Snapdragon Book II: In the Land of the Dragon

by Brandon Berntson

  Grumbles issued, but to Seth, it made sense. He thought about his mom and Masie. What would they say when they found him gone?

  “Shouldn’t we leave a note or something?” Albert asked. “You know, so our parents don’t think we’re dead.”

  “No,” Malcolm said. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. If we tell them where we’re going, they’ll get a search party together. They’re going to do that anyway, but if they know where we’re going, they’ll find us for sure. I know it sucks, but it’s better to let them find out on their own. We’ll cover more ground that way. We can’t leave a note. Please. It’ll be hard enough as it is. We’ll have to make them worry, but it’s the only way. Please. Promise. No notes.”

  “Agreed,” Gavin said.

  “Agreed,” Eddie and Kinsey said.

  “No note,” Seth added.

  Albert looked reluctant, but nodded. “Okay,” he said. “No note. I promise. But I don’t know if I can get all this stuff ready tonight. I have to get the old man’s gun.”

  “Find a way,” Malcolm said. “If you can’t get it, don’t worry. We’ll have to take what we can. If someone can’t get away tonight and has to wait, make a call, tell the others, so we’ll know. But I think we should go tonight. The sooner the better.”

  Heads nodded all around.

  Seth was worried about Masie finding him up late. She might be out with Jeanie and Rheanna. What if she stayed out later than expected, making it impossible for him to get away?

  “Where should I leave your packs?” Malcolm said.

  “You can sneak around the side of my house,” Seth said. “Put it in the shed out back. I can go out later and bring it inside.”

  Malcolm nodded. “Eddie?”

  “There’s a bunch of bushes on the side of the house. Just stick it there. I’ll find it.”

  “We’ll have to sneak out,” Malcolm said. “Will anyone have any problems? Gavin?”

  “I’ll have to go back for the stuff I need,” he said. “But I can get out. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure of it.” A dark gleam came into his eyes.

  “Eddie?” Malcolm said.

  Eddie shook his head. “I’ll be fine. My folks are pretty religious when it comes to bed time. Ten o-clock every night. On the dot.”

  “Anyone else? Albert?”

  “I’ll be okay,” Albert said. “Here at midnight.”

  “Seth? Kinsey?”

  “Don’t worry about us,” Kinsey spoke for both of them. “We’ll be here.”

  Malcolm took a deep breath and looked at each of them in turn. “I guess that’s it,” he asked. “Is anybody scared?”

  “Out of my frickin’ britches,” Eddie said.

  “We’re gonna be all right,” Malcolm said, grinning. “Just make sure you get here.”

  “What about the dark?” Gavin asked.

  Everyone looked at him.

  “What do you mean?” Malcolm said.

  “What if it comes in the dark, while we’re trying to get here?”

  Seth thought it was the best question anyone had asked all morning.

  “We’ll just have to hope nothing happens,” Malcolm said. “I know it’s iffy but…maybe we should meet together instead of all of us walking down here on our own. Seth could meet Kinsey. Eddie could go to Gavin’s house and wait for him there. Then go to Albert’s. I’ll have to come alone. I don’t have a choice.”

  “That still doesn’t help us, though,” Gavin said. “We’ll be alone for that little while.”

  “I don’t know what else to suggest,” Malcolm said.

  “Let’s do it,” Albert said, standing up. “Let’s get started. I’m tired of waiting around. Let’s kill this bastard and get back home.”

  Albert’s confidence brought a smile to everyone’s lips.

  “If that’s it then, we’ll meet here at midnight,” Malcolm said. “We’ll wait until everyone shows. We won’t leave until everyone’s here. Got it?”

  They all nodded.

  “Gavin and Eddie, you come with me,” Malcolm said. “We’ll get you some things in town.”

  Gavin stood up slowly.

  “This afternoon,” Malcolm said. “Try to get in a good nap or something because we’re gonna be up late.”

  They were going, Seth realized, to a palace they didn’t even know existed.

  But you do know, he thought. You’ve never been more certain about anything in your life.

  Hadn’t Ben said something about faith?

  “Hey,” Seth said, looking toward the mountains. “Look.”

  He pointed west, not at the hills, but at something in the meadow on a slight rise a hundred yards out. The others followed his gaze.

  Under the cloudy sky—the cool grayness of an ending summer—Ben’s enemy stood facing them, a figure in a top hat and cape, astride a black horse, watching from a distance. The wind gusted, turning to ice. Mounted on its horse, it did not approach, but looked at them, emanating a whirlwind of shadows. It was ready for them, Seth thought. Maybe it had been waiting—as Ben had said—for this very moment.

  For the first time, Seth gazed fearlessly upon the creature. He wondered if it was because his friends were with him.

  Roughly twenty yards to the figure’s left, Ben emerged. The figure turned, looking toward the tiger.

  Gasps of surprise issued.

  Ben walked slowly through the tall grass as if stalking its prey. From the distance, Seth thought he saw Ben’s lips pulled back in a low growl.

  “I don’t believe it,” Eddie said, in hushed voice.

  Ben did not look at Seth or his friends, but stopped directly in front of his enemy, blocking its path. His gaze was fixed, unmoved on his immortal companion. Was it a challenge, Seth thought?

  Seth and his friends watched as the rider turned, steering the horse westward. It disappeared on the other side of the meadow and out of sight. The tiger moved across the meadow, until it, too, was gone.

  “I don’t believe it,” Gavin said, in awe.

  Seth looked at his companions.

  “Did you see that?” Gavin said, his voice suddenly clearer and stronger.

  Malcolm smiled.

  “I’m sorry I doubted you, Seth,” Albert said. He looked toward the meadow where the two figures had been.

  Kinsey looked at Seth with a sense of mystery.

  “Come on,” Malcolm said, unable to keep from smiling. “Let’s get going.”

  Malcolm and Eddie grabbed their bikes, Gavin limping slightly after them.

  Albert left, heading home as well. Seth thought it funny how their biggest challenge was trying to sneak out of the house to meet.

  Seth left with Kinsey. The journey had not begun, and already he longed for home.

  iii

  The cool wind of autumn blew fiercely as they walked by various storefronts. Raindrops began to spatter the sidewalk.

  “I guess this is it,” Kinsey said. “Do you think everyone will show?”

  Seth thought about it and hugged himself against the cold. Everyone had to show; without them, victory would be forever out of reach. Another part of him, however, wanted his friends to go on the quest without him. He wanted to hide under his pillows until the worst had passed.

  When he thought about Ben, however, his fear vanished in an instant.

  “Yes,” he told her.

  Kinsey shook her head.

  Seth put his arm around her shoulders. Kinsey looked at him and smiled.

  “It’s going to be all right,” he said. “Believe me. I went through the same thing. It’s not easy accepting all this, how hard it’s gonna be. But it will be all right. We have to hang on to each other, not just you and me, but…everyone. There’s no other way. There’s no other way to win.”

  The words sounded strange. Win? Hadn’t they been talking about victory for a while now, as if it were a game?

  “I didn’t realize what it took to be so strong,” Kinsey said. “When I was around everybody else, I k
ept thinking, ‘Don’t let them tell you it’s wrong, that you should go with them. Don’t let them make you feel bad.’ Not that I thought they would, but I was scared. I felt like I had to stick up for myself.”

  “Because you’re a girl?” Seth asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe that’s it. I felt I had to prove something, I guess. It’s weird. I just want to believe in what we’re doing. Wanted them, and you, to know I could help you.”

  They were silent for a while. The rain picked up, plopping onto Seth’s shoulders and hair.

  “And now?” Seth asked.

  Kinsey looked at him.

  “Now you’re not so sure?” he said.

  Kinsey shrugged. Seth pulled his arm off her shoulder.

  “Yeah,” she said. “Like there’s all this doubt creeping in, stuff I don’t understand. I was excited. But now I am scared. Really scared. Scared for us. For everything. That thing, once I saw it that day, I didn’t know what to think. I saw it. I know that. You were there. We went to my house. But I never thought about it until now. I just sort of…accepted it. Now, I don’t know what to think. It’s like my brain refuses to grasp it, refuses to accept any of this, everything we’re doing. It scares me. I don’t know what to do.”

  Seth tried to comfort her, but all he could think of was:

  “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. That’s the deal. If you feel like you don’t belong or don’t want to be a part of it, then you can always go back. No one’s gonna hold it against you.

  “Jeez!” he said. “We all feel that way. I know I do. Don’t be afraid of letting go, of—”

  He was going to say, ‘abandoning us’ but caught himself.

  Kinsey looked at him, eyeing him closely. “You know I wouldn’t do that. I’ve promised you guys too much already. I’m going. I’m not letting you down. I’m just scared. That’s all.”

  She paused. “Besides,” she said. “I…I want more time together. Look at all that’s happened. You took me to the skate party a week ago. A week! Anything in the world could happen now, and we wouldn’t know each other anymore, you know? That goes for you and all your friends. Doesn’t that seem odd? That all this time, all these things have been snowballing, coming together? All of a sudden, in less than a month, you’ve found all these friends. And you all like each other. I don’t even know them, and I like them. I don’t even know you, but I’d give my right arm. I’d give my right arm and a lot more to make sure you were all right. All of you. It’s like you can feel it, like we’ve been together for longer than we really have. Saying it is one thing, but doing it…I know it. I know I would. And I know you would, too, Seth. I can tell by the way you are, the way they are. Within one month, you’ve probably had the best friends you’ve ever had in your whole life, and now you’re going on the most perilous adventure of your lives. Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

  Seth hadn’t thought about it quite like that, and he was surprised by how vulnerable and mature Kinsey sounded, but he couldn’t help agreeing. It was strange. Strange and more. Maybe there was a reason for it, as Masie had said: there was a reason for everything. Maybe something had to happen, something elusive. It wasn’t up to him to understand or figure it out. He simply had to accept it.

  Seth nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, it does seem strange. Too strange, I think. But maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be.” The next thing Seth said puzzled him, and he wondered where it came from. “Maybe that’s the way God wants it.”

  Kinsey studied him. A mysterious look came into her eyes. A smile emerged. “Do you believe that, Seth? Do you believe God has a hand in this? That He wants you, and us, to destroy this thing? That He’s helping us along?”

  Seth smiled and shrugged. “Sure. Why not?” He couldn’t believe the sureness, the unaltered conviction in which he said those words. Things made more sense to him now than ever before. Was that what Ben had been talking about? Faith? Seth still wasn’t sure what that meant.

  They walked the rest of the way home in silence. Kinsey took his hand. After a while, Seth asked:

  “Kinsey?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What’s your favorite color?”

  “Blue. Why?”

  Seth shrugged. “I don’t know. I just get this feeling it’s important.”

  iv

  Eddie’s Journal:

  It looks, Oh Mighty Creator, as if we have begun, not settling back to listen to the idle trains that pass along this ruinous track. We have prepared ourselves and are now ready for lift off. Let us rejoice!

  Well, I’m not so sure that’s the right way to express it, but it’s all I’ve got so far.

  As I look over this journal and the stupid entries I began early last year to the entries I have now, I begin to see where all my hopes and dreams have collapsed. And now we make our way to something bigger and better, more important. At least that’s what we hope.

  It scares the crap out of me.

  Believe it or not, Journal, we leave tonight for this grand and mysterious palace—this place we know nothing about—whether it exists or not, whether it is just a picture we have painted in our heads. We go west. We leave on faith. Whatever that is. We may never return. Nobody knows. We go as fellow travelers; we take sleeping bags, tents, and all the food we can carry. I, myself, have stored an abundance of raisins I found in the pantry and a bag of cereal bars under my bed. They’re small but very nutritious. I’m not sure what the others will bring, but I know we should have enough supplies to last until our journey’s end.

  Well, that’s wishful thinking.

  Then again, maybe we’ll lose everything.

  At midnight tonight, our journey begins. May we return in safety. Look after Mom and Dad for me, Journal, will ya? Make yourself useful for once.

  Perhaps you are wondering why I have not elaborated more?

  Who knows? I don’t. But I did see Ben today, Seth’s magical tiger, and once I saw him something happened inside of me. I began to…hope, I guess…

  I’m kind of excited to go. If we find what we’re looking for, then maybe I’ll tell you about it. Sorry, I’ve cheated you again. Don’t worry, though. It can’t be that interesting anyway, can it? I’m still not sure I believe any of this. It’s all just a dream I’m having, like with Gavin. What would the world be like if we believed in our dreams? It’s hard to say. Maybe it would be utter chaos. Maybe not.

  Until we’re on the road…

  Eddie.

  v

  Seth rummaged through his things, making sure he had everything he needed after supper. He wondered if everyone would make it to Samuel’s Creek, or if they’d cower under the covers like he imagined himself doing.

  Seth kept his door closed and sorted through his clothes: long underwear, regular underwear, extra shirts, sweaters, boots, gloves, hat, and warm socks. Were three pairs enough?

  His only concern was for Gavin. Seth knew the boy had to go home eventually, but wished he didn’t have to go home at all. What if his mom beat him again? Seth wanted tonight to run as smoothly as possible. They were pawns, he realized, in a grand, magnificent scheme.

  Pawns have captured kings, he thought.

  Pawns, indeed, had captured kings.

  He had to wait for Malcolm to drop off his backpack still. He felt he was racing against time, anxious to get midnight here and over with. What if their parents found out? What if something happened to spoil their plan? They should’ve prepared sooner, he told himself. They should’ve given themselves more time.

  Seth took all his winter clothes and sorted through them. He grabbed his gloves, a winter hat, and a red winter coat.

  He could not say goodbye, and it troubled him. He wanted to let Masie and his mother know he’d be okay. Leaving them without a word seemed bitterly cruel. He prayed they would understand.

  Too much was happening, and Malcolm was right. There was no turning back. He was only ten, and here he was, just a boy. But he didn’t feel lik
e one, not anymore.

  Seth’s eyes welled with tears. He had to be strong, and now he felt weaker than ever.

  He would dress warm tonight. It would get cold.

  For Ellishome, he thought. For Howard and Sadie. For Hailey Patterson and his wife.

  He imagined his mother and sister waking, finding his bed empty, combing the meadow, looking for his dead body. He wondered if he could do something to let them know…

  He grabbed a piece of a paper and a pen from the desk by the window. In simple letters, he wrote, I love you Mase. Meep-meep. Tiger. Just as quickly, he crumbled it up, and threw it in the wastebasket. He’d made a promise, and he would keep it.

  He was hanging over a precipice. He didn’t know if he or his friends would survive. Maybe they would freeze to death. Maybe they would get lost in a blizzard…

  That would be the perfect ending, Seth thought.

  Seth took an extra pair of jeans, three T-shirts, several pairs of underwear, and placed them on his bed. Kinsey told them how to dress against the cold with a layer of long underwear, a T-shirt, shorts, and jeans. He’d grabbed a bottle of aspirin from the kitchen earlier when his mother wasn’t looking. His dad had left a hunting knife in one of the junk drawers in the kitchen, and he’d grabbed this as well. He’d found some oatmeal in the cupboard and a bag of rice.

  He thought he had everything he needed: canteen, food, clothes, sleeping bag, various miscellaneous items.

  Masie was out with Rheanna and Jeanie. His mom was already in bed.

  He thought about Malcolm bumping into Masie while he dropped off the backpack, then tried not to think about it. All he had to do was wait, but the minutes ticked slowly by. Malcolm would drop off the backpack, then Seth would be able to pack in silence. Masie would get back and in bed early enough for him to sneak out and meet the others.

  School was scheduled to start again on Monday. Some of them might have to repeat another year the way things were going.