by Amy C. Blake
Warmth and light enveloped him the moment he entered the castle. If it was a castle. It sure looked like one. He stood beside Trevor, both of them dripping on the stone floor, and studied the high stone walls. From floor to ceiling hung brightly colored tapestries depicting people and animals from classical mythology. He picked out a picture of Zeus throwing a lightning bolt and another of the Midgard Serpent coiled around the Earth. One showed a ship full of women pirates, and another pictured King Arthur with Excalibur.
He moved further into the room, trying to absorb everything. Coats of arms hung beside tall suits of armor, and a pair of identical spiral staircases led upward beyond his view. From the center of the high ceiling hung an enormous chandelier, and across the room blazed a roaring fire in a huge hearth. He ignored the jostling of other campers and inhaled the scent of burning firewood and the aroma of fresh baked bread. He felt himself relax.
Maybe this place was a figment of his imagination. Maybe he’d fallen asleep in the boys’ cabin, and his subconscious mind had substituted a daydream about this nice-smelling castle for the harsh reality of the smelly toilet so near his bed. Or maybe Trevor’s bunk had collapsed on him, and he had a brain injury that made him delusional.
At a sharp twinge on his arm, he whirled around.
Trevor watched him, his grin mischievous. “I’m not dreaming, huh?”
Levi rubbed his arm. “You’re not supposed to pinch me to see if you’re dreaming. You’re supposed to pinch yourself.” The irritation seeped from his voice. “This whole thing is impossible. I mean, how can we be here?”
Trevor shrugged. “Who cares? This place is sweet!” He shook rainwater from his head.
Grimacing, Levi wiped the spray from his face. He took a step closer to Trevor and tried again. Trevor might think he was crazy, but he had to know. “There was a cliff, a drop-off into the lake maybe a hundred feet below, huge waves shooting water all that way.”
Trevor scrunched his eyes. “You feeling okay, man?”
Dread punched Levi in the gut. “You didn’t see it?”
“Uh . . . no.”
Levi dropped his voice to a whisper. “Mr. Dominic said to come into the castle. I thought he’d gone insane and was about to step off the cliff. And then Mrs. Dominic was there . . . and this castle. And Sara . . .” He frowned. Had Sara seen the cliff or had massive Martin blocked her view? He peered around the now-full entryway. “Where is Sara?”
Trevor stared at him a second longer, blinking as a raindrop jiggled free from his bangs and splashed onto his eyelid. Then he looked around, too, even rising on tiptoes to see into the far corners of the room. “Don’t see her.”
“Quiet please, everyone.” Mr. Dominic’s call from near the fireplace brought instant silence.
Levi turned toward where the director stood with his arm around his wife. Staff members fanned out on either side of them. Some Levi recognized from earlier; others were new. All were either really tall or really short. Other than the Dominics, who looked as old as his grandparents, there wasn’t a single average-looking person in the bunch.
“Welcome to our home.” Mr. Dominic’s voice boomed throughout the room. “Some of you will find it strange living in an ancient castle on a private island in the middle of the lake.” His eyes sparkled as he shrugged. “But I hope you’ll find it comfortable nonetheless.”
Levi’s jaw dropped. This was one strange old man.
The director lifted both arms in an all-encompassing gesture. “Please make yourselves at home here. Girls, your rooms are on the third floor, east and west corridors. Boys, you’re on the fourth floor, also east and west. The dining area is just through there.” He pointed to an archway on his left before indicating the staff beside him. “We will be your instructors and guides during the coming weeks. We’ll help you in any way we can.”
When several kids murmured to each other, Mr. Dominic raised a hand for silence. “Your lessons will go on as planned, here rather than at the cabins. But not today. Today you’ll get settled. The staff will help you find your rooms, which, I’m pleased to say, have much more comfortable beds than those in your cabins.” His eyebrows bobbled up and down as if in amusement. “Girls, please see Mrs. Sylvester for room assignments. Boys, see Mr. Austin. Dry off and put your things away. I’ll see you in the dining hall shortly.”
Everyone stood speechless and motionless. Despite Levi’s worry and confusion, a touch of excitement shivered his belly. He was really going to spend the summer in a castle? Wow!
The director gave one sharp clap and everyone, Levi included, scurried to obey.
“Up here.” A shaggy-haired, pimply-cheeked guy named Albert Forest, whose head maybe reached Levi’s bellybutton, led Levi, Trevor, and their two roommates up one of the spiral staircases. Albert looked so much like the people Levi had seen in the kitchen down in the cabin area he wanted to ask if they were a family of midgets. He didn’t dare, though, because he knew his mom would throttle him if she ever found out he’d asked such a thing.
Instead, Levi contented himself with climbing step after stone step. He gawked at the dusty portraits of ladies and gentlemen that lined the walls, careful to keep hold of the railing with his right hand and his soaked duffel and bedroll with his left. Though his left hand began throbbing in time with his calf muscles after what felt like the billionth step, he refused to change hands for fear he might miss something while he did.
Ornate stands in the wall held burning torches. Every so often they passed a window set high in the stone, but other than noticing that it was brighter out, Levi didn’t stop to peer out the thick, wavy glass. At first he heard voices of people above and below them on the staircase, but after a while, all he heard was panting—his own and the others’. Though they passed several landings with closed doors, they never paused until finally, when Levi thought he was going to faint and make an absolute fool of himself (or die falling down all those stairs), they stopped before a tall door of pale wood.
Albert opened it, and Levi blinked at the bright hallway beyond. With one last glance at the stairway that continued—amazingly—higher, Levi stepped through to a corridor lined with a dozen floor-to-ceiling windows. Five doors lined the opposite side, each guarded by a suit of armor.
Levi stared at the hallway until one of his new roommates, Tommy Chen, said, “Storm’s over.”
So that was what looked different. The sunlight. Levi dropped his stuff on the floor with a squelch, strode to the nearest window, and stared out at a cloudless blue sky. Below, a grassy courtyard stretched to the opposite area of the castle. He smashed his cheek against the glass and strained to see as far as he could each direction, thinking there had to be at least some hint of bad weather nearby. No way could such a huge storm have passed so quickly.
But there wasn’t. He couldn’t even see the telltale sparkle of water droplets on the grass. He rested his forehead on the cool glass and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping things would be normal when he opened them.
They weren’t. Anxiety nibbled away at his excitement.
A sharp intake of breath drew his eyes to his other new roommate, a chubby kid named Steve, who stood next to him gawking out the window from one side to the other with his face squashed against the glass like a red balloon about to pop. He pulled back and looked at Levi, his expression one of pure confusion. Levi started to ask Steve what he thought of this place—maybe Levi wasn’t the only one who’d imagined a cliff—when a loud bang echoed around the corridor. Levi jumped so hard his head smacked against the window.
Steve screamed, “Gun!” and dropped to the floor in a cowering heap.
Tommy laughed. “That wasn’t a gunshot.”
Grinning like a crazy man, Trevor stood next to a now-headless suit of armor holding its helmet. “Sorry, but this thing is awesome. I’ve got to get me one.”
With a roll of his eyes, Levi turned his attention to Albert, who leaned against the wall chewing a fingernail. It was time for some answers.
“Where are we?” Levi demanded. “This can’t be Castle Island.”
“Can’t be.” Steve heaved himself up from the floor. “There’s this huge storm going on there. At least there was.” He rubbed a hand over the wet hair still plastered to his forehead.
Albert strolled over to the last door on the corridor and fitted an old skeleton key into the lock. “Don’t fret now, boys. There’s times the weather’s a tad different here than over yonder.” He held up his hand with the index finger an inch above the thumb.
A tad different? Levi opened his mouth to ask what else was different when Albert turned the knob and released a chuckle that made Levi’s scalp prickle.
Chapter 5
A Tad Different
“Come on.” Albert crossed the threshold without a backward glance.
Levi stood slack-jawed a moment then exchanged looks with the others. Should they make a run for it? Close Albert inside and take off down the stairs? Try to find their way out of the castle and run back to camp? He thought somebody had said there was a telephone in the dining hall. They could call the police.
But what would they say? Help! This place is weird! There’s this amazing castle with wonderful-smelling food and warm fireplaces and nice people who look a little strange. Get us out of here!
Maybe they should stick it out a while longer. At least see what their room looked like. Levi gathered his stuff, straightened his spine, and marched to the door. Albert wasn’t very big. Trevor could probably take him if he had to.
Levi walked into the room and stopped dead just inside the door. The place looked like a ritzy hotel room or something. Not that he’d ever stayed in a ritzy hotel room. Spacious and bright with a fire roaring in the grate, the room had four beds so tall they each came with their own stepstool.
Someone’s wet sleeping bag pushed into the backs of Levi’s knees, making him stumble forward a few paces as Albert said, “Choose a bunk. You even get your own wardrobe.” A flash of what looked like envy crossed Albert’s face.
Levi walked to the nearest bed and fingered the hangings tied to the canopy. There were two sets, one a heavy red material and the other gauzy white. He wrinkled his nose. Looked like a bed for his sister.
Albert snorted. “The hangings ain’t to make your beds pretty. They’re right useful.” He tugged at the heavy fabric. “The red ones keep the heat in when it’s colder’n a witch’s big toe.” He touched the gauze. “The white ones keep the bugs out when it’s hotter’n the blazes of Hades. We heat with fire and cool with God’s own sweet breath.” He hooked a bony thumb toward the window. “But you’ll be glad to know Mr. Dominic got generators for the kitchen and the laundry. Also to power the hot water heaters.” Albert looked from one silent boy to another before slouching to another door beside the fireplace. “Your bathroom.” He yanked it open. “Stow your stuff and get changed. I’ll be waiting in the hall. Don’t be all day, I want my lunch.”
As Albert strode to the door, a female voice trickled in from the hallway.
Levi frowned. A girl in the boys’ dorm?
Albert glanced out. “Some of your neighbors,” he announced with a dismissive wave. “Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester are your hall chaperones. They’ll keep ya in line.”
Once Albert left the room, Levi went to the only unclaimed bed—the one by the window, which he refused to look out because he’d never liked heights—and set his bag on it. He opened the wardrobe and stuffed his bedroll into the bottom. Even on tiptoes, he just managed to shove his backpack onto the top shelf. What he wouldn’t give to be a couple inches taller, like Trevor.
After unloading his duffel and stacking his stuff on the empty shelves, he grabbed spare clothes and headed into the bathroom, tuning out the other boys’ excited talking. He needed to think.
Inside, he closed the door, leaned against it, and shut his eyes tight. Am I losing my mind, God?
He opened his eyes and was immediately distracted from his confused thoughts. He’d never seen such a fancy bathroom in his life. At the center of the room stood a white vanity with deep double sinks, each with gleaming brass faucets. To his left blazed a fire that must back the bedroom fireplace, and unlit torches lined the walls. To his right stood a partial wall. He edged over and peered behind it. A plush red mat three times thicker than the carpet in his bedroom at home gave way to a huge claw-footed tub. A curtain to his left hid a shower. Thick red towels hung from a half-dozen brass hooks set into the stone wall. Across the room, two cubicles, each housing a spotless white toilet, flanked a tinted window.
This place was unbelievable. A real, live castle, all the way to the toilets fit for royalty.
At least now he knew why they called this place Castle Island.
Levi moved back to the sinks and studied his reflection in one of the two full-length, gilt-framed mirrors. He looked normal. As normal as ever, anyway. But was he going crazy? Had he imagined the cliff? The storm?
Levi shook his head, stripped down before the fire, and put on dry clothes. He took a deep breath and exited the bathroom. Whatever was going on, he would just have to deal with it. Without his parents’ help.
“Next?” he called to his roommates.
The moment he left the bathroom, Albert barged into the bedroom.
“Ain’t you people ready yet?” He scowled at Trevor, Tommy, and Steve still dripping beside their beds. “I’m hungry. Get a move on.”
Albert stomped from the room, Levi’s roommates staring after him.
Levi’s eyebrow rose. Note to self: Albert gets cranky when hungry. “Hurry, guys.” He quickly spread his wet clothes on the hot stones before the fireplace. “I’ll stall him. We don’t want to have to find our way to the dining room alone.”
Levi stepped into the hallway where Albert tapped the toe of his grubby boot on the floor and grumbled that the food would be gone by the time they got downstairs. At least he was still waiting. Levi peered around the hall, figuring he could holler for the guys if Albert tried to take off without them.
More oil paintings covered the walls—mostly landscapes and portraits of sour-faced old people. One between the windows across from his room caught Levi’s eye. He moved for a closer look. A wrecked ship in the middle of a field of flowers? Okay.
Levi turned to ask Albert about the picture but caught sight of a nearby door he hadn’t noticed before. He swiveled his head and looked at the door leading to the stairs they’d come up, then turned back to the door beside him. They were identical: both of pale wood and hanging directly across from each other.
“Where’s this door go?” he asked Albert.
Albert glanced over. “The other tower stairs, ’course.”
“The other tower stairs?”
“Yep. Don’t you know nothing about castles? Everything’s got a twin. You know, twin towers, twin halls. That kinda thing.” Albert shrugged. “At least that’s how this one is.”
“Oh.” Levi reached for the door handle.
At that moment, his roommates scrambled from their room with Steve hopping on one foot as he shoved on his tennis shoe. Not wanting to miss dinner, Levi abandoned the door to follow the group.
Levi sank into a high-backed wooden chair at a long oval table beside Trevor and gaped at the high-ceilinged room. Yet another stone fireplace filled one wall, the fire casting yellow light on the room full of identical tables, one parallel to the fireplace, the others perpendicular to it. All held sparkling white china and silverware. His napkin was of a thick gold cloth, and his glass weighed a ton. He would probably make an idiot of himself trying to figure out which of the three forks to use, but this place was amazing. When he’d signed up for camp, he’d never imagined spending the summer in the lap of luxury.
Despite the weirdness, excitement again began to overtake his anxiety. Plus, he was starved. The scents of roasted meat, fresh bread, and something sweet tantalized him. Trevor’s stomach growled.
“Yeah,” Levi said to Trevor’s stomach. “I’m hung
ry too.”
Trevor cast him a lopsided grin. Laughing, Levi relaxed into his seat.
Both sobered when Sara—this time wearing a plain red t-shirt instead of the awful pink blouse—approached their table with a tall African-American girl. “Are these taken?” She patted the empty chairs. A huge smile filled her face.
“Where have you been?” Levi demanded.
She bounced into a seat, still smiling, while the other girl perched on the edge of the other chair. Sara touched her arm. “This is my roommate, Monica.”
Levi recognized Monica as the girl he’d seen reading in the registration line. Monica held her dark chin tilted upward and her shoulders thrown back like some sort of princess.
“Hi, I’m Levi.” He jerked a thumb to his right. “He’s Trevor.”
“Nice to meet you.” Trevor’s voice squeaked on the last word.
“Charmed.” Monica’s chin tilted another notch. “I am overjoyed to have Sara as my roommate. I was beginning to fear I’d be lonely this summer.”
Trevor’s face puckered at her stilted speech. “Where are you from?”
She looked down her nose at him. “I reside in Pennsylvania but attend boarding school in Montreal. Where are you from?” Her emphasis on the last word made Levi think of grammar lessons about not ending sentences with prepositions. Ugh. What a snob.
Trevor’s ears turned pink. “Cleveland.”
“I see.” Monica eased her napkin from its holder, gave it a sharp shake, and positioned it on her lap.
Sara beamed back and forth between them. Not a trace of her earlier insecurity lingered. “Isn’t it great? I was afraid all the girls would be stuck up, but then I met Monica, and she’s so friendly.”