Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Shadow spawns creeping through the night, out of the shadows throughout New Downing. Searching for the Downing’s as they crept to the farmhouse down the road. Slowly picking the lock as the porch squeaked. A light flash blinded them, knocking them back away from the house. The shadow spawns scream in pain as they die slowly. Another makes it through the bedroom window as the floor gives away in front of him. He yells out. “The house is rigid, they are not here.” as he screamed clawing the room trying to escape as he fell to his death to endless pit swirling about him.

“They can’t be you fool. They’d never leave without the boy,” their leader said.

The others reported back from the Whitmore farm down the road what’s left of them as Caption angrily paced up down the farm road. “The master will be displeased, but we still have his brother sir, surely they wouldn’t dare. Not the way she is, one child yes, but two?”

The Caption said “Our Lord and Master said everyone that includes him. That he will deal with the parents at his own pleasure. Bring him to me,” he said. “All of them, unsacred so he may break him at last. For the boy is weak and soon he will be his to control forever. The light will never gain a foothold again as we tip the scales into our favor, taking over the worlds as it should be. For it is written long ago in the heavens.

“That the stars and the heavens will fall, that it shall be surrounded in darkness as we reign once more with our Master as the head. Showering gifts upon us as we kneel beside him… For too long the light has reigned over us, taking what is ours for too long as we have waited until the time is right. May our swords and banners rise high, strike swift against the light. Bring it into the shadows where it belongs.

“For no man has the right to keep what is ours without earning it as we scrape on our knees like dogs in the night for scraps off the table. It is them that will be punished for their deeds against us, taking away our freedom and our Masters.” Caption raising his dark gilded sword in the air as it gleams in the moonlight, his eyes flickered as men gathered around him, placing their swords in a circle, raising them high in the air; shouting, “for our master and victory, death to all that choose the path of the light.”

* * *

 

Aunty M and Jaydan plotted a course on the map for the best location to set up their first campsite, while Nathaniel was out finding some clothes for all the men and some supplies. Doc Hatfield feeling a little lost as he arrived back into town with a few nurses,’ bumps into Nathaniel loading a wagon. “Pardon me, son. I’m looking for Doctor Whitmore; do you know where I might find him?”  Doc asked.

Nathaniel turned towards Doc and his nurses setting down a bag of flour on the wagon. “Yes and no, you must be Doc Hatfield by the judge of things,” he said.

“Yes, I’m. I was told by him to meet him here. Now, where is he?” Doc asked starting to lose his cool.

“Not to worry Doc, if he said he’ll be here then he’ll be here, but at the moment he’s not that’s all. In the meantime I am the one that’s supposed to be taking care of you, helping you get settled in.” Nathaniel putting the last of the supplies into the wagon, “if you don’t mind a little detour. I need to stop at the house for a minute to drop this off. Then we can talk and get acquainted since we're going to be here for a spell.”

Doc and his nurses slide in next to him on the wagon as they turn down the street. Doc noticed how things have changed. All the people that are here plus, all the damaged of broken windows that are being replaced. People wearing bandages and slings some with crutches and bruises. “This town looks like been through a war zone,” doc replies, eyes gazing about.

Nathaniel doesn’t say anything as he just looked straight ahead. Pulling up to the house Nathaniel helped everyone out of the wagon takes them inside the house. Doc noticed the curtains are closed as Aunty M unlocks the front door. “Sorry Doc, we’ve had a lot of unwelcome visitors,” she said.  Doc could hear shuffling in the next room as she closed the door “I just put a fresh pot on knowing how you like it black and strong.”

“Thanks, Margaret, I see you're looking well since the last time I have seen ya, better in fact, “Strange I must say,” He replies noticing how much younger she looks from the last time he had seen her. “Na, just old age, you must be seeing things.”

Nathaniel leaves the room closing the door. “Excuse me while I unload the wagon.”

Doc stares at the door and back at Margaret. “Alright, I have just about enough of this Margaret you either tell me what’s going on or so help me… heck, I’ve known you for years. I know something smells bad. I knew it the second when I arrived.”

Aunty M slowly sipped her Joe leaned back in Granny’s chair. “Doc. Do you remember that talk we had on the road when I thought I should have listened to Mike when and all those strange things where happening at the Downing farm?” She asked.

“Yes, I remember. I thought you were all crazy too.”

“Well. I hate to tell this, it’s a lot worse now. A man named Morgan unlike the rest of you, we told you about has taken EJ a few days ago, has him hidden, locked up deep in some sort of dungeon. The short and the skinny of this is he is after the Downing’s and all their friends even me if he can find me.

“He’s already tried to destroy this town more than once but was unsuccessful each time. There are spies everywhere they are looking for us this very moment, but they will not find them. I can’t tell you where they have gone for your own good. There is one other person their after. In which we have a problem and have to find a solution and soon. His brother Danny is with them. His mother does not know what’s going on down here or even know they have even left with him.

“It could be days or months before he is back with her, it depends on the danger. Far as the Whitmore’s. I have no idea or the Downings at this point. I just know their safe and Mr. Whitmore will back to help you, but when is the question. Could be hours could be a week. I don’t know. I just know he is with his family and he and they are safe.” Margaret said sipping more of her Joe as Nathaniel and Jaydan come into the room with his troop behind them.

“Sorry, Doc. Didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” Nathaniel replied

Doc pours himself another cup sitting back twitching his mustaches and looked around the room frowning at the bunch of them. “That’s got to be the most wildest tale I have ever heard in my entire life. I am starting to question your judgment, Margaret. Has that horse kicked you too hard once too many around the track?” He asked.

“I told you he wouldn’t believe me Jaydan.” Margaret standing up staring him down “stubborn old fool. I laid it out plain and simple, he still didn’t believe me,” Margaret paced the floor almost stomped around the room.

“I am sorry Margaret. I need proof, not bedtime stories that you tell over a campfire. That’s a lot to swallow for one man of my age and experience. That kid's got a track record a mile long and you know it and I know it… Its just loony tunes to think others wise.

“What I think what really happened was the state pushed too far... He made a choice a bad one I admit. Plus the way things are at in his home. I might do the same thing if I was in his shoes. Now tell me and stop fooling me. Where is Doctor Whitmore so I can figure out this mess down here?” His voice and anger rising.

Aunty M screamed swearing ran out of the room to go outside to cool off, grumbling out the back door. Jaydan followed her sitting on the steps. “We’ll figure something out,” he said.

“I know, it’s just hard when you see things the way they're supposed to be and their not. I realize everything has to change including me, at least I was hoping there was a way that this place would not be disturbed as it grows into something wondrous.

“The darkness has change things, taking away its beauty as we try to fight against it. How much more must we sacrifice to retain which is good? I think you should move towards the west there’s a clearing about twenty miles, make your first campsite there. While I deal with things here tying up loose ends. We need to cover the boy’s tracks.”

Jaydan gathered his men out the back door, loading the horses as he nods galloping out of sight down the road. Aunty M went back inside after seeing him off. Taking her seat in Granny’s chair, she listened to the conversion. Nathaniel tries to smile in her direction. “Jaydan them are off to the site as planned,” she said pouring herself another cup. “Now it's just us and this old codger. That won’t see to reason,” as she stares at him with an icy cold stare.

Doc tries to control his temper, puffing his mustache as he paced the floor in front of the fireplace. “I tell you it’s impossible. I have seen magic shows all over the world, nothing could change my mind,” he replied angrily and his mind was made up.

“Fine, we tried. If you want to be a stubborn old goat go right on ahead, we're not going to stop you.  We have too much to do around here as it is and you have lots of work to keep you busy. I tried to be gentle about it, buts your own fault.  Just so’s ya know you won’t find them here, they're gone and Doctor Whitmore will back when he can.”

Aunty M putting her hands on her hips. “So we might as well get started. Martha and the boys were setting up a nice little shop on the corner. It still empty I believe you can put some beds in there and in the dance hall if gets overcrowded. Just give Nathaniel a list of the things you need and will get them. I have plenty of white linen and blankets and extra cots in storage. O that reminds me I almost forgot. Nathaniel do you mind taking Doc over I need to run back over to the farm if it’s not too late, those poor cows.”

Aunty M dashed out the back door climbing onto her horse making a beeline towards the farm. Someone shouts “get her!” As swords started flying out of the bushes.

Aunty M yelled. “You are too late,” laughing in the wind. Pushing forward her hair changing fiery red as it blew in the wind against the moon. Her horse a dazzling white as he shimmers in the moonlight as it raced down the road. Her eyes flashed as she raised one hand reaching for her staff of light as it twirls in the air, striking them down as they try to strike her. Their faces paled in the moonlight as they sank into the ground back into the shadows while the others ran for their lives. Lightning bolts flashed from her staff as they fell to the ground.

Margaret slowly looked around on the road as the victims laid still below her feet. “Now that’s what I call a calling card,” placing the staff back into the saddle racing to the barn passing the house. She paused looking at the damage that has been done cursing Morgan’s name. “It’s going to be a long night,” as she glanced up at the moon. “Come on boy, nothing to see here,” climbed down from the horse.

The cows welcomed her as she tied them on the back of the horse slowly walked them down Mr. Walkin’s farm. Changing back as she knocked on the door “Mr. Walkin’s, sorry, but I need a favor, could you and your family be willing to take care of these cow’s while Downing’s are out of town. It was an emergency and had to leave in hurry hoped to be back in time for the farmer's picnic.”

Without another word Mr. Watkins took the cows into the barn, Aunty M was gone when he turned around. Scratching his head he walked into the house. “Who was that dear?” His wife asked.”

“Not sure really, said something about Downing’s going on a trip, be back for the picnic and dropped off their cows and was gone.” He replied as he climbed back into bed.

“That’s nice dear now come to bed, it’s late.”

Aunty M riding hard and fast through the night skies as the wind blew through her hair, looking down at all the little towns and the shimmering lights below. “Yes, this is a night of wonder.” As the soft breeze lifted her filling her lungs as she points her horse towards Payson as they shimmer in the darkness unseen.

Aunty M taking Jaydan’s key to the school. Entered the back way of the teacher’s lounge staying in the shadows. Headed towards the files as she crept below the cameras and the alarms, she quickly scanned the files of each of the boys smiling with a little laugh… “Absent? You have no idea.” Taking out the files placed them all under her arm. Aunty M finding the main computer as she cracked her knuckles over the keyboard. “Password? I don’t need no stinking password.” Giving the computer a quick nod of her head, swiping her fingers over the keyboard, “that’s better, now then computer just tells me where you have hidden the boys I am looking for and I’ll be off,” she replied silently to her self.

Aunty M finding them changed the address to unknown, also removing the absents to moved. Laughing as she shuts the computer down leaving everything else untouched. Aunty M walked out the same way she came in. Climbing back on her horse flying through the sky over fields taking the folders of the boys burned them into stardust as the wind blew them into the havens.

She slowly walked back into Nathaniel house poured herself a cup of Joe and sits in Granny’s chair, puts her feet up and waited for him thinking of the Downing’s and EJ while she sat by the fire. Nathaniel walked back into the house turned around. “He’s got to be the most stubbornness person on this planet,” plopped into the chair next to her. “He decided it was best to wait till morning to get started, that way he could ride over and see for himself while his nurse's set up shop. Figuring one little jaunt through the park wasn’t going to do anyone any harm, that we are all plain crazy. Giving me a prescription for a long rest to get mine and your head straight,” as he chucked the prescription into the fire.

“Well, what can I say? We can’t let too many people know about our little secret, if we do that, the whole world would know then where would we be? I’ll tell you. Rowing that boat without a paddle, he had two nurses with him. There was nothing we could do without showing them to and that was not a good idea, we know nothing about them. No. we were safer just trying to jog his memory in hopes in convincing him alone.

“Besides what would the others say when we run into trouble? No, we can’t risk it. Too much is at stake. It’s late and were both tired there’s nothing more we can do tonight anyway the Downing’s and the Whitmore’s are safe, Doc Hatfield’s here. All I have left is Danny’s mother which I can handle in the morning. I hope. Then I’ll head out and check on things elsewhere. When Doc gets back from where he is. I’m sure things will run much smoother? Then maybe Mr. Hard nose might come around once he sees we are right, he might settle down a bit…..” She replied with a tired yawn.