SIMON & SCHUSTER

presents

Within

the pages of this book you will find a hidden feature: a three-dimensional interactive map allowing you to follow the sights and sounds of Eva Nine’s journey, brought to life through the wonders of WONDLA-VISION (also known as Augmented Reality).

The illustrations on pages 123, 277, and 433 are the keys to unlock this hidden feature. Just visit WondLa.com for directions. You’ll need a computer with Internet access and a webcam to get started.

If you do not have access to a webcam, you can see noninteractive maps and a video at

WONDLA.COM

Epigraph

If you want your children
to be intelligent,
READ THEM FAIRY TALES.
If you want them to be
more intelligent,
READ THEM MORE FAIRY TALES.

—Albert Einstein

PART I

CHAPTER 1: ALONE

Eva Nine was dying. The tiny scarlet dots on her hand mirrored the glowering eyes of the snake that had just bitten her.

Sitting down on the prickly ground of dead brown pine needles and small cones, she felt the curdled coil of nausea wind its way up her throat from her stomach.

She dropped the sweaty handful of moss that she had scooped up from the forest floor.

“Kindling,” her Omnipod had instructed her earlier in its chirpy voice. “Find a flammable substance such as dry twigs or moss to begin your fire.” The large gathering of boulders Eva had found had seemed like the perfect place to make a shelter for the night, and the surrounding area was blanketed in ashen puff-patches of reindeer moss. As she had knelt down to gather a clump, Eva had realized there was a rust-colored, mottled snake just next to her, sunning itself in the fading light. She’d realized too late, though, to avoid its bite.

Now, with trembling hands, she fumbled through her dingy satchel to retrieve her Omnipod. The handheld metallic device was flat, like a magnifying glass, with a small circular hole in the middle of it that resembled an eye. Eva’s heart pounded, as if trying to escape her chest. She swallowed, interrupting the hectic meter of her breathing. The shoulder patch on her tunic blinked off and on in warning.

“This is Eva Nine,” she whispered into the Omnipod. “Initiate I-M . . . um, I-M . . .”

Eva closed her eyes and concentrated. She put the device to her forehead, as if the Omnipod would whisper to her brain the command she needed.

“Greetings, Eva Nine. How can I be of service?” the device chirped.

“I . . . um . . .” Her hands shook. “I need you to initiate Independent Medical—”

“Do you mean Individual Medical Assistance? IMA for short?” the Omnipod corrected her.

“Yes,” she answered, licking her dry lips and trying to hold her insides in.

“Is this an emergency?”

“Yes! I need help right away!” Eva yelled at the Omnipod.

“What is the nature of your emergency?”

“S-snake bite,” Eva said with a gulp. The nausea lurked just under her tongue, ready to leap out.