“Stop!” Peter replied. “I am here, aren’t I? That is what you wanted.”
“Yes, yes,” Goaltan answered. “I suppose, but demolishing things suits me well.” The Peblars snickered and Peter and Lina could also hear voices coming from behind them. They were surrounded by the pebbled enemy.
“You don’t need to demolish anything else. We get the message. What do you want with us?” Lina asked.
Goaltan strolled toward the children. “I’ll tell you what I want. I would like very much to stay here and make this town my new home. I have grown tired of my own land and your world is splendidly fun! Of course, a little makeover will have to take place,” Goaltan said, glancing around the cul-de-sac. “I think I will make your particular home”—he paused for dramatic effect—“mine!” A sinister smile spread across his lips. “Peter, Lina, and your two little Candonite friends shall be my own personal servants. Or should I say, slaves?”
“I’ll never lift a finger for you!” Lina scowled as Goaltan came to a stop in front of them.
“Oh, I think you will change your mind. It all comes down to whether or not you want your fathers to go free and be with the rest of your families. Or shall I make them my servants too? Hmmm,” Goaltan said playfully.
“You’re horrible!” Lina replied, crossing her arms.
“You have hurt my feelings,” Goaltan mused. “I could have said I will keep you all to serve me. Don’t forget that.”
“I—” Lina started to reply but Peter touched her arm and interrupted her.
“We would be grateful if you left our families out of this.” He whispered to Lina. “Think of Henry.” She pursed her lips. Peter turned his attention back to Goaltan and said, “I will be your greatest servant if you let everyone else go.”
“You are not going to do this without me,” Lina told Peter.
“Such loyalty,” Goaltan replied, considering the offer. “You would risk your freedom to help…him?”
“Of course! Peter is my friend. My best friend,” Lina answered. “He would do the same thing for me.”
“I would,” Peter confirmed.
“Oh, how heartwarming,” Goaltan said sarcastically. “Friends! Who needs friends? I have never had a friend in my life and I turned out fine.” He sneered. Peter and Lina wanted to reply, but thought it best not to. Lina bit her lower lip to keep from saying anything.
“Do you accept the offer of having us serve you and letting our families and friends go?” Peter asked, his voice breaking.
“I don’t make deals with children, especially not human children. If I made that deal, I would always have to watch my back looking for your pesky family. Who, no doubt, would attempt to rescue you,” Goaltan huffed.
Peter and Lina were about to protest his answer when suddenly Goaltan stomped his foot. They felt the earth under them shake. The asphalt around them rose rapidly toward the sky. The ring of asphalt carried Lina and Peter two stories up before coming to an abrupt stop. Peter and Lina lost their balance. Peter fell onto his backside and Lina fell sideways with her legs and torso dangling over the side of the asphalt ring. Peter rushed to her side to help her up.
“Sheesh! Seriously, what is with the dramatic effects?” she yelled down to Goaltan, furious and panting.
Goaltan returned a deafening laugh. “I can’t risk your running off while I take care of business, can I? Just sit back and enjoy the show.”
“What are you going to do?” Peter demanded, angry that his best friend could have gotten hurt.
Goaltan didn’t answer. Instead he did a little jig and pivoted around, heading toward Peter’s home. The other Peblars followed him. Peter and Lina watched powerlessly. As soon as Goaltan grabbed the handle of Peter’s front door, the house began to slowly turn gray. Tiny pebbles began replacing the wooden walls. Goaltan watched for a moment, no doubt pleased with his work, before crushing the doorknob in his bare hand.
Before entering, Goaltan turned to the children and spoke. His voice, startlingly loud as if he spoke right into their ears, caused them to cringe. “I don’t think you will be going anywhere anytime soon. All this reconstruction makes one weary. It is time for me to get some much needed rest. I think I will rest my head on your pillow.”
Peter wanted to protest but Goaltan was already entering the door. He turned his body to fit into the doorway, ducked to clear the top frame and failed, taking part of it off as he slammed the door shut behind him. Peter couldn’t get a word out. Peter and Lina watched, upset with the house taking on its new form. Some of the Peblars went into the house. A couple stayed in front standing guard. Two more made their way around to the back of the house.
“What now?” Lina asked.
“People keep asking that question and no one seems to have the answer,” Peter replied.
“Yeah, I know,” Lina said glumly.
“Try not to look at Mr. Rupert’s house. We don’t want to draw any attention to it,” Peter advised.
“This stinks!” Lina said. Although he agreed, Peter didn’t answer. As if things couldn’t get any worse, he felt a raindrop on the tip of his nose, then another on his cheek.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Lina said, holding out her hands toward dark clouds in the sky. Peter hadn’t noticed those clouds before, because he had been so busy paying attention to Goaltan and his crew.
He attempted to be optimistic. “Maybe it will just drizzle.”
Lina gave him a look that meant, “Yeah, right!”
The downpour started. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t freezing. The rain seemed to fall from all directions. No matter which way they turned, their faces were pelted with the frosty drops. Before long, the Peblars must have tired of the rain. Dripping wet, they made their way inside Peter’s house. Peter couldn’t help thinking what his mother would have said about that: “Oh no you don’t, you’ll wipe yourself down with a towel first!”
“They know we aren’t going anywhere,” Peter said over the noise of the rain.
Those words did something to Lina. Peter wasn’t sure at first. Could she be crying? But he knew that Lina never cried. Not even when he saw her smashed in the face with a soccer ball at the last field day. Peter was sure he would have at least shed a tear. It left a welt on her forehead until the next morning and a bruise for a week. But here she was softly crying and Peter knew exactly how she felt.
“It is going to be all right, Lina. It has to be.” Peter made the attempt to wipe her tears away from her face as best as he could through the rain.
“I am soooooo incredibly mad. And, well, a little bit scared,” Lina admitted, wiping what Peter thought was the last of her tears away with the back of her hand.
“I know,” Peter answered, managing a weak smile. “Me too.”
They sat in silence for what seemed forever. The two of them were unpleasantly cold to the point that they almost didn’t notice the annoying drops anymore. “It would be nice to see the sun,” Lina whispered.
Peter nodded. Regardless of the cold, he felt extremely tired and his eyelids grew heavy. He fought the need to close them for as long as he could, but it was no use. His eyelids won. Soon Peter was dreaming.
Peter liked this dream very much. He was with Nana and they were standing in lush blue-green grass. Trees that seemed to be pointing stood nearby. A pair of marshmallow birds flew past overhead and Peter knew without a doubt that he was in Maple Town. A warm feeling swept over him and he smiled from ear to ear. From a distance, he saw a peppermint cat come strolling along. It rubbed up against his leg like it had the first time Peter arrived in Maple Town. Nana bent down and picked up the cat and stroked it while the cat seemed to be purring a little song. It was peaceful to be standing there now, so far away from Goaltan. It wasn’t as warm as usual and Peter did notice it smelled a bit off, not as pleasantly fragrant as usual. The sky above was darkening and Peter felt a raindrop fall on his forearm. Something wasn’t right. It never rained in Maple Town.
�
��There you two are!” came a booming voice. Peter and Nana looked in its direction. Goaltan was rapidly approaching them. Goaltan in Maple Town, how was this possible? Peblars stormed the hillside behind Goaltan. Peter grabbed Nana’s arm and attempted to pull her along. She wasn’t budging despite his efforts. Goaltan was almost to them.
“Nana!” Peter shouted desperately.
Peter’s eyes shot open and he awoke from his dream. Seconds later, his front door swung open and out came a Peblar to check the weather. The Peblar shouted back into the house and soon two of them were tossing Peter’s mailbox back and forth across the lawn like a football.
“Grrrrrrr!” Lina said under her breath.
Peter sighed.
Lina turned with a huff to face away from the football players. Peter studied the unfamiliar scene of his home.
Within an hour, Goaltan was standing in front of the doorway stretching. He was so massive that when his arms were stretched above his head he reached the second-story window. Peter imagined Goaltan napping in his bed with his humongous feet dangling off the edge. It made Peter cringe.
“Such a nice nap,” Goaltan boomed. “A comfy bed you have there, Peter. Upon settling in, I may have broken it. Oh well.”
Lina turned around to see Peter’s anger spreading through his body. His fists were clenched in spite of how frozen they must have been.
“Leave us alone!” Her voice broke.
“As you wish!” Goaltan beamed a sinister smile as he tapped his right foot to the ground in an exaggerated movement.
“Not again!” Peter said as he felt the asphalt beneath him tremble. Faster than a blink, a crack split the asphalt right down the middle, separating Peter and Lina before they even had a chance to think about what was happening. They were now twenty feet apart. Luckily, Lina was still sitting or she would have been knocked to the ground. Peter shuddered at the thought. Lina stood up.
“You should watch what you ask for, my dear,” Goaltan snickered.
Lina opened her mouth to say something and Goaltan raised his foot again. Lina reluctantly closed her mouth and Goaltan set his foot back down to a relaxed position. She looked at the ground, defeated. Peter stared back at her. He suddenly felt incredibly lonely.
Goaltan walked over to the garage. “What is in here?” he said as he peeled the door upward like a tuna can with one hand. Goaltan pulled out Papa’s moped with little effort. He pondered for a moment before he mounted it. The weight was too much for the little bike to handle. The tires burst and the sound of crushing metal was almost unbearable for Peter’s ears as he watched his Papa’s bike being smashed to pieces.
“Oops,” Goaltan said casually. “I think I will stick to the old-fashioned way of travel, by foot.”
Peter ground his teeth, but said nothing.
“Well, I am off to do some more interior and exterior decorating of your little town. Don’t worry, I won’t be long. I have to decide what I will have you two do for me first.” Goaltan whistled and soon Peblars started filing out of the house to follow him as he moved down the street between Lina and Peter. A few Peblars stayed behind to stand guard.
A Gift from the Garden
About an hour passed. Peter and Lina watched helplessly as the neighborhood began to look more and more unfamiliar. Gray pebbles replaced the houses, mailboxes, fences, everything that wasn’t growing. Those things that were growing like trees, grass, and flowers were gradually turning the same dull gray color and withering, an ocean of darkness forming around them.
Peter thought about his family and friends separated from each other and couldn’t bear to think about how long that would last. Peter thought about how he wished he was curled up on Nana’s comfy floral couch, listening to her tell more stories of Honeyville. Peter wondered if he would ever be able to hear the rest of that story. He thought about how cold it was. He thought about what his best friend might be thinking about. He thought about what Goaltan’s first task might be for them. Peter thought about so many different things.
In the midst of all his thinking, Nana came walking briskly down the sidewalk toward Peter, holding something in her hands.
“What are you doing, Nana?” Peter screamed as she raced toward him. He could see that she was gripping a large pot with two potholders.
“I don’t have much time, Peter,” she said. They shot glances toward the two Peblars, who had just noticed her.
“Run, Nana!” Peter shouted.
“Listen closely, Peter,” Nana said.
Peter nodded, glancing again at the Peblars who were striding toward them.
“Goaltan exists because of fear,” Nana managed to say before the Peblars were upon her, practically growling through their teeth. She lifted the pot lid and instantly the two Peblars relaxed, looking more like doe-eyed deer than mean, rotted Candonites.
“How about some nice hot vegetable soup? Straight from garden to kitchen.” Nana smiled pleasantly, wafting the scent of the soup toward the Peblars with the lid. “Warms you right up on a day like this. If you show me some manners, there is more where this came from.”
The Peblars looked at each other and then back at Nana and the precious bounty she carried. They gestured to her to lead the way. Peter thought that vegetable soup sounded magnificent to him right now. It must have been that much more appealing to the Peblars.
Nana shot a look back up at Peter and gave him a reassuring smile to let him know she was okay. She led the way back to Peter’s house. The other Peblars who were outside fell in line, following Nana into the house.
What did Nana mean? Goaltan exists because of fear? Peter already knew Goaltan was feared by all. That wasn’t anything new.
“What was that all about?” Lina called to him.
“I’m not sure,” Peter answered truthfully.
Before he had time to analyze it, Goaltan returned, his presence already felt before they could see him. He was laughing, as if he was pleased with himself. The asphalt beneath Peter and Lina swayed as Goaltan approached.
Peter could only think about one thing now, and that was Nana. Goaltan already had his father, Ron, Angela, Joe, and his best friend Lina. He didn’t want Goaltan to add Nana to his collection too.
“Oh, still hanging out, are we?” Goaltan said slyly, as if Peter and Lina had a choice to be elsewhere at the moment.
Peter and Lina made no comment.
“You want to know something quite wonderful?” Goaltan asked the children. Without waiting for their answer he continued. “I have discovered that my powers are even greater than ever before in this world. This place is simply magnificent!” He beamed.
“Without those powers you wouldn’t be so tough,” Lina snapped.
“I see you want a demonstration!” Goaltan replied.
“That isn’t what I said!” Lina barked back.
With his elbow bent, Goaltan raised his finger to the sky and winked snidely at Lina. A bolt of lightning flashed down toward the ground below Lina’s raised asphalt, obliterating the earth and leaving a gaping hole. Lina and Peter were still shielding their eyes from the lightning a minute after the strike. In the background, they heard Goaltan chuckling. Peter wasn’t sure if he wanted to uncover his eyes when he finally could. He didn’t want to look at Goaltan and see the yellows of his eyes.
“Thanks for the demonstration,” Peter said sarcastically. He didn’t mean to say anything. It simply slipped out of his mouth and as soon as he said it, Peter wished he could take it back.
“You would like to see more, would you?” Goaltan said, amused.
Peter didn’t bother replying. He knew Goaltan would show them regardless.
“I remember I left my sign I obtained from a newly remodeled candy shop on a basketball hoop back that way. I’ll be back in a jiff,” Goaltan said as he bent down to push a section of asphalt forward. It spread upwards, creating a sky bridge that formed above houses, telephone poles, everything in its path. Goaltan stepped on the sky bridge and headed away to fi
nd the sign. He soon returned with it in hand. Peter groaned at the sight of Papa’s sign.
“I’m famished! Remodeling is hard work. My first task for you, Peter and Lina, is to cook me a meal fit for a king. This is my new kingdom! And I am your king!” Goaltan declared.
Peter expected Lina to have something to say about that. However, she said nothing. Instead she stared at her feet.
“I have yet to think of the first task for your friends in the truck. I am sure they are quite cozy and can wait a bit longer. If you two mind me, this little arrangement could work out quite nicely. If not, I could always make these asphalt pedestals beneath your feet permanent homes,” Goaltan warned.
Peter remembered Nana inside and didn’t want Goaltan to discover her. He didn’t want another one of his loved ones serving King Pebble Brain. He wished he was close enough to Lina to whisper the pebble brain part in her ear. His mother didn’t like him saying negative things about other people, but he was pretty sure in this instance she wouldn’t mind.
Before Peter comprehended what was happening, Goaltan threw the sign toward the lawn. He then jumped up a few inches off the ground and instantly the asphalt beneath them plummeted toward the street below. Peter and Lina nosedived toward Goaltan. Before they became one with the pavement, Goaltan grabbed them by their ankles, their noses dangling an inch from the ground.
Peter and Lina were still screaming when Goaltan said, “No need to thank me for helping you down!” He walked toward Peter’s house, still holding them by their ankles.
Was this to be his life from now on? Peter thought. Waiting on Goaltan and the Peblars for everything they desired? What had Nana meant by “Goaltan exists because of fear”?
Heads Up!
Peter thought about the way Nana had bravely spoken to the Peblars and walked side by side with them. He concentrated on the memory. He remembered that Nana actually looked pretty relaxed, considering the Peblars could have done almost anything to her. Was that the key, show Goaltan no fear? But how would that be possible? Goaltan is so strong and powerful and I am just not any of those things. Peter’s thoughts were interrupted when Goaltan rolled Lina and Peter onto the once-green lawn.
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