“
I think we lost him. It’ll
take him hours to get around the river. Then it’ll take him even
longer to backtrack on
this
side of the river and catch up
to us. I think it would be beneficial for us to stop, build a
campfire, and relax. If we keep going at this pace, our bodies will
break down and we’ll never make it to Cadaver Island,” Dr. Stine
said.
Angelique and Alexander
glanced at each other and shook their heads. They didn’t need to
say anything to express their displeasure with Dr. Stine’s
suggestion. Alexander’s frown and Angelique’s sigh of disgust
conveyed the sentiment. Razor whimpered and glanced over his
shoulder to demonstrate that the feeling was mutual.
“
The swamp is dangerous. We
need to be aware of our surroundings at all times. And if we hear
wolves howl, the best thing to do is run,” Alexander
said.
***
Angelique and Alexander
straddled the black stallion’s broad back while Dr. Stine and Razor
strolled in front of the horse. The beady eyes of alligators
monitored their progress from the deep, murky water near the
elevated, wooden walkway. Dragonflies hovered in the air while
large frogs croaked. Crickets chirped in the thick foliage. Spiders
clung to massive webs, which spanned gaps between the low-hanging
branches of cypress trees.
“
How aggressive are the
alligators?” Angelique asked. She watched a twelve-foot beast while
it crawled across the exposed roots of a tree. Then it splashed
into the water.
“
Keep an eye on them. Don’t
let them sneak up on us,” Alexander said.
“
If you’re on foot and one
chases you, try to move in a zigzag pattern. Alligators run in a
straight line. If you can climb a tree, that’s even better,” Dr.
Stine said.
Angelique decided to change
the subject. “How long have you how been interested in the Bible?
Do you go to church often?”
Alexander stared at the
ground. A frown formed on his pale, freckled face. His left hand
trembled while he shoved blonde bangs away from his hazel eyes. A
tear slipped from the corner of his right eye, slid across his rosy
cheek, and dripped to his dimpled chin.
“
My…my father read verses
to me at night. He recognized my love for Jesus when I was five
years old. I remember when he let me read his Bible for the first
time. Have you ever wondered whether or not you lived a previous
life?” he said.
Angelique remembered her
experience at the graves of George and Kristina Harrington. A chill
rippled through her body when she reminisced about Kristina’s
message: “You and I are one and the same.” Beads of sweat formed on
her forehead while she thought about how Sirlonah insisted that her
name was Kristina while she was in the pyramid.
“
Yes, Alexander, I wonder
about reincarnation sometimes. Is it something you believe in? Do
you think our souls are reborn into embryos after we
die?”
“
Yes, I do. When my parents
took me to church, I never told them the truth. I already
knew
the verses before I read them. I remembered them from a
previous life. I wish I’d told my father the truth before he…died,”
Alexander said. He buried his face in the palms of his hands and
burst into tears. Angelique placed her left hand on his shoulder
and tried to comfort him. His diaphragm heaved while he
hyperventilated.
“
I’m so sorry to hear about
your father. What happened to him?” Dr. Stine said.
“
It was my fault. I warned
him about the wolves. I told him that it’s best to run when you
hear them howl. But by the time the moon appeared in the sky, it
was too late! It was too late!” Tears flowed across his red face.
Snot bubbled around his nostrils.
“
What happened when the
wolves howled and the moon glowed in the sky? What caused your
father to die?” Dr. Stine asked.
“
It’s a secret. And I
promised my father that I wouldn’t tell anyone,” the boy
said.
***
Thirty minutes later,
Shadow trotted toward a cluster of abandoned huts in the center of
the swamp. Dr. Stine examined walls made of bamboo stalks, which
were tied together with thick, coarse vines. Dried mud formed a
plaster between the stalks and served as an adhesive. Tree
branches, palm fronds, and pine needles spread across a network of
stalks on the roof, creating fragile ceilings for the huts. Four
huts formed a tight circle around a deep pit, where the bones of
wild boar hinted that someone had cooked a feral pig over an open
flame recently. A gentle breeze caused ash and wood fragments to
stir in the pit.
“
This is where we’ll rest.
I’ll gather some firewood. Please fasten Shadow’s rope to a cypress
tree,” Dr. Stine said. He pointed at a tree, which leaned next to
the northern hut.
“
I think it’s a bad idea to
stop and rest. We need to keep going. Don’t let the spare battery
pack make you complacent,” Angelique said. She paced back and
forth.
“
I’m not being complacent.
We can’t keep going if we’re exhausted. Sleep is important, we’ll
get to Xavier’s castle faster if we’re rested,” Dr. Stine
said.
Alexander fastened Shadow’s
rope around the trunk of the cypress tree and tied the end of it
into a knot. He patted Shadow on the nose and the horse grunted.
When Alexander reached up and scratched Shadow’s ears, the horse’s
lips pulled back from his huge teeth. Alexander giggled, stepped
closer to the stallion, and wrapped his arms around his
neck.
Dr. Stine plucked small
logs and tree branches from the ground and gathered them in his
arms. He strolled toward the pit and dropped the timber on top of
the wild boar’s bones. He snapped his fingers at Razor, who stopped
gnawing on a bone and rose to his feet. The dog trotted toward the
pit, wagged his tail, and glanced up at Dr. Stine.
“
Set them ablaze, Razor, we
need a campfire,” Dr. Stine said.
Razor jumped up and down,
exhaled three, loud barks, and opened his mouth wide. Hot flames
erupted from the back of his throat and engulfed the pieces of
wood. Gray smoke rose from the timber and filled the air. Tree
branches and brittle logs cracked and popped as the fire spread
throughout the pit. Dr. Stine smiled and patted Razor on his
head.
Alexander and Angelique
approached the pit and sat Indian style on the ground. Razor hopped
in Angelique’s lap and placed his chin on his front, outstretched
paws. Shadow’s wide eyes stared at the fire with amazement. Dr.
Stine leaned against the trunk of a cypress tree and scratched his
white beard. On the western horizon, the bloated disc of the sun
plunged toward the horizon. Rays of sunlight slanted through the
overlapping limbs and dangling moss of the swamp’s trees. Fireflies
glowed in the shadows.
“
I want to tell you about
Sir Xavier Thames. There’s a reason why he wants to destroy me. And
it’s also why he’s so determined to conquer the City of Thyme,” Dr.
Stine said.
“
I’m eager to find out why
he is so…
cruel
,” Angelique said. She bit her
fingernails.
“
Maybe it will explain why
he sent Reverend Stark to my town,” Alexander said.
“
It’ll explain everything.
Listen to me and don’t fall asleep. This is a campfire story you’ll
remember for the rest of your lives,” Dr. Stine said. Then he
stared at the orange and red sky. The sun plunged behind the peaks
of Mount Zahn. Dr. Stine folded his arms across his chest, exhaled
a deep sigh, and told them about when…
***
…
he was eleven years old.
His parents allowed him to join his classmates at summer camp,
where the disciples of a wizard, Saxines, taught them magic spells
and how to survive in the wilderness. On the first day of camp,
Saxines randomly selected three students to follow him to a nearby
waterfall. Dr. Stine, who was known as Laurent, joined Xavier
Thames and Reginald Bosc as they followed Saxines through the dense
forest. After a long hike, they heard a loud, crashing sound.
Saxines, who was a tall, lanky wizard with a long, gray hair and a
matching beard, plucked green stowaways from his white robe. Then
he beckoned for the children to follow him around the bulk of a
stone boulder. Saxines held his hands in front of the children so
they wouldn’t walk off the edge of a steep cliff. On the other side
of a ravine, the Blanton River plunged over the high cliffs. A
rainbow formed a vibrant arch above the waterfall. A cool mist
caused moisture to form on their faces. Beneath them, a deep pool
of water filled a rocky alcove, which bordered the eastern section
of the Blanton River. Saxines pointed at the waterfall and laughed.
“I want you to walk across the ravine, soak your feet in the
waterfall, and come back to me. But don’t look down! You wouldn’t
want to fall!”
“
That’s impossible! We
can’t walk on air!” Xavier said. His lips trembled.
“
You shouldn’t be so
negative. If you believe in yourself, it will happen,” Saxines
said.
Reginald Bosc, the future
king of Thyme, stepped to the edge of the cliff and closed his
eyes. He clenched his fists and grinded his teeth. Urine burst from
the tip of his penis and soaked his beige pants. Circles of
perspiration spread from the underarms of his white shirt. His left
hand wiped brown bangs away from his wide eyes. He inhaled a deep
breath of air, held it in his lungs, and initiated his first steps
across the ravine.
Xavier cursed and threw his
hands up in frustration when Reginald didn’t fall. Laurent smiled
and applauded as Reginald walked on air, soaked his feet in the
waterfall, turned around, and returned to Saxines. When he opened
his eyes and smiled, Saxines reached into his pocket, removed a
gold chain, and placed it around Reginald’s neck. A sparkling
diamond, shaped like a lion’s head, dangled from the chain. When
Reginald felt the gem brush against his chest, he felt strong and
confident. He bowed before Saxines.
“
You’ve proven your bravery
and courage. You’ve demonstrated leadership skills by deciding to
go first. I’m honored that you’ll be my future king,” Saxines
said.
“
Thank you, sire. It’s an
honor to earn your respect,” Reginald said.
“
Now it’s your turn,
Laurent Stine. Don’t be afraid,” Saxines said.
Laurent stepped to the edge
of the cliff and glanced down into the chasm. His throat went dry
and he bit his tongue. Blood blossomed in his mouth. He placed his
left foot forward and paused due to anxiety. He closed his eyes,
counted to ten, and dragged his right foot off the edge of the
cliff. A tingling sensation rushed through his body when he didn’t
feel solid ground beneath his feet. He opened his eyes and realized
he was standing in the sky. He smiled and walked toward the
waterfall. Then he cleaned his feet, felt the waterfall’s cold
spray on his face, and walked back to the others.
Saxines reached into his
pocket and removed another golden chain. A glowing sapphire, shaped
like a lightning bolt, dangled from the end of it. Saxines placed
it around Laurent’s neck. When the sapphire brushed against his
chest, Laurent smiled as energy flowed through his body. It felt
like warm, soothing electricity. It siphoned his fears.
“
You’ve proven your ability
to complete a task without following instructions. I told you not
to look down, and you disobeyed me. But you didn’t fall and
completed the task. I must acknowledge your determination. But you
still have much to learn,” Saxines said.
“
Yes, I realize I made a
mistake. It will never happen again,” Laurent said.
“
Now it’s your turn, Xavier
Thames. Try to complete the task without looking down! I have faith
that you’ll do better than Laurent!” Saxines said.
Xavier frowned and a ladder
of wrinkles creased his forehead. He clenched his fists and his
knuckles turned white. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed
that Reginald and Laurent were giggling and whispering to each
other. Xavier knew they liked to talk about him behind his back.
He’d caught them gossiping about him in the cafeteria and in the
playground on many occasions. A vein pulsed in his neck and his jaw
twitched as he stepped toward the cliff and focused his attention
on the waterfall. Blood rushed to his face and his heartbeat pulsed
in his wrists. He closed his eyes and guided both of his feet off
the cliff toward the waterfall. He screamed when he plunged over of
the side of the cliff. His arms flailed and his feet kicked as he
plunged toward the deep water below.
“
I knew he couldn’t do it!
He’s such a loser!” Reginald said. He laughed out loud.
“
That’s what happens to
arrogant, stuck-up snobs!” Laurent yelled. He cackled
wildly.
“
Stop it, boys! Stop it
right now or I’ll punish you severely! It looks like he’s injured
and doesn’t know how to swim!” Saxines said. He peered over the
edge of the cliff.
Xavier felt water pour into
his mouth, flood his trachea, and invade his lungs. He struggled to
stay above water. Before his head plunged beneath the surface, he
heard Reginald and Laurent laughing. They harassed him while he
struggled for survival…