Demon Stoppers

8/9/2019 Demon Stoppers

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Main Characters:

LiveInRexville

theDragon School is in landfillenter through porta-potty, dragon-statue, Halo

auditorium (there is another second dragon school)

TheFOUR-A group of special kids to stop Armageddon, two are unknown.

???Sulley was a devil worshipper who used to live in Trevors house

The One = antichrist = transforms into alan and laneys dad, only the one can take anyform it pleases | Destroys your soul, your existence (the one is aaronalans dadturnsout he and his sister are half demons)

Uncle Trevor Alan and Laneys Uncle Short tempered, sleeps a lot, doesnt like kids

at all - not good at speaking English - eccentric - cheap DEAD/disappeared/RETURNED from DEAD, possessed by Necro

Father Felix IRISH Stays At the St. Kevin Church

Alans mom divorced, single mother, living on min. wage. Dad left for Vegas to startnew life with stripper, Academic: NAME is Abigail (slit her own wrists)

Alans Dad Alan told Laney he was kidnapped and murdered in Afghanistan. Name:Aaron

Kids live in Monster Mansion which is a 4 storey building1st floor regular floor 2nd floor bedrooms3rd floor one door (locked), connected to fourth floor, has treasure chest4th floor room with empty boxes, mattresses, furniture, and one with no floor but ladderthat leads into third floorAttic full of books

Laney opened the first door to the left, the one that was closest to her. This room, the firstroom on the fourth floor, was bare with nothing but empty boxes. The second room hadsoiled mattresses piled. The third room had old furniture (chairs, tables, etc). And thefourth room, and final room, had no floor. There was, however, a ladder which led intothird floor room (which was previously found to be locked off).

The Principal A bit domineering, statuesque almost, name not known, cryptic, likesquoting (to show off his knowledge).

Alan Harris - 11 Years Old - Has One Sister (Laney) - Lived With Mom, but She Died


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Older brother syndrome, protective, paranoid, well meaning but sometimes overbearing,bold [Alans personal mission is to find the demon(s) who ruined his life]

John Alans rival left handed short brown hair, blue eyes, bad temper, alwaysconsidered with his image | John is the son of Thomsons rival

Laney 10 Years Old a tom boy very optimistic about life, very trusting Toughgirl studious, but not necessarily a nerd or a book worm -PoliteIn the dark about his dad, Alan tells her fibs sometimes (but thats changing),germaphobe

Aiyana fair skinned blonde with freckles, about same age as Alan (one of the four), anover-achieververy studious, people pleaser, but secretly aspires to be an actress.

Adam - Laneys love interest plays soccer, new in town (13 on B-day)/bit of a jerk[lives with mean, hairy dad (Wayne )whos a cheater--and mom]

Adams cousin MELSarah Clark 12 - Huge girl huge heart doesnt talk too much Laneys bestfriend a real book worm knows karate lives on 56 Crescent Moon StreetHas mom and dad, but theyre absentee parents, verbally abusive | has twin sister, doesntknow about her yet.

Mr. McLeary Late 30s, Postman, secretly an angel

Sarahs Neighbor = Lynda (grumpy, suspicious)

Thompson 44 year old occult specialist and former priest Demon fighter Veryfriendly, and confident. Wise for his age. Entrepreneur was friends with Trevor,business partners took up legal agreement to take on his responsibilities-Needs the Demon Stoppers to cleanse the earth and stop the invasion of Satans army(i.e. hell on earth)

Mu-Chin A friend of Thompson, age unknown but very old, owns the DragonsEmporium shop in downtown China. Bit of a hearing problem.

GRENDEL TEXTBOOK Textbook that Alan (and John) uses for magic. Not manypeople have it. Chapters include: Forces.

Minor Characters:

Charles crazy bus guyT.G. Winterscommentator/news anchor/journalistJacky Fawcett - News ReporterBugsy Bus Driver (M)Ratatan Silvanagurlingsinghupp spiritual guru from IndiaJezebel Adams dads mistress


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Manny (opened basement door), Moe (fat), Ted (dreads), Godwin (buck teeth) and Jack(spiky-haired boy)

The Spider genderless creature, used to be a human, punished for consorting withdemons, turned into spider, was human, wanted to be rich and famous

Demons can possess people, demons can influence, not everyone can see demons, kidscan see demons (Some can be caught and trained.)

Gerald 10 years old trouble maker, annoying, obnoxious cruel, likes to play pranks,a real punk

Francis Geralds older brother 13 years old just an all around A-hole, hedonistic,only cares about himself, likes to cause trouble, always digging into people.Tutu PondMrs. Vanderhorn (Muffy) a teacher at St. Kevin Elementary Very righteous and

upholding of all laws straight-laced, mostly, but still kind husband in Asia, cheatson her.Mr. Rainwater (Jim) teacher at dragon school, seems nice but is self-centered. Wants tobe the head of the school.Cops Fred and Ted (fred the leader, more assertive, ted more nervous, passive)Ms. (Emily) Someen mean, crabby teacher, opposite of mr. rainwater. Is actually good.Wants kids to take their studies seriously and succeed.Mrs. Elaine P. Grimsworth - Editor in Chief of the Grendel Text

Demons:

Necro Brings dead people back to life as vampires, is a mist/vapor, cant really bedestroyedPuffy Smokes, tempts kids to smoke Ate Uncle TrevorPrometheo Burns things.Nosey Spies on people, plays pranks, Nose covers his whole face, almost

NOTE: Some spells require crosses, charms, and other such items.

Demon Stoppers (60kmin-80kto90k Goal)

Chapter 1

Alan heard the sound of someone falling just above his head. He stopped what he wasdoing and calmly went upstairs. He went through the hallway and looked into the firstdoor he came upon. There was no one in his sisters room. There was no one in his ownroom. Then he went to the master bedroom. He opened the door and crept in. It was dark.All the blinds were shut.


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As Alan continued on, he felt his foot step into something wet. He lifted his foot andsaw a dark liquid on his sole. Yuck, was his response. There was a sweet, metallic odorin the air. Alan went to the corner of the room. He saw what looked like a log. Hiscuriosity beckoned him and he pulled open the blinds to better see. When the sunlightfilled the room, he nearly blacked out from shock.

There was his mom, lying dead on the floor. Her wrists were cut, slashed straightacross; though she appeared to still be alive. Alan, panic-stricken, picked up the phoneand called for an ambulance. Then, after, he wrapped white towels around his momswrists. But when he took a closer look at her face, he saw that she was in fact not alive,but was only having an involuntary spasm. She was really dead.

Alan, the poor boy, wanted to cry. But he was too in shock to do anything. He wentunder bed and hid. He waited there till the ambulance arrived, which was about twenty-five minutes later.

Chapter 2

A week had passed since his moms suicide, but Alan was feeling worse than ever. A lotof kids at his school were ignoring him. A rumor went around that he was cursed andcaused people to kill themselves. His younger sister, however, seemed to be getting alongfine (strangely). None of the kids bothered her.

During recess Alan went to visit his sister, Laney. Laney, a tomboy, was playingcatch with her best-friend, Sarah. Sarah was a huge girl. At nearly six feet tall, she wasconsidered to be a giant in the playground. At twelve years old, she was a year older thanAlan, and two years older than Sarah. She waved hello to Alan when he stopped by.

I need to talk to my sister, said Alan. Just to see if shes doing okay.Im doing alright, said Laney. Theres no need to check up on me.Sarah stood silently, as if keeping a watch out. Alan grabbed Laneys ball and put it

in his pocket. This is serious, he said. I think you have a psychological problem.Laney scoffed, Who made you Freud?I dont you, said Alan. Shouldnt you be in mourning? You know how depressed

Ive been? I cant even eat pizza anymore. And youre just all la-la-la like nothingshappened. Are you some sort of emotionless being without emotions? Where the hell areyour emotions?

Laney took her ball back and threw it to Sarah to hold. She gave Alan a bit of ashove. What do you want from me? she said. You really think I have no emotions?You think Im some sorta monster or what? I know what happened. Mom tried todecapitate herself Im dealing with this as best as I can. Im just numb. Okay. Do youknow what happens when you hit yourself with a hammer on the hand? You get somepain, then you feel numb afterward. You cant feel your skin. Thats what Im goingthrough. Stop bothering me. Go hang out with your own friends. Im trying to play ballhere.

Kids began gathering around as Laney and Alan argued. Hey, said one of them. Ithink these two are brother and sister!

Laney slapped her forehead. It was clear that she was pretending that she was notrelated to Alan.


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Alan shouted, Yeah, of course were brother and sister. Cant you dummies see theresemblance?

One of the kids got annoyed by this remark. He stepped forward with his sleevesrolled upbut Sarah shoved him down. Bug off, she said. This is a family matter.

The kids all ooed and ahhed. They were expecting a fight. Of course, there was

none. Nobody wanted to screw with Sarah. She could crush a walnut with her bare hands.Still, verbal insults werent off limits. They knew that Sarah only got rough when thingsgot physical. She just believed in fighting fire with fire. Punching a boy in the kisser forsaying a name would be against her code. It was something informal, but mostly gatheredfrom her days in the dojo when she used to practice karate after school.

Watch out, one of the kids said mockingly. Youll pick up their curse! Thesepeople are cursed! Their mom committed suicide!

This, for Laney, was the line. Even though she was faced with a dozen or more kids,she stepped forward and singled out the trouble maker. It was this rotund boy with darkhair. He was really obnoxious and smelled of French bread.

You got a problem? Laney asked Gerald.

Gerald replied, n-n-n-no. He was clearly stuttering.Laney grabbed his shirt and gave him the stink eye. If you say one more word, shesaid, I will tear off your ears and feed it to my dog.

You dont have a dog, said Gerald.Then Laney jumped on him and started pounding away on him. Gerald screamed for

help, Help! Help! But nobody wanted to help him. Some of them took satisfaction inhis savage schoolyard beating. But although this attack felt right to mostly everyone,Geralds older brother, Francis, did not agree. He saw what was happening from thebasketball court and ran to help.

Francis pushed Laney off of Gerald, and helped Gerald to his feet. Damn it, hesaid to Gerald, getting beat up by a girlagain?

Huh, said Gerald, trying to get a grasp of what was happening, she started it.As Francis was about to wallop Alan in the facefor he wanted to take revenge but

could not hit a girlthe teacher who monitored the grounds came out. Stop makingtrouble, screeched Mrs. Vanderhorn. Francis, Gerald, you brats. If you dont hit theroad, Im going to hit you.

Francis and Gerald, while grumbling, left together.And for you three, said Mrs. Vanderhorn while pointing at Alan, Laney, and

Sarah, I want you to stay away from those boys, you hear? Next time you see em justleave. Dont engage them. Those types of people need to be ignored.

Then Mrs. Vanderhorn, along with the kids whod gathered around the trio, wentaway. Sarah and Laney continued their game of catch as if nothing had happened. Alan,however, was all worked up. Man, he groused, this school sucks. I hate St. KevinElementary. I cant wait to get into high school. Itll be totally different there.

The school bell of St. Kevin Elementary rung after those words.

Chapter 3

It was fifteen minutes before the end of the school day3:30 pm. Everyone was anxious,and most of them hadnt been paying attention to Mrs. Vanderhorns lecture. She was


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going on about World War 2 or geography or something other. Alan raised his hand.Excuse me, Mrs. Vanderhorn, he said, do you think I can leave early today? Im notfeeling so well. Alan, because of his moms death, had already gotten three days off. ButMrs. Vanderhorn felt sorry for him, and he knew this.

As you wish, Mrs. Vanderhorn said. Just stay safe. Alan packed gathered his

things and left while everyone gave him a glare. But he didnt care, he went to the coatrack outside and put on his jacket. He went down the hall and, after making a turn at thewashrooms, met with Laney who was also getting sympathy from all the adults. Laneyand Alan went outside. They walked along the sidewalk which was half crumbling away.

What did you learn in class today? asked Alan.I was going to learn about the meaning of life, Laney replied, but you insisted I

leave school early.Dont give me that, said Alan. Its for a good reason, you know. You dont want

those dummies following us and taunting us, do you?Theyre only taunting us because Laney tried to explain. I dont know why!Kids can be cruel, said Alan.

Yes, said Laney.The two, after a few minutes of walking, got to the bus stop. The place they werestaying now wasnt close to the school, so they had to travel a bit more. They hatedtaking the bus, but there was no other choice, really. Anyway, they figured it wassomething they would have to do eventually. They certainly couldnt afford a car. How?By getting a job in stink town? (Officially known as Rexville.) No way!

The bus arrived. Alan handed Laney the tokens and she dropped them both into thechange box. They went to the end at with their backs to the window. The bus rumbled asit went along the pothole filled roads. While Laney did her homework, Alan was busylooking outside. He noted the homeless people and the pedestrians who kept close by thecurb to avoid them, even though it was sort of dangerous. He felt sorry for both parties,really.

The bus stopped as Alan was in thought. A slew of people entered, packing everyoneelse in like sardines. Most of the men standing sucked in their stomachs while in transit.Alan figured they didnt want to hit anyone with their guts. I hope I dont look like thatwhen I get older, Alan said to himself. He then nudged Laney. Stop studying so hard,your brains gonna explode.

Laney whacked him in the head with her book, Im not going to grow up and haveto go to community college. Thats more your style.

The bus came to a sudden halt. The people in front nearly fell over. Lets go, saidAlan. Then he and Laney went outside. The stop was grungy, and the glass in the shelterwas broken. They stepped around the shards and continued on their way. A minute wentby and they were at their new place. It wasnt quite as quaint as their old home, but it wasmuch bigger. It had four stories, which was very unusual in this part of town which wasvery poor.

Laney and Alan went to the double doors. Laney waited for Alan to use his keys.Hurry up, she said. I havent got all day.

I cant find my keys, Alan complained. Well have to knock.No, no, said Laney. We cant wake Uncle Trevor. Hell flip his lid. Then take that

lid and whack us over the heads with it.


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Theres no choice, said Alan, unless you want to break and enter Is that legal?We are staying here, after all.

The two doors swung open. Trevor had one eye open. YOU BLASTED KIDS! heshouted. I tolds you guys to not make noise while Im asleep! I thinks a lot, you know! Ihave ideas that are gonna make me rich! Then I can finally buy that elephant I wanted!

You cant get an elephant, replied Alan. Theyre an endangered species.Never mind that, said Trevor. Get your rears in here. The heat is coming out, andIm not too fond of losing money.

So, with that, Laney and Alan went inside. Trevor left to go upstairs, presumably toreturn to his sleep.

What a grump, said Laney. Im going insane in here. I swear this place is hauntedor somethingthats why Uncle Trevors so insane.

Dont be so ungrateful, said Alan. Lets be glad hes taken us in. No one elsewanted to. Mom left us with nothing.

What does that man do for a living? Laney thought aloud.Probably collects souls for the devil and sells em, Alan jokes.

The two laughed together.Then there was a knock at the door. They quickly went to answer it. It was Sarah.Hi, said Sarah in her soft voice. Can I come in? I have something to show you guys.

Instead of letting Sarah inside, Laney and Alan went out with her. They took herround back into the yard. Why are we here? Sarah asked.

Our uncles a bit of a nutter, whispered Laney.He is, said Alan, nucking futs.Sarah scratched her head. She looked behind her and saw their Uncle Trevor staring

out the window with his bulging eyes. Creepy, she said. Well, I want to show yousomething even creepier.

Im not really up for seeing creepy things today, said Alan. Ive been seeing toomany creepy things lately.

I wanna see, said Laney with a stomp of her foot. Im getting sick and tired ofbeing shut in all the time.

No, said Alan. As your slightly older brother, I must detest. I will not accompanyyou so you can see something creepy. If you want to see something creepy, then go intothe church and stare at the crucifix.

Laney pushed Alan out of the way and started making off with Sarah. Alan couldnthelp but follow. Wait for me, he said with a grumble.

Chapter 3

A long trek through the woods took the three to a pond. It was brown and mucky, and hadno fish. There werent even bugs swarming around. The sun was going down. Alan wasgetting worried. Well, he said, show us this creepy thing, Sarah.

Sarah lowered down. The others followed her lead. She pointed. Look, she said.Do you see it? Dont tell me Im insane.

Laney squinted, I see treesand thats about it. Whatever it is, well have to getcloser.

No! Sarah exclaimed. I dont want to get any closer. I feel safe here.


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Now Alan was feeling brave. Girls, he said in a patronizing tone. Then he wentforward with Laney following behind. Sarah was lagging, but kept them in her site.

A plume of smoke came at the trio. They all coughed together. After it was cleared, astrange creatureno, a monsterwas staring at them. He was roundish, had smooth,pitch-black skin, fangs, yellow eyes, and skinny arms. Ha-ha, said Puffy. I see youve

all come to visit me. How shall I help you out? One packs worth or two? He threwseveral dozen cigarettes and cigars at them. Smoke up! Theres more where that camefrom!

Sarah and Laney wanted to turn back, but were held in place by Alan who wasmighty curious. What in the hell are you? he asked.

My name is Puffy, said Puffy. The name, mind you, is sort of a misnomer. Imactually more round than puffy. He had on an unsettling grin. So, are you guys going tojoin me in a smoke or what? Have I given you enough Marlboros? If youd prefer, I cangive you Mistys. Girls like Mistys. And Kool. A lot of them like Kool. Its a good brandif you ask me, but I prefer the classics.

None of us smoke, said Alan.

Thats a shame, said Puffy. Now I will have to kill you all.Sarah, Laney, and Alan laughed nervously. They were sure this thing before them,this thing called Puffy, was kidding. Puffy was not kidding. Two long fangs came outof his mouth and he lunged toward everyone with a growl.

This way! said Sarah while running. Laney and Alan huffed. The three ran past acreek, and what seemed a thousand trees. They ran as fast as they couldbut stoppedwhen they saw Puffy was out of breath. Puffy was in the distance, dry heaving andcoughing. Not fair, he said. Im Im so tired. His yellows eyes now had red veins.

Alan picked up a rock in his hand just in case. I want to know, he yelled. Whatare you?

Puffy didnt explain himself. He simply turned around and walked off, disappearingas a puff of smoke. Laney looked at Sarah like: What were you thinking!? Sarahshrugged.

I didnt think it would be dangerous, she said. At any rate, we outran it, didntwe?

Hey, said Alan, Im quite stressed out. He reached into his pocket and found apacket of cigarettes. Any of you have a lighter?

Laney swatted it away, Dont be an idiot.I was joking, said Alan. I know smokings bad for you. Duh. Any moron with

half a brain would know thatSarah dragged Alan and Laney along. Lets finish this chat elsewhere, she said.

Chapter 4

As crazy as it was, Alan, Laney, and Sarah returned to the woodsexcept this time theywere with their Uncle Trevor. Trevor, whod been eavesdropping on them, heard allabout their expedition, and wanted to see the monster that they had seen. Where is it?he barked impatient while looking through his video camera, hoping to record it andmake money. I dont see this SOB anywhere. Maybe hes hiding because he knows Imhere. I often have that effect on peopleand animals. Its because Im tough.


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Yeah, sure, muttered Laney, sarcastically.See, said Trevor, your sister agrees with me.Trevor made Sarah hold his video camera, then, at Alans discouragement, he went

in for a closer look. Theres nothing here! he yelled. Monster indeed! He spunaround with his arms out. He jumped up and flailed. Monster, monster! Come out

wherever you are!While Trevor made noise, Sarah saw Puffy return; only this time he was twice aslarge as before. He rose behind Trevor and opened his mouth. Alan and Laney jumpedup, Uncle Trevor! (Even though they didnt like him very much, they didnt want himto get hurt.) But there was Trevor still acting like a goof. He didnt even pay attention tothem, and Puffy was getting too close for any sort of comfort. Puffy roared with fumesblasting out his mouth.

Trevor spun around, What the! Then he was swallowed up by Puffy. Instinctively,Alan ran after Puffy. But Puffy was, this time, too fast. He got away.

Alan returned to Laney and Sarah. Oh, man, oh, man, he kept stuttering.Good idea! exclaimed Laney to Sarah.

Sarah was feeling too sheepish and foolish to say anything. Sorry, was all shecould muster.

Chapter 5

The trio had long left the woods, and now they were in Alans room discussing what todo. Neither Laney nor Sarah had any suggestions. None knew how to explain whathappened. Who would believe that a monster named Puffy had eaten their uncle?

Should we tell the truth and look crazy? Alan pondered. Or should we just say wedont know where he is? That would make a lot more sense. After all, Trevors an adult.He couldve just left us alone and somehow vanished. Maybe a kidnapping. We are onthe wrong side of the tracks, yknow.

Do you think your moms okay with you sleeping over here? Laney asked Sarah.Sarah nodded, Yeah. I told my parents that I was doing a school project and I

needed to stay overnight to complete. So, yeah, dont worry. They dont really care.Theyre kind of laissez-faire when it comes to children. Also, I think they do things witheach other when Im gone.

Too much information, said Laney.I want more details, said Alan.Laney elbowed Alan in the ribs. Ow, he said.Sarah looked out the window. There were raccoons tussling in the backyard. This

show, however, did not give her any ideas.The night turned late, and the three were getting tired. They didnt finish their

homework, but figured they could do it on Sunday which was tomorrow. Now they justwanted to get to sleep. So, all three changed into their jammies and gathered into thesame bed. They wouldve preferred sleeping in separate beds, but they were much tooscared. They stayed close to one another and left on the lights. Laney was in the middle,surrounded by her brother, and Sarah.

Some time passed; however, none were getting drowsy. There was too muchadrenalin pumping through their veins. Alan tried to make conversation. Maybe, he


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thought, this would help everyone fall asleep. Well, he said, did you hear about thatoil spill? Its terrible isnt it? I sure bet something like this would never happen if wewere on a hydrogen economy with more alternative energy sources in use. What do youguys think about solar? I thinkin conjunction with windits quite viable.

I see what youre trying to do, said Laney. Trying to bore us into sleep, arent

you?No, said Alan. But Ill keep going on if that would work.Just then a knocking sound filled the room.Knock! Knock! Sarah sat up, Who, who

could that be?Go and answer it, Alan instructed Laney. Laney pushed him out of the bed.What do I look? she said. You go answer it, Geoffrey.So, Alan reluctantly got up. After doing a quick change, really just getting into jeans,

he traveled down the long staircase. He nearly slipped while going down. The knock keptgetting louder and faster.KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!

Hang on to your knickers, said Alan. Im coming People these days have nopatience.

Alan looked through the peephole of the double doors. All he could see was black.There was someoneor something blocking. Who is it? said Alan in his deepest voice.I wont open up till you tell me.

There was a labored breathing on the other side. I heard what happened to youruncle, said a voice. Ive come to check on the three of you. I am from across thestreet.

Across from the street, Alan repeated in his head. Still, how could he know thatthere were three of us in here? And howd he know what happened to Uncle Trevor? Thisis all too suspicious.

Fine, said the voice. I lied to you. I am not from across the street. But I havecome to check on you three, and you should let me in. The wind outside is howling. I amquite cold. It would be impolite of you to not let me in to take shelter. Now, please, openup and we shall talk. It will only take a moment.

At that moment Sarah and Laney came down.Who is it? asked Laney.Alan shrugged, I dunno, but hes a damn weirdo. He wont tell me who he is, and

hes covering the peephole. I think we should call the cops Call the cops.Sarah went into her pocket and got out her mobile phone. She dialed for the operator.

There was, however, no reception. I got nothing, she said. Im not low on batteries. Icant get a signal in here.

Yeah, said Laney. This place is like a faraday cage. Well have to use thelandlines. So, off Laney and Sarah went to the kitchen to use the regular phone. It wasan old-rotary deal that took forever to make a call.

Alan stood by the door. He grabbed an umbrella from the umbrella holder and held itlike a weapon. Okay, he said, were calling the cops. If youre not gone in tenseconds, youre going to be put into a patty wagon and tossed into a cell.

Laney returned with Sarah. They explained that the phones werent working. CheapUncle Trevor, said Laney. He probably doesnt pay his bills.

Damn it, said Alan. What do we do now?


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The voice outside chuckled, That uncle of yours. So, I guess you have no otherchoice but to let me in now, huh?

JUST LET HIM IN! said Sarah. Sarah grabbed a dusty old vase and positionedherself by the doors. She whispered, Ill whack him over the head when he comes in. Itwas a terrible plan, but neither Laney nor Alan could offer anything else. They agreed to

let their guest bonk the stranger over the head.So, with Laney behind him, Alan opened one of the double doors. It swung openwith a bang. Eh? There was no one there. Where is he? Alan asked himself.

Then the stranger appeared. He came into the house. He was wearing a trench coatand carrying a cane, which he used to block Sarahs attack. The vase shattered and thepieces fell to the floor.

What a warm welcome, said the stranger with a grin. And how do you do? Myname is Thompson. His arm extended for hand shake, but nobody wanted to shake it.Well, never mind then, said Thompson. He looked around. Hmm, this is a nice placeyou have here. I think Im going to like staying here.

Stay here? said Laney. Are you cuckoo?

Yes, replied Thompson. You heard my correctly. Now that youre uncles gone, Iwill be your guardian. I have all the legal documents if you need to see them.Alan demanded to see them; so, Thompson reached into the deep of his trench coat

and gladly handed over a roll of papers. Laney and Sarah gathered around to see thedocumentation. All three of them scanned each line carefully with their eyes. Theycouldnt believe what they were seeing. This man, Thompson, indeed did haveguardianship over themwell, except for Sarah.

No way, said Alan. No way, man.Call the cops, Laney demanded Sarah.Go ahead, said Thompson, you wont be chasing me away. Your uncle and I had

agreements with each other. Who do you think paid for this extraordinary place?Sarah stepped outside in the drizzle and called the cops. The cops were

coincidentally just around the corner, and they came quickly to the houseor as it wasknown to most: the Monster Mansion. (Technically it wasnt a mansion at slightly under8,000 square feet, but it appeared much larger the way it was designed. It was skinny andtall with four levels, which made it shadow over every other house in the vicinity.)

Two cops arrived: Fred and Ted.Whats the matter here? asked Fred.Sarah, Laney, and Alan practically sprang at the cops. They stuck close to them

while rambling about their troubles.Whoa, whoa, said Ted. One at a time. One at a time.Laney pointed her finger right at Thompson. This man is trying to kidnap us! He

says hes going to stay in our house! You gotta do something about this! Lock him awaybefore our faces appear on the back of milk cartons!

Thompson was calm and cool. He shook hands with Fred and Ted and had a chat.The friendliness between them indicated that they all knew each other before hand. Fredlooked at the documents which Thompson had shown Alan. Both Ted and Fred agreed,Yup. This all checks out. Then they left without saying anymore. Thompson wavedthem goodbye.


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WHAT! exclaimed Alan. Are you serious about this!? Youre going to be ourguardian?! Mr. Creepy, old man is going to take care of us?! Whats this world comingto?

Im only 44 years old, said Thompson. You only get creepy when you hit 60.Sarah took a step back. I dont want to be axe-murdered, she said. Im heading

home.No, dont go, pleaded Laney. We need you!But Sarah was off. Even though her house was some distance away, her long,

running legs made her disappear quite fast. Now it was only Alan and Laney. Theydreaded what would happen next, although they were beginning to calm. Thompsongenuinely seemed harmless. Actually, the smile behind his curly moustache wassomewhat endearing.

Thompson closed the door to stop the wind and rain from entering. He then took offhis coat and placed it on the coat racket. He was a trim, in shape man, wearing a stripedwaistcoat that accentuated his muscular chest. Well, muscular for being over forty. Helooked at his watch. The time was nearly one in the morning.

Off to bed, he declared. As your new guardian I detest late mornings. He gentlypushed Alan and Laney up the stairs. Go to your respective rooms, and I will wake youfor breakfastwhich should come around at six.

Although Alan and Laney werent tired, they went upstairs anyway. They had noidea what to make of their situation. For tonight they slept in the same bed, which wasntall too great since Laney often kicked while she dreamed. She dreamed a lot.

Chapter 6

The morning came. Sun shone through the windows, and Laney and Alan awoke.Thompson was at the door ringing a bell. He was still in vest, albeit a different vest.Good morning, he said. It was about six now. Youll do no good just lying about.Make the most of your weekends. Sunday is the best day to get anything done.

Alan rubbed his eyes, Do we have to?Laney sat up and sniffed the air, Is that breakfast?A sweet, strong aroma filled the house.Why, yes, said Thompson. Ive made a full course breakfast for all of you.Even though it was early, Alan and Laney became quite enthusiastic. They hadnt

had a good breakfast in some time. Their mother, while alive, was a terrible cook, andwould often give them burnt toast and orange juice to eat.

So, Alan and Laney, after doing their morning routine, went downstairs. Everyonegathered around the rectangular table in the kitchen. There was an assortment of foods:steel cut oatmeal, non-burnt toast, warm milk sweetened with honey, oranges slices,sunny-side up eggs, and (animal) welfare approved bacon.

With a rumbling stomach Alan dug in. Laney appeared less voracious, and took thetime to enjoy her meal. So, said Thompson while taking a seat, if I may, Id like togive myself a proper introductionA little back story His voice slowed down fromits usual speedy tone. You probably dont know about the relationship that your uncleand I had, but we were business partners. Very close business partners. We started acompany and sold it. But it made Trevor really paranoid. He was scared that someone


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was after him, so we made this strange legal agreement that Id assume all his assets andresponsibilities if he died. That way, he thought, nobody could get their dirty hands on hisfortune. He trusted me a lot for some unusual reason.

This was interesting to Alan. How much money? he asked.Thompson smirked, Why dont you two try and guess?

$100, 000? said Laney, guessing first.Higher, said Thompson.$200, 000?No.$300, 000?Nope.A MILLION!Thompson was having a good time. Boy, he said, you kids really dont know

what A LOT is.Alan took a swing at it (so to speak). A hundred million?This made Thompson blush. Yes, he said. Youve got it right. And what do you

think of that?I dont care, said Alan. WAIT! DID YOU SAY YES?! He spit out his milk allover Laney. Laney made an annoyed face and barked an expletive. Then she cleanedherself up.

Hold your horses, said Alan. You You He became flustered thinking abouthow much a hundred million dollars was. When his mom was alive, he and Laneypractically lived in poverty. After dad skipped out of town to go to Vegas start a new lifewith an exotic dancer, they literally had to pinch every penny. And as you know, itsdamn tough being a single parent on minimum wage. They never went out anywhere.They never got anything new. And they had no allowance. Their food was minimal.There were no material pleasures.

Thompson put his arm around Alan after stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth.Yesh, he said while chewing, Im going to take you two out to the mall. Well buysome things to get you comfy here. Hows about it?

Now this had Laney engaged. And what can we get? she asked. New clothes? Oh,I really, really want a new pair of shoes.

All that and more, Thompson said. Well go shopping when the stores open.

Chapter 7

It was about ten in the morning. Most places were open by now, and Allan and Laneywere all too anxious to go shopping. Thompson drove them around in a big, blackCadillac, which very much matched his clothing.

The mall was coming up down the road.There it is, said Laney. Im so excited.But the excitement did not last too long; Thompson went right past the mall. Alan

was stupefied, however, kept quiet. He figured theyd be going to another place that wassimilar. This, though, was a misjudgment. They went past every single mall, and even theplazas.


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Alright, said Alan. What gives? You said wed go shopping. Im dead tired fromwaking up at six in the morning, and darn it, I only have my eyes open now because youpromised us stuff.

Where are we going? asked Laney, now awfully suspicious.Looking left, Alan turned the wheel of his car. He weaved in and out of traffic while

maintaining a bad speed (which was a speed too fast). Relax, he said. Im taking yousomewhere better than a mall.What could be better than a mall? asked Laney.CHINA TOWN! exclaimed Thompson. He gave a thumbs-up while looking in the

mirror. Its a great place to find bargains.There are no bargains for Nintendos, said Alan.Laney whispered, I think hes going to kill the both of us. See the way hes driving.

Hes in a rush to take us to the lake so he can drown us.Thompson heard everythingbut he wasnt annoyed at the remarks. He knew who

he wasand who he was wasnt a psychopathic killer. Im not going to kill you two,he said. I just want to take you guys somewhere interesting. A mall is such a vapid

place. Everyone in there is a zombie. Okay, there are zombies in China Town, but farfewer.Laney punched Alan in the arm.Ow, he said, what was that for?I dont know, she said, but Im sure this is your fault.Half an hour or so went by. Thompson went into an underground parking lot and

parked the car. Were here, he said. China Town! The only response he got fromLaney and Alan was in a groan. When they stepped out of the car they plugged theirnoses.

Smell like pee, said Alan. Why does it smell like pee?Thats not pee, said Thompson. Thats sweet and sour sauce.Alan groaned. He straggled behind while Laney kept up with Thompson. The three

left the parking lot, and went outside where they were inundated with a plethora of moresmellssome good and some not so good.

Watch out for the trash, said Thompson while stepping over a soiled paper cup.Laney, unlike Alan, actually seemed to be enjoying herself. Indeed, China Town was

quite interesting as Thompson had said. There were so many different, weird, andwonderful things. Down the road was a man doing a dragon dance. Now, it wasntChinese New Year, so this wasnt an ordinary site. Laney figured that he was really justcrazy. He was chanting some words in Mandarin, which translated into: Go away, goaway, now, now, now!

Alan dragged his feet. His back slumped forward. Lets hurry this up, he said. Ireally want to get home.

Stick close, said Thompson. Were almost there.Laney clapped, and the three went around a man carrying a big, silver pot, and

through a pair of sliding doors which opened automatically. Cool air from the airconditioning system fell onto their shoulders, which was a relief in contrast to the warm,humid day. Alan breathed a sigh of relief and became less irritated.

Thompson led the way and took the two up the escalator. This is my favorite place,he explained. You can always find the weirdest things here. Im friends with a man in


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the west corner of this place. Thats where well head first. After that, you can go off anddo what you like. Ill give you more than enough money to shop.

Give us the money now, Alan demanded.Laney had the same thought, but didnt want to be rude.Alright, said Thompson. Then he slipped a few hundred dollars into Alan and

Laneys hands. They looked at it and nearly fell back at the same time. It was the mostmoney they had ever seen, and it took practically no effort to get.This is too much, said Laney. We cant take it.If you dont want it, said Alan, Ill gladly Laney interrupted him with another

one of her trademark punches to the arm. He said ow in his usual manner.Treat yourselves once in a while, said Thompson. Youre only young once!This sentiment went across well with Alan and Laney, especially Laney who no

longer felt the need (at least at this moment) to be modest. She was going to buyeverything shed ever wanted.

The escalator ended. Thompson, Laney, and Alan got off. They headed straight left.There wasnt much walking till they get to the Dragons Emporium. This was the shop

Thompson had been talking about less than a few seconds ago. The three went in. Theplace was dark and messy, but it had a weird, Oriental charm to it. There were herbs andspices, and trinkets, and unidentifiable gadgets.

Alan picked up a stretched lizard on a stick. Ew, he said after dropping it.The shop owner, Mu-Chin, waved to Thompson. Tom, he said, how nice to see

you! Are these your children? Oh, you dog. You said you didnt want to get married, butwhats this? You have two, and they look just like you.

These arent mine, said Thompson with a bit of a snicker. However, I am takingcare of them. Kids, introduce yourselves.

Mu-Chin leaned over the counter and smiled at Alan and Laney. Alan and Laney,though, were less enthusiastic. They gave quick smiles and said their names. Their shynature amused Mu-Chin. He stroked his white beard and tapped on his gold tooth.

I do this for good reason, he said. A stroke on the beard and a tap on the toothmake for good fortune.

Thompson was amused by the old mans quirks, but this was confusing to Alan andLaney. Alan and Laney went around to the side of the shop, and pretended to look atthings so they wouldnt have to chat with the adults anymore.

This place is funky, whispered Alan.In the good way or the bad way? asked Laney.In the bad way, said Alan. It smells like, well, old people. You know that smell.

Vicks VapoRub and Metamucil. I feel like throwing up. Heh I bet if I threw up nobodywould notice for days. Really, its that bad.

Meanwhile, Thompson and Mu-Chin were having their own chat.I think Ive found them, said Thompson.Found who? asked Mu-Chin.THEM, repeated Thompson. Dont tell me you dont know. Weve been talking

about THEM for yearsthe ones who will cleanse the earth and stop the invasion.Cleanse in a good way or a bad way?The good way, of course.


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Mu-Chin took out a dusty, old book. After blowing off the dust, he opened it to themiddle and began to read. Yes, he said, youre right. I see it here. It is all foretold. Hestopped. Wait. This is Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Wrong book! Then hetook out another and did the same thing. Yes, yes. I see now. You may be right in yourinstincts. There is strong indication that these two with you are the ones. Ah, but where

are the rest?I dont know, said Thompson, but theyll be weak if we dont find the others.They work in tandem. They balance each others skills.

How many more, asked Mu-Chin. Jog my memory.Just two. I think theyre located in this town.Hm, but have you told the ones youve already found what youre up to? What if

they dont accept it? I think theyll have a hard time believing.No, I already know that they saw oneWhich one?Puffy. He ate their uncle. It sucks for them, but to be honest I never really liked the

guy.

So, whyve you come here? Come to pick up some supplies? I assume this much.Or maybe you just wanted to vent today.Sorry, said Thompson. Im not social enough to do that. I have come for supplies.

Do you have the usual?Mu-Chin reached on a shelf and took a bag filled with who-knew-what, and placed it

onto the counter. Thompson handed him a wad of bills. It was a lot. Maybe a thousanddollars. Whatever the bag contained, it was quite rare.

Okay, said Thompson, I gotta go. Tell your wife I said hello. He then called toAlan and Laney. ALRIGHT! he said. Lets beat it. We have a lot of shopping to do!Alan and Laney excitedly ran.

Chapter 8

Thompson, Alan, and Laney returned home. Theyd had a long day and were quite tired.Laney was carrying two bags buy her side, filled with things shed acquired from ChinaTown. Her brother, however, did not have much from their trip. All Alan had gotten forhimself was a packet of pencils and a new pen.

Its a shame you never bought anything, said Laney.Gotta save for a rainy day, explained Alan. You never know when hard times will

hit.Laney choked for a moment. You never know when hard times will hit, was

something her mom always used to say.Well, replied Laney, we arent going to have hard times anymore.Alright, interrupted Thompson, I have some matters to attend to. Will you kids be

okay on your own?Yeah, said Alan, we should be fine.Laney nodded in agreement; so, Thompson went away, and disappeared into the

door at the far back of the house. Alan looked.Is that the basement? he asked.I believe so, said Laney. Have you been in there yet?


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Not yet, said Alan. I havent seen every area in this place He had a devilishsmile. Should we do some exploring?

The idea appealed to Laney, who was ever curious. She put down her bags. One ofthem fell over, and poured out some clothes. Alright, she said. First, Id like to see theattic. Ive never been in an attic before. Remember how dad Remember how dad used

to seal it up to keep the heat inside the house?That cheap bastard, said Alan. He was always sealing up the whole house to keepout the cold. I hated that frosted, plastic sheet hed always put over my window. Icouldnt even see outside.

Well, we dont have to worry about him being cheap anymore, said Laney. Hesoff in the wild, blue yonder, somewhere in Canada. So I hear.

Hes not in Canada, said Alan. Didnt mom tell you what actually happened?No, said Laney. What actually happened?Never mind, said Alan.Tell me, Laney insisted, now somewhat irritable. What ACTUALLY happened?Alan was reluctant. Very reluctant. Okay, he said. But dont roll over and die

when you hear thisbut dad was a secret agent working Afghanistan. He got kidnappedby infidels and was murdered. (This was a lie, but Alan didnt want to upset his sister.She had no idea that her dad really eloped.)

Laney pounded her fist into her hand, Those bastards! Those terrorist bastards!Cmon, said Alan. Lets go and see the attic. I bet theres all sorts of kooky crap

up there.Then he and Laney left the main foyer and went up the first set of stairs, which was

the staircase theyd been using since they arrived. At the end of the hall there was anotherstaircase that led into the third floor. It was a place they hadnt been to yet, and it madethem curious. It was forbidden by their former Uncle Trevor So, what was there?Laney and Alan went to find out.

They got to the third floor.And everything seemed normalexcept for the glaring lack of doors. On this floor,

the third floor, there was only one door, dead center. Laney, though still somewhatcurious, dismissed it. She mostly wanted to see that attic. But Alans interest was piqued.He wondered why there were no other doors. What sort of room takes up one wholefloor? One that needed to be explored!

So Alan turned the knob of the door. It was found to be locked.Damn thing, he said. He kicked at it.Bang! Bang! And the noise traveled through

the entire house.Stop that! said Laney. Youre going to get us in trouble!Fine, said Alan. Forget it. Lets just go to the fourth floor.So, again, Laney and Alan went up another flight of stairs. The stairs, which were

quite creaky, wobbled ever so slightly. But they held up well enough for the two to get tothe fourth floor. The fourth floor, unlike the third floor, appeared quite normal. There wasa hallway and doors, not too many and not too little. Everything seemed fine.

Well, this is boring, said Alan. Id expect something to be off with this level aswell.

Laney opened the first door to the left, the one that was closest to her. This room, thefirst room on the fourth floor, was bare with nothing but empty boxes. The second room


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had soiled mattresses piled. The third room had old furniture (chairs, tables, etc). And thefourth room, and final room, had no floor. There was, however, a ladder which led intothird floor room (which was previously found to be locked off).

Hey, said Alan, now we can get into the third floor room.Im not going down there, Laney while staring into the dimness. I want to go to

the attic.Dont you know what a detour is? Alan. Laney folded her arms. Okay, he said.Ill go in and you stay here.

No, said Laney.But Alan went ahead anyway. He climbed down the wood ladder and went below

into the room of the third floor. The room, which took up the entire floor, was very dampand humid. His skin was sticking to his t-shirt.

Its too dark to see anything in here, he said. He went into his back pocket andtook out a Zippo lighter. He spun the flint to make a spark, and set the wick on fire. Therewas now enough light to navigate around. He began along the walls and slowly explored.He stopped when he bumped his foot. Ow, he said.

He saw, under the light of his flame, a treasure chest/trunk.Alan was going to open it, but spotted a lock.Now, how am I gonna get this off? he said to himself.He beat on the old, rusted lock, thinking it could come off. He kicked it and hit it

violently with his fistsbut that only made him sore. Damn it, he said. He put his earagainst the trunk, and shook it to listen, trying to figure out what was inside. It soundedlike a mix of things: paper, metal, and even glass. What could be inside? Oh, God. Imsalivating. The curiosity is driving me mad.

Mad, eh? said a voice.Alan looked up. Sarah was standing over him. She reached down and, with only her

bare hands, ripped off the lock.Holy crap, Alan said in astonishment. Youre a beast! Then he opened the trunk.

He moved the flame of his lighter close in, and he and Sarah began to look inside.Whatre you doing here? Alan asked her while peering in.I came to see what you guys were up to, Sarah replied. Oh, by the way. I was the

one that locked the door earlier. Sorry about that.None taken, said Alan.The trunk was filled with a lot of junk. There was really nothing of importance.

There were empty bottles, bottle caps, and old newspapersbut buried underneath allthat junk was a key. The key was an antique, large, and silvera skeleton key. Alan tookit into his hands and examined it with Sarah.

What do you think its for? Alan asked.Sarah went into a trunk and picked up a conspicuous note which had message on it in

calligraphy. It read: Remember, Sulley. The Key is for the Attik.. Who was Sulley? Itdidnt matter.

I think the key is for the attic, said Sarah.Really? said Alan. Man, thats just what we need. Cmon. Follow me.He and Sarah went to the ladder and clambered to the fourth floor. They came out of

the room to see Laney who was surprised.Sarah! she said, I didnt know you were here!


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Sarah grinned, Yeah. Thought Id drop byThen no more words were said, and the three searched along the ceiling. Somewhere

on the side they found a white, square door with a hole for a key to be inserted. Alan hadthe skeleton key in his hand from the treasure trunk, but his arms were too short to reachthe ceiling which was nine or more feet high. This wasnt even something tall Sarah

could help out with.Howre we going to get into the attic? said Alan.Laney and Sarah put their heads together, in the literal sense, and whispered to one

another. Okay! one of them then exclaimed, then they turned back to Alan.Sarah leaned against the wall and put linked her hands together. With that, Laney

jumped onto them and climbed onto her shoulders. Toss me the key, said Laney toAlan while balancing. I think I can reach.

So, Alan did just that. He threw the key to his sister, and she reached up with herarms. It almost looked as if she wasnt going to make it, but the skeleton key went intothe attic door. When she turned it, a staircase immediately fell down. It fell with aCRASH! Dust swirled about.

Ladies first, said Alan.Yeah, said Laney while going up with Sarah, because were braver!Sarah, Laney, and Alan were now all in the attic together. They stepped about

carefully since the floors felt rotted. At least that much could be told by the incessantsqueaking and cracking.

Watch out, said Alan. We could fall through.Watch out for yourself, said Laney.Then Sarah reached for a string touching her head and pulled it. A light bulb turned

on above which gave off a warm, orange glow. It was enough to reveal the surroundingarea. What laid around were bookshundreds and hundreds of books. This wasnt veryexciting to Alan or Laney, but Sarah was smiling. She loved books. She loved visiting thelibrary and going to book shops. It was probably her favorite thing to do.

Wow, said Sarah. Look at all these books. She went to a stack to the center andtook a hardcover copy ofTreasure Island. She leafed through pages with her thumb andtook in the smell. You know, that old, book smell: a combination of paper, glue and ink.This is great. You guys are really lucky!

Alan and Laney joined by her side. They too took some books, although they seemedless interested. Alan held a copy ofAlices Adventure in Wonderland, and Laney held acopy ofJourney to the Center of the Earth.

This is great, said Sarah as she amused herself while inspecting all the books.You two have your very own library. Although its not quite so idyllic, you can alwaysget some chairs and place a desk in here.

Alan yawned and stretched, but he clumsily knocked over the tower of books behindhim. They want tumbling and fell.

Look what youve done, said Laney.Relax, said Alan. Ill pick em up Sarah, can you help me pick them up?Sarah obliged and helped collect the books into her arms. As she laid them neatly in

a pile, she caught glimpse of something interesting: a black scrapbook with gold lettering.The lettering was in an unknown language. When she opened the scrapbook/album tolook she spotted, on the first page, photos of the very house she was in. The photos,


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however, were quite dated thoughthey were in black and white, and the subjectscontained looked quite new. The trees and shrubbery will all little.

Look at this, said Sarah. Alan and Laney joined to see.Wow, said Laney. This album must be over 100 years old.How do you figure? Alan asked.

Laney pointed to a date on the photo. Alan felt like an idiot.Together everyone slowly flipped through the scrapbook. There was an assortmentof items: pressed flowers, pictures of children (probably now dead), notes, and even art.Some of the artdrawingshowever, were quite incompressible. They were justscribbles, foreign language, and silhouettes of who knew what. But one of these drawingsreally stood outand it made the trio jump. There was a sketch of Alan, Laney, Sarah,and an unknown older boy, all standing around in a circle, holding hands.

Whoa! said Alan. Thats us!Nah, it couldnt be, said Laney. The drawings real oldunless Uncle Trevor

drew us.But I never met your uncle, said Sarah. And whos the fourth person? Sarah

pointed at the older boy who was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.As Alan and Laney were about to answer their friends question, Thompson calledout for them, KIDS! WHERE ARE YOU?! I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU!

Oh, shit, said Alan. We shouldnt be snooping around in here I bet. Lets get amove on.

Sarah, Laney, and Alan evacuated the attic, leaving behind the scrapbook. They shutthe stairs before Thompson could see what they were up to. Thompson had his foottapping and his hands were on his waist, although in a somewhat friendly manner.

I didnt know we had visitors, he said while looking at Sarah. You know,tomorrows a school day.

Yes, said Laney while fluttering her eyes to make herself look pretty (andtherefore innocent). We know that.

I hate school, said Alan.You hate school because youre learning about boring things, said Thompson. If

you were, on the other hand, learning about something fascinatingwouldnt you wantto be in school forever?

Im sorta fine with the way school is now, said Sarah.Well, youre a nerd, said Laney. You inclination for academics comes to you

naturally.You get straight As too, said Sarah. Are you not a nerd?I dont do it because I like it, said Laney. I do it because I want to get into a good

university; I want to get into a good university because I want a good job. I want a goodjob because, well, I dont want to work at McDonalds.

Okay, said Thompson, so shall I drop your friendSarah, said Sarah.Yes, Sarah, continued Thompson. Shall I drop your friend, Sarah, off to her

place? Its nearly 9:00 PM.Wait, Alan interrupted. Its not a school day tomorrow. We have a long weekend,

remember?


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Thompson thought for a moment. Why, yes, he said. I do believe youre right.Very well. I shall vanish off. If you children need anything, please, dont hesitate to letme know. Then he ran down the stairs and left.

So, said Laney. What shall we do?I have a 10:00 PM curfew, Sarah replied. I have to get back home in an hour. But

I dont really think my parents will noticed even if Im half an hour late. Theyreprobably out seeing a movie. Yeah. A Sunday night movie. Its kind of a ritual.I hate this house, said Alan. Sarah, why dont we go over to your place? Its not

too far on bicycle is it? You did come on bicycle didnt you?Sarah, Laney, and Allen went down every staircase till they got to the main floor.

On the main floor they went past the basement door and headed out the back. In the yardSarah unlocked her pink bicycle which was somewhat too small for her.

Alan opened the shed and took out his and Laneys bicycles. The bicycles were adull color, rusted red with seats that contained many holes.

Are you sure that wont fall apart on the road? Sarah joked.You know, said Laney, maybe we should ask Thompson for new bikes. He is

pretty loaded.Loaded? repeated Sarah.Yeah, said Alan. Apparently hes got a gazillion smackeroos in the bank Still, I

dont want to bother him. When dad was around, remember when we asked him for newseats? He threw a bottle at my head.

I remember that, said Laney, but I think it was an accident.I dont think it was an accident, said Alan. Or maybe it was. I dunno. He wasnt

like that all the time. He only got kinda crazy before he went off to Ver, Afghanistan.Oh, hold on, said Sarah. Before we go to my place, I have something to show

you. I almost forgot. I pocketed this from the scrapbook before we vamoosed from theattic. She unfolded a piece of paper. It was an old note about the house. It said, inquotes,Location of Buried Treasure. (Then there were some other comments that were indecipherable handwriting.) It was a schematic of the backyard with a big X in red. The Xwas in the middle like a bulls eye, but slightly off center.

Alan was skeptical, but Laney was enthusiastic. She took the note and immediatelywent to locate the spot that the X represented. Everyone followed. She took fifteen stepsahead. Then five left. Here it is, she said. X marks he spot. This is where the buriedtreasure should be. Oh, I dont care about money. Im just curious.

Hey, said Alan, dont get your hopes up. I found a treasure chest without anytreasure. Just a damn old skeleton key which unlocked the attic with books.

Sarah went into the shed and got the only two shovels. She kept one for herself andgave the other to Laney; and, synchronously, the two began to dig furiously. Alan washo-hum and sat down on the grass, just his sister and her friend waste their energy. Well,he thought they were wasting their energy; they didnt.

Alan pestered, Theres nothing there! This isnt the bleeding Goonies, you know!He returned to the housebut it wasnt to abandon anyone, just to turn on the backyardlights. Right after, he was by Sarah and Laney whod finished digging. They threw theirshovels aside and stepped aside to move their shadows. When the light bulb behind themcast its light, it revealed something horrific.

Ooh, a box, said Laney, and she picked it up.


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Whats inside you think? asked Sarah.Hopefully the cure to cancer, Alan said in a snide tone. We sure could use that.Quiet, said Laney. Go make yourself useful. Get a hammer. This thing looks

hermetically sealed.So, not being one to refuse the smashing of objects, Alan went into the shed and

obtained a hammer. It was very old but in good condition. It had a wood handle and arectangular, metal head that tapered at the end into a triangle.Laney put the box onto the floor. Dont break whats inside, she warned. Only hit

it enough to open it.I know, I know, said Alan. Im not an idiot. He held the hammer over his head

while Sarah took a step back. Then he swung it down. The corner of the box was hit, butit didnt break or even crack. Alan tried again. And again. And again. The box was madeof some sort of industrial material. It just would not come open.

Laney took the hammer away from Alan. This needs a womans touch, she said.She wailed on the box. Smash! Smash! But she too could not break it. Sarah tried as well,right after, and had the same results.

Must be made out of adamantium, said Alan. Or steel Im leaning towardsteel.Sarah hopped on her bicycle and took the box. Follow me, she said. My dads got

a ton o tools in his garage. We can use one of em to split this thing open.Man, whined Alan, its so late. Cant we do it later? I wanna watch Lost. Theres

a new episode!You wimp, said Laney. Okay, fine. You stay here. Then she got on her bicycle.

Sarah and I will go to work on this. Tell Thompson that I went to a slumber party.I dont wanna lie, said Alan.But you lie all the time, said Laney.Yeah, Alan agreed, but for selfish purposes Im very selective that way.Sarah and Laney took off on the bicycles without saying anything more. Alan went

back into the house. When he entered he bumped into Thompson. Thompson wiped off aspot of grease from his face. Where are the girls? he asked.

At a slumber party, replied Alan.Youre lying, said Thompson.Alan nervously darted his eyes. Well, errr, the thing is Then he suddenly yelled,

ALRIGHT! YOU CAUGHT ME! YOU CAUGHT ME! IT WAS A LIE! I LIED! IMSORRY!

Thompson wasnt surprised. His cool demeanor maintained. Oh, okay, he said.Where are they then?

At 56 Crescent Moon Street, Laney and Sarah were together in Sarahs garage. Theywere working furiously on the box, trying to get it open. And there was an assortment oftools at their disposal but none of them were working.

Augh! Laney hissed. This thing is impossible! Whats in here, anyway?!I dont know, said Sarah. Maybe its meant to be closed.Laney searched around. Theres gotta be something in your garage that can work.

She went into the corner and took the red toolbox. She put it on the table and opened it.Inside was a blow torch.


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Careful now, Sarah warned.Whats the worst that could happen? Laney asked.You could burn down my house and kill my parents, said Sarah.Oh, said Laney.Then she started up the blowtorch. A long, scorching flame came out. Sarah looked

anxious as Laney moved it over to the box. The fire touched the corner and started tomelt. Just then there was a bang on the garage door. It was Thompsons voice.Open up, he said, youve no business opening that box!Sarah and Laney exchanged What should we do? looks. They decided that they

should listen. So, Sarah pressed the garage door button and let the garage door open.There was Thompson along with Alan. They hastily went in.

Thompson took the box. Its intact, he said to Alan. We should be safe.Safe? said Laney.Yes, said Thompson. Safe. Theres something very dangerous inside this box. Its

pretty damn well sealed, but it can be opened with fire.Like the fire from a blow torch? asked Laney. She turned off the blow torch in her

hand and set it down.Why, yes, said Thompson, like that from a He choked on his spit. DONTTELL ME YOUVE USED THAT! DID IT TOUCH THE BOX?!

Laney wasnt sure what she did wrong, but she knew she did something wrong.Sarah answered for her. Only briefly, she said.

Briefly is too long! yelled Thompson in a cracking voice. We have to get thisthing out of here!

I can do that, said Alan.No! said Thompson. No! He ran out the garage. But before he could even get to

the end of the driveway, the box burst open in his arms. (Think of a banana peeling insuper-fast motion.)

A skull with horns dropped out.What is that? Alan asked.Thompson had it in his hands as if a hot potato. His feet danced while he was

deciding what to do with it. You guys, he kept stammering, you guys, you guys, youguysthis is no good!

Its just a skull with horns, said Laney. You need to calm down.YES! yelled Thompson. I AM QUITE CALM! SEE HOW CALM I AM?!

CALM, BLUE OCEAN!The skull with horns fell to the ground. It became affixed and could not be removed.

Still, Thompson gave it a shot. His fingers were in the eye sockets, and he was pullingwith his entire body. While doing so (and exercising futility), the skull with horns startedgathering material from somewhere unknown; out of thin air, red cells gathered andlumped around to form a face.

Thompson stumbled away. Get into the garage, he said. Get into the garage!The skull with horns was no longer just a skull with horns but a fully fleshed man.

(Not a man exactly, but close enough.)Prometheo, uttered Thompson.


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Prometheo, red-skinned with horns and eyes ablaze, leapt toward Alan. Alanscreamed, but he was unharmed; for Prometheo could not get to him, for he was beingheld by Thompson whod cracked a whip around his neck.

Get back, Thompson said while using all his strength to hold the handle of hiswhip. This summabitch is strong!

Prometheo spun his head around and shot fire at Thompson. Thompson ducked, butwhile doing so accidentally let go of his whip. So free, the monstrous Prometheo headedfor Sarah and Laney. Alan, not being very level headed at this late hour, ran to Prometheoand jumped onto his back. Sarah and Laney, though, did not stand idly by. They joined intoo. Sarah gave her best Karate kick, and Laney grabbed a wrench to smash the attack inthe face.

These efforts though, however noble, were not effective. Prometheo spun andknocked them all to the concrete floor. He let out a roar and set his entire body aflame.Thompson knew this was a critical moment, and he reacted accordingly. He ran away...

And returned with a garden hose. At full blast he sprayed water onto Prometheo.This put out Prometheos flames and weakened him.

Return from where you came, Thompson said in a righteous tone. Then he tookout a crucifix and shouted To hell! To hell! Back to hell! By Christ I banish you! Thecrucifix from the top threw off lightning. Prometheo groaned in pain as if he had abellyache. Thompson lunged at him and plunged a dagger into his chest.

Fire shot out through the wound. Thompson stood and kept his distant, and watchedwhile Prometheo vaporized into nothing.

Whered he go? Laney asked.Thompson let out a sigh of relief. To the abyss, he said, where hopefully he

staysAfter all the chaos, Sarahs neighbor came out of her house. She had on a robe and

bunny slippers. Dont you know what time it is? she asked. Itsgoddamn late iswhat it is!

Sarah tried to explain herself to Lynda.Lynda, she began, I dont know how to tell you this, but we just saw a monster. It

had horns, and red skin, and pointy tongue! That was what was causing all the noise introuble. For that we apologize.

Lynda grumbled some profanity and returned to her home.Well, said Alan to Thompson, nows the part where you explain everything.Thompson returned his whip into his trench coat. We mustnt speak about it here,

he said.

Chapter 9

It was Monday at five in the morning. The church was all empty, except for the spot inthe back where Thompson and the others were sitting, having their talk. Sarah, Laney,and Alan were all drinking coffee. They werent really morning people. To them 11:00AM was quite early.

Thompson kneeled on the pew and said a quick prayer; then he sat back down.Okay, he said, gather around. I will explain everything. It wont be difficult tocomprehend, but it may be difficult to take in. Is everyone ears?


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All ears, Alan, Laney, and Sarah said together.The world as you know, Thompson began, is full of evilbut in it is also good.

And the forces of good and the forces of evil are always battling it out. Sometimes evilwins, sometimes it loses. But in order to make it lose we, the good, must persevere. Mostof the time doing a small deedlike holding the door for someoneis fine enough to

make good win But sometimes evil becomes so great that it is insurmountable with thelittle gestures we do. In that case we must tackle the darkness with all our might.The sun began to rise. Its light filtered through the churchs stained glass windows.The earth is going through an epoch, Thompson continued. But this epoch is what

you kids call an epoch fail. Were going through a change. Our world is slowly beingoverwhelmed by evil. Remember that monster you saw? Well, it isnt a monster,because monsters dont exist. That was a demon.

A demon? Alan repeated.Yes, replied Thompson. And there will be more to come.Shouldnt we tell the police or something? Laney askedThe police dont know how to deal with demons, said Thompson. And also, right

now, demons can only be seen by certain people.What certain people? Sarah asked.Theres me, replied Thompson. Those with stronger than usual religious

affiliationsthe Pope as an exampleand then kids, like you guys, and a lot of youngpeople for some reason. Why kids and young people? I dont know, I guess theyre morepure of heart.

Not that I really believe any of this, said Alan, but what does this all mean?Hell on earth, said Thompson, must be stopped. The rise and appearance of these

demons indicates the coming end of mans reign, and Ill be damned if I let thathappen But dont worry too much. Most demons can be defeated. With faith andgoodwill they can be overcome. What Im worried about is the One.

The One? Alan repeated. Who is the One?The One is the one who is trying to bring about hell on earth, Thompson

explained. When there is enough evil in the world, when there is enough depravity anddestruction, the One will be strong enough to destroy us. The One will then appearorreappear as it is rumored. He may already be here.

But who is he? Sarah asked.WHO IS HE? Alan repeated. Why does the One have to be a man? Is he a man?No, Thompson replied. The One is neither man nor woman. The One, unlike

other demons, can take on forms. The One can shape shift into anything, literallyanything, even a packet of bubblegum. Now, I dont know why the One would want to bea packet of bubblegum, but the One could do it if he wanted.

So the One is a he now? said Alan.For sake of the simplicity, said Thompson, I will refer to the one as a he. I hope

you dont mind.Not at all, said Alan. Its just thatHe was interrupted by the swing of the church doors at the far end. The priest/father

had awoken, and he was going through the place to check for visitors. Thompson stoodand went out to greet him. The two shook hands.


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Top of the morning to you, said Father Felix in a thick, Irish accent. I see youvebrought some people. He waved and smiled. Laney, Sarah, and Alan returned thegesture.

Yes, said Thompson. I feel strongly about them.So, they are aware of everything now? asked Father Felix.

Not quite yet, replied Thompson.Hurry up, warned Father Felix. The other day when I was gardening, I sawPuffy.

Hes still around, huh? said Thompson. Well, we should deal with him before hecauses more trouble. But not till I get everything in order.

Chapter 10

Tuesday came and school resumed. Laney, Sarah, and Laney were by a tree, huddledtogether, talking as quietly as possible.

Thompson is insane, isnt he? said Alan.

Can you explain what we saw? said Laney.I cant, said Alan. Unless we were all tripping at the same time and saw the exactsame thing. But I havent tripped in a while.

Shhh, said Sarah. Her eyes whipped left. Someones coming.It was Gerald and Francis. They looked suspiciously at the group.Whyre you all looking at us like that? Francis asked.No reason, said Alan. Were discussing, uh, stuff.Stuff? Francis repeated. What kinda stuff? If you dont mind my asking.None of your business stuff, Alan muttered.Whats that? said Gerald. You hear that, brother? He gave you lip!Mrs. Vanderhorn came by. She looked in a rush and motioned to Sarah. Sarah

dear, she said, I must speak to you. Its urgent!Sarah went over to her. What is it, Mrs. Vanderhorn?I need your help.What sort of help?I need to stick streamers into the classroom ceiling, and Im not tall enough.Thats whats urgent?Um, the party is in ten minutes.Whats it for?Its the Principals birthday and Im sucking up. Problem with that?Not at all, Mrs. Vanderhorn. Ill come right along.Sarah and Mrs. Vanderhorn left. Now it was just Alan, Laney, Gerald, and Francis

(who had on a sinister grin).Isnt this convenient, said Francis. Your big friend has left! So, Alan, would you

like to repeat yourself? What was that comment you said earlier? Id like to hear itagain.

All Alan could say was uhhhBut Laney stepped in front of him and spoke on his behalf. She poked Francis in the

chest. Stay away from my brother, she said. You touch him and there will beconsequences. You ever heard of a Hurts Donut?


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Alan whispered to Laney, Thats not how the joke works!Gerald cackled, Fail!Francis explained, Youre supposed to ask me for a Hurts Donut. Then when I say

yes youre supposed to hit me and say Hurts, dont it. That is the proper procedure forthis childish prank.

Never been one to conform! Laney yelled. Then she kneed Francis in the crotch.He fell down with a whimper.Brother! cried Gerald.Laney grabbed Alan by the arm and the two ran for it. But it wasnt long before

Francis recovered and he and Gerald were on their tails.Whyd you do that!? Alan screamed while huffing. You wanna get us killed!?

You know what they say You mess with the bully and you get the goddamn horns!Have a spine! said Laney as she ran as fast as she could. You cant let people

push you around!Fine! replied Alan. Ill begin with you when we get homeif we get home!To that Laney stuck out her tongue, and she and Alan continued on. Maybe they

continued on too much, because they ran off school property, and found themselves in acornfield. The corn in the field was tall, and it went over their heads. This, however, wasa good thing. The two lowered down and crawled along. They stopped when they heardthe voices of Francis and Gerald; they didnt want to make noise.

Theyre in here! Gerald said to Francis. The scumbags went in here!

Where are they, boy? said Francis.Gerald tried seeing through the stalks of corn. Dunno, he said while squinting.

Its too thick. Well hafta go in. What say you?Francis, who fancied manhunts, cracked his knuckles and licked his lips. While this

was beyond his usual fare, he thought it would be an opportunity for him to grow as abully. Beating up small kids, stealing money, and calling people names was old hat. Nowhe could challenge himself and test his expertise in psychological torture and reindeergames. Hand me my pellet gun, he said with his hand out.

Gerald went inside his jacket and took out a carbon-dioxide (CO2) powered pelletgun. He handed it to Francis who checked if it was filled with ammunition; it was. So, thetwo went into the field ahead and vanished amidst the corn.

During this time, Alan and Laney had haphazardly crawled into another spot. Theywere on the ground, sitting on their bottoms, leaning against a tree stump.

Alan was whispering, What do you think theyll do to us when they catch us?Well, Im a girl, said Laney, so theyll probably go easy on me. But Ill bet they

beat the crap out of you.Thanks, said Alan. I really appreciate your concern.Youre welcome, said Laney.The crunching footsteps of Francis and Gerald could be heard. They were getting

closer and closer. Alan and Laney slumped lower.Is that them? Alan asked.Yes, said Laney. Keep your mouth shut.Come out, come out wherever you are, said Francis. He randomly fired his pellet

gun.


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One of them hit Alan in the forehead. Laney covered his mouth before he could cryin pain. Shhh, she said. Its not so bad Alan felt the damage. There was a big,walnut-sized bump.

Shit, he said. Its like a tumor.It is not a tumor, said Laney. Keep your voice down.

Were going to find you guys! Francis yelled. May as well say your prayersnow!Gerald snickered, Yeah! Say yah prayers!They wont find us as long as we keep quiet, Laney whispered.Stop nagging me, said Alan. Ill keepAUGH! GROSS! A bird had plopped on

his head. The stank white substance poured down to his eyebrow. He stood and took acorn leaf to wipe it off.

Francis and Gerald spotted him. Francis pointed his pellet gun. Alan, in submission,had his hands in the air. Laney stood up.

If it helps, she said, I apologize.Too damn late! said Francis. Youre going to payfifty bucks.

What? said Alan. I dont have the kind of money.Then you get your ass kicked, said Francis with a step forward.Gerald rubbed his fingers together, indicating money.In actuality, Alan had plenty of cash on him, but he lied because he didnt want to

give it up. Having grown up poor, and seeing what his mom went through as a singlemother, he just didnt think he should have to pony up a fifty to some bully-twit. Thoughnow he decided to come clean.

Okay, he said, I have the money.A smile came onto Francis face who thought hed maybe only get a tenner.

($10.00.)Then Alan continued. He glanced at Laney. But youre not going to get it. Im not

going to give it to you. You deserved to be kneed by my sister and I shouldnt have topay retribution. Whats mine is mine. You wont get a penny outta me. Nope. Get a job ifyoure so broke I hear Wal-Mart is hiring.

Wal-Mart, coincidentally, was the place where Francis and Geralds dad worked.So, this remark kind of annoyed them. They were both clenching their fists. Their pimplyfaces turned beet-red.

Francis raised his arm to strike Alan, but when he swung down he felt somethinggrab him by the wrist. It was Thompsons whip. Thompson stood stoic in the distance,then drew himself forward. He let go of Francis who had now become terrified. Who isthis stranger, he thought to himself. Gerald hid behind his brother.

It was hard to find you two, said Thompson. What are you guys doing off schoolpremises? Dont you know its dangerous? A strange man could come by and kidnapyou Well, I am a strange man, but fortunately Im not here to kidnap anyone.

Are we in trouble? Laney asked.No, said Thompson. Im just here to tell you Im transferring you to another

school. A better one.Hogwarts? joked Alan.Not exactly, said Thompson. But you will learn some interesting things. All

shadows of doubt will be removed.


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Oh, said Laney.Then Thompson led her and Alan out of the cornfield.Gerald and Francis stayed behind. Who was that? Gerald asked. Both stood

dumbfounded.

Chapter 11

The next day had come and it was the bright, early morning. Alan, feeling confident,leapt out of his bed. Yes, he said, no more St. Kevin elementary! He went to thebathroom in his room and brushed his teeth. While checking himself out, he observed thatthe mirror was foggy.

He took his hand and wiped away the fogbut the fog returned. And when it didthere was a realistic looking picturea picture of Alan being impaled onto a spike.

Alan became startled and dropped the toothbrush from his mouth. He ran outside andbumped into Laney who was still groggy.

Laney! Alan said. I have to show you something!

Before Laney could answer, Alan was dragging her along. He took her to hisbathroom and showed her the picture. Laney, though, felt quite ho-hum. She yawned atthe morbid depiction. This is whats got you freaked out? she asked. Of all the thingsweve been throughthis is the one to make you crack?

Alans mood was changed, from fearful to annoyed. You know, you could be moresupportive, he said. And for your information I have not cracked. This is just Idunno! Its just extra creepy!

I guess youve just reached your tipping point, said Laney. Then she calmly took atowel and wiped the mirror. But the fog, like before, came back and with a picture. Thisone, though, was far less morbid: It was just Laney standing in the bathroom, wiping themirror with Alan.

However, Laney was thoroughly freaked. She reeled back, nearly knocking overAlan.

Hey, he said, calm down.No! said Laney. Somethings watching us!Alan looked at the mirror with its picture and went into agnostic, skeptic mode. I

dunno, he said. This must be some sort of prank. After all, were not the only oneshere. Thompson might have some sort of sick sense of humor.

Laney took hold of the mirror and ripped it off the wall.Alan was surprised at her strength, but equally annoyed at it. Whoa, he said, I

need that to groom myself!We have to remove all the mirrors in the house, said Laney.So hurriedly, with Alan following along, she went to every mirror in the house and

took them down. At the last mirror she bumped into Thompson who was smoking a pipe.He blew out some smoke then put it down. Fancy meeting you here, he said. What areyou kids up to? Are you ready for school? Well be leaving soon.

Well be ready, said Laney. Were just doing a few things before we go.Tearing down my mirrors? asked Thompson.How did you know? said Laney. Have you been seeing the fog pictures too!?


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Fog pictures? Thompson repeated. He gasped. Christ! Not another one! This isworse than I suspected.

Oh, is it? said Alan.We have another demon on our hands, Thompson explained. Oh, never mind! Get

changedwere going to your new school today. All will be explained there.

Alan and Laney returned to their rooms where they prepared themselves for the dayahead.

Chapter 12

Weve been driving for a while now, Alan complained. I dont mean to be clich, butare we there yet?

Laney was going through her backpack, looking at the new school supplies shedbought: markers, pens, pencils, etc.

Thompson had one hand on the wheel of his Cadillac. If you watch a kettle, hesaid, it takes longer to boil. And I drink a lot of tea, so I know about these things.

Alan leaned against the arm rest on the door. He sighed and looked out the windowwhere dull scenery passed him by. He didnt care much for car rideslong ones inparticular. To him it was like being trapped in cage with wheels.

But the boys dilemmas were soon over when Thompson slowed the car down andsaid, Okay! Were here!

What? said Alan in disbelief. Are you serious?Very serious, replied Thompson with a smile. Now, whatever you do, hold your

breath. And follow the lady in the shiny, orange vest. Its easy to get lost.Alan and Laney each took in a deep breath, held it, and then ran outside. Thompson

drove off, and a lady in an orange vest gestured to the two and led the way for themthrough a landfill/garbage dump.

There was frantic gesturing between Laney and Alan. Alan was trying to tell Laneythat he was running out of air. He was doing his best to use sign language. But most ofwhat he knew of sign language was sticking up his middle finger and giving people thethumbs-up for approval. Suffice it to say, it was very hard to understand indeed.

The lady in the orange vest went around a heap of Twilight novels and stood by theporta-potty. After opening the door with a glove she waved for Laney to go in. Laneyglanced at Alan to see what he might be thinking. He was thinking of fresh air.

You want me to go in there? Laney asked.The lady in the orange vest gave a stern nod. It was no joke.But, said Laney, Im Im empty.The lady in the orange vest urged Laney to go; with clenched teeth she kept

motioning.Now, Alan finally exhaled. His face nearly turned green when he caught the smell

around him in his nose. Omigod, he exclaimed, just do it so we can get outta here,Laney!

Not willingly, feeling somewhat pressured, Laney went ahead into the porta-potty.Surprisingly, she found it was quite clean. The door behind her shut (courtesy of herbrother). Now what? she said. She looked at a plaque beside the mirror.


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The plaque, which was black with golden letters, read: PUSH THE LEVER ANDYOU WILL LEAVE ERE.

The message seemed truthful, but Laney was still dubious.Whats taking so long? Alan said from outside. Do you need help? The lady in

the orange vest says you have to push the lever on the toilet. Can you find it? You should

be able to find itYeah! yelled Laney. I know where the damn thing is!Then she took a paper towel and placed it atop the toilet handle (for sanitary

purposes), and pressed her fingers down. There was a loud beep.Beep! Beep! Then astrong, rumbling sensation.

Laney became scared. Whats going on? she said. Im getting out of here! Thenshe pulled the door handle of the porta-potty and stepped out.

It wasnt all too surprisingly, and you probably expected this, but she was in anentirely different placeno longer in the landfill, but in a school. And it was big andimposing and over the top. The main foyer, where she was, stood a gargantuan statue of aDragon fighting an Angel. Trippy stuff to say the least.

Where am I? Laney whispered to herself. Have I died and gone toHello! said a man in round glasses and a sweater vest. It was one of the teacherswho worked at this school: the Dragon School. How are you doing? Im Mr. Rainwater.Todays orientation day. Ill be showing you around. He looked left then right. Im justwaiting for the rest to arrive. Youre the first one here, actually. Whats your name?

Laney, replied Laney. I was named after my paternal grandmother.Mr. Rainwaters belly jiggled as he smiled with approval.Laney! Alan said. Alan waved to Laney. He looked at Mr. Rainwater. Whos

this?Mr. Rainwater introduced himself.Nice to meet you, said Alan. Im Alan.Are you two brother and sister? asked Mr. Rainwater. I see a resemblance.Yes, sir, said Alan. We are. I try not to tell anyone.Stop embarrassing me, said Laney.Mr. Rainwater laughed, Children.Just then a huge group of kids appeared and they all gathered around. This excited

Mr. Rainwater, and he kept stroking his moustache. He liked kids. He liked them a lot. Inhis mind, kids were always open minded and ready to learn.

Great! he said. We can get started!Then he introduced himself and briefly explained what the Dragon School was. The

kids, the students, listened eagerly as he told them what theyd learn about: history,English, geography, math, science, artand magic. Yes, magic. Though it wasnt thekind everyone had in their minds. It was HOLY MAGIC, magic which was more darkarts than wands and rabbits in hats. The magic theyd learnto defend against the evilsof the worldwould be strongly rooted in the days of yore when fallen angels, spirits,and giants (Nephilim) roamed the earth.

Mr. Rainwater took the kids to the auditorium. The Halo auditorium was the key areawhere their special education would take place. It was very large, of course, and hadseats for at least half a thousand people, if not more.


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Mr. Rainwater was quite proud. This is the Halo auditorium, he explained with ajolly face. This will be your main classroom. This is where you will be lectured andshown live demonstrations. The majority of your learning takes place here. Now it isquite unusual, not like your usual schools probably, but it i

Demon Stoppers

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