© 2011 Obert Skye.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, Shadow Mountain®. The views expressed herein are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of Shadow Mountain.
All characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
ISBN 978-1-60908-050-1
(CIP information on file)
Printed in the United States of America
Worzalla Publishing Company, Stevens Point, WI
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
* * *
To my amazing Kindred,
the girl with the master plan
Table of Contents
Foo-Nopsis
Idle Hands, Feet, and Minds
Let Sleeping Problems Sleep
Stop in the Name of Living
Look What Fate Dragged In
Welcome to Zendor
Hit and Run
Bring On the Night
The Stone Holders
Kevin
There's a Kind of Mush
One for Them
Have a Seat
Give Me a . . . Boost
It Takes Two to Tangle
Five Questions
Pencilbottom Castle
What's That Smell?
Foo-Nopsis
Hello there, I hope you are well. Sorry to butt right in at the beginning, but there are those of you who might be reading this book without having ever read the story of Leven Thumps. That’s fine, no problem, but I feel as if I should give you a few notes to make what you are about to experience more fulfilling.
First, let me say that Foo is a remarkable place. It is a realm of infinite possibilities and endless hope. I’ve been there a number of times and I still get chills each time I step in. It is a land where the dreams of mankind push up through the soil—a place where those same dreams are then manipulated to become bigger than they might have been on their own. It is a realm where creatures like sycophants, avalands, and rants now live in peace. A destination where colors are more vivid, food has three times the taste, and the very words a person speaks sparkle in the purple sky and add to the overall feeling of contentment.
For all its wonder, Foo is not a place that’s easy to travel to. The most common way is for fate to catch you standing on a mismatched crossroad while the temperature is a multiple of seven and a shooting star is streaking across the sky. If you are, you will be snatched into Foo. True, it may be frightening at first, but again, it is a place of such beauty and possibility that adjusting takes very little time these days. In short, it’s a rather wonderfully strange place.
Geth was born in Foo. He is a lithen, a race of noble beings who travel and operate by fate. He is as dedicated to prosperity and peace as anyone Foo has ever known. A number of years ago, Foo began to suffer from a particularly dark period and it was necessary to send Geth to Reality to bring back a boy by the name of Leven Thumps. Unfortunately, Geth was under a curse, so he was sent in the form of a seed. From that seed he grew to be a tree; as a tree he was chopped down and made into a toothpick. While in the shape of a toothpick he managed to bring Leven to Foo and then turn back into his true lithen form.
Geth’s great and all, but he never could have done what he did without the help of a girl named Winter and a sycophant named Clover. Everyone who is snatched into Foo is paired up with a sycophant whose job it is to help the person adjust. Clover was chosen to be Leven’s sycophant.
Once Geth and Leven and Winter and Clover were back in Foo, the real fun began. The war in Foo raged as those who wanted out fought to find an exit. Amidst the chaos, Leven fell in love with Winter, Geth fell in love with a longing named Phoebe, and Clover fell in love with a white sycophant named Lilly. Together they fought the evil Dearth, and with some amazing effort and Leven’s incredible new abilities, the battle was ultimately won.
Now Foo has found peace and the dreams of mankind flow in cleanly and are surrounded by hope. All is well—and that’s good and all, but to be honest with you, I get the feeling that Geth and Clover are a bit bored. I suppose once you’ve saved the dreams of all mankind, things like going shopping or doing puzzles just don’t cut it.
As a cure for Geth and Clover’s condition, I suggested they think about the borders. You see, while so much is now known about Foo, there is very little known about what lies beyond its borders. It just seems to me that the mysteries and uncertainties the borders are hiding could be the perfect elixir for my friends’ restlessness. Of course, it’s an elixir that comes with things far more frightening than boredom.
Chapter One
Idle Hands, Feet, and Minds
Geth peered over the cliff and smiled. He could see the still water of Wet Lake below. His blue eyes glanced at the jagged rocks that lined the cliff wall. The stones looked like a huge set of teeth in need of major orthodontia. The suns of Foo were out, making a person feel as if he were standing near a glowing furnace in the middle of summer while wearing a parka made of polyester.
“Are you sure about this?” Clover asked.
“This is nothing,” Geth insisted.
“Well then, you first,” Clover whispered, wiping sweat off his brow.
“You’re riding on my shoulders,” Geth reminded him.
“Right,” Clover said coolly. “Then we’ll do this together, and remember, whoever stays under longest wins.”
“Don’t worry,” Geth answered happily. “You’re going to lose.”
“And make sure you jump far enough to not hit those rocks,” Clover warned.
The realm of Foo was perfect at the moment, a place of unparalleled beauty and endless possibilities. The suns and the moons rotated in perfect motion and the dreams coming in made every inch of soil glow softly. Those who had fed on darkness for so long were gone, and left in their place were souls hungry to enhance dreams and improve Reality. The fowl in Foo sang clearer, the water ran cleaner, and the nights, though dark, were drenched in a feeling of security. Of course, truth be told, as wonderful as things were, Geth and Clover felt a bit restless. So much had happened, but now, as the suns shone the way they should and all was in balance, they were more than just a little anxious for something exciting to occur.
“Seriously,” Clover said. “Are we really this bored?”
“It looks like we are,” Geth said, shrugging. He stepped to the edge of the cliff and stared at the water some hundred feet beneath them. “Think of it this way. If we don’t get mortally wounded, at least we’ll be cooled off.”
Clover gripped Geth’s neck and closed his eyes.
Geth leaned forward and then, like a firecracker, he exploded from the edge of the cliff. He shot headfirst toward the calm waters of Wet Lake. His body sliced through the air like a spear, narrowly avoiding the sharp rocks on the side of the cliff. His hands pierced the glassy surface of the water. A small splash celebrated above the point of entry, and in the blink of an eye Geth completely disappeared into the blue liquid. The water rippled and then became placid once more.
Fifty-seven seconds later, a circle of water began to pop and spray as Clover surfaced, gasping for breath. He thrashed around, making the water appear to be boiling.
“You can come up now,” Clover insisted, staring at the water around him. “It’s probably been over two minutes.”
Clover bobbed up and down like a furry cork. He lifted his right
hand and looked at his wrist as if there were a watch there. The only sound was that of small drops of water dripping from his wet ears and plinking against the lake’s surface.
“Seriously,” Clover yelled. “It’s not that I’m worried, I just don’t want to have to swim back myself.”
Ninety-six seconds later Geth popped up ten feet to the left. He spotted Clover and with three smooth strokes swam over to him. Clover grabbed onto Geth’s wet head.
“I won,” Geth said calmly.
“It’s really not that fair,” Clover complained. “I got water up my nose.”
“I can’t help it if your nostrils are bigger than mine,” Geth said.
“My nostrils are just right for my size and height,” Clover replied defensively.
Geth began to swim back. His arms moved in large strokes, his thin wake resembling a string of white foam lying on the still surface of Wet Lake.
Geth reached the shore and crawled on his hands and knees up onto the soft yellow sand. His muscular body showed under his wet clothes and his dark green shirt and black pants were dripping, creating a small rain shower beneath his chest and stomach as he moved. His breathing was labored and his wet brown hair was hanging down and hiding his blue eyes. He stopped crawling, took a deep breath, and then exhaled.
“I wonder why I’m not breathing hard,” Clover said, puzzled.
“You didn’t do any of the swimming,” Geth reminded him.
“Yeah,” Clover argued. “But I was way more jostled about.”
“Maybe you should lie down and rest,” Geth suggested.
Clover jumped off Geth’s back and lay down on the hot sand. He cleared his throat as Geth flipped over. They both stared up at the largest sun with their hands behind their heads. The sun’s belly hung like an expectant mother’s, sending heavy rays of warmth down over the tranquil scene.
“So, that was kind of fun,” Clover ventured.
“Yeah,” Geth agreed halfheartedly. “But we need something more.”
“Hey, remember when the island of Lith was collapsing and we barely made it out alive?” Clover asked.
“Yes,” Geth said with excitement. “Or when we were in Reality and Winter froze that path for us to drive across the ocean?”
“That was the best,” Clover said sadly. “Is it me, or do things seem overly peaceful now?”
“Well, everyone’s happy,” Geth pointed out.
“But most of them don’t remember what happened,” Clover complained. “It’s only been six months and already the sycophants that do remember seem to be sick of me talking about it. I mean, what’s the point if I can’t even brag about all the stuff we did to save Foo?”
“We didn’t do it so we could brag,” Geth said, laughing.
“Maybe you didn’t,” Clover pointed out.
“Well, you’re welcome to brag to me,” Geth offered. “None of this would have been possible without you. Besides, look at you. You’re treated like no other sycophant in Foo. You come and go as you please and speak your mind without any hesitation.”
“That’s true,” Clover said reflectively.
“Without any hesitation at all,” Geth emphasized. “None whatsoever.”
“Right,” Clover snipped. “Hey, I told Leven from the start that I wasn’t a very good sycophant. He knew what he was getting into.”
“Leven had no idea what he was getting into,” Geth contradicted lightly, still staring up at the sun. “When will he be back, anyway?”
“He’ll be in Cusp with Winter until next week,” Clover answered. “I offered to go along, but I guess they wanted some alone time.”
“Sorry,” Geth said.
“Actually, I’m kinda glad,” Clover replied, his large, leaflike ears wiggling. “I mean, if you think this is dull, try hanging out with them while they just stare at each other. It’s like being at a really boring love museum. Besides, Leven doesn’t really need my help anymore; he can do everything himself now. He’s got more gifts than that fat guy who chases children in Reality.”
“Santa?”
“No, I think his name was Steve.”
Geth looked over at Clover. His small friend had long gray hair that covered his whole body except for his palms and feet and face. He had large, maple-leaf-shaped ears and wide blue eyes. He was about thirteen inches tall, but if you were to ask him, he was just shy of fifteen. He wore a small dark robe; not only was it sycophantically fashionable, but when its hood was flipped up, he became invisible.
Sycophants were an important breed of creature. It was their role to help with the adjustment for those who had been snatched into Foo. Clover had been given to Leven, but now that Leven was the Want, there was little for Clover to help him with. Normally a lithen and a sycophant wouldn’t have had much do with each other, but the things Geth and Clover had been through had made them almost inseparable.
“It’s concerning,” Geth said, frustrated. “I don’t remember the calm bothering me before.”
“I know,” Clover agreed. “Things are pretty smooth.”
Geth gazed around and shook his head. “Yeah, it makes me uneasy.”
Clover stared at Geth. He had first known Geth as a tree, then as a toothpick, and then as a man who was missing part of himself—due to its having been shaved off and placed in another toothpick by the name of Ezra. Ever since Geth had become reunited with Ezra, his personality had become louder. Geth seemed taller, quicker, and considerably more restless and passionate than ever before.
“You know,” Clover said, cocking his head, “the old Geth wouldn’t have said that. You would have said something like, ‘Fate has frosted our future with happiness,’ not, ‘It makes me uneasy.’”
“That’s not true,” Geth said, laughing.
“Yes it is,” Clover insisted. “Now that you have your Ezra part back, you seem a lot more . . . I don’t know . . . energied.”
“Energied’s not a word,” Geth informed him.
“Well then, pepperfied.”
“Still not a word.”
“Spicy?”
“That’s a word, but I don’t think it works.”
“How about less-dull, then?”
“Maybe,” Geth lamented.
“It’s like you’re still sickeningly optimistic,” Clover explained. “But you’re also looking to cram things down fate’s throat.”
“I do feel different from how I used to,” Geth said reflectively. “I think when Ezra split off from me he became stronger. Now that I’m back together, I feel whole, but uneven and restless.”
“Like an apple someone’s sat on?” Clover suggested.
“Not at all,” Geth insisted. “It’s just that nobody misses the excitement because there’s no memory of it. There’s such a strong feeling of contentment and satisfaction for everyone here in Foo.”
“It stinks, doesn’t it,” Clover said sadly.
“It is what it should be,” Geth replied.
“There,” Clover pointed at Geth. “There’s that old boring part of you again. When does Phoebe return?”
Geth smiled.
Phoebe was the last remaining longing. She was a woman of insurmountable beauty and allure. She was also in love with Geth, as he was with her. But her days were filled with traveling over Foo and working her spell on all those who lived there.
“Not soon enough,” Geth answered. “Two days, to be exact. I’m supposed to be getting things in order while she is away. I need to be organizing a new Council of Wonder, but I think we should do something truly interesting before I have to go and get serious.”
“I’m in,” Clover cheered. “How about we visit the Eggmen, or we could make kites.”
“Both great ideas,” Geth said, standing up quickly. “But I’ve got a better on
e.”
“I don’t know,” Clover said enticingly. “Kites are fun.”
“How about instead of that we go back to that cave we found last week—the one on top of the bluff.”
“Really?” Clover questioned nervously. “The snoring one?”
“Don’t you want to find out what was snoring?” Geth asked. “If we’re lucky, it will be something interesting.”
“What if that interesting thing wakes up?” Clover asked.
“Let’s hope it does,” Geth grinned.
“Something that snores that loud could really mess you up.”
“I know,” Geth agreed.
“You should also know that you can’t count on me for help,” Clover insisted. “Interesting things might not be able to kill me, but I’ve seen stuff chew up sycophants so badly it took a year for them to heal.”
“That’s fine,” Geth promised. “You can run away. There’s no shame.”
“I don’t care about shame,” Clover argued. “I just need to look good for Lilly.” Clover was referring to Winter’s white sycophant, with whom he currently had a budding relationship.
“Lilly will love you no matter how you look,” Geth said.
Clover closed his eyes. He disappeared and then reappeared two inches farther to the left. “All right,” he said, excited. “I’m in, but remember I still might run away in fear.”
“I’ll count on it.”
“You know, I think I can feel my blood pumping already,” Clover cheered.
“Good,” Geth said.
“And my toes are tingling like peppermint.”
Geth looked down at Clover. “Really?”
“What?” Clover said, blushing. “Peppermint tingles.”
Clover leapt up Geth’s right side and crawled around his back and onto his left shoulder. He patted Geth on the head and disappeared.