Sealing Death

by Basil E. Bacorn

  The devious giant grinned as the group cycled closer, picking up a handful of sludge and packing it into an icky ball. “Let’s see you survive this!” he roared, throwing the ball at the group.

  The sludge ball careened through the pit and at the motorcycles, sliding along the ground. Evil slime splattered as the boulder skidded towards the group.

  “NO!” Cassie yelled, raising her hand from the handle bar and pointed at the approaching danger. The black liquid from the wall of the pit flowed upwards and shattered the incoming object. “Cassie!” Charlie shouted as the bike spun out of control and crashed in the sludge.

  Charlie helped Cassie up as the bike returned to the evil from which it was made. Several screams rang out, giving the two just enough time to turn around and witness the other bikes, and scooter, melt back into black goo.

  “Are you okay?!” Cassie asked, running over to her fallen friends and family. “Yeah,” Stella grunted as she stood up, “but now I’m even dirtier than before!”

  “None of you will be okay once the Great Eurymedon is done with you!” a deep voice taunted. The tall giant towered above his victims, drooling with excitement. “Who should I eat first?” Eurymedon teased, “I haven’t eaten a human in over 5,000 years. I have almost forgotten how delicious they are!”

  “I’d hate to pop your bubble, but I’m not planning on being an appetizer any time soon!” Cassie informed, getting ready to cast some mad spells, “And neither is anyone else here!” Cassie waved her hand and shot a bright red fireball at the threat, hitting him in the eye.

  “ARGH!!!” the giant roared in pain, grabbing his eye and stomping his foot on the ground. Cassie held out her hand, releasing a hoard of blackbirds flying towards the giant. “Dinner isn’t supposed to fight back!” Eurymedon wailed, swatting at the birds as one would swat at flies.

  “Get past him!” Cassie ordered, “I’ll distract him while you all run!” She had no idea how to take this giant down, but she did know that they had to seal Death and fast.

  Charlie ushered everyone past the giant, trying to help his grandmother. “I’m a sixty-eight-year-old woman, Charles!” Betty reminded as he pulled her along, “Even though I did a lot already, I can only go so fast!” She huffed and puffed as they ran past the giant and through the pit.

  Cassie threw down her hands and was lifted up by a stream of the evil mud. The fountains formed into rubber-like stilts, walking with Cassie as she went past the giant king.

  Beneath the floor of the tunnel-like pit, the Destroyer of The Realms looked up and snarled. The loud noises hurt the beast’s many ear drums. It paddled up and sent its heads to work. Hundreds of jaws began gnawing, chewing, and biting the pit exterior.

  Cassie didn’t hear the racket below, but she saw the cracks in the ground, and felt the churning of the sludge. “RUN!!!!!” she screamed, jumping from her sludge stilts and to the ground, “SCARRCEDENHOGG!!!!!”

  The heads of the reptile started bursting up from the ground, shaking the pit and causing Eurymedon to tumble backwards. Clasping on the nostril of the Scarrcedenhogg for balance, the giant heard a loud screech, just as the head retreated back out of the Tartarus. Eurymedon felt his hand being sucked in, and a tug, right before he was dragged from the hole and out into the nothingness between the realms. He was now left to the mercy of the Scarrcedenhogg.

  Returned

  “Listen up everybody!” Braddock ordered, waiting for the others to quiet down, “It’s time for the final line of defense before the Entrance of the Death Realm. Once we get past it, if we do, it will be time to close the gates of Death, and everyone who is dead will return to the Death Realm, and everyone will be able to die again. All I have to say is I hope you all make it back to our realms safely. I know for a fact that every one of you is still alive, so just be careful. When your soul can’t leave your body, it can be near impossible to know whether you are dead or not. What I’m trying to say is, good-luck.” Arthur secretly didn’t want to die again, but he wasn’t going to tell anyone. One moment of hesitation could destroy reality, and he couldn’t be that selfish. He’ll miss them all, despite what he claimed in the past. Cassie isn’t strong enough to grant another Death Pardon.

  Will had never heard Sir Arthur say something like that. He wasn’t sure what Arthur thought, but it really didn’t matter. Will knows Cassie doesn’t have enough power to perform another spell to save him from Death, and if Death is to be sealed, sacrifices must be made. Not everyone deserves to die.

  Without warning, Betty began bawling. “What’s wrong!” Susan asked, running over. “It’s just that… I just remembered… I was so distracted!” Betty sniffed, “Greg, Amy, and… Paul. They are back! Charlie can meet his grandpa and parents one last time! We have to do something!”

  Cassie looked at Charlie. He had a small tear in his eye. She knew what to do.

  Cassie looked at Charlie and Betty.

  Two of us return to NYC,

  Death is open lives are back,

  Betty and Charlie, I transport thee,

  Back home and to those you lack

  Cassie looked at her friend and whispered, “Bye Charlie.” Before he could protest, he was gone.

  Myers Reunion

  “Wait!” Charlie called, but it was too late. He was standing in the middle of his grandma’s living room. What if something happens? What if she doesn’t make it? What if he never sees her again?! What if they fail? What if that idiot breaks her heart again and she goes evil?! So many things could happen! She could get swallowed by the Scarrcedenhogg!

  “GRANDMA!” he squealed, “We have to get ba-“ Charlie turned around and saw a man. Grey hair, smile, and kind eyes. Just like the ones he saw for the last time almost twelve years ago. “Grandpa?” Charlie stammered, “Is that you?”

  Paul Myers nodded and called, “Amy! Greg! Come out here! Charlie has grown so much!” Charlie ran over and hugged his grandpa, and felt two pairs of gentle arms join in the embrace.

  Charlie stepped back and looked at the family that had been long gone. They will all return to Death soon. He didn’t want them to go, but he knew Reality depends on it. He felt as if he needed to help. “Mom, Dad, Grandpa,” Charlie began, “I missed you so much, but I have to go. They need my help.”

  Amy sniffed as a tear rolled down her face. “We’ve been watching you, Charles.” Greg began, “We’ve waited so long to see you again. We kind of hoped that your girlfriend would bring us back. To life.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend.” Charlie mumbled, “And I didn’t know that was possible.”

  “Don’t worry Charlie.” Paul reassured, sitting next to his wife, “Your father still hasn’t accepted the fact that we are dead.”

  “No, Charles.” Greg persisted, “When you discovered Cassandra had powers, you could’ve asked her at least! Instead, you go on with your life as if we never existed!” Amy was now crying. “Look what you are doing to your mother!” Greg shouted, “If I had raised you, you would have been raised right!”

  Gregory Myers always had been bitter, but it was buried deep, under layers of livelihood that now no longer existed. Death sometimes did that to people. It changes them, making their worst selves surface. Death had blurred Greg’s views and tainted his heart, despite all of Paul’s and Amy’s efforts.

  “That girl isn’t right for you, son!” Greg slammed, walking closer to Charlie, “I always expected more for you! I expected you to be a success! Not a sidekick to the daughter of an evil sorceress! You were supposed to be strong! Independent! Brave! Bold! You were supposed to be a MAN!!!”

  Charlie couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t the kind and considerate man his grandma always spoke of.

  “You know what! Even if you think she isn’t right for me, she is! Cassie is a good person! She’s been my best, and possibly only, friend since kindergarten! I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I know what I want. Good-bye.” Charlie finished, heading for the door, “I love you.”

  Charlie sat
on the sidewalk outside the house with his head resting on his hands. “I thought you were going back to the Death Realm.” Paul sighed, sitting next to him. “I am.” Charlie replied, “I just don’t know how to get there.”

  “Do you remember what I told you about love all those years ago?” Paul asked. “'If you ever find yourself questioning your love, look into your future, ten, twenty years; who can you not imagine life without? That is who you truly love.” Charlie sighed, “What does that have to do with what’s happening right now?”

  “You can’t imagine life without Cassie, can you?” his grandpa said, “And don’t tell me otherwise. Grandpas know.” Charlie blushed. “Soooo?” he asked. “I’m saying you need to follow your heart. I know you can figure out a way to get back if you let yourself believe you are making the right decision.” Paul assured, smiling, “Now my advice is simple. Go get your girl!”

  Tartarus Truth

  “That was very nice of you, Cassie.” Susan applauded her daughter. “To be honest, Betty was slowing us down.” Cassie confessed, “And I don’t want Charlie to get hurt. I mean, he should see his family before we send them all back to Death.”

  Cassie looked at Will. Chrissy was, like, right there, like, attached to him! She suddenly didn’t regret saying what she did. In fact…

  “Will? Can we talk?” Cassie asked, “It will be really quick!” Before anyone could protest, the two vanished in a swirl of black smoke.

  They were about one hundred yards back up the tunnel, before the Scarrcedenhogg wreckage. “What are you doing?!” Will demanded to know. He was secretly angry she separated him from Chrissy. “I think we should break up.” Cassie blurted.

  “We were dating?” Will asked, surprised, “I mean, um, yeah.” Will had gotten so distracted by Chrissy that he forgot he had a girlfriend? Whoa. “You’re right.” he continued, “You clearly like Charlie still, and we just didn’t fit back together like we used to.”

  “Probably because one of us has matured.” Cassie snorted, “You should definitely pursue Chrissy. Every prince needs a pop princess.” Will began to nod, and found himself back with Chrissy. “Hey.” he drawled. Chrissy smirked.

  “Can we get back to saving Reality now?” Braddock huffed, “It might take a bit to get into the Death Realm.”

  As Braddock wished, the group proceeded on their journey. Soon, the entrance came into sight. It was a wooden door on the ground, cleared of evil sludge. The strange part, however, was that the sludge stopped shortly after the door.

  “Does anyone have something they don’t need?” Will asked cautiously, “You probably won’t get it back.”

  “I have this rock.” Stella piped, “It’s getting too heavy to carry on me anyway.” Stella took out a beautiful, big purple stone. “I picked it up in the realm with Internet.”

  Will took the rock and threw it. It landed just before the sludge ended, and wobbled. The stone tipped forward, and fell in the Tartarus.

  “Gravity switch.” he explained, “If anyone goes where that rock was, they are a goner.”

  “What are we waiting for?!” Cassie yipped, running towards the door, “Come on!”

  “I don’t think so.” the deep voice echoed through the pit, “You see, you can’t leave this pit, unless I can.”

  “Who are you?!” Cassie shouted. The ground shook, and the sludge churned. Dirt fell from the ceiling and sprinkled on everyone below. “Who am I? Who am I?!” the voice repeated, “Why I am Tartarus, of course! I am the darkest soul in existence! Always have been, and always will be!”

  “I thought the Scarrcedenhogg was-“ Susan was interrupted by Tartarus, “The Scarrcedenhogg is the most feared beast in existence! It isn’t dark! It is a beast!”

  The evil ink-like substance swirled into the air, and pulled itself together into a figure that reminded Cassie of the Silver Shadow monster from her nightmares at summer camp.

  “Prepare your eyes to witness the spectacle that is I! King of the Death Realm! Guardian of Darkness! Or, my favorite name, The Tartarus!” the figure announced, whirling around in a circle, “Hello!”

  The sludge took the form of a man, a distorted vision of a man. The thing was wearing a pitch black hooded cape, seemingly made of the same slime that created the man. It dripped down onto the, now bare, ground.

  “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time!” Tartarus barked, “I’m a prisoner of my own body. What you see here is simply an illusion. I can’t leave this place, without a body.” The man walked towards the group slowly and explained, “The prophecy goes as follows.”

  The Darkest Soul isn’t a quitter,

  To escape the hole is a difficult deed,

  The purest one born of the bitter,

  Is the one needed for Tartarus to be freed.

  “I finally can do what I’ve waited to do for centuries!” Tartarus cheered, “And now I have what I need! A pure soul born from the bitter. Cassandra Alice Smith.”

  “We won’t let you do whatever you are trying to do!” Susan screamed, stepping in front of her daughter, “Not without getting through me!”

  The devious looking man grinned and sighed, “Pathetic sight, really. You think you can stop me. This is the end of the line for you!” Waving his hand in the air, he transformed his arm into a thick liquid rope of inky black mud and knocked Susan out of the way. “Anyone else?” he teased.

  Chrissy reached for her bow as Stella began steadily streaming snow and ice at the attacker. She steadied herself, nocked an arrow, and drew back the string. Stella was blasted back with a flow of evil, and Chrissy let the arrow fly.

  “Nice try, Miss Price.” Tartarus jested, catching the incoming arrow between his thumb and forefinger, “Or should I say Miss Snowberger?” Casually bringing the arrow up to his rotting mouth, he gently blew onto the tip. Flames scurried along the shaft and to the fletching, reducing the weapon to a pile of ash. “I’ll take Cassandra now.” he ordered, slowly directing his evil sludge to Cassie’s feet, “Don’t bother trying any of your magic tricks! You can’t escape!”

  Cassie felt helpless as the sludge swirled up around her, tightening around her legs, absorbing into her favorite skirt and blouse. On the bright side, her outfit had gotten pretty torn-up along the way, anyway.

  The sludge stopped around Cassie’s neck and jolted. It shook around, whipping Cassie up and down, and retreated back to Tartarus. “I guess I’m not as pure as you thought!” Cassie hollered. “What?” the Darkest Soul muttered, “What?”

  In his confusion, Tartarus didn’t see the angry black-haired boy run at him, arms extended. It wasn’t, however, until Charlie shoved him back, that he realized what was happening. Tartarus tumbled back, tripping over the handle of the floor-door, and past the Gravity Switch. The man screamed, turning back into a glob of evil as he poured down the deep pit.

  Progression of the Returned

  “Thank you!” Charlotte called out to the blue-haired woman who saved her, “Wait! Who are you?!”

  “I’m a friend of one of your old students,” she replied, smiling a devilish grin, “but right now, I have some business to attend to. You need to keep an eye out, though. Those people who took you probably aren’t going to give up anytime soon.” Having said what she needed, Electra whisked her hand around and vanished in a swirl of blue steam.

  “Who was that?! What just happened?!” Riley yelped, gesticulating, “I just came to tell you the Internet crashed, and then smoke, and fire, and people in the basement! Kings and mayors! House caves in! I don’t know!” Riley held her hand up to her face and shook her head.

  “I don’t know either, Riley, but I have a hunch.” Mrs. Spencer admitted, “First that portal opened, then the Smith and Myers families vanish. The unearthly copy of me, the lady who attacked me, the group that kidnapped me, and now the entire Internet crashed! That woman just said she was a friend of one of my old students. I don’t know for sure, but I think this has Cassie written all over it.” “Do you think th
ey went to stop that beast thing people are saying exists?” Riley asked.

  “Yes! That is exactly what is going on!” King Albert butted in, “I am King Albert of Everlanon. My son Will left to find Cassandra and his friends as soon as he saw the portal reopen. He hasn’t returned, and now his friends are gone too. He was worried about the Scarrcedenhogg, so he and the others must have found a way to get to the Death Realm, to close the gates, and send the dead, including the Scarrcedenhogg back!”

  “Wait, what?” Riley yipped, “Scarrcedenhogg?! Death?!” Riley looked around and cried, “So like zombies!”

  “No, no, no!” Albert clarified, “The dead have simply returned. They are no harm, unless they want revenge. People and animals alike. Every living thing that has died is back, and as you know, no one can die, until Death is closed. Then, anyone who has died will return.”

  “Wait a second!” Mrs. Spencer piped, “Do ALL living things return?” The king nodded, “Some take longer than others, but the only things that are probably left are those that have died long ago.”

  The ground shook and the wind blew. A roar echoed throughout the neighborhood. “Dinosaurs!” Riley, Mayor Sanders, and Mr. and Mrs. Spencer screamed.

  Thump! Thump! THUMP! Trees in the forest behind the Spencer house snapped and cracked. The giant oak on the edge of the woods fell forward as a tyrannosaurus rex stepped into the open.