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…
