Chapter 36
I wake up to the sun shining brightly, the birds chattering excitedly, and a roaring head ache. As soon as I'm dressed, I join everyone in eating and tent-collapsing; afterwards, we set out for the foot of the mountain. After about an hour, we arrive at the foot of the Seiiki Mountains. Bruce leads us, for some odd distance, to the left until we reach another location, somewhat different but not by a lot. I don't really understand what these guys are going for, but I'll go with it.
"Why did you just lead us 1.3 miles north when that location would've been a more optimal climbing place?" Donnie asks smugly. He smirks, like he's just beaten his worst enemy in the contest to be smartest person on earth.
"'Cause we're not gonna climb the mountain," Axle begins.
"We're goin' through the mountain," Rod finishes.
Bruce lights a match and rubs the flame against the rock face. When that one goes out, he strikes another one and keeps going. I'm… very confused right now.
The moment the flame hits a dark spot on the rock, little pieces immediately crumble, leaving behind the shape of a skull. The Dealer sign, as I've come to know it. I have a skull pin in the same shape attached to my hat, although I don't know why.
Falcon pulls a key out of his black trench coat. The key is shaped normally, except the bit is shaped a little like a stamp. The bit is in the shape of a skull, which matches the hole. He places the key into the hole and gives it three good turns to the right. The mechanism, evidently inside the rock, clicks.
Rock shifts to the side to reveal a seven feet tall door. Although our older group members step inside like there's nothing peculiar about the door, Naomi, Sebastian, Donnie, and I are a little more tentative about it. Falcon sighs and motions us forward; he assures us we won't be eaten by giant cave rats. We enter a cavern, the ceiling being a couple hundred feet high. The ground and ceiling are peppered with stalagmites and stalactites. The points are probably sharp enough to spear straight through someone!
We make our way across the damp pathway to another wall. A thin slot opens to reveal a small pair of blue eyes. "We don't want your broomsticks!" A man says. His eyes crinkle; I would guess that he's smiling behind the rock.
"It's only 100,000,000 cos, plus shipping and handling!" Elsie jokes with a grin, "Act now, as this offer won't be valid for long."
Falcon smirks for a second at the joke. "Come one, enough with the laughs. Will you just let us in?"
The slit slides closed. Gears creek and groan as they, slowly but surely, open another entryway. Behind wear the door once stood stands a short, stout man, appearing to look a little like a dwarf from a fable.
"Sorry. Since so many Dealers have been arriving day and night, the guards (as I am) have been taking shifts at the door in pairs. Unfortunately, my partner has been gone for a while, and I've been bored senseless. Please, come in." The guard says.
The guard leads us through a narrow stone hallway. The hallway escalates into a spiral staircase, twirling in a tight coil. We come to a door at the top. The guard takes out a key shaped like a skeleton. He lifts the right arm, inserts it into the key hole, and turns it to the right. The door opens into a larger-than-life hallway.
The place is swarming with Dealers (and, most likely, Apprentices). I guess I never really realized how many of us there are… and scarily enough, not all of us are here. It's mostly just young and middle-aged people. I'm guessing they didn't want their old folks to break themselves getting here.
"Wait here, please. Living accommodations are still being sorted out. This was on a bit of a short notice. Now, if you excuse me, I must be going now. Good day," the guard says. He tips his hat before closing the door and disappearing from our sight.
Donnie, Sebastian, Naomi, and I all huddle in an awkward group while Falcon (known to everyone else hear as Phileas), Bruce, Elsie, Axle, Rod, and Ginger mingle with whom I guess to be old friends and acquaintances. None of us are really social butterflies, so this is a rare occasion for everyone. I guess when you're shunned by most of society for the greater portion of your life, you never really have time to expand on your "social skills".
An elderly man, perhaps the only one in the room, with a crooked walking stick saunters in through the mammoth door. The room abruptly becomes silent and turns towards him. The crowd parts like a wave. As he passes, everyone bows deeply to him. He bows back. I can see each one has a healthy respect for him, but who is this guy?
"Who's that?" I ask Falcon, who now happens to be standing to my left, in a whisper.
"That's the Head Dealer, stupid," he answers sharply.
"Well, excuse me," I retort with sarcasm. "No one really ever gave me a news flash."
The Dealer turns in the direction of my part of the crowd. He slowly walks through, his face wrinkled with creases on his forehead, laugh-lines around his eyes, and sinking cheeks. He's completely bald, except for a wisp of snow white hair on the top of his head.
Head Dealer stops in front of me. Not wanting to look like a disrespectful jerk, I bow to him. When I stand up straight again, he says to me with a sentimental smile, "You have your father's eyes."