The Wizards of India and the Hunt For the Beast

Chapter 3

His black hand-me-down Vans squelched against the already dried golden stairs as Justin cautiously made his way back down to the road. He listened for any growls or heavy footsteps that could mean the beast was nearby.

It was completely dark except for the glow of the metal lamps on the street. When his feet hit the illuminated pavement, Justin exhaled. Looking up, he could see the dark castle on the hill with its windows of every shape. Above it, brilliant stars darted across the sky, forming the Milky Way. It was as if the storm had never happened. Pivoting around, he gazed one last time at the Indian palace, its golden spires seeming to reach for the stars.

Justin frowned. Unfortunately, he would be glad if he never saw the palace again. He blinked as a memory returned. He had seen the spires before. It had been one of the first houses he'd seen when entering the neighborhood. He looked down the street and his heart nearly leaped from his chest when his eyes landed on the black shadow of the large iron gate.

He dashed toward the gate with a desperation that he hadn't known was inside of him. He flung himself upon the gate as if he was a prisoner trying to make his great escape. When the gate silently swung open at his touch, Justin whooped and threw his fist into the air in triumph.

As if in response, the owl who had led him to the strange neighborhood, swooped down from a pine and soared along the arched pathway.

"Wait!" Justin shouted, racing after the bird. Coming out the other side of the archway, Justin watched the owl fly up into a tree. Diving headfirst into the thickets of blackberries and poison oak, Justin continued on without the owl.

He panted as he crawled, thorns scratching at his face, but he didn't care. All he could think of was home. Safe, comfortable home.

Abruptly, the thicket ended and the massive trunk of the fallen redwood lay in front of him. Hastily, he scrambled up the side. Reaching the top, he jumped to his feet. That was a mistake. His wet shoes, slipped upon the slick, worn wood.

His feet slipped from underneath him, and Justin fell headfirst to the ground. His skull slammed into a large rock and white light blurred his vision before everything went black.

"Justin!"

"Justin!"

"Where are you?"

Voices bounced through the darkness of Justin's brain. He felt as if he had fallen into a deep hole, one he would never climb out of. Things echoed through his mind, not quite reaching him. He felt alone.

"Justin?"

A voice tried to find him through the darkness. Justin's body formed around his mind. It felt heavy and painful. His mind slow, like swimming through mud to surface for air. A Light pierced through the darkness. He latched onto the light and it yanked him to the surface.

Justin's eyes opened. Blinding light surrounded him. He blinked.

"Justin, are you okay?" asked a deep voice.

Justin blinked again, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the light. The outline of a man came into view and then slowly it turned into a police officer holding a flashlight.

The police officer kneeled over Justin.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Pain throbbed on the right side of Justin's temple. He sat up, gingerly putting a hand to his head.

"Looks like you cut your head open, might have to get stitches," informed the officer, and he stood. Cupping both hands to his mouth, he shouted, "I found him! Over here!"