Spinebreaker

by H. Duke

April paused on on the stone embankment. She should help Braddy… or should she keep going after Dorian? She froze, unable to decide.

  “No!” Braddy said. He motioned for her to keep going. “I at least deserve a chance. Unless you’re a cheater after all…”

  “I am not a cheat!” Besudel yelled, enraged. “I will win fair and square! Sing, so I may sooner feel your flesh beneath my teeth.”

  “Fine,” Braddy said, a tremor in his voice. “Okay. What to sing, what to sing…”

  “Hurry up!”

  “Song choice is important, you know,” Braddy said. “Ah, okay, I’ve got it…”

  April was on the beach now, walking in only an inch or so of water. The sound of water dripping from her clothes onto the beach seemed impossibly loud, but Besudel didn’t seem to notice. She started to move more quickly but collided with something warm. In the dim light she made out Dorian’s angelic, worried features.

  “You’re here. How did you know I needed help?” he said, he sounded frightened. He squeezed her hand.

  “How many times have you saved me?” she grasped his hand. “Let’s go.”

  Braddy began to sing, in a warbling, serviceable voice that didn’t come close to matching Besudel’s:

  “Nyk, Nyk,

  Needle in the water,

  The Virgin Mary threw steel in the water,

  You are sinking, I float.”

  The groundling stepped backwards. “It didn’t work… April!”

  “What is this? Who are you talking to?” The change in Besudel’s tone drew April’s attention. She was no longer talking to Braddy, but instead stood up, with her chest and arms now above the water. She looked directly at them. “Trickery!” Besudel roared.

  “No, no no—we need to finish our contest! I need to sing the next verse. It’s in Scandinavian…” Braddy said, but Besudel was already splashing towards April and Dorian. They moved down into the water, moving as fast as possible towards the gate. Besudel disappeared under the water’s surface. There was no way they’d be able to outswim her.

  “Go!” Dorian said. “I’ll distract it, I’ll—”

  But it was too late for that. Besudel emerged from the depths only feet in front of them. She smiled as her head broke the surface, revealing blackened, rotting nubs that used to be teeth.

  In the low glint from the gate, they saw a rock sail towards Besudel, smacking her wetly in the side of the head and throwing her off balance. They looked towards the source of the rock throwing and saw Braddy. She looked completely shocked at his own action.

  Besudel shrieked in pain and anger. “How dare you!” She sank down into the water until only the top of her head was visible, and began streaking towards Braddy like a shark.

  “Braddy!” April yelled.

  “Go!” the groundling yelled at them before running further up onto the beach.

  “He’s going the wrong way,” April said. “He won’t be able to get back to the gate…”

  “He’s distracting Besudel so that we can get out,” Dorian said. “Come on. Let’s not make him act in vain.” He tugged her away.

  She allowed herself to be pushed through the veil; water gushed around her as she crossed it, but the flow was staunched again after Dorian was through.

  “Braddy?” Barty said.

  She shook her head, unable to say the words.

  They heard Besudel swimming directly towards the open gate.

  “Close it!” Dorian said.

  After only the slightest hesitation, Barty closed the book. The gate began to close. When it was half-closed, Besudel’s arms pierced the veil, grasping at the air. April was sure her arm would be severed by the edges of the stained-glass, but she pulled it back at the last moment, scraping her skin raw on the jagged edge. The last thing April heard from the other side was a hiss of pain and anger.

  “We just left him over there.” Barty said.

  “We’ll go back for him,” Dorian said. “Once we figure out a plan…”

  “I appreciate your concern,” Braddy’s voice came from the air near the middle window, “But I am very much all right.” The air distorted and then parted, revealing Braddy. It was like he had been wrapped in a blanket painted to look exactly like the library behind him. He pulled the fabric off, and it almost disappeared again, but became more apparent when it moved, like smudged paint.

  “You’re alive!” April said. “What was all that back there? I thought you said you knew how to beat Besudel?”

  Braddy looked a little sheepish. “I thought I did. After I finished the book, I did some research. It turns out the author based Besudel on a water monster called the Noekken. The words I said are supposed to confuse the Noekken to let you escape. In theory.”

  “Some theory,” Randall said. “You almost died in there!”

  “Well, some good came out of it.” Braddy held up the fabric. “The cape of vanishing, just like in the book. I found it on the stone beach—slipped on it, actually. I’m a good sneak-thief after all, eh?”

  Randall stared at the coat, his eyes wide. “That isn’t… that’s not… the coat, is it?”

  “It made him invisible,” Dorian said. “I’d say it is.”

  “But how is that possible? Rico should have found it and taken it.”

  He was right. In the book, the fairy queen had given the cape to Braddy as a gift, and he’d had it all the way through the book until he entered the stollenwurm’s lair. It was cited as the reason he was able to find the stollenwurm’s key. She looked at Dorian. “What does this mean?”

  “It means we need to find Rico,” he said gravely. “This has unsettling implications.”

  “Like?” April asked.

  “If this can change, anything else in the storyline can change.”

  “What does that mean?” Randall asked.

  April answered. “It’s possible that he could fail at the things Braddy succeeded at in the book. Or worse.”

  “Hmm,” Randall said. “We’d better go, then.”

  “You’re right,” Dorian said. “But why are we all here at the same time, anyway? Shouldn’t you both be in your next scenes?”

  They explained to him that the story was moving faster than they’d expected, and their plan to jump ahead in the book.

  Dorian nodded. “We can’t afford to waste time. But where do we start?” He asked. “The fairy woman said it’s been a week… how much time has passed while we’ve been dealing with Besudel? We don’t have enough information to guess accurately.”

  April reached down and lifted one of the book sections. It was the section where Braddy first enters the lair of the stollenwurm. April had been hopeful when she read the word “wurm,” but Randall had informed her a stollenwurm was basically the same thing as a dragon, only scarier.

  “Are you sure?” Dorian asked. “That may be the most dangerous section in the book.”

  April shook her head. “I have a feeling that this is it. I can’t explain it.”

  Dorian nodded. “Mae would get intuitions, too.”

  “Were they right?” April asked.

  “Not always,” Dorian said. “But they were right more often than they were wrong.”

  “I trust you,” Randall said. “Let’s do it. If he’s not there, then we either work our way backwards or forwards depending on what the scene looks like.”

  April nodded, though she knew in her gut that he’d be there. How did she know this, and why hadn’t the instinct kicked in earlier? How much trouble could have been avoided if she could have looked at the book and known where Rico was two nights ago?

  But she didn’t have time to think about that. She needed her full concentration on the task at hand. She looked up at Dorian and Randall. “Together?”

  They nodded. “Together,” Dorian said.

  “What about me?” Braddy asked.

  “Is there a possibility of Braddy attracting UNCs?” April asked.

  Randall opened a paperback copy of The First Adventure
of Braddy Evers to the map on the inside cover. He pointed at a small triangle. “The area seems pretty isolated. Minimal risk.”

  Dorian spoke. “It’s now or never for making the switch,” he said. “Braddy needs to be their regardless.”

  April nodded. She spoke to Braddy. “Stay out of sight until it’s time.”

  Braddy nodded.

  “There’s one other thing,” Randall said. “In the book, Braddy uses the cape to hide from the stollenwurm. If Braddy has the coat here, that means Rico doesn’t.”

  April nodded. “We need to reach him before he faces the stollenwurm.”

  Barty opened The First Adventure of Braddy Evers. The gate opened to darkness.

  “Where’s it opening at?” Randall asked.

  Dorian spoke grimly. “Well, the gate likes doors. There’s one large door in the side of the mountain. It doesn’t look like it’s opening up onto the outward-facing side, so…”

  “Straight into the stollenwurm’s lair.”

  “Yep.”

  “Great.”

  The darkness they stepped into was different than the darkness of Besudel’s underground lake. The air was dry enough to make April crave a glass of ice water. The smell of smoke and something rancid that April hoped wasn’t rotting flesh tinged the air.

  “Where are we?”

  “In the tunnel leading into the mountain. The walls are smooth…” there was a rubbing sound of Dorian trailing his hand along the stone wall.

  “Well, let’s follow it,” April said. “Keep your eyes open.”

  They followed the path, clasping hands and trailing their fingers along the stone to make sure they didn’t veer off into the wrong direction. Rex, who seemed comfortable following his nose, led the way. He growled every so often.

  They walked so far that April wondered if they were going the wrong way, though there hadn’t been any forks in the tunnel. Still, she couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong, something atmospheric.

  Then she realized what it was. The tunnel was filled with the push and pull of air as though from a temperamental old furnace—it was like being inside a giant iron lung. There was even the singe that air had when it was blown past hot metal. But it wasn’t a furnace. It was breath, the source of the rancid, old-meat stink. What kind of creature was so large that it pushed air through a tunnel this size just by breathing?

  Dorian squeezed her hand. He’d noticed, too.

  “At least we know we’re going in the right direction,” she whispered.

  “Define ‘right direction,’” Randall muttered. No one answered him.

  “Still want to see a stollenwurm?” Dorian asked.

  “Hush.”

  They continued to walk towards the breathing… or was it snoring? The sound grew louder, and the air flow became strong enough that tendrils of hair pulled free from her bun and billowed around her face.

  There was something else, a new noise separate from the rhythmic breathing. She stopped walking.

  “What is it?” Dorian asked, tension in his voice.

  “Shh,” she said, and listened. The others listened with her. She was sure that they, too, were holding their breath…

  There it was, in the pause between the stollenwurm’s inhale and exhale. A sniffle, the sucking in of shaking breath.

  April let go of Dorian’s hand and strode towards the sound as quickly as the darkness allowed, ignoring the others’ concerned whispers. She focused on the whimpering until it was only a few feet away.

  “Hello?” she said in the darkness.

  The whimpering intensified. “Wh-who’s there? Don’t come any closer—I’m armed!” The sound of metal scraping against stone echoed through the tunnel. He must have picked up a sword.

  “Rico!” she said. The tension that had been building in her body since the moment Rico ran away from her at the party partially released, though not all the way. She knew she still had to get him out of there. This game hadn’t been won, not yet.

  There was a surprised pause in the whimpering. “How do you know that name?”

  “It’s me, April,” she said. “I’ve been looking for you. Are you all right?” She reached out towards him and her hand brushed his hair, inches longer than it was the last time she’d seen him.

  He grabbed her hand, gripping it as though he didn’t believe she was real, and if he didn’t have a hold of her she might disappear back into the darkness. “Is it really you?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry we didn’t come sooner. We were searching for so long…” she trailed off, afraid that she might start crying. She didn’t want to scare him further.

  “I made a mistake in Besudel’s lair,” he said. “I got so scared that I climbed out early, and the cape of vanishing fell off. I tried to go back, but it was too late.” His voice cracked. “If I try to fight the stollenwurm, he’ll see me!”

  “Shh,” April said. “Shh. You don’t have to. I promise, you’re safe.”

  Dorian and the others slowly approached. The boy shrank back from them.

  “It’s okay. They’re my friends.”

  Braddy stuck out his hand and gripped Rico’s. “I’m the groundling whose role you’ve taken,” he said, almost too cheerfully. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  “Braddy?” Rico said. He took the groundling’s outstretched hand. “Nice to meet you, too. Sorry for taking over your life. You’ve been with them the whole time?”

  “Long story,” Dorian said. “We’ll explain later. How have you managed to get through the story, anyway?”

  “Well, Dad used to read this book to me before bed when I was little, so I was familiar with it. When it was time for me to say something or do something, it was like I remembered it perfectly in my head. Until now, though. All the book says is that Braddy used the cape to outsmart the stollenwurm, but…” he trailed off.

  “It’s okay,” April said. “You don’t have to go back there.”

  “That’s right,” Braddy said. “We just need to switch places.”

  “It’s not that,” Rico said. “I’m not sure I want to go back.”

  “What?” April couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “I know I’m crying like a stupid little kid,” he said, “but all this has been awesome. It was hard at first. I was cold and alone and scared and everyone would act really weird when I tried to tell them who I was. But it got easier. Now I’m this badass sneak-thief.” He paused. “And…”

  April finished for him. “You’re dad’s not dead here.”

  His head rose up and down slightly in the dim light.

  To April’s surprise, it was Braddy who spoke. “I was sad to hear about your father’s passing,” he said, “But you shouldn’t let that loss cloud your mind from what’s left.”

  “Which is what?” Rico said, defiant.

  “Your mother needs you. She’s out of her mind with worry.”

  “Mom?” Rico snorted. “She’s too busy talking smack about Dad. She doesn’t give a crap about me.”

  “Young man, nothing could be further from the truth. Now, why don’t you give me that sword, and we’ll both go back where we belong.” When Rico didn’t move, he said, “Don’t you think I deserve a little adventure, too?”

  Rico gripped the handle of the small sword and scabbard attached to his belt. He held onto it, motionless, for several more seconds. Then he removed it and handed it to Braddy.

  April looked at the groundling. “The storyline’s been broken,” she said. “There’s no guarantee that… that things will turn out like they do in the book.” She couldn’t let him go without knowing for sure that he was aware of this fact.

  “It’s not an adventure if there’s no danger, is it?” He lifted the cape up over his head. “Come over for tea some time, won’t you? Once this is all over?”

  “Of course,” April said.

  Braddy closed the cape and disappeared. The empty air where he’d stood said, “Thanks for the adventure.” The patter
of tiny feet receded into the darkness.

  “Is he going to be okay?” Rico asked.

  April nodded. She wasn’t sure, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it either way. “I think so.”

  “Let’s get back to the gate,” Dorian said.

  From behind them came a deep croaking sound, like the earth was wrenching itself in two, that made them all jump.

  “Yeah,” Randall said. “You’re right.”

  They jogged back to the gate. Before stepping through, Rico turned to look behind him. “Goodbye,” he said.

  Chapter Ten

  Thaddeus again sat in the seat in front of Mason’s desk, his knees cramping.

  Mason was talking at length about his teenaged daughter’s homecoming dance, which had taken place a few weeks prior. Mason had started the conversation by asking if Thaddeus wanted kids, to which Thaddeus had replied no.

  Finally, Mason changed the subject. “So, the Pagewalker. Has she accepted your offer?”

  Thaddeus squirmed. “No, sir.”

  Mason nodded. “That is unfortunate. With training she would have been a great asset to us.”

  “So what do we do now?”

  “Like I said before—our next step is to escalate our tactics.”

  “And how do we do that?” Thaddeus asked, though he knew the answer.

  “What made the Jackson woman so goddamn untouchable was how she managed to isolate herself. Whatever weaknesses she had, she certainly didn’t show them to us. This new Pagewalker, this girl, hasn’t realized the need yet.”

  “What do you suggest, sir?”

  Mason reached into his desk and pulled out a black folder. He opened it up. Paperclipped to one side was a picture of the Pagewalker photocopied from a student I.D. Thaddeus had reviewed the file before he first contacted her. The other pages included all the information the agency had managed to put together, including her physical description, medical history, and more.

  Mason pulled out a thin stack of papers that Thaddeus hadn’t seen before. It was a write-up similar to that about April, but it was instead on her grandmother. The packet included a photocopy of a membership card scraped from the systems of a gym, plus photos of the woman sitting in a café with friends.