“My name is Josiah Mardade. Maybe you haven’t seen me, because I’m too fast and I never stop. But you’ve probably heard me singing; on your way to school, on your way to your job, in your kitchen, past your window, well, I don’t go right by your window, unless you’re on the side of a mountain, but then again, well never mind. Maybe you haven’t heard of me, but you’ve probably heard about my dad, Todd Mardade.”
“You’ve probably seen his face on the shirts we made that say Revolution in blood red. He had long, scraggly hair and a rough face. He had a quick temper, but he wouldn’t stay mad that long, then he would go back to being really calm and quiet. In the picture there’s a dark shadow across his face, because he liked working in the dark.”
“Everyone knows his last words, when they made their final decision to destroy the alien lights making so many sick, when he turned to the others and said, ‘Let’s roll.’ But it turns out that wasn’t his true final message.”
“I’ll never forget the last morning I saw my dad, because I knew it was the last time I would see him. How? I could see it in his face. He told me about the mission. He told me they had to stand up to the aliens. He said the seven of them talked it over and believed they had no other choice. Too many kids were getting sick. But really, I could just tell by his face.”
“He took me out to our balcony. He said we needed to talk. My dad didn’t talk that much. I think he told me more in that hour than he had all my life! He told me if he became a ghost, he would be in the mountains. So I go to the mountains a lot. I climb like he did, just straight up. We blaze trails for real.”
“He told me never to stop singing, so I sing all the time. He told me not to let the aliens put out my light, so I sing really loud. But he said there was one more message he had for me, but couldn’t tell me yet. I don’t know why he couldn’t tell me right then. He said I would have to find Ghost Peak and there I would find his message, his final message.”
“When I help out in the mines, I work really hard, and people ask me why I work so hard all the time. My dad used to work in the mines, and he worked really hard, like endlessly, he never stopped. He was relentless. So when I work like that, it makes me feel like him, and it feels like he’s close.”
“I still remember what he told me about Ghost Peak. He said there’s a mystery about that mountain, a mystery we need to solve before the aliens do. This was before the aliens destroyed our country completely, before we started to rebuild Cashes Dade on the mountain peak, and before I found Ghost Peak, and the fort that stands there. But the aliens found it too, and they’re trying to destroy it so they can find the secret power. Right now, we are the only country fighting them. We don’t have much power. What if they find a way to overpower us completely? Cade Mayson thinks they will do something terrible to us. He thinks they will ruin who we are. So we need to solve the mystery. This is what my dad told me about Ghost Peak:
“You will find my final message at Ghost Peak
There is a mysterious power the aliens seek
Look closely and wait to see the pieces appear by light
Then you can solve the puzzle to hold the fort at night”
“I wondered for awhile why my dad didn’t tell me his final message right then, but now I know why. He knew I would need many messages as I grow up and for the rest of my life, but he wouldn’t be there to give them. He knew he needed to leave one that I would seek, that I would find at the right time. If I would have known how much I would miss his voice, I would have listened to him talk every chance I got. I went to Ghost Peak to hear my dad one last time. But I didn’t get to hear his voice. As usual, it wasn’t something he said, it was what he did.”
It’s time for the next mystery challenge. We’ll head out to Cashes Dade and join Josiah, Casey, and the ghost strikers for the story about the fort at Ghost Peak which is now under siege. Josiah is looking for his dad’s final message to him. There is a secret power in this mountain that can be used to defend the fort against the aliens, making it too strong for them to destroy. The clues will be there. The four lines that Josiah’s dad told him about the mountain are the main clues. Is it a stone? Is it a jewel? Is it a mineral? Leave a comment below if you think you know the answer. Can you solve the mystery?
The blue tinted crescent moon appeared momentarily. Sleek, arrow shaped dark clouds passed over. A blurry image appeared as a sharp, triangular blue alien craft appeared. It hovered silently between two tall, jagged peaks. The massively wide, five mile high mountain called Ghost Peak glowed soft blue in the silent night.
Young, bright energetic singing cut the silence. It flew straight up the slope, flying through the lower forest of sleek, tall triangular shaped Sunday Evergreens glowing neon blue. The fast, tall 13-year-old blazed up the slope, singing out in rapidly changing melodies. Bright blue light lit up his short, blonde hair flopping slightly to the side, with some strands falling low to his bright, energetic eyes.
His fast-paced dancing song grew quieter as he entered the open fields. He ran low to the ground, charging fast up the slick grass.
From low in the shadows at the tunnel’s entrance, Cade gazed with a calm intensity up at the top front balcony of the small, square fort made of rough, oval shaped black stones, lit up under dim blue moonlight. Barely lit by a row of dark orange lanterns was the DadeStar Flag. David Mayer stood to the left. His dark silhouette didn’t move in the strong winds. Callie Mayer stood to the right.
“It’s about to start,” Cade whispered, turning to see Drew one inch in front of him. “They’re…” Cade jumped back. He just shook his head. Drew glanced around confused. “They’re in position. See any ghosts yet?”
Blake bounced from the large slanted stone just up the slope behind them.
“Not yet,” he answered calmly. The alien ship lit up in bright flashing white lights. They flashed in a random, frenetic pattern. Cade glanced up at the fort top. David remained still. The DadeStar flag remained still in the passing winds pressing against the steep blue shimmering mountain slope. The alien light grew brighter, slowly into a pale gold sphere between the mountains.
Just then, two ships streaked across the sky, one left, and one right. Three more distant ships like glowing blue triangles appeared in the blaze. A fiery blaze shot out from within the lights. It struck the bottom slope, lighting up the neon blue glowing trees called Sunday Evergreens. The kids fell back in a sonic rush.
Drew caught a glimpse of two ships flying past high overhead. Fire balls appeared all across the sky.
“Get back, get back,” said Blake, waving them back under the tunnel. Cade intensely watched the dark blue crashing sky. Strong booming rushes shot across the sky in multiple directions. Fiery blue streaks appeared for a moment. Blake and Drew peered over the edge of a rock. Fires rained down all down the steep rocky slope below down to the slick, empty green fields.
Blue rays shot down at a lower fort wall built with the oval shaped rough black stones. The entire wall crumbled to the ground. A heavy boom rocked behind them. Cade looked back at the fort top. The DadeStar flag remained completely still, held by a pile of the oval shaped rough black stones within the long, arched shadow of the front gate. David’s silhouette remained unmoved. A bright cluster of lights appeared in the sky beyond the two peaks, over the distant lower rounded peaks. Several more rays of blue light shot down and struck lower parts of the fort.
Soldiers rushed out from behind the broken walls. Two more heavy booms from the other side rocked the mountain. David raised his arms out wide, holding two dim blue candle lights. Jagged blue lights glowed within the long, arched shadow. Soldiers got down low and took positions. Alien ships flew around in the fast-moving sky.
Quiet, energetic singing cut through the crashing booms. The youthful echoes of various sounds blended more and more as it headed straight for them.
“It’s him,” Blake whispered. “Be ready.” A bright flash like a closing curtain across the sky lit up Josiah as he slid to a stop in front of Blake, Drew, and Cade.
“They’re heading for the breached fort,” he said, talking fast. The kids looked over to the soldiers. They fired several small cannons shooting out dark orange fires up into the clouds. Several ships fell back, their lights flashing in a circular rhythm.
“There’s a smaller group moving up this way. I think they’ll enter any opening they see. We need to lead them here.”
“We’ll light this up,” said Blake, “make it look like an alien strike.”
“Then we fake them out, draw them away from the miners,” said Drew. Several more explosions rocked the mountain side. Large rocks cascaded down the steep slope on their right. The kids got down low behind a small rock cluster just inside the tunnel.
Blake gazed up at the sky. Alien ships flew around like fireflies. Fires rained down. Heavy booms shook the mountain, one after another, in a relentless assault. Josiah looked over at the fort top. David remained still, standing strong, lit up by the fiery lights falling around him. Callie turned and walked to the back corner of the balcony. She gazed down below, her back to the falling fires.
Blake watched the lower rocky slope intently. “I don’t see them yet.”
“You will soon, got your match ready?” asked Josiah. Blake nodded. A calm, steady angelic voice began singing in the distance. She sang a melody slowly rising, gently falling, but holding out.
“It’s Callie,” Cade answered. Her voice had a mysterious strength. Her song played out clear even among the constant booms and chaotic lights. “She’s singing to the kids.” Dark shadows pushed up through the large stones below.
“It’s them,” Drew whispered.
“Showtime,” said Cade with eyes lit. Blake lit the match, then tossed it in a nearby pile. A small bright flash lit up the tunnel entrance. The four kids jogged inside. Heavy, chilling darkness fell over them. Josiah lit a dim, blue candle. They rushed further inside.
The wide tunnel sloped sharply to the left and down. Booms rocked the deep mountain hall.
“Right here, right here,” said Josiah. “Okay, grab a tool and start working. Blake, you know what to do?”
“Yeah, when I see them I’ll yell out really loud, THEY’RE HERE!”
“No,” Josiah answered with a thin smile, “tap the wall three times when they’re after us.” The kids pretended to work. Strong booms echoed through the tunnels. Dust fell on them in the dark. Cade tapped his shovel in a crazed pattern. Blake struck the hard stone wall in a steady, fast rhythm. A strong chill overtook them.
The air moved. Cade heard the clanging three times. Josiah’s light flickered out. Cade struck a match. Dark figures appeared in the dim gold light moving in on them fast. The kids took off down the slope. An overpowering boom struck just overhead.
They sprinted down the slope falling away to the right. Cade glanced back. Dark spirits rounded the corner. Josiah whistled out three fast, short notes. The tunnel split left and right. Cade led them slowly right, then shot fast to the left. The tunnel swerved back and forth. Dark orange lantern lights spaced far apart began to appear on both sides of the wide, winding tunnel.
The slope turned steep going up. Even dark shadows passed by their sides. Dark orange lights blurred by. A series of heavy booms rocked them. The ghosts closed in.
“Go, go, go,” Cade urged.
“We need to lose them,” said Blake. The tunnel slope evened out. Dark orange lights streaked past. Josiah let out three longer, drawn out whistling notes. Chilling winds rushed past them. Bright orange lights flickered far ahead. Winds started pulling them back.
The kids leaned forward, sprinting faster. Drew glanced back. Dark spirits came sharply into focus.
“They’re gaining on us,” he said anxiously. Cade glanced back.
“Be ready, follow me,” said Cade. Dark orange lights blended together on both sides. The lights flashed out ahead in a steady rhythm. Cade slowly drifted to the right. He ran an inch from the right wall. He glanced back and waved the other three over. “Almost there,” he said.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” Blake urged strongly. Drew glanced back. Dark spirits reached out toward them.
“Hurry, hurry,” he called out.
“Time for super sonic mode,” said Blake.
“You asked for it,” said Cade. He leaned forward, shooting out even faster. A slim, quietly singing figure flew past. “Not again.” Cade shook his head and powered faster, leaning almost parallel to the ground. Blake bit his lower lip and powered straight ahead.
Cade pulled out a small stone. The kids moved in on the bright orange lights. Cade threw his stone ahead along the wall, dragging the lights momentarily. In a sudden flash, he shot left, disappearing into a narrow bright gold lit tunnel.
The other three followed after. “Go, go, go,” Cade whispered ahead. Bright gold candle clusters flew by. Drew glanced back at the empty, still circular tunnel. Dark shadows flashed past the tunnel entrance. The kids sprinted down the tunnel curving left, sloping down.
Josiah whistled out three longer, more drawn out notes.
“We lost them,” said Drew. The four of them smiled and bumped fists. The tunnel split. The kids turned up the right tunnel, sloping back up. Widely spaced small gold candle clusters streaked past, disappearing into heavy darkness. Several more booms rocked the hall. They passed a dark opening.
Deep black shadows passed over them from the rocky clusters and piles along each wall.
Cade turned the corner ahead. The other three slid to a stop right behind him.
“What are you doing?” asked Blake. Cade pointed ahead. Dark spirits blocked the tunnel ahead. The kids spun around to see more fall into the tunnel behind them.
