Anni Moon & The Elemental Artifact: An Elemental Fantasy Adventure Series: Book For Kids Ages 9-12 (Anni Moon Series)

by Abed, Melanie

  A twenty-five-foot-high security fence covered in green plastic encircled the school grounds. Trees and shrubbery covered every inch of the fence’s perimeter. Anni hurtled over flowerbeds; her gaze darted left and right, scrutinizing each bush.

  Then she saw it.

  Like a baseball player sliding into home base, she dove into a tiny gap between a pair of unkempt boxwood hedges. She shimmied under the green plastic and the broken bit of fence, scraping her skin as she squeezed herself into a shallow burrow.

  A hollow of overgrown wisteria sheltered and shaded a small nook on the other side of the fence. It was littered with fast-food wrappers and empty bottles and smelled like urine. Anni held her breath as she surveyed the park, looking for suspicious people, like Finnegan and his muddied socks, but the path was clear.

  The tiptop of Mabel’s apartment building, the only pink building on the block, came into view. The corners of Anni’s mouth tilted up. She burst out from the thicket and something dive-bombed her head.

  “Go back! Go back! Anni Moon, you’re breaking your oath! You promised!”

  No. This was impossible, she told herself. The flying rat/bat thing wasn’t real, but there he was. Brat kept on dive-bombing her head and wouldn’t let up.

  “You don’t understand. Stop it. Go away,” she said, swatting at him. “Stop it!”

  “No, Anni Moon. I can’t let you break your oath.”

  Standing still was a mistake. Anni ran up the park’s path, trying to outrun him. A few people dotted the park. This was hard, keeping track of suspicious people and now Brat, too. Anni spotted three joggers, a biker, a boy standing next to a tree, a lady pushing a baby carriage, and a little old man sitting on a bench feeding the pigeons. They all looked normal, but she didn’t slow down long enough to make sure.

  Five buildings stood between her and the Edgewater Apartments. Anni counted them down and picked up her pace.

  “You’ll get me in trouble. You’ll be in trouble. You must go back,” said Brat. “I’ve never in all my years left an assignment incomplete. Please go back.”

  “Can’t,” she panted. “Lexi’s in trouble. I need to find her!”

  Four buildings.

  “Lexi?” Brat’s voice faltered. “Moppins, is she safe? She always follows the directions. This isn’t good. Two mistakes, very bad, very, very bad. She has to be safe. There’s the Funk to think of, not to mention the squatters, and…”

  Three buildings.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m going to find her. She left me a message and that’s where I’m going! So you go away. You’re not helping!”

  Two buildings.

  Brat darted less at Anni’s head, which she appreciated, but he still flew alongside her, which she didn’t. To her left, she saw another boy next to a tree. He stared at her. Or, did he glare? It was hard to tell. His soured face looked almost identical to the boy she saw earlier—he had the same tart expression. It unnerved her.

  One building.

  “Moppins, moppins, this is a kerfuffled mess…Oh, what to do? I suppose I will have to help you find Lexi. Yes, yes, and when we do, then you can go back!”

  Anni ignored his last comment. Edgewater’s garden fence came into view, and it couldn’t come soon enough. Her plan didn’t involve entering the apartment building through the front entrance; the doorman would detain her in the lobby until Egbert got back—Edgewater’s residence rules. No. She would travel underground through the garage without being detected by the cameras. It was all about timing.

  Anni nearly stumbled over her own feet. Next to a different tree by the driveway stood that boy, the same sour-faced boy she had already seen twice before in the park! Was he following her? How did he get there so fast? Was he working for Finnegan? She didn’t waste a second to find out. Plan averted, she tore past him, risking being seen by the cameras over the garage entrance.

  Brat flew next to Anni as she sprinted down the driveway. On the way to the elevators, she noticed the parking attendant’s cubical was empty. Tempted to peek at the monitors inside, to see if the sour-faced boy followed her, she ran toward the booth.

  Bad move. Two Herculean hands lunged at her. She dodged and the hirsute parking attendant got handfuls of air. Even though he was big, she knew better than to underestimate him. All the past games of cat and mouse had taught her that much—not to mention his distaste for children and the fact that he looked remarkably like Brunhild’s twin brother. He reached for his wireless and called the lobby.

  Anni took off overhearing every other word, “Kid…running…nuisance.”

  “That’s not good,” said Brat as he landed on her shoulders.

  “Shush!”

  Not choosing the elevators, which seemed like the easiest way to get trapped, she opted for the stairs and climbed several sets before hopping on a freight elevator. Brat twitched repeatedly once the doors closed and ran in circles on the elevator’s floor.

  “What’s wrong with you?” asked Anni.

  “Elevators,” he said. “They’re not normal. Unnatural things.”

  Anni rolled her eyes. “You followed me, remember? I didn’t ask you to come.”

  Ping.

  The service elevator opened on the seventeenth floor. Brat flew into the steel hued vestibule. Anni moved toward the water pipes that lined the wall. A spare key should have been hidden behind them, but she only found soot. If the key was not there, then maybe Lexi was already inside.

  The service door to Mabel’s apartment was unlocked and it opened with ease. Blinding light poured in from the kitchen. Everything looked the same, which surprised her. Egbert had been living there for the last three years, but Mabel’s fruit-shaped earthenware sat in the same orderly line on the kitchen table, as did her favorite orange tea set behind the glass cupboards, and all of Mabel’s other knickknacks; they were exactly in the same place as if she had never left, as if she was still there.

  Dizzy, Anni steadied herself against the wall as memories of a past life haunted her. She didn’t realize how much she missed Mabel until she was standing in the middle of their old kitchen. Her hand clung to her chest, holding Mabel’s key as if that might ease her pain and confusion. Where did she fit in? What was home? Not here, not anymore. And not at Waterstone, so where would she call home?

  “Are you okay?” asked Brat, eyeing her. “Let’s go…”

  “Anni,” rippled a soft whisper.

  “Lexi?” called out Anni. “Is that you?”

  No response.

  Anni pushed the kitchen door open and moved forward on wobbly legs, uncertain if the voice was real or imagined. Again, everything in every room was the same, exactly the same. Why did Egbert keep everything in its place, just as Mabel had left it?

  “Anni,” said the whisper again.

  She paused. “Did you hear that?”

  “No,” said Brat, circling the living room. “What?”

  “Lexi? Are you here?” Anni heard the strain in her own voice.

  No response.

  They moved to the hall and inched down the corridor. “Check those,” said Anni, pointing to the other two bedrooms. “I’ll take this one.”

  “Anni,” called a voice. It was coming from behind Mabel’s door.

  Her hand shook as she turned the knob.

  The room was empty. Lexi wasn’t there. It didn’t make sense. Anni slumped to the floor next to Mabel’s bed.

  Brat flew in and landed near her. “Why did you think she would be here?”

  She ignored him and remembered what Lexi had told her. She whirled around. There it stood at the foot of Mabel’s bed: the massive, ancient oak trunk.

  “Find it,” said the whisper, even softer now.

  “What was that?” said Brat, staring at the trunk.

  She looked at him. “Wait. You heard that?”

  “Of course I did, but it’s not Lexi’s voice. I’m sure of that.” Brat’s voice quavered. “And listening to disembodied voices
isn’t a good idea. Don’t open—”

  Before he could stop her, Anni lifted the trunk’s lid.

  “Eggs! Empty…Wait…” Her fingertip traced over a small latch on the bottom.

  “Don’t—” said Brat, flapping overhead.

  “Shush! Lexi told me something was in here.”

  Lexi had mentioned a tapestry; maybe it was inside. Anni placed her finger in the penny-sized latch, slid it to the right, revealing a secret compartment.

  The secret compartment wasn’t some small little drawer underneath the trunk. Fully opened, it was a small hatch that was connected to a diagonal staircase that led into a separate room below. Maybe Lexi was down there.

  Brat gasped. “Mopple-me-toppined. That’s not a human contraption.”

  It was too dark to see the size of the room below, and she could have sworn that something like candlelight flickered below. Was it Lexi? Curiosity warmed her. She had to move fast. The anticipation improved her vision, because on the very top step, she made out shapes that looked like a book, some cloth, and a round, shiny object: Mabel’s locket.

  Something rattled the staircase below, and an overpowering smell of freshly chopped wood filled the air. Anni climbed into the chest to better reach the top rung. She pulled back her shirtsleeve and stretched out her arm. Her hand passed through the open space, a few inches away from touching the ladder’s railing when…

  “AAAAHHHHHHH!”

  Out of nowhere, another hand shot up from below. Anni leaped backward. Before she could react, the hand snatched the items sitting on the top step, Mabel’s locket included. Anni blinked and the secret compartment slammed shut. She scrambled and searched the trunk’s bottom for the latch. It vanished into wood and the compartment disappeared. Mabel’s locket was gone. Even more disturbing was that hand, impossible to forget, because the fingernails were made of solid gold.

  OLIVER MONDAY

  “Did you hear that?” asked Brat as he coned his wing to his ear.

  Images of golden fingernails replayed in her head. “No,” she said and looked down as Brat frantically wiggled behind her. “What are you doing, Br—”

  “Ahem.”

  Anni jumped.

  The smug-faced boy from the park was leaning against Mabel’s door! His arms were crossed over his white T-shirt and open black jacket.

  “How’d…” Anni sputtered. “Who are you?”

  The smug-faced boy didn’t answer, but he might have smirked. Who was he? And how did he get inside Mabel’s apartment? He remained silent, but his face was pinched, as if something smelled like rotten eggs.

  Anni ran toward Mabel’s desk, grabbed a small wooden box, and pulled her arm back. “Don’t come any closer. You’ll regret it.”

  The boy smirked and said, “You humans sure love your violence.” Unthreatened, he sauntered back down the hall.

  Infuriated, Anni let her arm fall.

  “Who are you?” she yelled. “What do you want?”

  “Frazzlezappend-crumpledbottoms-mopple-me-toppined, that was close,” said Brat. He flew onto her shoulder. “You can’t let them see me. Quick, let me hide in your shirt pocket. I’d be ever so grateful, and I’ll be in your debt.”

  “No way.” She pointed to the hall. “I need to deal with…with him!”

  “I beg you, Anni. I’ve never failed a mission before. Please, I can’t be seen or found out.” Brat’s tiny eyes were glossy, and there was a touch of hysteria to his voice. “I promise I won’t mutter a peep. You have my word.”

  “Okay, fine.” Anni opened her shirt pocket.

  Her cheeks burned when she entered the living room and found the smug boy reclining cross-legged on Mabel’s mint green lounger, but he wasn’t alone.

  Standing by the dining table, Egbert spoke into his oversized wristwatch. “I see…keep me informed. I want an update every five minutes.” He strode toward Anni and peered behind her. “I thought we agreed that you would stay with Lexi. Where is she?”

  Anni was relieved that a band of kidnappers wasn’t waiting for her, but Egbert was the last person she wanted to talk to. “I don’t know. I have to go find her. Lexi left me a note. It said she was coming here. I’m going downstairs.” Before she reached the door, the boy, whose manners were as prickly as his spiked hair, got up and blocked her way.

  “Excuse me. Who are you?” Anni demanded.

  “This is Oliver Monday,” dictated Egbert, looking at his watch again. “He’s assisting me today. Finnegan didn’t check in this morning—”

  “Finnegan was at school! I saw him. He was trying to kidnap Lexi and me!”

  “What!” Egbert said. He shot a shifty glance at Oliver but covered it up with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I suppose you’re going to tell me he destroyed Charity’s office and Lexi’s room as well? Absolute nonsense. Finnegan wouldn’t. Don’t be foolish.”

  “Whatever, he was there. I gotta go. There’s a secret stairwell in Mabel’s room that leads directly into the apartment downstairs.” She turned to Oliver. “Out of the way.” Oliver didn’t budge. “Seriously? You’re not going to move?”

  “Enough with your stories. There is no secret staircase in Mabel’s room. This time, you’re staying put.” Egbert glanced up from his watch for a brief moment. “But I’d move away from that wall if I were you.”

  A massive painting, by the artist Boudin, covered the wall. It depicted a dreary seaside village. Oliver nudged Anni aside as a gray dot sped across the Impressionistic hillsides toward the edge of the canvas. Faster than a blink, the dot multiplied in size until it wiggled out one, two, three, four appendages and, lastly, a head.

  Anni stared wildly, but Egbert didn’t even look up at the person who exited the painting when he said, “We do have a door, Zelda.”

  “What—” said Anni.

  “Phew! Absolutely dreadful,” said Zelda, patting down her arms and legs, which made the tiny bells on the pant legs jingle. “That canvas is positively reeking of Funk. It’ll take me days to get that smell out. Bertie, you really need to change that painting out.”

  There was that word Funk again!

  “Um, what just happened?” asked Anni, but they ignored her. Brat had said something about Funk, too, when he told her not to leave school, but what was it?

  Zelda continued to brush her clothes off, as if trying to get rid of something invisible. Finally, she said, “I looked everywhere. What would you have me do? I haven’t acquired the E-passes yet. I’ve had a bit of trouble with Krizia—”

  “We’ve got part of that covered,” said Oliver.

  Anni stared at him. What was covered? What exactly did he know that she didn’t?

  “We do,” said Egbert. “Zelda, where’s your Omninav?”

  Zelda looked at her wrist and dithered. “Oh, bother. Must have left it behind. Let me see…where did I put it?” She tapped her finger to her chin.

  “Never mind,” said Egbert as he pulled out another oversized wristwatch like his own. “Take this one. It’s secure. Go back and retrace your steps. I’ll join you soon.”

  Zelda raised her eyebrow but took it all the same. She moved toward the massive painting and raised her leg to walk through it again.

  “Zelda,” said Egbert. “Are you sure I shouldn’t send Oliver instead?”

  Zelda stopped. “Oh, ho, ho. Not to worry, Bertie. Just seeing if you are paying attention. No, on second thought, I think I’d fancy the elevator instead. There’re some lovely watercolor murals with chubby little cherubs, and best of all, they’re Funk-free.” Zelda tapped the side of her nose and smiled at Egbert, Anni, and Oliver. She muttered, “Piece of cake bread,” as she left through the apartment’s front door.

  “I’m following her,” said Anni, eyeing the painting with apprehension. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m going to find Lexi!”

  “Anni,” said Egbert, blocking the door. “There’s no secret stairwell that leads into the apartment downstairs. And you are not going anywhere. Not
this time.”

  “Brat! Come out. Tell them.” She opened her shirt pocket. Inside, Brat was curled into a tight leathery ball, so small and so round that he looked like a tiny Hacky Sack. “Come on, really?” She turned to Egbert. “Before Oliver found me, these stairs—”

  “Enough!” It was the loudest tone she’d ever heard Egbert speak in her life, and it shocked her into silence. “I asked you to do one small thing, one small thing! You agreed to stay with Lexi. Did you do that? No.” He took a breath and served her with his most intense stare. “Every second I waste, I’m that much further behind on finding Lexi. She’s probably distraught. I need to find her, immediately. Can you understand that?”

  Anni nodded, although she couldn’t help but think that there was something else Egbert wasn’t telling her. She started to wonder if it had to do with the way he glanced at Oliver when she had mentioned Finnegan trying to kidnap them.

  “Good, because you will not leave my side until I say so. You will not utter a single word of complaint. When you speak, you will answer only with a simple yes or no. When I tell you to jump, you will jump. When I tell you to go, you will go. Do you understand?”

  A crashing wave of fury, guilt, and pain washed over her. Egbert was proving to be the worst kind of guardian she always thought he was, but she also knew, even in the deepest recesses of her soul, that if something happened to Lexi because of her own stubbornness, she could never, ever forgive herself. It took all of Anni’s strength and love for Lexi to look into Egbert’s eyes, nod, and say, “Yes,” and actually mean it.

  Egbert barely acknowledged her nod before he turned to Oliver. “Get the carrier. We have about ten minutes before departure.”

  Egbert turned to Anni, his arm outstretched. “Take my hand and close your eyes.” Anni’s left hand met Egbert’s right. She closed her eyes and he pulled her into a fast walk. “Now jump!”

  Anni jumped, which felt stupid with her eyes closed. A surprising gust of wind hit her face. The silence of Mabel’s apartment shifted and was replaced by echoes of a hundred murmurs. Anni squinted a quick peek.