The Enchantments: Book 2 - The Key of Gandar

Chapter 25: The House by the Sea

The small town of Picton stood quietly on the east coast surrounded by mature trees to the west and the salty air of the Atlantic Ocean to the East. The appearance of the small village looked like any other along the coastal area, but this town had something different. Unlike others, Picton was a town with a great secret, a secret that had come to its shores thousands of years ago.

Through the bright sunshine and happy visitors that frequented the town on a regular basis, this town was developing a dark underbelly. Movements of unknown figures had begun to take control of the village and had turned it against the locals. For the first time in ages, the town's folk had begun to lock their doors at night. Menacing figures began to frequent the town in the dead of night and scared people stayed secure in their houses for more hours than usual.

Others began to notice more and more activity on certain beaches by the ocean. Beaches that used to be used for late night walks in the moonlight were now occupied with other more seedy individuals. The town was not the safe harbor it had enjoyed for years. Now it began to show a more menacing look, and the main focus of the creature's attention was not the town's folk, but the small island that lay just off the coast. An island occupied with only one structure, a lighthouse, and the natives had begun to call it by its true name, a place known only as Nightmare Island.

The air was soft and inviting as Simeneon sat by the open window of One sixteen Oak Avenue in the heart of the City of Great Steel. She had been transported from the southwest by Doctor Millar and brought back to his modest house in this elaborate neighborhood.

Simeneon looked down at her leg and sighed. She had never been this immobile in like forever. She looked back to the window and watched as the clouds overhead gently cruised by. She had been resting now for three weeks and the overpowering need to get back out on the road and help her friends find the last piece of the Key of Gandar made her antsy.

She thought back to the day when she had sent the others out to the eastern coast and felt even more helpless. Of course, they were fine on their own, but just the feeling of letting them do the work and she reaps all the rewards was a hard thing to take. The frustration had started to affect her now and she could feel it welling up from deep inside.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" She threw her head back and screamed.

The sound of rushing feet came from the stairs and the door burst open as the doctor, still out of breath looked at her in shock.

"WHAT'S THE MATTER?" He yelled in shock.

Simeneon turned the wheelchair to the doctor and instantly felt bad about what she had done. "Sorry doc, I'm feeling a little helpless is all."

The doctor let out a long breath and walked over to a chair beside the window. "I can understand how you feel young lady. It's the same way I've been feeling since all of you left those many months ago. It's been hard sitting back waiting for information on the search. I've lost many hours of sleep worrying about you and master Fin. Believe it or not but I've come to see you two as my own children, and it's extremely difficult to see anyone harming you, it's a part of me is missing when you two aren't around."

Simeneon blushed. She turned to the doctor and smiled warmly. "The sentiments are mutual. If it weren't for you and Fin this whole little adventure would not have got off the ground, and I'm extremely grateful." She peered down at her plastered legs again. "Doc, can you please tell me when I'm able to get this piece of annoyance off my leg?"

The doctor smiled and proceeded to get up from the small chair. He patted her on the back and walked towards the door. Just before he exited he put his hand up to the doorframe. "Oh by the way." He turned around to face her. "The cast can come off tomorrow, it's about time you get the heck out of this house and back into the rat race." He knew the news would excite her so he proceeded on down the hall ignoring the fact that she had tipped over her wheelchair in joy.