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.

A Treasure Hoard

 

            Byron stepped outside and took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. This would be a perfect day with clear blue skies if it hadn’t been for the overpowering smell of greed and power.

            Trying and failing to avoid thinking about King Preston, he looked down into the valley that was dominated by an industrious city surrounding an enormous castle. A few hundred years before, that valley had been completely devoid of human life. When Richard came with his small group of followers, Byron hadn’t done anything to drive him out. The humans were so helpless, and they had a healthy respect for the dragon on the mountain. He should have just roasted them back then, but he allowed them to settle. They left him alone, and he let them be.

            Time passed, and Richard’s descendants grew and slowly turned the valley into a bustling hub of commerce. Byron could smell the treasure that poured in. Metal forged into something valuable has a distinct odor. In no time at all, the small settlement expanded into its current sprawling splendor.

            Catching another whiff of the overpowering scent of the valuable metals, he decided that enough was enough. He’d been patient for far too long. These humans had destroyed the quiet peace of the valley, and it was time to evict them.

            Stretching out his magnificent wings, Byron hurled himself from his mountaintop perch and let out his fiercest roar. The mountains reverberated from the sound and the city shook. Gathering the fire in his belly, he flew straight to the castle. The offending smell was strongest here. He noted the tiny figures running around below him as they shouted their pitiful cries.

            He couldn’t help smiling at their attempts to defend themselves. He allowed their useless arrows to hit his impenetrable hide before he loosed his liquid flames on them. The air became black with smoke as anything flammable caught on fire. The city buildings acted like a giant tinder box as the flames spread.

            The flapping of Byron’s great wings fanned the flames that grew to encompass the entire city. Soon, the little humans were running for their lives, disappearing down their many roads and into the countryside. Satisfied, he returned to his cave as his fire raged down below.

            It took several days of terrorizing and burning before the valley was emptied of the humans. The absence of the smell of greed lightened Byron considerably, but that metallic smell remained, and he had to go and investigate. Picking through the city’s ruins, he followed his nose to all the shiny metal objects. He carefully transferred them to a place inside the castle that hadn’t been razed to the ground and was large enough for him to fit through.

            It took weeks before he was satisfied that he had gathered everything together. He covered the entrance with a mound of rubble and returned to his cave. He enjoyed the months of peace in the valley before the humans started to return. Fresh new growth was just starting to creep in among the ruins of the once-grand city. It was during one of his morning flights when he caught the humans’ unmistakable scent of greed.

            Curling his lips in disgust, he roared and chased them away again with more fire. Thinking he’d completely scared them from the valley, he went back home to rest.

            The next morning was worse. Those humans had snuck back into the city after dark and were now camped amidst the ruins. They had discovered the treasure hoard that Byron had sealed up and had carried some of it outside before he chased them away again.

            These humans were relentless. After five of their attempts to recover what they’d lost, Byron grew tired of chasing them off. It was time to stop this thievery right at its roots. He tore open the entrance to the treasure chamber and started sleeping inside. This proved to stop the burglary attempts. Humans were pretty sneaky, but they couldn’t sneak right under a dragon’s nose.

            At first, Byron was very uncomfortable. He missed his cozy cave with the cool mountain air. The treasure room was hot and stuffy, so he lay down on top of the treasure to help cool his body. He grew accustomed to his new bed quickly and spent hours looking at the pieces of glittering treasure. It was rather beautiful. No wonder the humans wanted it back so much. But he was doing them a favor by keeping it from them.

            He never noticed the smell of greed return to the valley. Centuries passed as it grew stronger and stronger while Byron believed he was saving his valley from it, instead of magnifying it.

Once In A Lifetime Adventure - Part 4

 

            Annie slowly crept down the passage that flickered with the light from her torch. Prickles ran up her spine, screaming for her to run away, but she kept moving forward. Her friends were counting on her to rescue them from the mummy.

            When she reached the place where she’d last seen them, she stopped and looked around. The only things she saw were the ornate golden door and the stone walls that were the same throughout the pyramid. A confusion of footprints filled the floor, but they didn’t seem to go anywhere. Furrowing her brow, she thought about what she was going to do next.

            Carefully, she put her hand against the door and pushed. To her great surprise, it opened, and she peered inside. Only darkness greeted her.

            Shining her torch inside, she saw a narrow passageway, stretching out in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she started down it as quietly as she could. She tried not to think about the mummy wrapping its hands around her throat as she searched for her friends.

            Reaching a point where the passage split into three different directions, she focused on the faces of Cody, Justin, Daniel, Evie, and Megan. The center way lit up, and she started down it without hesitation. She could feel that she was going the right way. She also felt the malice of this place getting stronger.

            Equal parts of hope and terror poured into her as she spied another door ahead of her. This one was made out of gold as well, but it was also inlaid with countless precious gems. If the mummy’s resting place was anywhere in this pyramid, it had to be behind this door. That thought nearly made Annie turn around and run the other way, but she also felt her friends’ hopes resting on her.

            Gripping her torch tightly, she pushed on the door, and it slowly creaked open. This room was already brightly lit, and the sight of her friends sitting unconscious against the wall made her run over to them. She didn’t notice the mummy standing behind her until the door slammed shut.

            Whipping around, she watched the mummy let out a gravelly growl as he reached for her. The menace pouring off of him hit her like a physical blow.

            Narrowly escaping his grasp, Annie thought of Justin’s gun and how she wished she had it now.

            She suddenly felt cold steel in her hand and was amazed to see the gun in it. Without any further thought, she gripped it tightly and pointed it at the monster, who was still lurching toward her. When the gun fired and bucked in her hand, the recoil pushed her backward and she nearly fell. Recovering quickly, she fired again, but the mummy was still advancing.

            Trying hard not to completely panic, she threw her thoughts toward her friends, willing them to wake up.

            Moans and groans issued from her previously unconscious friends as, one by one, they stood up, dazed and confused.

            Annie shot the gun once more before it gave a hollow click, out of ammunition. Throwing the gun down in frustration, she leaned down and picked up the torch that she had dropped. With concentrated intention, she willed its flame toward the ancient hands wrapped in discolored gauze and cloth.

            A terrible scream sounded from the mummy as he clawed at the flames that had enveloped his head.

            Annie turned to her companions, who were all standing now, gaping at the growing inferno. “Let’s get out of here!” She pointed her torch toward the exit, and flames jumped out of her hand to light the way.

            Glancing back at her in wonder, Cody led them out.

            Annie made sure everyone else had left before she followed them, closing the door on the still-screaming mummy. Without even thinking, she sent flames behind her to burn and guard the door. She did not want to see that mummy again.

            Catching up with the others who were breathing heavily, she looked back into their inquiring faces and said with a triumphant grin, “I know where the treasure is! Let’s get it and get out of here!” She helped Evie, who had sat down against the wall, to her feet. Evie was gingerly holding a hand to a lump on her head.

            With trembling hands, Cody congratulated her. “Well done, Annie. Which way do we go?” His reassuring smile made Annie relax a little as she led them back to the treasure room.

            Not really interested in the treasure, she stood at the entrance while the others stuffed their packs. Daniel noticed her disinterest.

            “Don’t you want to enjoy the fruits of your efforts?” He held up a ruby the size of an egg. “You deserve a share of this.” He tossed the ruby over to Annie, who caught it, surprised by its weight.

            “This isn’t real. I’ve had my adventure, and now I just want to go home.”

            Evie looked inquiringly over at Annie. “Who said this isn’t real?”

            A cold shiver ran down Annie’s spine at the thought of the danger they would all have been in if this hadn’t really been pretend. But, of course, it was just an act, right? She pushed the thought away and put the ruby in her pocket. At least she would have some kind of souvenir from this adventure.

            With their packs bulging with gold and treasure, they were all finally ready to head back out into the sunshine. The only treasure Annie was carrying in her pockets was the ruby and a handful of gold coins that Megan had handed to her as they were leaving. “You might want this for later,” Megan said with a wink.

            The trip back through the pyramid didn’t take long at all. When they reached the entrance, it was no longer blocked, and they stepped out into the searing desert heat. To her relief, Annie saw the door that she’d first come through standing at the top of a sand dune.

            She quickly shook hands with the others as she thanked them for the once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Each of her friends wore a mysterious smile as they told her what a good job she had done with the mummy.

            Finally, she said goodbye and walked up the sand dune toward the door. It opened easily, and she found herself back on the stage she had left, her mother gazing anxiously at her.

            “Well, how did it go?” her mother asked nervously.

            Annie stared at her mother. “That was a very different adventure than I was led to believe it was going to be.”

            “But you defeated the mummy?”

            Annie pulled the ruby from her pocket. “Yep, and I brought back a souvenir.”

            Her mother’s eyes bulged as she saw the size of the ruby. “So, did you use your magic, then?”

            “My magic?”

            “Yes. Our family line is one of the most magic-infused in the world. I’m sorry I had to put you through that experience, but it was the only way for you to discover how to use your magic.”

            Annie’s jaw dropped in shock. Was this really happening?

            Her mother hugged her. “It looks like you’ve done really well for yourself.”

            For the next hour, Annie listened as she learned who she really was. She thought back on her not-so-pretend adventure. A whole new world was opening up before her. She had actually beaten a cursed mummy in a haunted pyramid.

            A smile spread over her face. Maybe this wasn’t so bad. She felt the ruby in her pocket. That was quite the souvenir she’d brought back. Apparently, she was going to have a lot more adventures now. That thought might have terrified her before, but things were different now. She could use magic!

Once In A Lifetime Adventure - Part 3

 

            After coming face-to-face with a cursed mummy once, Annie had no desire to do it again. She was ready to get out of this haunted pyramid. She led the group of actor archaeologists down the long pathway, her torch held high in front of her. Moving quickly, they soon came to a place where the way branched off into three separate directions.

“Which way is the right way?” Although she tried to hide it, worry still seeped into her voice. She turned around to face Cody, Justin, Daniel, Evie, and Megan. Seeing the twinkle in his eye, she knew what Cody was going to say before he spoke.

            “How would we know? We’re all here for the first time together, right?” He gave her a reassuring smile and shrugged his shoulders.

            Annie doubted that he didn’t know which way to go, but it was obvious that no one was going to tell her. She blew out a breath in frustration. “Okay, I guess we’ll just have to pick one or split up.” She looked directly into the faces of those around her. “What do you guys think?”

            “There’s safety in numbers,” Evie said in a quiet voice.

            “I agree,” Justin said as he reloaded his gun. “If we split up, we won’t be able to help each other when the mummy returns.”

            A queasy feeling threatened to overwhelm Annie as she thought about running into the mummy again.

            “All right,” she said as she nodded. She headed toward the passage on the right. “Let’s try this way, I guess.”

            Megan cleared her throat nervously behind Annie. “Don’t you think there’s a better way to choose than just blind guessing?”

            “Do you know which way to go?” Annie asked her, trying not to sound angry that Megan hadn’t volunteered this information earlier.

            Megan looked almost embarrassed. “I couldn’t tell you that, but can’t you feel which way to go?”

            Annie looked at her blankly. What did she mean by that?

            Looking like she might be breaking the rules, Megan gave her a guilty smile. “Remember how you felt your way away from the mummy before?”

            It was obvious that Megan was trying to give her a hint, but Annie couldn’t think what it could be. Then she remembered. “Oh!” she cried in excitement. Brushing her hands along the walls, she searched for anything out of the ordinary. The stone walls were rough, but they were definitely made of stone this time. Perplexed, she dropped her hands and thought what else Megan might have been trying to tell her.

            Closing her eyes in concentration, Annie debated which path to choose. She had no idea. Giving up, she opened her eyes to see something strange. Had that been there before?

            The path on the left shone brilliantly, the light source coming from somewhere farther down the tunnel. Where had it come from? Walking partway down the left path, she knew that this was the right way. She wasn’t sure how, but she knew. “This way!” Confidently now, she led the others down the now brightly lit corridor.

            They came to more intersections where they had to choose which way to go. Each time, Annie would close her eyes and think about the way to the treasure. When she opened her eyes, one of the ways would be brightly lit.

            Now they were deep inside the pyramid. Annie led the group at a near sprint. An ornate golden door stood at the end of their path, and Annie’s heart leapt to her throat. It had to be the treasure room!

 All she had to do was get inside, and then she could go home.

            Hurrying toward the golden door, she put both hands on it and pushed.

            Nothing happened. It was locked. Of course it had to be another locked door. Thankfully, she knew what to do. Closing her eyes tightly, she concentrated on getting inside. A loud clicking noise sounded next to her, and she opened her eyes.

            The big door hadn’t opened, but the mummy had appeared right next to her. She screamed as she jumped backward, nearly knocking over Evie, who had been standing behind her. Daniel was the one who kept them both from falling, but Annie was focused on only one thing—getting herself away from the monster. She ran back the way they had come, not bothering to see what the others were doing. Justin’s gun fired once… twice, and she ran faster.

            A door stood ajar up ahead to her right, and she headed straight toward it. She waited for the others to follow as she stood on the inside of the door, ready to close it. But no one was there. Chancing a look back toward the ornate door, the entire hallway was empty. What had happened? Nothing but silence filled the area.

            She leaned back against the wall, trying to figure out where the others could have gone as she sucked in big gulps of air. What was she going to do? Had they all been captured by the mummy somehow? Thoughts raced through her head before she forced herself to slow down and focus. Once she could finally breathe a little easier, she took several more deep breaths to slow her racing heart.

            When she was finally calm enough to think properly again, she looked around her. The door she had run through led to a large room. She jumped when she realized what this room was. Piles of treasure lay everywhere. Her jaw dropped when she saw mountains of precious gems, golden dishes, and other trinkets. This was the treasure room, not that other place with the beautiful door.

            A laugh escaped through her open mouth. She’d done it! She’d made it to the treasure! She could go home now, right? She spun around, looking for the door that had led her to this adventure in the first place. She scanned the entire room, but it wasn’t there. What was she supposed to do now?

            The answer came to her as she thought about Cody and the others. Where were they? They were just actors and part of this adventure, right? Had they really been kidnapped by the mummy?

            Guilt over not being able to escape the mummy with them made her realize that this adventure wasn’t over yet. She had something else she needed to do before she could go home. She summoned her courage and walked back to the last place where she’d seen her friends. Somehow, she had to go find them and rescue them from the mummy. For the first time in this adventure, she deliberately sought the danger she had been trying to avoid.

Once In A Lifetime Adventure - Part 2

 

            Annie looked up at the massive pyramid in front of her. No picture that she’d seen could ever do justice to its larger-than-life size. She swallowed. Were they really going to go inside this thing?

            Cody stepped next to her and patted her shoulder. “Are you ready to find the treasure?”

            Annie turned to him with raised eyebrows. “What kind of treasure are we looking for again?”

            “Oh, you know. Gold, jewelry, gems. The usual. The hard part will be avoiding the cursed mummy that haunts the pyramid.”

            Annie’s breath hitched slightly in her throat. “Is there really a cursed mummy walking around inside there?”

            A chuckle sounded behind them. Daniel handed an unlit torch to Annie. “Of course there isn’t. The mummy only rises when someone disturbs him. It’s as quiet and still as death in there right now.”

            Swallowing nervously, Annie wasn’t comforted by this. Oh well. This was just all pretend, right? She was part of a voluntary magical adventure. Although, ‘voluntary’ was a pretty strong word. Annie’s mother was the one who had ‘voluntarily’ signed her up for this. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on the torch as the three of them walked to an archway that led directly into the pyramid. Megan, Justin, and Evie waited for them.

            Annie had met the group of professional-looking archaeologists only a few minutes before. Cody, who seemed to be the leader, clapped his hands together excitedly as he surveyed the group before him. “All right, team. Let’s do this!” His torch glowed brightly with orange flames as he dipped it into the small campfire on the ground in front of the entrance.

            Following his example, Annie lit her own torch as she went inside the pyramid. As soon as all six of them had passed under the archway, a resounding boom echoed behind them. The sunlight disappeared and Annie slowly turned around, dread settling in her stomach. The entrance they had just walked through was no longer there. A solid wall stood where there hadn’t been one before.

            “Here we go!” Daniel cried gleefully. “The mummy knows we’re here.”

            With a reassuring smile, Megan turned to Annie, whose panic must have shown on her face. “Don’t worry, Annie. There’s six of us and only one of him.”

            “One mummy sounds like enough to me.” Images from every scary mummy movie she’d seen flashed through Annie’s mind. “I’d rather not run into him, if it’s all the same to you guys.”

            “Let’s get a move on then,” Cody said with confidence. “Lead us to the treasure, Annie.”

            A jolt of surprise made Annie jump. “Me?!”

            Cody’s reassuring smile did little to put Annie at ease. “This is your adventure. What are we going to do?”

            Annie glanced at the long dark hallway in front of them. Finding a form of bravery somewhere inside herself, she stepped forward. “Let’s try to go as quietly as we can.” A horrible thought struck Annie. “Do we have any kind of defense in case we do run into the mummy?”

            Justin’s hand flashed with a pistol. “This should at least slow it down enough for us to get away from it.”

            Annie nodded, but didn’t feel reassured. They walked along in silence as their torchlights reflected off the walls in front of them. The small space magnified their footfalls until they sounded thunderous in her ears. At every corner, she expected to run into the monster, but that wasn’t the case. The darkness drew closer around them as they walked farther into the heart of the pyramid. The path ahead didn’t seem so bad now. Confidence was just starting to return when the unmistakable sound of shuffling feet reached them, coming from somewhere up ahead.

            “Uh, Justin?” Annie asked, no louder than a whisper. “I think we’re going to need your gun.”

            Justin suddenly appeared at her side. The shuffling continued, but didn’t sound any closer. Willing her eyes to penetrate the darkness ahead, there was a brilliant flash of light that illuminated the entire pathway. A figure was slowly moving forward and Annie stepped back. Wrappings trailed behind the figure, and she thought she could smell death.

            Stumbling backward now, she turned and ran.

            She only got a few feet before Cody grabbed her arm and stopped her. “We can’t get out that way, remember?”

            Evie cried, “There’s another passage just up ahead. If we hurry, we’ll reach it before the mummy.”

            Not waiting for anyone else, Annie ran faster than she thought possible, still holding her flaming torch. The passage was off to the left, and she plunged down it, nearly running into a closed wooden door. Footsteps behind her announced the arrival of the rest of the group.

            Frantically, Annie pushed on the door, willing it to move. It didn’t budge. “It must be locked!”

            Daniel came to investigate. There was no sign of a door handle. He and Justin heaved against the door. The shuffling behind them grew louder as the mummy came closer. “Come on!” Daniel’s voice was filled with impatience. “Do something!” he shouted. This was directed at Annie.

            Willing herself to calm down, Annie tried to ignore the fact that the mummy was getting closer. She thought again of the scary movies she’d seen. They were just acting, right? There had to be a way out of here. There was nowhere else to go. She pushed again on the door, but it didn’t budge.

            “He’s coming,” Megan announced.

            Annie didn’t allow herself to look behind her. Beside her, Justin cocked the gun and fired it, nearly deafening her. The mummy staggered back slightly, but continued on. Rage started to replace Annie’s fear. How were they supposed to look for treasure while a magical mummy chased them? She kicked at the door, hard. If this was a play, there had to be a way out of here. She paused as she went to kick the door again. What about magic? This was a magical pyramid, after all. Maybe there was a hidden door or something.

            Frantically, Annie ran her hands along the smooth stone walls. There! To the left of the door, she felt her hand move from stone to wood. She brushed her hand around the area until she felt a metal handle. She pulled on it, and a door appeared. Without waiting for anyone else, she dashed through the now open doorway and shone her light down another long hallway. “Come on! Hurry! We need to shut this door again!”

            Daniel, Justin, Evie, Megan, and Cody quickly followed Annie, who hurriedly shut the door behind them. As soon as it shut, it turned back into stone.

            Annie sank down to the floor in relief. While she tried to catch her breath, Cody nodded in approval. “Well done, Annie. You’ve found the secret passage. Let’s take a minute to rest before we move on.” He handed Annie a metal canteen, which she drank from gratefully.

            She had done it. It had been terrifying, but they were safe. At least for now. Maybe she could do this after all. She stood up with confidence and looked at the faces around her. She’d gotten this far into the adventure, and she knew she could finish it. “I’m ready now. Let’s go.” She started down the dark passageway, flaming torch in hand. She was ready to find the treasure.

Once In A Lifetime Adventure

 

            Annie studied herself in the mirror. She looked ridiculous, but she knew her mother would be happy. It had been her idea to sign Annie up for this experience in the first place. Glancing once more at her leather jacket and fedora hat, she walked out of the dressing room.

            Her mother’s brilliant smile greeted her. “Oh, honey, your costume is amazing!”

            Annie tried hard not to roll her eyes. “Are you sure this is necessary? I feel a little like Indiana Jones. Couldn’t I have just stayed in my shorts and T-shirt?”

            “Of course not. The director says that the costume is part of the experience.” Her mom pulled her in for a hug. “Good luck!” She gave Annie a gentle push toward the director.

            Resigning herself to this ‘once in a lifetime experience,’ she went to stand next to the director, who brightened when he saw that she was now in costume. “Very good. Now remember, you’re an archaeologist looking for the treasure in the cursed mummy’s tomb.”

            “Cursed?” Annie asked in surprise.

            “Yes. You want an adventure, right? Well, we’ve got to make this interesting.”

            “How will I know what to do? Do I have lines to remember or anything?”

            The director shook his head and smiled. “Just go with the flow. We have all our trained actors on the other side of this door.” He pulled a curtain aside to reveal a bright yellow door with a neon green trim. “All you need to do is let yourself become a part of the adventure.” With another smile, he opened the door.

            The only thing Annie could see through the door was blackness. “Um, I can’t see anything.” She would do a lot for her mother, but standing alone in the dark wasn’t one of them.

            The director put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve got to go inside for it to start. As soon as the door closes behind you, everything will become clear.” He gently guided her to the open door.

            Trying hard not to panic, Annie reluctantly drew closer to the darkness. When she reached the door, she hesitated. Could she really do this? She took a small step back, but the director was surprisingly strong. With a shove, she found herself inside the pitch darkness as the door closed behind her with a click. “Hey!” she screamed. “Let me out!”

            She ran back to where she thought the door was, but she couldn’t find it. She threw her hands out in front of her, but she didn’t feel anything. She screamed, “Get me out of here! I can’t see!”

            A blast of hot air washed over Annie. Great. Now she was blind and hot. She had to get out of there before she melted. She turned toward where the air was now blowing from. Was that a light?

            Far away, a small speck of light had appeared in the gloom. As she watched, the small dot of light got bigger. It grew brighter and brighter until she had to cover her eyes. The intensity of the light blinded her almost as much as the darkness had.

            Finally, she opened her eyes and was astounded to find herself in the middle of a blistering desert. Where was the door? She quickly spun around, but there was no sign of it. However, she did see what appeared to be a small campsite with a few tents and camels. Behind them was a massive pyramid. Her jaw dropped. Everything looked so real. Was she actually in Egypt?

            A group of people at the campsite spotted her and one of the figures ran toward her. As he grew closer, she could see that he was dressed similarly to how she was dressed. This must be the start of the adventure, then. How much had her mom paid for this? The amount of detail around her was so incredible, it all felt real. When the man reached her, he held out his hand. “Welcome to Egypt!” he cried cheerfully. “You must be Annie. I’m Cody. Are you ready for a grand adventure?”

            Sweat trickled down the back of Annie’s neck. This was too much. “I-I don’t know if I can do this.” She glanced around her. “I think I want to go back now. Where’s the way out of here?”

            Cody looked at her with compassion. “The only way out is forward, I’m afraid. Didn’t they explain anything to you?”

            Annie shook her head emphatically. “No. No one told me that it would be like this. I expected to be like an actor in a play on a stage. I didn’t agree to somehow travel to Egypt.” She was starting to get angry now. “It’s also like a thousand degrees out here!”

            Cody cleared his throat nervously. “They didn’t tell you that this was a magical adventure?”

            Annie let out her breath in exasperation. “Right, magic.” Did he really expect her to believe in magic? “I’m ready to leave now. If this is a magical adventure, then you can just magic me out of here.” She folded her arms and waited for something to happen, but Cody just watched her.

            “That’s not how it works, I’m afraid. Why don’t you follow me back to camp? Let’s figure out how to get the treasure out of the pyramid, and then you can go home.” He gestured back to the campsite.

            Annie couldn’t believe this was happening. She didn’t move for a minute as she wondered about what she should do. Realizing that she didn’t have any other choice, she took a step across the sands.

            Cody patted her shoulder as he walked next to her. “Don’t worry. This will be fun.” His smile had reappeared.

            He started talking about the expedition, but all Annie could think about was getting out of here. When this was over, she had a few things to say to her mother.

The Troubles of A Tiger

 

            Charlie was tired. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as he continued to climb the endless staircase. How did he get himself into this mess? If only he hadn’t been caught and put in a zoo exhibit. The thought filled him with shame. He hoped Daniel wouldn’t find out about that.

Charlie might look like a tiger, but he had been changed by the wizard Daniel to be a magician’s companion. After undergoing several magical transformations, he was now Daniel’s most faithful companion and had been with him for decades. Unfortunately, they had been separated when they were ambushed by a rival wizard and his minions. Daniel had been whisked away, and Charlie was sent to the zoo.

            Shaking his head to rid himself of the memory, Charlie kept climbing. He could feel that Daniel was in the building, somewhere high above him. All he had to do was reach him, and they could get out of here, away from this horrible place.

            His stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since the day before. The people at the zoo had tried to feed him raw meat, but Charlie had lost his appetite for that kind of thing long ago. He longed for Daniel’s cooking now. He seasoned and roasted all of his meats to perfection. The thought of some tender roasted chicken gave him the energy he needed to keep climbing.

            After climbing several more sets of stairs, Charlie could tell that he was getting closer to Daniel. His magical senses told him that his captors were also close by. He grew quieter as he continued to pad up the stairs. This door is the one he thought as all of his stealth instincts came to the fore.

            Turning himself invisible, he stood next to the closed door, listening. Familiar voices sounded on the other side. The rival wizard and his magical companion were questioning Daniel.

            “Where is it, old man?” The rival wizard shouted the question.

            Daniel only mumbled a reply.

            The rival wizard’s companion, a large Doberman dog, sneered back in a high-pitched voice, “You expect us to believe that? We know you’ve hidden it somewhere.”

            Of course, thought Charlie. They want the ancient spellbook. Several months ago, Daniel and Charlie had come across the book filled with awful spells, most of them incredibly destructive. They had decided it was too dangerous, and had hidden it away, but of course the entire wizarding community knew about it.

            Ever so carefully, Charlie opened the door onto a scene that made his heart sink. There was Daniel, tied to a chair, bruises all over his face. Charlie barely suppressed a growl that threatened to escape and blow his cover. Instead, he eased himself inside and made himself as small as possible. The door behind him clicked shut, and the Doberman’s head snapped toward the sound.

            While he was still invisible, he knew that the dog would catch his scent in a matter of moments. Charlie bounded over to Daniel, where he immediately untied his bonds. Using his own magical powers, he transferred some of his energy over to Daniel so they could escape. Together, they raced for the door at the other end of the room.

            Bursting through it, they saw that they had run into a closet. Daniel slammed the door behind them, and Charlie used his bulk to hold it shut. Fumbling in his robes, Daniel brought out a small pouch filled with traveling dust. He smiled as he said, “Thanks for the rescue, friend.”

Charlie purred as something slammed into the door behind him. “You’re welcome, but we’d better get out of here quickly.”

Without answering, Daniel sprinkled the dust into an area in front of them, where it glowed an electric blue. Together, the two friends stepped into the magical dust and were whisked away. They reappeared a moment later on a deserted beach on a tropical island. A relieved sigh escaped from Charlie. He knew that they would have to deal with the rival wizard again, but for now, they were safe. He soaked in the rays of golden sunshine as his stomach reminded him of something. “So, Daniel, can we get something to eat?”