by David Bowles
Dedication
To John Picacio and the rest of my hermanes in the Mexicanx Initiative. X-up!
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter 1: Beneath the Bridge
Chapter 2: The End of the Street
Chapter 3: Bruno’s Big Back
Chapter 4: Freeze-Ray Fowls!
Chapter 5: Royal Revelations
Chapter 6: Atop the Red Tower
Chapter 7: Avian Allies
Chapter 8: Signal from the Sky
Chapter 9: The Fowls Follow!
Chapter 10: Binoculars on the Bridge
Chapter 11: Chaneks and a Choice
Chapter 12: The Black Gate
Chapter 13: Freeing Friends
Chapter 14: The Real Road Returns
Chapter 15: Fireworks, Family, Friends
Activities
About the Author and Illustrator
Back Ad
Copyright
About the Publisher
Chapter
1
Beneath the Bridge
Ivan hated being late, even for a dangerous mission to a spooky dimension.
“Hurry up, Aunt Lucy!” he called.
Ivan was standing on the steps to Lucy’s apartment building with his cousins, Malia and Dante. Tapping her foot beside them was their friend Susana Leal. She’d come with them to Gulf City to enjoy the New Year’s Eve fireworks display over Karankawa Bay.
Of course, neither Mr. Leal nor Aunt Lucy knew the real reason the four kids had begged permission to come.
They were going to return to 13th Street.
Dozens of children from across Texas had wandered into that scary place, and now they were the captives of a wicked queen. Someone had to set them free!
“Coming!” shouted Lucy. She popped through the door and pulled a flowery shawl over her head. “Oooh, it’s chilly. Y’all have your jackets?”
“Yup!” said Malia, zipping hers up. “Christmas present from my mom. VERY expensive.”
Ivan rolled his eyes and pulled on the straps of his backpack.
“Why do you kids always carry those everywhere?” Lucy asked.
“It’s a wild world,” Dante explained. “Gotta be ready for anything. Tidal waves, shark attacks, the zombie apocalypse . . .”
Lucy pinched his cheek, laughing. “Like any of those things could ever happen to y’all. Come on, pingos!” she said, teasing.
They hurried to the bus stop. In a matter of minutes, they were standing on the shore. They found a good spot close to the bridge that stretched across Karankawa Bay, joining Gulf City to Invader Island.
Ivan glanced around, looking for the Aguilars. Suddenly, out of the crowd came Mickey and Doña Chabela.
“Hey, guys!” Mickey said, holding out his fist. Ivan and Dante bumped it with theirs. Malia gave him a salute and a smile.
“Are your parents here?” Lucy asked.
Chabela pointed up the beach. “They’ve set up chairs under that purple umbrella. Mickey and I were just going to get elotes. Want to come, kids?”
Everyone looked over at the food cart selling corn on the cob.
“Y’all go with Mickey,” Lucy suggested, “and I’ll say hi to Mickey’s parents. Will you introduce me, Doña Chabela?”
“Of course,” the old lady said. Then she turned to her grandson, whispering, “Good luck.”
As the two women walked away, the kids walked toward the food cart.
“Whew,” groaned Ivan. “Cutting it close! Mickey, did you hack in?”
Mickey arched an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah. I made a shortcut to the Lake. I can open the portal with this.”
He waved his smartphone in the air.
Susana sighed. “Good. Let’s go over the plan again.”
Dante rolled his eyes. “Our plans never work. We should just trust our gut.”
“No.” Ivan shook his head. He was not a fan of the unexpected. “We might have to think on our feet, but we need to know our plan inside and out.”
Mickey nodded. “Agreed. So, we arrive at the lakeshore, then we take the ferry to the island. I have friends in the Red Tower. They’ll sneak us in while the chaneks attack and keep Her Noisy Majesty busy. We’ll find the kids and bring them back.”
The group passed the elote cart and hurried to the bridge. Mickey tapped his phone, and a faint purple glow came from beside a concrete column.
One by one, the others passed through the portal until just Ivan stood on the sand. Ivan tried not to think about all the things that could go wrong. Taking a deep breath, he entered 13th Street for what he hoped was the last time.
Chapter
2
The End of the Street
Ivan emerged on another shore, covered with pebbles instead of sand. Before him spread a lake that disappeared into strange gray mists on either side. In the middle of the lake was an island, where a tower of red stone rose. Moving slowly between the shore and the lake was a flat boat.
WHOOSH!
Ivan turned to see the portal disappear as Mickey put his phone away. Behind him stretched a gravel road with abandoned mansions along either side.
The last block of 13th Street.
“Talk about dead ends,” Dante announced. “This is the deadest of all.”
“Where your dad jokes come to die,” Susana muttered.
“This is where you arrived the first time you came to 13th Street, right?” Malia said to Mickey.
Mickey nodded. “Yes. Captain Kamak found me and took me to the queen.”
“You never told us how you became the Quiet Prince,” Malia said.
“It’s a little embarrassing. The queen decided to, uh, adopt me.” Mickey blushed. “I just wanted to find Bruno, but she wouldn’t let me leave the island. I was trapped in the Red Tower for a year. But I was nice to her and earned her trust. When she named me prince and put the knights under my command, I used them to escape.”
“Ah,” Ivan said. The rest he pretty much knew. Mickey had given his knights their next command—to find Bruno—and then lost control of them. He’d spent the next few years in hiding, trying to help the residents of 13th Street fight back against the queen.
As if on cue, a group of creepy creatures appeared. Ivan could make out a few calacas, a pair of ghosts, a pack of werewolves, a dozen disembodied hands skittering along like spiders, and a giant.
Susana gasped in horror.
Malia clenched her fists. “Get your guard up, guys,” she grunted.
Dante muttered, “Uy, cucuy.”
“Perfect timing!” Mickey grinned. “A new batch of passengers. We’ll get across on the ferry with them. Come on!”
The boat Ivan had seen earlier was pulling up to a dock. The creatures made their way to it. The person piloting the boat let them on board one by one.
As the kids ran toward the dock, Ivan saw that the pilot was a MUMMY!
“That’s one way to not get sunburned,” Dante laughed. “Wrap yourself in bandages!”
Susana elbowed him. “There’s no sun, doofus. It’s the Underworld.”
Dante pointed up. “What do you call that orange circle? A floating tangerine?”
“It’s an illusion,” Mickey said, heading toward the boat.
They hurried down the dock as the giant got onto the ferry. The mummy pilot looked at them and lifted a bandaged hand.
“No. Sorry, Your Silent Highness,” it said in a raspy voice.
“Captain Kimrir!” Mickey said, his voice full of authority. “I command you to let us on board.”
“I can’t take living children to the island, Lord Micqui. Not without cocoons or spide
r guards.” Kimrir the mummy pointed at the Red Tower. “The queen would unwind me for sure!”
Chapter
3
Bruno’s Big Back
“What now?” Ivan asked. The plan was already falling apart. He felt nervous. Sure, when things had gone wrong in the past, they’d managed to think fast and avoid danger. But there was a lot more pressure now, with so many kids trapped in 13th Street and no one to help them.
“Should we swim?” Dante asked.
Mickey shook his head. “Living people have to be ferried across. Nothing else works. Not even my cape. It lets me teleport anywhere I want. But not here. That’s why I was with the chaneks in the skull ship when you found me in the sewer. The idea was to sail to the last block and cross the Lake to rescue the kids.”
“Oops,” Susana said, raising an eyebrow. “I guess the Tremendous Trio here ruined that plan, huh?”
“Dude,” Dante replied. “We were trying to reunite Mickey with Bruno and bring him back to his parents.”
Ivan snapped his fingers excitedly. An idea had popped into his head, something he’d read in one of the books in their school library.
“Bruno,” he said. “Perfect! The Aztecs believed that people crossed over water into the Underworld on the backs of dogs.”
Mickey’s eyes widened. “Dante, do you still have his squeaky toy?”
Dante unzipped the front pocket of his backpack and pulled out the rubber rabbit. “Want me to call him?”
“No,” Malia said, “we want you to throw it into the water. YES, OF COURSE, doofus. Squeeze it!”
SQUEEEEAAAAK!
WHOOOOSH!
Standing before them, surrounded by a glow, was the Irish wolfhound!
“Good boy!” Mickey said, hugging Bruno’s neck. “Can you take us to that island?”
Bruno answered with a bark.
Susana narrowed her eyes. “Um, guys? He’s big, but the five of us aren’t going to fit on his back.”
As if to answer her, Bruno started shaking himself. To their surprise, HE GOT BIGGER AND BIGGER! Pretty soon, he was the size of a small boat! He waded into the water and turned to bark at them again.
Malia laughed and nudged Susana. “You were saying? Come on, y’all!”
Chapter
4
Freeze-Ray Fowls!
As Bruno dog-paddled his way across the lake, Ivan smiled to himself. This was how you handled the unexpected. Not trusting your gut, like Dante said. No, you studied hard and memorized information. Then you used that knowledge to figure out a solution.
About halfway across the lake, Mickey held his hands to his mouth and called, “Come, ko-HEN!”
Dante tapped his shoulder. “Are you sending a signal to your friends?”
“Yes. To a brave owl named Tunk. He taught me how to fool the queen,” Mickey explained.
Bruno reached the island shore, and the children got off his back. The dog stood in the shallows, whining.
“Dogs aren’t allowed on the island,” Mickey said. “Their job is to bring souls across. That’s as far as the queen lets them come.”
“Ah,” said Dante, nodding. “A cat person, huh?”
There was a sound, like wings flapping. Ivan looked up at the Red Tower. A large bird came flying down from one of the windows, spiraling through the air. It was a screech owl, Ivan realized.
“Whoa,” Malia muttered. “It’s almost as big as you, Dante.”
Susana laughed. “Which isn’t saying much.”
“Tunk! Old friend!” Mickey called, waving at the owl as it landed near them.
“It is good to see you, Lord Micqui,” Tunk answered, his voice deep. “Though it was unwise to return.”
“I had to. For the children,” Mickey replied. “Can you get us inside?”
Tunk closed his eyes and lowered his head as if in shame. “Yes.”
SQUAAAAAWK!
SCREEEECH!
A massive flock of owls, vultures, and turkeys burst from the windows of the tower! They swooped toward the cousins!
BLUE RAYS OF LIGHT SHOT FROM THEIR EYES!
Ivan’s heart started pounding. Tunk had betrayed Mickey!
“RUN!” shouted Susana, heading back toward Bruno.
As the others started to follow, the fowls kept shooting blue beams. One hit Susana, turning her blue! She instantly froze in place and fell over onto the sand.
Bruno barked and howled in the water, but there was nothing the dog could do.
“FREEZE RAYS!” Ivan managed to yell. Then a cold sensation slammed into his back and he couldn’t move anymore.
Chapter
5
Royal Revelations
Once all five children were frozen, the freeze-ray fowls grabbed them and flew into the Red Tower. Even though he couldn’t move, Ivan could still see. As they twisted and turned through hallways, he looked carefully at every detail. He needed to find a connection to what he’d studied in that library book. It was the only way out of this situation.
Finally the birds came to a huge chamber with a high ceiling. Along the walls stood guards: Aztec mummies with swords and cackling cougars with spears.
On a raised throne sat the queen, wearing a gown covered with bones. Titan tarantulas crouched on either side of her.
A huge white barn owl landed on the back of the throne. It cawed, “All hail Her Noisy Majesty, the Loud Lady, our glorious Queen of Bones!”
The freeze-ray fowls dropped the children before her. They were still frozen in scared poses, which made the queen double over with laughter.
“Oh, yes!” she shouted. Ivan would have winced at the sound, but he couldn’t move a muscle. “My rebellious heir and his annoying little friends. I knew this day would come! Your minds will make lovely additions to my collection.”
Ivan had no idea what she was talking about. He found it hard to think. It was like his brain had filled up with fear and stress. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember a single helpful fact.
“But you don’t understand, do you? The Quiet Prince only told you what he wanted you to know. Let me explain what’s really going on.”
Ivan was glad he couldn’t move, because he would have laughed out loud. She was going to tell them her plan, just like a villain in some silly movie.
“I should thank Micqui, to be honest.” The queen petted the tarantula to her right. “I was so tired of being second best, of bowing to my sister, Lady Blood. But I can whisper into the minds of grieving humans. I kept searching for one with the right amount of imagination and skill. When I found him, he was sad about his stupid dog. So all it took was a few dreams. Before I knew it, he had created a realm for me. Then he sealed it off from my sister’s control! And for a year, I kept him by my side. I found I could use his creative mind to rule 13th Street. I was a queen at last.”
Ivan was shocked. Mickey had lied, telling them that 13th Street was his idea. He’d never mentioned the Loud Queen’s role.
“Oh, but then the brat ran off with my cougars,” the queen continued. “And 13th Street started to crumble.”
Ah! Ivan thought. That explained the tilting buildings, the hot warehouses, and the glitching spots they’d seen.
“I knew that before long, Lady Blood would break through the gates,” the queen added. “I needed more children like Micqui! I found his grandmother and made her send you three cousins. But you escaped!”
That much Ivan already knew, from Chabela herself.
“So,” the queen said, leaning forward on her throne, “I opened all the portals and let foolish kids wander right into my grasp. Their terrified imaginations have kept 13th Street scary and under my control!”
The queen stood, bony wings spreading from her back as she raised her voice to a spooky cry:
“Now, meddling children, your minds will join theirs!”
Chapter
6
Atop the Red Tower
The Queen of Bones gave a cruel smile. “Time for a li
ttle marching. Guards, get a gag ready. The prince knows too many spells. Here we go. Unfreeze, chah-BAR!”
The cold suddenly left Ivan, and he dropped to his knees, gasping.
Dante did the same right beside him. But his cousin was giggling. “Dude, she monologued!”
Ivan tried to smile at his cousin’s big word. “Yup. Spilled her entire plan.”
Dante shrugged. “I guess villains gonna villain.”
Aztec mummies had gagged Mickey. Cackling cougars were nudging Susana and Malia to their feet with spears.
Tunk and another screech owl flew over to Dante and Ivan, yanking them to their feet with sharp talons.
“Move!” Tunk snarled.
Shaking with laughter, the Queen of Bones crooked a finger at the children. “Come, girls and boys. Walk this way.”
Head held high, the noisy monarch strode toward an archway.
“Does she mean walk like a stuck-up evil weirdo,” Susana muttered, “or do we follow her?”
The cougar behind her laughed. “Good one! But, yeah, move it.”
Tunk and the guards marched the kids up a spiraling staircase. Ahead of them, the Queen of Bones was whistling away, apparently in a really good mood.
The walk was long and it gave Ivan time to think. Not about his library book, but about his first adventure in this world. He remembered being attacked by the Snatch Bats and jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He had known nothing about 13th Street, but he had learned on the fly.
Maybe that’s all he needed to do now.
As they reached the very top of the stairs, Tunk shoved Ivan with his claws. Getting his beak close to Ivan’s ear, Tunk muttered, “I’m still on your side. Get ready to fly.”
Ivan’s eyes went wide. Tunk was a double agent! He’d been pretending to betray them the whole time!
