by Sever Bronny
Robin stood with his back against the rock. “It’s getting worse, hurry up already!”
But every time they tried erecting the tent, despite having both sides staked down, a powerful gust would knock it over. They often had to jump on it to prevent it from blowing away.
“Maybe this will help!” Bridget dug out a coil of rope from her rucksack. “We can stop it from flying off by tying it to the rock!”
Augum quickly tied one end to the top of the tent and the other to a small outcrop from Hangman’s Rock. It worked—they were able to concentrate on erecting the tent while the rope prevented it from flying away. Assembling it at last, they piled inside, collapsing from the effort.
Leland broke out with a wide grin. “Whee … real adventure!”
Nobody replied, still panting from the exertion.
Augum was just grateful to have shelter. After a period of well-earned rest, he opened his rucksack and removed the weakly chirping bird. He then dug out the flint, steel and lantern. After lighting the lamp, they arranged themselves in a circle around its flickering light. Augum bundled the bird close to the flame to warm it up, feeding sunflower seeds into its tiny beak. It warbled appreciatively.
The wind kept increasing in strength, blowing with such ferocity that they exchanged worried looks. The tent shook, threatening to blow away at any moment. Augum only hoped the two supporting poles would hold.
Bridget nervously swept aside a lock of hair. “Wow, this is something …”
Robin snorted. “This is nothing—father and I were blown off our feet in a gale on the plains last year. Now that was a storm.”
Bridget rolled her eyes at Augum.
Augum thought of his own recent adventure when a storm carried him off and struck him with lightning. “Will your folks worry about you?” he asked, taking out his bedroll. He wondered what it was like to have parents worry over you.
Bridget shrugged while rummaging through her rucksack. “Yeah, but they also know we can take care of ourselves … for one night at least … I hope.” She pulled out a large piece of chocolate.
Robin helped himself to a generous portion. “Oh, I think they’ll be angry, Bridget. But you’re such a goody-good I’m sure you’ll explain everything, won’t you?”
She did not reply, passing the chocolate to Leland and Augum. Augum wanted to say something to Robin but did not know if it was his place, and so the four sat munching, watching their shadows dance on the flapping canvas walls.
Suddenly there was a loud snapping sound and the tent flattened, blowing out the lantern. Amongst the chaos came Bridget’s muffled voice. “The rope—!”
“I’ll get it!” Augum felt around for the entrance and scrambled outside, where his heart caught in his throat. He could barely breathe, let alone see anything; snow seemed to come from every direction, stinging his eyes. He felt the panic of drowning, like when Dap would hold him under water until Augum pretended to go still, then Dap would panic and raise him, playing it off as a joke.
His hands immediately froze in the cold; he cursed himself for forgetting his mitts. He wrapped his hood tightly around his head and stumbled blind, groping about for the rope, not daring to take one hand off the tent. He had heard enough stories of people taking a wrong step in a blizzard, getting lost and freezing to death.
As if the wind had been reading his thoughts, a strong gust bowled him over; and just like that, Augum lost touch with the tent. He lumbered in the direction he thought it was, but found nothing. His chest hammered as he eased off his hood in an effort to see. It was hopeless—the blizzard was just too thick, the wind too strong.
He was dead if he did not find the tent soon …
Suddenly he knew what he had to do. He took time clearing his mind, ignoring that the wind sounded like Death breathing. He ignored the burning tingling of frostbite. He visualized finding the rope, extended his arm, and made a beckoning gesture.
The rope smacked into his hand.
“Yes!” he shouted, the word lost to the roar.
Smiling broadly, he followed the rope on hands and knees, holding on with numb fingers. The wind punished him for his victory, clawing at him like a rabid beast. It took all of his remaining strength to find the rock and tie the tent back up, the task lengthened by painfully frozen hands. Finally, he tumbled back inside and collapsed on his bedroll, panting.
Bridget hurriedly tied up the door flap and relit the lantern. “Thank all that is good, we were starting to worry you got lost.” When she spotted his hands, her eyes went wide. She immediately grabbed them between her own.
Robin opened his mouth to say something but Bridget scowled. “Don’t you even dare—” She turned back to Augum. “Once they’re warmed enough you can place them by the lantern.”
He nodded. Her touch felt strange; he never had a girl care about him before.
Leland did not seem to think this was much fun anymore and stifled a sob.
“There now, Little Lee.” Bridget gave him a hug, “It’s just a storm, it’ll pass …”
Robin’s eyes wandered over the madly vibrating canvas. “Hope you’re better at rope tying than you are at covering your tracks.”
Augum placed his hands over the lantern, hoping the same.
Robin gave Leland a dark look. “You know why they call it Hangman’s Rock, don’t you?”
Leland sat up. “No … why?”
Robin’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Well, legend has it that a long time ago, peasants would hang people they thought were witches from the top; and you know what? I think we’re right under the spot they hung from.”
Leland’s lower lip trembled.
Bridget drew Leland in tighter. “Stop it, Robin, you’re scaring him. That’s just a silly old wives’ tale, Little Lee, don’t you pay any attention,” but at that very moment the wind roared with increased fury. Leland began crying while Augum and Bridget exchanged nervous glances. The tent wall shook so violently and the wind screeched so loudly that Augum thought for sure it would rip the seams and scatter them like seeds.
Robin’s face hovered above the lantern, the shadows playing on his features. “They say that everyone gets one wish at Hangman’s Rock—in exchange for their soul.”
Bridget sighed. “Oh, shut up already—”
Robin ignored her, making a show of closing his eyes for a time.
“Robbie, what did you wish for?” Leland asked quietly when Robin opened his eyes.
Robin’s features twisted into a smile. He was about to respond when something behind Augum caught his attention and all the color drained from his face.
Augum whipped his head around to see the outline of five clawed fingers pawing the tent. As the vile hand reached the bottom, the lantern flickered and went out.
Everybody screamed.
Someone said an unfamiliar word and the tent flooded with green light. For a moment, Augum thought it was the monster’s doing, until spotting what looked like glowing green ivy wrapped around Bridget’s hand. Leland clung to her, shaking and whimpering.
She gestured them over. “To the middle, backs against each other!”
Robin scampered with his own arm outstretched, repeating the same strange word, except cursing in frustration because nothing was happening.
Augum placed his back against the group, wishing he had Mrs. Stone’s sword with him. The claw soon reappeared, pressing directly before him, testing the canvas. He could barely hear above the blood rushing through his brain.
He needed to do something.
He thought of Bridget’s lit hand; smashing those stones together with his mind; being struck by lightning; Mrs. Stone telling him to work on his fortitude. It all connected somehow.
Then something strange happened. Amidst all that chaos, his mind stilled. In fact, everything fell silent. Time slowed down to a crawl, things began to move in slow motion. He knew the others were screaming, but it sounded so far away …
Augum tilted his head and studied th
e claw, realizing he had plenty of time to think about what to do. It had long fingernails and moved at a snail’s pace, as everything did at that moment—the vibrating canvas, the shadows, his companions. He felt the space around him warp as the hair on his arms, neck and head stood on end. An electric force began pulling. He decided that, instead of resisting, he would just go with it.
Then he watched himself do something that seemed perfectly natural—reach out to the claw. Upon contact, a monstrous surge of energy passed through him. The pain was excruciating, like being burned from within. Outside, he heard something shriek, echoed by screaming from within the tent.
Suddenly a gut-wrenching blue explosion tore the air and the world went black.
Hangman’s Rock
Augum woke to a damp tent bathed in dull morning light. Wincing from a pounding headache, he sat up and glanced about. Stuff was everywhere, his coat sleeve was singed, and there was a scorch mark on the canvas wall. The others were slumped in sleep, their backs still against each other.
Suddenly remembering the bird, he scrambled for his rucksack, finding it scrunched in a corner. He took a deep breath before opening it, only to find the tiny creature snoozing away. Sighing with relief, he stuck his head outside the tent, digging through the partially buried entrance. Large flakes fell onto snow piled waist high, swirling about in a gentle breeze. It was chilly, the sun muted behind banks of gray cloud that stretched across the sky like a vast blanket.
Well, at least the storm had passed. Hearing someone stir within, he retreated.
Bridget moaned, head lolling.
“It’s all right,” he whispered. “It’s morning now.”
She shot up with a wild look. “What happened? Is … is it gone—?”
Augum reached beside her. “Yeah, it’s gone. Here, have some chocolate.”
She took it slowly, eyes unfocused. The others stirred and Augum broke off a piece for each of them. Robin snatched his piece, eyeing Augum distrustfully.
Leland looked about with a terrified expression. “Mama?”
Bridget put a finger to her lips. “Shh, it’s okay, Little Lee, you’re safe now.”
Leland’s voice was a whimper. “What happened?”
Bridget took a bite of chocolate. “Last I remember is seeing you move very strangely, Augum, as if you were sped up or something—”
“Yeah,” Leland said, “you reached for the claw thingy—”
“—and then the air exploded,” Robin finished, watching Augum closely.
Augum glanced at the burn mark on the canvas. “I … I don’t know what happened exactly. Time seemed to slow down, and then I just …” He looked at them blankly. “I just went with it.”
They stared at him. He looked away, feeling his forehead prickle. Was this how it would start? Was he a freak to be made fun of again? Then he remembered Bridget’s glowing ivy. “That was a neat thing you did with your hand.”
“I cast Shine. It’s the first elemental spell you learn.”
“I’m hungry,” Leland said.
Bridget reached for her rucksack. “Me too.”
Breakfast was a quiet affair of smoked beef sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs and a skin of water. Throughout, Augum felt their eyes on him. Maybe they were looking at him with a kind of pity, or maybe even fear. Regardless, he was happy to eat in silence, preferring not to talk about last night, mostly because he did not understand what had happened.
“I should place the package on top of the rock now,” Augum said after feeding the bird.
Robin gave the parcel an ugly look. “What’s in that stupid thing anyway?”
“No idea. I just have to place it on top to pass the test.”
Leland’s face lit up. “Maybe it’s treasure!”
Bridget began tickling him. “Or maybe a treasure map—”
Robin gave the pair a disgusted look.
“In any case,” Bridget said, fending off Leland’s counter-attack, “it’s not going to be easy climbing the rock with ice and snow on it.”
“I’ll just have to figure something out.” Augum slapped on his mitts and made for the exit, hoping the monster was long gone.
Bridget grabbed her staff. “I’m coming too.”
He was grateful to have company as the two lumbered out of the tent, pushing through the snow. They stared up at the black rock. It resembled a giant tilted egg plastered with frost. Their tent was directly underneath the overhang. He had a vision of a witch hanging there, legs dangling.
They searched the area for tracks but, if there were any, the blizzard had obscured them. However, they did find a bump in the snow a little ways from the rear of the tent, in the direction Augum had channeled that mysterious energy.
They stared at it, exchanged glances and scurried back to the rock.
“See any parts I can scale?” Augum asked after a time.
Bridget shielded her eyes as she pointed at a spot halfway up. “No, but you might be able to snag that small lip there with some rope. If you get that far you could probably climb the rest of the way.”
The only rope they could spare was the tether Augum struggled with in last night’s blizzard. He shuddered to think what might have happened if Telekinesis had failed, or for that matter, if he had bumped into the monster …
He untied the rope and formed a lasso, something he had learned at the farm. On his second throw, the loop tightened around the lip. He tugged on the line to make sure it was secure.
Bridget raised an eyebrow. “Neat trick.”
“Oh, I forgot the package—” He headed back to the tent. After opening the flap, he saw Robin holding the parcel, except that it looked like a hungry dog had got at it.
Robin gave him an incredulous look. “Nothing inside but a bunch of stupid rocks—”
“Give me that!” Augum snatched the parcel from Robin’s hands.
“I told him not to do it …” Leland said, stifling a sob.
Augum flashed Robin an angry look. “That wasn’t yours to open,” and began picking up rocks from the tent floor. Leland quietly helped, a troubled look on his face.
Robin shrugged. “Whatever … so yeah, thanks for almost getting us killed for a bunch of dumb rocks.”
Augum rewrapped the parcel as best he could, cheeks burning. Was Robin right though? Were they almost killed for a bunch of stupid rocks? What kind of test was this?
“What was that all about?” Bridget asked when he exited the tent, Leland in tow.
He avoided her gaze. “Nothing.” He tucked the package in his belt and tested the rope, heaving his weight onto it when he was sure it would hold. Underneath the snow, the rock had iced up. Leland and Bridget gasped each time they saw him slip. Eventually, he made it to the top.
Leland cupped his hands around his mouth. “Any treasure—?”
“No … nothing!” There was hardly any room for a parcel, let alone him. Steadying himself, he took a deep breath, retrieved the package, and carefully placed it on the rock.
Now to get back down …
Robin emerged from the tent, took one look, and guffawed. “What, stuck?”
“Don’t listen to him, Augum, just take your time,” Bridget said.
Robin folded his arms across his chest, “Yeah, because we have all day.”
Augum recalled the Penderson brats discovering one of his hiding places in a tree, except they had thrown rocks at him until he fell.
Robin winked. “You be careful now.”
“Hey, why don’t you go and clean up the tent or something?” Bridget said, pointing. “Go!”
Robin snorted. “What, and miss this? Forget it, Broken Bridget—”
Augum hugged the rock and began edging his way down.
“Bet he’s not going to make it,” Robin said.
As if on cue, Augum lost his grip, yelped, and slid down the length of the stone, slamming the ground with his bottom and tumbling backwards.
Bridget’s voice sounded like it was coming from a deep
cave. “Augum, are you all right?”
He sat up with a groan. “Can’t believe I lost my grip …” He had always been an expert climber.
Bridget offered a hand. “Well, it was icy. Anyway, what’s important is you’re all right and you accomplished your quest.”
Robin laughed so hard he started coughing. “Did you see the way he slid down?” He mocked a face of surprise. Still hawing like a donkey, he went to clear the tent of their stuff.
Bridget watched him depart with narrowed eyes. “Forget him, Augum. You were very brave; there was no way I could have climbed that. Fear of heights and all …”
“Yeah!” Leland said. “And Robin’s just jealous he didn’t stop the monster.”
Augum brushed himself off, giving a half-hearted chuckle. “Guess sliding down backwards was kind of funny.” He retrieved the rope and they went off to pack, everyone ignoring Robin.
The Invitation
The added new snowfall made the return journey tedious, though at least the wind had eased off. The group trudged in single file, Augum again plowing in the lead, followed by Bridget, Leland and Robin.
Bridget caught up to him and smiled as they walked side-by-side. “You know, I’ve never seen someone our age use a power so beyond their degree—in any element. Even at the academy, kids only attempted one, maybe two degrees beyond their own; and some even died trying that.”
Augum felt his face turn hot. A girl had never complimented him before. “I didn’t have much control over it though.”
“Sure, it was wild and uncontrolled, but it also showed real potential. If I were to guess, I’d say that was like a 4th degree spell or something. You just have to be careful, lightning is a dangerous element.”
“That’s what Mrs. Stone said.”
“She your mentor?”
“If I pass the test, yes. After all, she told me not to open the package.”
“But it wasn’t you, it was Robin!”
“She won’t care.”
“Oh. So … what do you think about coming to school with us?”
“School?” What would warlock school be like? Were the kids like Robin, or more like Bridget? “Um … I don’t know. I’d have to ask Mrs. Stone.”