The Seven Read Online Free

fuel at three times the rate of a normal boy your age." The kids turned their heads and saw the thin form of Doctor Cormair entering the hall. His measured steps were deliberate and slow and his shoulders were slightly hunched from years of pouring over data sheets and computer keyboards. His hair, now a silvery-gray, was slicked back without a strand out of place. His eyes surveyed the table through thick, round glasses. "It is perfectly normal. You need the food to be better to compensate for your advanced energy consumption rates. I apologize for not having the resources to properly feed you every night. I hope to atone for that some day." Cormair's voice was thin and wheezy, as if he was constantly struggling for breath.
    "No worries, Doc," said John with a good-natured smile. John, more so than any of the others, had always tried to be friendly with the doctors.
    "Indigo," said Cormair, "you will eat what you are given. And you must eat. Not having the proper resources in your body can corrupt test results."
    Scowling, Indigo picked up a fork and took a small bite of pasta. "Can't have your precious tests corrupted now, can we?"
    Cormair tactfully ignored Indigo's jab. "I trust the rest of you are well. Andrew, I am glad to see you back. I assume you got your tantrum out of your system?"
    "Yes, Doctor," said Andy. He blushed brightly, his face filling with a fiery red that almost matched his hair.
    "Sarah, I thank you for going to find young Andrew," said Cormair. He sat at the far end of the table, opposite of Vera Miller, and accepted the bowls of pasta and gravy as Holly brought them to him.
    Dr. Sebbins walked into the dining hall and sat next to Cormair, as was her custom. "Any plans for tonight?" she asked brightly. "I was thinking maybe of watching a movie in the TV lounge. Say, nine o'clock?"
    "I could be up for a movie," said Posey, smiling, "as long as the boys don't choose it. I don't think I could handle another violent bloodbath movie."
    "Hey, Full Metal Jacket is not a violent bloodbath," said Andy, heaping his plate with noodles for the second time.
    "That means you'll want to watch some sort of girly flick," said John.
    "Romances aren't just for girls," said Posey, sticking out her tongue at him.
    "Sure. They're for girls...and guys who want to be girls."
    "Enough, you two," said Sebbins. "Kenny? What about you? You up for a movie tonight?"
    Kenny raised his head from his book and blinked twice. He swiveled his head slowly, looked at Sebbins, gave a brief shake of his head, and returned to his physics book.
    Sebbins stared hard at Kenny with concern for a long moment before giving her plate her attentions.
    "Has anyone experienced anything out-of-the-ordinary today?" Cormair asked. He asked the same question at every evening meal. He had been asking it every night since they arrived.
    Indigo bit her lip. The stereo was definitely out-of-the-ordinary, but it wasn't something she felt like she wanted to bring up. She knew that mentioning it would bring an all-night battery of tests and experiments. It had happened to John once. He had let it slip that his eyes had felt like they were bulging out of his skull for a while and that bright lights were hurting his head. Sebbins and Cormair had exchanged strange looks and had scuttled John from the table. They had him sequestered in the labs for most of a day and a half while subjecting him to an inhuman amount of testing. When he came back to the other six, he swore he wouldn't mention anything ever again, even if he was shooting fire through the top of his skull at the dinner table.
    "Anyone?" asked Cormair again. Indigo felt like his eyes were staring a hole through her. She forced her gaze to remain down on her plate while she shook her head a few times. Cormair didn't ask again, but Indigo didn't look up from her plate again.
    "I have finished," Kenny said. "Thank you, Ms. Miller." He nodded at Vera and stood. Before the doctors could ask any question, he