“The aliens claimed to be highly superior. They claimed to be our heroes coming to our planet to save us from ourselves. They claim our problems, our sicknesses come from students who don’t follow the right way, the standard way. I’m Cade Mayson of Cashes Dade, and I was ranked BlackStar by the aliens meaning failure even though I was a perfect student. Okay, maybe not quite perfect. I got in trouble one or two…or fifty times. I fell asleep during lessons one or two…or fifty times. I got distracted one…well you get the picture. People think I didn’t like school, but I liked it before the aliens took over my school. Yeah, I didn’t like most of the “important” subjects, but I liked art and music and history. I liked doing fun projects and I liked some of the games we would play. I don’t understand complicated math or science but I know how to escape out of a trap. I know how to solve puzzles. I know how to play really cool music. I know how to come up with cool and fun ideas. They say the only true way to learn is to listen to the teachers, take down simple notes, and understand by thinking about the concepts. They claim students who learn by drawing pictures, working things out their own way, or by acting things out, are lazy. They claim students who don’t understand the key subjects, the important ones according to them, are stupid. They claim the students who try to think different, who try to be creative and come up with new ideas, are trouble makers. They say students like me, like my friends, are a cancer and must be punished, sent to the Dathmore to work like slaves and if that doesn’t work, we must be eliminated. Do you believe them? Is their way really the best way? Come to the new Cashes Dade at our secret location by following the dark orange lights in the night and see for yourself. Check out what we have built with our different skills and new ideas. They had us surrounded, you know. You should read about how we tried to reveal who the alien spy was and how we tried to break through in our Bloody Friday War. But if they are so superior, why did we break through?”
The adventure continues. In fact, it’s only getting started. The prophecy that will be featured in the next book is about to revealed below. Who wrote this prophecy is a mystery. It’s time for another mystery challenge. In this one see if you can figure out which line is the most important one. The clues are in Cade’s report. Can you figure it out? Which line do you think it is? Leave a comment below. The answer will be revealed in the next mystery challenge. Otherwise, get ready for lots of mysteries to solve as well as many twists and turns in the next book called:
MYSTERY OF THE COLDOR CRYING GHOST
There is a glittering puzzle to solve to set them free
You must put all the pieces together to reveal the key
Each piece will appear as a glowing word when you stare
When each one looks where they want, the answer is there
The intense, old climber reveals the secret of what they fear
The pieces must be together for the final answer to appear
The first piece will be found where the student plays
How does this visionary lead them through the haze?
The second piece is where the popular student can fly
But you can’t see it, blazing through, from so far up high
The third piece is where the grand symphony plays fast
Look for the answer to be found in the ship’s mast
The fourth piece is around the bend where the aliens lie
The head-strong student tries to reach, but too high
The fifth piece will be found under the blazing sign
The student stares at the glitter, blind to the design
The sixth and final piece will be found inside the show
When the bright students dance at once, follow the glow
The trap will be set where the students believe they can go
The true way out for them will be the door lit by the glow
The ghost who haunts the halls is locked in a cold gloom
Solve the puzzle to find where he must live out his doom
Some object in the school can be turned to find his room
Then you will hear his message to avoid the intense light
The stars must be determined to show the way in the night
The greatest tragedy is not failing to reach the glittering peak
It’s when you miss the chance to go after the glory you seek
When you hear the ghost crying in the dark, then you’ll know
The aliens with their brilliant light are afraid of the stars’ glow
But if you don’t find the ghost in time, Cade will die in the show
Cade Mayson and his ghost striker friends have been watching the aliens all through the fall. Several new towers have gone up. Mysterious lights play to the rhythm of loud, booming music throughout the mountains during the moonlit nights. They believe the aliens are working on something secret. It could be a new weapon, perhaps something that can break through the defensive fires that protect the new Kingdom of Cashes Dade at the top of the mountain. Josiah believes they are secretly experimenting with students. But he’s more concerned with what the aliens are looking for. They want to discover the secret of Ghost Peak. Cade, Blake, Drew, and Josiah are determined to find it first, because something powerful might be found there, and if the aliens get it, the revolution might end before it can begin…
It’s time for another mystery challenge. If you haven’t yet, go to LIST OF POSTS at the top of the site and check out MYSTERY OF GHOST PEAK: PART ONE AND PART TWO. Have you figured out yet which path the kids should take that will lead to the secret peak in the distance? Leave a comment below if you have a guess. Check out the Daycoyer Prophecy below to learn more about the alien invasion, what’s happened to the students like Cade, Blake, and Drew, and to learn the secret of Ghost Peak. More about this will be revealed in the next post including the answer for which of the five paths leads to Ghost Peak. There is a key clue in the prophecy. Can you find it? What secret will be revealed?
DAYCOYER PROPHECY
Kids play soccer on a wide field under a calm sky
Others build sandcastles under the shade up high
When a brilliant flash shoots out over every school
Green fires turn the day’s warmth into a chilling cool
First they will deceive all the parents about a great threat
When they look to the aliens as superior all will be set
They will shine light on the few students who follow their way
They won’t care at all what students on the outside have to say
From the beginning, they will decide where each student will rank
When they were called trouble makers that’s when they sank
The aliens pretend to light up the best way with intense beams
But what they’re really doing is trying to crush their dreams
At night, a dark storm will cover all the nations in shadow
But in the western sky, in the three dark stars will appear a glow
There is a secret being held by the ghosts under the hidden peak
The way there is by following the close, yet distant dream you seek
The bright singer flies so fast you can’t see him stop
The crazy ghost kids can’t be kept from reaching the top
The kid with fire in his eyes can’t be told there’s no way
He’s determined to take the most daring path to make them pay
When the blazing students find the ghosts, a secret will be revealed
They hold a secret many forgot for how they can be healed…
It was a dark, chilly night where the sky seemed empty when Todd Mardade climbed the barren, steep rocky slope to the high, jagged peak. It was pure black but showed up clear even in the night. He climbed fast up the slick stones, moving faster and faster until he reached the top. He looked out over the vast landscape of mountains looking like dark waves under passing, flickering blue moonlight. He saw a massive neon green glowing mountain he’d never seen before, but then after watching a long time he began to realize it was four massive walls of mist. He kept staring intensely as aliens appeared within the mist, building a half-circular tower. Three sleek dark blue triangular alien ships flew low over the mountains around the mist. Intense lights shone down from the ships as they circled the secret building. Now, his 12-year-old son Josiah searches for the mountain. He’s trying to uncover what the aliens are hiding…
Josiah’s favorite thing to do is to sing. He makes up his own songs, yet never writes them down. Some of the ones he really likes, he just remembers, for the most part. He has an amazing ability to come up with a song on the spot. One time he was supposed to help in the kitchen at school helping the cooks prepare the school lunches. He started singing loud, so loud, that all of his classmates in the other room could hear him. As they made their way into the room where the other cooks had gathered in the far corner, some covering their ears, they could hear him singing about all kinds of random ingredients, in a really fast song that sounded like a battle song. He sung about various explosions, shootings, and launching…well then they saw it for themselves. He was throwing sugar and salt into the air. He mixed in a bowl and half of it ended up outside the bowl. In fact, most of what he was supposed to make landed on the table, the floor, the ceiling, the door, and inside the refrigerator! To this day, no one knows how the dough ended up there when it was closed the whole time. To this day, no one knows what Josiah was even trying to make, and to this day, he’s never been invited back in the kitchen…
Josiah loves climbing mountains. He isn’t so much interested in which mountains he climbs, but how he climbs. He likes to take the most direct route, but he also likes to take the hardest route. He never talks about what mountains he’s climbed, but the kids find out because they hear his singing from distant peaks. He moves the way he sings, fast, full-speed ahead until he crashes. They hear his singing through the shadows, flying high. Then all the sudden it just stops, in mid-sentence, even mid-word. But after awhile, it starts up again. He likes to go up the steepest parts, mainly because he wants to take the fastest route. But what’s really mysterious, are the lights that appear in odd places on the peak. No one knows how he puts them there, how he gets there, but somehow these neon gold lights appear. They continue to shine and they even shine in the darkest nights…
Josiah hates chores. He hates doing anything boring or routine. That’s why if you give him something to do like wash clothes or dishes, what should take him 15 minutes will take him about 5 hours. Mostly it’s because he plays with the clothes or dishes. He makes up songs, has the various dishes fight while he gives the play by play even if no one is around. But the real reason it takes him much longer is because he usually has to clean up a mess he makes from the “fights” that take place among whatever objects he’s dealing with. What doesn’t help is the fact that Josiah has no concept of time at all. If you tell him to meet you at 4:00, don’t expect him to show up at 4:00, because something will distract him or take him way longer than it should. Plus, he just gets really confused at specific times. No one knows why. But he doesn’t seem to be confused about the times when the aliens are bringing in new students to the mysterious new complex they built hidden in the mountains…
In the late cold nights of Cashes Dade, when the blue moonlight burns bright, Josiah sneaks out into the mountains. He believes the aliens are sneaking students into the hidden complex deep in the mountains. He hears strong pounding music and bizarre lights flashing inside. But they seem to be hiding the students, and what they’re doing. What are the aliens planning? What are they doing to these students? We’ll find out more about this in the next post called:
MYSTERY OF GHOST PEAK: PART THREE
But Josiah isn’t just exploring deep into the mountains, climbing and reaching distant, high jagged peaks to discover the secrets the aliens are hiding. He sings because he believes music is the best way to reach him. He explores deep into the mountains because he hopes he can find the ghost of his dad…
A strong, whistling cold wind blew through the complete darkness. High in the blackness a lady appeared in a white misty form flying through the air. She screamed out, the chilling sound echoing throughout. She faded, then grew brighter, then faded away again, flying fast. Blake and Drew got down low, struggling to see. Sharp whistling from high up slowly fell in a slow bouncing rhythm. An old man groaned nearby. Another man shouted out frantically.
“Should we light up?” Drew whispered.
“I don’t think so.”
“Cade’s not going to try to climb down in the dark is he?”
“I’d be surprised if he didn’t.” Fast, high-pitched piano chords pounded out, playing a slow rising song with a sound of exreme urgency. Another lady began crying close by. Her cries shook the darkness as she yelled out:
“Silence falls there, silence falls there, silence falls there. They will never be heard again. They will never move again. They are dead, they are still, they are silent…” The sour piano song played faster and faster. The floor started vibrating. The walls began booming around them. Faint dark orange lights in the form of cracks at the top. Then the face of the grandfather appeared in a ghostly reflection across the wall. He stared out with a burning, intense angry gaze. Sharp whistling continued to fall in the heavy chilling dark. The two kids began to make out the murky outlines of the high trees. Then the grandfather yelled out:
“IT WAS YOU! IT WAS YOU! YOU DID THIS, AND I’LL FIND YOU CADE MAYSON!”
“What we do now?” Blake whispered.
“We need to get out of here,” said Drew, “but Cade’s still up there.” The grandfather’s angry face slowly turned toward the far left wall, looking up toward the high balcony hidden in the dark. Intense, dark orange lights in the shapes of fancy candle clusters lit up throughout the trees. They appeared to float around while the sharp black trees remained completely still. “He’s going to find him,” Drew said nervously. Blake gazed up anxiously at the murky balcony. With a heavy boom the entire balcony lit up in a bright gold light. It was empty. Blake and Drew turned to each other and smiled.
“Now it’s time to light up,” said Blake. He took out a small candle and lit it up in dark blue. The two kids jogged toward the entrance. The grandfather slowly turned his gaze in their direction. “Take left, I’ll take right. NOW.” The two kids dove down. Drew crawled to the left of the doorway. Blake rolled over to the right. Then he gazed up at the dark orange lit evergreens. The dark orange light clusters blended with the neon green triangular leaves. Breaking moonlight streamed in through the massive high grand windows.
“Where is he?” Drew whispered.
“Right here.” Drew turned to see Cade laying flat on the floor next to him. The high whistling piano chords played faster and stronger, pounding through the walls.
“How do you always do that?” asked Drew.
“Answer questions?”
“No, you always just show up right when we’re looking for you.”
“I’ve been sitting here for five minutes.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”
“I was trying to be quiet.”
“You guys want to get out of here or keep going with your tea party?” asked Blake. Cade looked up as the grandfather’s angry gaze turned down to them.
“Where’s he at?” whispered Drew. Blake looked around with a sharp gaze. The grandfather appeared just past the trees, gliding fast toward them.
Cade calmly waved the other two in. “Blake, take the light, go fast down. Then double back, we’ll hang back on the steps let him go past.” Blake shot through the opening. Cade and Drew followed past the entryway. They slid to a stop, then crawled fast back behind the doorway. Blake’s light went out. The grandfather entered and glided fast down the steps. Then he disappeared around the corner. The lady kept crying in the distance. The flying lady cried out in a shrill voice somewhere above them. Cade waved them forward. The kids quietly worked their way down the steps.
Just then Blake popped up and joined them. Dark orange candle lights flickered to the slow, booming rhythm throughout the house.
“We weren’t having a tea party,” Cade mumbled. The high-pitched piano notes played in a slow, flowing rhythm.
“It was a joke.”
“I’ve never had a tea party in my life.”
“Where’s the kid?” Drew whispered.
“The boy or the girl?” asked Cade.
“I haven’t seen the boy at all.” The kids got down low at the second floor hallway.
“Where’d he go?” asked Drew.
“Check the first room,” Blake whispered. The kids got down low. Cade peered into the massive-half oval shaped bedroom.
The grandfather looked under the bright, colourful bed. The father carved furiously into the black frames and headboard adding to the elaborate designs.
“What are you looking for,” the father asked in a deadpan voice.
“The kid. He’s the one, I know it. He’s the one who let in the cold darkness that took him.”
“The boy’s the one who died,” Drew whispered.
“Watch him,” Blake whispered, “see if he shows up in the mirror.” Cade watched intently as the grandfather moved toward the rocking chair barely lit by a few dead orange lights. He passed the small oval shaped mirror with a shimmering glowing green border. The mirror reflected only the still rocking chair. Cade shook his head.
“Back up, back up,” Cade whispered. The kids laid low as the grandfather entered the hallway, then walked into the next bedroom.
“We’ve seen the maid and the grandfather, neither appeared in the mirror,” said Blake.
“I saw the young girl and the father already too,” said Drew. “Neither of them appeared.”
“So it’s either the son or the mother?” asked Cade.
“Why are they going to appear in a mirror?” asked Blake. The eerie, whistling piano notes crawled through the dim quiet hallway barely lit by small, flickering dark orange lights. They heard the grandfather groan as he entered the hall again. He pounded the wall with his fist. The lights faded. Then he entered the girl’s room.
“Why aren’t the others appearing in the mirrors?” asked Drew.
“Yeah, why aren’t they?” asked Blake.
“The one who is going to appear,” said Cade, talking fast, “must have done something to the mirrors so none of the others would appear so only they would show up, but not the others, you know?”
“Did you get any of that?” asked Drew.
“I think he’s saying the one who we’re looking for made it so none of the others would show up in the mirrors, but why?”
“He doesn’t want them to look in the mirrors maybe?” said Drew, throwing his hands up. The grandfather came back out of the boy’s room. He knocked the shelf off the wall. The two plants and shimmering carved black horse crashed down. The grandfather left down the steps. As the kids watched, the carved shiny black horse rose from the floor and floated into the boy’s room.
“Let’s go,” said Cade, “I think he’s the one.” The kids entered a small, dark room dimly lit by a single dusty dark orange candle on a shelf holding a few shiny carved animals. A small bed sat in the close, left corner. A small, shimmering black cabinet sat in the close, right corner. A dead plant stood in the far left corner while a small circular mirror hung in the far right corner. Breaking moonlight spilled into the room through a small, rectangular window.
“He’s in here,” Drew whispered.
“Watch the mirror,” said Blake. Cade walked over to the window and looked out at the lit up neon green forest. The grandfather walked out, then held up his hands high into the passing moonlight.
“He’s outside, the grandfather,” said Cade. The grandfather stood under a dead tree with broad, large twisted branches rising up in close together stacks showing stark black twisted shadows in the flickering moonlight.
“How are we going to see him in the mirror if we don’t know where he is?” asked Drew.
“Block the door so he can’t leave,” said Blake.
“He’s a ghost,” said Drew.
“So?”
“So you can’t block ghosts. They can just walk through.”
“No they can’t.” As Cade watched, half curious, half amused at the conversation behind him, dark ghosts emerged from the forest.
“He’s calling dark spirits,” said Cade, spinning around. “We’re out of time. They’re coming after us and we can’t escape.”
“Unless we solve the mystery,” said Drew.
“Why a mirror?” asked Blake.
“Why does anyone look in a mirror?” said Cade, “to look at themselves.”
“But he doesn’t want them to see themselves in the mirrors anymore,” said Drew.
“Maybe they didn’t pay attention to him,” said Cade in a low voice. A heavy bang came from the front door. A sharp chill entered the room. Drew glanced nervously at the window where flickering blue moonlight passed through stark black twisted shadowsstacked closely together.
“They’re here,” said Blake.
“So we need to pay attention to him. That will lead us to the answer,” said Drew. Chilling whistling wind rushed into the house. All the lights went out. Cade quickly struck a small blue candle. He held it close to the shelf.
“Look at these,” he whispered. “I think he made these.”
“They’re really good,” Drew whispered. Blake walked over to the cabinet.
“I think he made this,” he said, “it looks just as good as the other things.”
“Why won’t he show up?” asked Drew, watching the mirror.
“Maybe he wants us to see everything he’s made,” said Cade. The room grew colder.
“They’re going to find us any minute now,” said Blake.
“Open that,” said Cade. “I’ll bet there are more in there.” Blake pulled the door open and the wall slid open revealing a set of shelves holding numerous shiny, colourful wagons, carriages, horses, trees, and model homes. They looked up to the top where a shimmering dark blue mirror showed a young boy appearing to be their age.
“We did it,” said Blake with a smile.
“Thanks for finding me,” said the kid.
“Why did you do this?” asked Drew.
“They never noticed me,” said the kid. “They never cared about what I made. They only cared about themselves, how they looked. They ignored me.”
“That’s why you blocked out the mirrors,” said Drew. The kid shook his head.
“I know they’ll keep looking for a mirror they will see themselves in. They’ll find this one and finally see what I made. I appear in this mirror because that’s the only way they’ll see me.” Ghostly whistles echoed throughout the house.
“How we getting out of here?” asked Blake. Cade gazed around the room, then stopped at the window. He turned to the other two, slowly breaking a smile. “I don’t want to know.”
“You think we can fly?” asked Drew.
“No, but we can climb,” said Cade pointing to the dark, twisted branches outside the window. The three kids did the ghost striker handshake, bumping fists, then quickly pulling their hands back flat making the sound, “Shhhhh.” Cade pulled the window open, and the three kids slipped out and scrambled down the closely stacked branches. The family entered the kid’s room just as Cade, Blake, and Drew disappeared into the forest. The family looked out the window. They couldn’t see the three kids, but they turned around, and finally saw the ghost in the mirror…
A few years ago, Cade Mayson discovered the dark secret about the ghosts in DarkCorner Land which you can see in the story:
MYSTERY OF THE LUSTARAY CLOCK GHOST. Cade went on a daring mission, but not nearly as crazy as the one he’s going on this year. Many ghosts suffer the same fate as the school janitor ghost, who haunts the school in the dark hours. He comes out every night, carrying a worn out mop, and roams the many grand, twisted halls dimly lit by small, flickering dark orange candle clusters. He mops slowly across the slick floor, but he keeps stopping to look back at the floor he cleaned. He stares at the reflections of dark shadows playing across the dark marble floor. He watches for the dark orange lights to make shapes, then faces. They form the faces of students, students he remembers going to the school when he worked there. He stares, waiting for them to see him, but they never do. The ghost who haunts the school, is haunted by the students…
Welcome back to DarkCorner Land. It’s time to explore the Old Haunted Maysher House that’s hidden in a secret forest. Cade, Blake, and Drew are locked in there right now, and in the next post we will return to see if they can solve the mystery and escape. Maybe you can solve the mystery, if you’re brave enough to explore this bizarre forest, because there will be clues. Otherwise, if you haven’t yet, scroll down the List of Posts and check out the other Halloween posts and MYSTERY OF THE GHOST IN THE MIRROR: PART ONE. Can you solve the mystery? Will you escape?
It always gets dark when you get close to the secret forest. No one knows exactly where it’s located, because there’s a mysterious way to find it as Cade discovered in the post titled: CHARACTER FUN FACTS: CADE’S MYSTERIOUS WAY. This place can’t be found with a map which is probably why Cade was able to find it since he can’t follow a map to save his life, literally. As night falls, that’s when the ghosts appear, dancing in the moonlight. But it’s the ghosts who keep the forest hidden. They’re the ones who keep themselves hidden and don’t want people to know where they are. As the moon shines down through the black, twisted branches of the towering neon green evergreens full of misty leaves, the ghosts dance in circles, over and over and over again. They dance together in front of the Old Maysher House which shines in a booming rhythmic dark orange glow, but then they split off and do their own dances individually. Thing is, these ghosts may not want people to know where they are, but they want to be found…
There’s one ghost in particular who is really mysterious. She always dances in the far corner, always trying crazy spinning jumps, always trying to fly higher and higher. But she never quite gets it right, and is always trying something crazier. A few times, some citizens of Cashes Dade found the forest, and found her dancing. Cade always thought maybe if he climbed the trees high enough he might be able to see her from a distance, and he even made his way to the top of several really tall trees, in the dark, with no light, because you see, he figured trying to hold a light while climbing in the total darkness would be dangerous…When she saw them, she would dance faster and faster, higher and higher, trying to shine in the passing moonlight. But when she saw their candle lights shine together in a cluster, she would get angry and stare at them with a cold, icy glare. A strong chilling wind would knock them back, knock out their lights and push them toward a dark, cold twisted forest. Her eyes turn blood red. Her face turns neon green. That’s all they see in the dark. Her scream is what makes them run, and never return…
But what is it about the lights that make her so angry? She dances when she first sees them approaching, but when they gather together close,in a cluster, that’s when she turns on them. It’s a mystery, but it also reminds some people of what happened many years ago in Cashes Dade. This is one mystery Cade Mayson knows nothing about, because he doesn’t get dance. He also would rather watch grass grow than a Dance Competition. A young girl was dancing her routine in a Dance Championship. She did amazing jumps and spins, and earned a high score and she won, so what happened? What do you think happened? After she sat down in one corner, her gaze shifted to the opposite corner, where a cluster of lights appeared. That’s where the next dancer had entered the arena and a hush fell over the crowd. She remembered how distracted everyone waswhen she started her routine. They weren’t that interested. But they were spellbound by the next dancer…
Something tragic happened at the Old Maysher House. No one knows quite what happened, but maybe the kids will find out soon because the ghosts often relive their worst moments, their greatest tragedies, their greatest failures. Can you imagine having to experience the same lousy day over and over and over again? Some ghosts, like the ones in the Maysher House, have to do the same chores, the same boring tasks, the same routines, knowing what’s going to happen, and knowing it will never change. They live in the cold darkness and see no hope. But the key to this mystery is in the mysterious desire of the ghosts who dance in the moonlight. One of them appears in a mirror. Why? Mirrors show reflections. Why do people look in the mirror? They want to see themselves. The kids just heard a lady scream. The house went dark. But something else has happened, something that has made one of the ghosts angry. The kids might not even have as much time as they thought, and there is no way out…
“I DIDN’T SEE IT, I DIDN’T SEE IT, I DIDN’T SEE IT,” the old ghost kept shouting out in agony. Dazzling green mist crept along the crusty forest ground. The full moon stretched out behind the smooth, dark clouds in the late October night. The old ghost groaned out for a long, long time, the sound echoing out through the heavy neon green glowing forest. Dark orange light stretched out across the rough, black wall inside the front entryway. The dusty chandelier flickered on and off throwing out dark orange light over the cracked shelves. Dead, overgrown plants took over the shelves. A lady began crying in the corner. A small, shiny red painted wagon creaked along the lowest shelf between two cracked, pale green vases holding dead flowers.
Cade ran low to the ground from one towering evergreen to another, getting down behind several bushes. He stared out with a bright intensity. He slowly broke a smile. Pale shafts of moonlight lit up his short, dark spiraling hair falling low over his intense eyes. Blake shot fast across the cold ground, sliding to a stop next to Cade. His short, sandy hair glowed momentarily in the moonlight. He whispered something to Cade who shook his head. Then turning away, Blake mumbled something to himself. Both kids kept glancing back anxiously. Drew’s shadow slowly appeared. He barely crawled along the ground. Cade and Blake just shook their heads watching him moving incredibly slow. He shook his long, wild hair several times before finally reaching them. Then Cade pointed at them. The father and the mother remained still, watching the kids through the dark blue dusty window. The father held a worn out wrench, while the mother held a dusty, worn spoon. The two ghosts exchanged smiles. The father said, “They’re here.”
Cade, Blake, and Drew call themselves The Cashes Dade Ghost Strikers. They have made it their mission to start a revolution against the aliens who have ruined their school and their country. Check out the page at the top of this site called THE DADESTAR REVOLUTION to start an awesome adventure with endless, fun mysteries. If you want more great stories for Halloween, check out these previous posts beginning with this one:
CHARACTER FUN FACTS: IS CADE MAYSON A GHOST?
Also, check out the one right before this one called CHARACTER FUN FACTS: CADE’S MYSTERIOUS WAY.
It’s almost time to join the kids in their mission to solve the mystery of the Haunted Maysher House. Something tragic happened there, but no one knows what. There’s a secret message the ghosts want people to discover, but the only way is to find the ghost who appears in the mirror. Can you figure out which mirror the ghost will appear in? Who will it be? The grandfather, the father, the mother, the maid, the daughter, or the son? The clues will be there. Will you be able to figure it out? The ghosts will not let you leave if you don’t. Will you escape?
The dark blue sky turned black. The dark outlines of the trees grew still. Black clouds covered the moon. Dead leaves crunched under the kids’ shoes. The old house glowed in still murky green light. Blake reached for the door, then turned back to the other two, breaking a smile.
“Ready?”
“What do you think?” asked Drew. “What time is it?” he added, turning to Cade.
“Showtime,” he whispered with eyes lit.Blake slowly opened the silent door. Strong, bouncing dark orange light hit them as they entered the house. Chilling wind pushed them further in. Drew fell awkwardly on the black marble floor. The face of a middle-aged man appeared in the floor. He stared angrily at them. The wind knocked over several plants from the shelves behind them. The red wagon rolled across, stopping at the edge.
“Shut the door, you’re letting in a draft,” said Drew.
“What are you 85?” asked Blake. Cade turned around. The door slammed shut. A piano played a high-pitched flowing song, the same three high whistling chords over and over. “Happy now, Drew?”
“It’s still cold in here.”
“You want a blanket and some warm milk?”
“Well, a blanket and hot…”
“Quiet, quiet,” Cade whispered tensely. “Listen.” The house creaked and groaned around them. The black marble walls flashed in dark orange light flashing out from twisted chandeliers hanging high on the walls rising high. Dead whispers echoed out from the floor and walls. Shadows crept out from the black couch and black chairs set on each side of the dusty orange table holding a lamp with a dying, small flickering yellow light.
“It’s them,” Blake said in a low voice.
Cade shook his head. “No, there’s something else.” A low booming began, vibrating through the dusty, dirt covered floor. The green glowing square windows made of many smaller square panels rattled under the growing pressure. Just then, the door groaned so loud. The kids fell back and covered their ears. Then the door disappeared. Only a black wall remained. Neon green writing suddenly appeared:
THERE IS NO DOOR, NO ESCAPE, NO WAY OUT
UNLESS YOU SOLVE WHAT THE MYSTERY IS ABOUT
YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE UNLESS YOU SEE IT CLEARER
THAT IS, WHEN YOU SEE THE GHOST IN THE MIRROR
“What we do now?” asked Blake.
“Find a mirror,” said Drew with a shrug. The left chair started moving, dragging away from the wall. A faint white mist appeared. The dead yellow light flickered suddenly, then burned brighter against the black wall behind. As the kids watched, an older lady appeared, wearing a maid’s uniform. She got down and anxiously cleaned the floor where the chair was.
“Should we talk to her?” Drew whispered. The lady suddenly glided away toward the circular living room lit up by small dark orange candle clusters.
“Follow her,” said Blake.
“Stay in the shadows,” whispered Cade. They hurried into the large, empty living room. A circular thick orange carpet covered the floor. The lady got down and furiously scrubbed the carpet with a worn out rag. The dark orange candle clusters barely lit the room, not reaching the center.
“Hey, there’s a mirror,” said Blake pointing to a large, oval shaped mirror with a blue crystal border. “This is our chance.”
“If she stands up,” said Cade. The high-pitched piano chords started up again, playing slowly. A lady screamed from another part of the house. The maid just kept gliding around the carpet, cleaning with something in her hands. The distant lady began crying.
“We should check that out,” said Blake.
“No, wait until she stands up,” said Cade.
Drew sighed heavily, stood up and approached her saying loudly, “HEY LADY, CAN YOU STAND UP FOR A SECOND?” She kept gliding around in frantic circles. “CAN YOU HEAR ME?”
“She can’t hear you,” said Blake standing next to him. Fast footsteps ran above them. Loud dragging cut over the soft piano music. Finally she stood up. The kids looked to the mirror. But all they could see was the dark wall behind, even as she walked past.
“Maybe it’s not a mirror,” said Drew. Cade walked over and pointed to his reflection.
“See? See?” Then he started making funny faces, stretching his mouth in ways that didn’t seem possible.
“Okay, I get it. It’s a mirror.” A loud crash upstairs knocked them back. The kids hurried up a long, winding staircase lit by small dark orange candles. Cade and Blake hurried ahead, while Drew slid to a stop. A bouncing neon green light cut into the dark hall. Drew opened the door showing a bedroom with a massive dollhouse in the center. Numerous small green candles lit up the many different rooms of the house. Drew looked around with wide eyes, his face twisting in amazement as he scanned from room to room. One room had a bunch of slides. Another had small figurines on a dance floor. Another had small pools with a fountain flowing in the center. Another one had all kinds of tubes with colourful waters.
Then Drew turned his gaze to a young girl building a new room near the top left corner. Another loud crash shook the walls. Drew turned to see a large mirror covered with blue and red jewels. He walked up to it, straining to see the reflection not covered, but the girl did not appear.
Drew walked out of the room into the dim circular hallway. Small clusters of dark orange candles barely lit up small cracked shelves holding various flower pots. A green model wagon sat between two. A bright, shiny red horse-drawn carriage with carved horses sat between two large, towering flower pots. He passed another bedroom with small, dark orange lights along various shelves holding small objects. Loud hammering started up echoing all around him. Drew followed the sound to a massive-half oval shaped bedroom.
The bed was covered in bright, colourful blankets. The frames and headboard were black with all kinds of designs carved throughout. A man with sad, empty eyes hammered on a rocking chair in the corner. Drew saw the chair reflected in a small oval shaped mirror with a shimmering glowing green border. It was rocking, but empty all around. He turned back and saw the man hammering on it. Fast footsteps ran in the hall past the room. Drew hurried out into the hall. He saw a young boy disappear up a staircase around the corner. Drew started after him. Another heavy crash rocked the walls. All the lights went out. Total, cold darkness surrounded him. He felt along the wall, his shoes barely tapping the floor. The lady’s crying broke the silence, coming from the first floor. A strong, sharp chill rushed into the hall. Slow footsteps creaked toward him.
Drew started nervously whistling a hopeful tune. He smiled, reaching the staircase, whistling louder and faster, until he heard another voice whistling behind him. He stopped cold. Drew slowly turned around trying to see in the cold dark. The whistling voice drifted past them.
“Yeah I can.”
“No, you can’t.”
“I totally can, I totally can, you’ll see.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“It’ll be easy.”
“You’re crazy.” Drew finally saw a dim, dark orange light cut into the top of the staircase. A young boy disappeared into the top room. Drew entered a massive, wide room with high, grand blue crystal glass windows letting in passing moonlight. High winds beat against the walls. The room was full of massive evergreens holding smooth, triangular neon green glowing leaves. A small, pale bucket sat on a branch near a misty figure. Another crash turned their gazes toward the far corner where the bucket went flying high, hitting the next branch while an old man holding an axe came down a rope ladder held by the branch. He began walking the floor, gazing around at the trees with a strong, concerned gaze.
“What’s going on?” asked Drew.
“Cade’s acting crazy.”
“He’s always acting crazy.”
“No, you don’t understand, he thinks he’s climbing up there,” said Blake pointing to a high balcony with a tall, rectangular mirror.The trees had large branches spiraling around the tree to the top, each row of branches widely spaced.
“No way,” said Drew shaking his head wildly, “no way, he can’t jump that high, no way he does that, he must be joking.“
“He’s not,” said Blake. “I asked him ten times.”
“Cade, how do…where’d he go?” Blake pointed up, while shaking his head. Cade jumped on the branch and bounced up to the next one. He bounced from branch to branch, circling around the tree. Near the top, he jumped to the next branch, didn’t quite get there, grabbed the leaves, hung there for a moment, then dropped back to the lower branch.
“Well, I guess he’ll have to come down now, right?” asked Drew.
“Did you just meet Cade?” The two kids gazed up to see Cade stare up with a strong, fiery gaze, then jump and bounce up, this time almost past the next branch. A few minutes later, Cade reached the balcony. He gazed down to them with a confident smile before turning to the mirror. Just then, a lady screamed, and the place went completely dark and silent…
As night falls, the new alien tower glows bright green. Then the sour alien horn blares out across the mountains. Dark spirits crawl through the lower mountain slopes, called by the alien horn. They enter the tower through the grand flashing entrance. The top level slowly lights up in a dark golden light that spills out through the massive oval green glass windows around the circular room. Dark spirits fill in and stand throughout the room. They raise their arms high. They stare up at the brilliant gold flashing lights. Then instantly the tower goes dark. The mountains go completely silent. Nothing moves in the total stillness. A dim yellow light appears high in the sky. The dark spirits remain completely still, just staring at the light. That’s when the music starts…
It’s time for part two of the mystery challenge. The mystery to solve in this story is, how do you get to Ghost Peak? Which is the way? Is it through the forest, the rocky slope, the river, the hills, or the misty field? Leave a comment below if you think you figured it out. Did the ghost strikers pick the right path? Tell us why you think your path is the right one. Now, it’s time to join them. Will you find Ghost Peak?
The sleek, blue triangular alien ship hovered low under the dark blue clouds racing across the night sky. Gold lights flashed in a slow rhythm. Cade, Blake, and Drew stood at the edge of the ridge looking out toward the neon blue glowing Ghost Peak.
“You think he’s out there?” asked Drew. Bright, energetic singing echoed out across the dreamy landscape.
“Don’t you hear him?” asked Blake.
“Yeah, he’s singing again.”
“So where else would he be, on the moon?” Drew glanced up at the bright, clear blue shining moon appearing close, yet distant casting a blurry bluish-gold light down to the dreamy landscape.
“So is he there?” asked Cade. Drew shook his head in dismay. The alien ship drifted toward them. The kids hit the ground fast. They laid in the dewey, cold grass while the alien ship slowly moved past, with a low whistling. The ground vibrated as the ship glided off to the right. The kids looked out over the edge toward the peak.
“I heard you can only see it from a distance, but then it disappears,” said Blake.
“You have to find the right way,” said Cade, “then when you get really close you see it.” Far to the left was a forest of glittering green evergreens called Fardays. The grass underneath the forest was soaked. Next to it on the right was a wide rocky slope with massive boulders reflecting blurry, bluish-gold light. Right down the center toward the peak was a wide, rough river with choppy waves. The waters reflected gold flickering lights. To the right were empty, bare green hills twisting and turning toward the peak. Further to the right was a wide, empty field with various blue mists rising up from the grounds, but then fading away.
As the kids listened, they heard Josiah’s fast-paced singing echo out:
“The moonlight burns bright blue
Then the night fires cross the two
That’s when the Ghost Peak appears
But the only way is through your tears”
The kids struggled to see in the falling dark. Two sharp whistles shot out behind them.
“That usually means they’ve spotted us,” Blake said in a low voice. The kids turned to see two dark ghosts standing on the hilltop behind them. A group of dark spirits lined up on both sides.
“Showtime,” Cade whispered with a smile. Blake looked across the lower landscape sharply. Drew glanced back. The dark spirits moved in mass toward them down the slope.
“The misty slope,” said Blake. “We’ll lose them in the mists.”
“Cool, let’s go.” The kids flew over the edge. They sprinted down the slope. Bright blue mists kicked up around them. Dark spirits moved in a line toward them. The heavy blue mists rolled across from left to right. Whispers sprang up on both sides close behind. “Left, left.” Cade swerved sharp left. They ducked low into rising blue mist. Drew glanced back. The dark spirits moved in a fast wave toward them.
“They’re not closing in,” said Drew.
“We can’t just outrun them,” said Blake. Cade gazed ahead at the blue mists kicking up at various points. Then he glanced back at the wide-spread line of ghosts moving in fast.
“Fast, fast, fast this way,” said Cade angling sharp to the left up the slope.
“They’re gaining on us.”
“Be ready.”
“What’s the plan?”
“We’ll stop cold, let them pass right by.” Josiah’s bright singing bounced up and down, but rising slightly. It faded out, then returned strong, then faded again. “Go, go, go.” The kids sprinted faster. Ghostly voices shot back and forth, calling out. Drew glanced up. The alien ship appeared in a sudden rush. It dropped fast further down slope ahead. The kids ducked down in a heavier blue mist cloud. “Now, now.” The three of them slid to a stop. Cade pushed them together. The dark outlines appeared. “Right, right,” he barely whispered. They shuffled right and curled into a ball. Two ghosts slid past them on both sides. Cade gave a sharp nod. They jogged back up the slope. After the kids got back to the ridge, they turned around. Ghost Peak was gone. Josiah’s singing went quiet. Heavy, chilling darkness fell over the mountains, hiding the moon and the ship.
“Where do you think he is?” asked Drew. Then they heard singing coming from the distance, coming from where they saw Ghost Peak, but it wasn’t Josiah…
The two flat masses of sharp black clouds drew back like curtains slowly revealing the blue September moon. Cade stared with bright, shifting eyes at the new, sleek blue shimmering alien tower set within the mountains just to the northwest of Gold Peak where the new Cashes Dade has been established.
“Why do you think they built that there?” asked Blake.
“I think they’re trying to find Ghost Peak too,” said Cade.
“How many times have you seen it?” asked Drew.
“A few,” answered Josiah, standing completely still, staring across the sea of lower mountains under dark blue shine. His short, flat hair falling partly over his eyes was coloured neon blue. Glittering lights grew dim along the half circle roof of the alien tower. A deep humming vibrated through the rocky ground under their feet.
“They’re sending hidden ships out,” Blake said quietly.
“So what are we waiting for?” asked Cade, stepping around in a bizarre pattern.
“I always see it close to the ghosts,” Josiah answered. “Wait until they come out.”
“Then what?” asked Drew.
“Then the games begin…”
It’s time for the first mystery challenge of Chapter Three of the mystery series, The Cashes Dade Ghost Strikers. The mystery to solve for this story is:
How do you see where Ghost Peak is?
Can you figure it out? Leave a comment below if you have a guess. The answer will be revealed in the next post. These are the key lines from a song that give the clue:
“The moonlight burns bright blue
Then the night fires cross the two
That’s when the Ghost Peak appears
But the only way is through your tears…”
Bright blue moonlight splashed down into the lower valleys. Dark mist kicked up from the narrow field between two rows of small, jagged peaks.
Cade slowly broke a smile. “Showtime.”
“You said it,” said Josiah. “Follow me.” With that, Josiah disappeared over the edge. Cade, Blake, and Drew slid down the slick, grassy slope. Blake glanced up at the sky. Sleek black clouds streamed slowly overhead. The slope leveled out.
Josiah went blazing up the series of hills. The kids began falling behind.
“Did you know he was this fast?” asked Drew.
“We’ll catch up,” said Blake.
“I don’t…see him,” Cade said between breaths.
“No one’s faster than us,” said Blake as they charged over another hill. Two broad, flat mountains appeared under the soft blue breaking moonlight, crossing directly ahead.
“Then where is he?” asked Cade.
“Maybe we somehow got ahead of him?” Blake answered with a half shrug. Bright, fast-paced singing started up far ahead.
“You were saying?” Cade said with a smile.
“Why is he singing so loud?” asked Blake as they pushed up the long, rocky slope.
“He’s going to lead the ghosts right to him,” said Drew.
“Do you see him?” asked Cade.
“No.”
“Then they don’t either.” Blake checked his pocketwatch: 1:30. Cade gazed up at the sky. Blue moonlight flickered through the breaks around several dark spots. “Stay low, close to the rocks,” Cade whispered. Dark figures appeared along the top of the ridge.
“Get down, get down,” Blake whispered. Josiah’s fast singing drifted further and further away on the other side. The dark figures disappeared over the edge. “Let’s go.” The kids sprinted up the long slope. The singing suddenly stopped. The kids exchanged nervous looks.
“Hurry, hurry,” said Cade. Blake checked his pocketwatch: 1:45, as they reached the top where it flattened out to several wide fields surrounded by small, rounded peaks. The kids stopped momentarily, gazing around. Dark figures spread out across the fields to their left and right.
“I still don’t see him,” said Drew.
“Stop, listen, listen,” Cade whispered.
“It’s almost the time, it’s almost the time,” a ghost whispered close by.
“Get ready.”
“I don’t think they found him yet,” Blake whispered.
“Now where?” asked Drew. Cade pointed to a cluster of rocks just ahead and to the right. “How we getting there unseen?” He pointed to the dark spirits searching in all directions ahead of them.
“We need a good vantage point,” said Cade.
“How we getting there?” asked Blake.
“Well, they’re looking for movement,” said Cade, “so I guess we don’t move, but get there, without moving.” Drew and Blake watched him with sharply intrigued and confused expressions. “So we stay still, but get there, without moving.”
“Anyone have any real ideas?” asked Blake. Drew just shrugged. Cade looked up at the sky. Sleek dark clouds kept streaming slowly across. Soft blue moonlight blending with the distant scattered stars flickered through a few narrow breaks. Cade turned his gaze to the various rocks catching the blue reflections momentarily. Then he broke a smile.
“He figured it out,” said Drew. “Or he just thought of something funny.”
“Both,” said Cade, getting three small candles out of his backpack. “It’ll be funny sneaking right past all the dumb ghosts.”
“So what are we doing?” asked Blake.
“We’re lighting these candles with blue light,” Cade answered.
“So they’ll see exactly where we are?” Blake challenged.
“Dim, blue lights,” said Cade, “on these candes they’ll flicker off and on. We stay low to the ground and we’ll blend right in with the rocks catching the flickering moonlight.”
“Doesn’t sound any crazier than anything else we’ve tried,” said Drew. Blake shrugged and took the candle from Cade who had a half-crazed expression on his face.
“I think he’s catching too much moonlight,” he muttered as the kids crawled fast along the ground toward the rock cluster. Several dead whistles shot out around them. Neon green lights lit up in clusters as the ghosts gathered on the field to their left. Blake glanced at his pocketwatch. As the kids made their way to the top of the rock cluster, the ghosts began to dance under the flickering blue lights. Dark clouds continued to stream across the sky from the east and the west. The kids looked around anxiously. There was still no sign of Josiah…
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
