“The tracks lead to that city,” pointed Tristan. “We get to the city, and we’ll find Director Martin—”
“And punch him in the face,” said Simon brightly.
“I have a feeling it won’t be that easy,” said Zoey. The black mountains loomed in the distance like an upside-down clawed hand. She fought down an eerie feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“Sure it will,” she heard Simon say behind her. “You hold him, and I’ll use his face as a punching bag.”
Zoey turned around—
“Simon! No!”
Green crystals dribbled from the corners of his mouth. His eyes widened at the realization of what he had just done. He spit on the ground, but it was too late. He’d already swallowed most of crystals the Minitians had given them.
Zoey smacked the empty bottle from his hand.
“You idiot! You’re not supposed to eat that stuff! You’re supposed to sprinkle it over you!”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking,” said Simon backing away. “I was so thirsty and hungry, I—I wasn’t thinking clearly. I found it in my pocket. I don’t know why I ate it. I don’t know why I do most of what I do. But it’s weird, I feel better now.”
He smiled at his friends. “Hey, this stuff’s not that bad, tastes like sugar—”
“Your mother must have dropped you on your head too many times.”
Tristan picked up the empty bottle. He started laughing. “I can’t believe you swallowed this stuff. It could be toxic.”
Simon lost his smile. “You think so?”
“Yes!” Zoey yelled angrily. “I thought you were supposed to be the smart one.”
Simon looked frightened, but then he shrugged. “It was dumb, I see that now. But nothing’s happening to me. Maybe it doesn’t work if you swallow it?”
Tristan snorted.
Zoey glared at him. “This isn’t funny.”
“Yes it is.”
“I give up.” Zoey examined Simon one last time. “I guess you were lucky this time.”
She turned around and gazed at the mountains and the surrounding grounds. “We’ve been lucky so far. Hopefully our luck will still stand.”
“I have a good feeling about our trip,” said Simon. “I love road trips.”
Zoey whirled around. “This isn’t a—” the rest of her sentence caught in her throat.
Simon wasn’t Simon anymore. An old man was wearing Simon’s clothes. His hair had turned white, and his face was creased with wrinkles. He was four inches shorter, skinnier, and he hunched over like he needed a walker. He blinked at them with tired wet eyes.
“Oh, man, this is bad,” said Tristan staring at Simon. “Dude, you’re like . . . old.”
Simon swallowed hard. “What? What are you talking about?”
He wrapped a hand around his throat, “What’s wrong with my voice? It sounds like I’ve got a serious case of tonsillitis. You guys are freaking me out. I can see my legs and my shoes so I’m not invisible—urgh . . . I hate my voice. Why are you staring at me like you’ve seen a ghost?”
“Because you are a ghost.” Zoey pulled out her DSM. “Seriously, look.”
Simon held the mirror and stared at himself. His face paled and then turned a greenish color like he was about to be sick.
“Oh, this is bad, I’m—I’m ancient. I’m a senior citizen without the benefits,” his voice cracked.
Then a small smile appeared on his chapped lips. “I kinda look like a sexy version of Einstein—like his hot brother.” He paused. “Do you guys think this is a permanent thing? Like I’ve wasted all my life, and I’m going to die soon of old age? Oh man, what’s my mother going to say when she sees me? She probably won’t even recognize me!”
Zoey shrugged. “I don’t think you’re going to die. What you swallowed was magic, so hopefully it’ll wear off.”
“You better hope it’ll wear off,” commented Tristan. “It’s not like we can ask the Minitians for a remedy potion.”
“It’ll pass, Simon. I’m sure it will.”
He looked frail and weak. “So . . . how do you feel?” asked Zoey. “Do you feel old?”
Old man Simon jogged on the spot and then did a set of straight punches.
“I feel the same,” his face crinkled into a large smile. “I feel some restrictions. My bones crack a lot, but basically I feel the same.”
Zoey sighed. “Well, that’s a relief.”
Tristan laughed again, and she shoved him hard. He wasn’t making things easier.
Simon gave them a weak smile. “I guess this is payback for my stupidity.”
He gave Zoey back her DSM. His hands looked bony and were peppered with age spots.
“At least it’s not going to get any worse. I mean, I’m already close to my death bed—”
A gurgling roar thundered from behind them.
Zoey whirled around, forgetting Simon’s transformation temporarily, and looked up into the face of an enormous gray beast.
Chapter 14
Black Waters
Zoey’s blood turned to ice.
The creature was hairless, with thick, gray reptilian-like skin. Its elongated maw snapped with rows of pointy, black teeth. It stood upright on its hind legs. The creature looked like a cross between a crocodile and a grizzly bear, a deadly combination. Black oily water dripped from it like it had just crawled out of the black stream. Its powerful tail slashed eagerly behind it, waiting. Small, evil white eyes measured them, contemplating whom to eat first.
Zoey could smell the stench of rotten meat and spoiled eggs.
“What kind of mystic is that?” Zoey backed away slowly and raised her boomerang over her head.
“Don’t know,” answered Tristan as he angled his dagger and planted his feet. “Never seen one like this before.”
Simon planted his feet and aimed his slingshot. “Who wants to go first?”
“This isn’t a game, Simon,” said Zoey. She marveled at Simon’s sudden bravery. It was almost as though his transformation into a modern grandfather had given him more courage. Maybe his alteration was a good thing.
“Of course it’s a game,” said Simon as he aimed his weapon. Zoey heard his bones crack like popcorn. “It’s a game of life and death, and I don’t plan on losing.”
The beast growled a wet growl like it was gargling its own mucus.
“Tasty,” mumbled Simon.
With a splashing sound two more of the creatures emerged from the black stream. Their white eyes gleamed with hunger.
“Wonderful,” muttered Simon. “Now we each get a pet lizard.”
With ferocious speed like a tiger, one of the creatures came at them thrashing its sharp talons. Its snapping teeth sounded like a machine gun.
Tristan moved forward and met it head on. He dodged around the beast as he slashed repeatedly with his weapon.
In a blur of red sand, the second creature leaped in the air. Its massive tail hit Simon across the chest. He flew twenty feet and crash-landed on a heap of sand. His frail body lay crumbled. He wasn’t moving.
Zoey moved in Simon’s direction, but the beast turned and charged like a crazed rhinoceros.
She dodged sideways and rolled on the ground. A massive talon just missed her head, and she stood up on the other side of the creature with her boomerang ready. She hurled her weapon and hit its head with a loud crunch. The creature was stunned for a moment. But as she caught her returning boomerang, something heavy crashed into her back.
Her face hit the ground, and she tasted blood in her mouth. A beast landed on her legs and sunk its talons into her flesh, biting at her thigh. She raised her head. Another creature appeared and dived for her face. Its clawed feet and toothy mouth snapped at her eyes and nose.
She reeled backwards, ducking and slashing her weapon as hard as she could. But every hit only seemed to anger the creatures. Their teeth sank into her neck, and their claws dug into her scalp. She screamed and roared and twirled, stabbing and s
lashing wildly.
Tristan latched on to one of the mystics’ tails. He heaved and managed to pull it off Zoey. She felt lighter. She rolled over and kicked the other creature in the face with the heel of her shoe. The beast stumbled backwards, and she took the time to struggle to her feet.
The crumpled gray carcass of the beast that Tristan had managed to kill lay at her feet. White liquid oozed from the deep gashes in its lifeless body, and steam rose from it like the vapors from onions. Through her watering eyes, Zoey could see that there were still two more. And who knew how many others could emerge from the black waters.
The air seemed to get thinner and thinner with every passing minute, like it was being slowly squeezed out through the portal. She was hot, thirsty, and tired. If the air got any worse, she didn’t see how they could even walk to the city. It was like breathing poison. It was slowly killing them.
Tristan cursed, and shielding his head and face he hit the second beast with a powerful blow and sent it sprawling on the ground. But in one easy flip, it regained its feet and launched another attack. He managed to grab it by the neck and twisted it in a headlock.
Simon . . .
The lack of oxygen had affected her brain, and she had momentarily forgotten about him.
Zoey charged towards the spot where he lay. But before she could get to him, the third creature sunk its talons into her flesh, and she cried out as she felt warm blood trickling down her back. She hung in its grasp with her arms and legs dangling like a doll’s.
The more she struggled, the deeper the talons tore into her flesh. In her terror, she had a moment of clarity.
Arching her right arm, she jabbed the left edge of her boomerang into the beast’s right eye.
The creature wailed.
Zoey fell to the ground with her boomerang still clutched firmly in her hand. She slowly got to her feet, her eyes never leaving her opponent.
White liquid oozed out of its punctured eye like yolk from a shattered egg, and Zoey felt sick to her stomach. Shaking its head, the lizard creature thrashed at the ground, wailing. It raised its head and focused its unspoiled eye on Zoey, hissing and growling, making the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Now it was hurt and really mad.
Over the hissing of the creature, she could hear Tristan’s battle cries. He was still fighting.
The creature circled her, snapping its jaws.
Zoey could see Simon’s body lying on the ground behind it. He still hadn’t moved from the spot. If he wasn’t dead, he was seriously injured.
Her hatred for the creatures intensified. She wanted them to pay for what they had done to Simon. She planted her feet, glared at the beast, and waited.
It lowered its head, kicked up sand behind it, and then charged.
But Zoey was ready for it.
She whipped her boomerang at the creature as hard as she could and opened a large gash on its forehead. But the creature grabbed her returning boomerang and then turned its remaining eye back on Zoey.
“You better give that back,” said Zoey. “It doesn’t belong to you.”
The beast laughed a wet laugh. And then it sliced a deep cut along its left forearm. Zoey could see white blood seeping from the wound. It placed the boomerang below its wound and let the blood trickle over it.
Zoey frowned. What was it doing?
The creature’s blood bubbled. It was acid, and it was eating through her boomerang. The molten gold from her melting boomerang pooled at the creature’s feet and then disappeared into the sand.
Her beloved weapon was destroyed.
The creature angled its head. Its lips rolled over its teeth and it seemed pleased at the panic on Zoey’s face.
Zoey stared at her hands. She had never imagined in a million years that she’d lose her precious boomerang. It was like losing a limb.
She searched the ground and grabbed a rock. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but it was better than nothing.
The creature snarled in delight.
Zoey stood her ground. Whatever happened, she was going to die fighting.
The black water beast crouched down low, and then with rows of black teeth flashing it came at Zoey again.
“Zoey! Get back!”
Tristan pushed Zoey out of the way just as the beast’s giant mouth neared her head. His blue skin glowed. He side-kicked the creature and sent it staggering back. It came at him, again and again, but Tristan blocked, dodged, and parried every strike. Crying out in frustration, the creature charged Tristan’s neck. It was going in for the kill.
Tristan faked to the right, spun, came up behind the creature’s left side, and slashed it across the neck. He jumped back as the acidic white blood spilled out of the beast. It hissed one last time, and then dropped into the sand and didn’t move again.
“That was close. I thought it was going to kill me. Thanks.” Zoey got to her feet.
“That’s what boyfriends are for.” Tristan smiled at her and for a moment she forgot where she was.
The winds blew at Zoey’s back, and she wiped the sand from her eyes. She glanced back the way they had come. She couldn’t even see the portal anymore. Everything was covered in dust. It looked like a huge sandstorm was brewing. She could hardly see fifty feet away from her. They needed to get to Simon before he was lost in the sand blizzard.
His body was already half covered in red sand.
“Simon!” she dashed across the red field and fell to her knees next to Simon. She had forgotten about his transformation into an old man and was shocked at his pale wrinkled face. He looked like a real corpse.
“Is he alive?” Tristan kneeled beside her.
“I don’t know,” Zoey said as she found her voice. She wiped the sand from his face as softly as she could. Gently, she reached out and put a hand over Simon’s mouth.
“I . . . I can’t feel anything. I can’t feel his breath. It’s too windy. It’s no use!” Her heart raced as searched for signs of life and cursed the high winds. What if Simon was dead? She’d never forgive herself. He can’t be dead. Not like this.
She rested her ear on his chest. A soft thump, thump, thump sounded in her ears.
“He’s alive,” she said as the tears fell freely down her face.
Tristan sat back in the sand. “Thank God.”
Zoey shook Simon’s shoulders gently. “Simon? Simon can you hear me? Wake up!”
She looked over at Tristan. “He’s not waking up.”
Tristan sat up in the sand. “I don’t know. Maybe he suffered a concussion or something, but at least he’s alive.”
“Yes,” sighed Zoey. “He’s alive, but you’re going to have to carry him. I’m not strong enough. You think you can carry him all the way to that city?”
Tristan sheathed his dagger inside his jacket. “Yeah, his old bones probably don’t weigh much anyway.”
He looked up at the sky. “But we better hurry; this storm is getting worse. We won’t be able to see a foot in front of us soon. It’ll be a miracle if we can still find the tracks.”
Zoey got to her feet. It wasn’t just the storm that worried her. She kept checking her wrist, hoping her boomerang would magically reappear. It didn’t. She tried hard not to freak out, but she felt like somebody had stolen one of her hands.
“What’s wrong?” Tristan saw her hand around her golden bracelet and frowned. “Zoey, where’s your boomerang?”
“Gone. Destroyed. One of the creatures melted it with its acid-like blood.”
It was strange to feel so attached to something that wasn’t alive, but without her weapon Zoey felt naked, exposed, weak. She stared at the ground.
Tristan reached into the folds of his jacket and drew a small dagger. “Here, take this one. It’s a spare. I know it’s not the same, but at least you have something to protect yourself with.”
Zoey flipped the dagger in her hand. It was much lighter than her old weapon, and the rough handle felt awkward against her skin, but she needed to get used to it quickly.
>
“Let’s go,” she said, trying not to sound too disappointed. “Maybe we can help Simon in that city—”
“You come with us now, or you die,” said a voice behind Zoey.
Chapter 15
Nexus City
A group of the strangest creatures she’d ever encountered stood behind Zoey and Tristan.
Although tan-colored robes were draped over their Hobbit-sized bodies, and their faces were hidden beneath their hoods, Zoey could see their small pointy features. They formed a ring around Zoey and Tristan and watched them with large, glowing green eyes. Some of them brandished deadly looking spears while others held automatic weapons or wore belts of grenades over their shoulders. With the strong winds, Zoey hadn’t heard them until it was too late. They looked like miniature ninjas. Even without their numbers and weapons, they still had the upper hand because they were stealthy and knew the lay of the land.
One of the hooded mystics pointed a long, sharp spear at Zoey’s face and spoke in a chipmunk-like voice with a heavy accent.
“Leave weapons or you die.”
At first Zoey almost started laughing. She had to remind herself that she had a razor-sharp weapon pointed at her eyes. She glanced over at Tristan, and they tossed their weapons to the ground. She wished she had her boomerang with her. She raised her hands in surrender and backed up next to Tristan. She leaned towards him and whispered. “Please tell me you know what these mystics are.”
“Chacras,” answered Tristan. Zoey couldn’t tell by his tone if they were dangerous or not. They looked pretty dangerous.
“Are they friendly?”
“Not sure.” Tristan eyed them curiously for a moment. “They’re mostly traders, and merchants. They trade weapons.”
“Well, they’re pretty loaded with them,” said Zoey.
She raised her voice. “These are the only weapons we have. Take them, and leave us alone.”
Simon was still unconscious. They needed to get him some help fast.
The Chacras that was pointing the spear at Zoey backed away and began conversing with the other Chacras. They spoke quickly in a high-pitched language that sounded like an audio clip on fast-forward. The Chacras’ voices rose as disagreements erupted among them. She couldn’t tell who their leader was. She sensed that they didn’t have a leader and acted as a collective.
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