by Michael Dahl
Before Bryce knew it, the two had passed him. They were entering the door!
Thora, thought Bryce. Thora … Thora!
Bryce watched Pablo lead Thora inside. He slammed the door shut behind them.
A wild hatred boiled inside of Bryce. Pablo had taken Thora away. Bryce felt his hunger grow even stronger. He must be destroyed, Bryce thought. I must eat.
Like an old oak with deep roots, Bryce waited patiently for the boy to return.
Hours crawled by, but Bryce did not move. The shadow swarmed around him, keeping him safe from the dangerous sunlight. It whispered comfortable, familiar things to him.
Then Bryce realized something. If Pablo does return, how can I stop him? It’s hard for me to even move. And he’s so fast.
Then Bryce felt the presence of others behind him. He turned, slowly, to see that the yard was filling up with other shadows. Other people. Or were they simply more bushes that he hadn’t noticed before?
He saw dark, shadowy forms within the bushes. Several men, a woman, a child. The shadows slithered and shifted. Bryce couldn’t see their faces, but he knew they were his friends. They would wait with him.
They would help him.
Mara walked confidently across the field. Following close behind her, like a crooked shadow, was the hulking troll. It lumbered heavily through the tall grass as they approached the Nye farm. As they neared the house, Mara noticed its peeling paint, missing roof shingles, and broken windows.
It looks abandoned, Mara thought. Still, she walked up to the front door and knocked. Uzhk, her troll companion, stood silently behind her.
After no one answered, Mara knocked again. “Hello,” she called. “Anyone there?”
No response came. “Hello,” Mara said again. “I’m Mara Lovecraft. We spoke on the phone last week.”
Mara put her face up to the door’s window and peered in. “What a mess,” she mumbled to her companion. “I don’t know how anyone lives out here in the middle of nowhere.”
A grunt escaped the creature’s lips.
Mara walked to the rear of the house. She saw an SUV sitting in the driveway that curved up behind the house. The front end was smashed in. The hood was missing and the windshield was shattered. Two of the tires were gone, too. But what made Mara shiver were the deep scratches along one side of the car.
Scratches made by gigantic claws.
“Do you think someone’s been here recently, Uzhk?” she asked, looking over her shoulder. The creature slowly nodded.
Mara approached the car. There were gouges in the dirt behind the vehicle. Something dragged it to this spot, she realized. In front of the car was more of the tall, dry grass. No tow truck brought the car here, Mara thought. Otherwise, there would be tracks from the truck leading through the grass.
“Come on,” Mara said, motioning for Uzhk to follow.
The strange companions headed toward a large, rusty silo in the distance. A moment later, Uzhk reached out a massive hand and touched Mara’s shoulder.
“What is it?” Mara asked.
The creature cocked its head as if it were listening to a distant sound. Mara nodded. She heard it now, too — a sound like a strong breeze. But when she looked back at the trees, she saw that there was no wind.
But next to the house, the grass and weeds were bent low, creating a channel that headed directly toward her. The overgrown yard looked like a quiet lagoon with an invisible alligator swimming through it.
“Thyul hu,” growled Uzhk.
“Snakes,” Mara agreed.
A river of shiny scales and darting tongues emerged into the open. Mara hopped onto the rear fender of the wrecked car. The troll looked amused by the countless snakes that swarmed around his feet. Something vaguely resembling a smile appeared on Uzhk’s face. Mara had read that trolls couldn’t smile. It had something to do with the anatomy of their skulls and the lack of muscles in their faces.
Of course, Uzhk was a drakhool, different from the larger, more ruthless gathool. The two species of trolls were natural enemies. The drakhool believed in leaving humans alone — not in enslaving or eating them.
The reptiles continued to move, ignoring Mara and Uzhk. All of them moved with a single mind, like a net of living ropes gliding across the grass. Mara saw they were heading to the same destination: the silo.
Mara leapt off the car and followed them. She and Uzhk ran to the curving wall of the rusted tower. The serpents rushed forward, hurling themselves through the door and into the dark pit inside.
Uzhk bent down, preparing to follow the slithering horde down into the chasm. Mara stopped him, shaking her head. “We need help,” she said.
The young woman pulled her phone from a pocket. If Dr. Hoo was right, she thought, then we’ll need a lot of help.
Uzkh suddenly groaned, putting his hands to his ears as a monstrous hiss echoed through the silo. A vast number of serpent throats sounded a collective cry from deep down in the pit. Mara couldn’t tell whether the snakes were frightened or overjoyed, but something had surprised them inside that building.
And Mara had a terrible feeling that she knew what it was.
After breakfast, Dr. Hoo led Thora, Pablo, Zak, and Louise back upstairs to the library. “There’s something all of you must see,” he said.
Dr. Hoo burst through the door at the top of the stairs and hurried to the center of his library. White clouds and blue sky greeted them through all four windows. Sunlight streamed across the floor and lit up a wooden stand. A large book on top was already open. Dr. Hoo approached it and flipped through pages. “We’ll find what we need in here,” he said.
The aged pages were covered with colorful paintings of stars and constellations. One painting showed a half-horse, half-man holding a bow and arrow.
“That looks like the centaur we saw in the woods!” said Pablo.
Dr. Hoo looked at him and grinned. “Exactly,” he said. “He’s also known as Sagittarius.”
He turned the page, revealing two young men standing side by side. They held long swords in their hands.
“That’s the Gemini constellation,” said Thora, tilting her head. “We learned about the zodiac in astronomy class.”
The doctor turned the page again. The next painting showed a beautiful woman wearing a crown. She held a large stone jar above her head. A strange liquid poured out from it like a brilliant shower of stars.
“Aquarius?” asked Thora. “But I thought it was supposed to be a man.”
“Not always,” said the doctor. “It is said that the water in her magical cup can preserve life, or snuff it out.”
“She’s pretty,” whispered Louise.
Zak threw his hands up. “What’s the deal?” he asked. “Why are we looking at pictures of some stupid stars?”
“They’re more than just stars,” said Dr. Hoo. “Just as the legends about trolls are real, so are the legends behind the constellations.”
“What do you mean?” asked Thora. “How is any of this going to help us?”
“Be patient,” Dr. Hoo scolded, turning another page. “You’ll have your answers shortly.”
The next page showed a huge constellation of a twisting serpent. Its long body was coiled in seven silver knots. “The Draco constellation,” Dr. Hoo said. “The meteor shower last night was called the Draconid shower, because it looked like the meteors came from Draco.”
The doctor flipped another page. It showed the silhouette of a ferocious beast traced against a backdrop of stars.
“A bear!” cried Louise.
“The Great Bear,” Dr. Hoo said. He looked across the book toward Zak. “Also known as Ursa Major.”
The doctor turned one more page, showing them a painting of a young, bearded warrior holding a club in one hand and a lion’s head in the other.
“Orion,” Pablo said without hesitation. Dr. Hoo nodded at him.
“We’re wasting time,” growled Zak. “We need to find my parents.”
“And my br
other,” Thora added, crossing her arms.
“I understand,” Dr. Hoo said, “but there’s more. The legends of many ancient peoples tell of a huge battle. A war between the powers of darkness and the powers of light. Many ancient texts tell the story of an ancient dragon who fought with the stars in the sky.”
Thora’s eyes brightened. “Falling stars?” she repeated. “You know, during the meteor shower last night … I swear I saw a star fall from Orion’s belt.”
“Perhaps you did,” the doctor answered. He leaned closer. “Perhaps the ancient stories describe a real, true war,” he suggested. “A war between creatures of darkness and beings of light. That battle may still be going on. And the trolls, emerging from deep below the surface, may have begun a new war.”
Silence swept over the room, each person lost in thought. Wind rattled the library windows. Moving trees threw shadows across the ancient pages of the book.
Zak finally broke the silence. “That doesn’t help me find my mom and dad,” he said. “Where are they, Doc?”
Dr. Hoo stared down at the desk. “I’m not sure,” he said. “But I know that by defeating these creatures, we stand a better chance of finding your parents. And your brother, Thora.”
Thora squinted. “If everything you’re saying is true,” she said, “then how can the stars help us?”
Dr. Hoo grinned. He opened his mouth to speak, but just then, a few musical notes chimed out. The doctor pulled his phone from beneath his cape. As he moved away and spoke in hushed tones, the rest of them leafed through the book.
Zak rubbed his forehead, visibly upset. “These star things, these constellations,” he said. “Is he trying to tell us they’re, like, real people? That they’re on Earth right now?”
“Stars aren’t people,” Thora said sternly. “They’re gigantic balls of gas and chemicals. The closest star is light-years away. Even if someone could travel at the speed of light, it would take years to get here.”
“Are you sure about that?” Dr. Hoo said. He clicked his phone shut and returned it to the folds of his cape. “The entire universe is made of the same basic matter, the same atoms. All of us were originally made from stardust.”
Dr. Hoo walked back to the book. He placed his hands on the volume, turning one last page as he spoke. “Perhaps the old astrologers were trying, in a superstitious way, to explain the connection between us and the stars,” he said. “After all, what ancient people used to call magic eventually became known as science. Lightning wasn’t a magical weapon thrown by Zeus — it was electricity.”
No one spoke for a moment. Everyone, even the doctor, seemed to be lost in their thoughts — and in the pages of the book.
After a moment, Louise piped up. “Who was on the phone?” she asked.
“That was a colleague of mine,” said the doctor. He pointed at the broad shelf behind him. “She’s the one who gave me those books about the gathool that I showed you last night. And now she needs our help.”
Zak’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of help?”
“She’s found where the trolls are planning to attack next,” said the doctor. “And if we can’t stop them, all of Zion Falls will be destroyed.”
Dr. Hoo hurried Thora, Louise, Zak, and Pablo down a long passageway that ended in a heavy metal door. He opened seven different locks.
“Why don’t we just go out the front?” asked Pablo.
“The other entrance is … too dangerous right now,” the doctor said.
Dr. Hoo pulled the door open with a powerful tug. His SUV was parked a few feet away.
As they all left the building, Dr. Hoo reached inside his cape and pulled out a set of keys. He tossed them to Zak, who nimbly caught them.
“Do any of you know where the old Nye farm is?” Dr. Hoo asked. “The one with the big silo?”
“I know where it is,” said Pablo.
“Good,” said the doctor. “Show Zak how to get there.”
Dr. Hoo opened the SUV’s rear door and ushered Louise and Thora inside. “Please hurry,” Dr. Hoo said. “Mara needs your help. It should only take you a few minutes to get there.”
“Aren’t you coming with us?” asked Thora.
The doctor didn’t answer. He was staring back at the trees and bushes surrounding his house. Although the sun had risen higher, the shadows were deeper around the old stone building.
The doctor turned back to face them. Pablo looked intently at his swirling cape. Although Pablo still couldn’t see within the cape’s shadows, he was saw something move beneath its folds. A third arm. He was sure of it.
“Mara’s waiting for you,” Dr. Hoo said. “Now hurry. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Zak roared the engine to life. As the doctor waved goodbye, the SUV bounced down the dirt driveway. Then they turned east onto County Road One.
Pablo pointed out a dirt path up ahead. “That’s the road to the Nye farm,” he told Zak.
Zak stomped on the accelerator. The SUV zoomed right past the dirt path.
“Zak, where are you going?” asked Thora. “Turn around — right now!”
“Hold on,” said Zak. “I need to do something first.”
A few miles down the road, Zak finally hit the brakes. There, in the center of the road, some pieces of a car were scattered on the asphalt. Two tires lay on their sides. A crumbled, detached hood rested between them. The remains of a windshield were scattered across the road from one side to the other.
Zak jumped out of the SUV. “It’s gone,” he said softly.
Pablo turned to Thora and Louise in the back seat. “This is where Zak’s family had the accident,” Pablo explained. “I saw the car. It was right there.”
Pablo, Thora, and Louise all climbed out of the car. Slowly, they walked toward Zak.
“Maybe they towed it away,” Thora suggested.
Pablo shook his head. “Then why did they leave all this junk here?” he asked.
Zak stared at the scattered glass and debris. “Someone took it,” he said. “Some thing took the whole car!”
Louise pulled her rabbit closer. “The big bad wolf,” she whispered.
“Let’s get back in the car, Zak,” Pablo said. “I think the doctor was right — if we help his friend Mara stop these trolls, then we’ll be able to find your folks.”
“And Bryce,” added Thora.
Zak spun to face them. “Us? Help?” he growled. “This is a job for the cops, the National Guard, or something!”
Pablo faced the open road and spread his arms out. “Look at the road,” he said. “Do any of you see anything weird?”
“You mean besides my dad’s missing car?” said Zak.
“The accident was last night,” said Pablo. “We’ve been gone for, what, eighteen hours? So why didn’t anyone else move this debris? It covers the road.”
“So?” asked Thora.
“So,” said Pablo, “that means no one has traveled on this road since then. Where are the police? What about people driving to school, or to work? And listen to how quiet it is.”
Everyone craned their necks to listen. Not one bird sang. Not a single horsefly hummed. All the sounds of a normal October afternoon were missing.
“We might not be the only ones who came across trolls last night,” Pablo added.
Pablo’s comment made Thora glance nervously at the nearby trees. “Let’s get in the car, Louise,” she said, leading the girl by the shoulder.
“Yeah,” agreed Pablo. “Let’s get out of here.”
Zak shook his head. Dark shadows lined the front of his face.
“Zak,” Pablo said. “The doctor gave you the keys. He’s counting on us. His friend needs our help.”
Zak let out a deep sigh. He looked over at Pablo, then straightened up with a jerk.
“Pablo,” Zak said, “your eyes look … weird.”
“What? Mine?” said Pablo.
“Yeah,” said Zak. “Shiny. Like stars. You’re not going to turn into a zombie or something
, are you?”
Pablo grinned. “We’re hunting trolls, not zombies.”
Zak smirked. “Oh yeah. What was I thinking?” he said. “Zombies aren’t real.”
Everyone laughed — except Thora. Her face was as white as a sheet. She lifted a finger to point behind the others.
When they turned, they saw the entire SUV was crawling with giant, croaking toads.
As the SUV disappeared down his gravel driveway, Dr. Hoo felt a cold shadow envelop his body. But unlike most autumn shadows that came down from above, this shadow came up from below. A strange mist was seeping out of the ground.
The doctor had been waiting for this to happen. The natural surroundings were being affected by the trolls’ return to the surface. Vegetation, animal life, the weather — they were all beginning to fall under the control of the gathool, under the growing influence of their evil presence.
Icy coldness grasped the doctor’s feet and legs. Mist swirled around his body like a creeping vine.
Dr. Hoo closed his eyes and concentrated. Being frightened by the dark mist would only make it harder to resist. Instead, the doctor thought about the young heroes in his SUV. They would eventually need his help. He had to be strong for them.
Slowly, he pulled his left foot off the ground. Then his right. It felt like he was walking through thick mud. Each and every step took great effort.
When Dr. Hoo finally reached his house, his shirt was soaked in sweat. He shut the door behind him and turned all seven locks. Then he pressed his face to the small-paned window. He saw bushes flailing back and forth outside. But there had been no wind just a moment ago.
Dr. Hoo started down the passageway back to his library, his head hung low from exhaustion. Weakened, he slowly trudged up the stairs. As he entered the library, he heard a gravelly voice.
“Doctor?”
Dr. Hoo raised his gaze to see a young man blocking his path. Wet leaves clung to his clothes and his uncombed hair. His eyes glittered darkly behind a pair of cracked glasses. The boy was completely still, except for his twitching fingers at the ends of his long, skinny arms.
