Sally broke into a smile at being addressed. She was looking around as if she had never seen the cemetery before. “We didn’t find him,” she said in a rather heavy voice. “But it doesn’t matter. We don’t need him.”
Cindy was confused. “But you were worried about him.”
“He’s gone,” Watch said simply. “He’s not a problem. Take us to town.”
“What did you see on the other side of the tombstone?” Cindy asked. “Anything exciting?”
For a moment their eyes brightened. Indeed, it was as if a faint red light shone in them. Cindy blinked her own eyes, thinking she must have imagined the glow.
“Would you like us to show you what we saw?” Sally asked.
Cindy shrugged. “Yeah. If it’s safe.”
Adam turned to Sally. “We’re not showing her anything right now. We have things to do here first. Later we will take her.”
“Where will you take me?” Cindy asked.
Adam smiled strangely. “To a nice place. We will take you there tonight.”
“I don’t know if I can go out tonight,” Cindy said. “I think my mother wants me to stay in to watch my little brother.”
“We’ll take him with us as well,” Sally said, stepping forward. “Enough talk. We want to go to town. We have much to do.”
“OK,” Cindy said, puzzled by their rude attitudes. “We can go to town. Where do you want to go?”
“We need food,” Watch said. “We need meat.”
“Do you want to go to Harry’s Hamburgers?” Cindy asked.
“Yeah, let’s go get Harry!” Adam squealed.
“Let’s go eat Harry!” Sally yelled.
“Eat his meat!” Watch joined in.
Cindy forced a smile. “You guys must be real hungry.”
* * *
At Harry’s, Cindy’s friends continued behaving oddly. They ordered two hamburgers each, nothing else, not even drinks. Then they stopped Harry before he began to cook the food.
“We like our meat rare,” Adam said.
“We like it raw,” Sally added, as she grabbed one of the uncooked hamburgers and stuffed it in her mouth. In four huge bites she had devoured the whole thing. Cindy stared in amazement. Sally didn’t chew at all. She was eating as if she were an animal. Cindy sat down at one of the tables and shook her head.
“What happened to you guys on the other side of the Secret Path?” she asked.
They all grinned. “We had fun,” Adam said. “That’s all. Don’t you believe us?”
“No, I don’t,” Cindy said. “Something happened to you over there. Tell me what it was.”
“What if we don’t want to tell you?” Sally asked in a deadly tone.
“I don’t know,” Cindy said nervously. “I’ll do something. I’ll talk to Bum.”
Watch came and sat beside Cindy. He put a hand on her shoulder. When he spoke a big bite of uncooked hamburger showed in his mouth.
“You had better not talk about us,” he said. “We get mad when people do that. We get very mad and then we do things.”
Cindy stared at him as if struck. “What do you mean? What kind of things?”
Watch leaned closer. “Horrible things,” he said softly.
Cindy’s mouth quivered. “Watch,” she said. “What’s wrong with you. You never talk this way.”
“He’s talking just fine,” Sally said as she sat on the other side of Cindy. She put a hand on Cindy’s bare leg, and Cindy felt as if she were being touched by a lizard. Sally was staring at her with strangely bloodshot eyes. Cindy wanted to look away but found she couldn’t. For a moment it seemed that only Sally’s eyes existed, eyes that didn’t really belong to her friend at all. The pupils of Sally’s eyes were windows that opened onto a place of fire and pain. They bore into Cindy’s brain, and Sally leaned over and whispered in her ear. Cindy noticed then how cold her breath was, and how it stank of something Cindy could not identify.
Out the corner of her eye Cindy watched Adam approach Harry, who had come around the counter. He was curious about what they were up to. Harry didn’t make it all the way around the counter. There was a swift movement and then Harry sat down. Or maybe he fell over, Cindy could not be sure. Suddenly she was unsure of most things. She heard Sally speak in her brain more than in her ear.
“We are normal,” Sally whispered. “We are the way we have always been. You are not to talk to anyone about us. If you do talk about us, you will feel pain. We will make you feel pain.”
“Yes,” Cindy whispered back as if from far away. A portion of her knew that her friends—if they were her friends—were trying to hypnotize her. But she lacked the will to resist. She did manage to turn her head away from Sally. But she just ended up staring into Adam’s eyes, which were now directly in front of hers. His eyes were more frightening than Sally’s, if that was possible. They seemed to burn with hateful red flames. He leaned close as she struggled to close her eyes.
“You have no power to resist us,” he said in a cruel voice. “You are under our control. You will go home now and act as if nothing has happened. But later tonight we will come for you and take you and your little brother away.” He grinned and his mouth was full of many sharp teeth. “We will take you to the Dark Corner.”
7
The demon that approached was taller than the others and thinner. He was also dressed differently. He wore a gray cloak instead of a furry hide, and he walked more like a man than a demon. The earlier demons had danced and jumped around like hungry animals, but this demon headed straight for them as if he had important business to complete. Adam had no doubt that he was one of the dreaded Gatekeepers, and that after he had judged them, he would torture them to his heart’s content.
The three friends looked anxiously at one another as the demon neared.
“Maybe we can reason with him,” Sally said.
“Like we reasoned with the others?” Watch asked.
“Whatever happens,” Sally said, “I don’t want to go first. And don’t tell him it was my idea we came to this horrible place.”
“Go first with what?” Adam asked.
“With whatever he’s going to do to us,” Sally said.
“Don’t worry,” Watch said. “He’ll probably lower us into the boiling pit together.”
“Shh,” Adam said. “He’s almost here. Don’t give him any ideas.”
The demon arrived a minute later. He stood directly in front of them and silently studied them. His face was as ugly as the other demons’, with scaly skin, a wide slobbering mouth, and piercing green eyes. As he scanned the street, it seemed as if he was whispering to himself.
The whispers sounded vaguely human.
“What are you three doing here?” he asked, keeping his head down.
“It wasn’t my idea to come,” Sally said quickly.
“We mean you no harm,” Adam said. “We came here looking for a friend.”
“What is this friend’s name?” the demon asked.
Adam squirmed against his pole. “His name is not important,” he said. “At least not to you. He’s our friend. We only want to find him and leave this place.”
“Your counterparts have stolen some of your hair?” the demon asked.
“Yes,” Watch said.
“Then it is not easy for you to leave here,” the demon said. “They have probably crossed over to your world by now. You cannot return until they come back here.” He paused. “Or until they are forced to return here.”
Adam wondered at all the information the demon was volunteering. “Who are you? Are you a Gatekeeper?”
The demon spoke in a whisper. “I am not a Gatekeeper. But one will soon come for you. You must not let him take you. If he does, you are doomed. You will never escape here.”
“You speak like a friend,” Watch said. “Are you here to help us?”
The demon nodded. “I am here to help.” As he spoke he reached up and peeled back his face, and they saw that he was wearing the ma
sk of a demon. In the sober red light of the hellish realm a handsome young boy with dark hair and brown eyes stared at them.
“Bryce!” Sally exclaimed. “I knew we’d find you!”
Bryce put his finger to his lips and glanced once more up and down the streets. “Shh! Don’t say my name so loudly. I am a hunted man.”
“But you’re only a kid like us,” Watch said.
“Here I am a great danger to the Gatekeepers’ power,” Bryce said firmly. “I have been here almost a year, fighting their powers of darkness.”
“But I saw you last week,” Sally said.
“Time moves differently in the Dark Corner,” Bryce said. “There is so much suffering here that time passes at a crawl.”
“It’s moving pretty slow for us right now, chained here,” Watch said, trying to stretch his arms. “Can you loosen these cuffs?”
Bryce nodded and picked up his knapsack. “It’s lucky you brought my supplies. I’ll be able to pick your locks.”
“Why did you leave your knapsack on the other side of the Secret Path?” Adam asked.
“I have left supplies at a dozen different portals along the Secret Path,” Bryce said, taking the knife and working on Sally’s cuffs. “I came here with another knapsack, but have since had to trade my supplies to get this disguise.”
“Who traded with you?” Adam asked.
Bryce spoke in a hushed tone. “There are many creatures in the Dark Corner who hate the Gatekeepers. They are willing to help if you give them something in return. But they’re all scared, even the best of them. They won’t risk their lives to help me escape from here.” Sally’s cuffs popped open. “That’s why I need your help.”
“Was it true what you said?” Adam asked. “That we cannot return to our world until the other demons return here?”
Bryce was grim. “That is the rule. And none of your demons will willingly return. They will stay in Spooksville as long as they can.”
“But then we’re trapped here forever,” Sally moaned.
“No,” Bryce said. “I wasn’t tricked like you were. Everyone told me to go see my counterpart, but I was suspicious. I hid out and tried to learn how things work here. I finally saw someone meet his counterpart and saw how the world changed after the illusion had served its purpose.” Bryce nodded down the street. “That poor soul is chained over there. He has already been judged by the Gatekeepers and condemned to an eternity of rotting on a steel pole.”
“Do the Gatekeepers ever let anyone go?” Watch asked.
“Rarely,” Bryce said. “You have to be a saint to escape their judgment.” He finished opening Watch’s cuffs and turned to Adam. “My counterpart knows I’m here. He searches for me constantly. But as long as I don’t touch him, I’m safe.”
“But if he hasn’t got you, can’t you just leave here?” Adam asked.
Bryce shook his head. “It’s not that simple. I need my counterpart to open the Secret Path for me. That’s the way it is in the Dark Corner. There’s no easy way out. But I can’t drag my counterpart to the tomb. You saw how strong yours were. He would just overpower me, steal a lock of my hair, and escape to our world.”
“What are they doing in our world?” Adam asked, anxious to be free of the cuffs. Already his arms were aching.
Bryce was obviously worried. “They cause pain wherever they go. It is their nature. Tell me, did you leave anyone guarding the other side of the tombstone?”
“Cindy Makey is waiting for us there,” Sally said. “You know her, Bryce. She’s that homely girl who moved here a few weeks ago.”
“She’s actually very nice-looking,” Adam said.
Bryce nodded. “I know who she is. We must assume the worst, that the demons have already got to her.” He unsnapped Adam’s cuffs.
“Thanks,” Adam said. “What will they do to her?”
“First they will try to control her mind,” Bryce said. “Then they will bring her here to be judged by the Gatekeepers. They will try to bring as many as possible here. They will force them through the Secret Path. Because they’re demons they don’t have to hike all over the city to enter the Secret Path.”
“What can we do?” Sally asked.
“You must help me catch my own counterpart,” Bryce said. “Remember, I can’t touch him. You must overpower him and drag him to the tombstone. If his hand touches the stone, that will be enough to open the portal for me. Once I’m on the other side, I’ll deal with your demons.”
“How do we know you won’t just leave us here?” Watch asked.
“Watch!” Sally exclaimed. “How can you ask such a thing. Bryce is a hero.” She paused and added, “You really will come back for us, won’t you, Bryce?”
“Yes. But I can’t promise that I will be able to handle all of your demons. I will do the best I can.” He glanced up at the sky. “Come, it’s getting dark. If you think this place is bad now wait until then. All the demons run wild at night, and they’re starving. They love nothing more than to eat a human alive.”
“Sounds like a party,” Sally muttered sarcastically.
8
Bryce knew where his own personal demon was. Seemed the monster was fond of hanging out at the beach. As they crept around the boulders of the jetty, they spotted him digging in the sand, searching for crabs. When he found one he would pop it in his mouth and swallow without chewing. He wouldn’t even bother washing off the sand. He was an ugly little runt, but Bryce warned them once again how strong he was.
“We can’t take him by force,” Bryce said. “Even the three of you could not handle him in his normal demonic state. You would end up all bitten and bleeding and he would just get away.”
“Do demons have a weak spot?” Watch asked.
“Yes,” Bryce said. “They’re sensitive to the cold. Notice how he doesn’t actually let the water touch him, and this water is much warmer than the water at home. Cold slows them down. They’re used to all the hellish fires here. What I’m going to do right now is fetch a glass of cold red lemonade. I know a place where I can get it. Then one of you is going to walk by and offer it to him. Tell him that it’s a glass of human blood. A demon can’t resist blood. He’ll gulp it down before he realizes how cold it is. That should knock him out, or at least make him easier to handle.”
“How come you haven’t tried this before?” Watch asked suspiciously.
“You know the answer to that,” Bryce said. “I can’t get near him. He’ll recognize me. But he won’t recognize any of you, not if you wear my mask and robe.”
“I’ll give him the drink if the guys are too afraid,” Sally said. “I trust you, Bryce. Did you know it was me who wanted to rescue you?”
“That’s not what she wanted to tell the Gatekeeper,” Adam muttered.
Bryce wasn’t interested in their arguments. He warned them to keep his demon in sight and keep their heads down, then he disappeared. Watch and Adam were doubtful.
“I don’t know if I trust this guy,” Watch said.
“I know what you mean,” Adam said. “But I don’t know if we have much choice.”
“What’s wrong with you guys?” Sally demanded. “Bryce is the salt of the earth. He rescued us once already. You should be grateful.”
“He rescued us so we could rescue him,” Watch said. “Once he disappears through the Secret Path we have no guarantee he’ll come back for us.”
“He himself said he’s been here a year,” Adam told Sally. “That’s a long time in this kind of place. It could have changed him somehow. He might not be the same Bryce you said goodbye to last week.”
Sally was annoyed. “Bryce is strong, inside and out. If anyone could survive here, it’s him. What are you saying anyway? That he’s in with the Gatekeepers?”
“That’s a possibility,” Watch said. “The moment he’s through the portal, they might attack us.”
“Maybe he’s worked out some kind of deal with them,” Adam agreed.
“Nothing changed,” Sally
growled. “You guys are still jealous of him because he’s so cool and competent.”
“I’ll believe he’s competent if he manages to get our demons back through the portal,” Watch said.
Adam sighed. “I hope they haven’t been too rough on Cindy.”
“I think the demons will be a good influence on her,” Sally said. “Cindy needs a few rough edges to give her more personality.”
Bryce returned ten minutes later. In his hand he had a dirty glass of ice-cold red lemonade. He held it out for Sally to take but she seemed doubtful.
“How can your demon be so stupid to think a glass of lemonade is a glass of blood?” she asked.
“Demons as a whole are pretty stupid,” Bryce said. “That’s the only reason I’ve been able to survive here as long as I have.”
“But what if the demon only drinks a little of the lemonade?” Adam asked. “Just enough to make him mad? He could attack Sally and hurt her.” He paused. “I should go in her place.”
“I don’t care which one of you goes,” Bryce said. “I just need to knock this guy out as soon as possible. Remember you’ve got three demons running around Spooksville right now.”
“Give me your costume,” Adam said. “Let’s get this over with.”
Adam donned Bryce’s demon suit and took the glass of cold lemonade. Trying to act like a normal demon out for an evening stroll, Adam walked in the direction of Bryce’s demon. The monster looked up before Adam was halfway to him.
“Hi,” Adam called. “Caught any good-tasting crabs?”
The demon snorted and slowly stood. He eyed Adam suspiciously. Adam wasn’t as tall as Bryce. The disguise didn’t fit as well as it should have.
“What do you want?” the demon demanded.
“A whole bunch of human kids came through the Secret Path today,” Adam said. “You probably heard about them. We’ve been over with the Gatekeepers drinking their blood. I have a glass here if you want it. I’m stuffed—I don’t think I could get another drop down.”
The demon took a step closer and stared at the glass. “Is it fresh blood?”
“Sure. Just drained it out of a fat kid myself. Have a taste, you’ll love it.”