Free Island of Fog (Book 1) by Keith Robinson Page A

talking to you all, getting to know you.”
    Bewildered, Hal glanced from his mom to his dad and back again. “Mom, who are you talking about?”
    “A lady named Simone. She contacted us today and said it was time.”
    Hal tried to digest this impossible piece of news.
A lady named Simone.
His mouth worked up and down a few times, but no words came out.
    After a while his mom smiled. “It’s a shock, I know, meeting someone new. You never thought you’d see the day. But you’ll like her. Simone is a very special lady, and she’s coming to the school tomorrow to talk to you all . . . and to . . . well . . .” She trailed off, looking uncomfortable.
    Hal stared in disbelief. “But Mom, you mean this person has come from Out There? But didn’t you say everyone Out There was crazy or something? You just said so a minute ago! How can there be someone—”
    “Simone’s different,” his mom explained, exchanging a glance with her husband, who was still chewing. “You’ll like her.”
    Hal pushed his chair back with a scrape, got up, and paced the kitchen, trying to sort out his muddled thoughts.
A person he’d never met. A visitor. Coming to the island.
“But how is she getting here? By boat? But the sea serpent will get her!”
    While his dad stared at his empty plate, his mom spoke in a slow monotone, as if reciting a memorized speech. “All will be explained, Hal. Just go to school on Monday as usual, and be polite to Simone. Don’t pester her with questions. She’ll tell you everything you need to know, when she’s ready. Now, go find something to do.” She stood and started clearing away the plates, then clicked her tongue at her husband. “And George,
please
brush those crumbs out of your beard. You look ridiculous.”
    Dazed, Hal trudged down the hall to his room. He wondered if Robbie had been told the news yet. He could nip over there and tell him, talk things over, but right now he just wanted to think. He sat on the edge of his bed to mull things over.
    A person he’d never met.
    Hal was so shocked by the news that he lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, with a candle flickering on his bedside table.
    Simone. A new person on the island. Someone from Out There.
    How did his parents know her? Why was she showing up now, after all this time? And what did his mom mean, ‘it was time’? Time for
what?
    Everything’s gone crazy
, he thought. What with his rash, and Robbie’s amazing feats of strength, and the fog-hole in the woods, and the red-faced creature, and the sea serpent, and now a strange woman named Simone showing up for class on Monday . . .
    Hal grew sleepy. Eventually his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep. At some point he became aware of his mom shaking him gently, telling him it was late and he should get out of his clothes and climb into bed, and he sleepily mumbled, “Sure, Mom.” But the next thing he knew, he’d drifted back to sleep.
    Tap tap.
    The soft tapping on the window woke him, and he sat up. It was dark outside, and the candle on his bedside table had melted down halfway. For a moment Hal was confused. He was still fully clothed, lying on top of the bed—oh, yes, he’d fallen asleep, thinking of . . .
Simone!
Yes, he’d been going over everything his mom had told him about the new teacher—
    Tap tap.
    Hal sat up, blinking. Then he saw a pale face staring through the window at him and he almost fell off his bed in surprise.
    It was Abigail, standing outside in the cold, her face pressed to the glass.

Chapter Six
Abigail's secret
    “Open up,” Abigail mouthed from outside the window, gesturing toward the latch. Behind her, the fog rolled in the darkness.
    Hal opened the window and leaned out as an icy breeze pushed past him into his room. “What are you doing here?” he whispered. “It’s late. And freezing.”
    Abigail frowned and rubbed her arms. She wore only a light red dress despite the thick cold fog. “I told you I was coming tonight to