DAY OF THE SUPER BLOOD MOON
I woke from a fitful sleep, every muscle in my body complaining of abuse. Nearby, the imp slept on a cot, the creature’s wounds bandaged as best as we could.
We brought the imp back to the barn and found a large room in the back, eight cots with pillows and blankets distributed across the floor. The gardeners who came to the camp periodically to run the fleet of riding mowers probably used this room. Each of us chose a cot and instantly fell asleep, someone always taking a turn watching the Agarthan in case he woke during the night.
I sat up and found Elisa sitting next to the creature, a worried look on her face. She dipped a cloth into a bowl of water, then rung it out and placed it on the monster’s forehead. The imp stirred, then slowly opened his eyes. Instead of glowing red, like Malphas’s, his eyes were gray and peaceful.
“Are you okay?” Elisa placed a gentle hand on the monster’s broken horn. “Does it hurt much?”
The imp looked up at Elisa and then glanced at me, eyes darting back and forth. He shook his head, dislodging her hand from his horn.
The other kids woke and gathered around the imp, Karl, with his bat, standing menacingly nearby.
“Where am I?” The monster stood and moved backward, bumping into a cabinet. “I must get back to Agartha before the moon sets.”
The imp flapped his wings and ran toward the door, but Leonard stepped forward and caught the imp just as it was lifting off the ground. He wrapped his arms around the creature and held it tight to his chest, arm and wings pinned to his body.
“I must get back to Agartha before the moon sets, or I’ll die.” The imp struggled in vain against Leonard’s muscular arms, then gave up and stopped thrashing about.
“First, you’re gonna answer a few questions.” Karl moved closer to the imp and glared. “Then we’ll see what happens next.”
“Don’t let him scare you.” Elisa stepped between Karl and the imp. “Your name is Rylee, right? I heard that terrible gremlin, Krak, say it once.”
Rylee glanced from Karl to Elisa. “Yes, I am called Rylee.” He looked down at his arm and found the bandage wrapped around his wound. “You tried to heal me . . . why?”
“If we see someone suffering, we offer assistance, and you needed some help.” Elisa smiled at the little imp.
I moved closer to the creature. “Why do you think you’ll die when the moon sets? What does the moon do to you?”
“I don’t know.” Rylee glanced at Karl again, the baseball player frowning, then back to me. “The Master said it, so it must be true.”
“Who is your master?” Elisa asked.
“The Demon Lord, Malphas. He rules all of Agartha, and everyone is controlled by his demon-magic. They do as he commands.”
“What does Malphas want?” I moved closer to the imp and put a gentle hand on the creature’s shoulder.
“My master seeks the seven Skull Keys,” Rylee said.
“We know that already.” Karl pushed the tip of his bat into the tiny imp’s chest. “You’ll have to do better than that if you want to return to your precious Agartha.”
I shoved the bat away, then patted the imp on the shoulder again. “It’s okay. Don’t let him scare you, Rylee. Please tell us, why does your master want the Skull Keys?”
“I don’t . . . know.” The imp’s high-pitched voice quivered. “The Demon Lord never tells us why we must do something. He commands, and we obey. We have no choice.”
“What do you mean, you have no choice?” Elisa stepped up to Karl, put a hand on his bat, and forced it away from the imp.
“Malphas can control anyone he gazes upon. His red eyes take control of anyone who looks back at him. My eyes glow red because I’m under his control. I must get back, or he’ll be angry.” The imp struggled in Leonard’s grasp but still couldn’t get free.
“But your eyes aren’t—” Bobby said but was interrupted by Karl.
“We need to know how to stop him first, and then we’ll let you go.” Karl glared at Rylee.
“You cannot stop him. The Demon Lord of Agartha destroys all enemies and takes what is theirs. You’ve already lost; you just don’t know it yet.”
Light from outside leaked into the room through the window mounted in the door. It grew brighter as the sun rose.
“The moon . . . the moon!” Rylee wailed as he struggled within Leonard’s grasp. “Something is wrong. Please . . . let me go, or I’ll die.”
Elisa nodded.
Leonard set the imp on the ground, then opened the door. The tiny creature took off running through the barn. He flapped his small wings and floated into the air. When he reached the large barn doors, both open, Rylee stopped in midair and hovered there. The morning sun bathed the school grounds with its warm radiance, the cloudless sky showing a canopy of blue stretching to the horizon.
“It has set. The moon is gone. I’m going to die.” Rylee fell to the grass with a thud.
Elisa ran to him. “Rylee, are you okay?”
“I should be dead. The moon has set, yet I’m still alive.” The imp glanced at the mirror hanging from one of the doors and took to the air, floating to it. “My eyes . . . they no longer glow.” He reached up and carefully rubbed his eyes. Blinking, he gazed into the mirror again. “His hold over me, it’s gone!” The imp smiled a toothy smile, creepy and joyous all at once. “I am no longer a servant of Malphas, Demon Lord of Agartha. I am myself again. It’s been so long. I don’t know who I am.”
“You’re Rylee, and you’re surrounded by friends.” Elisa reached down and took the imp’s hand. Its long claws gently wrapped around her fingers.
“This is why Malphas makes you afraid of the setting moon,” Bobby said. “He doesn’t want his army to realize that freedom is just within their grasp.” He reached into a side pocket on his backpack and pulled out a box of Gummy Bears. Pouring a couple into his hand, Bobby offered them to the imp, then popped one in his mouth. “Try it.”
The imp took the candy and held it up to his little nose. He sniffed it, then took a small bite, his pointed tail flicking about. “Sweet.” The creature put the whole thing in his mouth and smiled. “Rylee likes.”
He held out a clawed hand for more. Bobby poured a dozen of them into the imp’s hand. Rylee shoved them all into his mouth.
“Slow down, Rylee.” I rushed forward. “Besides, I want some; don’t eat them all.”
Bobby handed the Agarthan the box of candy after gobbling down a few more. “Don’t worry. I always have more Gummy Bears; they’re my favorite.”
Rylee chewed the candy, a smile spreading across his red face. “I’m free, and you are friends?”
Elisa and I nodded.
“Even the great warriors.” He pointed to Leonard and Karl.
Leonard nodded as well, then elbowed Karl in the ribs, who rolled his eyes, then nodded.
“Sure, I’ll be friends with a monster from a parallel universe; why not?” Karl laughed. “I don’t have any real friends anyway. I might as well have a monster for one.”
Just then, a young girl approached the barn carrying a cardboard box.
“Rylee, hide,” I said.
The imp continued to stare into the mirror, transfixed. I stepped between the monster and the mirror, breaking Rylee’s gaze. The imp looked at me.
“Hide behind the mowers.” I pointed to the line of green metal beasts.
Rylee nodded and floated through the air, hiding behind one of the lawn mowers.
“Mrs. Chakoté said I should bring this to the barn in the morning.” The girl set the box on the ground, then turned and headed back toward the buildings on the other side of the lawn.
“I smell bacon.” Bobby moved to the box and lifted out a paper bag. Stuffing his hand inside, he pulled out a bagel sandwich, eggs and bacon trapped between the round bread.
Rylee flew to Bobby’s side and sniffed. “What is that smell?”
“It’s humanity’s greatest invention.” Bobby pulled a piece of bacon from the sandwich, folded it in half, then in half again, then did it one more time, forming a bacon cube. Bobby smiled, then popped it into his mouth.
Rylee stared at Bobby, the little imp’s mouth watering. Pulling out another piece of bacon, Bobby formed the yummy cube and handed it to Rylee. The imp sniffed it cautiously, then gobbled it down.
“That’s good,” the monster said with a smile. “Is there more?” The imp peered into the box, then took to the air and floated backward, pointing with a clawed finger. “Something glows.”
I reached into the box and pulled out a cloth-wrapped object. Removing the covering, I found a dagger, seven colorful stones mounted into its handle, the blue, green, and clear stones glowing faintly. The blade, made of dark metal, almost black, had a blunt tip, the edge rounded and dull. When I grasped the handle, each stone flashed, giving off a splash of color.
“Ahh . . . the Dagger of Stones.” Rylee hovered closer to me. “That is the only thing that can remove a Skull Key from the doorway linking Earth and Agartha, but it can only be used once. After a Skull Key is dislodged from the doorway, the dagger will dissolve and become useless. It must be used wisely, for you have only one chance.”
I held the dagger up to my eyes.
“The first person who touches it is the only one who can wield it.” Rylee looked at me. “The Blade of Stones is now yours.”
I shuddered. “I don’t want a dagger.”
Rylee shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what you want . . . it’s yours. You should use this powerful weapon only in the direst of circumstances.”
I shuddered again, slipped the knife under my belt, then grabbed a bottle of water from the box and took a drink.
“There’s a note in the box.” Elisa grabbed a folded piece of paper, then distributed the remaining sandwiches. She pulled a piece of bacon from between the bagel halves of her sandwich and tossed it to Rylee. The imp floated into the air, skewered it on a claw, and then gobbled it down.
Elisa smiled at Rylee, then read the note.
Kids,
I see by looking at the Chakra stones on my cane that the Agarthans have found three Skull Keys. This is not good. With three stones in place, larger monsters can move through the gateway and come to Earth. Undoubtedly, more monsters will search the tunnels and caves under the Crypt. They’ll likely find the rest of the skulls. The Order of the Stones is on the way; you just need to hold out for a little while longer.
With three skulls already found by the Agarthans, it would be best to focus your efforts on the most powerful of the Skull Keys, the black onyx Skull of Fear. Anyone who touches this Skull Key must confront their fears. Only the strongest have proven able to do this. Find the Skull of Fear and keep it safe. The Order hid it in the Cave of Soles, which is a clue to its location on the map.
Find the Skull of Fear and keep it from the monsters of Agartha. I have left you the Dagger of Stones to help, just in case Malphas gets all the Skulls.
Right now, everything depends on you. I have faith you’re all up to this challenge. If you aren’t, then death and destruction will greet us all.
Good Luck.
Mrs. Chakoté, Order of the Stones
“Cave of Soles . . . what does that mean?” Karl asked.
Leonard turned to Bobby. “Pull out the map. Let’s see if it shows a cave.”
Bobby took out the map and unfolded it, setting it on the hood of a riding mower. “The problem is, there are lots of caves. Which one is the Cave of Soles?”
I pointed to the map. “It’s that one.”
“How do you know?” Karl pushed his way to the map and stared at it.
“She spelled it S-O-L-E-S, right?” I asked.
Elisa nodded.
“That cave is shaped like the bottom of a shoe.” I looked up from the map and smiled. “That’s the one.”
“Okay then, let’s get the Skull of Fear.” Bobby folded up the map and shoved it into a pocket.
“I can help.” The imp floated into the air and landed on the mower. “You’re my new friends. Malphas will do terrible things if he gets all the Skull Keys.”
Elisa glanced at me. “You sure we can do this?”
I shrugged, then shuddered. A faint buzzing emerged from the dark places of my mind; the Beast was awakening.
Leonard stepped forward and spoke softly, the sadness in his eyes fading a bit. “There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.” He paused for a moment to let them all digest the words. “That’s a quote from a famous Admiral during World War II, Admiral William Halsey.” Leonard moved to my side and put an arm around my shoulder. “I don’t know if we’re great people, but we will rise to this challenge, right, Cameron?”
“Ahh . . . umm . . . sure, I guess.”
“That was way too much confidence, Poole,” Karl said sarcastically. “Like, wow.” He grinned a mischievous grin.
Bobby cleared his throat, then stood tall and spoke. “Let the overwhelming size and devastating strength of our enemy not deter us from our task.” He looked at his companions and smiled. “How about that one?”
“Overwhelming size?” Leonard asked.
Elisa shook her head. “Devastating strength . . . really?”
“I think you might have missed on that proclamation, just like the others, Techie.” Karl laughed. “But I liked it.” He picked up Number Three and headed out of the barn. “Let’s go. We have a date with some terrifying monsters.”
Leonard glanced at me, an eyebrow raised with an unasked question. I returned the expression with a shrug, then gathered my things and followed, the rest of the kids donning their bags and weapons.
“Wait a minute.” Bobby dashed into the back room. He pulled a bed aside and pried up a loose board from the floor. Reaching into the darkness, he withdrew multiple boxes of candy. “This is an emergency stash; I have them hidden throughout the school.” He shook a box of Hot Tamales and an envelope of Pop Rocks. “I can’t go back into those spooky tunnels without something spicy for my tongue.”
“What are they?” Rylee asked as he sniffed the box.
“I’ll show you later, Rylee, that is, if we survive.” Bobby laughed as if it were the funniest thing he had ever said.
I shuddered and headed back to the barn’s entrance.
As we walked through the barn, Rylee spotted the mirror mounted to the door and hovered in the air, unable to look away.
“Rylee, come on,” I said, but the monster didn’t respond; the imp was transfixed by his reflection.
Stepping up to the mirror, I put myself directly in front of the imp, blocking his view.
“What happened?” Rylee glanced about, afraid.
“You just got stuck in front of the mirror.” I reached out to the monster. “Close your eyes and hold on to my hand.” I led the imp out of the barn.
When we were clear, Rylee opened his eyes and flew ahead, watching for monsters from high in the air.
I looked back at the barn door and Mr. Wallace’s mirror. Something about it tugged at the back of my mind, like a memory fading away. All I could think about was the art studio at Camp Pontchartrain, but that didn’t make any sense. With a shrug, I let the thought go and caught up with my friends, trying to ignore the what-ifs surfacing from the depths of my mind.
But as I walked toward the Crypt, I felt as if we were approaching the edge of a deadly cliff, and we were all about to plummet to our doom.