The Maiden Medallions: Beastkeeper Read online

  In desperation, James dropped to the ground and attempted to roll out of the path of the charging animal. But the grizzly bear grazed him and sent him crashing to the ground much harder than anticipated. Dazed, he lay there with his face in mud, the thunderous gallop of the bear passing him by.

  Pushing himself up from the damp earth, he wiped the mud from his eyes while looking around for the grizzly. His vision clearing, he spotted it not far off still on the hunt for Danny. Turning to look at him, James saw the bear’s eyes. They were raked, the scars of an old injury sealing them almost shut.

  If the bear couldn’t see very well, it was relying on scent and Danny carried snacks of all kinds in his backpack. Dread clutched his heart. It was only a matter of time before it caught up with his friend. He had to do something. He had to find a way to help Danny.

  Forcing down his fear, James rose to his feet. “Hey, you dumb bear! Ya missed me! Hey! Over here, I’m over here!” Picking up a thick branch, he smashed it repeatedly into the nearest tree. “C’mon, dummy! Come and get some!”

  The distraction worked. The bear circled back and advanced towards him. With a renewed burst of energy, James sprinted in the opposite direction putting as much distance as he possibly could between himself and the raging grizzly bear.

  But he couldn’t maintain his pace. He started slowing as he hurdled over puddles and slid through patches of mud while trying to avoid branches at the same time. Inevitably, he lost his footing and fell clumsily to the ground.

  Rolling quickly onto his back, James searched the forest and spotted the bear. He only had seconds left before it would be upon him spilling his blood out over the mud and earth. His lips moving in silent prayer, he shut his eyes as tears ran down his face.

  Penetrating past the racket of his pounding heart, James heard the distinct caw of a crow. Soon, he heard more than one. Allowing himself a peak, he saw the bear swatting at crows like a man shooing away mosquitoes. It stood on it hind legs and roared its frustration at the black birds diving at its head. Another crow joined in the attack. Seconds later, a fifth crow joined the fray, then a sixth. James wiped his tears away. He didn’t know whether his prayer had been answered but thanked God nonetheless.

  Dropping to all fours, the bear moaned and then ran off, the crows flying after the animal trying to escape through the woods.

  Taking a deep breath, James got up, dusted himself off and swore never to go hiking again. He left cheek stung and his hand came away with a small amount of blood, though, not enough to cause him concern. All things considered, he counted himself lucky to have come through this with only a scrape on his face.

  James was more than ready to get out of the woods. Turning to leave, he unexpectedly collided into someone standing directly behind him. Stumbling backwards, he stared up into an old man’s face. Deeply tanned with plenty of wrinkles, it looked weather-beaten from spending too much time in the sun.

  His mouth opened but James failed to find any words. The man he saw earlier in the day, the one he’d mistaken for a scarecrow in a field of dead crops, stood right in front of him.

  The old man reached for him. With everything that had happened, James couldn’t contain the scream building inside.

  3

  “Get away from me!” James shoved the old man away.

  “Find the medallion.”

  He heard the words but they didn’t make any sense.

  The old man stepped forward. “Find the medallion,” he repeated.

  Taking some backward steps, James turned and ran off through the forest. Looking over his shoulder, he was relieved to see he wasn’t being pursued; neither a bear nor a crazy old man was anywhere in sight.

  With all the running for his life, he was now hopelessly lost. After wandering around for a short while, a crow appeared and flew off to his right. His instincts telling him to follow, James found a footpath leading to the edge of the woods. He saw his friends gathered around the far side of the bridge. Leaving the forest behind, James reached the narrow overpass, started across it, then staggered and collapsed to his knees.

  “James!” Sarah hopped onto the bridge with Kyle right behind her. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” she asked, arriving by his side.

  James couldn’t find his voice to answer. Exhaustion from the stress and physical toll permeated his entire body.

  “Oh, you are hurt,” Sarah said, taking out a packet of tissue from her purse.

  Murph pushed his way past and helped James stand up. “You okay, buddy?”

  “Yeah, I’m okay,” James said, looking into the concerned face of his athletic friend.

  Removing a tissue from the packet, Sarah dabbed it on the abrasion on his cheek. “It’s not a bad scrape.” She handed the bloodied tissue over. “Keep pressure on it.”

  Smiling weakly, James thanked her and followed her instructions.

  Danny walked up and gave him a quick hug. “We thought you were...” His voice trembling, he looked away.

  “So did I,” James replied, resisting the surge of emotion threatening to overcome his calm demeanor. “We should go.” Walking across the bridge, he regained his composure by the time he reached the passenger door.

  Danny unlocked the Mustang from a distance. James was inside, seated and buckled up by the time Danny climbed in. Starting it up, they pulled alongside the Firebird. “See you at school tomorrow,” Danny said before leaving the others behind in the parking lot.

  The drive home was quiet, the conversation mostly one-sided. The radio played softly in the background as Danny’s voice dominated the interior of the fast moving car. He had questions and plenty of them, but James let him know this wasn’t the time or place. His body ached and his head felt heavy. He didn’t feel up for a discussion regarding the events in the woods.

  Pulling down the sun visor, James opened the mirror and stared at his reflection. Face streaked with blood, his sweatshirt muddy and torn, he envisioned the reaction of his parents as he explained the reasons behind his new look.

  Throughout his young life, he had heard of the existence of miracles. From afar, it seemed they did indeed happen on occasion. But for James it was just a statement neither proven nor denied. He’d be lying if he said he spent even a second pondering their validity. But after surviving his encounter with the bear, after seeing black crows intervene on his behalf, he couldn’t think of another word more applicable to what happened. Having escaped his ordeal alive and uninjured, he did find it funny that his most pressing need was finding some cash to satisfy Cooper.

  They arrived at the townhouse complex where James lived. Passing a large sign staked into the lawn, the words Ellington Lanes displayed in green and gold, they turned at the first roadway leading into the tightly packed rows of houses.

  Danny pulled up in front of house number fifteen. “There you go. You’re home, safe and sound.” He took in a deep breath. “That was some crazy stuff back there. You feel like talking about what happened? I mean, I’m just curious. How did you –”

  “Later. We’ll talk later, I promise,” James said, interrupting him.

  Danny smiled weakly. “Okay. That’s cool.” He looked tired, the stress of the day finally catching up with him. “There’s something else. I want to thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “You helped me when I fell,” Danny said. “If you hadn’t done that, it would have caught me.” He stared at James with a quizzical look. “You think he’d enjoy Chinese takeout?”

  James smiled. “I think he was more interested in your backpack than he was in eating you.”

  “Yeah, I shouldn’t have brought all those snacks.” Thunder rumbled overhead. “I don’t know how you managed to survive, but I’m glad that you did. You saved my life and I’ll never forget it–ever. Thanks, James.” Danny made a fist; James bumped it with his own.

  Rain started wetting the windshield and tapping the roof of the car. Danny switched the wipers on.

  “That’s what best fr
iends do...we look out for one another.” Grabbing his pack from the rear seat, James grasped the door handle and let himself out. “See you in class,” he said before shutting the door.

  James ran up the driveway. The family car was missing indicating one or both parents were out. Looking back as he fumbled through the pack for his keys, he watched the Mustang drive off, the taillights disappearing around a bend in the road.

  Opening the front door, he was immediately assailed by sound from all directions. The security alarm chimed a warning and needed to be disarmed. And from somewhere deeper within the house, he heard his dog’s muffled barking.

  With the security system active, he knew no one was home. His mother worked most Sundays and he assumed his father was out with his pals. Dropping his backpack by the front door, he punched in the deactivation code and shut off the alarm.

  The barking continued unabated.

  Removing his mud-splattered boots, James placed them in the front closet, then made his way through the hall and into the living room towards the barking coming from beyond the backdoor. Opening the sliding door, he barely had time to side step the large German shepherd hurrying in from the rain.

  Castle bristled with joy. Shaking moisture off his damp fur, the dog woofed and whined as he stood up and placed his front paws firmly on James’s chest. Castle’s expression imitating a smile, James hugged the big dog.

  “Hey, how are ya, boy?” Holding his dog’s head in his hands, Castle greeted him by enthusiastically licking his face.

  James was glad to be home. He felt safe tucked away in familiar surroundings. It was just an average townhouse in a quiet community, but his home in Charmington was the only one he had ever known.

  Following James into the kitchen, Castle headed straight for his empty bowl, then sat and stared at his master with imploring eyes. Scooping up some dog food from the cupboard, he poured the kibble into the bowl and almost got knocked over for his troubles as Castle forced his way past and began eagerly devouring it.

  A folded, white piece of paper was beneath a magnet on the refrigerator door. Snagging the note, James patted his dog while reading the message. As expected, it was from his mother. Working late again, she had left his dinner in the fridge. Her working on Sunday nights was becoming a regular occurrence, but at least it kept her busy leaving little time to dwell on matters such as his father. To say their relationship was strained was putting it nicely. Ever since he started spending less time at home, she started working longer hours.

  James stuffed the note into a pocket. Opening the fridge, he reached for a plastic container and examined the contents. Cutting off a piece of the tuna casserole found inside, he placed it into the microwave and put the rest back in the fridge.

  Entering the bathroom, he looked in the mirror and examined the scrape; it was superficial and nothing to worry about. Wetting a cloth, he wiped his face clean, then removed his hoodie and tossed it into the laundry basket.

  Eating his meal in front of the television, he randomly flipped through the channels until tiredness took hold of him. Giving in to the feeling, James got off the couch, strolled to the front door and picked up his backpack. His pack dragging behind him, he mounted the stairs to his bedroom and pushed the door open. He immediately spotted the luminescent green eyes peering at him through the dark.

  Reclining on his bed, his cat unfurled her slender body. Getting up, she arched her back, then sat and stared at James with cool unblinking eyes.

  “Hey, Belle, off the bed.” Giving her a gentle nudge, the black cat landed on the floor and exited the room. Closing the door behind her, he left it open just a crack out of habit.

  The rain had become a heavy downpour. Opening a window, James allowed the sound of the storm to fill the room. Leaving the light off, he tossed his backpack into a corner before falling back on the bed. Castle nudged his way in. Climbing up, he settled in at the foot of the queen-sized bed.

  James closed his eyes and tried to sleep but his mind refused to relax. Whether by miracle or chance or even magic, he somehow survived his encounter with the bear. He may not have understood how he emerged unscathed, but logic and reason had nothing to do with it; being saved by birds would attest to that. Whatever the case, he was thankful to be alive and at home in his room. As images of bears and crows crowded his head, exhaustion finally claimed him. But it was far from a restful slumber.

  Sheets damp with sweat, James tossed about, caught in the throes of a nightmare. Distorted visions and warped imagery disturbed his dreams. The old man reached for him with nails sharp as talons, his nose long and crooked. His eyes a solid black, he was speaking, his words strange yet familiar. “Find the medallion,” the old man said before floating up and vanishing into a darkened sky.

  James awoke startled and shouting. His heart pounding strongly, he sat up to regain his bearings. Looking around, he was alone in the room; Castle left sometime during the night. Lying back, he reflected upon the old man he saw in the woods. With his wrinkled skin and skinny body, James was quite sure he was the oldest person he ever laid eyes on. He recalled the old man uttering the same phrase back in the forest. Now his peculiar instruction to find the medallion haunted his sleep as well. Yawning, he sought a more comfortable position while pondering the meaning behind the words.

  Closing his eyes, James tried to quiet his mind but the nagging questions pestering him wouldn’t let him be. Who was the old man and what did he want? What was this business about finding a medallion? Replaying his run-in with the old man over and over in his mind, James was left with one final disturbing question. How in the world did the old man find him? The last James saw of him was on the roadside a fair distance away from the forest. How was it possible for a man of his age to have tracked him down so precisely within such a large wooded expanse? It would have been a tricky task for even the best trackers to accomplish.

  The alarm chimed as the front door opened. James heard the familiar sound of heels clicking against tiles and then his mother’s voice greeting Castle. Soon after, soft music drifted up the stairs.

  Her voice faded in and out as she spoke while pacing back and forth. Obviously on the phone, she sounded tense. Her conversation ending quickly, James heard her coming up the stairs. She always looked in on him when passing by on the way to her bedroom. Not feeling particularly talkative at the moment, he pulled the covers up and pretended to sleep.

  The door half open from Castle’s departure, he saw her silhouette darken his doorway. Her face draped in shadow, her long hair ruffled and wild, she looked as if she had just woken up for the morning. Another hard day at work, James thought. He loved her for many reasons, her ambition and dedication to her job among them.

  Careful to keep his breathing even, James continued mimicking the rhythm of sleep. Standing in the doorway for longer than usual, she rubbed her left temple, her mind seemingly elsewhere. A tired sigh escaped her lips, one that ached with sadness. James considered waking up and greeting her, but quickly changed his mind. He would see her tomorrow, and if she needed cheering up, he could do it then.

  “Good night, sweet prince,” he heard her say. She closed the door and James shut out the world. Exhaustion overwhelming him, he plummeted headlong into sleep’s embrace.

  4

  James woke abruptly to the melody of some obscure pop song ringing in his ears. Hitting the radio’s snooze button, he fell back onto his pillow like he did every school day, only this time his body ached from yesterday’s trauma making getting out of bed even harder than usual.

  It was a quarter after eight, giving him exactly forty-five minutes to get to school. But he lacked the motivation to attend class this day, not only because he was sore but also to avoid having to deal with Cooper. He would rather not see him until there was money to hand over. He needed to get a hold of some as soon as possible.

  His parents, if they had stuck to their regular routine, would have already left for work. He should be alone in the house, not counting
Castle or the skulking cat, Belle. Hearing scratching on the door, James watched the crack in the doorway open a little wider. He couldn’t see her from his vantage point but knew Belle had forced her way in like she did most mornings. Jumping onto the bed, she sauntered over, then rubbed her head against James’s outstretched hand.

  “Good morning, Belle,” James said, sleep croaking his voice.

  Castle lounged in his customary spot in a corner of the room. Raising his head, he watched the pure black cat clean her paws but it didn’t hold his interest for long. Resuming his relaxation amongst his blankets and bedding, he closed his eyes, but his ears remained perked.

  Settling back to laze under the covers, his phone started buzzing from somewhere in the room. The tone sounded muffled and James didn’t know where he left it last. Getting out of bed, he homed in on the backpack lying in a heap on the floor. Retrieving his phone from a side pocket, he sent ‘no’ in response to Danny’s text asking if he needed a ride to school. Placing the phone on his dresser, he checked his face in the mirror and saw a scab forming over the scrape.

  His stomach rumbled and James thought of breakfast. Heading down to the kitchen with Castle close behind him, Belle stayed upstairs and continued working on her personal grooming.

  He looked in the refrigerator and found an almost empty carton of orange juice. As he emptied out the last of it into a glass, stress began to creep into his morning. How am I gonna come up with the money for Cooper, he thought while drinking his juice. Cooper said a partial payment was acceptable but even that seemed beyond him right now. This summer, James decided, he would definitely start looking for a job. Gulping down the remainder of his juice, he placed the glass into the sink among a scattering of dirty dishes.

  Tossing the empty carton into the recycling bin, Castle whined quietly by his bowl. “Coming right up,” James said, opening the cabinet containing bags of pet food. Filling Castle’s bowl, he then poured food into Belle’s dish. After filling their water bowls, he watched Castle devour his breakfast while considering solutions to his financial crisis.