by R L Delaney
Chapter Ten
"How do you think it went," Harrison asked Prophet as they were sitting around the table in his camper. "Did the rabbits return? How did it go?"
"Fine," Prophet replied. "According to the rabbits, they created quite a stir. According to them, it was a disaster."
Harrison frowned. "What do you mean? It went bad?"
Prophet shrugged his shoulders. "I never know how much to trust the word of a rabbit, so I don't really know. They told me there was a lot of running and screaming, and most of them felt very scared and out of place. I think after they had been there for about an hour they all decided to go back home to the forest."
"They did?" Harrison did not like that answer. "So, now that the rabbits are gone, things are back to normal. The allergies stopped, the Shadow Walkers are back to business, and all is as it was before?"
Prophet shrugged his shoulders. "How should I know? Maybe."
Harrison’s shoulders sagged and he leaned back in his seat while shaking his head. “So, it was a big waste of time.”
Prophet gave him a foul stare. “Come on, Harry… you can’t blame these rabbits. They did the best they could.” He pressed his lips together, and then a light flashed over his face. "I tell you, tomorrow we go into town… together. You and I, and we continue with our warning message. Maybe that whole rabbit idea failed, but our warnings will surely do the trick. And you…," he pointed at Harrison, "… you will go with me, and you will wear my extra robe."
Harrison wanted to say something, but Prophet shushed him. "I don't want to hear about it anymore. This is final." He banged with his fist on the camping table, rattling the teacups. "And now you go feed that Billows fellow. He needs food too, or we will be charged with neglect." He clearly did not want to be confused with Harrison’s arguments, as he closed his eyes and began to hum a little made-up song.
A walker here, a walker there
Oh, there’s Walkers everywhere
Dogs, rabbits, men and maidens fair
All unite against their hellish scare.
Harrison sighed and a deep sense of loneliness came over him. He was apparently destined to stay with this crazy fellow and his chances of ever living a normal life seemed to shrink by the day. He got up from his seat and grabbed a bunch of carrots to feed Billows. It was all he could find.
He stared once more at Prophet, but the man was still humming his silly made-up rhyme. Dear God, deliver me. Then he opened the door and stepped outside.
Minutes later he returned, his face was white as a sheet, and panic was written all over his face.
Prophet opened his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Carl Billows," Harrison said while his breath came in short gasps. "He's gone. There’s not even a trace of him. The rope is gone too."
Prophet scratched his head. "That's strange. He doesn't know where the traps are, and he surely would have been caught again. How could he be gone?"
“He will tell the others,” Harrison howled. “They will come to get us.”
Prophet curled his lips and shrugged his shoulders. “Then at least we’ll die with our boots on.”
Harrison fell back on the seat and shook his head in dismay.
"Prophet?" Harrison asked while he stared at the skinny man.
"What?"
"I'll go with you tomorrow when you go into town. Since we are going to die anyway we may as well die in a blaze."
Wilson nuzzled his nose in between Harrison’s legs and let out a soft bark.
“What’s he saying?” Prophet asked as he frowned. He had not been paying attention to the dog.
“I don’t know,” Harrison replied in a flat tone. He thought about it for a moment and then let out a chuckle. “Maybe something like, ‘Don't worry, boss. Tomorrow we’ll all be in heaven.’”
Prophet laughed. "That may be just about right.” He gave Harrison a sympathetic smile. “You see, Harry… talking to the animals is a lot easier than you think.”
Whatever. Harrison frowned and patted the dog. “Come on, Wilson, it’s time for your walk.” He looked up at Prophet. “Can you please turn off these traps of yours, so I can safely walk the dog?”
”Why don’t you ask the rabbits to guide you,” Prophet mumbled without looking up. “You’re getting quite good at your animal talking skills.”
Harrison sighed. Whatever the future would bring, he did not know, but at least tomorrow he would go back to Deswbury and he would be delivered from a life in the home of a crazy man.
“Would you like another cup of tea and a slice of cake, Mr Perpetiël?” Justin’s mother was holding the tray with chocolate fudge cake right before the monk's nose. The giant man blinked his eyes and licked his lips.
“I-I really should not, Mrs Ames,” he mumbled. “You see, we monks follow a very special diet.”
Justin chuckled. “Yes, and that’s why you had three slices already.”
Brother Perpetiël blushed and yielded to the sweet temptation before him as he pulled another slice off the tray. Just before he put his teeth into it with a guilty look on his serene face, he mumbled something about the cake being heavenly.
It was now two days after the showdown with Sternfoot and the victorious march of the rabbits. At first, both monks had wanted to leave right away. “We do not like to stay in the limelight, young Justin,” Brother Perpetiël said. “The people are all healed and back to their normal way of thinking. The power of the Desastrotrax is broken, and I am sure it won’t take long before everything in Dewsbury will return to normal.”
Brother Josebius added, “You don’t need us anymore.”
But, both Justin and Amy had insisted Brother Perpetiël and Josebius would stay around anyway, at least for a few days before returning to the monastery
Father Galvéz agreed. “The people of Dewsbury want to show their gratitude. Justin is right.”
“Please stay,” Amy insisted. “Just for a few days…”
And so the monks reluctantly agreed and had been wined and dined by both Justin and Amy’s parents. But now they were about to leave and were having their last meeting with Justin and Amy in Justin’s parents living room.
“So…” Justin asked with hesitation, “… all is really safe now?”
Brother Perpetiël pressed his lips together. “In this world, young Justin, it is never really safe. We live in a broken world, and evil is constantly lurking for a way to get in. But for the moment, the Shadow Walkers are no longer a direct threat,
“But what about Sternfoot?” Amy wanted to know. “The man just disappeared. Is he dead, and if not, where is he?”
Brother Perpetiel shook his head. “I don’t really know, Amy. But I do know that he is no match for the power of the Elixir.”
Justin nodded. “Still, I don’t like it. Rigby ran off too, and there were other Walkers too. Spooks like Carl Billows for example. How can we be sure we will not ever see them again?”
“You can’t,” Brother Perpetiël said with a firm shake of his head. “We will always have to fight evil. It is the very reason you have been anointed with the Elixir and why we, as the Guardians of the Sacred Tome continue to pray in our monastery.”
Justin wanted to say more, but at that moment Balthazar began to bark, and seconds later the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” Justin’s father said, as he got up.
He disappeared into the hall and for a moment all was quiet. Then they all heard a loud cry, followed by joyful exclamations and loud foot stomping. Balthazar kept barking and was jumping up and down near the door.
Justin frowned and Amy’s eyes widened. “What’s going on?”
And then, seconds later, the door to the living room opened again and Uncle Harry stepped in, his face beaming with joy. However, he was dressed in a most unusual fashion, almost as if he were wearing his Mom’s nightgown. But, on second thought, Justin realized that wasn’t true, as the robe Uncle Harry was wearing was made out of different material. He was followed by a
nother, skinny man who was holding a German shepherd by a leash in his bony hands.
Justin jumped up and ran to his uncle. “Uncle Harry… Thank God you are safe. I was worried sick about you.” He threw himself into his uncle’s arms.
After they had stood like that in a warm embrace for what seemed like the longest time, Justin took a step backwards and stared at Uncle Harry with a questioning gaze. “I am so glad to see you, Uncle, but… why are you dressed so… weird?”
Uncle Harry smiled. “It’s a long story, Justin. To be frank… I thought this was going to be my last day on earth, and so did my friend here, but I suppose the Good Lord had other plans for us.” He turned to the skinny man who was dressed equally weird, and introduced him to the others. “This, everybody is Prophet… and we’ve got quite a tale to tell.”
“Welcome to our home, Mr Prophet,” Justin’s Mom said as she pulled out a chair for both Harrison and Prophet. “Would both of you like a piece of chocolate fudge cake?”
Uncle Harry’s face broke into a wide grin. “You have no idea, how much I would appreciate a piece of home-made chocolate fudge cake.”
He plopped himself down on the chair, grabbed a piece of cake and sighed. “You have no idea, how good it feels to be home.”
To be continued.
Other Books in this series…
BOOK 1: Shadow Walkers
BOOK 2: Guardians of the Light
