Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere (Book 1)

by Bernice Fischer

  He stopped, dreading finishing the sentence. His parents thought he was so responsible for his age and he hated that they were going to be disappointed in him.

  Rhed muttered, “Of course, it would not be a good idea to mention the floating-through-the-door thing.”

  Jeff stared into the darkness. “You believe me, right?”

  “Aw, man, you have to ask? Of course I believe you,” replied Rhed.

  Although the two boys were still swinging the torches side to side, calling for Matt and muttering back and forth, the cloaked figure watching them from the shadows went unnoticed.

  He was standing in the darkness, blending in with the shadows of the forest when the kids passed him. Even the light of their swinging torches did not reveal Rig. Their hushed voices floated in between the trees, and their fear for the little boy was very apparent. Even the forest felt it. Rig bit his lip to stop a small smile escaping as if he were glad Madgwick had been chosen as part of the rescue team. Madgwick was good with kids and would be well equipped to handle the little boy: his runny nose, the possible whining, the probable crying.

  His lips pulled up in a sneer as he thought of going into Drakmere. This was his big chance. Rig had unfinished business in Drakmere, and he was prepared to create some havoc of his own there. He pushed away from the tree and followed the boys towards the house.

  Rhed was asking Jeff details about the cloaked man he had seen earlier.

  “So, he physically stopped you from grabbing Matt?”

  “He stopped me in my tracks. It was like walking into a concrete wall. I couldn’t move. He said that he had to talk to what he called elders. Then he would be back and we would go and find Matt.”

  “Do you believe him, Jeff? That he is coming back and that he knows what happened to Matt?” Rhed asked.

  “I can’t explain it, Rhed. It felt like I had known him for years, although I have never seen him before. Like he was an old friend. He felt real. Deep down I felt a connection. It was weird.”

  The garden was coming into view, and they were about to step onto the grass when a shower of silver glitter exploded into the night.

  It came as such a surprise that both boys instinctively crouched and grabbed each other’s arms. As they straightened, the shower drizzled down to the ground and a cloaked form took shape.

  Jeff and Rhed stumbled forward in half-steps, both speechless. The cloak fell back and revealed the man Jeff had seen earlier, the man who said his name was Madgwick.

  Rhed nodded towards Madgwick, and asked Jeff, “This him?”

  “I think so, yeah.” The relief was evident in his voice. He was not losing it after all, he had not just imagined the whole thing, and the couch was not waiting for him in Dr Swanson’s rooms. And here was the link to his brother’s whereabouts.

  7

  The cloaked man in front of them was of average height with short black tousled hair that made him look like he had just stumbled out of bed. His eyes were a shade of purple a little darker than lilac. He was wearing a white loose shirt with a light brown leather waistcoat laced up with thin blue rope and a deep purple cloak that dropped to his ankles. His trousers were light brown and his dark boots were scruffy and comfortable-looking.

  Madgwick blinked rapidly as if he was surprised to see the two boys staring at him. He was not unhappy to see the friend. It would make it easier to leave Jeff behind if he was not on his own. The last time he left, Jeff was sinking to his knees in despair.

  “Jeff, Rhed,” Madgwick nodded to the two boys.

  Madgwick paused for a second to absorb Jeff properly in the dim light. The boy’s short brown hair appeared sun-bleached and straight and he kept tossing his head to flick his fringe back. His eyes were dark green, his nose and cheeks speckled with freckles.

  Madgwick stepped forward. The boy called Rhed had a very puzzled look on his face, as he pushed his glasses up on his nose. His hair, Madgwick noticed, was pulled back in a band wide enough to hold his dreadlocks. He had a large nose that supported his heavy framed glasses; his brown eyes had thick eyebrows and lashes. And his knobbly knees were sticking out from beneath his long baggy shorts.

  Jeff moved closer, watching Madgwick. He was a little taller than them, with thick black hair that looked like it had just been through a whirlwind. The purple of his eyes was a startling purple. He had a smile that made him look friendly, but he also had a deep frown knitting his eyebrows together. He had a look of determination in his eyes. This was not a social visit.

  If it were at all possible, Jeff’s heart sank even lower. “Where is my brother?” he blurted out.

  “I am sure there is a lot that you wish to know, but we have limited time, so I will explain what I can now.” Madgwick bowed his head as if trying to decide on where to start, and then continued.

  “We are the guardians of dreams, or as your myth and fairytales like to call us, the sandman. We ensure the dreams of children are beautiful, full of colour and full of laughter. We sometimes use magic sandust to send the children to dreamland.”

  He stopped to check that they were with him. “We watch and protect them from nightmares. When the nightmares arrive, we are the warriors who fight against the evil that tries to destroy the magic of dreams. Your brother, Matt, has been taken into Drakmere, the land of nightmares.”

  Jeff let out a little sound.

  “We know that for now he has not been harmed, but we need to act quickly to bring him home. The longer he spends in Drakmere the bigger the chance of Matt being hurt. We need to go and get him back – tonight.”

  Jeff and Rhed were opening and closing their mouths. Jeff had hundreds of questions but somehow could not form them.

  The two of them exchanged a look that said, did he just say the sandman – guardian of dreams?

  “Okaaaaaay, why don’t you just sit tight, hang around and we’ll get someone to help you,” Jeff said. “No worries, you’re safe with us.”

  Jeff forced himself to speak in a soothing voice, but out of the side of his mouth he muttered to Rhed, “I will distract him. You get help.”

  With his hands spread out in front of him, showing that he meant no harm, Rhed started to back away one step at a time in the direction of the back door.

  “Ugh, of course you don’t believe me,” Madgwick said, shaking his head. “Come on Jeff, search your heart, you know me, you know the truth. I have been sprinkling dust in your eyes since you were a child.”

  “You have not!” Jeff put his hands on his hips. “I have never seen you before tonight, and you expect me to believe that you are a, what? Sandman? The sandman they tell little kids about? I may be young, but I’m not dumb.”

  Jeff stopped to take a breath. “Now what have you done with my brother? How long have you been watching us, and how do you know our names?”

  Madgwick sighed and stared past the boys towards the forest behind him. “I have to dust them.”

  “You will NOT dust them. They do not need to know!” said a gravelly voice from the edge of the forest.

  Both boys whirled around at the voice behind them. Oh crap, there were two of them! Jeff thought in a panic.

  Madgwick was determined. “I have no choice, and if the elders want to be angry then they can take it up with me when I get back. The boy needs to know. We can’t expect him to understand. He has seen too much!”

  “Are you mad?” the voice asked. “You can’t just dust them and open their minds! Send them to their rooms, send them to sleep, but no dusting! I forbid it!”

  The voice was low and furious.

  Jeff puffed up his cheeks before letting all the air out. It was all becoming a bit too much for him.

  “I have seen some weird stuff tonight,” he said, “and I don’t know what to believe. My brother floated through a glass door and then disappeared in front of me. Now you tell me he’s been kidnapped, taken to this place called, what? Draksomething? And that you are the sandman, or something!”

  Jeff rubbed his
temples, suddenly longing for a couch, even if it was Dr Swanson’s.

  Madgwick took one step towards the boys and without warning tossed a handful of silver dust in the air. It glittered as it floated down over them, and they gasped.

  Rhed swiped and swatted at the glitter as if he was totally disgusted. What self-respecting boy would be caught covered in glitter, irrespective of the colour!

  “What are you playing at, tossing glitter at us? Is this supposed to be a party now?” yelled Rhed, turning to Jeff. But Rhed stopped in his tracks as he looked into Jeff’s face.

  Jeff was speechless. His mouth was hanging open but his eyes were shining.

  “It’s true,” he whispered. “They’re telling the truth, the sandman does exist!”

  He turned to Madgwick who was anxiously looking at the slow moon rising into the night sky.

  “What is that stuff?” asked Jeff, eyes still wide open.

  “It’s called moon dust. It reveals the magic around you, and I am probably going to get into a huge amount of trouble for dusting you, but really, I am running out of time. We have to find the doorway and it must be found now.”

  Jeff’s mouth hung open.

  “I do not have the time to try and make you understand or see what you do not want to see. The dust reveals the magic to your mind.”

  Glancing at Rhed, he continued. “It may take a bit longer with your friend. He has not seen all you have.”

  But already Rhed’s mouth was still making like a fish as if his mind was opening to the truth of the magic.

  Rig stepped from behind the two boys, and spoke in his gravelly voice. “Nice, Madgwick. I asked you, no, I told you not to dust them, but you did it anyway.” He turned to Jeff, glancing at Rhed who was still gaping in the background.

  “We have been appointed to enter the dark world of Drakmere and bring Matt home.” Rig nodded to the two boys, then looked at Madgwick. “You and I have to start moving, and yes, you are in so much trouble for using the dust!”

  Madgwick held his hand out to the boys. “And with that, may I introduce Rig. He is the best warrior there is. He has been to Drakmere before. He knows exactly what to do to find Matt and get him out of Drakmere.”

  Rig’s words “you and I” shook Jeff back to the present. “Give me a few minutes to get a few things, then we can go.”

  Rhed’s head whipped towards Jeff. “I’m coming too, not sure where, but I’m coming!”

  Jeff shook his head. “I don’t actually know where we are going, but it sounds far away. And besides, your mom will kill me if you got lost too.”

  “Cool,” Rhed said. “Like your mom is going to love the news that both her kids are missing. No way, man. I am not staying behind to explain that. Also, he is as much my brother as yours, and then if you really haven’t realised it by now, you need me, ’cos I’m the brains in all of this. It’s always my ideas that work when we build something, and besides, my mom can’t kill you after your mom kills you!”

  Jeff glared at Rhed. Whatever he was going to say disappeared when Rig spoke up.

  “Neither of you is joining us on our journey to Drakmere.”

  Jeff pushed himself taller. “Just wait a minute. I am coming with you! He said I could!” He was staring at Rig but pointing an outstretched arm at Madgwick.

  “It was not his place to promise. You are not coming and I will not waste time on this any further.” Rig’s tone was very final, and Jeff’s whole body buzzed with rage.

  8

  Jeff whirled around to Madgwick. “But you said …”

  Madgwick’s brow was furrowed and his lips pulled into a thin, tight line. “I am truly sorry, Jeff. I tried to talk the elders into letting you come along, but they have forbidden it, and they are right. It is just too dangerous to have you in Drakmere. You have to stay here.”

  Jeff’s teeth ground together. “I don’t care what these so-called elders say, this is my brother and I am going to go and look for him!”

  Rig, who was watching the forest with his back to Jeff, turned back slowly to face him. His features were like stone. Jeff swallowed and stepped back.

  Rig’s voice was hard. “Little boy! It is dangerous enough to go into Drakmere to rescue your brother. Do you have any idea how difficult it will be to bring out two kids, never mind three! You will both stay here.”

  He turned away from the two silent boys, almost dismissing them.

  Then he spoke to Madgwick. “The moon will soon be high. We have to find the doorway or miss the entry completely. We can’t afford to waste more time.”

  Madgwick turned to Jeff. “I am sorry, Jeff. We have to find a secret doorway. This is the quickest and only way to get into Drakmere tonight. If we don’t get through the doorway tonight then we will have to wait until another doorway is opened by the spell weavers.”

  Jeff blinked.

  “That means that Matt would be in Drakmere a while before we could try to rescue him. We don’t know what state he will be in by then or what they will do with him.”

  With that he left Jeff and Rhed and walked to where Rig was standing holding his hands out towards the forest.

  Jeff hung his head. Weird things had happened, and not just that night.

  There was the ball of mist chasing them through the forest, Matt floating through glass, the silver showers of dust, and people disappearing and appearing in a blink of an eye.

  None of this could be explained logically, but the fact was that Matt had disappeared.

  He was gone, these two Sandman dudes knew where he was, and they were worried about him. It also sounded as if they had a deadline to find this doorway place.

  Jeff did not know what to think. But again he felt the truth around him. He felt like he had known Madgwick forever, even though he was sure he had not seen him before.

  Jeff could reject all this weird stuff, go inside, and call his mother and the cops. Or he could accept what he had seen with his own eyes, even if he didn’t understand it.

  Something magical was happening. Jeff still had enough imagination in him that he could turn his back on the logical and move towards Madgwick and that unfriendly guy Rig.

  “Okay,” Jeff said, coming up behind the two. “What exactly are you looking for? We could at least help you look.”

  Rig shook his head. “How about you go inside and watch that flashing talking box thing. You’re interrupting us!”

  Madgwick put his hand on Rig’s arm to silence him. “No, they can help. We don’t know where the doorway is, Rig, and I don’t know about you, but I am starting to get worried. If we don’t find that doorway within the next few minutes then we will be lost before we even started.”

  He turned to Jeff and Rhed. “We are looking for a doorway that is activated by the moon, and only by the moon and then only once a month.”

  Madgwick swept his hand over the forest. “The doorway could be anything, from a shape to a tree, anything.”

  “How come you don’t know what the doorway is?” Rhed asked. He turned to Jeff and continued. “Isn’t it strange that these guys are the experts but they don’t know what they’re looking for.”

  Rig glared at Rhed. He pursed his lips as if he was highly annoyed that their knowledge was being questioned, but answered anyway. “The doorway was last used many years ago, long before you were born, and to ensure that no one could open it again, the magic of the forest hid it from view. That is why!”

  “Oh, the forest hid it,” said Rhed, nodding at Jeff. “Yes, that makes perfect sense.”

  Jeff hid his smile. He did not like Rig either, but he was preoccupied. The word “doorway” was playing in his mind. But the answer danced just out of reach.

  Rig and Madgwick stood on opposite edges of the garden, hands outstretched, muttering in some strange language.

  Rhed grabbed Jeff’s arm. “Hey don’t you guys call that door upstairs …”

  “The moonglow doorway … but that’s inside, not outside in the forest,” replied J
eff.

  Rig turned around at their talk. “What doorway, what are you talking about? Madgwick! What are they talking about?”

  Madgwick turned to Jeff. “What doorway are you talking about?” He smiled to lighten the harshness of Rig’s tone.

  “Well, I’m sure it’s nothing,” Jeff said.

  “Then why bring it up?” growled Rig.

  Ignoring Rig, Jeff spoke directly to Madgwick. “My mom told me it was called a moonglow doorway.”

  “Your mother called it a moonglow doorway?” asked Madgwick. His eyebrows shot up. “Who told her that it was called a moonglow doorway?”

  “She always said she couldn’t remember who told her, but she has been living here since she was a baby. So maybe it was my grandpa who told her, but it’s nothing, just some stained-glass door.”

  Madgwick and Rig stared at each other. “What better place for the forest to hide the doorway than …” whispered Madgwick.

  “With humans having lost their imaginations, the door would be safe! No-one would know, understand or believe what it could do,” finished Rig, his purple eyes shining.

  Jeff looked at them, his eyes darting from face to face. “What do you mean? Is this the doorway we’re looking for?”

  Then it hit him. He grabbed Rhed’s arm. “Matt was sitting in front of that window when he became sick, remember?”

  “Yes, your mom found him there!”

  “And tonight he was asleep on the couch when I heard the breaking glass,” Jeff finished.

  Madgwick and Rig stared at them open-mouthed.

  “What breaking glass?” Rig sputtered.

  “Matt was asleep on the couch, then I heard glass breaking. When I got upstairs, he was awake but floating in a green light. And this light brought him down to the garden.”

  Rig turned to glare at Madgwick, who shook his head. “I got here when the boy was already in the glow right here, where we are standing.”

  Rig’s glare switched to Jeff. “Wait a minute, did you just say broken glass – that the doorway is broken?”