I caught up to Katie and Jade waiting impatiently for me and Jamie by the creek. I could see by the look on their faces that they'd heard what had gone down this morning with Swasie. I just wanted to forget it, I'd had enough. First Jamie and I had been terrorized, given detention for being late, had kids pestering us, wanting to know if we'd joined Swasie's gang, and now I knew, I would have to face another inquisition from the girls....aaaghhh!
Bracing myself I was thrown into a major ear bashing, particularly from Katie... she was big on lectures.
"Hey guys...wait up!" Relieved, I heard Jamie's voice behind me. Now I might get some respite. I sighed.
"About time Jamie where have you been?" I demanded as Jamie excitedly jumped off his bike and flopped to the ground. "I waited as long as I could outside our class but you didn't show. These females have verbal diarrhea, can you get them to shut up!" I implored.
Jamie just rolled his eyes; he looked incredibly serious.
"Sorry Liam I went home to get this." Jamie said as he rummaged in his school bag.
"You okay? Your face...it's filled with bites and you have a cut on your chin!" Jade asked concerned as she reached out to touch Jamie's face.
"It's nothing Jade" Jamie replied brusquely as he pushed her hand away. At the same he gave me a look that said don't go there.
"Guys" Jamie said breathlessly. "After what happened with Swasie today I've been doing a lot of thinking. I didn't meet up with you Liam because I wanted to check something out in the library. It's to do with this book." Jamie said as he placed an old book on the grass in front of me.
"What do you make of it guys?" Jamie asked eagerly.
I leaned over to take a closer look.
"Why on earth do you want to show us an old dirty book Jamie?" Jade asked disinterested, that was, until she spotted the symbol on its cover.
"What, what Jade...tell me!" Katie begged as she put her arm around her. Jade had gone deathly white.
"Where did you get this Jamie?" Jade stammered.
"I discovered a door in the attic of my house that led into what I think was the old servant's quarters. Just above them was a secret room in one of the turrets. That's where I found this old book lying inside a satanic circle. When I first picked it up I felt strange and began to see visions of vampires and little children. I got out of there fast and hid the book in my room. I haven't looked at it since. However after I saw that tattoo on Swasie's neck today I had to show you. His tattoo is the same as the symbol of twisted snakes on its cover!"
"What do you think it all means Jamie?" Jade uttered fearfully.
"I have no idea, that's why I went to the library. I thought I might find something there that would explain the meaning of Swasie's tattoo and those weird symbols and drawings of winged creatures in this strange book." Jamie replied as he opened it.
"Hurry up Jamie, turn the page!" Katie said impatiently as she moved closer.
"They're not symbols Jamie!" Katie insisted as Jamie diligently turned each page. "Their some sort of weird language and those creatures sucking blood out of babies must be vampires."
I heard Jade gasp. She looked scared. I was puzzled by her reaction to the book. Jade usually loved anything gruesome and those drawings certainly were.
"Jade, what's wrong, you look white as a ghost!" Katie asked as Jade averted her gaze.
"Listen guys I also found a trunk full of old books in our attic that are filled with spells and potions and instructions on sorcery. There's also a dummy dressed with strange clothes and a long black cloak that has that same symbol of twisted snakes. There has to be a connection!" Jamie declared breathlessly.
"Hang on ...what? You're freaking me out Jamie. So you're saying Swasie is connected to whatever went on in your house?"
"Well..."
We all went deathly quiet.
"Jamie, aren't you scared to go on living in your house?" I whispered hoarsely after what seemed an eternity.
"No Liam." the wobble in Jamie's voice told me otherwise.
"Guys I need your help!" Jamie declared hesitantly.
Silently we all looked at one another.
Minutes went by without a word spoken. I couldn't stand it any longer.
"Come on girls Jamie needs our help. Jamie, I for one will do whatever is needed. I want to find out if those aliens you told me about yesterday exist." I heard Katie and Jade gasp at my words.
"Aliens, Jamie what is Liam talking about?" Jade asked anxiously.
"Okay I'll tell you but please don't freak. My dad had been researching some ancient pages of William Braden and his son James's journals that he'd found in the attic of my house.
Don't look so blank Katie I'm sure you know that William Braden was the founder of the town!
Anyway in those pages he discovered that both William Braden and his son had worked alongside the thirteen high priests of the 'Secret Society of Crines' in breeding their ruler Sissnaska's super race.
These high priests and their ruler Sissnaska are alien sorcerers and are immortal. Dad believed that the humanoids they bred have infiltrated Braden's society."
"Stop Jamie, you're nuts! You sound just like Jade; she's always going on about aliens" Katie declared angrily.
"Hold it Katie!" I interrupted placing my hand on her shoulder firmly. "Maybe Jamie's not being so crazy, how do you know that the Crines aren't aliens?"
"Liam we don't even know if they exist, they're just a folklore nothing else!" Katie insisted angrily as she brushed my hand away.
"Then who do you think built the ancient city on top of Apogee Mountain Katie?" Jamie asked his voice rising with frustration.
"Look dad wrote that Sissnaska is returning to Earth on the thirty ninth day of 'Moon Harvest'. That's when his plan to rule the world will begin. I need your help guys to find out the identity of these thirteen sorcerers. If we can expose them and the members of the 'Secret Society of Crines' then the authorities will listen to what dad discovered."
"Jamie, I know a way we can prove whether or not the Crines exist." I began shakily knowing the flack I would get from Katie. "Hunk pulled me aside at the toilet blocks after Swasie had left. He told me that the 'Bone Crushers' are meeting up with the Crines tonight and..." I paused as I looked at their shocked faces.
"Okay okay! I don't know whether we can trust Hunk or if we're just being set up. But he also told me that Swasie has it in for Jamie and me and we should watch our backs. He thinks that the meeting has something to do with us. I say we follow them and see for ourselves whether or not they're aliens!" I looked at the disbelief on Katie's face and waited for her ridicule, I wasn't disappointed.
"What are you doing listening to him Liam? You know he's Swasie's cousin! Why would he want to help you and Jamie? And if the Crines do exist, what would they want with you two?" Katie admonished just as I expected.
"If what Jamie's dad wrote is the truth Katie have you stopped to think that if the 'Bone Crushers' are meeting with the Crines then they might be aliens too like Riley said?"
Jade interjected.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you." Jamie declared forcefully.
"Okay Jamie there's only one way to find out, we have to prove or disprove the Crines existence. I've got a gut feeling about that kid Hunk. He's the one who unlocked the toilet door so that I could rescue you from that snake. I don't think he's as bad as he makes out. I think we should check out what Hunk said.
I say we go to the crossroads at the old dirt road that leads up to the ruins of the ancient city before midnight and wait for them. That's where Hunk said they were meeting.
If they are after us, then we'd better find out how and when!
I say we meet up tonight, half hour before midnight, at my back gate!" I looked at Katie and Jade's shocked faces waiting for an answer.
After a
long silence Katie, always the democrat, wanted to take a vote. I ignored her and after squabbling with Jade they both agreed. I turned to Jamie waiting for what he had to say. He'd gone quiet and I wondered what he was thinking.
"Okay Jamie...what's your decision. The girls are up for it! Hey Jamie, snap out of it! Haven't you been listening?" I yelled in his ear.
"Yeah, yeah, I've been listening! I've been waiting for you guys to decide. I'll be there half hour before midnight...your back gate right? Anyway I've got to go...see ya!"
Abruptly Jamie hopped on his bike and rode off without another word.
"Hey Jamie", I yelled after him, "What the hell has got into you?"
"Another time Liam!" Jamie shouted without a backward glance.
'Gees he's a strange one." I declared. "Tells us all that shit and then leaves without as much as a kick up the arse."
"Cut out the crassness Liam, that's not called for. He obviously has a lot on his mind." Jade said defensively.
"What do you make of it Liam. Do you believe Jamie or do you think he's delusional. After all we don't know him that well." Katie asked seriously.
"I say we give him the benefit of the doubt, he seems okay to me and I reckon we can trust him." I couldn't explain it but I felt an incredibly close bond with Jamie, it was as if I'd known him forever.
"Look his dad died only last year and Jamie still hasn't gotten over it, so I think we should humor him. He obviously wants to believe what his dad wrote in his diary so let's play along with it"
I shrugged my shoulders and picked up my school bag and fell in beside Jade who was already heading home.
I didn't get a chance however to dwell too much on Jamie's abruptness, the girls made sure of that. All the way home I had to listen to Katie who typically had a game plan all figured out before we'd even reached my back gate.
Relieved to finally get home I said my goodbyes and watched Katie and Jade busily chatting as they walked down the road. I had to admit that they had spunk, but I wished that they would just let Jamie and I deal with the Crines.
Shrugging my shoulders I resigned myself to the inevitable. I knew just how obstinate those two could be when they made up their minds.
Kicking my back gate like I always did to force it open I heard my dad and Uncle Sam laughing in the backyard. "Shit! Now I'm in for it!" I cursed. I'd forgotten that I'd promised to be home early to help them finish putting up the tent for my birthday party tomorrow. The last thing I need right now was to be hauled over the coals for being late I moaned.
Taking a deep breath I pushed against the back gate with customary force, only to discover to my dismay that it had been fixed... it wasn't stuck anymore!
Flying through the air I swore as I landed flat on my face into the stinking pile of cow manure that dad was shoveling into the garden.
"Good one! Encore!" yelled my Uncle Sam.
"Need a shovel old man?' asked dad howling with laughter.
Humiliated I slunk inside to the bathroom to wash up, only to hear mum giggling herself silly in the kitchen.
I felt an unfamiliar pang in my chest. After tonight would I ever see my family again?