The Second Door

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About the Authors

The Second Door

Michael and Grace Liebowitz

Copyright © 2024 Michael and Grace Liebowitz

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2024

ISBN 979-8-89061-484-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89061-485-8 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

For my daughter, Grace, whose inspiration, encouragement, praise, insightful comments, and criticism helped shape this work in countless ways. Her contribution cannot be overstated.

Thank you, sweetheart, for everything.

And for my baby, I can't wait to meet you. I hope one day you read this book and find it enjoyable.

1

Susie hated her brother's snoring. It was only when they shared a hotel room like tonight that she was compelled to deal with the toxic sound of his heavy breathing. At home they had their own bedrooms, so she was spared the irritating, detested sounds from her younger brother's nostrils. And even though she begged her parents to get two hotel rooms, one for her and her mother and the other for Grady and her father, they never listened. They said it was a waste of money. This didn't make any sense to her. No amount of money was too much to be shielded from Grady's snoring. For some odd reason, it didn't affect her parents at all. Which was completely unfair. They laughed about it. They said raising two infants and being awakened hourly to their cries and screams had made them impervious to the mundane sound of Grady's nightly noises.

So tonight the weird part wasn't the fact that she couldn't sleep. That was to be expected. The weird part was that she had fallen asleep. She remembered being tucked into bed by her parents. She got the queen bed while her brother got the pull-out sofa bed, and at some point, when the lights went out, she had drifted off to sleep. She had no idea how long she had been asleep when her eyes opened in the darkness and glanced over at the digital alarm clock on the nightstand. There was no snoring.

Something was wrong. Why was it so quiet? Her heart started to beat a little faster.

Then she heard the door of the hotel room open slowly. There was a faint squeaking sound, and she could hear the muffled footsteps on the carpet, followed by the sound of the door closing. And then she saw a dark shadow enter the room and move slowly through the black stillness. Suddenly there was a thud of a foot against the writing desk.

"Ow…"

She recognized the voice at once, and she exhaled.

Grady? What are you doing? Did you sneak out of the room?

Yes. I did. You have to come right now, Grady said out of breath. Susie could hear the mixture of excitement and urgency in his voice.

You have really lost it. I'm waking Mom and Dad.

No. Don't. I mean it, he whispered, straining to keep his emotions in check and his voice at a level not to disturb Mom or Dad. Come on, hurry up. Maybe it won't be there if there are adults around. Maybe the magic only works when kids are there.

Susie had just awakened, and maybe she wasn't fully conscious yet, but she could've sworn he just said the word magic.

He started going through Dad's suitcase and found what he was looking for. Gotcha… I knew I saw him pack it. Swiss army knife. You can never be too careful. We may need some kind of weapon, just in case.

Weapon?

He scurried over to the little fridge in the corner like a mouse.

Only muffins. Better than nothing. Who knows when we'll eat again.

Eat…again?

The light momentarily reflected on his face, and then vanished as he shut the fridge door. He put the muffins in his pajama pocket. He grabbed his coat that hung on a hanger by the door.

No time to get dressed, he explained. We can't waste any time. Maybe the portal will close and we won't be able to get through. Bring your coat, he added.

Okay, he had just uttered the word portal…

Every ounce of Susie's common sense told her that her brother was either joking or had lost his mind. If he had gone crazy, that would mean a trip to some hospital and doctors and pills and boring stuff that would surely mean the end of him.

But there was something in his voice that made her believe him. Maybe that's the difference between kids and grown-ups. Buried deep within Susie there still burned the wish that magic was real. She was not quite old enough where that belief had been squashed out of her.

Look, if you don't want to come, fine. See you. He turned and with two steps he was at the door.

Wait… She threw her blankets to one side, got up, and ran after him. Real panic was in her now. Even though she hated him and he annoyed her, he was still her little brother.

The light of the hallway was bright and stung her eyes. Grady was already halfway down the hall toward the elevators. It must have been very late in the night because no one was walking the halls. No noises came from beyond the closed doorways of the hotel. People were dreaming their little dreams. Safe in the firm and absolute belief that the dream world and the waking world were quite different. But as she raced after her brother down that brightly lit corridor in the middle of the night, panting to keep up, these two worlds had just somehow, mysteriously, merged. She just knew it.

Although she had been running for only a few seconds, Susie was out of breath by the time she caught up with her brother. She could feel sweat dripping down her cheek and on her neck. She wondered if it was due to the running or the excitement building in her because with every heartbeat she could feel herself being pulled by a magnet toward something she couldn't explain and couldn't resist.

Now that she was closer, she got a really good look at Grady and could see that his hair was tasseled as though he had just stepped out of a wind tunnel and his eyes had a wild, crazed look. Something was stirring in him that she had never seen before, and she had seen him do some pretty crazy stuff. But something was brewing in her too, and she wondered if that same wild look was in her eyes. She couldn't explain what was happening, but it scared and thrilled her at the same time.

He pressed the down button, and the doors slid open. Before she could act, Grady jumped in, and she followed. This was reckless, this was crazy. But she couldn't resist the pull of that magnet.

The air inside the elevator had a musty smell of cigarettes, perfume, and cologne. Hidden under these rather unpleasant aromas something else filled her nostrils. Something that reminded her of pine trees and wide open spaces. As if she was standing on the precipice of some wide open valley.

I told you I heard something here before, Grady said breathlessly. It sounded like the wind at first, and then I thought, how could there be wind? We are inside a building. That's when I realized it wasn't the wind at all. It was growling… And it was coming from behind this.

He pointed to the back of the elevator which had an unusual design. The front opened to the floor they had just left, but the back of the contraption had another door. A second door. Susie had noticed this earlier in the evening when her family was coming up from dinner. At first she thought that it opened up to a service area or perhaps some section of the building that was only accessible to hotel employees, but then she noticed the green light and remembered thinking that was weird… because there was definitely a mysterious greenish light coming from the keyhole as well as around the fringes of the door. And the strangest part was, she didn't think her parents could see the door at all.

Now her brother was pointing to the middle of the mysterious door as the elevator rumbled down. She followed his gaze and found what he was pointing at: a keyhole in the center and that same greenish light was spilling into the elevator again.

She could feel her stomach lurch as the elevator dropped rapidly.

We are out of time, her brother said with sudden urgency. If someone gets on, the magic won't work. I know it.

Do you have the key? Susie asked, looking expectantly at the keyhole, her heart pounding in her ears.

We don't need it.

Grady reached out with his hand and the door melted like hot wax, his hand went right through it as if it were an illusion. And then, without warning, he was pulled through and vanished completely. Her eyes widened in horror as her brother disappeared. Susie swallowed hard and jumped through into the unknown after him.

Susie was instantly nauseous and thought this was the worst idea ever. Her head spun like a top so she closed her eyes tightly, certain that if she opened them she would vomit. Without warning, her knees hit something cold and hard, her hands and knees sank deeply into icy snow. Wind lashed her face, and snow fell in her eyes, clouding her vision.

Where the heck was she?

Susie squinted to get a better look at her surroundings. She couldn't see much. It was so dark. Deep drifts of snow were all around her, and she was only wearing pajamas in this blizzard!

Or was she?

Suddenly she realized her pajamas were gone. She was wearing a heavy cloak, snow boots and had a thick furry hood pulled tightly over her head. Her brother was similarly dressed. The wintry clothes had materialized the instant they crossed the threshold into this dark, bitterly cold place.

Getting to her feet, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, she brushed the snow from her hood and looked around.

Both the children huddled together at the mouth of an enormous cave. Some torches were lit on the rocky walls behind her, orange flames dancing in the wind that swirled about. The torchlight cast creepy shadows on the ground and on her brother's face.

The doorway, or portal, or whatever it was, through which they had traveled, was gone.

Where's the door? Grady asked.

Susie and Grady ran their hands over the rocky surface of the cave and found a keyhole in the rock.

Shouldn't there be a key? Susie asked, terrified. Where's the key? How are we supposed to get back?

Grady shrugged his shoulders.

An instant later a large bronze key, ornately designed with jewels materialized out of nowhere.

This was the key back to their world. They were sure of it.

This is incredible! Grady shouted over the wind. Can you believe this? he asked her.

Susie didn't trust herself to speak.

We should look around, Grady said intrepidly.

We should get out of here, Susie said. Let's go back.

We just got here, Grady shot back. We might've discovered an entire new dimension, he said enthusiastically. We'll be famous.

Or dead, Susie said. I don't like this place, she said, shivering. Let's go.

That's when they heard the growling. But it was too late to turn back. The towering shadow was on them before they could move.

A gigantic, hairy paw with razor claws took a swipe at Grady's head. Her brother ducked just in time, but it was more likely that a trip on his cloak saved his life. The claw raked the sides of the cave sending fragments of stone into the snow. Then she saw a yawning mouth open wide revealing jagged razor teeth dripping with saliva. The monstrosity lunged forward toward Grady, who lay sprawled on the snow, helpless.

Susie's instincts took over before her fear caught up with her brain. She grabbed hold of Grady's cloak and pulled him away as the jaws snapped shut inches from his face. She couldn't hear her own screams over the howling wind.

The two had no idea where they were going, but anywhere was safer than here, so they ran frantically away from the cave and into the blinding, whirling snow, lost.

As their hopeless situation settled over them, Susie heard a voice.

Come with me if you want to live.

2

She jumped and turned toward the voice. There was no one there.

Suddenly, a sled drawn by ferocious wolves came to a halt directly in front of her, sending a spray of icy wetness all over her front. The wolves were growling and snarling, struggling in their harnesses, as Susie stood there shivering and drenched.

Bundled beneath a cloak and thick blankets, the sled's driver looked her up and down and cracked a whip over the wolves.

Enough! the driver shouted angrily at the pack. Come on! Get on! she exhorted, beckoning them forward.

It was a girl's voice.

Susie found this strange but somehow comforting. She caught a glimpse of pale blue eyes staring at her from above a scarf. The driver extended a gloved hand.

Come on! she urged. We have to go! Now!

Whoever she was she had to be a better option than the thing back in the cave. Without thinking the two children jumped onto the sled. There was another snap of the whip, and the sled lurched forward pulled by the growling wolves. Soon the cave was lost in the darkness, the monsters roaring mingling with the wind.

The sled ride was bumpy bordering on torturous. Susie and Grady bounced up and down, backward and forward, their backs convulsing with each turn, their necks twisting in directions that were unnatural. Their heads ached and their faces burned with the cold. The mysterious driver whipped the wolves onward through the night. Susie held onto her brother tightly. It wasn't fear that she felt. It was a desire to protect him. It swelled like a balloon inside her, filling her from the top of her head to the bottom of her frost- bitten toes. Despite the snoring, she loved him more than words could express.

Where are we going? Grady whispered.

She could barely make out his words.

I don't know.

Who is the driver? Grady asked.

I don't know. Susie replied.

Lost in a strange world with a guide who neither spoke nor offered any reassurance to them, they were vulnerable and at the mercy of forces beyond their control. Just when her nerves were about to fray the silence was broken.

Who are you? the driver asked. How did you get to this place?

Susie's voice was reluctant to come. You speak English?

Of course. I came through that doorway in the cave back there. I've been trapped here.

What?

Hold on, the driver ordered as the sleigh veered sharply to the left avoiding a cliff that fell away to their right. Susie caught a glimpse of a sheer drop into a bottomless void. If they hadn't turned at that precise moment they would have gone over the edge. Susie gulped.

You are in the Frozen Wasteland, the driver explained. Only monsters live here. Like that thing back at the caves. It waits for kids to come through and then gobbles them up. I go there from time to time and try to find the door back. But I can never find it. I just end up wandering those caves. I am glad I could help you tonight. Usually all I find back there are bones, skulls. I've been trapped here for so long.

What's your name? Susie asked.

It's Della.

My name is Susie and this is my brother, Grady.

Hello, she replied, trying to stay focused on the path in front of her. It's not much further. We should be home soon.

The sleigh made another violent turn to the right. How she could see anything through all this snowfall was a mystery to Susie.

Home? Susie asked, wondering where she was taking them.

Almost as soon as the words were spoken, the sleigh came to a jarring stop, and Grady and Susie tumbled onto the snow, staring up into a black sky dotted with stars.

It had stopped snowing. Susie wondered if it was the same sky that she was used to. She didn't know enough about astronomy to know for sure, but this sky looked weird. There was more than one moon. And these moons were red and purple, not white. It definitely wasn't the sky she saw back home.

Della helped them to their feet. You look frozen. Let's get inside. She unhitched the wolves from their harnesses. There were six of them, and they were huge. Their paws were vast, and their snouts long. One by one they turned their hungry eyes on Susie and Grady, and for a moment, Susie heard growls and thought the wolves would spring on them. At a look from Della, the wolves were quelled and silently milled about.

Susie turned her gaze away from the animals and, for the first time, took in the enormous castle that loomed in the darkness. She squinted up into the sky at the tall spires that stretched into the night. There was an imposing metal gate before them. Della unfastened the lock and the gate swung on rusty hinges. Susie felt as though she were about to walk into a haunted house. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach and her throat was incredibly dry. As Susie tried to steady her nerves, Della led the way through the gate and the children and the wolves followed her inside.

Torches lined the walls and corridors. The place was huge, and the children stuck close to Della. It was something out of the middle ages. Stone walls, stone floors, and shadows everywhere. Susie had the feeling that a hand would reach out from the darkness at any second and grab her. She pulled her brother close. The wolves trotted beside them. Della led the way into a cavernous room with a huge fireplace and a table full of food. Despite her fear and suspicions, hunger prevailed. The children ran to the table. They discarded their cloaks on the floor and sat on large wooden, splintery chairs. Every inch of the table was crammed with all of their favorites. There were plates of turkey and potatoes, hot soup, buttered rolls, and sweet-tasting juice in large goblets. Susie and Grady's misgivings evaporated as they feasted on the succulent food.

I guess we won't need the muffins, Grady said between mouthfuls of turkey.

Della sat beside them. Della had impossibly pale skin, sharp crystal-blue eyes and shoulder-length hair as black as the night sky. She wore a short black dress with blue leggings, a fuzzy pair of boots and a thick warm coat, most likely made from the fur of some animal. She removed her coat and joined them at the table.

This place has magic, she began. That's how the food is here. That's how the torches stay lit. That's why the wolves protect me. You see, when I came through the elevator. I heard a woman's voice calling me.

She took a deep breath.

My family bought that hotel, and we lived on the top floor. It's a really old building. It's been around for a long time with many previous owners. I would explore every inch of it, and I made friends with the staff. They said that I should keep away from certain parts of the place because it was haunted. I just thought they were trying to scare me. That's when I started to hear the woman's voice in the elevator. I crept out one night when they were asleep and ended up here.

That's what happened to me, Grady said. Except I didn't hear a woman's voice at all. I heard growling.

It was probably that creature, Della said. The woman was a witch. A sorceress. She had been enticing children through that portal for years, apparently. She would enslave them. And sometimes eat them. This is her castle. These are her wolves.

Where is she now? Susie asked.

She is dead.

How? Grady asked.

I killed her.

The children's eyes grew wide with shock. How could a little girl kill a powerful witch?

Have you heard of Hansel and Gretel? Della asked.

Of course.

I pulled a Gretel on her.

You mean you shoved her into an oven?

Not exactly…but close enough. I really don't want to go into details. It was awful… Her eyes had a faraway look to them. Susie wasn't sure what Della had done, but it was clear that it was violent and terrible.

The animals obey me now, Della explained. I don't know why, but I think it has something to do with the fact that I killed their former master, and their allegiance has changed to me. Until my death perhaps… She gulped. Not very nice to think about. Is it?

No, not nice at all, Susie agreed solemnly, putting down her goblet.

Just then Susie realized how much she owed Della. She had saved their lives, brought them to this place, and gave them food and shelter in a cold, dark wasteland. I want to thank you for saving us, Susie said and reached out to touch Della's hand. Susie pulled back almost at once. It was freezing cold.

I'm sorry. I have Raynaud's syndrome. Della began apologetically.

What the heck is that? Grady asked.

It's a medical condition. It's when your blood vessels constrict excessively when exposed to cold air. You see, we were going to see a specialist to get some help for my condition. But I never got the chance. A tear sprang from her eye. I miss my family so much. I need to get back to them. I need to get back home. Can you help me? Please… she pleaded desperately, swallowing tears.

Of course we will, Grady said. After everything you've done for us. We can't leave you here in this awful place.

The door to the room swung open and two colossal beasts sauntered in from the hall. Grady yelped and jumped on the table, pulling from his pocket the swiss army knife. Even the wolves backed away, whining, relinquishing the area.

Susie recognized the creatures from a book she had once borrowed from the library on prehistoric animals. They were saber-toothed tigers, and they were easily the biggest cats she had ever laid eyes on. They were orange with black stripes, but their fangs hung from their open jaws, longer and sharper than any tiger alive. And unlike these hulking predators, zoo tigers were safely behind steel cages. These were close enough to hear their breathing and smell their thick fur. Like the wolves they walked stiffly over to Della and allowed her to place a hand on them. They blinked slowly, almost affectionately, and then curled beside the fireplace.

You can put the knife away, Grady. I don't want you to scare them, Della teased.

Are those what I think they are? Grady asked nervously.

Yes, if you think they are saber-tooth tigers.

No one is going to believe this, Susie said in utter amazement.

First you have to make it back, Della said, her pale blue eyes holding Susie's gaze. And that's what we need to talk about. How the three of us are getting out of here and back to our world.

You said that you have gone to the caves before but couldn't find the way out?

Yes, Della answered.

But there was a key hanging by the portal, Susie said. It was a big, brass fancy key with what looked like an emerald right in the middle. You didn't see it?

Della thought hard. She shook her head. I never saw a key, Della answered after a moment. The first time I came through, one of those creatures tried to get me, just like what happened to you. The witch was there and grabbed me almost immediately. When she brought me back to this place she had five children. I'm the only one left.

What happened to the others?

Della's tears were hot and dripped down the side of her cheek and splashed on the table. She shook her head. They helped me kill her, but it cost them their lives. I'm the only one left.

How long have you been here?

Honestly, I don't know. I don't know how many days. A long time I think. I'm not sure if time works the same way here as it does back home.

What do you mean?

Well, if it works the same way, then your family will have awakened by now and realize that you and Grady are gone. The police will have been called, and your parents will be terribly worried and frightened. Right?

I guess that is true, Susie answered. She felt so bad for her parents.

But if time in our world stops the instant we cross the threshold into this world, Della began, then your parents are still in that hotel room, asleep. Not a care in the world.

I see your point, Susie said.

I've been gone for a long time. One of the other kids said that he'd been here for years. Years…

Susie allowed that thought to creep into her mind. Imagine being trapped for years in this castle in the middle of that frozen wasteland with monsters everywhere and an evil witch keeping you a prisoner? It would be like a nightmare you could never wake up from.

What was his name? Susie asked. The boy.

Jason. He said he never aged. Not one day. At first I didn't believe him. I thought maybe he was lying or had gone crazy or something. He said that time didn't exist here. I think he was right. Not in the same way that it does back home. Every day I look in the mirror to see if I've aged. My face looks exactly the same.

So what happens if time does stand still here? Grady asked.

Then my parents will be in the hotel waiting for me as if I had never left.

Same as ours, Susie said, beginning to understand.

That's right.

But even if time marches on in our world, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I go back and my parents are old and frail and my sister has children of her own. We all have to get back.

There was a steely determination in her eyes.

The wolves are tired after their long journey. I can't ask them to go back there without a few days to rest, but as soon as they are ready, we are going back to those caves. We will find that key and get out of here. But for right now we all need sleep. I will bring you upstairs to the bedchambers. Once you are in bed do not explore this place without me. Do you understand? It's not safe.

Susie and Grady looked at each other fearfully.

Della stood up and lifted the candelabra off the table and walked toward the hallway. Follow me.

Susie and Grady retrieved their thick cloaks from the cold stone floor and followed Della into the hall. The wolves stood up and trotted after them. It was clear that the wolves were Della's most loyal protectors. The tigers lifted their heads and watched the children leave but did not follow, preferring the warmth of the fire. Grady caught one last glimpse of a yawning tiger, its fangs the size of an elephant's tusk, before resting its head on its massive paws. The size of those fangs would linger in Grady's memory and would doubtless lead to nightmares.

Della led the way out of the dining room up a winding, narrow staircase. The place was dark and drafty. Susie was glad for the cloak but wished she had a pair of mittens. Her hands were freezing, and she could see little puffs of her breath. She could hear the wind howling outside the castle and was so grateful for shelter and safety. She was so thankful for Della. Where would they be without her?

With every step up the rickety staircase, she heard the wooden floorboards beneath her creak ominously and found herself squeezing Grady's hand tighter. Della held the candelabra in front of her, candlelight flames casting an orange glow on her face. Susie lost track of how many steps they had climbed, but she was getting exhausted.

Grady walked beside her, two steps behind Della. He was panting too. Finally, they reached the top of the stairway. It was like they had just climbed a mountain and reached the summit. She wiped her brow and gazed down the stairs. She couldn't see the bottom.

Della led the way into a bedroom.

The two of you should sleep in here tonight. Della held the candelabra aloft, but the candlelight illuminated only a portion of the spacious room, most of it remained in velvety shadows.

Remember, don't explore the castle. It's not safe. I am going to lock you into this room. For your own safety, don't leave. I will put some wolves outside your door just to be safe. This place has a way of luring children to their deaths. It's probably the spirit of the witch that still lingers in the corridors, haunting this place. Who knows if there is a way that she can cheat death and come back? She shivered. Well, sweet dreams.

Sweet dreams? Was she kidding?

The nightmares came almost as soon as Susie closed her eyes. She was being hunted. She had to get away. She had to escape. She heard creepy laughter and kept looking over her shoulder. She could see the outline of a figure but couldn't tell if it was human. She was running through what felt like a maze. There were lefts and rights, and she kept tripping, allowing her pursuer to catch up with her. When she felt a cold hand on her shoulder, she screamed and wrenched herself out of the dream.

She sat upright in the darkness. Traces of the nightmare clung to her mind. It was still night. The candles had burned low on the nightstand beside her bed, casting a small circle of light around her. She reached for Grady who had fallen asleep beside her. He wasn't there.

Susie's fear exploded inside her chest. Where was her brother? She leapt out of bed and nearly tripped on her cloak. She took a step and Grady collided with her in the darkness.

Mom's here, Grady said with a panicked voice.

What? Susie asked, her voice hoarse with sleep and exhaustion.

I heard her. She was calling. She's outside the door. She wants to get in.

He ran over to the door and pulled on the handle. True to her word, Della had locked them inside the room. Then Susie heard the sound that made her feel scared and safe all at the same time.

Susie, Grady, It's me. It's Mamma. Open the door. I'm out here all alone. I went looking for you. I went through the door in the elevator too.

It's Mom, Grady said. We have to let her in.

Susie remembered the warning that Della had given them. About the witch and her evil spirit lurking the halls of this enchanted place.

We'll let you in, Mom! Grady called. The door is locked.

I don't think it's Mom, Susie said. I think it's a trap.

Hurry, their mother's voice called through the door. There's something out here. It's coming up the stairs. I'm scared.

The children could hear the terror in her voice. What if their mother was really outside the door, and they didn't let her in? What if they left her to be ripped to pieces by whatever foul creature was crawling up that staircase at this very minute? Della had warned them, true. But there were so many fantastic and unbelievable events that had befallen them. What if their mother had somehow followed them into this world in search of them and had come all this way only to be murdered by a monster the instant she had found them?

Mom… Grady sobbed, soaking in the horror of the situation. The door is locked, he cried frantically. We can't open it. Run! Run away! Grady yelled, every ounce of his strength pulling on the door handle.

They heard a terrible blood curdling scream and then silence.

Grady was crying. Susie held him tightly. It's okay. It's not real. It's not real.

Mommy! Grady screamed into the night.

And then they heard the laughter of something cruel and wicked just on the other side of that door.

You couldn't even save your own mother. How will you possibly defeat me?

And then they heard the sound of feet running on the other side of the door and a key being thrust into a lock and the door was wrenched open. Della was standing there, framed in the doorway, the candelabra in her hand, flames dancing before her face.

She looked at them. No words were exchanged. The look on her face made it clear. She understood exactly what had just happened.

I've been dealing with this for a long time. I know how this castle works. It preys on your weaknesses and fears. I've learned to ignore it. I'm sorry. I tried to warn you. It'll be light soon. The light makes the demons go away. I'll stay with you for the rest of the night.

Two imposing wolves trotted into the bedchamber and curled beside the bed, their eyes reflecting the warm glowing light from the candles. They will keep us safe tonight.

3

The events of last night made it crystal clear the sooner Susie and Grady made it back to their world the better.

The children were having breakfast in the dining hall. Plates of eggs and bacon and toast and jam and fruit were laid on the table. Goblets of juice and milk filled to the brim. The children helped themselves. The castle had provided for their needs magically without any effort on their part. The same castle that haunted them at night and terrified them gave them sustenance during the day. It all made no sense whatsoever.

The fire in the hearth still blazed from the previous night, and images and memories of their nightmare slithered on the edge of their mind. Susie and Grady tried to force the memories back into the subconscious abyss from which they had arisen.

There were large mullioned, stained glass windows in the hall and shafts of light streamed in from above. At least there was sunshine in this frozen place.

After breakfast they went outside to get some air. Della led the way through the courtyard of the castle and back to the archway and the front gate. The gate creaked open. Della's wolves sprinted out in front of them leaving paw prints in the snow. The sky was overcast. The air was bitterly cold, and they could not stay outside for too long. Della led the way to the brink of a deep chasm. The children looked down into the mist but could not see the bottom.

I have no idea how deep the gorge is. But that is where she would dispose of… the others…

Susie and Grady exchanged dark looks. You mean…the other children…

Yes.

The three of them stared down into the abyss. Down below was the final resting place of the children the witch had lured here. So far from their homes and their families and the lives they left behind. Susie wondered how their parents grieved their loss. Or if their parents even remembered them at all. Somehow, Susie felt that her parents would never forget her. No matter how powerful the magic.

I didn't know many of them. Except for the few that I met.

She wiped some tears from her eyes. They were nice.

The wind howled and flurries started falling again. We better get in.

They trudged back to the castle, the gate clanked behind them. Della shook the flakes from her hair. Her cheeks were red, and she was panting with exertion.

I thought today we could go to the Library.

Grady and Susie looked at each other, perplexed.

It'll be easier to explain when you see it, Della said, reading the puzzled look on their faces.

Della led them through the blustery courtyard. The snow blew strongly in their faces, stinging their cheeks.

Susie pulled her collar up around her face as her boots sank deeply into the fresh snowfall. Susie was definitely getting her exercise today. They walked up a series of crumbling steps and pushed open the enormous front door. The three children heard the massive door swing on its hinges and entered, grateful for the warmth. Della slammed the door shut behind them, sealing out the bitter cold. The sound of the door slamming echoed down the hallway.

Follow me, Della said, turning to face them. It's this way.

Della took the lead and led them down another passage. It was much darker here and their eyes needed to adjust. They walked in silence until Della stopped abruptly.

Stay close, Della said. These steps can be tricky.

Susie was amazed at how Della knew each way without ever getting lost. Following right behind her, she and Grady went down a winding staircase, careful of their footing on the slippery stones.

The light grew faint down here and the air was musty. Torches on the damp stone walls lit the way forward. When they reached the bottom of the steps there was another passageway that split. Della took the right fork and it continued until they reached another door. Again, Susie was astonished at how easily Della navigated these dark creepy passages. They paused at the doorway.

Here's the place.

Della turned the handle on the door and pushed it open. When they entered the room, Susie and Grady both gasped in shock.

They found themselves in a room the size of a cathedral. There were rows and rows of bookshelves, each one easily twice their height. A wooden staircase led the way to another level where more books lined the walls. This library was bigger than any Susie had ever seen.

I call this place the Library. But it's more like a cemetery. These books are the only traces of the children that the witch tortured and killed. Judging by the number of them in this place, she must have had thousands of children trapped in this castle over the years.

I don't understand, Grady said. What do you mean more like a cemetery?

Watch, she said simply.

Della walked forward to the nearest bookshelf, her boots echoing off the stone floor and pulled out one of the books. It was dusty and leather-bound. She held it in her hand and smiled sadly to herself. This is Jason's book. He was my friend. Della opened the book, and Susie and Grady jumped in fright.

A ghostly image of a boy around their age appeared before them. His image was blurry and in shades of gray. He wore a sad expression. He blossomed out of the book like a flower and floated over to Della. He extended his hand longingly to hold hers, but the apparition had no substance and his fingers passed through her flesh.

These books are like headstones. Except these headstones tell you the complete story of the person buried in the snow out there. Not just some words carved into crumbling stone that no one will ever read. Each one of these books contains the spirit of the child that she murdered. All of their memories, their essence. She trapped their souls in this awful place forever.

Jason's ghost disappeared.

That's why I had to kill her, Della said. Do you understand?

The children nodded silently.

She beckoned for Grady to come forward and touch the book. He hesitated and shook his head eyeing the thing like something poisonous that could bite him. It's okay, Della said soothingly. It can't hurt you. It's just echoes of the past. Things that have happened that can't be changed. His book has a beginning, a middle, and an end. We can flick to any page in this volume and witness firsthand the events of Jason's life.

Is it creepy? Grady asked with trepidation. I'm not in the mood for something scary.

I will show you this, Della said. It's not creepy at all.

She flicked through the pages of the book, found what she was looking for and stopped. You both have to touch the book in order to enter it.

What do you mean? Enter it?

We are going into the story of Jason's life. Trust me. It won't hurt. And it will explain a lot.

Grady and Susie looked at each other, a mixture of fear and expectation on their faces, and slowly laid their fingers on the spine of the book.

Della opened the volume wide and the children were sucked into the pages.

Feeling like she had just stepped off a cliff, Susie tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. She was spiraling down into a weird nothingness, and then her feet hit the ground hard, as though she had just fallen from a tremendous height. Except there was no ground. She could see nothing. The darkness that surrounded her gradually turned to shades of white, black, and gray. They were no longer in the Library room but in the courtyard outside. The world around them became clearer with each passing moment and soon things came into focus.

Susie, Grady, and Della saw two children. They walked closer to get a better look. Susie and Grady did a double take as they saw another Della seated before them, identical to the one standing next to them. Grady opened his mouth to speak, but the Della by his side raised her finger to her lips indicating silence, Grady nodded.

Huddled together, Della was nestled with a boy of about her age on the snow. They sat very close, holding hands. It was clear that they were intimate friends. Susie could see puffs of their frozen breath mingling in the little space between them as they spoke. Susie suddenly felt embarrassed as though she were spying on a meeting that was not meant to be observed.

We don't have much time, Jason said. We have to do it tonight. Jason's words echoed in Susie and Grady's ears as if he were standing very far away across a wide valley.

I'm scared, Della said. How do we know it will even work, she added. You know what she did to Tom and Becky and Amanda. The wolves… Della's words echoed from the past and frightened Susie.

We have no choice, Jason said. She won't be expecting anything like this.

Yes, but if that thing shows up, it could kill us all. Not just her. There's no way to control it, Della protested.

You can control it, Della. I don't know how. But you can. It should've killed us back in that cavern but…

It saved us, Susie finished.

Exactly. We found it and for some crazy reason it listened to you. It hates fire. We know that much. You remember its reaction when it saw that torch. It went berserk, Jason said with a shudder. When she does the ritual there's always fire and that thing will come if you summon it. Summon it, like you did the other day. That was unbelievable. What is that connection you have with it? It's like a pet.

It's not my pet, Della snapped.

Are you still having dreams of it?

Della nodded.

Tell it to come. And it will show up. I know it, Jason said enthusiastically. It's our way out of here. Our way home…

I know. I can't explain it either… Della said quietly. It should've killed us, but it didn't. Their eyes darted around the courtyard. She's coming back. I hear her, Della said fearfully.

You know I love you, Jason said. You are the only reason why I am still alive, why I haven't given up, why I didn't jump off the castle wall like Gregory or Mitch. You are so brave. You stand up to her.

I'm not brave, Della said. I just want to go home. I miss my sister and my parents.

I know. If things go well, you'll be home soon.

The images faded and Susie and Grady found themselves back in the Library again.

Della closed the book.

I could show you what we did to her. Do you want to see? Della asked.

A part of Susie was terrified, but another part was curious. Della said that the images in the book could not hurt her. They were things that had happened in the past. Even so, the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up.

Yes, Grady said mustering up courage. I do want to see.

Me too, Susie said. If her little brother wasn't afraid, then neither was she.

Very well, Della replied. I will show you.

She opened the book again, and the pages turned of their own accord and stopped on the last page of Jason's book. Susie glanced at the page and saw no words written there but, rather, runes and what looked like hieroglyphics. And then the three children were once again sucked into the depths of the book and the world swam before them, a mixture of swirling shadows until the dining hall coalesced around them. Once again everything was grainy, black and white, no colors of any kind.

A tall, elegant woman with long dark hair stood in the middle of the hall. She had high cheekbones, a pointy chin, and an upturned nose and wore an imperious look on her face. She carried herself as if she were a queen. She wore a black cloak and, on top of her head, a tiara that had a large sapphire in the middle. She was surrounded by her wolves. She stroked one of their heads with her long, pointed bloodred nails. Her skin was pale and her eyes were black. Or was it just that they appeared so?

You see how the demons reward me. The more of you I slaughter, the more powerful and beautiful I become. As long as I have children in this castle, I shall live eternally. It is time for the next sacrifice. Which of you volunteers?

Susie saw Della and four other children seated at the very table where they had eaten breakfast earlier that day. The children cringed in terror, and Susie's heart went out to them. The witch glared down at them as a cobra might to a collection of mice. Susie recognized Jason from the previous scene; the others were a mystery to her. No one met the witch's eyes. There were two boys and one girl all about her age. The girl was a blonde with circles under her eyes as though she hadn't slept in days. When was the last time she had seen her family, Susie wondered. The boys looked as though they might have been brothers. Susie saw them visibly trembling as the witch stalked by.

Come…come, there must be one of you willing to die to preserve your friends? After all, how can one put a price on life no matter how long it might last? She laughed. If no one comes forward, then I pick. And I will make the others watch as the ritual is performed. She paused as the weight of these words sank in. I will count to three—one…two…

I volunteer, Jason said, standing up, his chair falling over and clattering to the floor.

Good, the witch replied, smiling. You are a brave boy. So willing to save the lives of these wretched mongrels.

She walked over to Jason and stood behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He winced as if he had received an electric shock. It will be painless, my dear, the witch said soothingly into his ear, her lips brushing his earlobe. After all, death comes for us all. Yours will be quick.

The witch led Jason to the center of the room. Jason gave Della a fleeting look and nodded slowly. Della flashed a fragile smile as if to say I hope this works.

The witch withdrew a dagger from the sleeve of her cloak. Its blade was jagged and twisted. The witch muttered an incantation under her breath. Susie could not understand the harsh sounding language, but the instant the last words had passed the witch's lips, the entire castle shook, the chandelier above their heads rattled, and the floor beneath their feet trembled and cracked. The center of the room split with the force of an earthquake, tearing the floor apart. The children fell from their chairs and toppled over in the chaos. An inferno burst from the chasm that was formed. The flames leapt from the abyss and heat scorched the walls. It was as though hell itself had spilled into the castle. A sulfurous stench belched into the hall.

Della stood up in the mid of the devastation, the flames reflected in her eyes.

You can't take him, Della said. This is the end of you.

The witch turned around and looked at Della, a sneer on her face.

You…always you…

I hate you, Della said. You are a monster.

We are all monsters. Some of us are just better at hiding it than others.

The wolves growled and their haunches stood on end.

If I give the command to attack they will rip you to shreds, the witch threatened. No one will save you.

Della did not flinch. I am not afraid of you.

Prove it. Little girl. No one will rescue you. Your little friends are cowering under the table too terrified to move. She pointed a dismissive finger at the children hiding in the shadows. I am the ruler of this castle. You are nothing! the witch spat.

Della glared at the witch. Love is stronger than any evil magic you can conjure.

The witch laughed. A cruel, high-pitched, mirthless sound echoed all around the hall. Have you learned nothing? Love has not saved you. Love will not save the boy. Good is weak and evil will always triumph!

The witch walked over to the edge of the abyss and raised her arms above her head. The heat from the inferno grew more intense as the dining hall became as hot as a furnace. This did not bother the witch in the least. She seemed to relish the scorching heat.

I summon the spirits of Acheron, the witch said. I summon them here to take this boy's blood in tribute and bestow upon me the gifts of eternal life!

Just as the witch said this, the windows shattered and a creature crashed through into the hall, sending shards of glass raining down in all directions. The children dove under the table to shield themselves from the falling debris as a dragon slammed onto the stone floor and reared on its hind legs, spreading its wings, filling the chamber. The dragon's head towered above the scene. Massive horns larger than a triceratops adorned either side of its colossal skull. It opened its jaws and a blast of frozen ice erupted from its mouth. The torrent of ice and frozen air doused the flames, and soon all the hellfire was extinguished. Smoke filled the chamber. The howling wind and snow drifted in from the ruined windows above, dispersing the horrid hellish smell. For the first time since arriving here, Susie appreciated the cold.

The witch's expression was a mixture of shock and awe as she peered up at the dragon.

The beast was pure white with razor-sharp talons and spikes running the length of its back down to its tail which thrashed about the hall as if it were an agitated cat about to pounce on a mouse. The dragon spread its wings, and its eyes narrowed menacingly at the sight of the witch.

Della climbed over the broken furniture and fragments of the ceiling that had collapsed onto the floor and walked over to the dragon, placing a hand on its side.

It listens to me. I brought it here. Me.

You have learned much, young one, the witch replied as a teacher might have done to a student after mastering a particularly difficult lesson.

The dragon gave a roar that shook the castle, and even though these were supposed to be memories or images of the past, Susie's ears still hurt, and she backed away from the behemoth. Its tail thudded against the wall, sending more chunks of the ceiling raining down.

The witch's wolves did not retreat and each snarled ferociously at the beast despite the immensity of the creature. It was clear that these wolves would fight to the death to protect their mistress from harm.

It is your turn to jump into the abyss. It is your turn to die, and we get to watch, Della said.

Smoke and steam continued to rise from the chasm in the middle of the room. The witch looked this way and that, but Jason and the other children had disappeared. Only she and Della remained in the middle of the room facing each other as though about to duel.

This dragon changes nothing. Did you really think that I could be defeated by this? She laughed. The demons of Acheron protect me and this castle. The flames that had been extinguished suddenly burst to life and soared toward the domed ceiling once again.

The dragon drew another