Chapter 4

The Monsters and the Moss

Simon and Sasha leisured out to the edge the island the next day with their newly crafting fishing rods, while Jade decided to stay at the house.

"Three, two, one!" counted Simon. Both Simon and Sasha cast out their lines simultaneously and there were soft splashes as they landed in the water.

"You know, it's not so bad, living on this island," Simon ventured. "Well, other than monsters, obviously." Sasha laughed.

"Yes, living here has been much better since you came." Simon raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" he asked excitedly. Sasha nodded.

"I've got something!" she exclaimed. Surely enough, her line was bobbing rapidly. Sasha struggled to pull up her line, so Simon dropped his rod and helped her. Sasha began reeling in the prize, and Simon could already smell it.

It was as if someone who had recently emerged from the water had slapped him Simon the face. He fell backwards onto the sand and shook his head. Sasha was bursting with laughter, pointing at him with one hand and holding a fish in the other.

"Nice catch."

"Nice fall." Simon laughed. He went to go pick up his own fishing rod, but it was missing.

"Did you see –?" started Simon. He had answered his own question already. He looked out toward the water, and saw his fishing rod was skipping around in the ocean, spraying water everywhere.

"How is it doing that?" asked Sasha.

"It's a fish." And it was, a fish had taken the bait while Simon had helped Sasha get her fish. Simon groaned, then dove into the water.

The water was absolutely frigid, and Simon's brain and body seemed to go completely numb. It took him a minute to shake himself, and then he began to swim with a perfect breaststroke. He swam blindly through the cold ocean, listening for the fast-swimming fish's loud flippers. There was a fierce rush of water, and Simon lashed out with a strong kick. He felt his foot collide with the slick surface of wood, and knew the fish had swum directly past him. His lungs seared with pain. Simon propelled himself to the surface and refilled his body with air. He looked around. Sasha was throwing bait at him, which he noticed when one hit him on the head. Simon nodded at her and dove back under the water. Sooner than he had expected, the fish came through for the bait that Simon was holding. Simon groped for it in the water. It slipped from his hands twice before he finally caught it and brought it back to the surface.

Simon swam back to Sasha and lay across the grass. The water had been cold enough, but the day was breezy and the wind licked at his flesh.

"That's one way to catch a fish," Sasha remarked.

"Thanks." Simon told Sasha breathlessly. Sasha hesitated.

"You're welcome."

Simon and Sasha caught two more fish before they decided to go back to the mountain to accompany Jade.

"We're ho-ome!" called Sasha as they entered the stronghold. She took Simon's fish and went down to the kitchen, where Jade greeted her. Simon decided to go upstairs to check the things that Sasha had acquired over her years on Minos. He saw a large chest. There was a large label that went with it, too.

MINERALS

Fascinated and curious, Simon opened it. What he hadn't expected, however, was for things to start tumbling out onto the floor. He hastily picked them up and stacked them next to the chest and began rummaging through it. There was a moan from outside, so Simon guessed it was night.

He found some astounding things as he searched the chest, such as mountainous amounts of coal, numerous slabs of iron, and small grams of gold. Simon wondered how Sasha had actually found all of these resources. Finally, he hit the last thing buried under the mess. Simon knew without thinking that he was staring at a diamond.

"Simon, it's time for dinner!" called Jade from two levels below him.

"I'll be down in a minute!" Simon yelled back. He neatly restocked the chest with the mass amounts of resources before dashing downstairs. Sasha had put candles on the table, and she and Jade were waiting patiently with their plates full of fish.

Once Simon had gotten his food, he sat down next to Sasha.

"Some day, eh?" Sasha elbowed Simon. Simon swallowed some water, almost choking on it.

"Yeah," he replied airily. "Hey, Jade, what did you do today?"

"I played with the animals," said Jade quietly. "They're very nice, you know."

"Yes, I know," said Sasha conversationally. She took a bite of her fish and she radiated happiness. Simon could easily tell she was savoring every bite, and that she wanted to eat nothing but fish.

"Hey, Sasha," said Simon. "I was looking through the minerals chest earlier. I hope you don't mind." Sasha raised her eyebrows.

"Of course not."

"Okay, good. At the very bottom of the chest, I found something. Was it an authentic diamond?"

"Yes, yes it was." Sasha replied arrogantly.

"How did you get it, Sasha?" Even Jade was interested in the magnitude of the diamond.

"Downstairs. You see, the last time we visited the cave, Simon, the intention was not to get ourselves blown up. I was trying to introduce you to mining." Sasha explained. Simon chuckled.

"Sasha, has the thought ever occurred to you that monsters appear in darkness, rather than just at night?" he suggested.

"Yeah, why would monsters be in that cave otherwise?" interjected Jade.

"It's been a compelling thought recently, yes," said Sasha thoughtfully. "Maybe we should carry around light sources from now on." They all solemnly agreed.

"Hey, Sasha," Simon began. "Why were there so many spiders coming from the bottom of that cave, rather than other monsters?"

"I was going to get to that in a moment, actually, Simon."

"Oh, go ahead then." Simon said.

"Here's the bottom line," explained Sasha. "I think I've found a way to break the curse on this island."

Simon gasped, and Jade dropped his fork.

"Really?" asked Jade.

"Yes," said Sasha. "I'm assuming you two would like to know." Simon and Jade nodded in unison.

"Riddle cursed this island, as you know," Jade scratched his head confusedly. "Oh, come on, Jade, I told you when we got out of the cave." It had only just occurred to Simon that the object Sasha had in the cave was Jade.

"Oh," said Jade. "Yeah, I think I remember now."

"Good. Now the mass amount of spiders pouring from the cave signified something that Jade here seemed to realize too late. Jade, you had found yourself in a spider spawner," said Sasha matter-of-factly. "They endlessly spew spiders. But Simon brought up earlier that he believes monsters can't appear in the light. So if we drown the spawner with light –"

" –we could break it!" Simon finished for her. Sasha nodded.

"My point exactly." But Jade pointed something out.

"But what would destroying the spawner do for us?"

"My belief is that if you destroy its spawner, that particular species of monsters will disappear." answered Sasha.

"Forever?" asked Simon.

"Forever." Sasha repeated.

"And one more thing," Simon said. "How will be able to know we're around a spawner?"

"Easily," replied Sasha. "You'll see mossy stones. But you'll probably have the general idea if you hear repeated noises of a monster, such as the moaning of a zombie, the clicking of a skeleton, the hissing of a creeper, the spitting of a spider, or –" Sasha stopped abruptly. "No, no, I haven't seen one for a year…" Simon heard her mutter.

"So if we break the four spawners, the curse will break?" asked Jade excitedly.

"That's what I think," said Sasha. "So who's for going to the spider spawner tomorrow?" She stuck her hand into the middle of the table. Simon reached out and placed his own hand on hers. Finally Jade did, but did so hesitantly, reached onto the stacks of hands, then they all departed to their bedrooms.

Simon awoke with a distinct sizzling noise ringing through his ears. Intrigued, but unconcerned, he prepared himself for the rough day ahead of him. He was sure that Sasha had awoken earlier and was cooking breakfast.

After he pulled on his jeans, he stumbled out of his room. Still a bit drowsy, he went downstairs to talk to Sasha. She was just about to pull pig meat and finish from the oven. Sasha quickly placed them on plates, and then finally realized Simon was standing in the kitchen.

"Oh, hello, Simon," she said dreamily. "Porkchops or fish?" Simon wondered if there was enough fish for the two of them. His question was answered by a cough from Jade, who was sitting at the table with a plate of steaming fish. Deciding not to be rude, he answered,

"Porkchops, please." Sasha nodded, and then gave the plate of porkchops to Simon. Simon sat next to Jade, and Sasha sat across from the two boys. Simon began to feast on his porkchops, and Sasha ate as well. Jade, however, was picking at his fish.

"Come on, Jade," said Sasha bossily. "you're going to need your strength today."

"I'm not hungry," replied Jade grumpily. His stomach growled in response.

"Your stomach says otherwise," Simon pointed out, gesturing with his fork.

"Come on now," Sasha said impatiently. "You may be scared, but we'll need you today. Really!" she added as Jade rolled his eyes.

"Sure," said Jade skeptically. "I'm only nine, you know."

"We know, but you never know what will happen." spat Simon, fed up with Jade's complaining.

"Fine."

The rest of the meal bathed in silence.

"Simon, run upstairs and grab us swords and pickaxes," said Sasha coolly. "I've got materials for torches already gathered." Simon nodded at her and sprinted up to the chest room. He soon found the correct chest.

Tools

Simon withdrew three of each, accidentally cutting himself with a sword. He got back to the kitchen, where he met Sasha and Jade who were waiting. He divided the tools amongst the group of three, and Sasha gave him coal and sticks. Simon shoveled them into his pockets.

"Are you boys ready?" asked Sasha when they were all standing by the door.

"Yes." breathed Simon. Jade fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Sure." There was a click, and the door swung open.

"Here we go," said Sasha as they stepped into the cave. "Now, which path was it down?" Simon strained his brain to recall the correct tunnel. After thoroughly searching his memory, he told Sasha to go to the top left cave. She agreed.

"When it's too dark to see, dent the ground with these," She held up her pickaxe. "then put a torch down."

"Alright." said Jade.

So together, the trio of captives of Minos made their way down to the spider spawner, the cave getting colder every inch.

There was a vicious spitting noise, and Jade jumped.

"I think we're getting close," whispered Sasha. "This way."

A spider leapt from the shadows just beyond the reach of the torchlight and attacked Simon. Before he could think, he had instinctively lashed out with his sword, cutting the spider in half down the middle, and Simon saw the light leave its boil red eyes.

"We're definitely close." Simon lit a torch and threw it two yards. It flickered, but did not die. The only thin Simon could make out was a distinct, green and erratic pattern all over the stone. Moss.

"S-Simon –" started Sasha. The spawner seemed to react to their presence. A spider emerged from the spawner, which had eyes only for Sasha. She screamed, and then Jade struggled to her and beheaded the spider. Sasha stood up and swallowed hard.

"Thanks."

"We've got no time, let's go!" yelled Simon. He broke out into a run. Only his legs could handle the speed he achieved, his arms were flying uselessly behind him. Before he knew it, he was at the heart of the dungeon. Simon raised his pickaxe over what he assumed was the spawner, and –

WHAM. A spider had caught him around the throat, and was clicking its pincers insanely, and Simon felt hairs being ripped from his head.

"Sasha –" But Sasha was cornered in the edge of the cube of mossy stone, and was trying as hard as possible to break free. He saw Jade was fighting with his fists, for his pickaxe had broken and he had dropped his sword somewhere.

Now there were four spiders clawing at Sasha and Simon, but Jade seemed untargeted.

"Jade!" choked Simon. "Kill it!" Simon's air supply ran out completely. He slid his pickaxe under the mob of spiders that ignored Jade entirely.

"Okay!" yelled Jade. With the greatest effort he had give in his life, Jade raised Simon's pickaxe high over his head, and –

CRACK. The room filled with a flame, then all was silent, except Sasha and Simon's coughing. They looked at what had once been the spider spawner. Simon had never gotten a good look at it.

The spawner had been a cobalt-shaded net-box. Now, the cage had been split down the middle. A small hologram of a spider was rotating in a wall of flames. There was indecipherable whisper, the fire in the spawner went out, and the hologram of the spider flickered and died in a puff of smoke.

Suddenly, white shot from between the space in the middle of the halves of the broken spawner. Aghast, Simon scrambled to his feet and left the small room that had contained the spawner. Jade and Sasha followed him.

"What is that?" asked Jade.

"I… I don't know." said Sasha.

"I do." Simon announced boldly.

The spawner was shooting string into the room, showering the roof, ground and walls.

"Is that string?"

"Yes," answered Simon.

"How much string is it producing?" asked Sasha.

"If I had a guess, I'd say the same amount of string from every spider's string gland on this island."

"Simon, that's a lot of string!"

"I know, Sasha."

As they watched, the string expanded out of the room, and the trio had to step back. Finally, it stopped, and the string was a yard out of the room, up to their ankles.

"Wow," said Jade in awe. Simon turned to Jade.

"Thanks, Jade," Simon put his hand on his shoulder.

"F-for what?" he stammered.

"You saved us," interjected Sasha. She hugged him around the waist.

"Oh… I guess I did!" exclaimed Jade, smiling. "You're welcome!" All three of them took armfuls of string, and departed back to the house, the problem of spiders now a distant thought in the back of their minds.