Chapter 12

At the bottom of the stairs, he turned right and walked over to the study. He paused a moment before entering. Then he turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. The door swung open silently revealing more of the room as it opened on its arc. Josh froze.

The room was the biggest mess of all. There was paper everywhere. Cupboard doors and cabinets had been opened and their contents swept onto the floor. Andy’s computer and screen lay on the floor. Both smashed. Josh entered the room in stunned silence. As he rounded the desk he saw stains on the carpet. He knelt and looked closer. He almost touched the stains to check if it was what he had imagined then stopped himself. He grabbed a tissue from a box on the floor and dabbed it on a stain. It came away red. Blood. Without a doubt. But who’s blood was it?

A chill ran down his spine as he realized that the situation was worse than he had thought. The blood made a trail towards the back wall and then disappeared. Josh surmised that the person had found something to stop the bleeding.

As he stood there the back wall appeared to fade and start to lose its permanence. A breeze started to blow into the room. Josh had no idea where it originated from. It seemed that the back wall was becoming like waves on an ocean but tilted sideways. Not sure what was happening, Josh quickly looked around and then decided to hide under the desk. He crept in and pulled the chair in front of him in his best effort to conceal himself hoping it was enough.

From his hiding place, he watched the back wall of the study disappear. It was replaced by a cloud hanging in mid-air. But it was not a white cloud. The edge was like a cloud, fluffy and shifting and soft but the center of the cloud was a picture that obscured the back wall of the study. It showed a field brightly lit by sunlight shining overhead. Some of the light spilled into the study brightening the room.

Then someone stepped through from the field into the study. The room darkened temporarily as they blocked the sunlight from the field. Josh could not see the person’s face. They wore a long black robe and held a sword, ready to fight. From his vantage point, Josh could see the person’s feet. They were dressed in what appeared to be boots made of a soft material. The boots showed evidence of wear and had walked many miles. They were still good though and looked comfortable. The soles were crusted with mud, some of which rubbed off on the carpet. The person wearing the boots stepped on the stains with a total disregard for preserving evidence or fear of being implicated in what had happened in the study previously.

Josh sensed danger and remained still under the desk. He guessed this was the intruder who had ransacked the house. He suspected that the intruder knew where Shay and her father were too. Perhaps he had taken them prisoner.

It occurred to Josh that Shay and her father were on the other side of the portal that he could see. He wondered how a portal could open. As he peered cautiously from beneath the desk he glimpsed the scenery on the other side of the portal. He could see the countryside. Peaceful and quiet. The sun shone brightly over trees and fields. Where in the world was that place?

He had read of portals before in fantasy novels but those were not real. He had read of teleportation experiments such as the Philadelphia Experiment which was denied as truth. Was this one of those secret experiments?

Another thought crossed his mind. Was Shay’s mother’s disappearance linked to this? Had she even disappeared at all or had her disappearance been planned as part of whatever this was? Did Shay know about this? Thoughts and ideas about conspiracies began to swirl through his mind unbidden until he calmed himself again.

While he feared the thought of traveling through a portal and the unknown consequences of doing so, he decided that he had to get through the portal to find Shay and her parents. If these intruders could travel through this way, then they had to be able to travel back the other way. Maybe Shay knew all about this and maybe she didn’t. But he cared too much about her to assume that she was safe. He had to know for sure.

The intruder had disappeared and Josh decided that this was his ideal chance to leap into the portal. But, just as Josh was about to move and jump for the portal, another person came through from the other side. They stumbled as they landed and crashed into the desk which thankfully did not move. The new intruder wore a black cloak too and carried an unsheathed sword as if expecting trouble.

“Told you to be careful,” rumbled one of them. Josh guessed it was the first one.

“What are we looking for?”

“This” Josh heard the first intruder reply. He had no idea what “this” was since he was out of sight under the desk.

“It looks exactly like this one,” the first intruder said again his voice strong and business-like.

The second intruder’s voice was almost a hiss like a snake. Josh pictured him as being thin, small, and not very strong but he could not be sure.

“But there are hundreds of books here. It could be any one of them. How will we know?”

“It won’t be any one of them,” the first intruder growled back. “It will be just like this one. I don’t think he would have taken the chance to change anything for fear that he would lose the magic. It will look the same.”

“Well let me see that one then so I know what I am looking for.” Josh heard the second intruder say.

There was a rustle and the second intruder drew closer. “You don’t need to hold it Ratbrain. Do you think I am dumb enough to let go of this book? Just look for one with the same thickness and with the same cover. It’s simple enough.”

Josh smiled as he heard “Ratbrain” protest. “Alright, alright! I’m lookin’! Who are you calling Ratbrain anyway?”

Josh suspected the first intruder was the leader and Ratbrain was his helper. But the leader did not trust Ratbrain so maybe they were just together for this visit but did not normally work together or trust each other. Josh had the feeling that Ratbrain was a loser. He was weak and submitted to the leader who was more confident and powerful.

Now he knew that they were looking for a book but he had no idea what kind of book. He could not see from his vantage point.

The portal stayed open behind them eerily floating in the air. Then Josh heard a thud on the desk above him and he flinched unexpectedly hitting his head on the chair. The chair moved and the intruders became still. There was absolute silence in the room and Josh closed his eyes holding his breath. He hoped that the chair’s movement had gone unnoticed.

But it was not to be. Seconds later an ax crashed through the desktop above him. Josh turned to see what had hit the desk and screamed as he saw the ax blade which was withdrawn in the next second for another strike. He pushed the chair away and scrambled from under the desk only to be stopped by the tip of a sword.

Josh looked up the blade at the person he thought was the leader. The leader had a rough face and a strong nose. His eyes were crystal blue and emotionless which made Josh’s blood run cold. He had long hair that looked like it had not been washed for a long time.

He looked at Josh coldly, “Who are you?”

Josh struggled to find words but answered after he was prompted a second time.

“Josh.” His eyes darted from the leader to Ratbrain. Ratbrain was indeed slim and small while the leader appeared to be well built. It was difficult to tell for sure though since they were wearing robes.

Nevertheless, Josh thought that Ratbrain was scrawny and not very strong. He was balding too and looked like he needed a shave. He stared at Josh leaving the talking to the leader as he hefted the ax that had chopped the desk nearly in half. Josh realized then that Ratbrain’s looks were deceiving. If he was able to swing an ax with such force then he was by no means weak despite his build.

“I am not interested in your name,” the leader spoke in a low voice. His eyes darted around the room as he wondered if they were alone or if Josh had friends elsewhere in the house. Without taking his eyes off Josh he spoke to Ratbrain.

“Check the abode. There may be others.” He did not trust Josh to tell them the truth.

Ratbrain nodded and left.

“Where do you fit in? What do you know about Ethlerry?”

Josh was confused. “Ethlerry? What is Ethlerry?”

The leader waved his sword menacingly, “Don’t play the fool lad. This is most likely your last day. You might survive it if you stop pretending you know nothing. Now, what do you know about Ethlerry?”

This time the leader jerked his head towards the field Josh could see through the cloudy portal. Josh thought he was beginning to understand.

“That’s Ethlerry?” he said pointing to the portal.

“Of course it is,” the leader lowered his voice. “You know that. That’s where the man and the girl are. Now, where is the other book?”

Josh had not noticed until then, that the leader held a book in his other hand.

“What book?” Josh asked confused again. “If you tell me what it’s called I can help you look for it.”

Josh had not imagined that a man of his size could move so fast. In a flash, he had placed his sword on what was left of the desk, reached forward, and grabbed Josh who now hung in the air as the man lifted him off his feet.

“You are wasting my time boy,” he whispered as he stared into Josh’s face. He was an inch from Josh’s face and Josh could smell his breath. It was rancid and Josh tried to hold his breath but couldn’t. He was too shocked and scared.

“I should just kill you here and now.” The man’s eyes were cold as ice. Josh felt as if he was staring into nothingness.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Josh began to plead. “If you tell me what the book is called I will look for it for you!’

The leader glared at Josh while holding him and then chuckled. “Do you think I would trust you? Are you the son of the lady and the man? Is the girl your sister?”

“I don’t know. Please I came here looking for Shay. Is she in there?” Josh managed to point towards the portal.

“Aaah. Shay. Yes, she is in there.” Algwad had heard of Shay’s arrival in the keep and already knew her name although they hadn’t been formally introduced.

Josh nodded hoping they were talking about the same girl.

“Why do you want the girl?”

“She’s my girlfriend,” Josh replied.

The leader stared at Josh calculatingly and laughed. “We have the girl, Shay. She makes new boyfriends real quick,” he laughed.

Josh was relieved and still scared at the same time. “Really? Where is she? Is she alright? Why did you take her…?”

The leader held up his other hand with the book. “Hush boy.”

Josh fell silent.

“She went through with her father who was wounded by me before he entered Ethlerry. He lives but he is unconscious and has not woken since going through. Shay in the meantime is getting cozy with the prince. It seems they have known each other sometime already.”

“I want to see her!” Josh cried. “Take me to her!”

The leader smiled then and put Josh down. “I will take you to her but you will not see her until you have helped us. Then only will you be allowed to see her. You are our prisoner now.”

Josh wondered if he should try to run but he wanted to see Shay. He was sure that this man was lying about her getting “cozy” with a prince. He would get to Shay and they would find a way to escape once he found her. He guessed the blood in the study was Andy’s from what the man had said.

Ratbrain returned and informed them that the house was empty. At the instruction of the leader, he pulled out what appeared to be a fine string made from leather and bound Josh’s hands behind his back. Then Ratbrain held him tight and stepped through the portal with the leader following a moment later.

Josh closed his eyes not knowing what to expect. He feared falling to his death despite logic telling him otherwise. They landed roughly and with his arms tied behind his back, he was unable to stay his fall. He fell hard on the ground.

Josh watched as the leader took a bookmark from the book he still carried and in an instant the portal disappeared.

The leader tucked the book away in the saddlebag of a horse that stood nearby then mounted it and turned to Ratbrain. “Get him on your horse Elnen and let’s get back to the castle. Dark is coming.”

It was the first time Josh had heard Ratbrain’s real name. Elnen. He said it over to himself until it was committed to memory. Elnen helped him up onto his horse then climbed up after him.

They rode slowly and in silence.

Josh looked around as they rode. They were in a forest. Here and there the sun’s fingers poked through the dense cover above them massaging the smaller plants with their heat. Josh could occasionally see wild animals in the underbrush.

He tried making conversation with Elnen and the leader whose name he learned was Algwad but all he got was a poke in the ribs from Elnen signaling him to be quiet.

They reached the end of the forest at sunset. Josh could see the silhouette of castle turrets. The castle’s lengthening shadow embraced them as they drew closer to it.

The castle was bigger than Josh had ever imagined a castle could be. It was surrounded by a moat and the only way in was over a drawbridge. The guards had started to lift the gate for the evening but had stopped when Algwad had called to them to wait. Algwad and Elnen had spurred their horses to a trot to cross the drawbridge into the castle with a grunt of gratitude to the guards.

Inside the walls of the castle was a whole village. Josh was amazed at the size of the place. They entered a set of smaller gates and dismounted inside. Elnen helped Josh down from the horse. Josh’s hands were chafing by now and Algwad agreed that he could be untied.

“Straight to the dungeon with him.” Algwad snarled.

“But, what about Shay and her father?” Josh protested.

Algwad came to stand before Josh. “What about them? All in good time. My time.”

Then Algwad turned and left.

Josh was escorted to the dungeons by Elnen and two guards. Josh did not resist. He had no idea where he was and knew trying to escape now was futile. He needed to learn more about where he was and what was going on. The fact that he was still alive and unhurt was a good thing. He had the feeling they needed him and so would not hurt him. At least not yet. They descended into the depths of the castle. Josh saw no one else on the way to the dungeons. The passageways were dark; the only light they had being cast by torches that Elnen and the guards carried.

Eventually, they entered a long passage at the end of a spiral staircase and stopped some distance along it after leaving the stairs behind. The torches did not burn brightly enough for Josh to see what lay further ahead in the passage. Josh heard the jingle of keys and moments later the door to the right of Josh was pushed open.

Josh was pushed inside and the door closed behind him. Elnen and the guards turned and left.

“Can you leave me a torch please?” Josh called but the only answer was the sound of their receding footsteps and the dwindling light until all was dark and quiet.

Josh felt his way around the cell until he stumbled into a stone bed in the corner which he had seen briefly when they had arrived at the cell.

He sat down and waited, listening to the scurrying of rats and dripping of water in the dark.