guys, but I had so many different thoughts and fears running through my head, not the least of which was that bag that turned out to have Gunny’s hand in it. Saint Dane is truly a monster. Once you told me he had returned to Eelong, I knew that I had to return as well. Again, I’m sorry for being such a creep.
My plan was to return to Eelong, then climb back up into the tree and see if I could find my way back to Leeandra. I needed to find Seegen, the Traveler. And ultimately, Gunny. After that we would begin to try and find a way to stop Saint Dane and his quest to obliterate the gars. On the trip back, I carried the bag with Gunny’s hand with reverence. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but whatever it was, it would have to be on Eelong.
But when the flume deposited me back in the cavern on Eelong, my plans immediately changed. I pushed my way through the hanging roots to find myself in the vast underground cavern facing…
A jet-black jungle cat. The big cat stood on all fours, facing me. Its amber eyes seemed to look right through me. If this cat had been given the okay to hunt gars, then it had just gotten a surprise snack from out of the blue. Me.
We stood looking at each other for what seemed like an eternity. I saw that my wooden weapon was still on the flat rock where I left it-beyond my reach. Not that I would have known what to do with it anyway. The next move was going to have to be the cat’s. I bent my legs, ready to spring out of the way if it charged.
It didn’t. Instead the big cat said calmly, “So you’re Pendragon.”
I immediately realized who it was. I had seen her before and knew I wasn’t in danger.
“My name’s Kasha,” she continued. “My father is Seegen, the Traveler from Eelong.” She stood up on her two hind legs, crossed her arms in front of her and added, “He’s missing.”
I’m going to end my journal here, guys. I’m writing this from the city of Leeandra, where I am staying in the tree house that belongs to Kasha, the daughter of Seegen. But Seegen isn’t here. Question is, where is he?
The main reason I’m ending this here is that I need to send you a warning. Whatever happened by losing Veelox has changed the nature of Halla. I’m not entirely sure what that means, but it seems to be okay with Saint Dane, which can only mean it’s bad news. You two are acolytes now. I’m proud of you, and I know you’re going to support me and the other Travelers when we come to Second Earth. But I’m beginning to think that it means a little more. I can’t be sure, but I think you two now have the power to activate the flumes.
Don’t do it.
If there was one thing that Uncle Press taught me, it’s that the territories cannot be mixed. Remember what happened on Denduron? It was nearly a disaster. I can’t even imagine what would happen if acolytes started traveling between territories. I might be wrong about this, but my gut tells me it would cause even more trouble than before. So please, wait for my next journal. Hopefully by the time I write it, I’ll have more information to give you. You guys are the best. I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t there for me, even if it’s just on the other end of my journals. Again, I’m sorry for having been so rough when I saw you, but I know you understand.
And I hope that by the next time I write, I’ll have some news about Gunny. Until then, think about me, and please be careful.
END OF JOURNAL #16
SECOND EARTH
“… think about me, and please be careful.”
Courtney Chetwynde read the last few words of Bobby’s journal out loud and then dropped the crunchy, brown pages onto the table in front of the couch where Mark Dimond sat. They were in the basement of Courtney’s house, in her father’s dusty workshop. It was the one place they knew they could read Bobby’s journals and not be disturbed. Courtney’s dad never used the workshop. They called it the “tool museum.”
“That sucks,” Courtney said with disgust.
“What do you mean?” Mark asked.
“We finally have the chance to help Bobby, for real, and he won’t let us.”
Mark sat up straight. He hadn’t expected this reaction from her.
“Whoa, you were the one who wasn’t sure about being an acolyte. Now you’re upset because you can’t jump into the flume?”
Courtney picked up a hammer from the workbench and pounded it into her open hand, a move that clearly said to Mark that she was upset. She didn’t say anything right away and Mark didn’t press her. Whatever was on her mind, he knew it had to come out on her terms. Finally, after slamming her hand so many times Mark felt sure she’d break bones, she opened up.
“We’re in trouble,” she began. “All of us. You, me, our families, Stony Brook, Second Earth, Halla…everybody! Upuntil now it’s all been like some bizarro dream. But seeing Saint Dane in the flesh, man, that made it real.” She threw the hammer down onto the workbench. The loud clatter echoed through the basement. Mark had never seen Courtney like this. She was focused, like when she played sports. But there was something more. Something different. The only thing Mark could figure was that Courtney seemed…older. He sensed an odd mix of emotions: intensity, anger, and fear.
“We know what’s going on,” she continued. “As much as Bobby does. How can we sit around and do nothing but wait for the mail to come in?”
“Because that’s what Bobby asked us to do,” Mark answered meekly, hoping not to redirect Courtney’s anger to him.
“Bull!” Courtney shouted. “Bobby’s guessing. He doesn’t know for a fact it would be bad if we used the flumes. And I’ll tell you something else, has Saint Dane ever told the truth? Things never turn out the way they first appear-that’s how he manipulates people. He gives you just enough information to think you know what’s going on, then when you jump at his bait, he twists things. You know what I think? It’s possible he’s messing with Bobby’s head again. Maybe Saint Dane isafraidfor us to travel? Huh? What about that? Maybe he doesn’t want more enemies on his butt. Did you think about that?”
Mark let this theory sink in. This was serious stuff. “Okay,” he said calmly. “I’m not sure if you’re right, but s-suppose you are. What do you th-think we should do?”
Courtney deflated. Mark saw it. The wind went right out of her sails, and she plunked herself down on the couch, sending up a cloud of dust that made Mark cough.
“It’s only a theory,” she said in defeat. “I didn’t say I had answers.”
Mark let out a relieved breath. For a second he was afraid that Courtney was going to suggest they go to Eelong. Not only would that be exactly what Bobby asked themnotto do, the idea of running into one of those tang creatures wasn’t exactly a pleasant one. Not to mention the gar quigs… or the klees, who were on the verge of legalizing the killing of humans for food. No, Mark figured that going to Eelong would be an aggressively bad idea.
Courtney sat on the couch stiffly, her jaw muscles working. Mark was beginning to think her anger had a lot to do with the trouble she was having at school, and at sports. Courtney wasn’t used to failing, and right now she was failing big-time. It occurred to Mark that Courtney’s sudden desire to enter the fight against Saint Dane might be her way of proving something to herself. But he wasn’t about to share that theory with her. No way. He didn’t want to risk her picking up that hammer again and going to work on his head.
“I want to help,” Mark said softly. “But we’ve got to be smart about it.”
“I know,” Courtney said. “You told me once you hoped the battle with Saint Dane would come to Second Earth so we could be part of it. Remember?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“Well, you got your wish. Saint Dane showed up. He knows who we are. How does that make you feel?”
Mark thought for a second and said, “Scared.”
“Yeah, me too,” Courtney admitted. “I’m not a total idiot.”
“The thing is,” Mark continued, “there’s nothing we can do. We’re not going to go to Eelong because we’d just get in the way, or get eaten. Bobby’s barely able to take care of himself. He doesn’t need us to worry about.”
Courtney nodded.
