It was massive! The luxurious dessert was covered in thick white cream that oozed from the sides of it. Rows of chocolate layers separated each part of the light flaky sponge and candy sprinkles decorated the icing on top with rainbow colors. It was indeed Benjamin’s first ever birthday cake.
Jacob had cooked all day in the kitchen using fresh eggs from the chicken coop, goat milk, and a spare packet of flour.
The evening was bright. Purple clouds covered the skies and dim orange light from the sunset filtered its way through the tall windows in the living room, shining directly onto the birthday cake. Jacob initiated the birthday ritual by lighting the only candle they had on top of the cake.
And then, right at the moment as Benjamin blew out his only candle, a loud banging came upon Jacob’s wooden farmhouse door.
Bang! Bang! BANG!
The sounds of thunderous thumping chilled the boys to the bone. In a few seconds the memories of those Gatesville days came flooding back to Tommy. A rush of blood and adrenaline pumped ceaselessly through Benjamin’s heart.
Jacob let out a long sigh, as if the expectation of this visit had come to pass.
“It’s all right,” he said in his reassuring voice, before he calmly walked down the hallway to open the door and greet whoever was making such a racket. Luther was too busy eating his slice of Benjamin’s birthday cake to notice much of what was going on.
Tommy and Benjamin grew anxious about who it could be loitering outside. Was it someone coming to take them back to Gatesville? Was it the horrible Mr. Jennings? Both worried that they might have been tricked as Jacob’s calm attitude only fuelled their suspicion.
At the same time Jacob opened the door, another boy dashed through the doorway and into Benjamin’s path.
Benjamin braced himself for the head-on collision. Before they knew what had happened, both boys fell to the ground in opposite directions.
“I didn’t expect you to be this keen to meet each other.” Jacob chuckled loudly, offering both boys a hand.
The frail, thin boy wiped the carpet hairs from his suit. Fixing his thick, crooked spectacles onto his nose again, he took Jacob’s offered hand to lift him to his feet. Benjamin took a helping hand from Tommy.
“Watch where you’re running, four eyes,” Tommy scorned.
“Look who’s talking,” Sebastian replied, after staring at Tommy’s odd set of pupils.
“Someone else is here to see you, boys,” Jacob interrupted.
As Jacob slowly took a step aside from the front doorway a figure stood in front of Tommy, casting a shadow over his already startled face.
“Better late than never,” Tommy snapped.
“Tommy Joel and Benjamin Brannon, meet Sebastian Cain,” Peter announced.
Without hesitation Benjamin put out his hand to greet Sebastian and was met with the same enthusiasm. Tommy wasn’t as friendly to Sebastian, or as willing to make a new friend as Benjamin.
“Boys, this is the third person I was talking about,” Jacob smiled.
“So, he is why you left us on the train,” Benjamin muttered to Peter.
A sudden roar of thunder outside interrupted their brief reunion. The sky had darkened and the feeling of an undeniable evil presence quickly swept over the farmland, causing Benjamin to shudder.
“They’re coming,” Peter gasped.
“Who, Jennings?” Benjamin cried.
“Something much worse,” Peter replied.
Tommy sniggered. “What could be worse than that old crab?”
“Jacob, I need the gate key,” Peter insisted as Jacob nodded back.
“Benjamin, help me,” Jacob called as he led the way into the living room and hurried past the window. With one mighty boot, he kicked open a large oak chest that lay beside the fireplace and took heavy weapons out of it.
“Keep close, can you do that?” Jacob asked anxiously, handing Benjamin some equipment to carry.
“Yes,” Benjamin squeaked fearfully.
Tugging Benjamin by the other arm, they ran back across the living room to the hallway when the window unexpectedly smashed inwardly toward them, accompanied by a huge gust of wind that blew Benjamin’s cake into numerous bits.
Benjamin closed his eyes and held onto Jacob, digging his small fingernails into the back of the man’s hand in fear for his life.
“Hurry, here they come,” Peter called.
“Here, take the gate key and get them home,” Jacob said, handing Peter a small pouch of seed and a crystal ball ornament as the group raced out of the doorway.
“They’ve tracked us down, already?” Sebastian added, terrified at the thought of his guardians appearing at any moment.
“What are you talking about, four eyes?” Tommy retorted, poking Sebastian’s shoulder in an attempt to derive answers from him.
Instead of backing down, Sebastian bravely pushed Tommy back a few steps ignoring the sinister storm brewing above them.
Benjamin gave Jacob a look of dread once they heard the animal cries reach the stable fences. The neighing sounds of distress sent Benjamin running toward several stable doors.
“You hear that? It’s Poppy! I have to get her,” Benjamin cried, dodging Peter and Jacob’s grasp for him while he bolted past them.
“No! Benjamin, wait!” Jacob commanded.
In anxious precision, Benjamin shot over the fence the moment several horses came charging out from their stable doors. He tried to grab hold of the reigns of his horse, but Poppy was too fast and too frightened to yield. She continued racing behind her herd and galloped into the dark countryside.
“Poppy!” Benjamin called, cupping his hands in one last attempt to retrieve his friend.
Thunder roared across the entire farmland. The beautiful summer’s evening sky had turned as black as coal and brought with it a deathly smell. Tommy thought he was about to faint with nausea. Evil approached.
Sebastian covered his nose while he and Peter fought hard against the forceful winds that blew ruthlessly against them. Luckily, Sebastian was light enough for Peter to help pull into the barnyard. Jacob struggled to carry the heavy equipment on his shoulder while he helped pull Benjamin against the wind and away from the fleeing team of horses.
When Tommy regained his senses, he gazed over at Jacob and Benjamin struggling against the winds and noticed Jacob observing the skies, toward dark clouds that revealed horrible shapes.
Tommy watched the clouds appear to change into shapes more horrifying than mere objects. Leaves and dust kicked up from the ground beneath him. His eyes widened in horror the moment he realized what he had set his sight upon.