“That’s the reason we have to stop this dragon,” Adam said. “Let’s assume Leah does get to the truck. How can we stop her from leaving this area with the crystals?”
“I don’t know how to stop her,” Bryce said. “But at least I know how to contact her. Leah has her own cell phone and took it with her in the truck. I have another cell phone in some supplies I buried not far from here.”
“Why do you have supplies buried way the heck up here?” Sally wanted to know.
“Because I am constantly battling forces of evil and need supplies at a moment’s notice,” Bryce explained.
“Oh,” Sally said. “That makes good sense.”
“How far are your supplies from here?” Adam asked.
“A half mile,” Bryce said. “They’re buried close to a narrow river that runs out of the mountains. I have a raft buried as well. If we can inflate it and ride the river out of here, we might be able to get back to Spooksville before the dragon. Let’s hope Cindy and Watch wouldn’t have told her precisely where it is located. Even though the dragon can fly, she will still have to search for the city.”
“Why do you have a raft buried with your supplies?” Sally wanted to know.
“Because I can’t swim,” Bryce said.
Sally laughed. “You can save the world but you can’t swim? I love it, really, that’s amazing. You are a superhero, no question about it.”
“Enough,” Adam said. “Let’s get out of here.”
The half mile passed quickly because they ran it. Not only did Bryce have a cell phone and a raft, he had a pump as well. While Adam and Sally worked to inflate the raft, Bryce tried calling his cousin. She answered right away. Apparently she was in the truck and driving back to town without them. Bryce spoke to her in an urgent tone.
“Leah,” he said, “we know you stole the crystals. You have to bring them back.”
There was a long pause. “I didn’t take anything.”
“We took the same route you did,” Bryce said. “We entered the treasure chamber. We saw the empty grooves on top of the silver pedestal. You can’t lie to us. You have to bring them back.”
“Why should I?” she asked in an annoyed voice.
“Because the creature that was sleeping down there has awakened,” Bryce said. “It’s a dragon and she’s looking for you. She’s in the sky not far from where we are, but she moves fast and knows your name.”
There was another pause. “I don’t believe it. There are no dragons.”
“You know I wouldn’t lie to you,” Bryce said. “But I am hurt that you lied to all of us. Why did you do it? Why did you run off without us?”
Leah spoke with emotion, with deep pain.
“Because the treasure is mine. Father gave it to me. And it’s all that I have left in the world now that he’s dead.”
Bryce replied gently. “Then why did you show us the map at all? It’s obvious to us now that you understood the clues all along.”
“I didn’t know how to reach the Teeth.”
“You could have figured it out, asked around. Tell me the real reason, Leah?”
She considered. On the other end of the line, she could have been biting her lip. “I was afraid,” she said finally. “I thought I needed your help. But when I saw the peak standing there so close, last night, I thought I could do it by myself. And I did, Bryce. I brought out half of the greatest treasure the place had to offer.”
“But you don’t even know what you’ve got,” Bryce said into the phone. “None of us does.”
“The map said the crystals are magical, and I believe it. I just have to figure out how to use them.”
“You have to figure out how to survive,” Bryce said. “Look out your window, Leah. The dragon is coming for you.”
There was another long pause.
“I don’t see anything, cousin,” Leah replied. “Anyway, I’ll hit Coast Highway soon enough. Then nothing can catch me.” She paused. “I’m sorry, Bryce. You’re a good kid. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re hurting more than me,” Bryce pleaded. “The dragon swore she would torch the town. Thousands could die.”
Leah seemed to sniff.
“Since dad died,” she said, “I have realized one thing. I have to look out for myself first. No one else is going to.”
“Leah,” Bryce said.
His cousin had already hung up.
Sally looked at Bryce with sympathy.
“No luck?” she asked.
Bryce set the phone down. “Let’s get this raft in the water.”
9
When Slatron left, Watch told Cindy they had to search the underground chamber once more. But Cindy was afraid to leave the safety of the tunnel.
“The dragon could return at any second,” she said. “At least she can’t get to us here.”
“But here is nowhere,” Watch said. “The creature was right—eventually we’ll need food and water. But if we find the exit while she’s gone, we stand a chance.”
“But the dragon said it was next to impossible to find the way out.”
“Dragons lie. She wants you to feel hopeless. But if there’s an exit down here big enough to let that creature out, then we’ll find it. Let’s get to it.”
Cindy grabbed his arm. “Are we sure she’s gone?”
Watch shared the same concern. “We can’t be sure of anything at this point.”
They walked back down the steps, for the third time. Once clear of the tunnel, they stood still and waited for the dragon to strike. But it seemed as if indeed they were alone. Now they had to make a crucial decision. Which way to head?
“I think we should go the other way,” Cindy suggested. “Away from the treasure chamber. Away from where the dragon slept.”
“Good idea,” Watch said. “We need to explore fresh territory.”
At first the way was the same as the other—flat and barren and dark. But then they came to what appeared to be a wide winding road. It spiraled upward and for that reason they believed that they closing in on the exit. But the climbing was difficult. They had not rested properly the night before, and the day had been stressful. They breathed hard as they climbed.
“How are your legs?” Watch asked.
“Tired. Sore.”
“I think we’re going to make it.”
“Do you really?” she asked. “Or are you saying that to keep me from breaking down?”
“A little of both.” He added, “I’ve never seen you break down under pressure.”
She laughed softly. “This town does give you a thick skin. Do you think other kids in any other part of the country go through half of what we do in a typical week?”
“I couldn’t imagine it if they do,” Watch said.
An hour later they paused to take a break. They were halfway through their water bottles, which they had once more filled at the dark pool. But climbing was thirsty work. It was while they were resting that they heard a strange sound in front of them.
“What was that?” Cindy asked, jumping.
Watch turned off the flashlight. “It was something.”
“Could the dragon be back already?” she asked anxiously.
“It’s possible.”
“We should run back to the tunnel!”
“Shh. We’re both exhausted. We wouldn’t be able to run that far. Besides, the sound could be something other than the dragon.” Watch stood in the pitch-black and then finally stepped forward. “Let me check it out.”
Cindy grabbed him, having to find him by touch alone.
“No,” she said. “We’re not separating.”
“All right.” He patted her on the back. “I know you’re scared, Cindy. I’m scared, too. But I think we have to risk it and go forward. To return to the cave is all but a death sentence. We’ll get trapped there, and then we’ll be at the mercy of the dragon.”
Cindy nodded. “Then if we’re going forward, turn the light back on. Darkness won’t save us. The
dragon will hear us coming. At least this way we can see what we’re up against.”
“Agreed.” Watch flipped on the flashlight.
Their next steps were the hardest ones of their lives.
They heard their breathing, their hearts pounding.
And something else. Yes, something big—definitely big.
Stirring in the dark in front of them.
Finally the beam from their flashlight fell on it.
All hope died inside them.
They knew they were dead.
It was another dragon.
“Oh no,” Cindy moaned.
Watch hugged her to his side. “Close your eyes.”
But neither of them closed them.
The dragon spoke. He spoke modern day English.
He sounded more like a kid than an ancient monster.
“Hi,” he said happily. “Who are you?”
Watch almost choked on his own voice he was so relieved to hear the welcoming tone. “I am Watch,” he said. “This is my friend, Cindy. Who are you?”
“Harve,” the dragon said and offered a sharp clawed talon. “Pleased to meet you.”
They stared at his huge claw. “Would it be OK if we didn’t shake just now?” Watch asked. “We don’t mean to be rude.”
Harve withdrew his claw. “Sorry. I guess my hand is too big for you guys. Hey, how did you get in here? Did you take the tunnel down here?”
“Yes,” Cindy muttered.
“Cool,” Harve said. “I have been hoping somebody would use that tunnel one day.”
“How long have you been down here?” Watch asked.
The dragon seemed to shrug. He was not nearly so big as Slatron.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe five hundred years.”
“But you sound so young,” Cindy said.
Harve nodded. “Dragons grow slowly. I didn’t learn to walk until I was a hundred. My mom thought I would never learn to talk.”
“But you speak good English,” Watch said.
“Thank you. My mom says it’s the language most people use nowadays so she taught it to me.”
“Is your mother Slatron?” Cindy asked.
“That’s her. We’re the only dragons who live here. I guess you must have met her?”
“We sure did,” Watch said. “She tried to kill us.”
Harve seemed to frown. “Oh. Sorry about that. You must have made her mad. What did you do, play with her treasure?”
“This girl we know stole a few pieces of her treasure,” Cindy explained. “Two of her crystals.”
Harve snorted. “That explains it. She loves those crystals almost as much as she loves me.”
“What are they?” Watch asked. “What can they do?”
“You can talk to anyone anywhere anytime if you have them,” Harve explained. “As long as the other person has one as well. My mom uses them to talk to dragons on other planets.”
“She talks to other planets!” Cindy said, astounded.
“She has to,” Harve said. “There aren’t many dragons to talk to here.”
“I see your point,” Watch said.
“Hey,” Harve said. “Do you know where my mom went? I haven’t been able to find her.”
“She left this mountain in order to torch our friends and our city,” Cindy said. “We need to stop her. Can you help us?”
“I can try,” Harve said pleasantly. “I like humans more than my mom does. I want to tell you right now that I’ve never eaten a person. I’m a vegetarian.”
“That’s good to know,” Watch said. “Can we communicate with your mother right now using one of the crystals?”
“Not unless she’s got one with her,” Harve said.
Cindy looked at Watch. “Slatron left here in a hurry,” she said. “I doubt she took a crystal with her.”
“I’m sure she didn’t,” Watch said. “But Leah has two with her. We might be able to talk her into bringing them back.”
“That sounds like the best plan,” Harve said. “Once my mom gets in a bad mood, it’s hard to calm her down. The only thing that will cool her off is to see the crystals again.”
“Let’s go to the treasure chamber,” Watch said. “We’ll see if Leah will answer us.”
“Are you guys tired?” Harve asked. “Would you like a ride there?”
“You don’t mind?” Cindy asked. “We are exhausted.”
“Not at all,” Harve said. “I love giving humans rides.”
They climbed up on the dragon’s back.
“Have you seen many humans before?” Watch asked.
“A few. Nice creatures.”
“Where are they now?” Cindy asked.
Harve lowered his voice as he lowered his wings for them.
“I’m not sure,” he said with a note of reluctance. “I think my mom ate them.”
In the treasure chamber Harve explained how to use the crystals to communicate with Leah.
“Hold one in your right hand and think of her,” he said. “Then begin to speak. If she has a crystal nearby, she will hear you.”
Watch picked up a crystal and offered it to Cindy.
“Do you want to try to reason with her?” he asked.
Cindy shook her head. “No.”
“I’ll try it then.” Watch held the crystal tight and closed his eyes. He had no trouble visualizing Leah. Indeed, the image of her face and other features popped into his mind with unusual clarity. He wondered if the crystal was responsible. It seemed to boost the power of his thoughts. He spoke in a soft but clear voice. “Leah,” he said. “Can you hear me?”
There was a long pause. Then a worried voice seemed to speak from the center of the room. “Who’s there?” Leah asked.
“It’s me, Watch. I am speaking to you via the crystals. They are interstellar communication devices, but they can also be used to make local calls.”
There was another pause.
“I don’t believe it,” Leah said.
“It’s true,” Watch said. “How else could you hear me? But I don’t want to argue about that right now. We need you to bring those crystals back. You see, there’s this dragon looking for them and she’s in a really bad mood. If she finds you, she’ll probably kill you.”
“Are you calling for Bryce?” Leah asked impatiently. “He just called an hour ago and said the same thing. I hung up on him.”
“He was telling you the truth. Where are you right now?”
“Why should I tell you?” Leah said. “I’m home free, that’s where I am. If these crystals are so magical then I should be able to sell them for millions of dollars. I won’t have to worry about working the rest of my life. That’s why my father gave me the treasure map, you know. He wanted me to be taken care of. I don’t know why all of you are treating me like a criminal.”
“We don’t judge you for wanting financial security,” Watch said. “We’re just worried about this angry dragon. When she left here, she said she was going to wipe out our friends and all of Spooksville.”
“Your friends are with Bryce and they are fine,” Leah said. “But Spooksville is going to have to take care of itself. I am not going to return my inheritance.”
“But you didn’t inherit these crystals,” Watch said.
The connection was abruptly broken.
The strong image of Leah vanished from Watch’s mind. He opened his eyes and spoke to Cindy and Harve. “I think she hung up on me,” he said.
“I hate when that happens,” Harve said sympathetically.
“What are we going to do?” Cindy asked. “We have to stop Slatron before she reaches Spooksville.”
Watch spoke to Harve. “Can these crystals also be used as a homing device? Can we use them to locate Leah?”
“Yes,” Harve said. “If these crystals move toward the other crystals, they will get warmer.”
“But even if we know where she is,” Cindy said. “How are we going to catch up to her?”
Watch studied
Harve. “You say it took you a hundred years to learn to walk?”
The young dragon was embarrassed. “A hundred and twenty years to be exact.”
“Can you fly?” Watch asked.
Harve stuttered. “I don’t understand.”
“You have wings,” Watch asked. “Do you know how to use them?”
“Yes. I can flap them.” Harve flapped them to show he was not boasting. “I have very strong wings.”
“But you haven’t answered my question,” Watch insisted. “Can you fly?”
Harve cleared his throat. “Yes. Of course. Sort of.”
“You can either fly or you can’t,” Cindy said. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“You seem uncomfortable talking about flying,” Watch said.
“Well,” Harve said quietly, lowering his head, “I can fly but I prefer not to. You know what I mean.”
“We don’t,” Watch said. “Explain what you mean?”
“I’m afraid of heights,” Harve mumbled.
“But you’re a dragon,” Cindy said. “How can you be afraid of heights?”
Harve was clearly humiliated. “That’s what mom always asks. But, I don’t know, I just get scared when I get up high. I feel like I might fall and hurt myself.”
Watch grabbed the other crystal from the silver pedestal. “Well, you’re going to have to fly us to Leah now. Too many lives are at stake.”
Harve buried his head under a wing. “I have to?” he asked in a worried voice.
Cindy stepped over and patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “We will be with you.”
“Not that we’ll be any help if you start to fall,” Watch said.
10
As they were floating in their raft toward Spooksville, Sally came up with an idea to stop Slatron. “What are dragons supposed to love the most?” she asked Adam and Bryce.
“Treasure,” Bryce said.
“Gold,” Adam said.
“Exactly,” Sally said. “Now this raft is going to float right by Spooksville’s main electrical power plant. The power lines that run out of there pass over a stone ledge that isn’t far from the plant gates. What if we get some paint and spray that ledge a bright gold? Maybe she’ll see the gold, think it’s treasure, and swoop down to peck at it. While she’s doing that, we can hide in the rocks above the ledge and shoot out the power lines so they fall on her back. The high-powered electrical charge would kill a human, but will only knock her out so she can calm down. Bryce, I assume you can get hold of some gold paint and a laser-guided sniper’s rifle?”