Late Night

 

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            Tony slammed his book shut and sat up straight, glancing fearfully at the dark night outside his window. He should have gone to bed hours ago, but he’d been so wrapped up in the story, he’d had to finish it to the end.

            A chill crawled up his spine as he thought again about the book. It had been intriguing, but now he realized he should have read it during the day. Thoughts of the old wizened warlock with his goblin minions filled his mind, and he wished for the sunshine. A sudden breeze blew in through the open window and he shivered, tunneling into the blankets on his bed. How was he going to be able to sleep tonight?

            The light in his room was still on, but he wasn’t sure if he was brave enough to get out of bed to turn it off. He considered calling out for Mom, but he wasn’t supposed to be reading this late. Maybe Mom had been right when she said that book might be a little too much for him.

            Throwing the covers over his head, he tried ignoring the light in his room. That lasted about three minutes before he became convinced that he would never fall asleep that way. He gathered his courage to get out of bed and walked over to the light switch near the door. He hesitated a moment before he flicked the light off. Trying not to run, he hurried to his bed, but let out a little yelp when he felt something brush against the back of his leg. Springing into his bed, he buried his head underneath his pillow, trying to block out thoughts of monsters.

            He told himself that he must have bumped up against his backpack that he’d left on his floor, but his imagination was already in overdrive. Visions of warty goblins and cave spiders paraded in his mind, and he shut his eyes as tightly as he could.

            The wind was picking up outside, and the tree next to his window filled the air with the sound of its rustling leaves. A dog barked somewhere, and a car door slammed. Tony covered his ears with his hands, but a new noise reached him.

            A scritch, scritch, scritch came from the direction of the hallway. He bolted into a sitting position and whispered, “Thomas?” Their cat sometimes like to come and sleep in his bed at night.

            An answering “Meow” came, and he hurried to open his bedroom door. Thomas slunk in and immediately made himself comfortable on Tony’s bed, stretching out before curling into a tight ball.

            Tony was relieved. Even though Thomas ignored him as he settled down to sleep, Tony was grateful for his company. Feeling a little more relaxed, he got back in bed and closed his eyes. He had nearly fallen asleep when he heard footsteps coming from the hallway. “Thomas?” he whispered again.

            This time, the “Meow” came from the end of his bed.

            “Mom?” His voice came out small and scared.

            The hinges on the door creaked as it slowly eased open.

            “Dad?” Tony’s voice was now full of panic.

            Slow, heavy steps came into his room. He wanted to scream or cry out, but his mouth was dry, and he couldn’t think properly. All he could do was grip his blankets tightly and throw them over his head. He tried to still his body that was now shaking violently. The footsteps grew closer until he felt a presence right next to his bed. The sound of heavy breathing grew closer and closer to his head, and his mind froze, unable to think or move.

            The small swish of a knife being pulled from a scabbard finally broke through the terror. A scream burst out of him. “Mom!” There was a clatter as something dropped to the floor and footsteps scampered away into the hall.

            Shuffling footsteps sounded a moment later and Tony sagged with relief when he heard Mom’s voice. “Tony? What’s the matter?”

            He scrambled out of bed and ran to his mother, hugging her tightly.

            Mom stumbled slightly as she wrapped her arms around him. “Was it a nightmare?” she asked sleepily as she kissed the top of his head.

            Tony could only shake his head no, too shocked to say anything.

            “It’s all right, sweetie.” She guided him back to his bed and tucked him in. “You’re okay now. It was just a dream. Looks like you’ve got Thomas in here to protect you.” She ruffled his hair and gave him another kiss before she shuffled back to bed.

            Tony sat still for a long while before his pounding heart settled down into a more normal pace. At least an hour passed before he heard Thomas jump off his bed and sneak back out of his room. He had finally started to grow tired, and his last thought before he went to sleep was that Thomas hadn’t done a very good job at protecting him and scaring off any intruders.

            A few hours of uneasy sleep brought bright morning sunshine to Tony’s room. His alarm went off, and he got up to start getting ready for school. He was exhausted after getting only a few hours of sleep. He kept his eyes closed as he pulled himself out of bed and toward his closet to get dressed.

            His foot touched cold metal and he finally opened his eyes to see what it was. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of a long dagger with emeralds and sapphires embedded in the golden handle. Heart pounding, he bent down to pick it up and noticed the dirt that had been tracked into his room. Dusty footprints led from his door to the side of his bed.

            His heart threatened to beat itself out of his chest as he picked up the dagger. It was surprisingly heavy, and glittered in the reflecting light. With a start, he realized that he knew this dagger. His eyes flicked over to the book he’d finished reading the night before.

            He swept the book off his nightstand and hurriedly flipped through its pages, stopping when he found what he was looking for. An image of a dagger lay in front of him. It was exactly the same as the dagger he held in his hand. He read the caption under the image and swallowed nervously. The book said this dagger held the key to the warlock’s power, and he remembered how it had been used in the story to defeat the warlock and his minions.

            “Tony! Are you up yet!” Mom yelled from downstairs. “Come get some breakfast!”

            Startled, Tony put the book and the dagger inside a dresser drawer. He didn’t have time to worry about them now. How would he explain this to his parents? Was he going to tell them that this dagger could defeat an evil warlock? He shook his head. No, what he needed to do was listen to Mom and stop reading in bed so late. He didn’t want another experience like last night. It couldn’t have been real, anyway, right?

            That’s what Tony told himself, but he always kept the dagger hidden in his room, just in case something else came to visit him in the night.

 

The Shirt

 

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            When Emmaline saw the shirt on the rack, she knew it would be perfect for her pirate costume. The lacy white sleeves would accent it nicely. She quickly grabbed the shirt and held it against her chest. It looked like it would fit, and the tag said it was only three dollars. She put it into her cart with the long black skirt that she had found earlier. After only ten minutes inside the secondhand store, she’d found the base pieces for her Halloween costume. As she walked up to the checkout stand, a silk scarf caught her eye and she put that into her cart as well.

            After paying for her purchases, she walked outside. Her house was only a few blocks away, and she walked home quickly. Hurrying upstairs to her room, she laid out her new costume on top of her bed. To her surprise, the white lacy-sleeved shirt she’d purchased now appeared to be purple. Was the light in her room different from the light at the store? How could she have thought it was white before? Oh well. Purple would still be okay.

            Shaking her head, she pulled on the shirt to see how it fit. As she had suspected, it fit perfectly. Studying herself in her mirror, her eyes widened. The shirt had turned blue! What was going on here? The soft blue shirt continued to transform before her eyes.

            Hardly daring to even blink, she watched the shirt as it continued to change. It was lengthening and nearly reached the floor. The lace became more delicate and lovely and beautifully accented the shirt, which was now a dress. More fabric appeared and grew into more layers for her dress. Small gems and rhinestones bordered the neckline in a star pattern, and a thin, silver necklace appeared with a sapphire pendant. Delicate white gloves grew on her hands, and her hair drew itself into an elegant bun on her head.

            Emmaline gaped at the reflection in the mirror. Was that really her? She was still staring when a deep voice sounded behind her.

            “Greetings, your majesty.”

            Emmaline whirled around to see a smartly dressed man bowing down to her. His tuxedo sparkled with silver cufflinks. His kind face turned to her, as if he were waiting for something. It took her a few minutes to find her voice, and when it did, it came out small and scared. “W-what? Who are you?”

            The man smiled. “My name is Jeffrey, and I am your royal advisor.”

            Emmaline’s eyes felt like they were going to fall out of her head. “What are you talking about?”

            Jeffrey held out his hand, which held a thin, silver tiara with a sapphire that matched the one on her necklace. “You put on the Queen’s dress. It’s been lost for centuries, and only one who is worthy can find it.” His serious eyes looked into her bewildered ones. “By the magic of Telar, you are now its queen.” He gently set the tiara on her head.

            Emmaline gasped. “You mean that shirt that I bought at a secondhand store was a magical queen’s dress?”

            A chuckle sounded from Jeffrey. “Is that where it came from?” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. It only appears when it senses a ruler who is up to the task and has the proper qualifications. It seems like you fulfilled those qualifications.”

            Shaking her head furiously, Emmaline sat down on the edge of her bed. “Well, I think you must be mistaken. I’m just a normal girl trying to make it through high school. I don’t have any magic, and I’m pretty sure this must be a dream.” She threw her head onto the pillow and closed her eyes, waiting to wake up.

            A hand gently touched her shoulder, and she opened her eyes. Jeffrey gestured to her window. “Why don’t you look outside and tell me what you see?”

            Slowly, Emmaline pulled herself up and over to the window that looked out into her backyard. After nearly tripping over her new dress, she took a look outside.

            Her backyard was gone. She was looking down from a great height to a castle courtyard. Beautiful gardens dotted the landscape, and she spied a lake a short distance away. There were birds flying over it, and she glimpsed farmlands beyond. But wait—those birds were huge, and they looked… different. She gasped. “Are those dragons?”

            “Yes, your majesty. Telar is a land of magic and a home for all magical creatures.”

            Emmaline didn’t know what to say. As she stared openmouthed out the window, a blue and silver dragon flew low over the lake, creating a spray of water. The resulting rainbow didn’t immediately disappear and it shimmered in the sunlight. The dragon flew up to Emmaline, hovering just outside her window. Instead of feeling afraid, she sensed the dragon’s playfulness as it winked at her. She waved weakly in reply.

            Jeffrey had come up to stand behind her. “It looks like you’ve already made friends with Chester. He’s the leader of the dragons here at the castle.” He smiled proudly at her. “Just one of the many reasons that you are now Queen Emmaline, Ruler of Telar.”

            Emmaline had a hard time swallowing past the lump in her throat as she tried to take everything in. Earlier that day, the worst thing she had to worry about was what she was going to do for her Halloween costume. Now, it appeared she had a whole kingdom to look after. She forced herself to take a deep, calming breath before she turned to look at Jeffrey. “Okay then. Tell me everything.”

Overgrown Wool

 

            Oscar let out a long, tired sigh as he settled into his pillow. He and Dad had spent the afternoon shearing the sheep in their flock, and he was exhausted. Even after a shower, he could still smell the sheep all around him. His last thought before falling asleep was, I might as well be sleeping out in the pasture with the sheep.

            When he opened his eyes to morning sunshine, he couldn’t tell where he was. Looking above him, the ceiling looked impossibly high. He had kicked off his blankets at some point during the night, but when he reached for them, they felt unbelievably heavy. Rolling out of bed, he fell to the floor.

            “Ow!” he yelped as he rubbed his shoulder. His jaw dropped as he pulled himself up to stand and gazed up to his bed. It was taller than he was! How had that happened?

            “Mom?” He started moving toward his door, which seemed to be much farther away than he remembered. When he finally got there, he realized he couldn’t reach the handle. “Mom!” He pounded the huge door with his fists, panicking now as he cried out. “Someone, come and help me! I can’t reach the doorknob!”

            When Mom finally came to open his door, she knelt down to talk to him. She still towered over his head. “Good morning, Oscar,” she said with a pleasant smile. “What’s the matter? Are you worried about school or something?”

            Gazing up into his mother’s face, he couldn’t believe he had to explain this to her. “I shrank! I don’t know what happened to me!”

            Mom lay a giant hand on Oscar’s forehead with a frown on her face. “Hmm, I don’t think you have a fever or anything. You’re the same size you’ve always been. I bet you have a test today, and you’re trying to get out of it, right?”

            Panic invaded him and he turned nearly hysterical. “How can I go to school like this?” He gestured to himself. “This isn’t normal!”

            “Tsk, tsk.” Mom shook her head disapprovingly. “Come on, Oscar. You’re not getting out of school.”

            To his great indignation, she picked him up and carried him to the closet. She set him on a shelf where his clothes were hung up neatly, thankfully in his own size. His protests fell on deaf ears as she urged him to get dressed and then carried him down to breakfast and sat him on the giant table with a small plate of scrambled eggs. She watched him sternly as he choked down some food.

            Her last remark to him as she set him outside on the front porch was, “Don’t forget your homework.” She handed him a giant piece of paper and slammed the door.

            Thoroughly bewildered and more than a little scared, he set the giant paper down. There was no way he would be able to carry that thing all the way to school. On a normal day, it only took him ten minutes to walk to school, but after fifteen minutes of nearly running, he finally reached the edge of his yard. Ready to give up, he threw himself down into the tall grass, trying to catch his breath. A deafening bleat made him jump up again.

            “Baaaa!” One of the sheep was reaching through the fence and munching on the grass. Terrified, Oscar backed away as quickly as he could and watched as the sheep let out another long “Baaaa.”

            The front door of the house opened and Mom called out, “Oscar, are you still here? You’re going to be late for school!” She slammed the door again.

            All Oscar could do was shake his head. How was he going to get to school before it started? If he continued on foot, the school day would be over before he even got there. Looking around for inspiration, his gaze landed on the sheep, still munching away.

            A crazy idea popped into Oscar’s head. Why not? Before thinking it over too carefully, he ran closer to the sheep, careful to stay away from its mouth. He reached one long sheep’s leg and jumped on top of the hoof. He climbed until he reached the sheep’s back. Settling himself onto the base of the neck, he called out, “Yah! Let’s go to school!” He kicked his heels hard against the sheep and tugged on its shortened wool coat.

            The sheep didn’t move. It continued grazing, completely oblivious to the small boy on its back. Oscar yelled, hit, and did everything he could to try to get the sheep’s attention.

            Frustrated and exhausted, he finally gave up and flopped onto his back, still on top of the sheep. He moved his hands over the soft wool that was already starting to grow back after being sheared yesterday. He was so tired. He closed his eyes as he felt himself slipping off to sleep, the warm sheep underneath him.

            Oscar’s alarm clock rang shrilly, and he instinctively reached for the snooze button. Popping his eyes open, he glanced around his bedroom—his normal-sized bedroom. Happiness filled him as he jumped out of bed and hurriedly got ready for school.

            After bounding down the stairs for a quick breakfast, he ran out the door, calling out goodbye. He took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and reached the end of their yard in five strides. He’d never been so happy to wake up from a dream.

            One of the sheep let out a loud “Baaaa!” and Oscar took off running, afraid to even think about the animal. After yesterday and last night, he’d had enough of sheep.

Family Secrets

 

When the long black car pulled up at the school near the playground, Ricky didn’t pay too much attention at first. He was too involved in the kickball game. It wasn’t until some of the other sixth graders stopped to stare that he noticed what was going on.

            A man in a black suit was striding across the grass with a black briefcase in his hand. His dark sunglasses reflected the bright sunlight, and Ricky felt the overwhelming urge to look away to escape the glare.

            The man walked right up to the teacher who was currently on playground duty and flashed a card of some kind. They fell into a conversation, and the sixth graders lost interest and went back to their game.

            It was Ricky’s turn to go up to home plate. The bases were loaded, and they had two outs already. Bouncing up and down on his toes, he got into a kicking position, waiting for the pitch. Staring down the pitcher, he signaled for him to throw the ball.

            The red ball bounced and rolled as it got closer to Ricky. This was a perfect pitch! He was going to kick that ball clear past the fence for a home run!

            Someone gripped Ricky’s arm just as he was about to smash the ball with his foot. Startled, he whirled around and came face-to-face with the man holding the briefcase. The dark sunglasses covered his eyes completely, but the rest of the man’s face was stretched into a tight smile.

            “Ricky?” The man’s voice was firm and commanding.

            “Uh, yeah, that’s me.” Ricky tried to keep his voice calm and cool, but his obvious nervousness about being tightly gripped by the arm made him fail.

            “I was sent here by your father. My name is Mr. Kline.”

            “Dad sent you?” Ricky’s nervousness was replaced with solid fear. “How did he do that?” His dad had died suddenly in a car accident three years ago. Who was this man?

            Refusing to answer Ricky’s question, Mr. Kline guided him forcefully back to the sleek black car.

            “Um, I’m not supposed to go anywhere with strangers,” Ricky said in a quivering voice.

            Mr. Kline didn’t reply until they were standing just outside the car doors. He retrieved a small cell phone from his pocket and handed it over to Ricky, saying, “Call your mom. She knows about this.”

            Looking dubiously back at the man, Ricky dialed his mom’s number. He had some questions for her, but before he could say anything, she let loose a tidal wave of questions of her own.

            “Ricky? Is that you? Are you with Mr. Kline? Are you safe? Where have you been?”

            When Ricky was allowed to answer, he said breathlessly, “I’m fine, Mom. I’ve just been at school. Mr. Kline says I’m supposed to go with him. Is that okay?”

            “Yes, yes.” Mom’s voice was full of relief. “Go with him and he’ll explain everything.”

            Before he could ask any more questions, his mom ended the call, and he felt more confused than before. He held the phone out to Mr. Kline, trying to give it back to him. Mr. Kline shook his head. “It’s yours now.” Without another word, he opened the door to the car, and Ricky climbed into the backseat, buckling himself in.

            When Mr. Kline settled himself into the front seat, he started the car, and they pulled out onto the road.

            “Where are we going?” Ricky found himself pressed back into the seat as Mr. Kline drove much faster than the speed limit. Streets and houses were flashing by, and worry was growing inside him.

            The big man glanced once back at Ricky. “Somewhere safe. We’re too exposed out here. Your mother’s going to meet us.”

            A trickle of relief was again covered with worry. What was happening? Hadn’t he been safe enough at school? Had something happened to his mom? Was she okay? More and more thoughts swirled around his head as they drove faster and faster down the residential streets.

            It wasn’t until they reached the highway that Mr. Kline seemed to relax a little. “Okay, now we can talk.”

            Ricky leaned forward, eager to hear what the man was going to say. He was completely unprepared for what came next.

            “Your dad’s been on a covert mission for the last few years, and his cover’s been blown. You and your family are in danger.”

            Ricky blinked, trying to process what he’d just heard. “M-my dad’s alive?”

            Mr. Kline nodded solemnly as he focused on the road. “Your mom knew, but I’m sorry that we couldn’t tell you.”

            Anger burned unexpectedly in Ricky. “Who are you, really?”

            Mr. Kline’s voice was softer now. “I’m a friend. I’ve known your dad for a long time. His job is a hard one, but he’s been trained really well, just like all our operatives. Once we get you and your family safe, we’ll protect you from the people who are now chasing your dad.”

            Ricky’s eyebrows raised higher and higher as he listened to this explanation. “Is my dad some kind of spy?” he finally asked.

            A shoulder shrug from Mr. Kline was all the answer Ricky received at first. The silence stretched out around them until he finally said, “You’ve heard of James Bond, right?”

            “Of course.”

            “Well, James Bond doesn’t hold a candle to your dad. He’s one of our best infiltrators.”

            Ricky’s jaw dropped. First, his dad was somehow still alive, and now he’s a better spy than James Bond?

            Mr. Kline allowed Ricky to process this information before he nervously cleared his throat and continued. “That’s not all. Your dad is part of a long line of special operatives that goes back for centuries. Your family is very special, and now it’s your turn.”

            “My turn for what?” Ricky held his breath, scared to hear what the answer would be.

            A long sigh came from the front seat. “You’re being called in, Ricky. Your dad needs rescuing, and you’re in the best position to help him.”

            Ricky’s mouth went dry. “How?”

            For the first time, Mr. Kline’s eyes met Ricky’s as he turned around and told him, “You and your dad are the last in a long line of ancient kings. For centuries, your family has been in charge of the welfare of the people of the world.”

            “Wait, what?”

            “Welcome to the Protector’s Society.”

            Just like that, Ricky’s life changed as he took his place in his family’s empire. No other agency or society affected the world like the Protector’s Society. They were the ones who prevented countless terrorist acts from happening. They manipulated natural events into outcomes that would have turned out differently otherwise. Just like his ancestors before him and his descendants that would come after him, he worked behind the scenes to make the world a better place.