Town Secrets - The Book of Adam 1

by Scott Gelowitz

  The blue-green flames roared around the island, providing enough cover so that Adam could take his time. He reached in and pulled out the bag, then untied the elaborate knot in the drawstring.

  Opening the bag, he pulled out the stone and looked at it. It was beautiful. It was a deep red color, and although it wasn’t transparent, it had depth while seeming to shimmer. It wasn’t large, just big enough to fit comfortably in the palm of his hand.

  Then Adam remembered the instruction. Connect with the stone. He cupped it in his hands and brought it to his forehead but was nervous to start. The stories of its power made him worry that connecting with it might not be a good idea, but the instruction he received told him otherwise, and so far it hadn’t been wrong. He took a deep breath and concentrated on making a connection.

  Into the stone he fell, but not as far as he was expecting. He reached the center and once again floated limbless inside. Instead of a book, a small scroll came forward, filled with writing. Once it was close enough, Adam read:

  To whoever is connected with this stone: this is not the Heartstone you are looking for, it is a copy. The real Heartstone has been taken away without the knowledge of Elianora or any others in the Sentinel League, in the hopes of keeping it safe.

  We know our locations have been compromised. Elianora was unwilling to believe, so we have taken over.

  A strange symbol appeared at the bottom of the scroll before Adam was thrown back to reality.

  Larix is not going to be happy with this, he thought.

  He put the copy of the Heartstone back into the bag and tied it up as it was before. He thought for a moment, formulating a plan. Once again it relied on luck more than skill, as his plan was basically to run.

  “Have you found it yet?” yelled Larix over the roar of the flames.

  “Yeah, I just have to get the bridge back,” Adam shouted in reply.

  He grabbed the pin and the pillar rose again. The flames died, and the bridge came back once more.

  I have to get out of here, thought Adam.

  He walked across the bridge, watching Larix beaming with joy on the other side. Adam knew his joy would be short-lived when he figured it out.

  “My prize. It’s been away for too long,” said Larix, reaching his hands out toward Adam.

  Hoping to buy some time, Adam threw the bag against the far wall and ran for the hole they swam out of initially.

  Larix laughed as he sauntered over to the bag. “Run, boy, run. I don’t need you anymore.”

  Adam exhaled as hard as he could and dived into the water. He inhaled, and that time had no trouble breathing the water right away.

  He was nearly at the bottom, where it turned into the hallway leading to the chamber, when a scream sounded through the water, even as far down as he had already swam. The sound of it scared him, and he swam as fast as he was able, hoping he didn’t waste time finding the exit in the next room.

  He felt a pressure wave hit the water. Larix is chasing me, and he’s angry! Swim!

  His legs and arms ached from the effort. His hands knocked the walls again and again, but the fear in him hid the pain. Once he was through the doorway, he swam up toward the landing they had been at before. Seeing the edge of the water ahead, he took in a deep breath of water, popped his head out and exhaled with all the power he had in his chest. The first breath of air burned all the way down, but he fought the instinct to cough and grabbed the landing.

  As he touched the landing he triggered another image. On the far wall was a hidden platform and exit.

  Adam pushed off and swam as fast as he could manage. As soon as he reached the wall he felt for the hidden platform. He found it exactly where the image in his mind showed it to be, then climbed out of the water and ran through the connected zigzag passageway.

  He stopped at the exit. It led to the room with the high ceiling and long stairwell. It had been filled halfway with water. Adam realized he was standing in the opening he had seen above the doorway into the chamber.

  He dove into the water and swam for the stairs, staying above the water as he didn’t want to go through the change from breathing liquid back to air again.

  As he reached the stairs, he heard a familiar yell behind him.

  “Get back here now, you filthy Common bug! Bring me my prize,” Larix screamed in an unrecognizable accent, almost hysterical.

  Adam ran up the stairs, not stopping. There was no way he was going back to Larix. Fear filled and fuelled him.

  “You have it, don’t you?” Larix screamed as he came through the same opening Adam had just left. “All of you planned to give me that trinket just to laugh at me. I’ll show you!”

  Adam kept climbing, his legs burning, but once again adrenaline was carrying a lot of the load. Soon he made it to the top of the stairs and ran down the long hallway.

  Back at the large cave, Adam ran to the right. As he approached, he saw how the entire bridge was visible from that direction. He ran over the bridge and sped up when he neared the trapdoor area. He flew over the trapdoor then slowed his pace on the other side, and soon he was at the base of the bridge, his side in pain from all the effort.

  Larix stepped through the hallway opening on the other side, walking like he was strolling through a park. He had brought his temper under control, stopped and looked at Adam across the cavern.

  “No need to run. You have nowhere to go anyway,” said Larix. “Just give me my prize, and I’ll keep you around like I said before. You made me angry, but you can make it up to me. Just hand it over.” Larix sounded like a child begging for a toy.

  Adam had almost caught his breath again. “I don’t have it,” he called back to Larix.

  Even from across the cavern, Adam saw Larix’s face curl up in anger.

  “Why do you have to lie to me,” he shouted back at Adam, running toward the bridge.

  Adam ran to the stairs, the fear back again. He took a moment to make sure he was on the right side stairs instead of the left, so he wouldn’t fall into the hole, then climbed into the darkness.

  Please forget which side the hole is on, he wished to himself.

  He heard footsteps approaching the stairs below him then starting up the stairs at a quick pace. He was amazed at how fast the footsteps sounded.

  “You just keep running. I’m in great condition and I’ll catch you soon. Then I’ll teach you not to lie to me!”

  Adam kept going as fast as he could, but Larix was gaining ground. He made it to the first landing and saw dim light at the entrance above, reflecting off the bottom of the office building. It had to be yard lights, as it was past dusk.

  What to do? Larix was catching up to him, and Larix’s men were still at the top.

  Adam decided to run for it. Dive out of the stairwell and try to get behind the office or Radome. Maybe he could even make it into the Radome. It was the only plan he could think of as he climbed the stairs.

  Larix’s footsteps sounded on the landing much sooner than Adam anticipated. He was gaining on Adam, and unless Adam sped up, Larix would catch him before he reached the top. At that moment, Adam would rather have faced the bullets than the wrath of Larix.

  “You really think you can beat me?” he laughed, then started climbing the stairs at an impressive pace.

  Adam concentrated on his task, although he was already exhausted both physically and mentally. He had to try. He couldn’t give up. For Elianora. For Kevin. For his mom. Somehow he managed to sprint the last length of stairs.

  “Shoot him when he comes up then shoot everyone but Elianora,” yelled Larix, right behind Adam as he neared the top.

  The last steps were agonizing as Adam thought he felt Larix’s fingers grasping at his pant legs. Near the top, he jumped out with all the strength he had left and rolled.

  Two gunshots sounded in the darkness.

  Adam stopped rolling and lay still. Was he dead, or just asleep? Is this what it feels like to be dead?

  He felt himself all
over and didn’t find any blood or darts.

  His thoughts were interrupted by a gruff voice. “Get up.”

  Adam looked toward the voice. In the dim light streaming from the Radome he saw Ben Casey.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE