The day of the jackalope, p.1
The Day of the Jackalope, page 1
The Day of the Jackalope
Eldritch Black
Contents
1. The Magic Coin
2. Flittermouse
3. The Watchers
4. Shakes, Bakes and Interstellar Cakes
5. Back to The Towering Lair of Eternal Secrets
6. Hunted!
7. ‘Danger!’
8. Myron Draven
9. The Voice
10. The Midnight Visit
11. A Return To The Dark House
12. The First Mission
13. Fubbabaddabooba
14. Loserville
15. Ophelia
16. The Mind Serpent Squasher
17. Drink The Night
18. Dastardly Plans
19. Found Out
20. Coney Island Way
21. The Extraordinary Celebration Times
22. Spellbound
23. Behind The Curtain
24. Unmasked
25. The Plan
26. Everything You’ve Ever Dreamed Of
27. Nightfall
28. The Sinister Parade
29. Going Underground
30. A Most Eerie Place
31. The Machine
32. Lost Rabbits
33. Whispers
34. Boom!
35. Top Of The Mountain
A Preview of Book Three of Weirdbey Island - The Island Scaregrounds
The Island Scaregrounds
Books by Eldritch Black
About the Author
The Day Of The Jackalope
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PUBLISHED BY:
Eldritch Black
Copyright © 2019
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http://eldritchblack.com/
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All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously
1
The Magic Coin
It was a quiet, cool grey morning and the clouds were so low they seemed to scrape the treetops. It was summer, but I supposed strange weather like this was just the way it was living on Whidbey Island, or Weirdbey Island as me, Zach, Emily and Jacob now called it.
I’d been pulling weeds for what seemed like hours and my hands were caked in dirt. The back of my neck itched from mosquito bites, or whatever evil little bugs were sneaking up on me and sucking my blood.
Weeding wasn’t really how I wanted to spend my day but mom was paying pretty generously by her standards. With the money I was making, I figured I was about five percent closer to getting the new laptop I wanted, plus mom was happy that it was getting done.
Besides, I wasn’t missing out on anything big, things had pretty much stalled with our investigations. We’d spent the previous week searching for the Saratoga Sasquatch but the only thing we’d stumbled across was mud, brambles and horse apples. The lack of results had been frustrating, but I’d enjoyed hanging out with my new friends.
What I wasn’t happy about was our super-creepy neighbor, Mrs. Chimes. She’d just driven by our house in her long, shiny chocolate-brown car and it had slowed as she’d spotted me. Her window had creaked as it had slid down and I’d waited for her to say something, anything. But she’d simply watched as I’d pulled out a handful of knotty weeds and a slow grin had spread over her wizened face.
“Morning,” I’d called to break the awkward silence.
“Greetings!” she’d replied, and then she’d nodded slowly, like we’d shared something between us before driving off. It had been freaky, but apparently freaky was the norm on Weirdbey Island.
I was about to put on some music to distract myself when two shadows fell over me. One was stocky, the other so long it almost reached the edge of the house. A pang of dread slithered through me as I turned, already knowing who was there.
Jamie’s stupid eyes gleamed with mockery. Beside him was his new friend; Marshall Anders. Marshall was a tall boy with a shaved head, dull, almost dead eyes and a face as craggy as the moon.
“The weed’s weeding.” Jamie sounded pleased with his insult.
“Yep,” Marshall agreed. He smiled, but it only lasted a second. It was like he was trying to hide it and the way they stood made them look like they were up to something.
I ignored them and started working on the flower bed near the driveway, where I could keep an eye on them. I didn’t want to turn my back on Jamie, not while my parents were out. “I’ve got stuff to do,” I said as they continued watching me.
“Let’s leave him to it,” Jamie said.
I tried to hide my shudder. Something was definitely up; there was no way he’d leave me alone, not that easily. No, Jamie liked to take his time torturing me, like a cat toying with a mouse.
“Gardening’s no fun,” Marshall said. “I had to weed my uncle’s garden last month. It nearly broke my back.” He leaned on the fence and gazed down at me. His face was almost… friendly? “You know, there’s easier ways to get money, right?”
“Like what?” I asked. Right away I knew I should have kept my mouth shut. But it was too late, Marshall and I were officially having a chat.
“Like…” Marshall narrowed his eyes, as if deciding whether to tell me something. There was a long pause, and then he said, “like spending five cents and getting a dollar back.”
Jamie sighed. “It’s probably not working anymore.” He pulled his hand from his pocket and his palm was full of shiny dollar coins, like the kind we used to get when we’d lost a tooth. I’d never seen so many in my life.
Marshall checked his phone. “Naw, it should be working again by now. We just needed to give it a rest. Its been at least an hour since the last time we tried it.”
“Tried what?” I asked, unable to stop myself.
“The statue,” Marshall replied as he pulled a handful of golden dollar coins from his pocket too. “See, I told you, it wasn’t a trick.” he said to Jamie, “I've still got all mine. They’re real.” He took one and bit into its side like people did in the movies. “You want some?” he asked me.
“Hey!” Jamie elbowed him in the side. “You said we weren’t supposed to tell anyone and now you’re bragging about it to this fool.”
Marshall shook his head and studied me once more. “He’s not so bad, are you?”
I shrugged. I had no idea what they were talking about, but the money had my interest. Was he really going to share it? I knew the answer already of course, but I could dream.
Marshall glanced around the yard, leaned down even closer to me, and smiled like we were old friends. “Look, if I tell you a secret, do you promise to keep it to yourself? Because-”
“Don’t tell him!” Jamie’s tone was shrill and whiney.
My curiosity was on fire. “Don’t tell me what?”
Marshall glanced around again and lowered his voice. “I’m going to trust you, Dylan.”
“Marshall!” Jamie protested.
But Marshall shook his head. “No, I’m telling him. There’s enough for all three of us.”
“You’re as dumb as he is,” Jamie muttered. And then Marshall rounded on him and he glanced away. Jamie was tough, but it seemed Marshall was tougher. I suddenly liked him more, despite those weird, dull eyes. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. “Listen,” he continued, “two houses down from here there’s a statue of a lady. She’s in the flowerbed on the side of Mr. Flittermouse’s house.”
“Mr. Flittermouse?” I asked.
“Yeah, he’s just down the road. He’s got a rusty old mail box with his name painted on the side right there next to his driveway. That’s how you’ll know you’ve got the right place. The plants in his yard are really wild and overgrown but you can’t miss her.”
“Who’s the statue of?” I asked.
“His wife,” Marshall said. “She died a couple of years back and he had the statue made to remember her by. But here’s the interesting thing.” He pulled a nickel from his wallet and held it toward me like it was something special. “This will sound crazy, but what you do is put five cents in her hands, close your eyes, and turn around three times. Counter-clockwise, it has to be counter-clockwise, you know what that is, right?”
I nodded. Of course I did.
“Good. So you spin around three times and after you’re done, the nickel will turn into a golden dollar.”
“You’re joking, right?” I asked. “You expect me to believe that?”
My confidence melted as Marshall’s eyes turned cold and dim once more. “Whatever. It’s up to you, man.” He shrugged but his face softened a little. “You know, I was just trying to do you a favor, but I suppose I didn’t believe it when I first heard it either.”
“Don’t waste your time on him,” Jamie said as he began to walk away, “time’s money. Literally.”
“I guess,” Marshall said. And then he paused and flipped the nickel up into the air. It tumbled toward me and I managed to catch it without dropping it. “Give it a try, Dylan,” Marshall called as he walked down the trail with Jamie, “what have you got to lose?”
I watched them go, half expecting them to turn and laugh at me, but they continued on their way. Jamie seemed angry, and I heard him mutter “What did you tell him for?”
Marshall answered but his voice was too
I turned the coin over several times, inspecting it closely to figure out if they’d done something weird to it, but it didn’t have a single suspicious mark on it. It was just a plain old nickel. I plunged the trowel into the earth and left it there as I glanced down the lane in the opposite direction. I’d never heard of Mr. Flittermouse, but then again I hadn't actually met any of our neighbors yet, except for Mrs. Chimes.
“What have I got to lose?” I shrugged, adopting Marshall’s logic as I tried to persuade myself it was at least worth a try. I sighed, half expecting the worst but secretly hoping for the best as I set off down the trail.
A beam of golden sunlight broke from the clouds and brightened the heavy green branches, as they cast dancing shadows over the ground. Squirrels chased each other across the limbs and a deer stood in the woods watching me. I considered going back to get our dog, Wilson, but he’d probably just be a hindrance, especially if things went wrong.
“Just a quick look,” I told myself. “Then I’ll get back to the weeding.”
The first house I spotted was set back into the trees, but I could see its bright blue paint easily enough. I wondered who lived there and hoped it wasn’t Mrs. Chimes, because that would mean she was our next door neighbor. I didn’t like that idea one little bit.
Then I came to the next driveway. The pockmarked script on the battered old mailbox read ‘Flittermouse’. I glanced along the curved gravel path but it vanished as it wound through the trees. And then my gaze fell on a sign posted on a tall hemlock just a few feet in from the road. It read:
‘Trespass at your doom!’
“That doesn’t sound very friendly.” I glanced at my phone and considered calling Jacob, Zach and Emily, to see if they wanted to come with me. But then I realized, if I extended the invitation to investigate a magic statue that was handing out dollar coins and it turned out to be a hoax, I’d just end up looking like an idiot in front of them as well as Jamie and Marshall.
I rubbed the small of my back. It still ached from the weeding. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to finishing the chore, but maybe I wouldn’t have to… as unlikely as that was…
“This is so dumb.” I started down the driveway, taking care to listen closely. It took a good couple of minutes of walking before I saw the house. It was covered in streaks of green and brown paint. “Who paints their house in…camouflage?” I mumbled.
It was too weird. I was about to turn and head back as fast as I could without running, when I saw a white figure through the trees.
My heart jumped. I stood absolutely still.
Then I realized it wasn’t a person, it was the statue.
As I got closer I saw more details. It was a Japanese woman dressed in long robes and her hands were cupped before her. A sword rested at her feet and beside it was a lotus flower floating in an ornate bowl of water.
I listened hard. It seemed I was on my own. I glanced at the house again and realized there were no cars around. Hopefully that meant no one was home.
My attention shifted back to the statue. It couldn’t hurt to check it out, could it? I wandered toward it, holding branches back as I stumbled through the tall grass, my eyes fixed on the stone woman. Something silver gleamed in her hand…
A coin!
Maybe Marshall and Jamie hadn’t been lying after all.
“Wait,” I whispered to myself as I slowed.
Someone else was there. Someone was watching.
I felt their eyes on me but they didn't make a sound. All I could hear was the distant drill of a woodpecker. I decided to go home. Fast.
And then I heard a whisper of movement, but before I could turn two hands clamped down on my shoulders, stopping me in my tracks.
2
Flittermouse
The hands clenching me smelt waxy and were streaked with woody colors. “Hey!” I yelled as I tried to pull away, but they held me firm. I kicked back and my sneaker struck what felt like a leg.
“Ow!” someone growled.
I spun around and came face to face with an old man dressed head to toe in camouflage. His face was smeared in green, brown and black and he’d even painted the few wisps of hair left on his head.
“Freeze!” he demanded as he waved his hands through the air and let out a slow, controlled breath. “That’s right,” he said, his voice creaky and gruff, but full of energy, “I move like the wind and dance like the lightning! You didn’t see me coming and you never will. I am the tiger. I am the tiger!” He bellowed. He pointed his gnarled forefinger like a dagger. “Now, empty your pockets!”
“Why?” My heart was still racing, but I was more baffled than scared.
“Because I know a slippery customer when I see one, that’s why. You have the look of a goat that’s gobbled down more than his fair share of grass. Guilty, greedy, a gluttonous gazumper.”
“What’s a gazumper?”
He continued like he hadn’t heard me. “You just wandered down my driveway as jittery as a turkey on Thanksgiving morn, and tried to sneak past me like a cat burglar on springs. But I knew you were on your way here before you even thought of it. My mind’s as fast as a hurricane and sharper than a particularly sharp knife.”
“I don’t know that that makes sense,” I said, before I could stop myself.
“Perhaps you’re feeble minded? The name’s Roscoe Flittermouse. You may have heard tell of me.”
“Nope.”
“Well my enemies have, you can count on that. And you are?”
“I’d expect you to already know who I am, especially if you knew I was on my way here before I even did.” I replied. I didn’t mean to be snippy, but I was angry. Mostly with myself for letting Jamie and Marshall dupe me. “Look, I’m sorry Mr. Flittermouse, I was just curious about your statue. I didn’t mean any harm.”
He studied me for a moment and gave a short sharp nod. “I see this is so, but I still require your name.”
“Dylan Wilde.”
“Ah, the Wildes. You’ve just moved into the old Prendergast place,” he said, tapping his temple with his index finger as if this detail proved he possessed some sort of eerie mental super powers. “Now, I’m sure you’ll understand that I’ll need to have words with your parents, but other than that our business is concluded.” Then his finger shot through the air like an arrow. “But listen and listen good; do not stray onto my land again. I prowl these woods with the stealth of a flea and the guile of an ancient otter.”
“Are you…” I paused as I felt my cheeks reddening. And then I spat out the words as fast as I could. “Are you involved with The Society of the Owl and the Wolf?” He really seemed like he must be.
Mr. Flittermouse laughed theatrically. “Indeed I am not, but I know who they are. Our paths have crossed whilst fighting the darkness that prowls on our beautiful little island. And my oh my is it rising again.”
He had my interest. “What do you mean?”
Mr. Flittermouse looked around before lowering his voice. “I mean the disappearances of course. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed them.”
“Disappearances?”
“People, tourists, locals. Vanishing in the dead of night like a forgotten rumor. Something rotten’s a-roosting. Something terrible.”
“What?”
Mr. Flittermouse shrugged. “How should I know? I spend my days guarding my trees.”
“From what?”
“Theft!”
I glanced around. I couldn’t see any tree stumps and I told him so.
