The Crescent Stone

by E G McNally

  She quickly found the turn and drove off toward the town. The scenery was beautiful. The drive was along a large river, which was frozen in most places. Pine trees and furs cluttered the surrounding terrain, and little houses were scattered among the trees, with smoke drifting out of the chimneys. She could see large mountains far off in the distance but everything was pillowed with white powder, blending the terrain together.

  She watched out for an inn. She needed to find The Thirteen Moons. For some reason, a man named Jacque is going to be able to help her, and she needed to find him there.

  “Les Treize Lunes,” she read a sign out loud. “Wait isn’t that The Thirteen hmm, Lunes could that mean Moons?” Taylor thought, and then decided to stop and ask at least.

  She pulled into the driveway and thought that it looked like a nice little inn. She parked the car and crunched through the snow up to the front door.

  She rapped on the door. No one answered, and so she let herself in, deciding she might try to see if anyone was there.

  The place was very nice. The front room opened up into a great room, were she could see the beautiful river of ice outside. There were some comfortable sofas facing the windows and a breakfast table in the corner.

  “Hello, anyone there?” Taylor yelled, shuffling through some magazines spread out on a coffee table in front of the sofas.

  “Hi, just a moment. . .”

  Taylor jumped, as a voice came from the stairs.

  She waited for a few moments and then a tall younger looking woman came down the stairs holding some blankets folded in a stack.

  “Hi, I’m Jill. Can I help you with anything?” She set down the blankets on a small table and then reached out her hand.

  “Taylor,” she said promptly grabbing her hand in response with a brief shake. “Actually, I’m looking for Jacque; do you know where I can find him?” Taylor responded.

  “Depends, who told you, you could find him here?” She asked a little suspiciously.

  “My friend Tim, Tim Ambler. He said I could find out what I needed to know up here. He said that Jacque can help me.” Taylor replied a bit frustrated that she wasn’t getting a straight answer.

  “What kind of help are we talking about?” Jill asked again.

  “To be honest, I’m not exactly sure, but I do think it has something to do with this stone that I found. . .” she was interrupted.

  “A stone you say?” A man appeared around the corner at the top of the stairs and asked curiously.

  “That’ll be all Jill, thank you dear.” He said to Jill. He walked down the stairs, leaned over the young woman, gave her a kiss on the forehead, and then politely motioned her to leave. The man motioned Taylor to follow, exiting the main floor, and out onto the patio, overlooking the river. Taylor promptly followed, assuming that the old man was Jacque.

  “Tell me some more about this stone that you found, if you wouldn’t mind.” He asked Taylor.

  “Am I to assume that you are Jacque, the Jacque that Tim sent me to find?” She replied.

  “Ah, yes, and that is my lovely daughter Jill, you’ve just met inside.” He motioned toward the window.

  “Okay, well I guess everything started when I found this stone in Lake Crescent.”

  “Do you still have it, can I see it?” He interrupted her. She could hear the excitement in his voice.

  “Uh, no, you’ll just have to listen to find out what happened.” She commented and watched as a frown stretched across the old man’s face. She could tell that he was disappointed.

  “Anyway, it looked like a very large diamond so I kept it, but then my friends and I got into trouble on the lake and some park rangers stopped us. I swallowed the stone thinking I would, you know,” she paused. “Poop it out.” She whispered, flushing with embarrassment. “But when I swallowed it, a weird pulsing feeling went through my body and then I felt sick. I threw up and then I was arrested, and then I was put in juvenile hall, and then I was moved to Maine, and then I began having strange dreams, and then I broke my leg,” she began flying through her words as if she were unloading years of stress onto the man. “And then my leg healed that week, and the news crew came and cut me on television and then that healed while we were in the house.”

  “Slow down, slow down.” He urged her. She stopped and took a large breath in, then calmed herself. Tears had already begun to well up in her eyes and she felt embarrassed that the stress was so overwhelming. Usually stress was easy for her to deal with, considering all the stuff she used to have to put up with in foster care. She exhaled and started again this time slower.

  “Well, then I was plastered all over the news as a Devil Child and I hadn’t even started school yet. Oh yeah, and I had a dream, or at least I thought it was a dream, until recently, where I thought I turned into a gargoyle. And then I flew along the river in town, and then found a church and went inside. There was a boy inside. That was Tim I guess, but I couldn’t really tell until later at school.” She stopped for a moment.

  “What is it?” Jacque asked.

  “Well, I guess, I always assumed I was dreaming, but if I wasn’t, then what happened next, was really strange. Somebody barged into the church and shot me with something that knocked me out, and when I woke up, I was back in my room.” She paused.

  “Did anyone follow you up here?”

  “Not that I know of, why, do you think Major Bradshaw knows where I am?” She cringed.

  “Actually yes, but I don’t think that, that was his men at the church. I don’t think he would have returned you home. Sounds like someone else is following you . . . any idea who?” He sounded genuinely concerned.

  “Not really, your nephew’s the one who told me all this stuff in the first place. He said I needed to find you before anything else happened.” She replied.

  “Okay, that makes sense. So tell me, what else happened?” He asked, leaning against the rail.

  “Well, something pretty bad happened at school. I changed into a gargoyle again, but this time some kids saw me and attacked my grandparent’s last night. They burned it down thinking I was inside, but my grandparents were.” She choked on her words, “that’s when Tim sent me up here. He said I’d be safe here and that you could help me.” She finished her story and wiped her eyes trying desperately to hold back a barrage of tears.

  “Well dear it seems like you’ve had a tough journey.” He motioned for her to go inside. “I think Jill has breakfast almost done, you’re welcome to join us and have a bit of a break. We can continue this conversation later this afternoon. You can get yourself a good bath and some fresh clothes, I’m sure Jill has some old ones you can wear.” He finished talking and walked back into the house.

  Taylor followed behind him. He walked to the far end of the room and around a corner. There was a large kitchen with beautiful maple cabinetry. She watched as Jacque washed his hands in a sink under a large bay window, she did the same. Jill was slicing some fresh baked bread and placing the slices in the toaster. Taylor dried her hands on a towel hanging below the window next to the sink.

  “Can I help you with anything?” Taylor offered Jill.

  Jill finished buttering some toast and placed them on a plate. “Sure you can carry these out to the table.” She handed the plate of toast to Taylor and a jar of jam.

  Taylor marched into the dining room, placing the toast and some jam on the table and then sat down across from Jacque. Jill soon joined them and sat near her father at the other side of the table.

  “Dig in, there’s toast, bacon, eggs, and fries. Please enjoy.” Jill announced, spooning herself some fries that looked more like hash browns.

  Taylor was exhausted and said very little during breakfast. It gave her a chance to recollect her thoughts. She was watching Jacque and couldn’t help but notice the striking resemblance that Jill had of him. They both had ultra light blond hair, thin and wavy. Jacque’s hair was much shorter than Jill’s, but still long enough to see the waves wrap around his ears.
They both had clear blue eyes, the blue you would find on the northern part of the Pacific Ocean which reminded Taylor of swimming in Lake Crescent. They had the same nose, narrow and to the point and high cheek bones. The only real difference was the lips. Jacque had large normally proportioned lips for a man, but Jill had dainty little lips. Her upper lip almost hidden by her small lower lip, she guessed those came from her mother. Their skin was lighter, but not pale like Taylor’s, it seemed like they got a lot of sun, but in this cold, their color was drained. But, all in all, she could tell that Jill was most definitely related to Jacque.

  “Taylor is going to be staying with us for a while. If you could set her up with a room and I thought maybe some of your old clothes might fit her, it’d be much appreciated.” Jacque explained.

  “Sure thing dad,” she responded and then looked at Taylor. “I’ll get you all set up, just try and keep tidy around here and mind your manners. We get lots of guests that come and go and we don’t want to upset any of them.” She added, finishing up her breakfast.

  “Come with me, and I’ll get you all fixed up. Don’t worry about the table. Dad will get it.” Jill escorted Taylor upstairs to a large bedroom on the left end of the hallway.

  “Here are some clothes that you can wear, towels are in there. Go ahead and clean up, I’m sure dad is going to want to talk to you some more after you’re all settled.” Jill handed Taylor a stack of clothes and pointed out a cabinet under the sink with some towels and bathing supplies, adjacent to the room.

  After Jill left, Taylor pulled out a towel and relaxed into a nice warm bath. She cleared her head of any nonsense and listened to the wind howling by the window in the bedroom. Time passed by as she enjoyed the warm bath, until she heard a faint conversation between Jill and Jacque coming from a vent.

  “Don’t get too comfortable, with all that press she’s been getting we might have to leave before any government officials arrive. You’d better bet they’ve been watching her.” Jacque’s deeper voice boomed.

  “But don’t they think she burned down in the fire. Wouldn’t that have kept them distracted?” Jill’s more delicate voice responded.

  “Maybe, but it won’t be long before they don’t find her body in the house and go looking for her. And you better bet they’ll think she’s come to me. I was after all, the head of research and development for the Major’s old team. And even though they may not know where I am, you better bet they’re going to try and find me. None of us are safe here.” Jacque continued, but was interrupted by a knocking at the front door.

  Taylor was already on edge listening to their conversation, but when someone knocked at the door, she jumped. She got up out of the tub and dried off quickly. She heard some more talking as the third party entered the house and the conversation was continued.

  “Did she make it safely, Professor?” The third voice asked. It was obviously male by the deep tones but not as deep as Jacque’s voice. It sounded kind of familiar.

  As Taylor was listening she suddenly felt a strange tingling feeling run up the back of her spine and her heart began to beat more rapidly. This was a new feeling; it was strange, as if her body recognized the third person downstairs without even seeing him. It felt like hundreds of years of yearning all pressed into one little moment, a moment that was far to brief, but could last forever.

  “Yes, but I think we may have to leave soon.” Jacque’s words snapped Taylor back into reality.

  “That would be wise; I’ve seen three large black sedans heading north about two hours south of here. One of the men was Major Bradshaw, I’m certain they know she came to you and someone must have tipped them off on your location,” informed the third voice.

  “Thanks, we’ll get packed and head out within the hour. Will you go ahead and ready the Chateau Le Cache. Notify the grounds we’re coming and try and delay Bradshaw if you can. Buy us some time.” Jacque finished up, bidding good luck to the stranger.

  “I’ll do what I can.” The voice finished and then the man stormed off outside and the door was closed behind him.

  Taylor was frantic. She threw some of Jill’s old clothes on and ran down the stairs and to the door. She swung it open to see who was there but no one was outside. The cold air blew in causing a shiver to run down her spine. She stepped back into the house and closed the door. Both Jill and Jacque acted alarmed when she flew to the door.

  “Who was here just a minute ago?” Taylor asked Jacque with an accusing look on her face.

  “No one of any importance, but we must pack. Get together anything you brought up here we don’t want to leave proof that you were here. We must be leaving within the hour so hurry.” Jacque ordered.

  “Yes, Sir,” she promptly responded with no quarrels because she had heard the conversation from upstairs so she already understood why they needed to leave.

  Jacque was a little surprised that she had not questioned him or argued back, but he was also glad because he needed to pack quite a bit of gear and high end technology and had little time to do so. He brought all sorts of boxes and cases up from the basement and piled them next to the door. Once Taylor and Jill had packed some clothes, Jacque reversed a hummer out of the garage and they all started stacking the gear into the back.

  “Should I drive my car?” Taylor asked, as they were stacking the last of the gear.

  “It’s not yours right?” He responded.

  “No, Tim lent it to me.” She said.

  “Right, well we are going to have to leave it here. Just park it in the garage and make sure all of your stuff is out of it.” He told Taylor.

  They just finished packing and Jacque pulled the hummer further out of the driveway as Taylor moved the Lexus into the garage. They all piled into the hummer and Jacque pressed a button that made the garage door close.

  “House is locked?” He questioned Jill.

  “Yes and everything is secured inside.” She replied and handed him the house keys. He placed them into his jacket pocket and backed the hummer onto the street and pulled forward.

  “What is the Chateau Le Cache?” Taylor asked as they drove off.

  “So you heard our conversation, did you?” He replied, keeping his head facing the street.

  “Some of it, I heard that you are a professor and you used to work for the government. But that’s about all really.” She commented through a long yawn. She realized that through all the commotion the last day or two, she hadn’t really slept for a while and was no longer able to fight off the sleep deprivation.

  “It sounds like you might be tired, try and get some sleep. You’ll see soon enough what Chateau Le Cache is.” Jacque replied, and then began talking to Jill.

  “The good news is that he is going to try and slow Bradshaw down, Will . . .” she listened with intensity trying to follow the conversation but drifted off into a heavy sleep and began dreaming.

  Chapter XII: Chateau Le Cache

  “Ahh,” Taylor released a long yawn that triggered everyone in the hummer to yawn in response.

  “Are we there yet?” She asked the Professor, slowly waking from a long needed slumber.

  “We’re just pulling in now. . .” He stopped and pointed past some trees outside.

  There were several feet of snow outside and Taylor could feel the tires crunching over the thick blankets of white on the ground. As they drove between the trees, plumes of snow were knocked off the branches and forced to fall to the ground, uncovering the thick evergreen trees beneath. Taylor’s eyes followed Jacque’s finger, as she gazed past the trees at the scene in front of her

  “Wow!” She gasped, as the most incredible sight she had ever dreamed of, unfolded.

  The trees parted, revealing a pathway that led up to a Castle. The snow was stacked in layers on each side of the pavement, but the pavement itself had been cleared. The long driveway led up to a shiny black gate.

  “Welcome to the Chateau Le Cache.” He said, watching her surprised face.

  Once insi
de the gate, there was a circular driveway, surrounding a large garden, quilted with snow. Several large buildings stood in front of Taylor, all made out of the same large stones. The largest building had three towers and long corridors that drifted backward. The towers had openings on top, which, she assumed were probably used for guards in the old days. There were two other buildings, but not as large as the first, arranged one behind the other. They were made of the same stone, but one looked like a stable, and the other a hotel. The Castle was magnificent, strewn with elaborate balconies and sky high stain glass windows.

  “It’s so beautiful?” Taylor commented.

  “Thank you, but shall we unpack and I’ll tell you everything you want to know, inside?” He responded, shutting off the car.

  “Sounds good,” Taylor replied.

  A butler walked out to the driveway and greeted them.

  “Willem informed us you were coming. Everything should be to your satisfaction, Sir.” The butler said with a very monotonous voice.

  Taylor paused for a moment, wondering about who this Willem was. Based on the conversation she heard earlier, he must be the guy that was at the Inn.

  The butler hastily carried some luggage inside the castle. Taylor picked up a couple of items as well, and followed him.

  “Please leave your stuff here. I will take care of it and show you to your room later.” The butler told Taylor.

  “Thank you, Philip.” Jacque replied, nodding to the butler. “We’ll be having lunch in the kitchen.” He added. “Let Madeline know please.”

  Taylor followed Jacque past a long room with green marble floors and several elegant light fixtures, into another room with a long mahogany table and matching symmetrical chairs. Jacque disappeared into another room with Taylor following shortly behind. At last, they were in the kitchen. The kitchen was fantastically large. Any chef would feel privileged to use such a kitchen, with its ceiling to floor oak cabinets, high end appliances, and large island.

  “I’m glad you’re here sir, I’ve made some food for you.” A woman standing over the sink commented. Taylor assumed that she was the cook, with a white apron tied around her waist and hair net covering her head.