Fablehaven2-Rise of the Evening Star Page 2

  I told Mom I would call on Alyssa's cell phone.

  Okay. Have fun.

  Not very likely, Kendra thought as she stepped out of the

  SUV.

  Hey, Kendra, Case rasped. She could smell his cologne

  ten feet away.

  We were getting worried you weren't coming, Alyssa

  said.

  I'm right on time, Kendra insisted. You guys were

  early.

  Let's pick a movie, Trina said.

  What about Brittany? Kendra asked.

  Her parents wouldn't let her come, Trina said.

  They're making her study.

  Case clapped his hands together. So what are we

  seeing?

  They negotiated for a couple of minutes. Case wanted to

  see Medal of Shame, about a serial killer addicted to terrorizing

  veterans who had won the Congressional Medal of

  Honor. He finally relented on watching his action movie

  when Trina promised to buy him popcorn. The winning

  movie was Switching Places, the story of a nerdy girl who gets

  to date the guy of her dreams after her mind gets swapped

  into the body of the most popular girl in school.

  Kendra had wanted to catch that movie, but now she

  worried it would be ruined. Nothing like cuddling up to a

  bald goblin during a cheesy chick flick.

  As she had suspected, Kendra had a tough time focusing

  on the movie. Trina sat on one side of Case, with Alyssa on

  the other. Both were vying for his attention. They all shared

  a jumbo bucket of popcorn. Kendra declined whenever they

  offered her some. She wanted no part of anything those

  warty hands had pawed.

  By the time the credits were rolling, Case had an arm

  around Alyssa. The two of them kept whispering and giggling.

  Trina sat with her arms crossed, wearing a disgruntled

  expression. Monster or not, when had any good come from

  multiple girls going out together with a guy they were all

  interested in?

  Case and Alyssa held hands as they exited the theater.

  Trina's mom was waiting in the parking lot. Trina said a terse

  good-bye and stalked away.

  Can I use your cell phone? Kendra asked. I need to

  call my dad.

  Sure, Alyssa said, handing it over.

  You want a ride? Kendra asked as she dialed.

  I'm not that far, Alyssa said. Case said he would walk

  me.

  The goblin gave Kendra a strange, sly smile. For the first

  time, she wondered if Case was aware that she knew his true

  identity. He seemed to be gloating that there was nothing

  she could do about it.

  Kendra tried to keep her expression neutral. Mom

  answered the phone, and Kendra reported that she needed

  to be picked up. She handed the phone back to Alyssa. Isn't

  that a pretty long walk? You can both have a ride.

  Alyssa gave Kendra a look that questioned why she was

  deliberately trying to ruin something spectacular. Case put

  an arm around her shoulders, leering.

  Alyssa, Kendra said firmly, taking her hand, I need to

  talk to you in private for a second. She tugged Alyssa

  toward her. Is that all right, Case?

  No problem. I need to run and use the rest room anyhow.

  He went back inside the theater.

  What is your deal? Alyssa complained.

  Think about it, Kendra said. We hardly know anything

  about him. You just met him today. He's not a little

  guy. Are you sure you want to go walking alone in the dark

  with him? Girls can get in a lot of trouble that way.

  Alyssa gave her an incredulous look. I can tell he's a

  nice guy.

  No, you can tell that he's good-looking, and pretty

  funny. Lots of psychos seem like nice guys at first. That's why

  you hang out a few times in public places before you spend

  time alone. Especially when you're fourteen!

  I hadn't thought of it that way, Alyssa conceded.

  Let my dad give both of you a ride. If you want to talk

  with him, do it in front of your house. Not on a dark, lonely

  street.

  Alyssa nodded. Maybe you have a point. It wouldn't

  hurt to hang out within screaming distance of home.

  When Case got back, Alyssa explained the plan, minus

  the part about him potentially being a psychopath. He

  resisted at first, saying it was such a nice night that it would

  be a crime not to walk, but finally consented when Kendra

  reminded him that it was after nine.

  Dad showed up in the SUV a few minutes later, and

  agreed to give Alyssa and Case a ride. Kendra climbed up

  front. Alyssa and Case rode in the back, whispering and

  holding hands. Dad dropped the lovebirds off at Alyssa's

  house. Case explained that he lived just down the street.

  As she drove away, Kendra looked back at them. She

  was leaving her friend alone with a creepy, conniving goblin.

  But there was nothing else she could do! At least Alyssa

  was in front of her house. If something happened she could

  cry out or run inside. Under the circumstances, that would

  have to suffice.

  Looks like Alyssa has a boyfriend, Dad remarked.

  Kendra leaned her head against the window. Looks can

  be deceiving.

  Talking to Strangers

  Kendra arrived at her homeroom several minutes early

  the next day. As kids trickled in, Kendra sat with her

  heart in her throat, waiting to see Alyssa. Case walked in,

  and although Kendra watched him, he paid her no attention.

  He went to the front of the room and stood near Mrs.

  Price's desk talking to Jonathon White.

  Was Alyssa's face going to end up on milk cartons? If so,

  Kendra could only blame herself. She shouldn't have left her

  friend alone with that goblin for a second.

  Less than two minutes before the bell, Alyssa entered

  the room. She glanced at Case, but did not acknowledge

  him. Instead, she came straight to her desk and sat down

  next to Kendra.

  Are you okay? Kendra asked.

  He kissed me, Alyssa said through a tight smile.

  He what? Kendra tried to conceal her revulsion. You

  don't sound too thrilled.

  Alyssa shook her head regretfully. I was having so much

  fun. We talked in front of my house for a while after you

  drove away. He was being really cute and funny. Then he

  moved in close. I was terrified-I mean, I hardly know him,

  but it was also sort of exciting. Until we actually kissed.

  Kendra, he had dog breath.

  Kendra could not resist laughing.

  Alyssa relished the reaction, becoming more animated.

  I'm serious. It was rancid. Putrid. Like he had never brushed

  his teeth since birth. It was worse than I could ever describe.

  I thought I was going to throw up. I swear, I almost did.

  Staring at the leprous scalp of the thing Alyssa had

  kissed, Kendra could only imagine how bad his mouth would

  have tasted. At least the illusion concealing his true identity

  had not disguised his rank breath.

  The bell rang. Mrs. Price was encouraging a few noisy

  boys at the back of the classroom to take their seats.

  So what di
d you do? Kendra whispered.

  I think he could tell how shocked I was by his breath.

  He had this weird smile like he'd been expecting it. I was

  totally grossed out, so I wasn't very nice. I told him I had to

  go and rushed inside.

  Is the crush over? Kendra asked.

  I don't mean to be shallow, but yes. Trina can have him.

  She'll need a gas mask. It was that foul. I went straight to the

  bathroom and gargled mouthwash. When I look at him now,

  he makes me shiver. Have you ever eaten food that made

  you puke, then not been able to imagine ever eating it

  again?

  Alyssa, Mrs. Price interrupted. The school year does

  not end for four more days.

  Sorry, Alyssa said.

  Mrs. Price crossed to her desk and sat down. Yelping, she

  jumped up, swatting at her skirt. Mrs. Price squinted at the

  class. Did somebody put a tack on my chair? she asked

  incredulously. She patted her skirt and checked her chair

  and the floor. That really hurt and was far from funny. She

  put her hands on her hips, glaring at the class. Somebody

  must have seen. Who did it?

  The class members were silent, exchanging sidelong

  glances. Kendra could not imagine anybody doing something

  so hurtful, not even Jonathon White. Until she

  remembered that Case had been standing near Mrs. Price's

  desk at the start of class.

  Mrs. Price leaned against her desk, one hand rubbing her

  forehead. Was she going to cry? She was a fairly nice

  teacher-a middle-aged woman with curly black hair. She

  had narrow features and wore a lot of makeup. She didn't

  deserve to have a goblin play hurtful pranks on her.

  Kendra considered speaking up. She would have ratted

  out the monster in a heartbeat. But to her classmates it

  would look like she was telling on a cool kid. And although

  he was a prime suspect, she hadn't actually seen him do it.

  Mrs. Price was blinking and swaying. I don't feel so…

  she began, her words slurred, and then she toppled to the

  floor.

  Tracy Edmunds screamed. Everybody stood for a better

  look. A couple of kids hurried over to the fallen teacher.

  One boy was feeling her neck for a pulse.

  Kendra pressed forward. Was Mrs. Price dead? Had the

  goblin pricked her with a poisonous needle? Case was

  crouching beside her.

  Get Mr. Ford, Alyssa shouted.

  Tyler Ward ran out the door, presumably to fetch the

  principal.

  The kid feeling for a pulse, Clint Harris, declared that

  her heart was beating. She probably just fainted because of

  the tack, he speculated.

  Elevate her feet, someone said.

  No, elevate her head, someone else said.

  Wait for the nurse, a third voice instructed.

  Mrs. Price gasped and sat up, eyes wide. She appeared

  momentarily disoriented. Then she pointed toward the

  desks. Get back in your seats, pronto.

  But you just passed- Clint began.

  Back in your seats! Mrs. Price repeated more forcefully.

  Everyone complied.

  Mrs. Price stood at the front of the classroom, arms

  folded, eyeing the students as if trying to read their minds.

  I have never in my life met such an unruly group of vipers,

  she spat. If I have my way, you'll all be expelled.

  Kendra furrowed her brow. This was not like Mrs. Price,

  even under the current circumstances. Her voice had a different

  edge to it, cruel and hateful.

  Mrs. Price grabbed the lip of Jonathon White's desk. He

  sat in the front row because of repeated discipline issues.

  Tell me, my little man, who put a tack on my chair? She

  was gritting her teeth. Veins bulged in her neck. She looked

  like she was about to explode.

  I… didn't see, Jonathon stuttered. Kendra had never

  heard him sound scared before.

  Liar! Mrs. Price yelled, heaving the front of his desk

  up so that it tipped over backwards. The seat was connected

  to the desk, so Jonathon went down as well, banging his

  head on the desk behind him.

  Mrs. Price moved over to the next desk, to Sasha

  Goethe, her favorite student. Tell me who did it! the

  crazed teacher demanded, spittle flying from her lips.

  I don't- was all Sasha managed before her desk was

  upended as well.

  Despite her shock, Kendra realized what was going on.

  Case hadn't poisoned Mrs. Price. Whatever pricked her had

  cast some sort of spell over her.

  Kendra stood up and shouted, It was Casey Hancock!

  Mrs. Price paused, staring at Kendra through narrow

  eyes. Casey, you say? Her voice was soft and lethal.

  I saw him by your desk before class started.

  Mrs. Price advanced toward Kendra. How dare you

  accuse the one person in this class who would never harm a

  fly? Kendra started backing away. Mrs. Price continued

  speaking in a low voice, but she was clearly furious. You did

  this, didn't you, and now you're pointing fingers, blaming

  the new kid, the one with no friends. Very low, Kendra. Very

  low.

  Kendra reached the back of the classroom. Mrs. Price

  was closing in. She was only an inch or two taller than

  Kendra, but her fingers were hooked into claws, and her eyes

  boiled with malice. The normally even-tempered teacher

  looked like she had murder on her mind.

  Only a few steps away from Kendra, Mrs. Price leaped

  forward. Kendra dodged sideways and raced down a different

  aisle toward the door at the front of the classroom. Mrs.

  Price was right behind her until Alyssa stuck out a foot and

  sent the rabid teacher sprawling.

  Kendra yanked open the door and found herself face-to-face

  with Mr. Ford, the principal. Behind him stood a panting

  Tyler Ward.

  Mrs. Price isn't herself, Kendra explained.

  Shrieking, Mrs. Price lunged at Kendra. Mr. Ford, a

  heavy man with a sturdy build, intercepted the manic

  teacher, pinning her arms to her sides. Linda! he said in a

  tone that suggested he could not believe what was going on.

  Linda, calm down. Linda, stop.

  They're all maggots, she hissed. They're all vipers.

  Devils! She continued struggling vigorously.

  Mr. Ford was looking around the room, taking in the

  overturned desks. What's going on here?

  Somebody put a tack on her chair and she freaked out,

  Sasha Goethe sobbed, standing near her overturned desk.

  A tack? Mr., Ford said, still trying to control the

  squirming teacher. Mrs. Price suddenly whipped her head

  back, slamming Mr. Ford square in the face. He staggered

  backwards, losing his grip on her.

  Mrs. Price shoved Kendra aside and sprinted out the

  door and down the hall. A stunned Mr. Ford was catching

  blood from his nostrils in a cupped hand.

  Across the room, Casey Hancock, the goblin in disguise,

  grinned wickedly at Kendra.

  By the end of the school day, Kendra was sick of

  recounting the drama in homeroom. The school was buzzing

  with the news that Mrs. Price h
ad lost her mind. The

  frazzled teacher had run off school property, leaving her car

  in the parking lot, and had not been seen since. As word

  spread that Kendra had spoken up against Case and been

  specifically attacked, she was bombarded with endless

  questions.

  Kendra felt terrible for Mrs. Price. She was certain it was

  some strange goblin magic that had led to the outburst, but

  that was an impossible theory to present to the principal. In

  the end, Kendra had to admit that she had not actually seen

  Case put anything on the chair. Nor had anyone else, apparently.

  They couldn't even find the tack. And of course she

  could not say anything about Case's secret identity, because

  there was no way to prove it short of convincing Mr. Ford to

  kiss him on the mouth.

  Walking out to catch her bus, Kendra brooded over the

  unjust situation. The reputation of an innocent teacher had

  been ruined, and the obvious culprit was totally getting away

  with it. Thanks to his disguise, the goblin would keep on

  causing mayhem without any consequences. There had to be

  a way to stop him!

  Ahem. A man walking beside Kendra cleared his

  throat in order to get her attention. Lost in thought, she had

  failed to notice his approach. The man was dressed in a

  fancy suit that looked about a hundred years out of style.

  The coat had tails, and he wore a vest with it. It was the sort

  of suit Kendra would have expected to see in a play, not in

  real life.

  Kendra stopped walking and faced the man. Kids heading

  for the buses passed them on either side. Can I help

  you? she asked.

  Beg your pardon, but do you have the time?

  His vest had a watch chain. Kendra pointed at it. Isn't

  that a watch?

  Just the chain, my girl, he said, patting his vest. I

  parted with the watch some time ago. He was fairly tall,

  with wavy black hair and a pointy chin. Although the suit

  was fancy, it was rumpled and worn, as if he had slept in it

  for several consecutive nights. He seemed a little seedy.

  Kendra resolved immediately not to let him lure her into a

  windowless van.

  She was wearing a watch, but did not check it. School

  just got out, so it's a little after two-forty.

  Allow me to introduce myself. He held up a business

  card in his white-gloved hand, in a way that suggested he

  meant for her to read it, not take it. The card said:

  Errol Fisk

  Cogitator * Ruminator * Innovator