Relaxing her vision, Carole saw light streaming from behind the sandbags. "It is a vortex," she called to her companions. "Very small, but there's no mistaking those colors. This must be the Monobrain transdimensional tunnel."
"Great." Zack waded through the weeds, followed by Martin and Lilly. "What about the connector, can you see that, too?"
"No. It might be here but I can't tell." She poked her staff through the barbed wire, trying to dislodge a sandbag. "There's too much junk in the way."
"So what now?" Martin surveyed the scene.
"Obviously we bust in," Zack said, circling the enclosure.
"Not without a pair of heavy-duty wire-cutters, we don't."
"Guess our next stop is the hardware store," Lilly said.
"Can you imagine--" A loud bell drowned out whatever Zack had to say. A second peal echoed the first.
"Let's get out of here!" Carole said.
They raced for the alley.
* * *
- 33 -
A man barreled towards them from the opposite side of the alley. "Hey, you!"
"Should we run for it?" Martin whispered.
"No, it's too late!" Carole said softly. "Besides, we've done nothing wrong."
"Don't ya kids know there's a pirate curfew-- Wait a minute, you're not from here! Where'd ya come from and what are ya doing snooping arount town?"
"What's going on here, Smithy?" The high-pitched rheumy voice came from a small, pasty-looking man with a long gray beard. He wore a white canvas robe.
"I caught these four young'uns sneaking arount, Prophet."
The Prophet was barely taller than Zack, but he carried himself with a look of absolute authority. "'Tis a strange thing ta have visitors about town any time o' day," he said cagily. "We don't get much in the way of a tourist trade. Came ye off a sea vessel?"
"No," Carole said, "we were hiking through the hills and followed an old road into town."
"They're lying. None comes ta 'The End' through the old way. 'Tain't possible." The smithy sounded suspicious. "The swine would've had em fer sure."
"Still, that's the way we came."
"How's it possible Prophet? You said none could get past the guardians. What about the Apocalypse?"
"Tis indeed, a sign," the Prophet said in a loud ringing voice, as his gaze shifted nervously over Carole and her friends. "And most certainly one which requires careful study before making any premature pronouncements. But I will tell ye this, Smithy. It could well be that these four are a foretelling that the horsemen will soon be loosed upon the land."
The smithy stepped back. "Could they be the horsemen?"
"'Tis possible. Perhaps sent in disguise ta ferret out the wicked in our midst."
"Oh come on!" Carole muttered.
"Whatever ye be, 'tis certain that ye's a test sent ta catch us unawares and challenge our purity and resolve," the Prophet bellowed. He lifted his face and arms skyward. "A challenge we shall not fail!"
"Amen!" said the smithy.
"See to it the townsfolk know ta avoid these tempters." The Prophet turned on his heel and stalked away. The smithy hurried after him.
"So what now?" Zack said.
"We still need those wire-cutters."
* * * *
A bespectacled man looked up from the counter and smiled as they entered the hardware store. "Afternoon, kids. Nice ta see some fresh faces in town."
"Seems you're about the only one who thinks so." Carole stared out the window.
"Ah. I take it you've met the Prophet or Smithy."
"Both." Zack said.
"What's the story on that guy? He was saying some pretty weird stuff." Carole nudged Martin who began to walk down the isles, looking over the merchandise.
"Well, that's a tale and a half. A tale and a half fer sure." Mr. Wilkins popped a licorice stick into his mouth and held out the candy jar to Carole and the twins. "I guess it must be close ta ten years by now, when the Prophet first came ta town. Back then he was just a down-and-out drifter, whose only purpose seemed to be to rile up Bad Bart. Bart was sailor, though some say pirate was closer to the mark, and he hated that drifter with a passion.
"On the day it happened, Bart caught himself a real foul mood and was determined ta make the drifter accountable. So he jumped ship on the other side of the cove, snuck into town and snagged the drifter completely unawares. Let me tell ya, that man squawked ta beat all, but it did absolutely no good, 'cause he was caught surer than a beached whale at low tide.
"Then Bart hauled him over to the town well. I s'pose the drifter realized he was about ta be pitched in, so he goes ramrod straight, points a finger at Bart and bellows, 'Judgment's a coming and I say verily that ye, Bad Bart, and yer evil ways shall be torn asunder from this very earth!' And that's when it happened."
"What?" Carole, Zack and Lilly spoke in unison.
"Some say they was devils; others say angels, but everyone agrees that out of nowhere, a group of 'em appeared, snatched hold of Bart and vanished again. Then next thing ya know there's this terrific flash and the well just sort of blows apart in a cloud of dust.
"Well sir, when that dust finally settled, there's the drifter, his arm still outstretched, his finger still pointing. And on the ground in front of him was Bad Bart, or what was left him anyway, dead as a doorknob.
"After that the drifter became known as the Prophet, and these days what the Prophet says pretty much goes."
"I guess that's everything," Martin said dropping an armload of supplies onto the counter.
* * * *
As they approached the edge of town, they saw a commotion up ahead. It was hard to tell exactly what was happening, but one thing was certain. Runt was part of the excitement. He and L'il Bart were running towards them at full speed.
As soon as they were within earshot, L'il Bart blurted out, "Some dogs sniffed him out and roused a whole pack of farmers. Ya'd best hightail it out a here 'til things cool off some."
"We can't go back that way!" Carole could see scores of farmers, armed with hoes and rakes, streaming in from the fields.
"Head fer the harbor," Bart pointed to the bay. "Got us a secret clubhouse 'neath the rotten wharf, just above the high tide mark. It smells a might, but ya can hide out there whilst I gather up my gang ta help." Bart sped off, sporting a huge smile and obviously loving every minute of this latest turn of events.
"Keep between us, Runt," Carole advised as they ran towards the water. But even before they reached the first street, Runt was spotted and cries of "pig" began to ring out.
"Forget the wharf, we'll never make it." Zack ducked into an alley. The others followed and soon they were zigzagging about, desperately trying to lose the gathering mob.
"The whole town must be after us!" Martin peered out from behind an outhouse.
"This way." Zack pointed towards another back street.
"There they are!" someone yelled from a distance.
They darted into the alley.
"We're trapped," Martin groaned, when villagers appeared at the other end. "There's no way we can get away now."
"Maybe not us," Carole admitted. "Runt, scoot out of here before that crowd arrives. Double back to the fields and wait for us by the edge of the forest. And keep an eye out for dogs.
"Come on. Let's buy him some time!"
She ran into the street. Lilly and the boys joined her. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder, they shielded Runt from the oncoming mob. He dashed down the street and vanished around the corner.
The crowd surrounded the youths, waving rakes and fists, yelling about pigs and the Apocalypse, and calling for the Prophet. They marched Carole and her friends to the center of town. More people were gathered there. The Prophet stood among them, looking extremely nervous.
"Now what's this all about?" he demanded shrilly.
"They brought a pig!" Smithy charged. "It was hiding on the outskirts of town all this time."
"It's true."
"There was a pi
g."
"We saw it."
"You have a pig with ya?" The Prophet frowned, as if trying to appear stern, but he came across sounding rather alarmed.
"He's my pet."
"Don't ya know that pigs are outlawed in this town? Don't ya know what they stand fer? Do ya want to bring the Apocalypse down upon yer very own heads?"
"Maybe they's devils in disguise! Maybe they's in league with the devils that took Bad Bart! Maybe they's a wantin' the Apocalypse!"
The words raced through the crowd like a grassfire. Many backed away. Others readied their makeshift weapons.
"Now, now, good people. This is just another test, another sign ta prepare ourselves fer the coming end. Do not be a'feared. "
"Burn 'em!" someone yelled. "Burn 'em fer the devils and witches they be, before more harm is done!"
"Burn 'em!"
"Uh oh!" Martin pressed closer to his friends. "Any ideas, Carole?"
Her staff gripped firmly in her hands, Carole scanned for the thinnest concentration of people. "Follow my lead," she whispered. "We go on--"
The church bell began clanging wildly.
"Pirates!" The shout came from the bell tower. "The ship's already docked!"
Most of the people ran off. The rest looked towards the harbor, or kept their attention on the Prophet and his captives.
"You four." The Prophet pointed out three men and the blacksmith. "Take these kids ta the church fer their protection, but don't ye hurt 'em none, see. The rest of ya, go home and secure yer houses from the pirate horde."
Just then a rough and tumble group of men rounded a corner and came marching up the main street. The pirates, seeing the men gathered in the square, stopped dead in their tracks. Neither townsfolk nor pirates said a word or moved a muscle.
Zack hooted into the silence, "The pirates! Get 'em!"
"If it's a fight they wants, it's a fight they'll have," one of the pirates yelled. "On to 'em!"
With a roar, pirates and townsfolk ran at each other.
"Come on, while there's still time." Carole hopped the railing into the park and ducked into the tall grass.
They attacked the barbed wire and sandbags furiously. Soon sandbags were scattered across the ground and the well was completely exposed. Carole peered inside.
A vortex, small as a ditch culvert, churned slowly within, but she couldn't see anything which might be considered a connector. She sat back on her heels and nibbled her lip. What now?
"Uh, Carole? I don't suppose you've figured things out, yet?" Zack said. "'Cause the fighting's stopped. They're coming our way."
"The tunnels here, but no connector."
"I figure you've got about sixty seconds to find it."
Suddenly from windows, rooftops and around corners, high-pitched screams erupted as children began lobbing water balloons at every grownup in sight. As the first volley exploded, people were splattered with paint, ink and honey. L'il Bart had been as good as his word.
In the midst of the pandemonium, Carole heard a loud rumble. "Look!"
A stampede of hogs thundered into view, with Runt and Smoky leading the charge. Runt, grinning from ear-to-ear, was squealing at the top of his lungs.
Pirates and townsfolk scattered in all directions, while the children hooted and hollered.
Carole raised her staff and gave a sharp whistle. Runt turned and came towards her. The porcine army followed in close formation.
A moment later she realized her mistake. The hogs weren't going to stop.
"Come on!" She stumbled over the strewn sandbags.
"Where to?" Martin shouted above the din, as he, Lilly and Zack scrambled after her.
"The vortex!"
The hogs smashed through the fence.
"Jump!" Carole screamed, and leapt into the well.
Martin, Lilly, and Zack dove after her. A heartbeat later, Runt and Smoky, followed by the entire herd of swine, tumbled over the brink.
She felt as if she was caught in the center of a tornado, but somehow Carole was able to steady herself. Ahead she saw what appeared to be a bunch of sparking wires. On instinct she hooked them with her staff. Instantly she felt a buzz of energy.
"Of course." Directing the snout of her staff outwards, she shouted, "Home!"
* * *
- 34 -
The solemn graduates climbed the worn path spiraling up from the valley floor. Their destination was the unadorned yet all important platform resting on the peak of the Celestial Nexus. This was to be their first transdimensional leap.
For a select few it would be a time of great celebration and victory. They would earn their colors and become fledgling leapers, able to continue along the path of those great transdimensional multitaskers of the past. However, for most it would become a time of bitter disappointment but also of reflection and acceptance. Although one path would close, many others would remain open and inviting.
Surrounding the platform was the entire Hub community, young and old having come out to witness the event, for here celebration and disappointment were shared by all.
Today Professor Snively Hotspot was the dignitary overseeing the occasion. As the last of the graduating class crowded onto the platform, Hotspot stepped forward, raised his arms in salute to the leapers, and turned to face the murmuring crowd. Voices quickly stilled as all strained to hear what the esteemed orator would say.
Hotspot dropped his arms and began. "It is with great hope and expectation that these young graduates stand before us, preparing to test their mettle, their training and yes their luck. They will put all unabashedly on the line, in the hopes that they may move forward in their lives to become transdimensional leapers."
The onlookers broke into enthusiastic applause, and Hotspot again raised his arms for silence.
"As we are all fully aware, these students have devoted themselves to years of struggle and study, giving heart and soul to the task. Even so, despite dedication and sacrifice only a few will be chosen. Such is the way of the multitasker. For ours is a very select lot, and our transdimensional leapers an even more elite body.
"It is our profound hope that in the very near future, the last dimension shall again find itself attached to our land, and with it the cosmic perturbations will once and for all be put to rest. Indeed, there has been talk of little else since the discovery that the Sylphwood child is alive and well, though stranded on that dreadful monobrain world. We cannot but feel for the poor child and the horrors which she must be enduring, for have we not ourselves experienced the damage those less evolved, those of monobrain mentality, have done to the very fabric of existence? And so, to you graduates who are about to embark--"
With a flare of light, the Boar's Head Staff sliced through the air and speared into the ground inches from Hotspot's nose. Moments later a kaleidoscope weave of lightning bolts rained down from the sky and exploded onto the mount, scattering students and onlookers in all directions, and sending Hotspot careening head-over-heels down the hill.
Carole tumbled out of the tunnel, followed by Zack, Lilly, Martin, Runt, Smoky, and hundreds of hogs of various shapes and sizes. Jumping to her feet, she looked around in bewilderment, before recognizing the very place that she'd dreamed about so often in the past. She was home.
"Reet, Reet, Reet!" Runt complained, weaving about in a game attempt to reach her.
"Runt! Smoky! Snowy! George! You're here! You all made it. You actually made it!" She ranged amongst the dazed herd, hugging necks, scratching ears and brushing aside her own tears of joy.
"Ugh, I never ever want to do that again." Martin lay on his back, staring into the jowly face of a wizened old hog.
"That was definitely not fun." Green-faced, Zack agreed, as he got slowly to his knees. "I can't believe I'm not puking my guts out."
Lilly was leaning against a battle-scarred boar. "Uh Carole, is this where I think we are?"
"Yes, The Hub!"
"But we didn't... You said the last monobrainer who came here almost
destroyed the place. How come we..."
"Because not only is Miss Sylphwood an extremely talented jumper, she is obviously a good judge of character as well." A tall, cadaveric looking man with the most extraordinary eyebrows was pushing his way through the tide of pigs. "She has succeeded in reestablishing a permanent link to your monobrain world, and thereby has put an end to The Great Conundrum. In so doing she has added a great deal of spice to the monobrain debate.
"You three are here because you no longer think like monobrains, hence you no longer act like monobrains. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you are no longer monobrainers at all. Perhaps a few paces shy of being considered true multitaskers, but certainly well on your way."
"Philamount!" Carole gave the specterish man such a squeeze that his cheeks bulged out past his eyebrows. "I really ought to give it to you for dumping me like you did."
"I did nothing of the sort," the man wheezed. "Your very presence is proof that you had sufficient information to get the job done, though your choice of placement for the monobrain tunnel does leave a little to be desired. I mean really, Miss Sylphwood, the Celestial Nexus of all places?"
* * *
Epilogue
"Now Miss Sylphwood. Go!"
Carole and Martin bolted from the stairway, scurried beneath the platform and across the hilltop to where the monobrain connector was still rooted to the ground. Grabbing Martin's hand, she activated the tunnel and without breaking stride, stepped in. The wild ride lasted only a moment before the two burst out the other side. She looked around.
"That's my house," Martin said, indicating a building on the far side of the stream, beside which they were now standing.
"Are you sure about this? Things will probably calm down soon enough."
"I don't know, Carole. That Hotspot character sounds like a real loser."
"Yeah, well it's too late now. He already knows about Lil and Zack. Anyway, I'd best get back. Philamount looked about ready to have kittens."
The Lost Witch Page 18
