Turning his attention from the monitors, George studied the room in further detail and spotted two potential exits from the chamber he sat in. One of these he was certain he came through when he first entered this world, while the other looked out of place in a room that otherwise seemed to have a rustic, log cabin feel to it. Made of solid metal, it had a wheel in the center of it, which reminded George of the entrance to a bank vault, or an air lock door on a spaceship or submarine.
Crossing the room, he grabbed the wheel. The only direction he could move it was counter-clockwise, but even that was difficult. It screeched loudly from apparent disuse as it slowly turned. After struggling with the mechanism for nearly a minute, George heard a loud click. As the door slid open, it revealed a stone staircase leading down. At fifty foot intervals, he saw strange, glowing circles embedded in the ceiling that gave off an incredible amount of light; enough to force even the tiniest of shadows into retreat. Though the walkway was lit, he could not see the bottom of the stairs.
Tentatively, George traversed the steps for a short distance, hoping to see where they led, but after a couple of minutes there was no end in sight. Deciding to fully explore the staircase later, he ascended to the room filled with computers. With no quick resolution to what lay at the bottom of the stairs, his curiosity turned to the doorway he had entered that transported him to this world. Would walking through it from this side put him back on Earth, or would it simply lead to the outside of the building?
After emerging at the top of the stairs, George swung the heavy door shut. The wheel spun rapidly in a clockwise motion by itself, jerking to a stop as its locking mechanism clicked into place. Turning his attention to the door he suspected would lead him home, he approached it cautiously. Half expecting to tumble back into his own world when he stepped through, George reached for the handle. His hand froze in midair when he saw there was no knob to turn, but instead there was a strange metallic circle embedded in the door with a grooved hand print molded into its surface. Cautiously, he placed his hand in the hollowed impression. The tingling sensation of electricity surprised him, but felt somewhat like sticking your tongue to the terminals of a nine volt battery. The mild shock had startled him briefly, but not enough to make him withdraw his hand from the groove. Keeping his palm flat, he turned the mechanism as if it were a normal doorknob. The door clicked softly as it unlocked, immediately sliding into the wall on his left.
George gaped for a moment, shocked by the sight before him. In the sky, he saw two moons. One hanging just above the horizon, giving it a slightly crescent shape, while the other was significantly higher and looked to be nearly full.
When the confusion passed, he stepped through the doorway on to the sandy ground outside, wondering what else this new world might have in store for him. Instantly, the panel behind him slid closed. A bank of floodlights clicked on above him, illuminating a large area around the building. Stepping away from the structure, he heard a noise that he couldn't identify. It seemed to be coming from the roof. Shielding his eyes and squinting, George could make out several small shapes on the shingles, spinning in slow circles, which resembled tiny radar dishes.
A sudden whirring sound caused George to spin around, and what he saw made him take a few steps back. Before him were about a dozen slinking, shiny, rat-like creatures, each approximately the size of a house cat. Something was moving near their bellies, but with such great speed he couldn't distinguish what the objects were. Their glowing red eyes watched him intently as their thick tails switched back and forth.
The stare down continued for a few moments before the metallic creatures scattered in several different directions. The whirring sound intensified as they disappeared into the tall grass roughly fifty feet from the building. Shortly after they vanished from sight, George realized he could see their shiny bodies scurrying around again, even though they hadn't gotten any closer to the building. Is it my imagination, or did the grass somehow get shorter? When the realization struck him, he laughed out loud. The creatures were like tiny lawnmowers. Feeling the potential threat to his well-being no longer existed, he turned from the scene and opened the door.
As soon as he stepped through the doorway it closed and locked behind him automatically. The day's events were a lot for him to take in all at once, and suddenly he felt very tired. Opening the door to the bunkhouse he cringed, expecting to have his ears assaulted by the screaming girl, but was instead greeted with silence. Quickly checking to make sure his prisoner hadn't escaped, he found her asleep on the floorboards. Taking a cue from his captive, he quietly sat on a bed nearby and laid down. Within moments, he was fast asleep.
Chapter 28
What Katie saw before her eyes was surreal; a large room with stone walls and an opening to her right that reminded her of a window in a castle. I must be dreaming. Looking through the aperture, she saw a large medieval town sprawled out beneath her. Horse drawn carts traveled along the cobblestone streets, and the people dodging out of their way were nothing more than dots on the landscape from her vantage point.
Turning her attention back to the elaborate chamber she stood in, Katie saw two armor-clad figures flanking a large wooden door across from her. Richly colored tapestries hung on the walls, as well as several evenly spaced fixtures, each holding three lit candles. She wasn't positive, but thought they were called candelabras. Dominating the center of the room was a large, twenty foot long wooden table, which was surrounded by well-appointed high-back chairs that looked more like thrones than something a normal, everyday person would sit upon.
A door suddenly creaked open and a robed figure entered the room, crossing the enormous chamber until it stood before her. "M' lady," a male voice from within the shadows of the hood greeted her, bowing deeply. As he straightened, the man swept the cowl from his head, revealing a gentle face rimmed with long black hair. His piercing gray eyes glowed warmly in the candlelight.
"Hello," Katie stuttered, unsure of how to properly address the man. He responded to her greeting with a warm smile. "Am I dreaming?"
"In a way, you are," he admitted softly. "Though, it is more like traveling in spirit, outside of your body."
To Katie, it sounded like he was talking about astral projection. Until now, she had never considered such a thing to be possible. "Why am I here?"
"Ah ... skipping formalities and getting straight to the point." He grinned. "I am assuming that the Gods have sent you to aid me."
"Aid you? Why would I do that?"
"A darkness has befallen our land as of late. Foul creatures attack us from the shadows, even in the city. The town elders have charged me with a mission. I am to travel to the Throne of the Gods and seek their aid in ridding the land of this evil."
"I'm not sure that I follow. What does any of that have to do with me?" Katie raised an eyebrow questioningly, growing impatient and nervous.
Rubbing his chin in contemplation, he considered how much to tell her. "A messenger pigeon arrived at the chamber of elders this morning, bearing a piece of parchment in its talons, indicating something disturbing. The message stated that someone from a place known as 'Earth' has entered our lands, and at this precise moment is aiding the dark forces which threaten to spread throughout this world."
"Whoa! Wait just a minute! Are you telling me that this isn't Earth?"
"That is exactly what I'm saying. This world is known as Desolace. The elders believe that Earth is a world which is parallel to our own, and that you can travel between the two by means of magic," he informed her.
"Parallel worlds? Magic? I suppose the next thing you'll tell me is that your name is Merlin or something, right?"
"I know not this Merlin you speak of," he confessed, cocking an eyebrow inquisitively.
"Where I come from, he's a wizard. One that most people believe only exists in fairy tales."
"I am indeed a sorcerer, if that is what you mean, but my name is not Merlin. It is Edward the White."
"Okay ... well,
I suppose my next question for you would be, why me? I'm sure there are many other people on Earth who would be much better qualified to help you. Like a priest ... or a shrink," Katie remarked in a sarcastic tone.
"Perhaps." He sighed. "But I get the feeling that you are connected in some way I don't understand yet, making your involvement pivotal to the mission's success. It's just a hunch, but maybe you know things about the evil person who entered our land from your world which could prove vital. In any case, you are merely the first of what I believe will be many adventurers who will be needed to complete this quest."
"I don't get it." Katie frowned in confusion. "How am I supposed to help you if I'm not really here?"
"When the time is right, I will open a portal to your world, allowing you to pass through to Desolace physically."
From what seemed like miles away, Katie heard another voice calling to her. Edward seemed to shimmer before her like a mirage. Closing her eyes briefly to battle her sudden bout of vertigo, she waited a moment before opening them. The light from her nightstand was so bright that she squinted her eyes most of the way shut, trying to get them to focus. Through the slits of her eyelids, the hazed and watery form of her mother appeared. I'm back in my bedroom.
"Katie, wake up," Mrs. Johnson said, shaking her daughter gently.
Raising her hands, Katie screwed her fists in her eyes and sat up groggily. When her eyes began to focus, she saw the look of concern on her mom's face. "What's wrong, Mom?"
"Did Julie go straight home when she left? Her dad called a few minutes ago, asking because she wasn't home yet."
Glancing at her alarm clock, Katie wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her. The LED numbers told her it was three in the morning. "As far as I know, she went straight home. She should have been there hours ago!" Suddenly wide awake and on the verge of panic, Katie frantically looked around for her clothes.
"Then I should probably call her dad back to let him know." Mrs. Johnson sighed, turning to leave.
Bouncing up from her bed, Katie rifled through her dresser, grabbing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. "It would probably be quicker if we just went over there, Mom. Can you take me there?" Katie pleaded, dressing herself as she walked.
Quickly falling behind, Mrs. Johnson grabbed the car keys as she chased after Katie. By the time she got in the car, her daughter was already sitting in the passenger seat, rocking nervously. As they pulled out of the driveway and headed toward Julie's house, they passed the home of Katie's old bus driver. Unable to resist the temptation, Katie stole a glance toward it and saw that none of the lights were on. Trying not to think the worst, she feverishly hoped that Mr. M. was inside sleeping and not out doing unspeakable things to Julie.
Although it felt like an eternity, the ride to Julie's house took all of ten minutes. Pulling in the driveway, the first thing Katie noticed was the car ahead of them. It was the same vehicle her friend had been driving earlier.
"Um ... Mom? That's the car Julie was driving when she came over," Katie explained. "She should be here."
Continuing toward the front door, Mrs. Johnson looked over her shoulder. "I wonder if her dad knows that it's out here."
Barely hearing a word of what her mother said, Katie darted past her in a blur. As she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open, throwing her off balance and nearly hitting Mr. Evans' head with her own as she fell forward. Narrowly escaping a vicious headbutt, she ended up planting her elbow firmly into his chest instead. Barely managing to retain his balance, he wrapped his arms around her. Tears were streaming down his face.
"Is she here now? I saw the car in the driveway," Katie blurted, attempting to break the embrace.
"What? The car is here?" Mr. Evans gasped in disbelief, absently pushing Katie away and staggering outside to see for himself.
On wobbly legs, Katie turned away from the distraught man and made her way through the house to Julie's bedroom. When she first entered the room she didn't notice anything out of place, but as she continued looking around she realized the carpet was damp, like Julie had taken a shower and walked back in without drying off.
She was here, Katie thought frantically. But if the car is still in the driveway, it would imply that if Julie left the house, she had done so on foot. Trying desperately to think, Katie left the bedroom, feeling the carpet with her bare feet. Instead of getting a clearer picture of where Julie had gone, she became even more confused. The rug outside of the room was only damp between the bedroom and the bathroom. When Katie stepped out of the direct path between the two rooms, the carpet was completely dry. In her mind, that left two options. Either Julie snuck out of her bedroom window after showering, or someone abducted her and carried her through the house and out the front door.
Returning to Julie's room, Katie crossed to the window and inspected the box fan. It hummed lazily on the sill as if mocking her. Because there was little room for Julie to have gotten past the fan, she concluded that her friend had been carried out. While Katie was trying to piece things together, her mom and Mr. Evans walked in to the room. Quickly, Katie relayed her theories to them.
"There is no way she could have been carried through the house and out one of the doors," Mr. Evans retorted as calmly as he could manage. "Every door has a deadbolt. I checked each one when I noticed Julie wasn't here, and they were all locked."
Katie frowned. "Then I guess she must have gone out of the window, but I'm not sure how. The fan on the sill blocks the opening almost entirely." The gears in her mind worked furiously to figure out how it might have been possible. As she pictured Mr. M in her mind, it dawned on her that he was close to a half foot taller than Julie. Was it possible that he somehow shifted the fan enough to get Julie out, jumped down, and reached up to put the fan back in place? Adjusting its position slightly, Katie glanced at the ground below the window and noticed a large section of grass seemed flatter than the rest of the surrounding greenery. Large, foot-shaped indentations in the lawn led away from the house in both directions. Pulling her head back inside, she broke the news to Mr. Evans.
Fresh tears began to pour from his bloodshot eyes as he let out a mournful wail. Crossing the room, Katie hugged him tightly. Behind them, Mrs. Johnson held up a finger to her daughter, indicating that she would be back in a minute.
Mrs. Johnson's low voice could be heard for a few moments, sounding like it was coming from the hallway. "I've called the police," she stated, rejoining them in Julie's bedroom.
The noise coming from Mr. Evans' lips was watery, and vaguely sounded like he was trying to say thank you. Sobbing loudly, he clutched Katie to his chest as if she were his daughter.
Within five minutes, a police car pulled into the driveway and one of the four police officers currently employed by the town of Misty Hollows stepped out. Entering the dwelling through the already open front door, he spoke to Mr. Evans briefly then excused himself so he could look around the house. After finishing his cursory examination, he returned to the living room and asked to use the phone.
The Misty Hollows Chief of Police arrived ten minutes later and consulted with the officer, making sure he was up to speed on the current situation. Soon after the chief arrived, a squadron of vehicles pulled up in front of the house and parked in a manner which blocked off the street. The emblems on the cars of the new arrivals were difficult to see with so many flashing lights, but appeared to be from nearby Toledo. Having never seen so many cops outside of a television program, Mr. Evans began pacing the room nervously. With the multitude of people milling in and around his house, it almost felt like a three ring circus had come to town and set up in his front yard. In his mind, he could hear the voices of the tent masters, calling to the unseen crowd, "Step right up! In this tent, we have the amazing three-headed chicken!" In a way, the voices didn't seem all that crazy. After all, he was pacing like a caged animal, as if he was frantically searching for a way out of the coop before it burned down around him.
Time seemed to stand sti
ll. By all accounts, the sun should have been coming up by now, but as Katie checked the clock on the living room wall she saw that it had only been an hour since her mom woke her up. One of the crime scene officers approached, informing Katie and Mrs. Johnson that were free to return home; he would call them if he thought of any more questions. Although she was grateful that she was being allowed to leave, she hesitated. Somehow, it didn't feel right to leave Mr. Evans alone to deal with his grief. The police presence would be of little comfort to him, looking like a flock of circling vultures that had found a fresh corpse to pluck at.
Pausing to hug Mr. Evans on their way out the door, Katie and Mrs. Johnson went outside and prepared to return home. The police moved their blockade as Mrs. Johnson backed out of the driveway, allowing her to squeeze the vehicle through the barricade, then closed the gap behind them as they drove off.
When they pulled into the driveway, they noticed that every light in the house was on. Walking in the front door, they were assaulted by a barrage of questions from both Matt and Mr. Johnson. Gently reminding her parents that today was the last day of school, Katie excused herself from the room, knowing she had to at least try to get a little more sleep if she had any hope of passing her final exams.
Upon entering her bedroom, Katie closed the door gently. She collapsed on to her mattress and reached over to turn the light off. Closing her eyes, she listened to the muffled voices of her parents and her brother coming from the other room. Their voices tapered off after a while. Even though the house was now silent, sleep continued to elude Katie. She tossed and turned in her bed, trying desperately to clear her mind.
After what felt like at least an hour, Katie sat up and glanced at her alarm clock. Four thirty-six. Staring at the numbers in disbelief, she suddenly felt like someone was watching her, causing the baby fine hairs on the back of her neck to rise. Spinning her head around toward the window, she almost expected to see Mr. M. sneaking into her room to kidnap her. Instead, she saw a familiar visitor.
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