Sealing Death (10 page)

The Realm That Died

      The van flew out of the crack and onto a piece of land. That was all that was there, a piece of land. The whole realm had been destroyed. There wasn't even a shell to protect it from nothing. They were on a piece of land, floating in nothing, with a perfect view of the Scarrcedenhogg, even though it was still a long way away.

      Cassie looked around and she saw neighboring realms. They were giant balls, basically, and they were just there, hovering in nothing.

      "Welcome to Eckstar." a deep voice bellowed. "Who are you?" Betty yelled. "I am Eckstar, the realm that died eons ago." it answered, "I was the only living realm, but then the Scarrcedenhogg killed me. Now I am back, as well as my people."

      "I don't see any people." Charlie acknowledged. The realm laughed hysterically. "That's because I haven't fully regenerated yet!" Eckstar thundered.

      A grey fog settled on the piece of land that the group topped. No one could see as the fog grew up, down, and all around the area they idled. "What's happening!" Stella squealed, trying to swat the fog away.

      Soon enough, the fog cleared, showing a fully restored world, people and all. "Cool, but we should get going!" Susan exclaimed, "Or that giant lizard is going to destroy all of these places!" The group turned around, and drove to the portal. "Wait!" Eckstar yelled, "Don't go yet!"

      "What do you mean? We have to save Reality?" Stella called out. "Don't think I am stupid!" the realm rumbled in warning, "Sure you save Reality, but I go back too! And that is not happening if I can help it!"

      Cassie sighed. Not another dead being like this again! "Go!" she ordered, but it was too late. Dirt piled up around the Crack and they were trapped with Eckstar. "My people are depressed." Eckstar stated, "I will let you go if you make my realm happy again. I refuse to let us all die like we did before. I know I have millions of people living in me, but I only ask you to brighten up five people, who by the time you send us back, will have made everyone else happy as well. Do we have a deal?"

      Cassie nodded. It was the only way to get off this realm. How hard could it be?

    Eckstar continued, "The five who you need to make happy are Bedge Aaddams, Hedza Williams, Edsat Watkins, Agee Riley, and my queen who came back to me, Alizeb Matthew!"

      Alizeb? Isn't that the name of the councilor from Camp Silver Shadow? Charlie remembered how Cassie had knocked her out. How were they going to make her happy?

      Alizeb Matthew! Cassie shuddered at the thought of her. She had beat her up pretty bad. This was going to be hard.

      Will froze. Cassie beat up Alizeb a long time ago at summer camp! What if she had a bone to pick with them?

      "Go now." Eckstar ordered, "And be swift with it." Braddock and James started up the vehicles and drove towards the town. "Bedge works in the store, Hedza is the librarian, Edsat is a teacher, and Agee is the mayor of the town you are about to be in. From there, my queen is in her castle." Eckstar finished and observed his prisoners closely.

      Braddock parked in the middle of town, outside city hall. "Let's start with Agee." he suggested, and when no one objected, they all got out and went inside.

      "I don't care if your fish market closes, the dam stays!" a lady yelled at a phone, "Can you please build your offices somewhere that doesn't block the sun to the Kids Park? I can't make an exception for your unpaid taxes, you are going to have to work harder!" After hanging up the three phones that adorned her, the lady looked at Cassie and smiled. "How may I help you?" she asked.

      "We are looking for the mayor. Someone named Agee?" Cassie expounded. "You're looking at her," she sighed, "what can I do for you?" Charlie stepped forward. "You don't look too happy." he began, "What's wrong?"

      Agee rolled her eyes. "This job!" she hollered, "Everyone wants something, and I can't please them all! That's what's wrong! Now if you don't have any business to attend to, then get out!"

      Will walked up to Agee and said, "Retire." "What?" she questioned. "Say, 'I retire'." Will advised. "I retire?" Agee repeated, "I retire. I retire? I retire! I RETIRE!!!!" She ran outside, continuing to yell "I retire" at the top of her lungs. Down the street she went, and she looked very happy. "The others won't be so easy." Eckstar warned, doubting his actions.

      Cassie got the group's attention. "Me and Will will take care of the librarian, because we like books, Charlie, Stella, and Betty can take care of the teacher, and the rest of you go cheer up the store worker. Then we'll meet back here and take care of Alizeb." Cassie paused before finishing, "Okay?"

      Everyone had agreed and began to where they were going. Cassie asked a local where the library was. "See dat street dare?" the man uttered, "Down all da way is where you want to go. Okey? Okey!" Cassie smiled and pulled Will along.

      "Remember what happened last time we were at a library?" Cassie teased. Will grinned, "Of course!" "Then go faster!" Cassie yelled, pulling him along, "We need to cheer up these people so we can leave this ghost town. Literally a ghost town! Most of these people are dead!"

      Stella, Charlie, and Betty walked to the school. It was one of those one room schoolhouses that Betty attended. Stella opened the door and walked inside. It was empty except for the desks and a teacher sitting at a desk, grading papers. "Are you Mr. Edsat?" Betty interrogated the glum schoolteacher. "Yes," he sighed, "That would be me."

      "You look like you have a problem." Charlie put in, "Anything we can help with?" Edsat looked at them strangely. "We are from the Good Teachers Make Good People Group, also known as G.T.M.G.P.G." Betty lied, "We are here to make you happier, which in turn should make your students happier!"

      Edsat growled, "Eckstar sent you?" The teacher stood up. "Try as you might, you can't cheer me up. I'm one of the few here who actually realize that they are dead." he explained, "Eckstar used his mind manipulation on all of us to make us forget about our deaths. So it's like it never happened. It doesn't work on me because I am educated, but just so you know, we are all dead!" Betty sighed. "We aren't dead, just you guys are." she started, "We aren't from here."

      Braddock and the four Smiths walked in the Mega Market. "Is there a Bedge Aaddams in here?" Susan shouted loudly. All of the customers looked at the cashier who was crying. Susan looked at her company. "I'll do the talking." she decreed and walked to the lady.

      "What's wrong?" Susan asked. "My mother," Bedge began, "she just kicked me out!" "Why?" Susan dug in. "She doesn't think," Bedge cried, "she doesn't think I'll be success. She thinks I'll fail at life, and she doesn't want me living off her when I do!"

      Susan teared a bit. Parent motivation hurt sometimes. "How do you know that's what she thinks?" Vander pried. "She said she doesn't want my sluggish rear end sittin' on her sofa, expecting to be hand fed just because I was a mess!" Bedge wailed, "There's more, but I don't like to swear." Susan petted her back. "I know how you feel." she sighed.

      Cassie and Will walked inside the library. There was absolutely no people in it! Cassie looked around and grabbed a book off the shelf. She couldn't resist. It was her favorite book ever, 'Adventures of Tony Bailey'. "How did this get here?" she asked. "We get imports of books from across the existence. That one came from the Realm of the Foretold." a woman wearing a black shawl said, "It makes me happy to know that there are some young people these days still enjoy reading. It seems like everyone else is too busy to dwell in a good book for a while."

      "Are you Hedza?" Cassie guessed, grinning. If so, this was going to be so easy!

      "What do you mean you aren't from here?" Edsat gaped, "Are you trying to say you're from a different realm? That's impossible! Eckstar refuses outsiders!"

      "Not this time." Stella cut in, "He sent us to cheer you up!" "So how can we help?" Charlie added. Edsat smirked, "There is one thing."

      "Anything!" Betty assured. "I'll be very happy if my class listened to me, just once!" Edsat explained, "If you can find a seating arrangement that keeps these kids listening to me, I'll be forever in your debt!"

      The group looked at each other. Charlie began, "Give us an hour to observe. Then we'll rearrange them."

      "How do you know how I feel?" Bedge cried out. "My mother used to be just like yours." Susan answered, "She kicked me out too. I just brushed it off and went to college, got a job, and a husband. Next thing I knew, there she was, at my door apologizing for what she did. She told me she knew I could do it if I had some motivation. She still bosses me around at times, but trust me, life will get better."

      Bedge sniffled. "So your saying she was mean out of love?" she asked, bemused. Susan nodded, "I know it might hurt now, but remember, she still loves you." Bedge stood up and smiled. "Thank you, that helped a lot." she admitted, "I'm going to work hard and make something of myself!" Susan hugged Bedge and whispered, "I know you will."

      Cassie grabbed Will's hand and pulled him up to the lady. "Yes, I am Hedza." she sighed. "Well, do you have any really good books for us?" Cassie asked, "We love to read." Hedza smiled and directed them to a shelf of young adult novels. "We have plenty." she whispered, "I don't think I've ever been this happy before."

      "Have you ever thought of doing a story time for children?" Will asked Hedza, "By doing so, you'd draw in people, and instill a love of books in all of the kids!" Hedza thought it over. "That's a spectacular idea!" she explained, "I'll go make posters right now!" With that said, Hedza ran off to the back with excitement.

      Edsat had gotten the children in their seats and started the lesson. Betty watched attentively as he went on and on about the property of addition. "So what we are getting at," he droned, "is that despite the direction of the problem, it matters not, because you get the same sum in the end."

      The kids talked right through his lesson. Some even fell asleep! Charlie dozed off as well and his head thumped on the desk he sat at. "Charlie!" Stella scolded, making him sit up quickly. "What did I miss?!" Charlie groaned.

      "You missed what the real problem is!" Betty shouted with excitement. She had been a teacher herself, for some time when Charlie's dad was younger, and she became aware of the simple fact that kids have short attention spans! "Mr. Edsat Watkins!" Betty yelled, "We know the problem!"

    After dismissing the kids for an extra recess, Edsat walked over to the trio. "Yes?" he asked, "What is it?" "YOU ARE BORING!" Charlie announced, "If you had more pizazz, the kids would probably listen!" Charlie did some jazz hands for effect.

    "Well how would you teach them?" Edsat sassed. "Bring them in and I'll show you!" Betty sassed back, "I'll teach them some math."

      When they were all sitting down, Betty walked up to the front. "Hello class!" she chirped, "I'm your guest teacher today. I'll be teaching you the prime numbers that are less than a hundred."

      Then she did something that surprised them all. "Give me a beat!" she yelled to Charlie. Charlie did the best beat he could and off his grandma went, rapping a list of prime numbers. "2, 3, 5, 7," she rapped, picking up a ruler to twirl, "11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, and 97!" After saying the last number, she threw the ruler up, plopped in the teacher's chair, and caught it just in time. The students cheered and Edsat joined in. "Good job!" he congratulated, "And it works too!"

      Betty smiled. "You just made my day!" Edsat beamed, "Thank you!" Betty sighed. "Glad we could help!" she grinned, "Now we gotta go. Good luck!" Stella, Charlie, and Betty dashed out the door to where they were to meet.

      "Was everyone successful?" Braddock asked when he saw them. "Very much so." Betty affirmed. "Good." Cassie said, "Now we get to visit the queen!"

Queen Alizeb Matthew

      Back in Eckstar, the group drove to Queen Alizeb Matthew's castle. All they needed to do was make her happy. It couldn't be that hard, right?

      Cassie scooched closer to Will and held his hand. Charlie couldn't stand it! So he pulled Stella closer and held her hand. She wouldn't mind. In fact, she looked kind of giddy when he did.

      Charlie pulled her close to him! Doo dah! Doo dah! Charlie pulled her close to him! Oh a doo dah day! Stella was ecstatic! Maybe it was to make Cassie jealous, but it was still something!

      In the police cruiser, Vander and Vanessa high five each other. They were curious what was happening back home. "War between us and Everlanon rages on." they chanted slowly, "Charlotte Spencer tried to stop it. Evangeline got to her first. Evangeline is in a book. Someone has switched sides." They went back to being normal toddlers and saw Susan looking at them, worried.

      Mrs. Spencer got involved? Oh no! Susan hoped she was okay! And Evangeline is in a book! As long as she is out of their hair, Susan didn't care. What worried her most was the last part. Someone has switched sides. Who could it be?

      The vehicles pulled in front of the castle and everyone got out. "Here we go!" Cassie sighed, climbing up the steps. No one had any security around here for some reason, but Cassie wasn't about to complain. Otherwise, it would make their mission extremely difficult.

      Once inside the castle, they walked down a very long hall and entered the throne room, where sure enough Queen Alizeb Matthew was shoving her face with food. "YOU!" she screamed, sputtering food everywhere, "Cassandra Alice Smith!!! From Camp Silver Shadow!! The one who beat me up so badly, I DIED from the damage!"

      She died! Cassie killed her too! Charlie couldn't believe it! His beautiful ex-girlfriend beat that lady up so badly that she died! How is it possible he still loves her?!

      Will was struck by the news. Cassie's beating was enough to kill a woman! Holy cow! He sure wasn't getting on her bad side again!

      Susan wanted to cry. That was another death her daughter caused. Her sweet kind daughter had been a cold blooded murderer!

      Cassie shuddered. Her small fists were really enough to kill someone! "I'm sorry!" Cassie wailed, "I'm not like that anymore! I just came to make you happy!" Alizeb Matthew stood up and began throwing food at them. "You will be punished for killing me!" she yelled, "Eckstar! Slit their throats and cut them into bite-sized pieces for the lions!"

      "No! Please Eckstar!" Cassie plead, "We tried! Please don't feed us to the lions!" Alizeb ran up to Cassie and screeched, "No one talks to Eckstar but me!" Alizeb raised her hand and slapped Cassie hard enough that she fell to the ground. "That made me happy." Alizeb sighed contently.

      Betty jumped forward. "Did you hear that Eckstar?" she called, "We made your queen happy! Now we are free!"

      Eckstar chuckled. "You are right!" he congratulated, "Now you just have to escape my queen!" Cassie got up and ushered everyone out and had Stella freeze the door shut. They quickly loaded up the vehicles and rocketed away, leaving behind a screaming queen as she tried to exit her trap.

      In the library, Hedza came out of the back with a stack of papers. "I finished the posters!" she announced putting them on the desk, "Where'd you go?" She noticed a small piece of paper that read, 'Hedza, it was so nice meeting you, I'm glad we could cheer you up. Stay happy, Cassie A. Smith   P.S. I took a book; hope you don't mind'. Hedza smiled and glanced at the young adult section. As expected, a book was missing from its spot. In its place, Hedza placed the note and smiled.