The Serpents of Arakesh Read Online Free Page A

lunch, even though I felt hollow from having no dinner the night before.
    After lunch was silent reading. I really like reading, though I’m slower than the other kids. There are always some words I can’t figure out, but I just skip them, and let my mind make pictures instead — like watching a movie in my head. Often, I imagine how I’d end the story if I was writing it. Some nights I even dream I’m reading and the words flow easily like water in a stream. I make up the whole rest of the book in my sleep and read every word without one single mistake.
    Today, I was halfway through an adventure book about a plane that crashes in the middle of a jungle. I found my place, tipped back my chair, and began to read.
    Next to me, on the other side from Nicole, Cameron Harrow was also finding his place. I squinted across to see what he was reading, but all I could see was that his book looked a lot thicker than mine, and the words were smaller and closer together. Next to his book on the desk lay his bookmark, a coloured card with pictures and writing. I craned over to see. ‘Psst — Cameron,’ I hissed. ‘What’s that?’
    â€˜Adam …’ said Miss McCracken wearily.
    Cameron gave me a quick glance and shook his head. We both stared at our books again.
    I quite liked Cameron, even though he was a bit of a nerd. He was real rich — at least his parents were. Hecame to school in a silver sports car, and went to Laser Strike for his birthday parties — not that I was ever invited. But he didn’t show off about it and though I sensed he was wary of me and kind of kept his distance, he was never mean like some of the other guys.
    Just as I was finally getting into my book something slid onto my desk. I blinked. It was Cameron’s bookmark. I snuck a glance over at him. He smiled, and winked. I winked back. I put the card inside my book and pretended to carry on reading while I looked at it.
    It was some kind of a computer-game registration card. One of those things you fill in when you buy stuff — like a guarantee. FILL THIS IN AND STAND TO WIN! it said in large letters across the top.
    It was more than just a registration card. It was a competition. I frowned, trying to figure it out. If you bought the game — called Quest for the Golden Goblet — you were eligible to enter the competition. You had to fill in the card and send it off. And it was reply-paid, so you didn’t need a stamp. The prize was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be one of five kids who got to go to a special ‘Gaming Workshop’ — whatever that was — with the guy who’d invented the computer game. That, and a state-of-the-art home computer system!
    COMPETITION VALID FOR PURCHASES DURING THE MONTHS OF MAY AND JUNE ONLY , it said in big letters. CUTOFF DATE FOR ENTRIES: JUNE 30 .
    It was the twenty-seventh today.
    I wondered if Cameron was going to enter. I would if it was me — it would be cool to go to a gaming workshop, whatever it was, just to get away from Highgate, Matron and Geoffrey. But people like Cameron didn’t have problems like mine. And I guessed Cameron probably already had a state-of-the-art computer.
    When we were packing up our bags to go home I handedthe card back to him. ‘Looks pretty cool,’ I said. ‘What’s it all about, anyway?’
    â€˜Well, obviously you’ve heard of the Quest computer games.’
    â€˜Not really,’ I admitted.
    â€˜You haven’t? ’ He thought about that for a minute, and you could see the exact moment it all made sense — yeah, obviously Adam Equinox wouldn’t have stuff like computer games in the children’s home. Cameron blushed. ‘Yeah, well, anyhow,’ he carried on quickly, ‘it’s this real wicked series of games — role-playing interactive adventure-type stuff, in this virtual world called Karazan.’ He gave me a quick look through