by Lucian Bane
“Is this my lesson?” He took the boxy model of Octava’s coded laws eagerly.
“Yes, it is. You are to work on it while I go to the Bog down the way. Are you okay here?”
He snapped fearful eyes up. “I thought you was teachin’ me how to gather power? Are you punishing me cuz I messed up?”
“You did not mess up,” Poe said firmly.
“I want to come.”
Poe straightened, conflicted. Taking him to the Paranormal Bog was a bit different than the Romance Bog. It wasn’t the Bog he was concerned about, but the beings in it. “You’re safer here.”
“Safe from what?” Fear filled his wide eyes again.
“There are dangers in the Paranormal Bog.”
“I’m not a kid you know,” he reminded, wagging his legs over the edge of the bed again.
Poe thought quickly. “I will need somebody to stay here in case the love couple arrives.”
“What about me? I can do that.”
“Can you?”
The boy turned and scrambled onto the bed and began jumping. “I can do it. I’m not scared of nothing here.”
Relief swept through Poe. “Good then. I shall hurry along and return in a moment?”
The boy plopped on the bed and grabbed the puzzle. “I’ll finish this before you get back.”
Poe laughed heartily at that one. It’d taken him an entire year to solve the puzzle. “And if you do, I shall bestow a gift of power upon you as a reward.”
His eyes lit up and his mouth went round. “What kind of power?”
Poe quirked a brow at him than angled a secretive look. “The power to sleep.”
Kane sucked in a breath slowly. “Wowwwww. Can I use it on others?”
Poe smiled, very much enjoying how his innocence invoked the impossible. “Maybe so. If you practice.”
“I will practice!” He hopped up and began jumping on the bed again. “Lots and lots and lots,” he said between jumps. “I’ll make the whole world sleep!”
Chapter Three
Poe set a shield over his house, one void of any positive energy so that per chance visitors happened by, they might dread its inhabitants.
Hurrying to his supply cellar, Poe grabbed his mechanical wings. A horse ride would take half an hour and he hoped to be back in that time. Not to mention the Paranormal Bog’s entrance required tactical maneuvers his wings would aid him in.
As Poe headed out, urges and instincts swirled in him. With all his processing and labeling, he still came up with an “error” message where Kane’s issues were concerned. Every answer he considered or concluded was wrong, though logically they seemed correct.
In a matter of moments, Poe approached the Paranormal Bog and located its entrance. The wall surrounding the bog appeared like an average tree line, only these trees were not very nice. They liked to play tricks, moving the entrance hither and thither. He guessed the grumpy attitude of the classical creatures guarding the Paranormal Bog affected the ancient Spruces.
Poe had earned his passage through the bog, not at the expense of much patience and study but at the pity of a she-vampire named Rukie. Turns out they were not actually moving the entrance at all, but camouflaging it. The other secret was, they were slow. And Poe was not.
Poe flew at the trees in a confusing zig-zag before entering their fortress with ease. He walked toward the bog now, the grumble of angry quarreling following him at a low murmur. Poe couldn’t resist a smile at hearing their bickering.
”Which of you gnarly barksters fumbled this time?”
“Maybe it was you,” one said.
“It certainly was not, I am a classical.”
The trees erupted in deep laughter. “Riiiight, you were in the King’s war in the legendary Bag of Bones.”
“Bog of Bones you son of a Weeping Willow.”
The forest echoed with their banter, sounding more like distant thunder in the Bog’s interior.
“You always make them laugh, don’t you.”
Poe jerked left at the light accusation. “Rukie. And you always manage to sneak up on me.”
She smiled, crossing her arms. “What finds the infamous Mr. Poe in the PB?”
“Energy, of course. Why else does one care to come to this fortress of lunacy?”
She shrugged, looking right. “Boredom?”
Poe didn’t want to be rude but he really needed to go.
She flicked her long nails at him. “I get it, you’re in a hurry. Are you ever not in a hurry?”
Poe was sure the answer to that was yes, but didn’t want to argue. “I’m sorry, I have a deadline… on a project.”
The girl gave a half smile, skipping around him. She was a tiny thing, but in no way to be mistaken for weak. Rukie was a missile of fury wrapped in a feminine shell in her story. But out of it, she was gentle and kind. And bored, Poe guessed. He’d not inquired of her age, but assumed quite mature. Her story was one of those never-ending ones where the Scribbler didn’t follow the realm’s traditional stopping point known as “The End.” These types of Scribblers instead used the peculiar phrase “To Be Continued.” Poe found it an interesting loop hole in avoiding entrance into the realm’s Life Expectancy Ratio that Octava used to number a character’s days.
“Stay out of trouble JP,” Rukie winked with an innocent smile. “And don’t be such a stranger.” She spun into a swirl of black smoke, thankfully leaving Poe to return to business.
He’d once been warned about Rukie by Tart, the were-bear-fairy. But it was difficult to take anything the strange Indie being said, very seriously. “She has her sights on you, that one.” Nonsense. Rukie was nothing but helpful and kind to him, always.
Poe carefully navigated the treacherous slick stones leading awkwardly up Hill Derky –Derk-Bomb-Pow. The Bog Guardians had named it such and often made those who came for energy say the name three times while dancing. All part of their passive vengeance to any they could exact it on for having bog duty, Poe was sure.
As Poe approached the pool of energy, he reminded himself of the current rules. Adam—the name Frankenstein’s son/creation insisted you call him—was easy to please. Invisible Man, not so much. He expected you to look upon thine face when you addressed him which was laughable, him being invisible and all. Another form of punishment for his post.
Stopping at the mouth of the Bog pool, Poe called out in accordance to the code. “To be…” then silently counted to three…“Or not to be. That is the question I ask you.”
Several seconds passed before the bright blue energy in the pond stirred and finally parted. The top of an old wooden ladder rose up a few feet and bounced right, then left. “I’m coming.” Poe barely recognized the deep whisper of Adam from the resident chamber beneath the pool. “Ab-surd to make me climb a ladder,” he complained as he came. But the laws were set in stone with that one. The only way a classical character was permitted to use advanced technology was when they were being used in current work. Otherwise, the tools available to them in their story’s realm is what they got. Which was a crude ladder, in Adam’s case.
The giant ventured only high enough for Poe to see his head before hissing, “What!?”
Poe tried to discern whether it was a question or an accusation, either were not customary of protocol.
Adam waved an impatient hand before whispering, “Our good friend, Invisible Man, is sleeping.” He raised his crooked brows. “I’d like to keep it that way. I’m in the middle of a good book. You need energy? Get what you want,” he flicked his hand toward him, “I trust you.”
“Uh, yes. In fact I do.”
“Great,” Adam whispered. “I’ll leave you to it. Mind the quantity rules.”
Before Poe could assure him he would, he was gone and the ladder lowering.
How very odd. Hurrying to the pool before Invisible Man woke and required him to peer into his invisible face; Poe placed his palm over the surface and focused his mind, easily drawing in the positive forces. When
the power reached his elbow, he stopped. Looking cautiously around, Poe hurried off before his good fortune ended and cost him time he didn’t have.
At arriving home, Poe raced up the porch, the ill feelings from earlier having him in a state of panic now. Placing his hand on the door of his home, he sighed at sensing Kane’s energy within the fibers of the shield. He knocked on the door and still Poe found himself holding his breath, even as the thudding of small feet rushed forth. Worry slammed Poe as Kane opened without even inquiring. He needed to teach him safety. Poe swooped in, shut and locked the door while Kane bear hugged his leg. He pressed his hand to the boy’s back, the urge to never break that connection pulsating through the power in his blood and boiling the energy stored in his arm.
“You should always ask who is at the door before opening,” Poe ordered.
“I knew it was you,” he mumbled.
“How did you know?”
“I just did. I don’t know how I knowed. Maybe I smelled you.”
It was time to ask about this Copy Cat. Poe needed to understand more about Kane so he had a semblance of peace. The unknowns were all but driving him mad
“Come see, come see!” Kane pulled Poe to the room and pointed at the bed. “I told you I could do it.”
Poe froze at finding the Quark puzzle solved. His stomach flipped and did wondrously as he hurried to examine and find indeed he had. Impossible. Poe looked at the boy who beamed with a huge smile.
“I did it good?”
Poe gasped, looking from him to the puzzle. “You did it quite perfectly.”
“You get to teach me that power then? When can you?”
Poe stared at him, perplexed. “Tonight,” he mumbled, regarding the complex puzzle in his hand. “I’ll teach you tonight, my dear boy.”
“Yippy!” He ran and jumped on the bed, using it like a spring board. “Am I a super hero? I’m going to be famous you know!”
The boy jumped for Poe and he instinctively caught him in his arms. Kane hugged his neck and squirmed out of his embrace with an eager shout of, “I’m hungry!”
Poe followed him to the kitchen. “Have a seat then, I shall whip you up my specialty.”
“Are you gonna make enough for a family? Like one of those times when moms and dads and brothers and sisters eat together? I sawed it on TV.”
Poe hurried to put on water for a pot of vegetable stew and angled his head. “You’ve seen television, have you?”
“Yep.”
Poe nodded, treading carefully. “Do you remember when?”
“Just the other day,” he said.
Just the other day. Odd. Maybe he meant week. “How many days ago?”
He squinted up. “I think it was yester, yester, yester…yester… yesterday,” he said with confidence at the last. “I don’t know the numbers so high.”
He could solve a quark model before knowing how to count? “Where is the TV? I might like to watch.”
The lad went still and quiet. “I can’t have friends over.”
“Over where?”
“At home.”
Home. So he had a story. And he seemed to not know it was pretend. Poe needed to be careful and not damage his psyche. “Doesn’t your father or mother worry about where you are?”
He nodded. “They come visit me. Bring me chips when I’m good.”
“Visit you where?” Good? What on Octava did he mean by that?
“In my play house under the stairs. I have lots of toys there.”
Sickness turned Poe’s stomach at hearing how utterly delusional the boy was. “When will they come again?”
“Don’t worry, I know how to go back really fast.” He leaned and whispered, “I sneak out all the time.”
Poe stared at him, incredulous. Was he saying he escaped his own story while yet remaining in it? That should not be physically possible to do. “How do you do that?”
He shrugged. “When I go to a special place in my mind, I can do it.”
“Special? Explain.” By now Poe stood frozen with his potato peeler in hand.
“When things get really bad and scary, I can do the trick. I can leave then.”
Poe turned away to hide the disturbance his words caused him. Was he in that special place now? “Can you tell me when you have to go back? So I know and am not worried?”
“I can try. I don’t really know the times when it can happen.”
“Trying is good enough.” Poe fought to think of a way to put a tracker on him. He’d need to ponder on that. As soon as he completed the task with his couple, he would. “I will make enough food for a family meal. Would you like that?”
“Goodie! I always wanted that!”
“I could use some help if you think you are able.”
Kane leapt from the stool and Poe proceeded to guide him step by step in his famous vegetable stew. By the time they had everything ready, Poe used a wash cloth to clean up Kane without much fuss. Like clock-work, the couple arrived and it was a good thing, the power in Poe’s arm was becoming unstable. He wasn’t sure if it was due to the unusual emotions the boy invoked in him but Poe was ready to be done with it so he could retire for full contemplation.
Kane and Poe welcomed the couple who were in excellent spirits. “And who is this handsome young man?” the man asked.
“I’m Kane. And this is Poe,” he patted Poe on his leg. “He’s my best friend.”
“Ahhh,” the woman sang, removing a sky blue shawl. “My name is Sarah and this here is my husband Drake.” She knelt before him. “I have a daughter named Isabelle. She’s nearly your size.”
“Mr. Poe told me all about her and wanting to be something when she growed up but her Scribbler wanting her to be something else and he’s going to help.” Kane nodded and looked up at Poe.
“That’s right.” Poe regarded the couple with an apologetic look. If they were bothered he’d spoke of their situation, they didn’t show it.
Poe locked the door and Kane dragged the woman by the hand to the kitchen. “We cooked a family meal, just like on TV.”
The woman regarded Poe with a questioning look and he did his best to convey the unusual predicament about the boy’s behavior. They’d just have to make their assumptions for now.
In the kitchen, Drake lowered before Kane a bit, hands on knees. “And where are you from, young one?”
“The Horror Province,” Kane announced proudly.
“Wow!” Drake patted his shoulder. “You must be a very brave young lad. Are you a hero there?”
Kane shook his head. “Not yet. But Mr. Poe is teaching me lots of things. Tonight he’s going to teach me the power of sleep.”
Poe appreciated that Drake disguised his troubled expression with that bit. “Sleep!” Drake laughed. “I could use some of that power!”
“So could Isabelle,” Sarah said.
“Can I meet her?” Kane glanced from the woman to Poe and discomfort flashed through him.
“Of course you can!” Sarah sang. “She would very much love to have a friend like you. You seem to be so smart!”
Poe’s stomach loosened a bit at Kane’s smile. He realized the boy’s emotions seemed to have some kind of control over his own and was sure he didn’t like that. Was sure it couldn’t be a good thing, whatever that thing was.
“I wish she was here now,” Kane said.
“Well, we let her stay at a friend’s tonight. But I promise you can meet her soon.” She regarded Poe. “If that’s okay.”
Before Poe could come up with a suitable reason why he couldn’t, Kane yanked on his arm. “Can we Mr. Poe? I never had a girlfriend.”
The couple laughed and Poe sighed. “I’m afraid a Province Pass is required to enter the Traditional Provinces—“
“We can bring her to visit here,” Drake offered.
“Or meet at the small pond before the province crossing? We’ve been promising her to go there one day,” Sarah suggested.
Poe sensed the couple’s urgency to co
mply with the boy as some sort of gratitude payment. But avoiding over exposure to the romance aura and all the gory risks it entailed was Poe’s top priority.
“Please, please, please?” Kane bounced.
Quarks and hadrons, the boy’s begging was kryptonite to his iron resolve. Poe sagged a bit. “Very well. We can go on the morrow.” Poe snapped a hopeful gaze to the couple. “Unless we should wait. You mentioned she’s starting school.”
“Two weeks out still,” Sarah beamed, both hands clasped before her glowing smile.
“Yay!” Kane jumped around in victory then shot to the kitchen. “Come on, let’s eat! Let’s eat!”
Poe felt out of sorts in his own home as he led the way only to realize his kitchen was not made for four but two. “Perhaps we should serve company their meal in the sitting room.”
Kane regarded Poe with wide eyes and whispered, “But what about the sleeping trees?”
“I think if we are quiet, it will be fine.” Poe chanced a look at the couple to see if he’d lost credibility in their eyes, only to find them both smiling with joy as though all the strange behavior was entirely in accordance with their ways.
Dear Divinities, were they?
After they ate, Kane insisted on taking the dishes to the sink. Poe decided he needed privacy to perform the reversal and talked the boy into playing with a new puzzle—along with the hefty promise of taking him on a tour of the realm while out tomorrow.
“No, no,” Poe indicated the couple remain seated when he entered the small living room again. Fetching a stool from the kitchen, he set it before the nervous pair.
“Just tell us what to do,” Drake whispered.
“I merely need to be holding your right hands during the reversal.” They both presented them and Poe added, “And I need to know what exactly we’re reversing.”
The looked at each other, then the man said to him, “We just want her alive.” The woman nodded in agreement.
“Then I will instill the necessity of life into the reversal.” He regarded both of them. “Which will require the Scribbler to write that, rather than death.”
“Are you sure?” Sarah whispered, eyes suddenly full of liquid.
