. “He will be.”
    Carlos and Kendall walked over, standing close to Josie. Kendall too was suspicious. Carlos was intrigued.
    “Are you a super hero?” Carlos asked, excitedly.
    Oh, great, Kendall thought to himself. Here we go.
    “A what?” the stranger asked.
    Carlos was confused. “A superhero... You