by Unknown
“Wonder where they are heading with such a big group?” asked Meghan.
“Can’t imagine,” replied Colin. “It must be a ton of work.
It’s a lot with only you, me, and Uncle Arnon. There must be two hundred of them all together.”
Sebastien then materialized from the secret path.
“Finally,” said the twins in unison.
“Sorry. Got held up helping my dad with something.” The twins forgot about Jae and his caravan, and the trio headed into town. Their uncle and the Jendayas were going to join them later.
It was about a mile walk down a winding country road, which opened up to a sunny clearing about half way to the town. The thick pines gave way to birches and maples, surrounded by vast, blueberry bush covered fields. The surface of the lake shimmered in the distance as the trio walked passed a graveyard, which indicated their arrival into the town of Cobbscott, Maine.
Music streamed through the breeze, followed by the hum of a crowd behind it. They quickened their pace, and Meghan, wanting to make sure her hair and clothes were just right, said, aloud, by accident, “Hope I look okay.” She did not get the response she expected.
“I think you look great!” said Sebastien, grinning.
Colin did not wait for the two of them to get over their awkwardness. He continued onward, making a nasty face at Meghan as he passed by.
“Sorry, you weren’t talking to me, were you?” Sebastien realized.
“Not exactly, but, thanks,” Meghan replied, blushing.
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“I meant what I said. You always look great! I’m especially partial to when you wear slimy lake plants and leeches in your hair.”
She humpfed and hit him in the shoulder. They hurried to catch up with an outwardly annoyed Colin.
As soon as they were in Cobbscott, they went directly to the music. A rock band played, so they listened and danced. After a full set of music, Colin sent Meghan a thought saying he was bored and was going to the flea market. She noticed agitation in his voice.
“We’ll find you later, okay?” she said. Meghan sensed him throwing angry thoughts at her and said, “Now what?”
Sebastien threw a questioning gaze her direction.
“Oh, not you. Colin, mad at me again.”
“For what? Something I couldn’t hear you guys arguing about?” he asked, slightly miffed.
“Well, yes and no.” She stalled, not wanting to admit, we were fighting over your attention.
“Anything you want to share?” he prodded. His handsome eyes peeled into the layers of her skin and she nearly let the truth fly.
“I think we should just go find Colin,” she mustered out.
“I have a feeling he might get into trouble. Those same bullies are around and I’m the only one…”
“Who gets to bully my little brother. I haven’t forgotten, Meghan.” He then asked, “Why do you call him your little brother?”
“He’s small,” she shrugged. “An easy target for trouble.
He always needs my help.”
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“Don’t you think you should stop sticking up for him so much? I mean, what would happen if you were not around? It’s bound to happen.”
Meghan stared at him, baffled. He was talking like a grown up.
“Why would I not be around?” She asked testily.
“It’s always a possibility. You’re not going to be fourteen forever, things change.”
“I’m not fourteen yet, I’m turning thirteen next week, remember?” She was getting upset now. How could he forget how old she was? “Let’s just go find Colin,” she said.
“He enjoys spending time with you. You are the big brother he’ll never have,” she rolled her eyes as if her brother was intruding on her life.
Sebastien followed, dropping the subject.
They found Colin deep in the flea market, in a tent far away from the others. It was full of old books, antiques, and knickknacks that seemed to have no purpose.
“Hey guys,” he beamed. He had not expected them to find him. He pointed to a tattered looking old man behind the counter. His long hair was white, and pulled back in a ponytail and he leaned on a cane.
“This is Jasper Thorndike. He owns all of this.” The man nodded hello.
They waited patiently, as Jasper showed Colin around the store. Meghan and Sebastien were only partially listening, but tried to act interested. On more than one occasion, they caught each other’s eye and tried not to laugh.
They were finally about to leave when Colin stopped to browse over some books he had missed. At that same 62
moment, Jasper Thorndike came out from behind the counter. He spoke with a grizzled voice.
“I can’t help but notice that you like my books.”
“I would take them all if I could,” Colin responded.
“Don’t you have enough already?” argued Meghan.
He ignored her, his eyes glued to an antique, velvet covered book the white-haired man pulled out of his vest.
Jasper set it gently on the counter, pronouncing the title, seeing that Colin was not sure how to.
“Magi-cantee…magic and then antee…like ante up, put together.”
“Magicante,” Colin repeated, enthralled.
Meghan and Sebastien glanced over his shoulder and watched as he opened it, carefully.
“Wow, what are these?” he asked Jasper.
“A collection, a pretty darn good one, and, one I would only entertain selling to the right buyer.” Inside the book was a collection of thickly textured exotic leaves, colored in deep browns and reds, with glimmers of gold. They measured four to five inches wide, and were equally long. Meghan could see that Colin would not leave without the book. He loved collections and this one was unique.
“These aren’t from around here, are they?” asked Colin, captivated. Deeper in, the leaves glimmered with yellows, greens and silver.
“No, I dare say they are not! However, I am not at liberty to say where they came from, since I reckon I don’t rightly know.”
Sebastien and Meghan watched as Colin flipped through the collection.
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“That book there is yours for the rock bottom price of five dollars.”
“Are you serious? Just five?” Colin was already reaching into his allowance money.
“Congratulations, young fellow,” said Jasper, taking the cash.
The trio walked out of the tent and headed back into the festival crowd, making their way to the main road, where they were to meet up with Uncle Arnon and the Jendayas.
They got to the road with just seconds to spare as Sebastien’s father, Milo, pulled up his car.
Colin bounded to the rolled down window and showed them his new acquisition. After the youngsters piled into the back seat, the group headed to a small café, which resided in an out of use lighthouse at the end of the lake.
Deserts were their specialty, in particular, the Whoopee Pie. Today’s flavor: maple molasses, which included a layer of maple cream in between two round, chocolaty molasses cakes.
The group headed back to the central part of town to see what band was playing, and after a few more hours, Uncle Arnon decided it was time to head back home, as they were walking and he wanted to get home before dark. The Jendayas were staying in town to meet up with some local friends.
By the time the twins neared the camp, the sun was beginning to fade. They lagged behind, mostly due to the fact that Meghan’s bootlace kept coming untied.
“Oh come off it!” she grimaced. “It never does this.” Up ahead, Uncle Arnon rounded the entrance into the campground.
“Don’t be too long,” he hollered back.
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Meghan stopped again to tie her bootlace. Colin waited up for her.
A branch snapped in the woods down the road a ways.
Colin whirled around, searching cautiously. He saw nothing. They listened but all was quiet.
“Let’s go,” said Meghan
. At the same moment, footsteps crunching on dead leaves echoed out of the woods. The twins hid behind a nearby tree trunk.
“Probably just hiking through,” thought Colin. Down the dirt roadway, two shadows emerged from the pine thick and crossed the road, heading into the campground.
“Weren’t they from the Gypsy camp?” said Colin, thinking he recognized the two men.
“I think they are,” agreed Meghan. Wonder what they are up to? Colin heard her think. “Let’s get a little closer,” she added in an excited whisper.
“Really? Closer? I don’t think that is such a good idea, Sis.”
She eyed him with her we are doing it whether you want to or not look.
“Fine,” he conceded.
“C’mon,” she encouraged. “We don’t want to take too long.” They did not take two steps, however, when two more people, this time definitely identifiable as men from the Gypsy camp, walked out of the woods.
Meghan grabbed Colin and they ducked into a ditch.
This time, the two men stopped at the edge of the road and spoke to each other.
“All precautions have been checked and double checked, Vian Sadorus, sir. The schedule is set and we should be on time. Barring any unforeseen incidents, of course.” He then glanced into the sky, looking apprehensive.
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“We are the last ones out, correct?” authoritatively questioned the one named Vian Sadorus. He was a fierce looking man that the twins recognized instantly, as he wore the same boisterous, too warm for the season coat.
“Yes, sir. We are the last out. Everyone else is back at camp, readying for departure.”
The man named Sadorus nodded and the two crossed the road and disappeared through the woods toward their campsite.
“Why would anyone leave the camp through the woods?” asked Colin, bewildered.
Once the coast was clear, the twins dug themselves out of the ditch. As they wiped dead leaves and bugs off their clothes, Meghan eagerly stepped closer to the path the men had come from.
“There is no way they are leaving through there. They must have been talking about preparations to leave, while on a hike or something.”
“I don’t think so, Sis,” Colin retorted. “No hiking gear.
Couldn’t have been going far, could they?”
“You know, that’s true. Why don’t we walk in a little ways? See what’s in there.”
“Uncle Arnon expects us home, we should get back,” he reasoned, wishing he had kept his mouth shut.
“No weaseling. It will only take a sec. Like you said, it can’t be far.” She took off down the path.
Colin knew he would never live it down if he went back to camp without her. Tentatively, he followed. After just a few steps down the path, the pine trees were so thick that no sun could filter through. It was as if the sun had suddenly set.
“We better not get lost,” said Colin, nervously.
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“Shh. Use your inner voice, just in case.” Meghan said through her mind.
“We better not get lost,” he repeated with his inner voice. This time Meghan ignored him.
Fifty steps or so in they came to a small clearing where a fallen pine tree lay on the ground. Surprisingly, most of the needles were still intact on the tree’s long limbs.
“This cannot be where they were coming from.” muttered Meghan, noticing fresh footsteps circling the tree.
“Inside voices, please,” shot Colin to her silently.
She scowled her reply.
“The path ends here, as well as the footprints,” sent Colin.
The fallen tree had nine hidden spaces; each created by the way the pine branches had fallen. A few people could easily fit into each space at the same time.
“This would make an awesome fort,” mused Colin, accidentally out loud. He corrected the mistake before Meghan could remind him about inside voice. “You could throw a lot of snowballs from this hideout,” he added in his silent voice, while daydreaming of getting back at the camp bullies. Meghan did not let him linger in the daydream long.
“We better get back, Uncle Arnon’s gonna worry if we don’t get home soon.”
Colin frowned. He had just started to climb through the tree. Meghan reached to seize his leg and pull him down, when overhead, they heard the distinct sound of heavy wings snapping against the air.
A tremendous shadow cloaked what small streams of sun were trickling through the clearing.
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The twins froze in position. Colin, clinging to a branch with one hand while sitting on one below, and Meghan, with her hand seizing his leg. Without moving, they tried to see what had landed.
“I’ve never heard wings that large before,” sent Colin nervously. Something hovered over the tree. Something with red eyes that blazed brightly in the darkness.
Outside of their hidden tree room, a skidding thud brought them out of their frozen stupor. Whatever it was, it had landed!
“I knew this was a bad idea,” Colin sent, with an, I told you so tone. Another pair of wings swooshed above, landing just a few feet away.
Colin squeaked slightly. Meghan yanked on his pant leg motioning for him to shut up!
Whatever was outside the tree was walking the perimeter, repeating the twins’ movements from a few minutes before; which meant before long it would find their secret room!
The shadow then stopped and sniffed the air, like a dog.
It was close enough now that the twins could see directly into the piercing red and black eyes of the creature. Colin held his breath, afraid he would give away their hiding spot if he opened his mouth.
“Okay, I will never, not listen to you again,” sent Meghan to her brother. Normally, Colin would have relished such a moment. Fear, however, gripped the occasion, as one of the creatures lunged to the top of a granite rock on the opposite side of the clearing.
“Where is the other one?” sent Colin. They searched frantically, without moving their bodies, but could not see it.
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Finally, it joined the other, standing on the ground below the rock. From what the twins could see, the towering creature was hairless, and gray skinned.
The wind picked up and the sky drew the two creatures’
attention. The one on the ground lifted off, hovering just a few feet in the air. This gave Meghan and Colin a much better view of the body.
“What are they, Colin?” asked Meghan, stunned by what she was seeing.
“If I had to guess, I would say they are oversized… bats,” he stammered silently, into his sister’s mind.
“There are no bats that large!” she argued. “How is this possible? It’s not!” she answered herself.
Colin gulped, not replying. The wind picked up even more, blowing leaves and branches off the ground, and violently shaking the fallen tree. Luckily, the needles held fast and did not fall off, keeping the twins’ location to the intruders outside a secret.
The wind died quite suddenly, and with its end, someone else arrived; someone appearing to be human, but disguised in a dark cloak. The cloaked figure spoke, but the voice was deep and distorted, making it impossible to tell if it was a man or woman.
“Tonight, you will do what must be done,” the figure spoke. “At midnight they will come. You will wait until the time is right, and then you will strike!” At the word strike, both creatures lifted up their wings, which measured at least ten feet across, and let out a ferocious snarl.
The creature on the rock sprung into the air, landing just a few feet from the twins. Their eyes popped open wide with disbelief and fear.
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The face of the creature resembled a wolf, with long knife-like fangs. The wings looked like a flexible sort of webbing, with hook-like fingers that curled and clicked against each other, attached to thin, but muscular, arms that extended at least two feet beyond the web-like wings.
The bottom half of the creature appeared more human than animal, with the exception of the toe
nails, which were long and jagged like rusted, broken, saw blades.
The twins reacted by leaning back into the depths of the tree, hoping to remain hidden.
“We need to get out of here,” Colin managed to croak.
“How do you suggest we do that? There is no way we can outrun those things!”
Colin had no ideas and shifted on the branch. As he did so, his new book fell out of his sweater. Meghan caught it before it landed, but the book opened in her hand. The pages glimmered slightly, like bright dust settling.
“Did you see that?” she asked.
“Let me see,” he replied.
“You want to read it, right now? When we are this close to having our heads chewed off by whatever those things are?”
He grabbed it from her, making strange faces as he read.
Meghan tried to tune in but his thoughts were incoherent.
“I need to get down from this branch,” he sent her.
Meghan took the book, closed it, laying it gently on the soft ground, and then carefully and quietly helped her brother out of the tree and onto solid ground.
“Stay low, Sis. Less chance of catching that thing’s eye,” he said, sitting down, cross-legged. Meghan followed Colin, sinking to her knees. Her thoughts wandered. We should have been home ages ago! I hope Uncle Arnon does 70
not come looking for us. Colin’s heart raced, nearly bursting from his chest as he thought about their uncle happening unexpectedly upon these creatures.
Outside the tree, the voice spoke threateningly.
“Do not be seen, or heard, until the determined time!” The creatures were growling and clicking in a high-pitched screech, in what the twins could only assume meant agreement.
Colin sat on the ground with his new book, Magicante, but the strange shimmering that had been there moments ago had disappeared.
Another lofty breeze swept through the clearing setting off a chain reaction of events. First, this breeze sent the twins’ scent to their unaware captors, and second, the pages of the book began to flip back and forth, the leaves on each page shimmering as if golden sunlight were beaming onto each leaf. Thirdly, the pages of the Magicante stopped flipping and to twins’ surprise, words began forming on the leaf attached to the open page. It appeared in the form of fiery gold print.