The Worlds Beyond Sight

Just as Crystal blurted out her new found information, Stal jumped to his feet, blew out the candle and quickly placed his hands over Crystal’s mouth to silence her squeals. “Quiet!” He said. “Steven did you hear that?”

As the three sat silently in the dark listening, Crystal felt a clammy hand on her shoulder just like in the rotunda. Then came the cold breath behind her ear accompanied by that hissing voice she had heard so many times before.

“Now you’ve done it missy, now we have what we need.”

But how could that be? How could I be setting here with Stal and Dad and have councilman Tasketer whispering in my ear? Crystal asked herself as she sat paralyzed with fear. Should I scream out or wait to see if the intruder really exists? He could be a figment of my imagination. Crystal battled with herself for what seemed like hours.  

Then without so much as a whisper Stal released his grip on her mouth and with all his might threw himself overtop of Crystal’s head and landed hard on the floor next to the table. Crystal couldn’t see what was happening but the hissing and gurgling, along with Stal’s painful cries sent chills up her spine. Seconds seemed like hours as she waited for someone… anyone to do something to help Stal. Just when she was about to join in on the fight she heard the snap of Mr. Formby’s fingers and the candle setting in the center of the table was again lit. Now able to see a little better Crystal flew to her feet, and tried to find Stal in the darkness. But all she managed to see were two shadows rolling around on the floor. Stal was in full battle with the creature that Councilman Tasketer had set on her in the rotunda. Only now it seemed larger then life and much more dangerous. She stood helpless as the creature ripped at Stal’s skin with its sharp claws leaving bloody gashes all over his tiny body. “Dad, do something!” She screamed.

At that precise moment Mr. Formby raised his left hand high above his head and with what looked like lightening shooting from his fingers he began speaking a language Crystal had never heard before. “Eliv erutaerc morf ilive etnes ruoy rewop owan forswear,” he shouted.