A Mystical Journey

by Jennifer Esposito

  They hugged her. “Are you ok?” John asked looking his sister over as best he could in the dim light. “I’m fine. Just tired.” Annie told them. “But, where is Cham?” She asked. John and Chloe had no idea what she was talking about. Annie explained as quickly as she could that Cham was evil. He had tried to kill their parents. He had tried to kill her. Then she told a lie. She told them he had accidentally cracked the bubble with his wind making all the water fall.

  They quickly found the other candles and lit them. Then they began looking for Cham. It didn’t take long. He was right where they had last seen him. He was unconscious. Chloe tried to shake him. Annie was not as nice, she gave him a hard kick instead. Cham didn’t open his eyes.

  “Chloe, you stay next to him.” John instructed. “I need to find that box.” John began looking for the box. It too was easy to find. It was golden and the light bounced off of it sending sparkles around the room. John rushed over to it with his little sister right behind him. They knelt down together as he lifted the box open. Both held their breath. John flung the box down. It was empty!

  How could it be empty he thought! John’s eyes began to well up with tears. He tried to hold them back but, he couldn’t help it. There were no more clues or ideas. No way to find the thing they needed to get their parents back. John paced back and forth trying to figure out what to do next.

  Annie sat on the floor. She was disappointed that there was nothing in the box but, she still felt calm inside. She knew the magi of the past were with them and they would help them find what they needed. Annie was also thinking of her battle with Cham. She wanted to tell John and Chloe how she used her power. A feeling she couldn’t explain kept her from tell them.

  Chloe was still tending to Cham. He had begun to stir. “I think he’s waking up.” She told the others. “What should I do?”

  “Hit him over the head.” suggested Annie in flat tone. “No.” John interrupted. “Do we know any sleeping spells?” He asked Chloe. “The only thing I know that makes people sleepy is rubbing their arm and singing to them and I’m sure not going to do that for him.” responded Annie even though the question way directed at her.

  “Never mind” sighed Chloe. “I think I can do something.” Chloe held Cham’s face close to hers. She looked into his eyes. Her eyes began to glow red. Moments later Cham was sleeping again. At one time Annie and John would have been shocked and amazed. Now, however, they both shrugged it off and went back to what they had been doing.

  As Annie sat there on the floor she began to sift through the pieces of the bubble on the ground. She had expected them to be hard and sharp like glass. Instead they were thin and pliable. They reminded her of pieces of a rubber balloon or maybe even paper. She picked up a few pieces sliding them between her fingers. Something happened. The edges of two of the pieces seemed to melt together. They became one larger piece. I t was pretty neat. She started gathering the pieces around her and putting them together. Annie was having fun putting the pieces together. She began hopping around the room picking up more pieces and putting them together. Lines and words began to appear as the puzzle came together.

  John was absorbed in his own thoughts. He didn’t notice what Annie was doing until she almost bumped right into him. She was happily skipping around the large cave. How could she possibly be happy at a time like this? What was she doing? His curiosities got the best of him. “What are you doing there Ann?” he inquired of his sister.

  “Putting these pieces together. See?” She held up one of the smaller pieces and placed it next to her growing puzzle. The small piece melted right in with the rest. John found this interesting. “Let me try!” a suddenly more optimistic John asked. Annie handed John the big piece and he added a smaller piece to it. It was pretty neat the way they just came together. Chloe joined them. She wanted to try too. Soon they were all running around the room picking up pieces and putting them together.

  They worked until the floor was bare. It was amazing to see their puzzle all put together. They looked at the shapes and words. It was a map! “What is it supposed to be?” Annie asked screwing up her face. “It’s a map.” came the answer from John. “I knew that.” Annie retorted sticking out her tongue. “A map of what?” Chloe asked aloud before Annie could say it herself.

  “A map of the world, the way it once was, before magic was taken from it.” came the answer from behind them. They turned to see Mhotep, Matthew, Ruth and Celeste. They were carrying bright lanterns that lit up the whole room. It was Mhotep who had spoken.

  “Vwe ‘ave been looking for you children all night. You ‘ad us very worried.” This time it was Matthew speaking. “Vwe could not track your echoes until the Claus ‘ad completed his journey and dawn ‘ad broken.” Matthew reached out and grabbed Chloe hugging her tight. Ruth stepped forward “You children must be freezing.” She was carrying large blankets. She took off Annie’s soaking wet coat and wrapped her in a blanket first and then did the same for John and Chloe. Annie had not realized how cold and wet she was until that moment. She was thankful Ruth had brought the blankets. She felt much warmer.

  John had so many questions floating in his head. He opened his mouth to ask them but, was quickly cut off by Celeste. “And who is this?” She asked walking quickly over to the unconscious teenager on the floor. “He’s evil.” Annie told her. “He made the tornado that hurt Mommy and Daddy. He tried to hurt me today.” Celeste looked Cham over. Then she called Matthew over to have a look. “Chloe did you use your eyes on this boy?” her father asked her.

  Chloe looked at the floor and then answered in a nervous tone. “I had too. He tried to hurt Annie and the water knocked him out but, he was waking up.” To the surprise of all the children Matthew just shook his head. He told Ruth the boy would be fine but, with Chloe not knowing how to use her eyes properly he might suffer from some memory issues. Celeste took a ring from her pocket and looked toward Mhotep. “May I?” she asked. Mhotep nodded his head. Celeste slipped the ring on her finger. She whispered something the children could not hear. Cham’s body lifted off the ground. Stairs suddenly appeared going up to the tunnel John had Chloe had come through. Celeste began walking up the stairs and through the corridor to the main hall. Cham’s limp body floated behind her.

  “Well, let us go.” Mhotep said clapping his hands together. The group followed after Celeste up the stairs and through corridor. Everyone was silent. Now John had his opportunity. “I don’t get it. I thought we were going to find something to get our parents back. What good is this old map?” John asked Mhotep. “I was wondering when we were going to come to that.” answered Mhotep. “The map is not the only item we will need to get your parents back. It is the first of many. To get your parents back a door must be opened between the worlds. This can only be done at a place of great importance to both the world of the past and the world of today. The map can help you find such a place. It also can be used to help find the other items needed to create the bridge and open the door.” Mhotep put his arm around John. “Don’t worry we will get them back. It is just a good thing that boy didn’t know what he was doing and knocked himself unconscious.” Mhotep said pointing at Cham. Mhotep looked over at Annie and gave her a quick wink.

  Annie was a little surprised. She wasn’t sure what the wink was about but, she knew Chloe, John and her had a lot more work to do to get her parents back. It made her sad that her parents wouldn’t be with them for a long time. She was glad it was so dark so John wouldn’t see her tears.

  John hung his head. He was so sure he would be hugging his parents by that time. He really believed they would be getting ready to open presents as a family again. He sniffled a little as he struggled to hold back tears.

  It seemed to take much longer to get out of the underground city than it had to get in but, there they were now, standing outside trying to get their eyes to adjust to the bright sun light. John was not happy to find the balloon was gone. He had promised his friend he would bring it back in good cond
ition. Ruth assured him however, that it was the Coterie who had taken it and they would see that Larry’s parents got it back.

  Chapter 18

  “How are we getting home?” John wanted to know. “I still have something to do here.” Ruth told him. “But, the rest of you will be going home on a regular airplane flight. We can’t risk using anymore echoes.”

  A man in a Jeep arrived and they were all whisked off to the airport, including Cham which Annie was not too happy about. The flights were long. When they finally made it home they found out they had completely missed Christmas. To make matters worse the adults were freaked out and had them all on lock down. They couldn’t go anywhere. John and Annie were not even allowed to go to the library. They were stuck at Grandma’s.

  Relief came in the form of New Year’s Eve. It was another special holiday for the Magi. There would be another spectacular party at the library. It was supposed to be bigger than Halloween. Grandma had bought Annie a new dress.

  Annie and John were a little disappointed when they pulled up to the library. It looked just the same as it always did. I t also looked dark and empty tonight. They got out of the car and headed up the stairs. Grandma stopped them and pointed for them to go around back. John and Annie smiled at each other. Now they remembered. It would be like it was at Halloween. When they opened the back door, they found it to be nothing like Halloween at all. The room was all lit up and full of people doing all kinds of tricks. It reminded Annie and John of a circus or carnival.

  John lingered to check out all that was going on. Annie raced up the stairs instead. It had been almost a week since she had seen her friend. She found Chloe pretty quickly. Chloe pulled Annie aside. “I have some bad news.” She told her. Annie held her breath. Then Chloe told her Cham was there.

  Chloe and Annie went together to find John. Together she and Chloe told John about Cham. John was angry. How could they let someone who had hurt his parents and tried to hurt his sister stay there? John was determined to talk to Mhotep about this. They found Mhotep at the center if the banquet room greeting guests.

  “Ah, I see you have found me.” He said with a smile as they approached him. “I was hoping you would. I do have some things we all need to talk about.” He directed the children to a door they had never seen before. On the other side of the door was what appeared to be an office. “Sit, sit.” he told them directing them toward a group of chairs in front of a large desk. Mhotep perched himself on the front of the desk.

  “Now that we are all home and settled we must discuss what happened in the past and what will happen to come.” His smile broadened. Mhotep told them that he would be keeping the map they had found safe, right here in his office. Chloe and John were to continue their mystical studies. They would now be joined by two other students, one of which would be Cham. John began to protest. Mhotep put his hand up. I understand why you would be upset but, I promise you neither I nor the Coterie would do anything we thought harmful to you or to our mission.

  “I expect you children to behave as you always have, with the exception of Christmas Eve of course.” He gave them a strange wink. You must work hard to learn to use the echoes. At some point the Coterie may have need of your help, especially you John. I promise we will let you know when that time has come.” He clapped his hands together. “Now all of you back to the party. Have fun tonight!”

  They left the room and the door disappeared behind them. The children all danced, ate, and had tons of fun. Their conversation with Mhotep was still, however, floating in the backs of their minds. John and Annie were no less determined to get their parents back. As everyone gathered for the countdown to midnight the three of them snuck off once more.

  “Let’s make a pact right here and right now. We will never stop until we have gotten our parents back and we make Cham and his master pay for what they did.” John looked to his sister and Chloe for a response. “Yeah.” Annie agreed taking her brother’s hand. “I’m in” Chloe said. “And lets seal this with some echoes” she offered. John and Annie smiled. Chloe took a stone from her pocket and laid it on top of their hands. “All together we say …until it is done.” She told them. Chloe counted “1…, 2….3.” In unison they said the words and a purple glow surrounded them as the clock stuck midnight.