Escape From Shadowland

Chapter 1

The rain pounded harshly on the windows of the Pritchard house while Elliot sat at the kitchen table doing homework. There was a knock on the door, and Elliot went to open it. But when she opened the door, she was surprised to see a tall man in a black hat, a trench coat and black sunglasses.

Is this some kind of joke? People were always pulling pranks on

her, because she was what they called a "nerd". Suddenly, a deep, hoarse voice spoke from under the coat. "May I come in?" Elliot stepped aside to welcome the man into her house. "Excuse me, sir,

but, who exactly are you?" The man stopped. He turned to face her. He

appeared old, and his graying hair poked out in little wisps of silver from under his hat. "You are Elliot Rebecca Wilson-Pritchard, age 13, from the Pritchard residence on 335 Orchard Circle, am I

correct?" Elliot stared at the man in amazement. "How- how did you-?" But the man interrupted her as he continued his speech. "And you are William Jason Pritchard's granddaughter?" But Elliot just

stared at him. "Hmm, brown eyes, brown hair, pointed nose, you must be... Where is it..." The man mumbled to himself as he rummaged through his satchel.

Then, after about a minute of searching, the

man seemed to have found what he was looking for. "Ah, here it is!" He pulled out a small device that looked like a barcode scanner, then pointed it at Elliot, who was looking at it with a

stupefied look on her face. After a couple of seconds, a mechanized voice spoke: "DNA scan complete. Living blood relative of William Pritchard." "Ah, yes, leave it to George to put my AFS in the

most secluded area in the satchel. I'll get him for this, I swear.." But Elliot was still staring at the device. "You didn't answer my- my question..." "Ah yes, your question! How stupid of me." The

man took off his sunglasses to reveal aged gray eyes. "Now, my name is Henry McTrevor. Also, are your parents home?" "No. Why?" The man's smile morphed into a frown.

"Listen, I need you to go upstairs and pack up

all your belongings." "But-" "There's no time to explain, Elliot Pritchard." The cheerful expression had now vanished completely from the man's face as he crouched down to her level and put his

hands on her shoulders. "All I can tell you for now is this." The man paused and glanced around the room, as if making sure that no one was listening, then continued with the speech. "Elliot

Pritchard, you are one of the chosen ones."

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