His dad’s last words were “Let’s Roll.” His dad loved exploring and finding distant, remote peaks before he gave his life defending his country from the destructive alien lights. Now he’s going on his own explorations, climbing by the light of the moon, and dodging ghosts.
All summer long, in the new Kingdom of Cashes Dade, a legend has slowly been born, about a kid who sings brightly from the remote peaks late at night when the moon burns blue. As the kids watch, ghosts slowly rise up from the misty meadows, and begin to move around. They appear to be dancing in the moonlight. The brighter the moon gets, the faster they appear to dance. Then the kid’s energetic singing echoes out across the mountains. No one can ever figure out where he is. No one ever sees him. But they can hear him, and so do the ghosts, because that’s when they stop dancing…
Josiah is a bright, active 12 year old who likes climbing, running, anything that involves moving. Josiah dreams about reaching the highest and most remote peaks in the world. He wants to explore and find things no one has ever found before. Mostly, he wants to discover secrets, secrets the dark spirits seem to be hiding. He also just really likes climbing. Are you like him? Do you like climbing? You see, even though you might not live close enough to climb any mountains, you might be more like Josiah than you think, because he climbs…everything. He climbs to the tops of tables, to the top of his desk, shelves, up walls to the roofs of homes if he can figure it out and get enough footholds. He definitely climbs trees and has built some really high (and really sketchy) tree houses. He even built a really, and I mean really, rickety bridge from two distant trees. No one besides him has ever been brave enough to try it. But what’s intriguing is not so much what he climbs, but how he climbs…
If you go climbing with Josiah, don’t tell him to pace himself. He will just stare at you, completely confused. He doesn’t seem to know what that means. When Josiah climbs a mountain, he starts off by shooting off like a rocket. He doesn’t do trails. He doesn’t work his way up, winding back and forth, no, he goes straight up, and he goes around…nothing. He flies over rocks. If a tree is in the way, he’ll push through it. He goes crazy fast up the mountain, but then he crashes. When you finally catch up to him, you’ll find him sprawled out in some awkward way, completely exhausted. He even complains about how tired he is and how hard it is to climb that fast. You would then think, “He’ll take it slower the rest of the way up.” But you would be wrong. After about a half hour, he sprints up the mountain again, flying up the slope. Then he crashes again, only to start it all up again. It definitely confuses the ghosts when they try to track him down.
Josiah doesn’t just climb, he sings as he climbs, but only at certain times. He sings with bright energy and really fast. For him, the faster the better, with notes always rising higher and higher. Josiah hates, not dislikes, not is kind of annoyed by, but hates slow music. He gets really agitated with slow songs. He just can’t stand them. He kind of bobs from side to side, taps his feet rapidly, and even waves his hands as if that will speed up the song, but it doesn’t work. He sings the most when he reaches the peak. He usually only sings when he finds a narrow point between two large rocks so his music will echo out through the mountains. He wants the ghosts to hear him, but not see him…
Josiah’s teachers didn’t think he was that smart because he struggles to understand complicated subjects, but no one else can figure out he reaches some of the high points he does, or how he builds bridges across trees, or how he sings across the mountains while remaining unseen. The dark spirits always stop dancing when he sings. They start drifting up the slopes desperately trying to find him. What is Josiah trying to find? Is he trying to find a key secret, or does he think he might meet the ghost of his dad? Why are the ghosts so interested in finding him? The clues might be in the lines of his song:
Cade Mayson continues his mission to find the clues he believes his parents are sending him to begin the DadeStar Revolution against the aliens. If you want to learn more about the series and check out information about the first book, check out the page BUY THE BOOKS. Otherwise, you can read on to learn more about the next book in this series and check out a bonus mystery challenge at the end that will offer a key clue about the mystery in this next book.
Cade Mayson still believes his parents really joined the aliens on a secret spy mission. He’s determined not to miss the key clue he believes they’re preparing to send him. But now, the aliens aren’t just trying to destroy Cashes Dade, they’re coming after him.
New alien lights made many students in Cashes Dade terribly sick. The aliens couldn’t care less how many students would have to miss the Spring Games. They claimed the lights were a medicine, exposing those students who are just lazy and disruptive.
Seven citizens protesting the lights were shot dead on Bloody Friday. Cashes Dade declared war. Now they’re surrounded by the aliens, trapped in the mountains’ underground network. The kids heard someone whispering with the dark spirits, prepared to spy for the aliens. All they could see was a dark orange star patch meaning it was one of the seven army leads.
Cade, Blake, and Drew will have to step up their detective skills, their stealth, but most of all, their determination to fight back. How can Cashes Dade break through the trap? Which mountain can they find protection from the aliens? The key will be revealing the spy. Can the kids solve this mystery before it’s too late? Who is it?
Check out the Cardaya Prophecy to see the clues, then check out the Suspect’s Profile to see if you can figure out who the spy is.
CARDAYA PROPHECY:
The dark enemy will take advantage of what we all crave
The fences that protect them could become their grave
The ambitious one will fly through the night too high
Dark storms always hide their trail across the sky
A dark secret passes through the moon-lit sea
They are not as superior as they seem to be
Finding the blazing star in the sky will make you free
Look for the mountain among the spiral galaxy
The swinging lantern in the settling dark is the key
Staring at the brilliant light will confuse what you see
Take one step at a time while you focus on what’s key
The blazing ghost will step up to enter the great fight
Dark curtains will close on them from out of sight
The way through is by charging ahead even in the darkest night
Turn to the glowing, the green ghost singing in the moonlight
SUSPECTS PROFILE:
Austin Camdade:
*Third position in the Army
*Dreams about exploring new places
*Into mountain climbing
Bennie Maysher:
*Second position in the Army
*Dreams about being great war hero
*Into horse racing
Carlie Madsher:
*Seventh position in the Army
*Dreams about becoming legendary actor and playwriter
*Into reading and writing
Christy Caldade:
*Fifth position in the Army
*Dreams about owning a shop for rare and special minerals
*Into mountain climbing and exploring
Jonathan Cayson:
*First position in the Army
*Dreams about owning library of amazing, rare books of great discovery
*Into mountain climbing and reading, discovering
Julie Cassher:
*Sixth position in the Army
*Dreams about making unbelievable discoveries of rare and amazing jewels
*Into making and putting together puzzles
Ryan Cardade:
*Fourth position in the Army
*Dreams about playing big concerts and playing legendary guitar solos
*Into music and shooting
Now it’s time for the final mystery challenge. If you haven’t been following them, check out the first one by clicking on the post titled: WHAT’S HIDDEN IN BRENNAN’S PAINTING? The final word and overall sentence that reveals what is behind the aliens’ destructive fountain lights will be revealed after the next paragraph so don’t scroll down too far. The answer will appear directly below the next paragraph. The final clue is how Cade finds the mountain. The clue will be seen in how he responds. That will be the key…
From time to time, while the citizens of Cashes Dade are hiding in the underground network of the mountains, Cade Mayson slips away to explore the tunnels. One night, he set out to find a mountain peak called “Secret Key Peak.” They say it’s really hard to find. Cade jogged up the winding tunnels lit by dark orange lantern lights. He moved fast, jumping high on random rocks set throughout, while tapping his sides in a fast, energetic rhythm. Then he came to a three-way split. One tunnel went down to the left lit by neon green lanterns. Another one went down to the right lit by swaying gold candle clusters flickering in a fast pace. Another one went straight ahead lit by dark orange lanterns. Cade thought for a moment, then took the one with gold candle clusters. He raced up the winding tunnel until reaching the end. He climbed up a rocky slope to the top, shaped like a key. He gazed out and saw an alien tower directly ahead. It was a massive dome with green lights flashing rhythmically to a slow, steady booming. Glittering stars flew around inside the deep blue glass over the top. Dark, tall figures drifted around inside. Cade started bouncing to the beat, tapping his sides rhythmically. Bizarre alien voices called out back and forth. They were trying something, but they couldn’t quite get it right. They couldn’t make it work. It just didn’t sound right…
The final word is: MUSIC
Aliens hate students’ determined, energetic music.
Cade Mayson will discover a secret in the shiny key
“I can’t stop seeing it, in my dreams, and my nightmares. I got myself just a bit, kind of, sort of, lost. I was way, way out in the mist that turned neon green suddenly. I saw it when my parents were still with me, before they joined the aliens, leaving me behind.
One day we went out to a lake deep in the mountains west of Cashes Dade just to explore. I remember being really excited because we almost never did things like that. My parents were always busy with their furniture business. We hiked around the beach for awhile, then started fishing. I caught 12 fish! Okay it was more like 7. But after awhile, when I had only caught 4, okay it was 4, my dad suggested I take the boat and go out and explore for another good place to fish way out. My dad gave me a map of the lake, put the 2 fish I caught into a basket in the water, and sent me on my way.
I went way, way out across the deep blue lake. We were completely surrounded by mountains. I gazed up to decide which ones I should climb, how daring I would be, how I would get through that zigzag rock cluster on the really tall one, maybe I could work my way in between the narrow path, or maybe there’s an underground tunnel, then I looked up and I was way, and I mean, way out. I turned back to see my parents in the distance. This gray mist around me kicked up across the water. Then I saw a shadowy person approach my parents…“
It’s time to reveal the answer for the last mystery challenge. If you haven’t yet, check out the previous post titled LET’S ROLL to see if you can solve the mystery. Otherwise, let’s reveal the answer. The answer for what word the prophecy was pointing to as a clue about the alien fountain lights is:
Energetic
Did you get it right? What do you think the final word in the sentence will be? What does it mean? Leave a comment below.
Cade can overcome a lot of things, except maps. If the aliens could turn themselves into maps Cade would be in serious trouble. He just doesn’t get them. If you see the expression on his face when he’s looking at a map you would think he was trying to read a foreign language written upside down covered in mud. He gets this seriously intense, confused look like he’s in just awful pain. Maybe he is. He can’t figure out the directions, what the pictures are, and he’s especially confused by distances. He seems to think the distance on the map is the same as the actual distance.
Cade always gets lost, then he gets more lost, and then he somehow finds his way back. He tends to wander a lot, and doesn’t seem to have any sense of purpose. One time, some of his friends watched him from a ridge as he wandered through a forest below. They watched curiously as he kept turning, making this crazy zig-zag pattern.
Cade is not so good with boats either, but at least if he falls out (which has been known to happen), he won’t drown in the water. He seems to have a great sense of direction with the currents and waves, and has this really smooth way of swimming. He kind of shoots off and glides for a good while, and just like on the ground, he changes direction remarkably fast. He almost never swims so how he moves so well in the water is yet another mystery.
“Strong waves started hitting the boat, knocking me around. I got the paddle and pushed really fast, back and forth like zigzagging. I was playing tag with the waves which means I would win. After an hour I finally got past them. Then the mist turned neon green around me. I struggled to see through the mist. I saw the shadows of my parents with another shadow. The shadowy figure was holding something, something my parents were looking at for a long time. I couldn’t quite tell what it was. It was kind of large and pear shaped. I couldn’t quite tell what it was and then the mist filled in around me so I couldn’t see them at all. That’s when I heard it…”
The aliens have been trying to destroy the BlackStar Ranked Students of Cashes Dade. They are the ones classed as failures; lazy and disruptive. They claimed the intense, bright neon green lights were meant to save them, but only if they were willing to work hard and follow their One Way to succeed. They don’t allow students to learn in their own ways or be creative. But a bright, fast-talking, fast-singing, fast-moving 12 year old named Josiah Mardade found his own way to quickly overcome the terrible illness. It all happened during a bizarre fire fight with the aliens. His recovery was incredibly fast and mysterious. His dad, Todd Mardade, made a secret plan with six others to destroy the fountain lights. It’s time for another mystery challenge where we will check out the alien battle Josiah was involved in, to figure out the key word in the prophecy at the end. This word will be another clue for what’s really going on with the alien fountain lights. When you have all the words, you will have the answer, but the answer will lead to bigger questions. Now the aliens are coming after Josiah. Why? What does he have that they want? The key clue is revealed by the words Todd said to the other six right before they made their decision to risk their lives to protect their people. You see, the question is, what will you be? The people of Cashes Dade will never forget them, when he turned to them with strong defiance and said, “Let’s roll.”
When the seven citizens were shot dead, including Todd Mardade, Cashes Dade declared war on the aliens. Ever since the first alien attack on Cashes Dade a year and a half ago, the people of Cashes Dade, led by Todd, have been developing their massive underground in the mountains west of Cashes Dade. They built all the tunnels and undeground chambers many years ago when dark spirits began haunting the land. But after the attack, many people went to work strengthening the structures and stockpiling food, supplies, medicines, and weapons in secret places. It’s basically a massive, complicated maze where they can hide from the aliens. When the dark spirits are sent in to capture them, they can run to another secret location in the underground. Most of the tunnels are lit by dark orange lanterns, some by dark gold-lit chandeliers, and others by deep blue lantern lights. The people made the tunnels really confusing and hard to follow, thus easy for Cade, Blake, and Drew to mis-direct the dark spirits trying to find the people and key supply locations. It’s also great for endless games of hide and seek.
On Friday night, after the murders of the seven protestors, the leaders of Cashes Dade held a secret meeting deciding to declare war. They got the citizens ready to move out fast, set up their cannons, and began shooting at the alien towers on Saturday night. The sky was calm and quiet as sleek blue clouds slowly streamed across the sky. Moonlight barely broke through various points down to the slick dark green field spread before them. Josiah hid down in a trench with a group of soldiers who were good friends of his dad, with the mountains behind them. The distant alien tower glowed in a fiery green haze in the silent, chilling night. Josiah just stared out with an empty, distant gaze, shaking with sharp chills and a strong fever. Then he gazed up at the breaking moonlight rhythmically flickering through the passing clouds. High in the distance, through the passing waves, a shooting star blazed across the dark sky.
In a sudden flash, the alien tower went completely dark. The soldiers watched and waited. As they watched the calm flowing sky, seven blurry green sleek triangular alien crafts slowly appeared just hanging still in the clouds. A distant eerie whistling sound played out over the field sounding like it was slowly falling. That’s when Josiah suddenly jumped up with eyes lit. He started running up the line, singing a bright, energetic song with a fast-paced rising melody. Then the Cashes Dade dark orange fires lit up the sky…
When the alien towers burn the night
When they put out the last light
When they try to crush every student’s dream
When they shoot out their intense, searching beam
When they overwhelm the sky with confusion and dark
When the rejected creative student sits alone at the park
When cold darkness overwhelms in relentless waves
When all you can do is dream of living in the graves
When the alien’s burning white eyes stare down at you
When you feel like there is nothing more you can do
Remember what the defiant leader said before the end
It was a call to turn from despair, the loss of a friend
It was a call to be energetic, to live in the light
The sign to reveal the truth is the star shooting through the night…
Dead whispers flew through the chilling dark. Alien lights roamed through the maze of mountains, searching, looking for the people of Cashes Dade with their bright dazzling lights shining down from the sky. Their ships moved through the sky above the clouds carrying the sound of eerie whistling. But they weren’t just looking for the people of Cashes Dade, they were looking for the ghost strikers. Dark spirits raced through the mountains. They hurried across the slopes to where the dark orange light shone as a signal showing where to meet. But they weren’t the only ones going for it. Cade, Blake, and Drew were flying through the underground tunnels, trying to find their way through the maze, hoping to get there in time. The dark spirits hurried to meet the spy, the one who would tell them where the people were hiding so the aliens could finish Cashes Dade completely. Ghostly whispers echoed in the dark. Will the kids get there in time?
The next five Character Fun Facts posts will feature the Seven Army Leads of Cashes Dade. One of them is the spy. They will be presented in alphabetical order by first name. Each post will feature either one or two of them with various information and stories about them. Leave a comment below if you have a guess whether you think Austin might be the spy, or do you think it probably is someone else? Maybe you will know right away, or maybe you will need to see all seven army leads before you can decide who it is. Can you figure out which one is the spy?
Austin Camdade is relatively tall and strong. He is determined and has a quiet intensity about him. He always looks like he’s thinking hard about something. He has short, somewhat rough hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He talks pretty eloquently and smooth.
Austin takes the third position in the formation for the army leads. He is a strong leader who does a great job of explaining where the enemy is and how best to attack them by finding where they are vulnerable.
Austin has always dreamed of being a great explorer. He likes climbing mountains and trying to find new trails, new ways to get to the top. He wants to discover new places and new minerals that could give them stronger medicines and weapons to defeat the aliens. He has great ambition, and loves reaching the highest peaks.
One time before Cashes Dade went to war against the aliens, Austin Camdade was leading some kids on a mountain climb, including Cade and Blake. They were trying to climb a small, but relatively steep mountain to the northeast of Cashes Dade. Cade moved fast up the slick scree and heavy dirt, practically jumping up, sliding back, then jumping higher up. He turned back to Blake with a confident smile, and twisted expression showing some kind of judgment/curiosity. “What’s taking you so long?” “I’ll catch up,” said Blake, gasping for air. “Maybe when…” Cade took another long drink of water. “Your pack looks a lot lighter than mine.” “Oh I see. You think youuuu…” Cade slid back a ways before digging in deeper. “It’s cool,” he said with a nod to the other kids on both sides. “You’re just making excuses.” “You only packed a few waters again didn’t you?” Cade kind of shrugged as he worked his way up through the thick soil. “You’re going to run out again.” Cade shook his head as he took another long drink. “Yeah you are, look at you. We’re not even halfway. You do this every time. We’ll get close to the top and you’ll be looking like you’re dead and begging me for one of my waters.” “No way,” said Cade, taking another long drink. Blake just shook his head. “Unbelievable.” He gazed up the slope when Austin said, “We’re going to turn this way, cut through there to the top.” Several kids gasped as he pointed to the thick cluster of small trees with the green pointed, needle-like leaves. “No one’s ever tried this way before,” he added with a smile. “Yeah I wonder why,” Blake muttered under his breath. Cade got down low, almost sliding up the slope like a snake trying to shield himself from the sharp leaves. Blake gazed up at the dark blue, flat clouds streaming across the sky before pushing through, clearing a path as he went, looking angrier and angrier the closer they got to the top. Bright lightning splintered across the sky in the distance beyond the peak. Austin stayed focused on the rough rocky slope leading to the top. Cade struggled to follow Austin pushing his way through the thick forest toward the rocky peak. He took another long drink as they struggled up the final slope. Chilling winds brushed down slope, pushing them back momentarily. An eerie whistling rushed across the sky. Austin gazed up toward the peak saying, “We’re almost in the clear. Soon we’ll be standing at the top.” Cade jumped from rock to rock while Blake propelled himself over one after another until soon they both stood at the top, gazing at the awesome views on all sides. Blake turned around to see Cade drinking from another bottle. “That’s your last one isn’t it?” Smiling, Cade pulled two more full water bottles out of his backpack. Blake stared in shock before shaking his head as he turned back to look out across the vast landscape. But his shock turned into a knowing smile when he took a sideways glance and saw Cade secretly handing several kids a wod of money…
The final clues are Austin’s three best known quotes:
“Exploring new places is the greatest adventure you can have.” “The best way to answer your enemy is to fight.” “Just keep climbing, higher and higher, until you are standing tall at the top.”
Then the alien turned to another one, slightly shorter with a wider face with the same stretched lines and half-moon glowing eyes. Incredibly fast monotone voices in some unknown language went back and forth between them. The other alien turned and walked fast back down the stairs while the first one stared down intensely at the kids. The kids sat nervously waiting for the slow footsteps walking up the steps. Finally, the alien messenger appeared in the dingy lights, growing colder and darker. In a solemn, elevated voice the messenger began: “You don’t live here, and this city is not located on the map. What are you doing here?” The two kids exchanged nervous half-glances. Cade shifted on the slick floor before answering…
Its time to go back into Carolmire, the kingdom where it’s always Christmas. There’s an intriguing mystery to solve. If you haven’t yet, check out the post, DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE: CAROLMIRE’S SECRET LIGHT to see the list of possible women who could be the secret singer and the prophecy that offers clues as to how to find her. Here is the link:
Christmas can be a great time and for many it can be a dark time, but with a distant light, a distant, mysterious hope. You can also check out the author’s facebook page to see more about his mountain climbs and there are weekly bible studies for anyone interested including a special look at the Christmas story in the bible that you probably have never seen before. Check it out here:
Leave a comment below if you think you know the answer to this mystery. Now let’s get back into the story. Can you figure out who it is?
“We just really like Christmas,” Cade answered. “Why are you trying to find the secret singer?” “We just want to know who it is, don’t you?” asked Cade. Blake flashed him a look that said, “What are you doing?” Cade flashed back a twisted, sideways expression. “You must never interfere with our business,” the messenger said sternly. “Two BlackStar ranked students like you should be focusing on your studies instead of exploring places you don’t belong. You know if you don’t raise your grades soon you will be sent to the Dathmore to perform the work we assign you. The fact that you believe you can find her reveals your poor level of intellect. Students like you cannot solve a mystery like this. You don’t have the intelligence or the work ethic. But more importantly, if you interfere with our business, there will be severe penalties…”
Dark orange slowly turned to dark purple over the distant snow-covered mountains behind Carolmire while the two kids worked their way up the rocky trail winding up the mountain running back and forth from the west side to the east side across the south side overlooking the endless white plain. Snow fell calmly from the rolling dark blue clouds streaming across the sky. The two kids stopped momentarily, a short distance from the peak. “We better hurry,” Blake said tensely. “Why?” asked Cade with a casual shrug. “Because she’s going to start singing soon,” Blake said, nodding to the creamy dark blue sky. “We’re only seconds from the top.” Blake gazed up the rocky slope with a doubtful expression. Dark blue shadows fell slowly down the steep slope, blocked at several rocky points. “We’re still an hour from the top,” Blake answered, nodding toward the trail winding back and forth multiple times up the final slopes. Cade gazed up the steep slope with a brightly intense gaze. Then he turned to Blake and slowly broke a smile. “Oh come on.” Cade smiled brighter. “No, Cade, no way. Look at all that snow?” “Fastest way to the top is…” “It’s too steep, with all that snow? You can’t…” “Okay, here we go,” Cade answered, talking fast. “You take the traaiiel, ch, ch, ch,” Blake watched confused as he made slow waving motions, “and I’ll go straight to the top, woooosshhhhh, and we’ll see who gets there first, cool, awesome, ready?” “Let’s go.” Blake bit his lips as he sprinted up the trail. As the trail cut back to the right he saw Cade sprinting up the slope, powering through the snow. Blake sprinted harder. Then he saw Cade slide back fast, almost back to where they started. Blake’s eyes lit up as he turned the next corner. He heard Cade yelling something, his voice rising fast up the slope behind him. Blake bit his lips tighter as he drew near to the next turn. He made a sharp turn back to the right. Cade slid fast about 20 feet. Citizens began singing “Joy to the World” from beyond the mountain top, sounding faint and ghostly. Their voices echoed sharply back and forth as Blake reached the top to watch Cade climb 30 feet, only to slide back 10. Finally, as chilling darkness fell over the mountain, Cade fell across the top, looking almost dead. “See…I…told…you…like…only way.” Blake just stared at him in disbelief. “Cade, you’re not even making sense.” “Well…I am…but you’re…down there…” Blake just shook his head. “We need to get ready,” Blake said, walking over to the northern edge overlooking the Christmas city glowing like a dream in the cold, dark night. More and more citizens came out of the mines and entered into the singing of Christmas carols on the narrow twisted streets. “It’s almost time I think,” said Blake glancing back toward Cade who slowly approached. “We’re not the only ones who think so,” he said quietly, pointing to the mountain left of Carolmire. Several bright lights roamed back and forth from the aliens’ neon green shining tower. A sonic boom shot across the dark rolling sky. The kids ducked down behind several large rocks. “Be ready,” said Blake. “I’m ready, won’t need to tell me twice.” “I’m just saying, you might be tired after all that sliding.” “No way,” Cade shook his head sharply. An alien ship lit up in glittering gold lights hovered over the top of the city. Neon green candles glowed in the windows of the general store. Bright blazing blue candles lit up the entire castle. Gold-lit candles glowed in strong flashing lights throughout the grand square windows of the hotel. Gold candles remained still in heavy clusters of various citizens’ balconies. Dark orange candles shined with slow burning lights in the grand windows of the restaurant. The ship’s lights began to grow dim within the dark haze of the night sky. “Be ready,” said Blake, “should be any time…” He turned to Cade, who was leaning against a rock, asleep. Blake kicked him. Cade woke up to a haunting, but beautiful voice singing Silent Night. “It’s on, it’s on,” said Cade, clapping a few times. The kids stared out at the dreamy city. The singing came soaring out from the clocktower where dim gold candles shined. “We know she’s not there though,” Blake said in a low voice. “She’s somewhere else.” Both kids scanned the various homes lit by gold and multi-coloured candles swaying in the chilling song. They looked around at the small shops and prominent places. Then Cade took out the prophecy. Blake lit up a bright sparkling candle. “What is the two?” Cade asked. “It’s about a light.” “Who’s they?” The two kids stared at the lines while the singing swayed over the dreamy lights. The alien ship slowly circled around the city. “It must be the light and the singer,” said Blake. The ghostly, yet sweet voice kept singing, sounding distant, yet sharp and clear. The music soared over the dream-like lights blending with the towering Devas Evergreens with their spiraling branches rising in high twisted cones. Breaking moonlight fell through the one Devas Evergreen glowing neon green in various points just over the kids, the light spilling down through the branches from the top slowly down to the bottom as the peaceful singing played on. “Aaaauuuurrrrrggghhhhh,” said Blake, holding his head in agony. “What happened?” “I can’t stand trying to figure it out their way, trying to break down every line, every word, it doesn’t work.” Cade turned to Blake with bright intensity. “Then we figure it out our way.” Blake slowly looked up, then answered, “Right on.” The kids turned back to the prophecy copy under bright flickering light. Her song swayed, rising and falling over the murky flashing lights. “I think we need to look at the whole picture.” “What do you mean?” “I mean, what does the entire prophecy say?” The kids read over the lines, then looked down at the musical city below, then they read the lines again, then gazed back down at the musical lights. Her ghostly, yet hopeful singing swayed through the neon green candles glowing in the windows of the general store. The bright blazing blue candles lit up the entire castle. Gold-lit candles glowed in a strong flashing light throughout the grand square windows of the hotel. Gold candles remained still in heavy clusters of various citizens’ balconies. Dark orange candles shined with a slow burning light throughout the grand windows of the restaurant. “The prophecy’s talking about lights blending, connecting,” said Blake talking quietly. “I think it’s talking about two lights that will meet.” The kids stared more intently at the quiet singing city. Dark orange candle clusters shined brightly through crystal grand windows of the playhouse. Single candles in the simple windows of the grand home across the top hill remained still in the chilling music. Then Cade started gazing out across the lower mountain slopes. Breaking moonlight cast sleek shadows over the creamy slopes, falling from the top all the way down to the city entrance. Chilling winds whistled across the slopes on all sides. “I got it,” said Cade with eyes lit, “I got it. It’s an echo. She’s singing from one place but making it sound like it’s coming from another place.” “So where is she?” asked Blake. Just then several alien ships emerged from the dark rushing clouds. “She’s at the hotel. The lights are blended together in there just like in the restaurant.” “Let’s go,” said Blake. He started to turn, but Cade pulled him back as several bright lights lit up in the sky. “What are you doing?” “I think the aliens figured it out. Look.” The two ships dropped low in the sky close to the hotel. “We have to get her out of there.” “It’ll take an hour to get down there,” said Blake. “Not my way,” said Cade gazing down the north slope. “Oh come on…” Cade slowly broke a smile that looked almost evil, and crazy. “You’ve got to be kidding.” Cade turned to him with a confident smile. “There’s no way.” “It worked on the way up.” “How do you know we won’t hit any rocks?” “I know, trust me, it’s obvious.” Alien lights shot out toward the hotel. “Come on,” Cade urged. “This is our chance.” Blake sighed heavily and started pretend-writing on the prophecy copy. “What are you doing?” “Just writing my will…” “Come on, we need to go.” Cade jumped down and began his slide down the slope while Blake closed his eyes before starting his. The kids started to gain speed surfing down the snowy slope toward the quiet, still hotel. “So how do you know we won’t hit any rocks?” Blake challenged. “I saw the shadow go all the way down the slope,” Cade answered calmly. “THAT’S IT?!?” “We’re almost theeerrrrreeeee.” Cade and Blake turned sideways as they eventually slid into a snow drift at the city park right in front of the hotel. The kids gazed up at the alien lights moving in together over the hotel. Then they drifted apart, searching the grounds. “Now, go, go, go.” The kids sprinted to the entrance while the alien lights moved back toward the entrance. Slow burning dark orange candles lit the narrow black marble halls with brightly coloured carpets. “To the top floor windows,” said Blake. Cade nodded while they sprinted up the winding steps of the grand center room. They ducked the roaming alien lights. The ships drew in closer. The floors and walls rattled under the pressure. Just then they heard the singing as the lady turned to see them approaching. It was Annie Carabright.
“We have to get you out of here,” said Cade. “They’ll find me,” she said, nodding to the searching lights. “We can get you out,” said Blake. “Right, Cade?” Cade looked around outside as the lights grew stronger. Then his eyes slowly scanned the grand top floor room until stopping on a grand piano in the corner. Talking fast Cade answered, “I know how we’ll escape, I know how we’ll escape, I’m going to play, just play us out, get ready, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.” “Woah, slow down…” “I’ll start playing, you guys get ready, hide by the front entrance, I’ll join you and then we get out when they all rush to here.” “They figured it out, remember?” said Blake. “They’ll know you’re here playing the piano, they won’t think it’s coming from the restaurant.” “I know, I have a different plan, trust me, go now, wait for me.” “This better be good,” Blake whispered as he and Annie made their way for the entrance and hid down behind a large couch. Then the song began, it was Silent Night. The ship descended to the street. Cade played strong and fast, with an added echo to the song as he played the keys. The place vibrated to the fast-paced rhythm of the strong, fast playing. The dark orange lights swayed to the energetic, strong, yet peaceful song. “Why do you sing secretly?” Blake whispered. “For them,” she nodded toward the restaurant. “My music brings them together and shines a light on them instead of me. It highlights how special they are, how talented they are, like tonight, the chef and his wife realizing what a great restaurant they have, and for the rest of them over there singing and dancing, they realize how great they are. You see, we all have a great destiny, like the two of you being led here to save me with your bright determination, so my music can continue bringing light to them. Sometimes our destiny may be hard to see in the heavy darkness, but it can still shine if you go deep enough to find the light that only shines in the deepest dark.” The ship reached the ground. Several aliens quickly walked out. They headed down the street for the entrance while the Silent Night played on and on, the bright, hopeful notes rising higher and higher around them. “He’s out of time,” Blake whispered. “No I’m not,” Cade whispered behind them. “How did you…” “Same way she did,” he answered. “I played it so it would echo long enough for us to escape.” The aliens rushed in, then up the steps. The two kids and Annie snuck out, then hurried down to the restaurant and slipped inside. All the people were sitting still just listening to the bright keys playing the song echoing out through the city. Cade, Blake, and Annie each smiled as they saw all of the citizens of Carolmire sitting together, listening to the same song, feeling the same peace, singing the same song but in their unique voices, joining in the magic of the Silent Night.
Get ready to enter the far north Kingdom of Carolmire, where it’s always Christmas. This is a two-part mystery giving a hint of what’s to come in the next story of this mystery series called: MYSTERY OF THE BLOODY FRIDAY SPY This is a mystery about who is the lady secretly singing? No one can figure out where the music is coming from to find her, can you? Check out the previous post called: DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE: CAROLMIRE’S SECRET LIGHT On this post you can check out the five suspects and their descriptions, then read the prophecy carefully to find clues about who it is. Check it out by clicking on this link:
Dazzling snow fell in slow waves over the small blackstone complexes set in three circles through the snow covered hills. Cade and Blake sat on a pile of snowy rocks at the top of a small mountain overlooking the Christmas city of Carolmire. Cade squinted up at the icy blue sky when the singing began. The kids slowly scanned the city. A lady sang the song Silent Night in a hopeful, yet haunting voice ringing out from the high frozen water falls between several homes with triangular roofs. “It’s coming from there,” said Blake. “The lady singing?” asked Cade. “No, the sonic avalanche,” answered Blake, rolling his eyes. “What?” “The sonic avalanche.” “What is that?” “How do you not know what that is?” “I’ve never heard of it.” “It’s when an avalanche is so strong and fast when it hits bottom you hear the sonic boom.” “Like the alien ships sometimes, when they…you know…” Cade just made a waving motion with one hand, then clapped hard. “Something like that, anyway, what I was saying…” Cade held his hand, wincing in pain. “You hurt your hand?” “I clapped too hard I guess.” Blake sighed heavily. “It must have been a sonic clap.” Blake stared intently at the icy waterfalls remaining still and serene. Blue and red candle lights shined in the simple square dark blue glass windows. They bounced rhythmically to the slow swaying song. “She’s almost always singing from higher up, and usually when it’s getting dark.” “We never see any of them,” said Cade talking fast. “The five ladies we narrowed it down to, the ones who can sing like that. If we saw four of them out while the lady sings we could figure out who it is easily. Yet they don’t, and we just watch while the birds fly over and the avalanches fall. Isn’t that bizarre?” Blake kept watching the still falls intently. “Blake?” “What?” “Did you hear me?” “I lost you about halfway through that.” “I was saying, we never see any of the five ladies. Why is that?” Blake turned to him momentarily, then several bright lights shot out from the sleek green shimmering alien tower at the top of the broad mountain to the left of Carolmire. Eerie groaning sounded from the mountain peak. Blake turned back to the waterfalls. Two aliens in dark blue suits walked fast up the narrow snow covered street toward the falls. The sky to the west turned dark blue and purple. The tall aliens gazed strongly with their crescent moon shaped eyes shining white in the darkening sky. The singing continued as they entered one of the tunnels going behind the falls. “Tomorrow we need to be in place,” said Blake. “We’ll find her,” answered Cade. The next day, snow fell calmly in the still cold air as evening fell over Carolmire. Cade and Blake hid in the low tower of the castle looking down over the quiet city. “You really think she’ll be here?” whispered Cade. “No, I think she’ll be in candyland, I decided I don’t want to find her after all.” “Do you always have to do that?” “When you set me up, yeah,” Blake answered with a smile. Silent Night cut through the wintry evening in a chilling, peaceful voice coming from behind them. The kids spun around and hurried to the other side of the circular room. Her singing rang out from near the top of the blackstone castle where soft candles glowed through five grand blue windows. “It’s on,” said Cade, with eyes lit. The kids sprinted down a long, dark tunnel. The lady’s sweet singing echoed back and forth. They hurried up a long, winding staircase lit by dark golden candles bouncing to the rhythm of the song. Her singing began to come in clearer. “We did it,” whispered Blake excitedly, “we found the exact place.” “Let’s get there.” Cade sped up. “Race you to the top.” Blake powered ahead up the staircase, winding further right. The steps grew steeper. The serene city lights flashed past them through the open windows. Then the alien lights appeared. The kids stopped. “Listen, listen,” whispered Blake. “She’s still singing,” said Cade. “I don’t hear her moving anywhere.” A sonic rush knocked them back. The bright alien light beams swept across the windows. The kids slowly crept up to the edge of the window. Several sleek, triangular blue crafts hovered over the city. Two alien lights roamed through the castle. “They’re trying to find her,” Blake whispered. The lady’s singing continued, ringing out through the glittering city. Bright waves swept through the gold-lit candles in the windows of the people’s homes. Several people walked out on the balcony of the candy shop. Rhythmic lights glowed behind them. “Let’s go,” whispered Cade. “What about the aliens?” “We just won’t let them see us,” said Cade with a shrug. “Well, I suppose…” Blake turned to see Cade hurrying up the steps. With a casual shrug he flew up the steps after him. The lady’s singing began to drift to the right. They reached a large entrance. Three wide staircases shot up in different directions to the top room. The kids strained to see the large balcony lit by blue, green, and gold candles set along the rail. Dark shadows flickered in a dreamy rhythm. Dark orange candles lit the first staircase, bright gold candles lit the second, and dim candles lit the third. “Let’s go,” said Cade. Just then, they heard sharp footsteps coming fast up the stairs behind them. “Hide, hide,” whispered Blake. “It’s them.” “Over there,” said Cade pointing to a large table by a window. The kids hurried over and hid behind it. A dim light began to spill into the half-circular room. Steps grew louder. Gold glowing candles in the windows of the mining shop flickered to the pace of the lady’s song. Bright candle lights swayed in clusters of the balconies over the general store where citizens sang with her. The colours blended together from the high balcony when the alien light slowly lit up the bright curtains behind. The two aliens stood at the foot of the steps searching the upper balcony with their lights sweeping back and forth. In the windows behind them dark shadows clashing together flickered in a dreamy rhythm from the candle lights shining in the windows of the produce shop. The kids watched in dead silence as the two aliens started up the center staircase. Then they stopped. One of them turned around, and turned his light directly on the kids…
Have you ever wished you could live in a place where it’s always Christmas? That’s what it’s like for the country of Carolmire far up north. For them, every month is Christmas season. They work really hard to get all the work done the aliens demand of them so in the last week of every month they stay mostly in their homes and celebrate Christmas all week long. But the people don’t live in this place by choice…
Have you ever been told you’re too loud or too energetic or too positive? That’s why these people were sent to the coldest place in DarkCorner Land. The aliens watch them, so they don’t escape, because they want them punished and separated from the rest of the world, but is that the real reason? There’s an intriguing mystery to be solved in this land. There is a mysterious lady singing, but no one can figure out where the music is coming from, and no one knows who’s singing. The aliens are trying to find the music, but it’s bizarre that they’re not using all the resources they have to find it. Can you solve the mystery? Check out the post coming up called: MYSTERY OF THE CAROLMIRE SECRET SINGER: PART ONE The aliens and dark spirits aren’t the only ones looking for her. Cade and Blake will be working in the shadows trying to track her down and figure out how her music is so elusive. But they are in danger of getting captured and suffering the same fate as the people of Carolmire, having to work long, tough nights in the dark, cold mines. They’re determined to outsmart them and find the singer. Get ready for an adventure. Can you figure out who the singer is?
Carolmire has a secret light that shines even in the deepest, coldest dark of the far north. No one understands how this light still shines, including the aliens. There is a prophecy that offers some clues to the mystery of who the secret singer is. Here is a description of the five ladies who could possibly be the one. One of them is definitely the secret singer. Check out their descriptions, then read the prophecy for clues. But you’ll probably have to go to Carolmire with Cade and Blake to see the clues really come to light…
Amy Carashine: She has long, shiny gold hair, with a bright face. She built a twisting slide with various lights that flash different colours as you pass through. It’s really fast. She’s always cheerful, whistling various Christmas songs at a really fast pace.
Annie Carabright: She has somewhat curly, brown hair with a mysterious, but hopeful face. She works at the music shop, always playing the piano and singing like an angel. She is always cleaning the lights, making them each shine with the same dazzling brightness.
Carol Coreshine: She has short dark hair and is quite stern. She can be pretty moody, you just never quite know what you’re going to get with her. She is crazy about lights. She makes all kinds of candles of all types, colours, and smells, and she is always adding more and more to the center park of Carolmire.
Cadie Corayhope: She has curly, dark hair and has a hopeful face. She pretty much sings as she talks. She works at the candy shop, and is always coming up with new, creative kinds of candy that she reveals by hiding them in the store and slowly lighting various parts of the store until people see it.
Mary Coralight: She has slick, black hair. She is really quiet and calm, but sings really strong. She works at the library. She’s either reading at her desk, or singing quietly in a high balcony, or just quietly walking up and down the rows.
CAROLMIRE LIGHTS PROPHECY
There is a dark secret, revealed by the two Look to the light that shines to see who The key will be to watch for when they meet Then you will see who’s singing, from the street The colours blend together in the dark night Only in the stillness can you take in the sight Lights blur past you in a brilliant haze They remind us of the glorious days We hear mysterious music coming from inside The lights shine so bright for them to hide A dark secret is hiding in the corner on the floor Follow the rhythmic lights to find the door Secrets hide deep in the pages of our dreams But the way through is by the reflection streams Deep in the pool the light shows bright Look up to see the one shining in the night
A ghost sang out a slow flowing melody with no words. His song was tragic, slowly rising, rising, then falling hard every time. Cade and Blake stared intently at the massive dark orange clock set high on the empty black wall. Brilliant gold lights danced across the surface in numerous directions. “We found it,” said Blake high-fiving Cade. “Yeah we did,” Cade answered, nodding rhythmically. “You seriously think we’re carrying that clock out of here?” “Not anymore,” Cade answered. “I didn’t know it was this big.” “You saw the picture?” “Well yeah, but, but, I’ve never seen a clock like this before. Clocks are supposed to be small.” The kids stood right under it, gazing up at the slow ticking clock with the second hand dragging around, making the only sound in the empty room. The distant ghostly singing echoed out in hidden halls. “How we going to reach it?” Cade looked around at the five rows of dusty desks spread across the gloomy classroom, then smiled. “Cool, let’s build.” Blake pushed the desks in from the left while Cade pushed them in from the right. Then, they began picking up the desks from the back, stacking them on top in the center, then another layer on top of that.
“One more?” asked Cade. Blake nodded as he dragged several desks from the third row over the jagged crack in the black marble floor handing them to Cade to complete the desk pyramid. The tragic singing grew more clear.
“You think it will…” Cade jumped up on the top desk. “Hold?” “What’s the worst that could happen?” Blake asked, before giving a shaky nod to the distant floor. Cade pulled at the clock hand slowly dragging by, but couldn’t hold it back. Then he touched the different numbers he could reach. Blake started looking behind it. Then he gestured at the large cracks in the wall running along the outer edges of the clock. “See Cade? No way we’re moving that thing out of here. It’s so heavy it’s practically bringing the wall down.”
Cade looked around at the half circular cracks in the wall surrounding the clock with fast rising anxiety. “Look, the hour hand isn’t moving,” said Cade. “The hour hand never moves, what you talking about?” asked Blake pointing to the dark orange glowing hand pointing out. “Yeah it does, you just can’t see it.” “Then how you know it’s not moving?” “I can tell,” said Cade, pulling at the hour hand. It began to turn. A loud, eerie whining started up, knocking the kids back. The tragic ghostly singing suddenly stopped cold. “What is that?” “I think this must be it, the key, the hour hand is the key,” Cade said excitedly, “the key to the treasure.” “There’s no treasure,” a quiet, solemn voice answered. The kids spun around to see a frail ghost lit up in a soft green haze. “I’ve been stuck here in this cold, empty underground classroom for years.” Cade and Blake exchanged anxious looks. “You see, when you become a ghost, you can find yourself in a cold, dark empty place that you can’t escape. Every day I just sit on the bare floor and stare at the cracks in the walls. I try to picture something cool happening, something I can remember, but I can’t see anything. All I see is the dark orange clock ticking, hour after hour goes by, and nothing changes, no one visits, and I have nowhere to go.” “We’re here now,” said Cade. “That’s right,” said Blake with an energetic smile. “There is a mystery,” the ghost continued, “some way out to a better place for me where I can be free, but I can’t figure it out.” “We can,” Cade answered confidently. “That’s why you invited us,” Blake added. “What are you talking about?” the ghost asked. “You invited us here,” said Cade, “that’s what the other ghost said, the one with the mop.” Eerie whining grew louder from the slow ticking clock. “I haven’t seen him in years. He never talks to me. How would I have invited you?” Cade pulled out a small black book and opened the page to the picture of the dark orange clock. Then the ghost pointed to a blacked out section in the center of the page. “See this? The one who invited you didn’t want you to see this.” “See what?” asked Blake. Then the ghost pointed to the old, worn out desk where writing in soft green glowing letters appeared:
Someday the students will be called by the clock To find the dingy classroom closed by a heavy lock The young student failed in the art school He tried too much, to make everyone else a fool But one day he will return, to finish what he begun He cannot escape, nor can anyone else, until it’s done The way through is revealed by the name Costaray Fight through the heavy confusion to see the way If you try to see the light all at once, you will fail Go through the center and you will prevail They all want to shine like a brilliant light Determination cutting through shows the way that’s right But the true light only shines in the dark night…
Eerie whining grew louder as Cade quickly wrote down the prophecy. Just then the ghostly singing started up again, echoing in a slow driving rhythm with a steady booming around the room. The kids turned to see the dark orange clock flashing to the rhythm. “You moved the hour hand,” the ghost answered quietly. “That’s why he invited you. He knew you would look for the secret in the clock.” “What is the secret?” asked Cade. “There’s a way to lock down the entire school. It was put in place so a dark enemy wouldn’t be able to enter, but no one can leave either, not even the ghosts. The ghost with the mop is the one who invited you here, because he doesn’t want to find a way out. The way the lockdown begins is by moving the hour hand.” A twisted-confused look came across Cade’s face. “It’s locked down now?” he asked. “It’s in the process, but it takes time,” the ghost answered. “Why did he need us?” asked Blake. “Because he’s a ghost, too weak to move it, but you can, and he knew kids like you would try it, to find the secret.” “He’s going to do everything he can to block your way.” “We need to get moving,” said Blake. “How much time until the lockdown is final?” asked Cade. “You have one hour.” The kids turned back to the prophecy, reading it over as the ghostly singing grew stronger around them. “There’s a way out in this room,” said Cade, talking fast. “What have…” He turned to the ghost but he was gone. Blake looked around at the empty dark room lit by the flashing dark orange. Then he moved over to the walls feeling the cracks. Cade started looking around the floor. Tragic singing rocked the walls. Blake glanced at the clock showing 11:10. “We have until midnight.” Cade started shaking. “What if we get trapped here? We’ll never…” “Cade, we’ll figure it out. Trust me.” Cade shook his head. With an intense gaze, Blake repeated, “Trust me. It’s us. We can find our way out of anything.” Cade slowly nodded. “Let’s go then.” The ghostly voice sang slower and slower, his voice slurring, the tragic flowing melody blurring together. Cade walked up and down the floor, staring close at the dark marble. Long dark shadows stretched away from the dark orange light from the Costaray Clock, flickering to the ghost song. He began crawling across the cold floor feeling the various cracks and scratches throughout. Blake started pounding at various points on the wall. Then he began launching himself at the wall. Cade turned and watched with a perplexed gaze. “This may be a dumb question, but…” “I’m just trying to find the trap door or whatever.” “Who says there’s a trap door?” “I didn’t say there was one…” “There probably isn’t.” “Well we have to try something.” Cade shrugged, then looked over the prophecy lines again. He read the lines, closes his eyes whispering to himself, then read them again. “It’s something about that clock, some message. It says the student tried too much, like that clock…” Cade stared at the clockface, shielding his eyes from the bright gold dancing lights. He shook his head with a blurred, slanting, falling expression that seemed to circle back around in an instant. “Determination cutting through shows the way…shows the way…” Cade shielded his eyes again, gazing at the hour hand barely moving, pointing out. Cade looked around the dark wall. “Wait a minute…” Then, he started crawling up the floor to the left of the long dark shadows stretching across the rugged crack in the floor, bouncing to the tragic song. Just then the lights went out. The ticking stopped, and the singing went quiet. “Blake, you there?” “Yeah.” Just then the sky appeared as flickering dark orange moonlight spilled through the rushing clouds. The kids looked around at the narrow valley between the mountains where the School of the Arts set nudged in the corner. The air remained completely still in the silence over the valley. “We did it!” said Cade, walking over to Blake. “We made it out.” “I don’t know what we did,” said Blake with a shrug. “I guess we’re that good.” “We made it out like that,” said Cade making a fast clapping motion. The kids started walking up the valley, celebrating. “I still don’t know what we did,” said Blake. “Yeah, that was easy.” “Too easy.” “Blake, hold up, hold up,” said Cade, taking the prophecy out of his pocket. He held it up under the passing moonlight. “Fight through the heavy confusion,” he added quietly. “We’re not out.” The kids looked around at the dreamy scene. “Get back to where we were standing.” Blake pulled out his pocketwatch as they made their way back to the field: 11:23. “What’s the clue about Costaray?” asked Cade. “It’s in the center,” said Blake. “Look, look, there’s the word, star, in the center.” “That must be the key. So we have it, look for the star. But there was no star, so…” Cade knelt down with eyes closed tight, whispering to himself. Blake read through the lines over and over again in the silent night. After several long minutes, Cade jumped back up. Blake looked at him with a questioning look. “I got nothing,” said Cade. “Look at this,” said Blake pointing to the last three lines. “I think this is it.” “The dark way.” “What does that have to do with a star?” “Stars only shine at night,” said Cade with a shrug. “I don’t see any stars, just the moon.” “What would be the dark way in the classroom? What shined like the moon?” “Maybe the clock, but those lights were so bright except…” “The hour hand. It was pointing to the numbers on the clock. Maybe there’s a hidden number to find,” said Blake. “Look for clues, things that look like the classroom,” said Cade. They looked around at the field under tall, wild grass. Flickering dark orange moonlight splashed through the rough dark clouds. The kids started pacing around the slow building slope. Long, flickering rays of moonlight stretched out across the field. “Blake, you remember the grass being this tall out here?” “No. Why?” “There has to be a reason, to confuse us…” “To hide the ground?” Blake asked. “It must be something on the ground, the floor.” He started crawling along the cold ground. Cade got down then said, “It looks and feels like the floor,” he said, moving his hand over the cold ground with various cracks running through. “It has to be in the floor then,” said Blake. “But there were no numbers on the floor were there? What else could the hour hand have been pointing to?”
“Something on the wall?”
“The cracks! It was pointing to the cracks.”
“It says go down the center,” said Cade. “There was a crack running down the center of the floor. I was close to it before this happened.” The kids worked their way into the long flickering dark orange shine. They crawled along until they felt a large crack in the ground running straight toward the moon. The two kids worked their way along the jagged groove until darkness fell over them. Tragic, ghostly singing began from the heavy dark center of the dark waves flowing out to the left and the right. Strong, dark orange light cut through the heavy dark waves, reaching out beyond the audience. A grand auditorium appeared, lit by bright flashing gold lights pulsating through doorways along the high rising walls and intense neon green candle clusters over the windows set over each balcony. Dark ghosts sat waiting in the shadows. Cade shot a mixed-half anxious expression at the seats each displaying a different green glowing ghostly face. “What we do now?” Blake whispered. “We find the way out of here,” answered Cade. Blake glanced at his pocketwatch: 11:41. “It better be fast.” Just then the ghost with the mop appeared in a high balcony over the stage, singing the tragic song ringing out across the entire auditorium. He reached up and pulled a rope. Cade watched as suddenly every light momentarily went out from the top, one by one, to the bottom. Just then blood red curtains flew in from both sides, flowing out to the left and the right across the stage, clashing at the center. “So what’s the way out?” asked Blake. Cade turned to him with eyes lit. “You already know. Let’s get there.” Just then green ghosts appeared at the ends of every aisle and across the stage. “They’re blocking our way to the stage,” Cade added. Blake crawled over the seat to the row below, with the back folding down over the chair. “How are we getting past them?” Cade asked, crawling over the seat to where Blake was. He shook his head. “Why aren’t they coming after us?” “They don’t want to close in too much and leave a space we can break through.” Cade started playing with the seats, flopping the back up and down. “Cade, this is no time for playing.” He sighed, looking at his pocketwatch: 11:47. Cade pushed it down, it came back up fast. He pushed it down harder, it came back up faster. Blake sighed again, shaking his head. Just then the ghosts began singing out the slow, tragic song, the eerie, twisted notes bouncing up and down, then falling swiftly in the dark orange flickering auditorium. Suddenly, the auditorium began slowly stretching out, further and further away. The kids turned to each other with panicked expressions. “What we do now?” asked Blake. “How we getting to the stage in time?” Cade started pushing the seat back up and down again. “Come on, Cade.” Cade looked up at the faint dark orange light, then slowly broke a smile. “Ready to go surfing?” “What?” Then Cade whispered to Blake. Blake smiled brightly. “Let’s move.” He glanced at his pocketwatch: 11:54. The ghosts sang louder and faster around them. “On three, one, two, THREE!” Cade turned the two seats in front of them, then they jumped down on the backs, sliding down as every chair down the row fell forward. The kids surfed fast down the slowly expanding rows toward the distant stage. Ghosts rushed down the side aisles toward the stage, gathering in a crowd. The sad ghost began singing in a really slow, slurred deep voice; “I’m never going home again.” “I’m never going home again.” “I’m never going home again.” “I’m never going home again.” “I’m never going home again.” “I’m never going home again.” “I’m never going home again.” Blake checked his pocketwatch: 11:57. The stage drew closer and closer. Just then ghosts rushed in from both sides down the final aisles. The kids jumped off. “Follow my lead,” said Cade who then dove down into the next aisle. He pushed several chairs down ahead, then waited. Blurry green ghosts closed in on all sides. Blake looked at him with raised eyes. Cade motioned for them to hold. Blake pointed to the time: 11:59. Cade silently counted; one, two, three. “NOW!” Cade and Blake exploded out to the left, pushing past the stunned ghosts. They circled around them, jumped up on stage, then sprinted for the break between the two red curtains. Darkness fell over them, then the valley appeared under dark orange moonlight, lighting up the old School of the Arts. “Are we really out?” asked Blake. Cade looked down at the short dark green grassy field and smiled. “We’re free.”
When you explore the gloomy valley on an October night, where the haunted School of the Arts still stands, a place Cade and Blake have been to several times before, because they were intrigued by the story of the Costaray Clock and it’s deep secret, or so they thought. But that’s not the real reason they ended up there. It wasn’t by chance they found the book that told of the secret of the Costaray Clock, haunted by the old ghost who can’t find his way out. They were invited, but it’s not exactly a friendly invitation. Will they figure out the secret, the real secret? Will they have what it takes to find their way out? Because some students never did. Even as you enter the valley, you might get lost in the deep underground classrooms…
The massive hidden clock ticks in a slow rhythm. The clock hand drags around and around, sounding like a groaning ghost, groaning because he can’t find his way out. Every tick strikes with a sharp cold chill entering in you. But the groaning just goes around and around in the empty, stretching dark. Every step you take in the never ending hallway made of black dusty marble barely lit by wide-spaced dark orange lit lanterns. The lights flicker to the rhythm of the clock ticking from all sides. Inside a classroom, several ghost students sit listening to the teacher, with a low voice, talking incredibly slowly, his words slurring together. The kids just sit there completely still, staring straight ahead with emtpy expressions. As he writes various math equations he keeps repeating the same phrase over and over in a deep, slow, slurring voice: “I’m never going home again.” “I’m never going home again.”
The lesson never ends. The students have to answer a complicated essay question. If they get it right, it might finally be time to move on to the next lesson, but it never is. There’s always another question. They can’t leave their desk. They can’t leave the classroom with bare, dingy walls barely lit by gloomy green lights, that slowly grow dim, then slowly grow bright, then slowly back to dim, over and over and over. There are no windows. There is some answer to the questions that can lead them to become free, but they can’t figure it out. That’s because it’s not really about the questions, it’s about why they are there in the first place…
The never-ending hallway runs between the rows of classrooms holding students prisoner. The only ghost you see in the hallway is the one who mops the floors. He mops in slow, sweeping strokes, moving slowly up the hall. He stops from time to time, to check his mopping, scanning the floor with his sunken, empty dark eyes. Usually, he goes back to re-mop the floor, with even slower strokes. Sometimes you can barely see him, in flickering green light. Sometimes he stops to listen to what’s happening in the classrooms. There’s a mysterious moment that happens every once in awhile, when he’s listening to one of the lessons, to the students’ response, in a critical lesson or project. He sets the mop to the side, and slowly claps quietly to himself, pacing, pacing, but with a faint smile that only lasts for a moment, then while still clapping, he has a sad, anxious look on his face, before quickly getting back to his mopping the glossy floor running directly down the center of the underground…
In another classroom, a lonely student sits in one of the desks. There’s no one else there, but him. He stares at the high grand stained-glass windows with pale shafts of light that fade quickly in the dark classroom. He reads the same book, over and over again, sometimes getting up to pace around the classroom. Sometimes he draws pictures on the board, but he keeps trying to make them better, adding more and more to them until it gets to be a big mess and he erases the entire picture in frustration. He paces around, glowing in a slow green fire. He has a sad, hopeless gaze that always looks down. He always goes back to that book, reading it, studying it, trying to find the answer. He just can’t figure it out. It’s a small, colourful book, that doesn’t seem to have much to it. But no one knows what’s in it, or why he studies it, but they know what he’s trying to figure out…
Gloomy shadows reach out like long, twisted fingers, as the lonely ghost groans on and on, going around and around in the dark orange dead light. The time never stops. The sad, quiet ghost creeps along the hallway. He stops and stares through the door, directly at the student, but he never says anything. Once in a while, the ghost students pass through the hall. The student calls out to them, talks to them, and asks them questions, but they never respond. Can they hear him? He’s not sure. He goes back to his study, trying to find the answer. He tries to figure out why that student was so popular. He wonders if there are any students who could ever help him figure out the mystery he can’t solve. Why didn’t they like him? Why didn’t he have any friends? What did he need to do? Why can’t they see him? Even when he was alive, he felt like a ghost…
