Dark Ride

by Todd Loyd

  After hearing this, Jack considers how the prophecy might relate to the strange rhyme in the Finch notebook.

  Meanwhile, Scotty asks, “And we are the four teens?”

  “Of course you are,” says Victor. “And believe you me, the Queen is eager to get a hold of that book. We are all indebted to you.”

  “So if we give her the book, we can go home?” Amy asks.

  “I don't see why not. We simply need to take the book to the Queen,” responds Victor.

  A rush of excitement floods over Jack, who thinks, Well what are we waiting for? But as his hope escalates, a tinge of skepticism still gnaws at him, and he wonders, But what about the narrator? Why is he guarding the vault?

  Mason gestures to the book nestled in Scotty's hands and says, “I told you, Jack, this here is our golden ticket.”

  Ignoring Mason, Jack asks another question, “Then why didn't you show us the tunnels so we could avoid all the danger? If you wanted us to survive, why couldn't you help us?”

  Instead of answering him, the odd man says, “Come along, travelers. Let's make our way to the Queen.”

  An alarm rings in Jack's head, but none of the others seem to care whether or not the man has any answers for them.

  Victor continues, “I don't think that wolf will be out forever. We should be moving along now.”

  “Agreed,” says Scotty.

  The four teens follow the man back to the entrance of the secret passage.

  Just before they cross into the tunnel, Jack looks behind him at the fallen wolf and notices that one of its eyes is open.

  Chapter 126

  Jack walks farther and farther away from the smoky room. Amy is right in front of him, and he wonders if the events in the hut had softened her anger at him.

  At a volume that only she can hear, Jack says, “Hey, Amy, about the goose and—”

  Amy stops and turns around to face Jack. In a quiet but matter-of-fact tone, she says, “Look, Jack, I appreciate you saving me and all—that was great, and I owe you one—but you lied to me, so whatever else might have been going on between us is done now, okay?”

  Jack blinks. He's not sure how to respond, but before he even has a chance to do so, Amy heads off quickly to catch up with the rest of the group.

  Great, just great, thinks Jack. Still, in spite of the obvious rejection, his thoughts continue swirling around the book. Primarily, while passing through the dimly lit passages, Jack is bothered by one nagging question, and as they descend down a slight incline and take a right at a fork, Jack finally asks, “Victor, what is so important about this book?”

  Victor stops, looks back towards Jack and replies, “Ah, excellent question, my boy. Well, you have recovered the Queen's story.”

  “Her story?” inquires Jack.

  “Well, put simply, we are all controlled by the stories. That is what the Queen wants to end. That has been her goal from the moment I met her. She truly is a kind woman. Her noble aim is to see everyone free. She is the only one who cares about everyone who has been brought here against their will. The ultimate goal is freedom for all. And, as the Queen, once she is freed from her prison, she has the power to free the rest of us.”

  “And you, Victor?” Jack asks. “Were you brought here against your will, like us?”

  Victor looks off for a moment. His mind is adrift in memories. He says, “A long time ago,” but then suddenly snaps himself out of the remembrance and states, “We must be going.”

  Victor's explanation is puzzling to Jack, and he asks, “Then why was the narrator holding the book in the first place?”

  Mason, clearly with agitation in his voice, chimes in and says, “Jack, give it a rest. We are going to get out. Didn't you hear the man? We won already.”

  “Oh no, good lad, it is a fair question. I am certain the Queen will explain it fully, but the narrator, well he, the narrator that is, is trying to keep those books to himself. Jack, he does not want anyone to have the freedom to leave.”

  This explanation troubles Jack, and as the party continues its march down the tunnels, he expresses the conclusion he's drawn: “So we basically stole her book from the narrator.”

  Victor stops and looks at Jack in the eyes. With a kind expression that exudes faith, he says, “Jack, it was foretold long ago that you four would arrive and grant all who live here freedom. You four…you are heroes.”

  Jack considers this a moment while starting the walk again. Then he asks, “So what about our stories? What about our books? Were they in that library, too?”

  This time Victor does not stop. He simply calls back, “Patience, Jack. I assure you, the Queen only wants what is best. We are about to arrive. All of your questions will be answered.”

  The dim passageway dips, rises, turns, and straightens, at which point Victor finally proclaims, “We are here.”

  However, this doesn't make sense to the teens because in front of them is a bare stone wall. Then Victor raps on a particular spot on the wall, and a whirling sound begins. Soon afterward, from above the teens’ heads, a rope ladder drops to the floor, barely missing Scotty.

  Victor announces, “We will simply climb the ladder to our destination.”

  One by one, the teens scale the ladder up into an opening in the roof. At one point, only Victor and Jack remain in the tunnel, and Jack sees this as an opportunity to ask another question, this time without Mason's disapproval: “If the Queen is in charge of the woods, then how is she held against her will?”

  Victor responds, “You should just climb the ladder, little thief.” The tone is spiteful. It is as if Victor is telling Jack he has had enough.

  Jack glares at the man but decides it would be a good idea to comply. So, he begins to climb.

  The ladder is sturdy and easy for Jack to navigate. Once he's at the top, the light of a new larger room burns his eyes for a moment. He rubs them fervently for a second or two, and then his vision finally assimilates to the light of the room.

  The scene is familiar. This is the room where the group had initially seen the gingerbread house. Jack takes himself back hours ago to when they had first been in this exact spot and realizes, This is where everything had gone crazy.

  Mason bellows, “This is it—just like the notebook said. Take the gold to the gingerbread house.”

  Victor walks to the house and pulls a key from his pocket. Then with grand pomp and flair, he fumbles with the key in opening the door.

  Jack asks, “So why is the door locked?”

  Victor replies, “Because, my boy, well, you have seen for yourself. Some of our cohabitants can be a little, shall we say, testy?”

  The door to the house opens. Victor bows to the side of the door and says, “After you.”

  They enter the house, and within five steps they stand and stare at the unbelievable sight. The entire room is made up of candy decorations: peppermint spirals, a fountain of chocolate, and long tassels of licorice stretching from ceiling to floor. The smell is intoxicating—a mix of cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, and mint wafting here and there. There is too much to take in all at once. Everything about the room is truly amazing.

  Victor declares, “Welcome to the Queen's palace.”

  Mason says, “Uh, Victor, how can this be? That little gingerbread house is tiny on the outside, but this room—it's so large.”

  The man lets out a chuckle, clearly enjoying the teen's astonishment and says, “Things are not always how they appear on the outside, my friend. Let's just say there is more than a little magic in this place.”

  Jack, too, is in awe. He wonders if this is one of those space-time-dimension kind of things like in a science fiction story, for even though it had looked like they were walking into a small cottage, it is a massive mansion inside.

  “Where is the Queen?” Amy asks.

  By the tone of her voice Jack guesses that the room's wonder is wearing thin on her, and she simply wants to get on with it.

  “She will be here shortly. R
elax and enjoy the beauty of the palace. In fact, take a bite if you would like. Everything here is edible and easily replaced,” Victor explains and waves his arms with an exaggerated gesture across the room. “Perhaps you like cake? The mantle there is made completely of red velvet. Or, maybe you prefer shortbread? The lattice work over there is awaiting your arrival.”

  “Oh man, I am hungry,” Scotty remarks and immediately heads for the chocolate fountain.

  “No, thank you, we will just wait here,” Amy replies, casting an admonishing look at her brother.

  Dejected, Scotty breaks off his momentum for the fountain.

  Jack, meanwhile, is looking for anyone to share his concern. However, Mason is drunk with victory and Amy is unapproachable for him, so he pegs Scotty.

  The tailor's apprentice returns to the group and rubs his stomach in hunger. Jack walks over to him and whispers, “Don't you think that guy is a bit weird?” motioning toward Victor.

  “Well, maybe,” responds Scotty “But he seems nice enough.”

  “He's too nice if you ask me.”

  “Come on, Jack, things are finally starting to go our way. Please, let's just do as he says.”

  “But—”

  Just as Jack is about to press the issue, Victor calls out, “I now present to you the Queen of the Wood.”

  From a corner of the room, through an entrance Jack had not seen, an elegant, beautiful woman appears. It is the Queen.

  Chapter 127

  Officer Dockins does not want to believe the old man has anything to do with the disappearance, but the facts are hard to ignore. Clyde was the last person to see the kids, who had not left the ride, and the building had been thoroughly searched. Add to this that nearly the same thing had happened years ago in the Finch case, again with Clyde being the last one to see him.

  For the tenth time, outside the ride the senior officer and Quinn go through the events of the night with Clyde. The other policeman on site is busy holding the perimeter, constantly being barraged by questioning parents. Dockins feels a little pity for the young cop having to deal with the hostile parents, but he tells himself that everyone has a job to do, and at the moment, his happens to be getting to the bottom of Clyde's story.

  Quinn asks, “So you just left the kids in the room and went to the fuse box.”

  “Right, that's what I did. I've told you that already. Look, I feel horrible about this.”

  “I know, Clyde, I know,” Dockins says. “But you have to look at this from our perspective. You are the only connection. You have to be patient with us. Are you sure you are telling us everything?”

  The old man nods slowly, but there is something in his eyes. With over 20 years on the job, Dockins can tell Clyde is holding back, and that bothers him.

  “Clyde, you can trust us,” assures Dockins.

  “I know, Jimmy, I know.”

  Officer Dockins had spent most of the last hour trying to affirm his trust to the old man by playing good cop, but it had accomplished nothing. At the present, things do not look good for Clyde. Soon, the Crime Scene Investigation guys would be here, and they would make another thorough sweep.

  From the corner of his eye, Dockins can see the shabby form of Howard Snodgrass stalking around the perimeter, easing his way by the young cop and making a path toward him.

  “Oh brother,” the officer moans.

  “Can I speak with you, sir?” the tubby man demands more than asks.

  “Sure.”

  Snodgrass looks accusingly at Clyde and says, “I mean away from the others.”

  “Okay, just for a second.”

  The two men take 20 steps toward the ice cream stand.

  Snodgrass begins, “Look, Officer, I just want to know one thing. If you find out that Spahn has something to do with this ugly mess…well….”

  Dockins can tell Snodgrass is uncomfortable but tells him, “Spit it out.”

  “Okay, I just want to know, is the park liable?”

  Dockins smirks. He has known Howard Snodgrass for all of an hour and a half, but he's

  already got him figured out.

  Jimmy says, “Well, Mr. Snodgrass, he is your employee. But, as long as you do background checks on everyone, then you're probably not liable. You do perform background checks on all your employees, right?”

  The look on Snodgrass's face reveals that he doesn't, and Dockins smiles to himself as he heads back over to Clyde.

  Chapter 128

  Jack's breath is completely taken away. As impressive as the interior of the palace is, it has nothing on the sheer beauty of the Queen. With a fluid grace that enhances her all the more, she almost glides over in front of where the four kids and Victor stand. Long blonde hair cascades down her shoulders, and a golden dress flows over her figure. On her shoulder, perched and eating a nut, is a squirrel. Jack wonders, Was this the squirrel from the Pied Piper Room, the one Mason told him about? The same squirrel he had seen watching them way back at the beginning of the ordeal? Yes, of course, he had been helping them along the way.

  The Queen says, “Finally, you have come. We have waited for so long. I see you are no worse for the wear. None of you were harmed?”

  However, before any of the teens can answer, she continues, “You are most welcome here. I assume that Victor has allowed you to enjoy my home?”

  Again, before waiting for a response, she looks Jack square in the eyes and says, “Oh, my dear, you are even more handsome than I imagined.”

  Jack's face is hot with embarrassment, but the compliment still makes him beam. His shoulders relax to a shrug and his backpack crashes to the floor.

  Then the Queen turns to Mason and says, “Brave tailor, so valiant, so cunning. I am certain by the looks of you, that you are a gallant warrior. How else could the four of you vanquish some of our more unpleasant residents?”

  Jack sees Mason gush as well. In fact, he slightly bows before the Queen and responds, “Thank you, uh…your majesty.”

  The charm and pleasant aura of the Queen is unmistakable. She is clearly nice, but it seems so theatrical, like she's reading from a script and this begins to bother Jack.

  “The wanderer,” she proclaims while petting the grey squirrel on her shoulder. “I could not have imagined such a cute little girl to be a part of our redemption. Thank you, my dear.”

  Jack turns to Amy and sees a look of pride on her face.

  At last the Queen turns to Scotty and says, “And we have here our apprentice—what a noble young lad. And there in your hands, the prize. You have truly saved us all. The prophecy is fulfilled. You are all to be rewarded.”

  Amy quickly asks, “Then will you please get us out of here?”

  Mildly irritated by the frankness of Amy, Jack speaks quickly before the Queen can take offense, “What she means is that for our reward, we only want to go home, your majesty.”

  The hope of escape dangles before them. Jack thinks, Is this it? Will we soon be free? His excitement grows, but a voice inside his head tells him, This is too good to be true. What about the book, the narrator?Scotty and Mason look intently at the face of the Queen, hanging on her every word. Amy is still glowing from the compliments that the Queen paid her.

  At this point, the Queen gently extends her arm toward Scotty and asks, “Noble apprentice, may I have the book? I shall take the proper steps for your departure.”

  Without hesitation, Scotty hands the book to the Queen, who gives him a reverent nod and then says, “Victor?”

  “Yes, milady.”

  “Accompany our guests outside. I will finish the preparations so they can have their reward. I will be out soon to join you.”

  Victor then gestures to his left and waltzes to the entrance. He bows to Amy and says, “Ladies first.”

  As Jack walks through the doors he thinks. “We are finally going home!”

  Chapter 129

  Once the teens are outside, Jack is once again mystified by the contrast in size between the Queen's enormous s
anctum and the quaint little gingerbread house. The room looks exactly as it had when they had first entered with two notable exceptions. Jack notices when he looks over to the corner that there is no longer a narrator robot standing where it once had been. Instead, something else catches his eye on the ground where the mannequin had once stood. The book the narrator had held lies upon the floor. To their left, Jack takes notice of a small camp fire. Who had prepared the fire and where it had come from is a mystery.

  “We will stay here and await the Queen,” Victor states.

  None of them says a word, but Jack can see the giddiness rising in each of them. Still, something is troubling Jack. His own expression is actually more confused than jubilant, and when he sees the doors on the other side of the room, more questions gnaw at Jack in his head: What was all this about making preparations? Why could they not just walk through the door? After all, it had been through those doors that they had entered this crazy place. The real ride, the real world is just beyond those doors.

  “What is that for?” Amy asks, pointing to the fire.

  “You will see,” Victor replies.

  “More unanswered questions,” Jack responds.

  “Leave it to Braddock to suck the life out of this moment,” Mason groans while elbowing Scotty.

  Ignoring the typical Mason cut and looking back at the doorway to the original part of the ride, Jack thinks, The door is so close. What is preventing me from going home? I should leave now. His own thought surprises him but his instinct encourages him and the path is clear. Without saying anything to the others, he begins to step toward the door, one foot at a time.

  “My little thief, you cannot go that way,” Victor advises.

  “Why not?” Jack replies.

  “Just be patient, Jack,” Amy coolly states.