The huge camel galloped with surprising speed down the narrow corridors of the intricate maze. Rupert turned his head carefully as he held on still to Carolyn’s mysterious corporeal half-self. He addressed the woman who held tightly to his waist. “I believe that I have something that belongs to you.” Carolyn had difficulty seeing the levity in the situation but offered a good natured reply. “I do fervently hope that you a friend of Hillary’s…you know I am her mother….” Rupert nodded and continued to speed ahead as the camel’s thick hooves scattered gravel about the path. Charles felt as though he should introduce himself. “I don’t believe that we’re met. I'm Charles Penrose…and I suppose you already know my better half…no pun intended…” Carolyn actually laughed for the first time in days.
“Rupert, seriously, we both want to thank you for rescuing us back there.
Unfortunately I know all too well what those strange demons back there can do to a person.” Rupert had heard tell of the mannequin hordes, but had never had the displeasure of meeting them up close. “You must understand that I am not familiar with every aspect of the world of Nibiru. I have spent much of my life within the 287
confines of my father’s kingdom far away. It lies beyond the valley of despair, and few travel between the two lands successfully.” Charles listened with rapt attention.
“You know that we’d love to hear more about you…but we need to find our daughter. We believe that she is in great danger.” Rupert replied in the affirmative.
“This is indeed true. I am not entirely sure of the way myself…His words were cut short by Carolyn’s gasp. She pointed ahead to a massive plume of fire streaking across the sky. She cried out in horror. “Oh God…what now? Did everyone see that?”
The evil crimson rider mounted the black raven and was instantly away. He went off in search of Hillary and her allies. Samantha, still with a missing left eye, set off again in pursuit of the same. She realized that she still had the advantage of superior knowledge of the maze with it's complicated pathways. The rangy brown beast bounded powerfully through the endless twists and turns. The loss of her left eye had left her doubting herself. She had never before been damaged in such a way. As she planned her revenge upon Digby and his gryphon, she spotted a flash of brown darting past her eye. She stopped dead in her tracks and sped off in the direction of the apparition.
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The impressive tan-coloured stallion shot with ever increasing speed towards the singular point within the maze. Hillary noticed the rapid pace. “Are we moving faster Dante?” The horse snorted. “I can smell Samantha and her kangaroo Dagobert close by. We must hurry. The nearer we get to the centre-point, the faster we are able to move…but that goes for her also.” Soon the speed at which they hurled down the pathway caused the hedges on either side to blur together. Details became indistinct. Wallace held on for his life and watched the sky above. He noticed that the faster they raced, the more the colour of the sky seemed to subtly change. It seemed to shift to a reddish tint. “Hillary, do you see that? The sky…it’s turning red…isn’t that weird? What happens exactly when we reach the centre?
The young blonde girl considered her response. “Well I’m not exactly sure, but I was told that the Thinker lives there…and that they will return everything back to normal.” Dante added his assent. “Yes…only a real person may freely contact another real person…but enough of that… Samantha is close and that dragon must surely be lurking above somewhere.. ” Both Hillary and Wallace were left to ponder the meaning of the steed’s puzzling remark.
Detective Gardner quickly walked over to open the locked bedroom door.
His wife almost fell into the room as she banged on the door. “She entered the 289
room and stood accusingly with her arms akimbo. “Who made this mess…and who in God’s name is this?” Mrs. Gardner pointed down at the mass of plastic-looking balls that littered the bedroom floor. The flustered husband struggled for a response. “Honey…you don't know Rodney Boggs…he and I met at the station.”
“I see…and how did he get up here anyway? Well…if he’s invited for dinner, he had best clean himself up…and you too. Gabe, what have you been up to? You look like you’ve been through a war…and clean up these toys …a grown man playing with baby toys…really! Don’t think this conversation is over, by the way…we’ll finish this after dinner.” With that, she stormed from the room defiantly. Rodney and Gabriel shot each other a glance. “Detective, do you think this is over…I mean are we back in the real world?” The officer pondered the question. “We seem to be back…but where is Wallace? Something still doesn’t feel quite right. It must have something to do with that crazy storybook. That’s when all this weird stuff started happening to me.” He pointed at the ornately decorated book lying upon the ground. The other man picked it up and opened it to the first page. Gabriel lunged towards him and grabbed the book from his hand. “Are you nuts? I’m not going back there…and neither are you. We’re going to have to find Hillary and Wallace the old-fashioned way…my way.” With that final summation, the detective threw the enchanted book from the window. It seemed to fly all by 290
itself through the air. It landed upon the sidewalk in plain site for any passerby to see.
Digby rode the fine feathered gryphon far above the infinite maze. He too noticed that the normally deep azure blue sky had acquired a strange reddish tinge.
“Godel…why is the sky changing colour?”
“As we get closer to the central point, we begin to travel faster and faster…everything will happen very quickly now. We must be getting ver near the singularity. Digby shouted out loud. “Look there! That must be it!” In the distance he could make out a blinding white light radiating in all directions. It’s light pierced the through the sky and illuminated everything around it. Just as the red-haired sprite exclaimed the discovery, a horrible shrieking raven came slicing through the air towards them. It was the diabolical crimson rider and his new black companion.
Godel struck back at the raven, ripping at his wing with his talons. The raven was more crafty this time than during their last encounter. He hovered over the gryphon as the red hooded entity struck at Digby from above with his silver, jewel encrusted scepter. Godel was unable to hold off the attackers. Digby was knocked headlong off his ride and went tumbling down through the air. Godel continued his aerial battle with the fiendish warriors.
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Charles too had watched the sky above fill with deadly flame. He also noticed that the sky had begun to turn slightly red. The stationary little fluffy clouds were stretched out in continuous parallel white streaks. “That was close. Can you get this camel to go any faster?” The camel was already speeding ahead at a dizzying pace. Rupert urged the desert beast onward with sharp kicks to the back quarters. Just then Carolyn turned around in horror. The great, green horned dragon was directly behind them. She watched as the fiery beast filled its lungs to capacity.
She motioned to Rupert. “Quick turn away!” Rupert looked back in shock as a massive line of searing flame came bearing down upon them. He jerked the camel back and forth, narrowly avoiding the fatal attack of flames. Charles was unable to hold on during the violent lurching movement. His body was sent flying into the green leafy hedge; where he disappeared into the in-between realm. Carolyn cried out in despair. “We need to stop and get him. Rupert! Stop the camel now!” The young prince knew well that the time for bold action was at hand. “We cannot. We must reach the centre-point before Samantha and stop her. Don’t worry…he will be safe within the hedge for now.”
Hillary’s evil doppelganger Samantha had spotted Dante as he had sped past her. She also noticed a piercing white light which shot into the sky far ahead. She 292
knew that she was very near to her destination point and ultimate success. The raven broke of its attack against Godel as the crimson rider watched the progress below. The diabolical creature soared down towards Dante and his fellow adventurers. Samantha saw the black bird circle above her and prepare for the attack. She now watched as the brilliant white light ahead grew closer. It illuminated the scene in a bright glow of tumultuous action. Her powerful kangaroo leaped closer and closer to Hillary and Wallace aboard their surging horse. Hillary finally noticed too late the diving attack from above. The raven’s sharp claws sunk deeply into the shoulders of poor Wallace atop Dante. The vicious bird flung the boy away into the air. His body tumbled into the green, leafy hedge and was consumed within the nether world of the in-between. He managed to cry out as he disappeared. “Hillary…don’t forget about me…” The young girl was crestfallen but persevered. “Dante watch out! That raven is right above us!” Samantha watched the scene with great interest as she grew very near to her prey. With one mighty jump, the marsupial landed hard directly on top of the great stallion. Hillary was sent flying into the air. Dante had been badly hurt in the attack. His powerful but vulnerable forelegs had been broken in the attack. He crumpled to the ground in abject sadness. “I’m so sorry that I have failed you, Princess Hillary. I’m afraid Samantha cannot be stopped now.”
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Digby realized that ultimately Hillary and Samantha might face each other in a final confrontation. His part in this drama has been played out for now. He longed to be back fighting along side her. He resided now in the in-between place of the interior of the hedge. At least, he thought, he would not have to worry about an attack from Samantha for the time being. He reached into his left hand pocket and pulled out a large, bright lantern. He began far an exit somewhere. As he walked along in the pitch blackness, he heard a voice. It sounded very much like Hillary’s father. It became clearer still. “Hello…is there anybody in here?” The diminutive creature walked towards the direction of the voice. Soon his lantern was illuminating the face of Charles Penrose. “Little Digby…I should have known you’d be lurking around in the dark. Do you live in this place, or what?”
“Who you calling little?” The father smiled and gently patted the imp on the head. “Sorry about that…just kidding around. Now how do we get back to save Hillary and Carolyn? I saw a dragon, and who knows what else.” Digby’s expression became grave. “It is too late for us to help. We've been knocked out of the game. The battle must continue without us. Don't worry though. All is not lost.
Hillary still has Godel and Rupert to help her. She can still beat Samantha to the vortex.” As he finished his explanation, another plaintive voice was heard by the two. “Hey…is there somebody out there? …where are you?” Digby immediately 294
recognized the voice of Hillary’s good friend Wallace. He yelled to the young boy.
“Over here! Follow my voice…you’ll see my lantern.” Wallace was able to find Digby and Charles after a few minutes. He greeted them warmly. His countenance was severe. “Hurry, Digby, we must get back to save Hillary right away. She is in great danger.” Digby tried to calm the excitable young man. “The best thing we can do right now is to try and get back to the real world, while it still exists. If Samantha has her way, all that you know and love might disappear in a heartbeat.” An inquisitive young person is walking home from school. This person might look identical to you. A most beautiful, gilded and finely bound book was noticed lying on the sidewalk. It has strange, intricate markings upon the cover that look like they might be Egyptian in origin. The child knows this because they recall studying Egyptian culture in school. This person picks up the book, since there is nobody else around that might have dropped it. It looks like it might have been left for trash by the family in the house by the sidewalk. The person decides to take the book up to the door, and see if it belongs to that family. As the door is opened, an attractive black woman answers the door. “Can I help you child? Are you lost?”
“No….I’m sorry to bother you…but I found this book out by your trash…on the sidewalk…does it belong to somebody here?” The woman doesnot recall putting out any books in the trash, and without examining the book, she replies. “I 295
didn’t throw out any books…in fact I would never throw out a book. Books are precious. I would have donated it to the thrift shop. You go ahead and take that book home with you. You look as if you can’t wait to read it.” The beaming child gladly accepts the kind offering. The book is safely put away in a backpack as the lucky discoverer makes their way home.
Annie Koestler had last watched as Rupert had galloped away with her daughter’s half-self body atop. She could not have known what fate lay in store for them. She was exhausted to the point of complete collapse. She walked over to the hospital entrance to hail a cab. A bewildered nurse came running from the entrance towards her. “You….what have you done with that body?” Annie feigned ignorance. “Whatever are you talking about?” The nurse persisted in her interrogation. “Don’t act dumb, old lady…you know exactly what I’m talking about. “You were wearing a nurse's uniform and you were wheeling out a body.
Now where is it? Security can be here in a moment.” As she finished her accusations, a small green clad creature emerged from the hedge by the side of the building. “Now, those are mighty serious charges, fine lady. Does this elderly woman look like a criminal to you?” Annie immediately recognized Chauncey the Leprechaun. “Chauncey…must you always point out a woman’s age? It is very rude, you know.”
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“I do assure you that I meant no disrespect, Mrs. Koestler. I'm just trying to help you out of a sticky situation.” The flabbergasted nurse had watched the entire conversation in disbelief. She was at a complete loss for words. Finally she turned away, muttering to herself and holding her head in her hands. Annie could not help but expel a small chuckle. “Poor woman…Chauncey, you do seem to have that effect upon the real people.” Her tone suddenly became grave. “You seem to be moving quite freely now between the two worlds. That is troubling. How is the battle in Nibiru progressing, any word?” The leprechaun had witnessed some of the events and related them to the woman. “So you see I was able to reunite Hillary’s father and mother, but I have no idea how the brave girl is faring against that accursed Samantha.” Annie corrected the small fellow. “Now we must remember that Samantha is not in and of herself evil, she has been corrupted by the crimson riders, and of course her own pride. You must meet me back at my house.
Unless…do you think that it is safe to travel within the in-between world?” Chauncey nodded that he felt that the way was safe for the time being. Annie agreed. She followed the animated green creature to the hedge by the hospital.
Chauncey proceeded to pull from his vest-coat a purple vial of bubbling liquid. He tossed it against the hedge. As expected, a small, round wooden door appeared in the bottom of the hedge. He pulled open the think steel handle and crawled through. Annie followed close behind.
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The child walked home with the fabulous book stowed carefully away in their backpack. It had been an uneventful day at school, and there was much homework to be done. The child’s mother greeted them warmly at the door. “How was school today?”
“It was fine…the usual…let me show you what I found on the way home.” A tantalizing artfully adorned book was removed the backpack. The mother examined the expensive looking book with an air of disbelief. “Are you trying to tell me that you found this book…that somebody just left this in the trash? Don’t you think that it’s a little bit hard to believe?” A determined defense was offered.
“I swear Mom…I even went to ask the lady where the house was…where I found the book…she told me that it wasn’t hers, and that I could have it if I wanted.” The mother was still quite skeptical. She opened the book to the title page and scanned the top for some sort of inscription denoting ownership. There was none to be found. “Well…I believe you if you say you’re telling the truth. But you cannot spend all night reading this new book. I can tell that you’re dying to. You finish your homework first, and then after dinner you can read it, all right? Now I’m going to hold onto it for now. Upstairs, and no T.V. I’ll be listening.” The stern matriarch took the book and placed it on top of the refrigerator. The child ran upstairs to complete the homework assignment in record time.
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