Battle of Bones (Anomaly Saga #5)

27

Everyone stood there in awkward silence for a moment.

"So . . ." said Preston, "how are we gonna get there?"

"Teleportation!" said Chaps. The skeleton snapped his fingers, and suddenly the group chosen to go with him found themselves standing in the middle of a freezing snowy forest. Camellia was glad she was still wearing her jacket.

Preston looked at Chaps. "Dude. You could teleport this whole time? Why didn't we just teleport to Kittens earlier? Or to HQ?"

Chaps tilted his head. "Teleporting alleviates all the dramatic tension of car chases and rocket launches. Also, I can only teleport on the second Wednesday of every month."

"Oh."

"Anyway!" Chaps clapped his hands together. "Here we are in Russia!"

Catricia observed her surroundings, and her eyes turned even wider than usual. "Wow! This place is so cold! Good thing I still have my huge dress!"

"My hat has a built-in heater," said Chaps. "I'm set as well. Now, let's go find River and E! They should be just down here."

"Be prepared for anything," said Joe, adjusting his golden monocle. "The untamed wilderness of Russia is as forgiving as Chaps when you pretend to steal his hat."

Catricia laughed. "What?"

Chaps shook his head. "Let's not talk about that! Now, let's be off."

The skeleton led the group through the trees, and after a few minutes of walking, they saw it.

A wooden door in front of a large, out of place tree.

Camellia instantly felt terrible. "Does anyone else feel like the door gives off an evil sort of . . . aura?" she asked.

"Yes," said Joe.

"I see what you mean!" exclaimed Catricia.

"Definitely," added Preston.

"That door killed my crops and stole my cows," said Chaps. "Metaphorically, of course. Who's going to try going in first?"

"I will," said Preston, taking a step forward.

"You won't," said another voice, and a familiar young man in a purple leather jacket and a white shirt stepped out from behind the tree.

Preston narrowed his eyes. "Jacob."