Chapter 4: Enemies
Scrauss led them out of the Study into a dark hall lit with torches. The ceiling seemed to reach the top of the skies, and the hallway went on everlastingly into the darkness. The walls were patterned strangely, and held mirrors and painted pictures. Scrauss led them down one part of the hall, and as they passed many doors and paintings, they knew they were in an aged castle.
Buffy was silent as she followed Scrauss, and looked around. Only when they passed a lit torch did Buffy see the curious faces of her fellow members. Jack was grimacing, and Buffy saw him eyeing the paintings as if they were going to come to life and scare the hell out of them all.
Matilda walked close to Buffy; she obviously felt that she was one of the strongest. She noticed Harry, walking about, hand over the wand in his pocket and looking as if he didn't want to do this. Not like everyone wanted to do this anyway.
Jake walked in front of the group with Jesse close by his side. Jesse looked ready to take on this journey, and he criticized every painting he passes. "Look at that one. That's something scary, now isn't it? It'll give you nightmares for days."
Scrauss' pace reduced in speed, and everyone slowed down also, bumping into one another. Then it quickened and some people jogged to keep up. They went at this fast rate for a while until Scrauss stopped abruptly and the group behind him went into collision. Harry had tripped and Jack had stepped on him. Jack apologized under his breath, though half the group felt that it had not been an accident.
The group looked from Scrauss to the dark hallways. It seemed that Scrauss was thinking which path to take, and he examined each. "This way," he said and went into the left pathway.
"Where is he leading us?" Matilda asked, breathing irregularly.
"I don't know," Buffy said, looking around. "I guess all were suppose to do is follow."
Jack said, "This is boring. And where are we? I hope he's not leading us into some wretched room to fight off more warriors."
Strauss stopped again at a door. "Let me just open this..." The members huddled together.
"I don't understand why, out of all people in the world including adults, he chose us," Jesse said in a quiet voice.
"Well we all have something special about us, don't we?" Jake whispered. "Obviously our powers combined can stop the people we're fighting. The dreamcatchers."
"And destroying the box," Buffy said. "I hope we get the background on this entire situation, the box, the door, the dreamcatchers- I'd like to know exactly who I'm fighting and who I'm saving."
"He just explained it," Jack said slowly. "We're fighting demons and dreamcatchers. We're saving the people of the world. We fight, we kill, we save the day and we go back home with a victorious song in our hearts."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Enthusiasm is always great in these kinds of situations, but you make the journey sound simple enough for a guy like you to do alone and so far I know you've got no power worth bragging about."
The corridor was silent except for the sound of Strauss going through a pocketful of keys to find which one opened the door.
Jack's glare was so menacing, that it overthrew his embarrassment. Harry was reminded of Draco Malfoy, a boastful classmate that was out to get Harry and his friends. "She's right. All of us have something to show, except you," said Harry.
Jack glowered at him. "And I bet you're worthless without your stick."
"Doors open," Strauss said loudly over their voices as if it had open for a while. The group exchanged glances and they followed him in.
The room was dark and empty, but the moonlight shone through the windows. There was another door to the outside and Strauss opened it. Outside it was light and breezy, and there was a sea that went on ceaselessly. It was a calm sea, there seemed to be no life in it but made of life. Then they saw movement in the distance, and it seemed to be a fairly large ship coming towards them.
"Here she comes," Strauss said softly and the ship traveled in a speeding rate. Everyone waited anxiously at the dock. Soon the ship came over and stopped. A rope ladder came out of the boat and landed in front of them. Strauss smiled. "Well. Climb."
The first person to step up was Jake and he climbed with ease. Then Buffy followed with Matilda then Jack, Harry and finally Jesse. They were all soon at the top, landing on the floor.
"Oww you landed on me!"
"Sorry."
"Was that you leg?"
"Who's on top of me?"
"Me. Sorry. I'm up."
"That wasn't my leg!"
"Well, all of you up, up now!" Strauss said and all of them looked up to see Strauss standing tall.
Jack frowned. "How did you get up here so fast without bumping into any of us?"
Strauss only grinned. "Come now. I'll show you to your rooms."
Buffy and Matilda looked at each other and followed the rest farther into the boat. Buffy looked around and found that it didn't seem like a boat when they went down stairs. There was a living room, complete with a sofa, bookcase and end tables. There were many doors on the walls and down the murky hallway.
"Rom six will be for the two young ladies and room seven will be for the gentlemen," Strauss said showing them to their rooms. Strauss touched the wall that separated the rooms and immediately it slid out of the way and the two rooms were one. "Just touch the wall and it will slide out of place. Keep it closed for bedtime but in the day it must become one room so that you may all work together."
They all nodded. The rooms looked exactly alike except that almost everything in the girl's room was red and the boys had blue. It had narrow but plump beds for each of them, with coverings. Each bed had a table beside it with a candlestick on it and a chest at the foot of the bed. Harry was reminded of Hogwarts, and wished he were there instead.
"There are clothes in the chest as well as a number of things you may need like a flask, a journal and bags. Weapons that you will use for self defense and practice. Feel free to explore around, remember that some places are forbidden and I am sure you are all smart enough to figure-"
"I'm bleeding," Buffy interrupted loudly. She lifted her finger to reveal a deep cut. "One of you probably got me when we landed."
"Oh," Strauss said, and he went over to Buffy. He took out a white handkerchief and dabbed Buffy's finger. Then he returned it back to his breast pocket. "There's first aid in each of your trunks, and if you need better, feel free to make your way to the laundry room."
Buffy turned to Matilda. "What bed do you want?" The boys started returning to their own room and choosing beds.
"Now, get a good nights sleep, we have some days of sailing and work to be done in the morning," Strauss smiled and shut the Girls' door.
"Well, night," Jake said. He touched the wall and it slid into place.
All went into their beds but almost no one could sleep. It was about two am in the morning when they all dozed off for the rest of the night. It was only Jack who slept for an hour and by three am he was up and bored. He wondered if his parents knew that he was gone. Surely in two days time they would take notice and search for him.
Jack got up and decided to go to the bathroom. He yawned and got out of the room into the main living room area. The candles on the tables were out and there was no light except from the moon creeping in from the windows. Jack frowned. Which way was the bathroom?
He decided to walk down the nearby hallway, and wasn't too keen on opening every door. Hopefully, the door would say Bathroom, or Lavatory, on it. Right he was. The third door on the left was labeled Bathroom in many different languages. Jack sighed and went in. It was small and clean, complete with a tub, toilet and sink. Even a table in front of a mirror with towels and cups.
"Nice bathroom," Jack said to himself and went to the toilet. The ship tipped to the right and Jack almost slipped. The ship was sailing calmly once more. Jack looked out the window and saw that everything was peaceful. Then he heard voices.
"He picks on those who are beneath him, lad. Just follow his orders," said a tall, thin man outside. His hands were on the railing, and he was looking out into the serene sea.
"I hate following his orders!" The second man said, he was small and plumb, and he wasn't much taller then the first man's waist. "I hate those stupid kids he brought along. Their uncivilized, vicious animals, they are."
"Shove it, you haven't even met them." The first man drawled. His voice was low and foggy, as if he was talking with his nose covered. "Its ok. They don't know what they're getting their selves into. It's a long journey, I don't think they'll even make it to the great finish."
"He will make sure they will," said the second man. "You know he will."
"He has enemies, lad." The first man said, the words rolling out of his mouth as if it were obvious. "Enemies brave enough to stop him. To stop *them*."
"I like that," The second man said cheerfully. "Yes. I do."
Jack was interested in these men but he backed away. Too much knowledge was dangerous. Jack quickly got out of the bathroom and walked back into the Boy's room into his bed. He pulled the covering around him and was silent. Was he to tell his partners members, who seemed to be liking him less and less, or make it his own little secret....?
*****
Scrauss led them out of the Study into a dark hall lit with torches. The ceiling seemed to reach the top of the skies, and the hallway went on everlastingly into the darkness. The walls were patterned strangely, and held mirrors and painted pictures. Scrauss led them down one part of the hall, and as they passed many doors and paintings, they knew they were in an aged castle.
Buffy was silent as she followed Scrauss, and looked around. Only when they passed a lit torch did Buffy see the curious faces of her fellow members. Jack was grimacing, and Buffy saw him eyeing the paintings as if they were going to come to life and scare the hell out of them all.
Matilda walked close to Buffy; she obviously felt that she was one of the strongest. She noticed Harry, walking about, hand over the wand in his pocket and looking as if he didn't want to do this. Not like everyone wanted to do this anyway.
Jake walked in front of the group with Jesse close by his side. Jesse looked ready to take on this journey, and he criticized every painting he passes. "Look at that one. That's something scary, now isn't it? It'll give you nightmares for days."
Scrauss' pace reduced in speed, and everyone slowed down also, bumping into one another. Then it quickened and some people jogged to keep up. They went at this fast rate for a while until Scrauss stopped abruptly and the group behind him went into collision. Harry had tripped and Jack had stepped on him. Jack apologized under his breath, though half the group felt that it had not been an accident.
The group looked from Scrauss to the dark hallways. It seemed that Scrauss was thinking which path to take, and he examined each. "This way," he said and went into the left pathway.
"Where is he leading us?" Matilda asked, breathing irregularly.
"I don't know," Buffy said, looking around. "I guess all were suppose to do is follow."
Jack said, "This is boring. And where are we? I hope he's not leading us into some wretched room to fight off more warriors."
Strauss stopped again at a door. "Let me just open this..." The members huddled together.
"I don't understand why, out of all people in the world including adults, he chose us," Jesse said in a quiet voice.
"Well we all have something special about us, don't we?" Jake whispered. "Obviously our powers combined can stop the people we're fighting. The dreamcatchers."
"And destroying the box," Buffy said. "I hope we get the background on this entire situation, the box, the door, the dreamcatchers- I'd like to know exactly who I'm fighting and who I'm saving."
"He just explained it," Jack said slowly. "We're fighting demons and dreamcatchers. We're saving the people of the world. We fight, we kill, we save the day and we go back home with a victorious song in our hearts."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Enthusiasm is always great in these kinds of situations, but you make the journey sound simple enough for a guy like you to do alone and so far I know you've got no power worth bragging about."
The corridor was silent except for the sound of Strauss going through a pocketful of keys to find which one opened the door.
Jack's glare was so menacing, that it overthrew his embarrassment. Harry was reminded of Draco Malfoy, a boastful classmate that was out to get Harry and his friends. "She's right. All of us have something to show, except you," said Harry.
Jack glowered at him. "And I bet you're worthless without your stick."
"Doors open," Strauss said loudly over their voices as if it had open for a while. The group exchanged glances and they followed him in.
The room was dark and empty, but the moonlight shone through the windows. There was another door to the outside and Strauss opened it. Outside it was light and breezy, and there was a sea that went on ceaselessly. It was a calm sea, there seemed to be no life in it but made of life. Then they saw movement in the distance, and it seemed to be a fairly large ship coming towards them.
"Here she comes," Strauss said softly and the ship traveled in a speeding rate. Everyone waited anxiously at the dock. Soon the ship came over and stopped. A rope ladder came out of the boat and landed in front of them. Strauss smiled. "Well. Climb."
The first person to step up was Jake and he climbed with ease. Then Buffy followed with Matilda then Jack, Harry and finally Jesse. They were all soon at the top, landing on the floor.
"Oww you landed on me!"
"Sorry."
"Was that you leg?"
"Who's on top of me?"
"Me. Sorry. I'm up."
"That wasn't my leg!"
"Well, all of you up, up now!" Strauss said and all of them looked up to see Strauss standing tall.
Jack frowned. "How did you get up here so fast without bumping into any of us?"
Strauss only grinned. "Come now. I'll show you to your rooms."
Buffy and Matilda looked at each other and followed the rest farther into the boat. Buffy looked around and found that it didn't seem like a boat when they went down stairs. There was a living room, complete with a sofa, bookcase and end tables. There were many doors on the walls and down the murky hallway.
"Rom six will be for the two young ladies and room seven will be for the gentlemen," Strauss said showing them to their rooms. Strauss touched the wall that separated the rooms and immediately it slid out of the way and the two rooms were one. "Just touch the wall and it will slide out of place. Keep it closed for bedtime but in the day it must become one room so that you may all work together."
They all nodded. The rooms looked exactly alike except that almost everything in the girl's room was red and the boys had blue. It had narrow but plump beds for each of them, with coverings. Each bed had a table beside it with a candlestick on it and a chest at the foot of the bed. Harry was reminded of Hogwarts, and wished he were there instead.
"There are clothes in the chest as well as a number of things you may need like a flask, a journal and bags. Weapons that you will use for self defense and practice. Feel free to explore around, remember that some places are forbidden and I am sure you are all smart enough to figure-"
"I'm bleeding," Buffy interrupted loudly. She lifted her finger to reveal a deep cut. "One of you probably got me when we landed."
"Oh," Strauss said, and he went over to Buffy. He took out a white handkerchief and dabbed Buffy's finger. Then he returned it back to his breast pocket. "There's first aid in each of your trunks, and if you need better, feel free to make your way to the laundry room."
Buffy turned to Matilda. "What bed do you want?" The boys started returning to their own room and choosing beds.
"Now, get a good nights sleep, we have some days of sailing and work to be done in the morning," Strauss smiled and shut the Girls' door.
"Well, night," Jake said. He touched the wall and it slid into place.
All went into their beds but almost no one could sleep. It was about two am in the morning when they all dozed off for the rest of the night. It was only Jack who slept for an hour and by three am he was up and bored. He wondered if his parents knew that he was gone. Surely in two days time they would take notice and search for him.
Jack got up and decided to go to the bathroom. He yawned and got out of the room into the main living room area. The candles on the tables were out and there was no light except from the moon creeping in from the windows. Jack frowned. Which way was the bathroom?
He decided to walk down the nearby hallway, and wasn't too keen on opening every door. Hopefully, the door would say Bathroom, or Lavatory, on it. Right he was. The third door on the left was labeled Bathroom in many different languages. Jack sighed and went in. It was small and clean, complete with a tub, toilet and sink. Even a table in front of a mirror with towels and cups.
"Nice bathroom," Jack said to himself and went to the toilet. The ship tipped to the right and Jack almost slipped. The ship was sailing calmly once more. Jack looked out the window and saw that everything was peaceful. Then he heard voices.
"He picks on those who are beneath him, lad. Just follow his orders," said a tall, thin man outside. His hands were on the railing, and he was looking out into the serene sea.
"I hate following his orders!" The second man said, he was small and plumb, and he wasn't much taller then the first man's waist. "I hate those stupid kids he brought along. Their uncivilized, vicious animals, they are."
"Shove it, you haven't even met them." The first man drawled. His voice was low and foggy, as if he was talking with his nose covered. "Its ok. They don't know what they're getting their selves into. It's a long journey, I don't think they'll even make it to the great finish."
"He will make sure they will," said the second man. "You know he will."
"He has enemies, lad." The first man said, the words rolling out of his mouth as if it were obvious. "Enemies brave enough to stop him. To stop *them*."
"I like that," The second man said cheerfully. "Yes. I do."
Jack was interested in these men but he backed away. Too much knowledge was dangerous. Jack quickly got out of the bathroom and walked back into the Boy's room into his bed. He pulled the covering around him and was silent. Was he to tell his partners members, who seemed to be liking him less and less, or make it his own little secret....?
*****