1
It was Sally Wilcox who brought up how cool Bryce Poole was and started the argument that led to their taking another trip through the Secret Path. Of course she later swore she had nothing to do with what happened. It was typical. No one, especially Sally, ever wanted to be blamed for starting an adventure, at least not in the middle of the adventure—when it looked like they would all die.
The day started as so many did that summer in Springville, known as Spooksville to all the town kids. Adam Freeman, Cindy Makey, Sally Wilcox, and Watch were together for a breakfast of milk and doughnuts. While stuffing their faces at the local coffee shop, they tried to figure out what to do with the day.
“Only a few weeks and we’ll be back in school,” Sally said, brushing her brown bangs out of her eyes. “We have to make the most of every day.”
“I’m kind of looking forward to starting school here,” Cindy, who was new to town, said. “I like learning things.”
“Summer vacation in Spooksville is more of a learning experience than anything we do in school,” Sally muttered.
“What is school like here?” Adam, who was also new to town, asked. “Is it as weird as the rest of the town?”
“It’s pretty normal,” Watch said.
“Except for a few of the teachers,” Sally added. “The ones that aren’t human.”
“How did I know you were going to say that?” Cindy asked.
“There are a couple of unusual teachers in the middle school,” Watch admitted.
Sally nodded. “There’s Mr. Castro. He teaches history, basically. But sometimes he talks about the future.”
“Don’t say it,” Cindy interrupted, flipping her long blond hair over a shoulder. “Mr. Castro’s really from the future.”
“Well, he’s not from around here,” Watch said.
“I think he was built at the North Pole,” Sally said. “If my sources are accurate.”
“I heard it was the South Pole,” Watch said.
Adam and Cindy exchanged looks. “So he’s a robot?” Adam asked.
“He’s not a desktop computer,” Sally said.
Watch spoke reluctantly. “He does seem to have several machinelike qualities. For example, he never eats lunch. He never drinks water. When he’s tired, he lays out on the football field and soaks up the sun’s rays. I guess that’s how he recharges his batteries.”
“He also has a hearing aid that looks more like a cosmic receiver,” Sally said. “He never takes it off. I hear it’s wired directly into his positronic brain.” She added, “He sure doesn’t have trouble hearing.”
Cindy shook her head. “I don’t believe any of this.”
“Wait till you get him for history,” Sally said. “And he pops his eyes out in the middle of a lecture just to clean his contact lenses.”
“You said a couple of teachers were weird,” Adam said. “Who’s the other one?”
“Mrs. Fry,” Sally said. “She teaches biology. She’s a snake.”
“She has scaly skin?” Cindy asked.
“Yes,” Sally said impatiently. “I told you, she’s a snake. When have you ever seen a snake that didn’t have scaly skin?”
“What Sally means is Mrs. Fry seems to be part snake,” Watch said. “She slides around the room and hisses all the time. Some people think she’s a descendant of a reptilian race that lived here millions of years ago.”
“Frogs are dissected all the time in her class,” Sally said. “But never snakes or lizard. And all the frog parts—well, they disappear between classes. She eats them all.”
Cindy made a face. “That’s gross.”
“You haven’t seen gross until you’ve seen Mrs. Fry shed her skin,” Sally said.
Adam didn’t know what to make of any of this. “It sounds like it’s going to be an interesting school year.”
Sally brightened. “There are some cute guys at school.”
Cindy was cautious. “Are they human?”
Sally waved her hand. “There’s this one guy, his name’s Bryce Poole, and he’s so cool. He’s like a young James Bond. Nothing disturbs him. You’ll adore him, Cindy. He’s got real dark hair, and super warm brown eyes. He’s only twelve but he doesn’t act like a kid. He talks like a well-read, sophisticated adult—like me.”
Cindy was interested. “How come we haven’t seen him this summer?”
“He’s a loner,” Sally said in a confidential tone. “He takes his own risks and he doesn’t go whining to anyone about the consequences.”
“It’s hard to imagine anyone who’s taken more risks than we did this summer,” Adam muttered.
“And I can’t remember that we ever whined to anyone,” Watch added.
Sally stopped and laughed. “Are you guys jealous of Bryce?”
Adam shrugged. “How can I be jealous of someone I’ve never met?”
“I’ve met him and he’s no big deal,” Watch said.
“What bothers you guys more?” Sally persisted. “Is it his obvious intelligence? His smoldering good looks? Or is it his dynamic attitude?”
“I told you,” Adam said, “I’ve never met the guy. I know nothing about him.”
“I’m trying to tell you about him,” Sally said. “And you’re getting all upset.” She paused. “I think you’re jealous, but you don’t have to be. I like him as a friend. There’s nothing between us.”
“I bet he’s wonderful,” Cindy gushed.
“How can you say that?” Adam, who was a little insecure about his looks and especially about his height, demanded. “You haven’t met him either.”
“But if Cindy does fall in love with him when she meets him,” Sally said, “you mustn’t stand in her way, Adam. You have to be mature about it. So Bryce is better-looking, taller, and smarter than you and Watch. It doesn’t mean you’re not worthy human beings.”
“Oh brother,” Adam muttered.
“Where’s a good place to meet him?” Cindy asked.
Sally spoke seriously. “You have to catch him coming or going. He never stays in one place long. He’s always taking some super risk to protect this town from danger.”
“Hold on a second,” Adam said. “Since I’ve been here, what has he done to protect this town? I mean, where was he when we had to deal with aliens, the Haunted Cave, the Cold People, not to mention the witch. Where was he all this time?”
“Yeah,” Watch agreed. “Bryce didn’t even bother to help us out with the Howling Ghost.”
Sally smiled condescendingly. “Bryce doesn’t deal with small crises. He only handles major ones.”
“How can you call the Cold People a small crisis?” Adam demanded. “If we hadn’t stopped them, they would have taken over the whole planet.”
“Yes, but this isn’t that big a planet,” Sally said. “Not compared to the rest of the galaxy. Bryce deals more with cosmic emergencies.”
“I thought you said he protected the town,” Adam interrupted.
“And many other places,” Sally said.
Adam and Watch looked at each other and rolled their eyes. “Like what kind of cosmic emergencies?” Adam tried again. “What is this big shot Bryce doing right now to protect us?”
Sally glanced around the coffee shop to make sure no one was listening. She spoke in a hushed tone. “Bryce is working with the Secret Path. He’s trying to halt the interdimensional flow of negativity so that it doesn’t seep into our reality.”
Adam frowned. “How do you know this?”
Sally sat back and nodded gravely. “I have my sources.”
“I don’t believe it,” Watch said. “Bryce Poole doesn’t even know what the Secret Path is. I asked him about it once and he didn’t even know where it began.”
“He was just acting
like he didn’t know,” Sally said. “After I told him about our adventures on the other side of it, he told me he didn’t think you were equipped enough to survive the dangers of the interdimensional portal.”
It was Watch’s turn to frown. “Equipped with what?”
“I don’t want to get personal here,” Sally said.
“You are always personal,” Adam said dryly.
Sally was offended. “Don’t take it out on me because Cindy is suddenly interested in another guy.”
“I didn’t say I was interested,” Cindy said.
“Your voice said it all,” Sally corrected. “And I understand what Adam’s going through. I’m sympathetic. To experience raging jealously and bitter rejection for the first time is not easy.”
Adam sighed. “I am so grateful for your sympathy.”
“We’re arguing about nothing,” Watch said. “Bryce isn’t a super hero. He’s probably not ever used the Secret Path.”
“How do you know?” Sally shot back. “You’ve been afraid to use it since that first time.”
“I haven’t been afraid,” Watch said. “I’ve just been busy with other things.”
“Yeah, like saving the planet with me, his best friend,” Adam added.
“I saved the planet, too,” Sally said.
“Then you and Bryce should be perfect together,” Adam said.
Sally laughed. “You are so jealous!”
Adam got angry. “Why should I be jealous of a guy who thinks he’s James Bond? I agree with Watch. This guy has not been on the Secret Path. He doesn’t have the guts.”
Sally stood. “Why don’t we go see?”
“Go where?” Cindy asked. “See what? What is the Secret Path?”
“It winds through town and leads to other dimensions,” Watch explained.
“It starts or ends in the cemetery,” Sally added. “Depending on how you look at it. Why don’t we go there and look for signs of Bryce? Then we can see who the real hero in this town is.”
“Why would Bryce leave signs that he’s been using the Secret Path?” Watch asked.
“Yeah,” Adam said. “Who is he trying to impress?”
“You guys have an answer for everything.” Sally snickered and turned for the door. “Are you chickens coming or not?”
The way she worded the question, it was impossible to say no.
2
At the cemetery they had no trouble finding Madeline Templeton’s tombstone. It was larger than all the other stones, and it had a large black raven carved on the top. The bird glared down at them and Adam was reminded of the last time they had taken the path, and the horror they had experienced. He shuddered as he glanced around the cemetery. The place was dismal. The few naked trees stood like angry skeletons. A shadow seemed to hang across the dry grounds, although there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
“Did you put this here?” Watch asked Sally as he knelt by Madeline Templeton’s tombstone. He held up a green knapsack. Sally took a step forward and shook her head.
“No,” she said. “Why would I put anything here? It probably belongs to Bryce.”
“How convenient,” Adam said.
Sally ignored him. “What is inside it?” she asked.
Watch opened the sack. “Binoculars. A thermos of water. A compass. A few flares.” He held up a hunting knife. “It looks as if Bryce was anticipating trouble.”
“But why would he leave his equipment here?” Cindy asked.
“I don’t know,” Watch said.
“I don’t understand something,” Cindy said. “How do you get onto this Secret Path? You guys said something about walking backward into the tombstone?”
“It’s not that easy,” Adam explained. “First you have to trace a route all over Spooksville. Then you have to walk from the front gate of the cemetery backward into the tombstone.”
“Can’t you just walk backward into the tombstone?” Cindy asked. “And forget the other stuff?”
“No,” Watch said. “I tried it once and it didn’t work. First you have to visit the location of each of the significant events in Madeline Templeton’s life. You have to go to each place in order. Somehow that opens the portal to other dimensions.”
“Then Bryce must have done that?” Cindy asked.
“I’m not convinced this stuff belongs to Bryce,” Adam interrupted. “It doesn’t have his name on it.”
“You simply refuse to accept the fact that he is on the Secret Path,” Sally said.
“What are we arguing about here?” Watch said, before another argument could break out. “It’s possible Bryce is on the Secret Path—I admit that much now. But so what? What does it have to do with us?”
“Nothing,” Sally said simply. “I was merely trying to make the point that Bryce is braver than you guys.”
“Oh brother,” Adam muttered.
“Well, you haven’t gone back on the path,” Sally said. “But he has, many times.”
“The Secret Path is dangerous,” Adam said. “If he’s dumb enough to keep using it, that’s his problem.”
“It’s only dangerous if you’re not strong enough to handle it,” Sally said.
“I can’t believe you said that,” Adam said. “You were the one who was against taking it in the first place.”
“Wait a second,” Watch said. “Sally does have a point. Remember what Bum told us when he spoke about the path. He said, ‘The Secret Path doesn’t always lead to the same place. It all depends on you. If you’re a little scared, you end up in a place that’s a little scary. If you’re terrified, the path is like a road to terror.’ ”
“I’m sure Bryce is able to control his fear,” Sally said. “And go where he wishes.”
“Good for him,” Adam said sarcastically.
“I’m not saying you have to follow him,” Sally said.
“No, we definitely don’t have to do that,” Watch agreed.
“I mean, you don’t have to try to impress me,” Sally said. “I like you guys the way you are. I don’t care how brave you are. Do you care, Cindy?”
“No,” Cindy replied. But then she considered. “But I would like to meet this Bryce.”
“He’s a real hero,” Sally said.
Adam and Watch both looked pretty disgusted.
“Do you think Sally’s trying to push us onto the path again?” Adam asked.
“It feels like it,” Watch said.
“Why, do you think?” Adam asked, ignoring the girls for a moment.
“I personally think that she’s worried Bryce is trapped on the other side of the Secret Path,” Watch said. “I think she wants us to rescue him, but she’s too proud to ask for our help outright.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Adam said.
Sally didn’t protest. They had hit a nerve. For a moment she stared straight ahead at the wicked tombstone, then finally she lowered her head.
“He’s been gone a while,” she said finally.
“How do you know?” Cindy asked.
“He told me he was going,” Sally said quietly. “That was a week ago. I haven’t seen him since.”
“Is this his knapsack?” Watch asked. “Why did he leave it on this side?”
Sally shrugged. “I think it’s his. I don’t know why he didn’t take it with him.”
“Why was he using the path?” Adam asked.
“I told you the truth about that,” Sally said. “He wanted to stop the overflow of evil into our dimension.”
“At least he sets his sights high,” Adam remarked.
“If we’re going to take the Secret Path, we have to start now,” Watch said, checking one of the four watches that he always wore. “It takes half the day to visit all the important places in Madeline Templeton’s life.”
“Wait a second,” Adam said. “Before we go to all that trouble we have to decide if we can even help Bryce. There’s no reason to think that we’ll end up in the same dimension as he did. We might end up back where we were last time, a
nd that’s one place I don’t want to be again.”
“But if he is trapped,” Sally asked, “how can you just leave him to an eternity of torment and agony?”
“Better him than us,” Watch said wisely.
Adam put his hand on Sally’s shoulder. “You’re really worried about him, aren’t you? That was just a show at the coffee shop, wasn’t it? You’ve been trying to bully us into taking the path.”
Sally nodded. “He’s never been gone this long before. I’ll go with you guys if you go.” She paused. “I’m not afraid.”
“Yeah, you are,” Watch said. “We’re all afraid to go on the path again, and we can’t just talk ourselves out of our fear. And that means if we do take it, we’ll end up in a scary place.”
Sally nodded as she stared up at the tombstone. “In an evil place, the place where Bryce went.”
3
The sequence they had taken before to get onto the Secret Path had been this:
1. The beach (where Madeline was supposedly born)
2. The Derby Tree (where Madeline cursed the tree and turned its leaves red)
3. A cave (where Madeline killed a lion with her hands)
4. The chapel (where Madeline got married)
5. The reservoir (where Madeline drowned her husband)
6. The beach (where Madeline was almost burned to death)
7. The cemetery (where Madeline was buried)
Obviously, going to the beach twice seemed stupid, but the sequence, they knew, was the key to success. Going to the cave and then to the chapel and then back to the reservoir was also inconvenient, since the cave was not far from the reservoir. But they knew they had to stick to what they had done before because it had worked.
It was close to four o’clock by the time they got back to the cemetery. Starting at the front gate, they walked backward through the cemetery to the tombstone, holding hands the whole way.
“Why do we have to do this?” Cindy asked, sounding nervous.
“Because Madeline Templeton was carried here upside down,” Adam said. “This is our symbolic way of reenacting that event.” He paused. “You sound scared.”
“I am scared,” Cindy said quickly. “I’ve never gone through an interdimensional portal before.”