The Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro

by J. Hickey

  Chapter 2

  Mysteries Abound

  The children sat in the room for hours before anything eventful transpired. Elly didn't mind terribly, as she found herself spellbound by one of the thick, leather-bound books she had pulled from the small library they had added just for her. Unfortunately, Elly had found the book to be a bit troublesome to read, struggling with more than a few of the words she had never seen before. She found the book absorbing nonetheless.

  This particular book was entitled "Professor Claudio Calenstine's Memoirs of Weird and Wonderful Things," which turned out to be some sort of journal chronicling a young man's route around the world exploring myths and mysterious abound. The author wrote in detail about a bunch of strange creatures and items he had come across. Elly found the artwork in the book to be quite pleasurable as well, and although she figured it was just a fictional story about mysterious legendary creatures and hidden treasures, she couldn't help but wonder if any of it was true.

  Hunter, on the other hand, sat idly by, peering out through the bay window onto the massive courtyard. He hadn't said much since Margot had left them, ignoring the few times Elly had tried sharing something interesting she had found in the book. He struggled with the sudden feeling of abandonment. Hunter had always been a lively child, albeit a bit shy when it came to unfamiliar social activities, but he was always energetic and imaginative around the house. Since the loss of his parents, he had become a different child altogether, reclusive, quiet, and hot-tempered in general. It was easy to tell, Hunter had quickly become a shell of the fun-loving, smiling young man he once was.

  "Hunter, look there's a picture of that werewolf thing Margot told us about in this book." Elly got excited, running over to her big brother's side to show him.

  "It's all fake, Elly. I've seen plenty of movies about werewolves. They're not real, neither is that stupid book," said Hunter, blowing off her enthusiasm.

  "Whatever, I was just trying to help," Elly replied, ignoring his bitterness and returning to her book.

  "Don't bother," Hunter told her.

  "Fine," she added. "I just won't talk to you then…"

  "Fine with me!" he shot back.

  Hunter didn't truly understand why he was so angry with his little sister. He had no idea how to manage the tornado of emotions running rampant through his mind-he was completely at their mercy.

  Despite the lavish view from the bay window, it really added no excitement to Hunter's afternoon. If anything, it left him feeling very discouraged. The window looked out over the main courtyard, through which he and Elly had been escorted by Ms. Ellingbee when they first arrived. In the far distance, he could see the small pathway that led up to the immense iron gate, and even the eerie large oak tree near the entrance. From this vantage point, Hunter thought the iron gate didn't look all that enormous and awe-inspiring like it had earlier when he first gazed up at it.

  He looked around the landscape for anything noteworthy, something that potentially could aid them in an escape attempt, but mostly he just found the thickness of surrounding forest very daunting. Hunter couldn't see much of the estate from the window, and unbeknownst to him at the time, the majority of the subsidiary sections of the estate sat to the south, behind the mansion, or completely hidden underground.

  The dense woodland that grew around the large stone walls completely encircled the property as far as his eyes could see. Hunter found the forest strange, and it left him with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. It didn't look, nor feel to him to be just an average forest. He had been out in the woods before with his father camping, and he had loved the summer months when his dad would take him out for a few weekends, just the two of them, and lived off the land. No, he knew these woodlands were vastly different from any other forest he had been in. He thought these woods were alive, like they were somehow one giant living organism, completely aware of its surroundings. At first, he had felt silly thinking this way, but while they had waited outside in the cold with the taxi driver, he swore that the trees were watching them, that they had eyes hidden deep in their trunks. This had made Hunter nervous, but he didn't mention it at the time through fear of sounding childish. No, all this talk of creatures and werewolves was nonsense; he knew his imagination was getting the better of him.

  Now, as he stared through the barred window, the forest worried him for a different reason altogether. He had thought of escaping and running away back home. Perhaps, he hoped he could live with one of their friends' families. He thought if he and Elly could manage to escape the mansion, and somehow scale the large surrounding stone walls, which seemed practically impossible, or manage to steal the large key and sneak out through the iron gate-he was leaning towards this idea-they would be close to being free.

  It was the next step in the escape plan that had Hunter worried the most. He didn't think he and his sister would be able to cope with the inherent dangers that may lay in wait in the mysterious forest. He knew very little about navigating in the wilds. He remembered there was the small stony road that the taxi had followed to get them to the mansion, but the drive along that small path had taken over two hours. Hunter had no idea how long that would take two children on foot. What if the people living in the mansion set out looking for them after they escaped? The road would surely be the first place they would look. It wouldn't be safe; they would need to keep hidden within the deepest parts of the forest to evade detection.

  "Attention children!" the familiar voice of Ms. Ellingbee shot through a large speaker that, until now, had remained hidden from their view on the ceiling. "We do apologize for the wait, but dinner will be brought up within the hour."

  "Great, we can't even leave this room to eat. We really are prisoners," Hunter groaned.

  "I do have some joyous news to deliver. Your Uncle Joseph is on the line, and I have him patched through so you can speak to him over the speaker. Just give me a second to connect you."

  "Uncle Joey!" Elly jumped down from the bed and ran towards the speaker.

  After a few seconds of silence, the children heard a beep and then their uncle's voice.

  "Hey, guys, can you hear me?" Uncle Joe asked over the speaker.

  "Uncle Joey, can you hear us?" Elly asked back with excitement.

  "I sure can!" he responded. "How are you guys holding up over there?"

  "Hunter's upset, but I'm doing okay. They gave me lots of books to read," Elly answered.

  "Hunter, what's wrong, buddy?"

  "They have us locked up in here like criminals," answered Hunter. "They locked the door and they even have bars on the windows. The place is scary too. I hate it here."

  "Well… there are some adjustments we're working on. Just be patient for me, okay, guys? Things will get better soon, I promise."

  "Why can't we come live with you?" Hunter asked.

  "I'd love for you guys to live with me, but now's just not the right time. I can't afford much for myself, let alone provide for you guys."

  "We don't care, we hate it here," Hunter said again.

  "Your parents wished for you guys to be raised there under Professor Calenstine's care if something ever happened to them. They knew what they were doing, so trust in their judgment. I'm sure you're in good hands."

  "I doubt they even really knew Mom and Dad, and we haven't even met this professor guy, yet," Hunter argued back.

  "Margot and Miss Patricia are both nice though," Elly added, trying to ease the situation.

  "Well, I have met Professor Claudio Calenstine before. He's a very bright man, and he knows what's best for you both. You know I was invited to the mansion once when I was little!"

  "Really?" Elly asked.

  "Yes, do they still have the unicorns when you walk in? They were my favorite when I was your age. There are a lot of neat things in the mansion, guys, and it holds a lot of very important things too. So please, understand that it's very vital for you to listen to Professor Calenstine and his staff. When the time's right, t
hey'll let you in on some of their secrets. Until then, behave and be courteous."

  "Secrets?" Hunter asked.

  "Yes, but not until the time is right, and you've proved you're trustworthy. It isn't something anyone can take in overnight, but little by little, you will learn. I mean it though, your parents would want you to be respectful, listen, and take your home-schooling seriously."

  "This is so unfair!" Hunter yelled, unable to hold his tears back any longer. "I want my mom and dad back. I want to go home, I hate you all…" Hunter ran to his bed and pulled his covers over his head.

  "Hunter, it breaks my heart. I loved taking care of you guys when your parents left on their trips. It's a terrible thing that happened. Our family will never be the same… I do have some good news though. I'm braving my fear of flying and coming up to spend some time with you guys very soon. I won't let you guys be alone during this time-I promise."

  "Really?" Hunter wiped the tears from his face away and stuck his head out from under his covers.

  "I swear it… You know it's been like ten years since I've been back to the mansion. Despite all the terrible things that have happened, returning there makes me happy. I'm excited to see you both." Uncle Joe added before hanging up, "I have to go now guys, stay strong, and listen to your new family. I'll see you soon, and Hunter, take care of your little sister."

  The children heard the click and the lonely sound of a dial tone for a brief second before Ms. Patricia came back on.

  "I'm sorry, children… I know this is hard for you right now. Ms. Margot and I will do our best in comforting you during this time. In approximately an hour, I shall bring you both up your suppers."

  The phone call from their uncle, who had been just as much a parent to them as their mother and father had-watching them for months at a time when their parents left on their business trips-had left the children feeling hopeful. Hunter knew deep down that their parents and his uncle wouldn't leave them in the hands of strangers, and thus decided to put his guard down a bit and try and make the best of the situation.

  He picked out one of the multitude of books and took a seat next to his sister, who remained on the bed reading Professor Calenstine's journal. Hunter thought Elly seemed fine despite everything the two of them had endured in the last two weeks. She sat on the bed, feet swinging back and forth, and she turned the pages, humming that same tune as before. Hunter opened his book, "Secret Societies and Mysterious Figures of the U.S.A." He didn't do so much reading as randomly thumbing through the pages, trying to reconnect with his sister, who he felt bad for yelling at earlier.

  "Sorry, Elly…" He kept his eyes on his book; he never liked apologizing to anyone, especially Elly, who oftentimes got him in trouble and in turn rarely apologized for it, and he felt awkward doing so.

  When his uncle had asked him to take care of her, it had resounded loudly in his head. Things weren't the same anymore. He was a bit too young to know exactly how much they had changed at the time, but his instincts knew that he had to take care of his little sister more than ever before. He wasn't angry about it, despite the sibling rivalry, and he knew his sister and uncle were all that was left of his family. He wanted to make sure he could protect them. The only anger the young Hunter felt was the abandonment from the loss of his parents, and the inability to keep them safe himself. He continued to struggle with those whirlwind of emotions. At thirteen years old, he had a better understanding of the situation than his little sister, but he was still a bit too immature to truly grip the hardships he was enduring.

  "Why are you sorry?" Elly asked. She stopped reading and looked up towards her brother.

  He tried his best to mask his watering eyes and didn't respond, but Elly saw his pain, which was more than enough to start her crying as well. She hugged her older brother and didn't let go until they heard the loud knock at their door.

  "Children?" Margot's voice asked, followed by a loud click from the lock mechanism inside the bedroom door. Margot popped her head in with a sympathetic smile. She carried in with her a large tray filled with numerous plates of food. It didn't take long for the wonderful smell to hit the children's nose, and Elly's stomach rumbled with anticipation.

  To the children's surprise, behind her walked a well-dressed man wearing a black suit with a dark red tie and a thick Teflon vest with bright yellow letters saying "MFPA."

  The man didn't say a single word, nor make eye contact with the children. He stood in the doorway, merely guarding the room, his eyes attuned to the hallway as if he was looking for something specific. Hunter made the assumption that he was there in case he and Elly made an attempt to run. The man was bald, but rather young-in his late thirties-and very fit looking. Hunter was fairly intimidated by the man's presence.

  "Don't mind my friend over there," Margot said, acknowledging the children's worrisome glare. "He's just doing his job. Not much with words, but he does have a friendly smile."

  "Doing his job of keeping us locked up in here?" Hunter asked.

  "Yes and no…" Margot answered truthfully. "I wish I was at liberty to explain a bit more of the predicament we're in." She made her way over to the children's small dining table, which sat in the corner of the room alongside the bay window.

  "Why can't you?" Elly asked as she grabbed a seat.

  "Well," Margot began, dishing up two plates with rosemary mashed potatoes, a huge pile of honey-glazed carrots, and chunks of thick-cut salty ham steaks. "Let's just say he's more of a protector for us both rather than a guardsman."

  "Protecting us from what?" Hunter asked, taking a bite of his cured ham. It was sweet and salty as the honey glaze of the carrots mixed wonderfully with the meat.

  "Well, that's the part I can't say," she added. "No worry, you're both safe as can be in here, which is why we can't have you roaming around. Do enjoy your meal." She nodded and left the children behind.

  "The food is good," Elly said cramming a mouthful of mashed potatoes into her mouth and leaving all her table manners at bay.

  "We need to find a way out of here." Hunter pushed his plate to the side.

  "Why? I'm not running away into those scary woods. I'd rather stay locked up here. Plus," Elly added, talking between mouthfuls of food, "I still think everyone here is nice, even if they are keeping us locked up. Like Uncle Joey said, Mom and Dad wouldn't give us to anyone mean."

  "Maybe not on purpose," Hunter added. "But I'm not talking about escaping at the moment. If they won't tell us why they're keeping us locked up, then I say we go exploring and find out for ourselves."

  "That sounds scary, I don't want to…" Elly answered.

  "Look!" Hunter stood up quickly from the dining table and eagerly ran over to the bay window. Something had caught his eye.

  "What is it? I'm eating," Elly explained, more interested in picking over Hunter's leftovers.

  "Seriously, come look, now!" he shouted.

  Elly reluctantly got up walked over to the window.

  Outside stood Patricia Ellingbee with the older man in the wheelchair that they had seen earlier. There was a second, younger man with them they didn't recognize. The chill of the night air had brought with it a small snowfall, which normally would be quite an elegant sight from the bay window if it wasn't for the argument ensuing below.

  The children could only hear the murmurs of the yelling, but their body language told them that the younger man was quite angry.

  The enraged man had a thick head of black hair and a visible scar across the right side of his face that stretched from his eyebrow all the way down to his cheekbone. The scar-faced man looked livid, tensely waving his hand in a furry towards the older man, who sat very calmly in his wheelchair. The scar-faced man was dressed in an all-black outfit, his attire reminding Hunter of a SWAT team member he had seen on a cable television show. He wore thick black boots with black cargo pants tucked into them. His long-sleeved shirt was covered by a Teflon vest with the letters MFPA in bright yellow letters across it, exactly like th
e guard Margot brought with her had been wearing. Across his shoulder was a leather strap that held a large gun.

  "Why is that guy is so angry?" Elly asked.

  "What does that MFPA stand for?," Hunter answered, ignoring his sister's question.

  "Never heard of it. What about the old man in the wheelchair, who is he anyway?" Elly added.

  Suddenly the children heard a loud bang from downstairs that made them both jump. Elly even fell out of her chair and crashed hard onto the floor. They could tell the arguing party outside had also heard it, as their heads darted towards the mansion doors. Then a very loud growl echoed throughout the mansion walls, followed by an even louder scream. Hunter ran over to Elly to help her up. She was visibly shaking from the fear of the loud piercing howl.

  The scar-faced man in black cocked his rifle and promptly ran into the house with no fear. Patricia followed suit, pushing the elder man in the wheelchair back into the warmth of the mansion.

  "Hunter, what in the world was that?" Elly cried, terrified, her cheeks now stained with salty tears.

  "Err… I don't know, Elly," Hunter replied. He ran towards the bedroom door and cupped his hand up to his ear, placing the side of his head against the door to see if he could hear anything else.

  "Get away from the door, Hunter," Elly begged. Her knees now trembled as she ran from the window to underneath her bed, curling up tightly into a ball.

  "You heard them. They said we were safe in here. Maybe that animal is running around inside the mansion. That must be what they're so afraid of," Hunter answered.

  "What do you think it is? That growl was loud…" Elly said, her voice trembling.

  "This mansion is huge. Who knows what it could be. Maybe a stray dog or something," Hunter added. "Or a bear… I bet those woods are loaded with bears." Hunter had never really seen any wild animals, unless you counted the summer his parents took the children to the local zoo. The most he had ever come across camping with his father were a couple of wild deer.

  Things settled down a little for the children shortly after the mysterious growling incident. Elly calmed down and managed to get up enough courage to come out from underneath the bed, only to get lost once again in one of her books. Hunter, however, had a different plan in mind. He wandered about the room, looking for any sort of potential way he may be able to sneak out.

  A few hours passed before Margot came knocking on their bedroom door, followed in quickly by the well-dressed guard they had met earlier that day. He once again stood silently by, keeping an eye out into the hallway. The kids could tell right away that Margot wasn't her normal cheerful self and acted quite a bit more anxious than normal. The children decided not to ask about the incident, nor did Margot give any information as to why she was so edgy. Instead, she quickly gathered the dishes and made her way to the door.

  "I'm sorry, children, but it's late," Margot said, "and it's been a very stressful day for us all. Sweet dreams."

  "Goodnight," Hunter said as he unpacked his pajamas from his suitcase to ready himself for bed.

  "Will we see you tomorrow?" Elly asked.

  "Of course you will," Margot said, forcing a smile. She then quickly turned off the lights and locked the door behind her.

  Sleep didn't come quickly for either of the children, but it did come gradually. There was a full moon that night, and it rested high in the sky with very few clouds to mask its brightness. This allowed for the perfect amount of natural moonlight to creep into the children's bedroom, which aided them both in sleep. Neither of the children felt comfortable sleeping in the complete darkness of their new home. There was just too much going on for them to be at peace with any of their surroundings.

  It seemed to be a peaceful night until Hunter was awoken from a deep sleep by a sudden and loud rumbling coming from high in the corner of their room. Hunter had always been a light sleeper, unlike Elly, who could sleep through an earthquake. It was so loud he wondered how even she could have slept through it.

  Hunter sat up slowly from his bed and rubbed his eyes to wipe away the sleepiness. He slowly walked over to where he had heard the strange noise, tiptoeing as to not startle his little sister in case she did suddenly wake up. The noise came from high in the wall, almost at the ceiling, and on the opposite side of the room from where their beds sat.

  Hunter pinpointed where the mysterious sound had originated from, but he couldn't figure out what it was he had heard, and now it sounded like the thing was moving. He followed the strange shuffling noise from within the wall for a few feet until he came upon one of the large heater vents. These heater vents were one of the few modern elements of the children's room.

  They had been installed in the mansion a few years ago during one of the modifications of the building. The mansion, being quite large, had a myriad of these ventilation shafts and large heater ducts systematically placed throughout the building to ensure proper airflow.

  There, through the grated vents, Hunter finally saw something move, but it was quite dark, and he couldn't make out what it was he was looking at. He could just make out the barely audible sound of something softly breathing. Knowing something wasn't right, he slowly backed away, suddenly tripping over one of the wooden chairs from the dining table. It fell and made a loud crashing noise, but Elly didn't stir. She slept peacefully away, unknowing of the danger lurking about her room.

  Hunter froze in terror, whatever it was inside the vent made a violent jolt from the sudden noise of the falling chair. Suddenly, two bright green eyes illuminated from the shadows of the shaft. A sudden sense of panic stiffened every muscle in Hunter's body. The bright green eyes stared at him momentarily before darting promptly out of sight. Hunter heard the creature burrow, now quite fast, through the vents, and within seconds, the noise faded off deep into the mansion's structure.

  Hunter gasped for air, something big was lurking about this creepy old mansion's framework, and for the first time since arriving, Hunter believed Margot and Ms. Ellingbee actually were trying to keep them safe. He sat in the corner of the room for the rest of the night as far away from the vents as possible, his knees tucked up to his chin.

  Hunter felt the dull pain of fear and depression creep over his young body once again. He missed the safety of his home, his parents, and his once normal thirteen-year-old existence. It took hours, but he finally fell asleep in the corner, rolled up into a ball, eagerly awaiting the morning sun.

  He dreamed that night of those glowing green eyes.