Chapter 11
Norm brushed the granite crumbles from his hair and shirt. “Dylan, come on! You gotta get up.”
Dylan forced himself onto his elbows. “Give me a minute.”
“You got about half that ‘til she comes up.” Norm hoisted Dylan up by his armpits. “Let’s go, c’mon.”
Dylan’s knees wobbled like rubber stilts. “The tile?”
“You don’t remember? You destroyed it, dude!” Norm picked up a hunk, sweeping the rest beneath an old ottoman. “But we gotta get downstairs. Dinner!”
Dylan nodded, aware of his great grandmother’s passion for family dinners, as well as Norm’s appetite. “She’ll hunt you down.”
“She’ll hunt you down!” Norm chuckled. “Why do you think I’m here at 6:00 o’clock every night?”
Norm guided Dylan down the steep attic stairs, using the wall for balance, his legs quivering. In the bathroom mirror, the fallout from their experiment was more evident. Dust and small chunks of tile coated their face and hair like they had gone through a sandstorm. Norm hung his head over the sink and ran the water through his choppy brown waves to remove as much debris as possible. Dylan leaned against the wall, spent from using his newfound ability.
“There’s no way I can deal with food,” Dylan gulped, fighting back the nausea. “I feel like I’m gonna puke. The thought of chicken-” He convulsed a little and covered his mouth.
“No problem.” Norm smiled. “We’ll do like when we were little. You just look like you’re chewing. I’ll take care of putting the food away.” Though Norm always joked about food, he honestly was always hungry and even seemed proud of being chubby as a child. Despite his voracious appetite, he had shed most of his baby fat over the past year, replacing it with a thicker, sturdier frame. He wiped the blood and dust from Dylan’s face with a washcloth and gave him a little slap on the cheek. “Alright, big boy. Showtime!”
They entered the kitchen, attempting to act naturally. Nan’s kitchen, always warm, inviting, reflected the glow of a person who dearly loved her family. The blue checkered curtains, wood-framed windows and country style table gave the room an old-fashioned feel, while her modern appliances glistened like new cars on a showroom floor. Nan bustled about, mumbling the things she needed to for the perfect meal before the uncanny silence drew her to a halt. “Ok. What’s wrong with you two?” She asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Cat got your tongue?
The boys looked at Nan, then back at each other, waiting for someone to break the silence. “Nothing.” Dylan shrugged.
Nan cocked her head sympathetically. “Well, that’s okay. It’s normal. We’re all dealing with something- difficult.”
“You could say that.” Dylan smelled the food, swallowing hard to keep his stomach in check.
“Dylan, everyone in this room has lost someone they loved, and the chances are pretty good it will happen again. I’ve seen too many of my family and friends pass.” Nan paused, folding her tiny hands. “But I’ve come to believe it never is truly goodbye. Only until we see each other again.”
The boys regarded Nan’s words, memories of loved ones hovering in their thoughts.
“You mean in heaven, right?” Norm said, his soulful eyes magnified behind his lenses.
“Yes, Norm, in heaven,” she said with a reassuring nod.
“Nan?” Norm asked, his eyes searching. “Do they have chicken parm in heaven?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, you’re impossible!” Nan threw her dish rag at him. She served her tasty chicken parmesan with thin spaghetti, homemade sauce, garlic bread and a fresh garden salad. Norm bristled with the joy of satisfied taste buds, while Dylan pretended to chew, looking out the window to stop a possible barf-situation.
Despite setting the boys up completely, Nan continued to whirl about, cleaning as she went, checking for refills, occasionally sitting for a few seconds to take a bite and ask, “Do you boys need anything?” Whenever she got up and turned her back, Dylan quickly loaded a few more bites of food on Norm’s plate.
“Dude, this is heaven. Too bad you can’t be here with me,” Norm said, savoring a bite of fresh, buttery garlic bread.
Dylan rolled his eyes, taking only small sips of water. Half-way through the meal, he regained some energy and ate a few strands of spaghetti and a small piece of bread. When dinner was done, Nan pulled a homemade lemon meringue pie from the refrigerator. “Congratulations on another year, boys,” she said, setting it on the table between them. “I know it’s your favorite, Dylan. And I know everything is your favorite, Norman.”
She cut two large pieces and set them in front of the boys. “I’ll risk getting sick for this,” Dylan whispered. He took a normal bite, testing his queasiness. He’d had only managed two bites when Norm burped, already finished with his pie.
“Are you gonna need help with that?” He grinned through a meringue mustache.
“I think I can handle it.” Dylan said, chewing slowly.
“I’ll get you another piece, Norm,” Nan cut him a double wide slice and watched her boys relishing their well-deserved desserts when she had a thought. “I’ll be right back.”
Norm peeked past the doorway to make sure she was out of the room. “Ok, dude. I’m ready to roll.” He patted his full belly. “What next?”
“Nothing, I’m done.” Dylan recoiled. “At least for today. That wrecked me.”
“It was crazy!” Norm glowed, excited to finally talk about Dylan’s power. “Your fist was glowing. And when you hit the tile, it exploded. It was awesome!”
“But if it totally destroys me, how does that help?”
“We’ll figure it out.” Norm mumbled through a mouthful of lemon filling. “I wonder what else you can do.” Nan appeared in the doorway holding a simple brown box. “Look, D, Nan’s got more pies.”
“It’s not more pies, Norm. It’s something for Dylan. Something from Max.”
Dylan straightened in his chair. “What is it?”
“It’s for you for you to find out.” Nan shrugged. “Max left this package with me the day before he died. He said to give it to you after he was gone. I was going to wait-.”
“No, no, no.” Dylan jumped up with a sudden burst of energy. “I want to see anything Max left for me. I mean, it’ll make me sad, but I want to see it, Nan, really. I want it.”
“Relax. Take your time.” She set the box on the table, hugged Dylan and kissed Norm’s merengue filled cheek. “I’m just going to finish up in here and then go watch the ballgame. It starts at 7:00 if you two want to join me.”
“We’ll help you clean up, Nan,” Dylan said, picking up a plate.
“Nonsense.” She pushed the plate back down. “You two just finished another school year, and you have had a rough week. Go enjoy yourself.”
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“Thanks, Nan. We’ll come watch the game later.” Dylan picked up the box, motioning for Norm to follow him to his room.
“Do you want to open that alone, D?” Norm asked sympathetically.
Dylan shrugged, setting the package on his bed. “It’s probably the baseball cards he promised me. He’s got a Mickey Mantle rookie card.” Dylan cut through the packing tape with the Swiss Army knife and opened the box. His head drew back, surprised, heightening Norm’s curiosity.
“What is it, dude?” Norm asked.
Dylan pulled an envelope out and showed it to Norm. OPEN FIRST!!! “I guess we should do what it says, huh?”
“Why start now?” Norm chuckled. “Are the cards in there?”
“Just a towel.” Dylan shook his head, opening the envelope. A pang of sadness rushed through him as he read the words. Dylan, all I got was a note. You have a little more to go on, but a lot more on your plate. Turn the power on and push play. Do not open the pouch until you know what it is. Love ya, kid, Max.
After reading the note aloud, Dylan pulled out a yellow towel wrapped around Max’s old camcorder. Intensity etched into his face as he removed a leather pouch on a rope, dangling it for Norm to see. He set it gently on his bed and unwrapped the camcorder. “Let’s see what this is.”
“Hold up, D,” Norm cut in before he could push play. “We can run it through the A/V on your game-bot.”
“Good idea.” Dylan ran the wires from the camcorder into an open jack on the game console. The TV popped on, a blue screen filling the background. Dylan pushed play and kneeled in front of the screen. The picture scrambled and blinked, replaced by a view of the couch in their living room. Norm sat on the bed behind Dylan, wiping his glasses.
Max muttered to himself before taking a seat on the couch facing the camera. Soft waves of white hair and a matching mustache were his trademark, but it was the black patches beneath his kind blue eyes defining the exhaustion in his face. Max took a labored breath before speaking. “Hello Dylan. If you’re seeing this, I must be gone.” His voice waned with the illness that claimed his life. “I want to say one more time how proud I am of you, Dylan. You are a ray of light and kindness. Brilliant, creative, and intelligent. And you’ll need every bit of those qualities going forward.” Max teared up with the words. “You’re also my best friend. It’s not a secret, but I wanted you to hear it one more time. But, Dylan, that’s not why I made this tape.” The boys looked suspiciously at one another before quickly turning back to the screen. “Before I go on, Dylan, this message is for your ears alone. If there is anyone there watching, they should leave or they’re going to be in danger.” Max paused, waiting for someone who might be there to leave, before drawing another painful breath. “Norm, I just wanted to give you a chance to go, but I’m sure you’re still there, so pay attention. Dylan, your life hasn’t been peaches-n-cream, but we tried to make it the best we could. You learned about sacrifice at an early age. Me too. Now, I’m sure some strange things have happened since I’ve been gone so, I’ll just say it.” Dylan and Norm’s eyes flashed wide with anticipation. “Dylan Maximilian, the Om, the Tree of Life, has chosen you. You are the next in line in the Praetorium Terra, one of the seven known as the Scions. The tree is weaving the life-force of stars through you to become the protector of the Earth, all who live upon or within her and ultimately the galaxy. Your life as you knew it… is over. I’m sorry. This is not a joke.” Max dropped his head, knowing that their birthright and curse had already ended his beloved grandson’s childhood. “I would’ve told you everything, but the process between you and the Earth becoming one, it’s called the synchronicity.”
There’s the word again.
Max coughed before reciting the mantra. “We are not alone, we are all one. When all are one: synchronicity. You’ll understand, but for now, I can’t tell you how important the journey is. It’s about the discovery of yourself, your purpose, and the bond you’re going to have with the Earth. You start where every Scion before you did, but your risks are bigger, so pay attention, kid. As fast as you can, you need to get to the base of Mount Shasta. It’s a mountain in California. On the Eastern slopes you need to find a black oak that asks a question. Yep, that’s a riddle.” Max Chuckled. “Follow the path between the branches and trust the sound of the world. You’re probably thinking, this is crazy, but if you don’t go, the void, these black hole vampires, will find you and will not only kill you, but they’ll tear your soul apart.”
“The black thing from the hospital.” Dylan whispered.
“They’re part of Necromanos, the Hate Bringer, a demon that lives in a black hole and wants everything that lives turned into nothing. See Dylan, all living creatures are created from light. Without the light from the stars, our sun, there is no life. Necromanos hates the light and wants to destroy everything that exists. He is hate. Dylan, I don’t have a blood disease. Necromanos poisoned me years ago, and it's taken this long to finally break me down. I’m sorry for keeping it secret, but this is the way it is. The new Scion must come to the tree with a pure mind. But now you’re vulnerable, and Necromanos will move fast to destroy the Galaxis. They’re the seven planets that work together to keep the peace. Together, they’re strong enough to protect each other, but if one should fail-” Max clutched his chest, wheezing from the effort, “we all do.”
“So, you need to stay alive. The void move mostly at night or in shadows. Direct sunlight can kill them, so stay in the light when you can. There’s a crystal of Alcyone hidden in our house. You might have noticed your skin tingling. It’ll keep the void out. Dylan, I wish I could tell you more, but you have to get moving. The sooner, the better. Now listen close, find a big, open area and ring the chime inside the leather pouch. I’m warning you, don’t touch it until then, but it’ll be able to take you wherever you need to go. And right now, that’s Mount Shasta.” Max bent over from the effort, a darkness swirling behind his eyes.
“Dylan, I wish I could be there to help you. Heck, all I got was a note.” Max chuckled, coughing. “The weight of the world is not anything to wrestle with alone. There will be help along the way, very special help. Remember, we are not alone, we are all one… in synchronicity! Now, be the good kid I know and don’t mistake your kindness for weakness, ever. Good luck to you, Scion. May the light guide you. I love you, Dylan.”
Max clicked a remote control, his face frozen like a portrait on the screen. Dylan pondered the words, but it was the kindness that stood out. To look out for others. He didn’t know how to be any other way. Then the realization washed over him like a stampede.
Dylan yanked Norm by the arm. “You gotta go! Get outta here! You heard him! Why are you still here?”
“Dude!” Norm jerked himself free of his grip. “Chill! Even Max knew I would stay! I want to do this with you! If I had some oh-so-rosy life, maybe I’d think different. But I got a drunk old man and a whole summer full of his crap to look forward to.”
“This isn’t a joke, Norm. You need to go.”
“No way, I’m staying. Seriously, besides you, what have I got? For once in my life, I have a purpose! I’m going wherever you go!” Norm stared at his best friend, extending his fist for a bump that never came.
“I just don’t want anything to happen to you because of me.” Dylan sat on his bed, his face awash with worry. “But I’m really scared to deal with this alone.”
“Listen man, as crazy as all this is, if this is for real, this is a chance to do something amazing, a chance to make a difference in the world. Some people don’t want to take risks. Not me, man. I wanna be a hero. Wherever you go, I’m going with you! We are not alone.” He pushed his fist out again.
“We are all one.” Dylan said, almost instinctively. They locked eyes, holding each other’s stare, already knowing the only solution and fist bumped in agreement. “If you’re in, we still gotta get outta here!” Dylan held the pouch, dangling it by the leather rope. “You heard him. They’re coming, so let’s start figuring out what we’re going to do.”
“Slow down, man. Think.” Norm tapped his temple. “It’s almost dark. He said those void move in the dark and your house was safe. So, let’s get everything together, like we were actually going camping and leave in the morning. Let’s check what’s in the backpack.”
They emptied all the compartments on the bed. Dylan organized everything into groups while Norm inspected the edible items.
“Ok, looks like we’ve got about twenty Uberquest carb-energy bars,” Norm held one up, wondering what flavor. Dylan pulled the bar out of his hands, setting it on the bed. “Ten water purification tablets, a plastic container. Two Uberquest ponchos that convert into solar blankets. Nice! Flashlight-radio with built-in compass, flint starter and survival whistle.”
Dylan organized the items and opened the first aid box with some antiseptic and band aids. “This kit is a good thing to have.”
Norm smiled, continuing to review the contents out loud. “A lycra tent and retractable rope. Swiss Army knife, a few hooks and stakes, and we even got toothbrushes and toothpaste.”
“Cool,” Dylan tugged on the rope, testing its strength. “By the way, where is Mount Shasta?”
“Max said California.” Norm brimmed with excitement. “I hope it’s by L.A. or Hollywood so we can see some movie stars.”
Dylan slapped his forehead. “Dude! Mount as in a mountain. Somehow, I don’t think it’s going to be in L.A.”
“It could be the big mountain with the Hollywood sign on it,”
“Keep dreaming, Norm, and maybe we’ll end up in Hollywood.” Dylan sat at his computer. “I’m gonna look it up.”
After a few seconds of researching, Dylan felt sick again. “Dude, it’s like over fourteen thousand feet high! Professional climbers have died there! It’s got snow all year round, glaciers and avalanches too. How are we gonna do this?”
“Max said there’d be help. Now, stop freakin’ out.”
“Woohooo!” Nan’s triumphant yell echoed from downstairs. “It’s already 2-0, boys! Yanks are up! You coming down to watch?”
“Be down in a sec, Nan.” Dylan ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “You’re right. I really gotta chill out. It just seems for every little bit of good we get, there’s a mountain of crazy waiting.”
“You mean,” Norm flashed his impish grin, “a Mount Shasta of crazy waiting.”