A Tale Of Peculiars

CHAPTER THREE: A CURIOUS LAD

THE sounds of crickets chirping mixed with the adults loud laughter inside the house filled the evening air. Nicholas continued his story.

"A whole civilization way past the trees," he said dramatically. "Only the bravest of ykarrians can reach it."

"I don't believe it," Edmund said afterwards, sipping his drink.

Nicholas rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. Silence cloaked the six of us.

"Does anybody want to go up the Forbidden Mountain?" Nicholas suddenly asked.

Exclaims of protests rose from the five of us.

"There's a reason why it's called the 'forbidden mountain' because its . . . forbidden," Agnes said, waving her outstretched finger in front of Nicholas' face.

"Come on, it's not like you don't want to know what's up there. Don't you want to know why they call it the 'Forbidden Mountain'?" Nicholas asked in a taunting voice.

"No," came my short reply.

"Isabel, I'm surprised you would say that." He whined.

"If you want to go there, go alone. Remember you're the only one amongst the six of us that can legally use his powers. Benedict might be eighteen but the Badge-giving Ceremony is after an individual's eighteenth birthday. If he breaks the country's number one law, not only will he become void of receiving his badge, he and his family will get in trouble as well," I explained. "He might be the son of the chief and a princess but it doesn't mean he can get away with it."

"Not just me," Benedict said, taking everyone's attention off of me to him. "Like what Isabel said, Nicholas is the only one who has a badge. Edmund is seventeen and so are Felice and Isabel, while Agnes is only sixteen. If you want to go, go alone."

"And think of the punishment that comes with breaking the rule," Felice chipped in.

Defeated, Nicholas scoffed and kicked a pebble away. The small rock flew and hit the side of a shed. He gave us one last look then turned around.

"Fine. If you don't want to come with me, then I'll go," he muttered.

He was about to enter the backdoor when Agnes suddenly spoke up.

"Wait! I want to go," the purple haired half-faery said.

Nicholas whirled around faster than I can notice, the joyous glint that is always in his eyes returned.

"Agnes, what?" I harshly whisper-yelled.

"It wouldn't hurt to take a small trek, wouldn't it?"

"Are you insane? I thought you would be the one with a sane mind among us. Edmund, Felice? Say something."

"Well," Felice seemed to hesitate, "as long as no one sees us."

To my surprise, even Benedict and Edmund agreed with Nicholas who now stood beside me. I refused to look at them. In my mind two sides fought, one side wanted to go up the Forbidden Mountain while the other side wanted to hold back and just go home. I groaned internally and wished the ground would just open and swallow me whole.

"But you were just against it a second ago!" I exclaimed.

"I changed my mind." Agnes shrugged.

"And so did I." Edmund nodded.

In the end, I made a decision I will forever regret.

"This isn't so bad," I admitted as we neared the mountain top.

The mountain isn't as high as I thought it would be. Perhaps it was at an angle but we've only been walking for a few minutes and we're already close to one of the peaks. The trees hid us perfectly but it didn't hide the perfectly round moon that illuminated the village. Torches lit with fire are positioned in front of every two house, giving the surroundings a soft yellow-orange glow. Chirps of nightbirds and crickets filled the cold, peaceful night. Every now and then the barks of dogs breaks through the sounds only to be silenced by their masters.