A.N. - This chapter takes place the day (in story time) after the previous chapter: Chapter Four of Among Earth.
In this chapter the Starridge-family, excluding Jason, will go on an expedition a few countries over. Here they will encounter some minor surprises, things they wouldn't have thought to be here after all 'this time'.
Enjoy the story, as we follow the Starridges on their expedition.
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Among Mirrors: Chapter Two – Mark's Chase
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- The next morning - The next morning broke upon East City as the Starridge family were packing up and were about ready to leave the house. -
"Do we have everything?" -John asked as he loaded two bags into the company jeep.
"(No, not yet.)" -Mark mumbled as he projected his thoughts into his father's and carried two more bags out of the house.
"These are the last ones." -He said normally, as he loaded the last bags into the back of the truck.
- Malissa was standing at the front door, locking the door behind her. –
"Okay, we' re all set!" -She said as she approached the front-gate.
"Alright, everybody get in the car, then we'll be of!" -John said as he got in first.
"(I'll just check on Jas while we still have the chance)" -Mark thought to himself as he looked towards the house.
"(-Hmm, still asleep huh? Crazy Sleepyhead!)" -Mark thought as they took off.
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- A few minutes later after leaving the city… -
- Mark grabbed the notes they had written down a few days ago, containing the information from the other researchers, whom informed them of the ruins' location. –
"According to the local research team, the ruins are quite old and look very damaged. However, there are some parts that seem like they have never been touched." -Mark said to his parents, to freshen up their memory of the notations they wrote.
"The ruins were discovered some time after 'the disaster'. The mountains that were surrounding the temple have been destroyed by the 'disaster', thus exposing the temple to the local researchers. Some parts of the temple are in good conditions while others are nearly unrecognizable. There are inscriptions all over the pillars, walls, graves, and shrines. However, it seems that they have no idea of what the inscriptions mean. And that's where we come into play." -Marks said in a self-explanatory way.
"That reminds me, I've received a phone call the other day from the research-team, saying that they won't be at the temple." -John said as he looked in the rear-view mirror at his son.
"What? So, we'll be all alone at the temple, what about the equipment?" -Malissa asked in a shocked way.
"They said that they'll leave the equipment for us, although it's a bit further away from the temple than it originally was." -John replied.
"How come? Why did they move their research-equipment, dad?" -Mark asked while putting his notes aside.
"Well apparently, there is a monster at courtyard of the temple. While it is chained up, it's reach isn't long but apparently there is something else going on there."
"And what would that be, hon?" -Malissa asked worried.
"It has certain powers as well, they said that it made the research undo-able. So, they are leaving this job completely to us." -John said as he gave his family a heads-up.
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- A few hours later at the temple entrance, the Starridge family had parked their car next to the tents and equipment setups a couple of feet away from the entrance of the temple, rather than inside of the temple walls. –
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"T-This is incredible…" -John says as he looks at the temple, which is in a pretty good shape.
"Yeah, there really is nobody here." -Mark says as he uses his powers to scan of the area while carrying some bags out of the truck.
"Temples in the mountains usually stay in peak condition, even after hundreds of years… But, what happened here?" -Malissa said as she looked from one side of the temple to the other.
"Hmm? What do you mean, honey? It's in pretty good shape, right Mark?" -John replied in an enthusiastic way.
"I agree, hon. Its just that the temple could be in a much better shape. Look around, the shrine on the left and storage house on the right are in great shape. However, as you look towards the courtyard, you notice walls that look damaged and pieces of burned wood with some debris along some parts of the temple. It's as if some things here, were struck by lightning. But we're a temple protected by mountains, how could lightning strike here?!" -Malissa explained to the others.
"Yes, you're right about that mom. However, let's not forget that there is a monster in the courtyard, who might be responsible." -Mark replied.
"Yes but, why would it destroy its own home?" -John said with a confused look.
"Let's not think about that for too long. We'll think about this when we need to. For now, I am going to check their equipment and look through their notes." -John said as he walked towards the tents a couple meters behind the jeep.
"Alright then, I am going to check out the shrine to the left of the courtyard.
"I'm coming with." -Mark said as he followed his mother towards the entrance.
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- At the entrance… -
"Mom, I am going to look at the storage house. I have my radio on, in case something happens." -He said as he turned right at the main-gate.
"Hey honey?" -Malissa said to mark as she smiled at him.
"Hmm? What is it, mom?"
"This is really exciting! Don't you think so?" -Malissa said while smiling wide.
"Geez, you never change mom." -Mark replied while adjusting his glasses with a loving smile.
"Ah, thank you hon. Alright, be careful." -Malissa said to her son as she waved with her radio and took a left turn.
- As Mark nears the storage house, he inspects a couple of things before he entered the storage and notices that it is in quite the good shape. He just hoped that the same thing could be said for the inside. –
"Now, I really should check their supplies. See whatever remains." -Mark mumbles to himself as he opens the door to the storage and sniffs through all the stuff.
"Let's hope that I find some old papers or documents, stored away."
"(*?!* T-This is… completely ruined. *sigh* What a shame…)" -Mark thought to himself as he hoped to finally have found something useful.
"*sigh* This storage house doesn't have much usefulness to us…" -he mumbles as he steps back through the door and walks out.
- As he walks outside, the sun is preventing him from getting a clear view of his surroundings. –
"The sun is pretty intense today." -He mumbled as he raised his (left-) hand in front of his face to block out the sunlight.
- Mark was in luck. A few seconds later, the clouds temporarily blocked out the sun and allowed him to see things clear once again. When he looked to his left he saw his dad at the encampment downhill. However, when he looked to his right, he notices a lot of rubble and debris laying on the ground, alongside the wall. -
"*Whistles* (What happened over there…?)" -He thought too himself as he walked along the path of rubble and debris.
- When he follows the rubble along the wall, he notices that one of the walls has a massive chunk missing from it. The hole has a huge tree going right through it. -
"W-What happened here?! That is a huge tree…!" -He said in a shocked way.
-When he passed through the hole and climbed over the tree, he notices something odd at the base of the tree. –
"Hmm?! What is this…?"
- As Mark got closer and inspected the tree up close, he couldn't believe his eyes. –
"(T-These are scorch marks?!) B-But it wasn't a fire! A fire would've burned down the whole tree. Yet here it is, struck by… lightning? That WOULD match with the other ruined parts around the temple." -He said as he pulled a piece of dead bark from the tree.
"(Yup, completely dead… yet the leaves are still intact. As if it was preserved, in some way.)" -Mark thought to himself as he inspected the piece of wood.
"(What did they do here? What was the purpose of this temple?)" -He thought as he was quickly reminded of what his father said.
"A monster, huh…?" -He thought as he looked up towards the clouds and started thinking.
- At that very moment, a loud noise and a huge dust cloud came from the location of his mother. Loud white noise came from the radio. -
"Mom, Mom are you alright?!" -Mark shouted in his radio.
- Mark closed his eyes and released a sonar in the area. Luckily, he sensed that his mother was in no harm. However, at the same time, he sensed a huge aura in the direction of the courtyard that somehow managed to remain undetected by Mark. -
"*?!* (That couldn't have been…?!)" -Mark thought to himself as he reached for his radio.
- A static noise was released from the radio and soon after, John's voice could be heard. -
"Mal?! Mal, please respond!" -John said in a worried way.
"*cough, cough* Yes… I'm fine honey, don't worry. The shrine however… not so good." -Malissa said through the radio as the noise in the background cleared up.
"What happened over there? I could see the dust cloud that it created, all the way from over here." -John asked through the radio.
"The… The walls surrounding the shrine, collapsed and took the shrine along with it… The inscriptions on the walls, are completely destroyed now." -Malissa said with a sad and disappointed tone.
"As long as you're okay Mal, it's all the same to me." -John said as he took a sigh of relieve.
"You got us scared there, mom…" -Mark said over the radio as he sighed, as well.
"Ah, I love you two, as well. Thank you." -Malissa said with a sincere smile (over the radio).
"Well, now that I know you're safe, I have something that I want to say." -Mark said in a serious way.
"What is it son?" -John asked.
"Dad, do you remember what you said about the… monster?"
"You mean the one that the researchers spoke of?" -John replied.
"Yes, that one. I think I just found it. Or located it, at least." -Mark said in a confident way.
"Hey Mark, don't you think of doing anything crazy alright?!" -John replied straight away.
"Honey, just… be careful… alright?" -Malissa said as she knew what her son was about to do.
"I will…"
"Mark?! Really, don't go-" -John said as Mark turned of his radio and made his way towards the main-courtyard.
"Anyway John, come over here. One of the walls here is somewhat intact, I can read the little parts but not all of it. I'd like you to take a look at this.
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- Three minutes later, we switch over to John and Malissa's point of view. -
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"Alright Mal, I'm here. What did you want me to loo-" -John said as he was stopped by the wall on his right, that still had some drawings and inscriptions intact.
"Hi hon, yeah those are some of the smaller drawings on the walls." -Malissa said as she approached her husband. "S-Smaller? But these are quite big already!" -He said to his surprise.
"They are big indeed. However, these one over here are- used to be even larger." -She replied as she stood still and gestured towards the pieces from the walls that she carefully places back together, on the ground behind her.
- John gazed upon the rubble along the broken-shrine, as he noticed the drawings behind his wife. -
"You mean the ones over there, right? They are indeed a bit odd, they seem a little familiar though…" -John mumbled a little as his mind was flooded with memories.
- At this moment, of John spacing out, Malissa put her arms around her husband and kissed him passionately. -
"Oh… Did I do something to earn your loving embrace, once again?" -John said playfully as he held his wife in his arms.
"'That' was for worrying and caring about me when I was in danger, a few minutes ago. *kisses him again* And 'that' was for being there for me, when I needed you." -Malissa said with love and compassion, as any loving wife would have said.
"I see what you're going for, Mrs Starridge…" -He teased her, as he smiled wide and kissed his wife back.
"Aw, I love you hon."
"I love you too."
"Uhm… I really don't want to interrupt your moment… But, I am pretty close to the courtyard now… Have you found anything yet?" -Mark said over the radio.
"*John clears throat* `Yeah, we were just getting to that."
- As the married couple gently let go of each other, they took another look at the smaller drawings. -
"Let's see, what do we have here…?" -John said as he kneeled down at one of the destroyed walls and tried to read the small inscriptions at the bottom.
"I have found some parts that say; Devine, Second and something called The Flame of Life." -Malissa said
"There are some words here as well, they describe some sort of final… ritual, maybe? Or maybe a sacrifice of some sort… No, that's not it… They, I guess that refers to the people of this temple, made a sacrifice, some sort of 'final ritual'. In that ritual, they…!" -John said all excited.
"Why'd you stop, John?" -Malissa asked.
"Well, that is where we need to other part of the wall…"-He replied as he looked over the crumble part of the wall and stared at the pieces of scattered rubble on the ground.
"Hahaha A-Accident happen, r-right dear?" -Malissa
"Well that's about the basic gist of things. Did you find anything, Mark?" -John said as he spoke into the radio.
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- Back to Mark's PoV… -
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"No, the storage and warehouses didn't hold much information, nor useable materials for our research." -He replied.
"I AM at the main-gate now! It is stuck, however. I'll use my powers to force it open. If you hear another explosion don't worry, it is just me." -Mark said as he casually adjusted his glasses.
"I am going in! I will contact you again in a minute." -Mark replied as he blew open the forced gate with his psychic powers.
- A cloud of dust had covered the side-gate and blinded Mark's vision. -
- As Mark stepped forward, out of the dust cloud and into a spacious courtyard. On first sight, he couldn't believe his eyes… Mark was filled with all sorts of emotions that shot through his head, at that very moment… -
"*?!* W-What… is this…?!" -He said as he dropped his radio.
- Mark kneeled down to pick up the radio and let the picture in front of him, sink in… -
"Mom, Dad… Come in…" -He said with a frustrated yet calm state of mind.
- Mark took of his glasses and inhaled. He paused for a few seconds and exhaled deeply. Soon after, he put his glasses back on, as if he knew exactly what he needed to do. -
"What is it Mark? What do you see, son?" -John replied with anxiety.
"Everything is fine or at least, it will be in a minute. Just… just come over here, okay.? Go to the storage-house and take a left, then follow that wall until you reach a crumbled wall. Go straight for 12meters and take the first right." -Mark said as he walked towards some sort of altar.
- Mark now stood in front in an altar, where the huge energy was coming from a minute ago. -
"Hello… Monster…" -He said with a shadow covering his face as he clicked his tongue.
- In front of him stood an altar with two big pillars next to it, facing the main-gate. Attached to the pillars, were two giant metal chains that were attached to a small metal collar. The so-called-monster that was wearing the collar, turned out to be a small puppy with grey fur. –
"Who… Who did this to you…?!" -Mark muttered with a gentle voice as he kneeled and looked straight at the young puppy.
- The puppy was squirming around, as if he really wanted to get that collar off his neck. -
"Do you want me to help you?" -Mark said as he raised his arm and reached towards 'the Monster'.
"…BARK!" -The puppy barked loudly at Mark. Making his fur stand on edge, blue-lightning shot out of his mouth, heading straight for Mark.
"Whoa there…! You want me to help, but you're afraid? *sigh*" -Mark said in surprise as he used his psychic to take hold of the lightning and made it bend away from him.
- When the lightning hit the wall, it instantly crumbled and it made Mark understand what has been happening with the temple. -
"I see… so you are the cause of all this destruction. Little troublemaker." -He mumbled with a smile.
- Mark looks back at the dog and notices that sparks are flying off the dog's neck. -
"*?!* Why did you shock yourself? C-Could it be because of the metal-chains and collar?!" -He said in a shocked way.
- The dog was no longer paying attention to Mark, as all he cared about was the collar. While squirming wildly again, he released more and more lightning until it eventually hit one of the pillars. -
"Whoever did this to you is horrible. You have all this power and the only thing you can do is hurt yourself. But you don't seem to have full control over your power, do you?"
- The dog tried to shake the collar violently, however he was stopped by Mark. –
"Whoa, hang on just a second." -Mark said as he held down the dog with his left hand.
"If you keep doing that, you will hurt yourself even more than you already have."
- Mark reached with his right hand towards the puppy, causing the puppy to close its eyes. Following that, a loud breaking sound could be heard through the courtyard. –
"There…"
- The puppy opened his eyes and looked up. He notices that he was free. -
"(Maybe this person isn't so bad...)"-He thought to himself.
- Then the puppy was reminded of the people of his past and he jumped of the altar and ran towards the centre of the courtyard using his lightning powers. -
"You have some control over them, after all? I guess that metal-collar was just too much." -He replied as walked around the altar, facing the dog in the centre of the courtyard.
"You wouldn't happen to know what happened here, would you?" -Mark asked of the puppy, who seemed slightly bigger for some reason.
"Bark Bark BARK!-" -The 'puppy' shouted at Mark as he tried to talk.
(Because Mark also has the power of 'Animal Telepathy', he was able to understand the dog) "-I won't be misled by you humans anymore!"
"What do you mean by misled?" -Mark asked as he stood eye-to-eye with the dog in front of him.
- The dog froze and loosened up as soon as he heard the human repeat the words he said. -
"Bark BARK Bark Bark. (I thought you humans couldn't understand us animals?!)" -The dog said to him as he lowered his volume.
"Well, no. Technically speaking, we aren't able to." -He said calmly as he approached the dog.
"But I am an exception…" -He said as he lowered himself and softly started petting the dog.
- For the first time in a while, the dog felt at ease. Being pet by this stranger with a gentle-aura surrounding him, made the dog lower his electric-fur and start wagging his tail. However, when Mark petted the dog, it turned the fur from grey to black, all over his slightly bigger body. -
"BARK BARK Bark Bark BARK BARK Bark Bark! (If you manage to beat me in a fight, I will tell you everything that you want to know. However, I won't hold back!)" -The dog said as he charged his fur with electricity.
"And what if I lose?" -Mark asked as he adjusted his glasses.
"Bark BARK Bark BARK BARK? (Then I will destroy this temple. You seem like you are looking for answers, aren't you?)" -The dog smirked as he grew slightly bigger.
"Alright then… I accept your challenge!" -Mark said as he took of his glasses with his right hand.
- The dog came charging at him while covered in jolts of blue-lightning. -
"(And here I hoped I could have a Peaceful state of mind, coming on this expedition.)" -Mark thought too himself as he himself charged forward.
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- John and Malissa arrive at the side-gate. -
"Mark, we're here." -John said as he walked through the gate.
"Honey, where are you?" -Malissa shouted as they didn't see Mark anywhere.
"Ah, John! What if Mark got eaten by that monster?!" -Malissa said as she started to freak out in her own way.
"Truth be told, I'm more worried about the monster… If Mark gets serious… Ah! I don't even want to think about it…" -John said to his wife in a sincere yet worried way.
- Flashes of Purple and Yellow were
, huge dust clouds started to appear surrounding John and Malissa. As they cleared up, Mark was standing in front of them without his glasses. -
Oh, there you are sweetie. What were you doing?" -Malissa asked
"Playing with a new friend." -Mark replied
"What new friend?" -Malissa asked of her son.
- From the second dust cloud, behind Mark, the dog re-appeared. -
"This, friend." -He says as he gestures behind him and reveals the dog sitting on the ground, wagging its tail.
"(Have you had enough, now?)" -Mark said as he spoke to the dog behind him.
"Bark Bark (Yes, I name you the winner!)" -The dog barked at Mark.
"Ah, what a cute little thing! Where did you find him?" -Malissa asked as she picked up the dog and started hugging it.
"That is the so-called 'monster'. He is strong, but you don't have to be afraid. He is practically harmless, aren't you?" -He said as he petted the dog.
"T-T-That is the monster?!" -John said while shocked.
"What was wrong with the researchers?!" -John yelled irritated.
"Well to be fair, he was shooting lightning-bolts up until a second ago. And the researchers probably never saw him in the first place. He was bound in iron chains at the altar." -Mark explained.
"What do you mean altar, hon?" -Malissa asked whilst confused.
"Ah, I mean this." As Mark gestured towards the altar, all the dust clouds that were in the way, dispersed.
"(Show-off… Well, he's still my son.)" -John thought to himself.
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- As Mark and the dog guided them towards the altar, Mark went around the altar and showed them the back of it. -
"Whoa, that is a lot of history." -Malissa said as she started to work her expertise on all of the inscriptions.
"What is, Mal?" -John said as he came around the corner and noticed the drawings at the top of the wall.
"Wow, now this is interesting!" -He said in excitement.
- Mark crouched down and made a conversation with the dog. -
"So? You said you would answer all of my questions, if I won. Which I did, if you need a reminder." -Mark said as he convinced the dog to tell him the secrets of this temple.
"Bark Bark Bark BARK (Yes, that is correct. I will tell you everything that I know, but where do I start…?)" -The dog said as he looked at the wall with drawing.
"So Mark, mind filling us in on what he said? We can't talk with animals, remember?" -John said whilst jealous of his son.
"Ah, my bad. Wait a minute dad, mom." -He replied as he reached towards the dog whilst crouched.
"Don't worry, little guy. Can I try something?"
"Bark! (Of course!)" -The dog replied.
- Mark gently placed his hand on the dog's head and closed his eyes. To his parents, standing next to him, it seemed as if nothing happened. However, to Mark it was very different. The whole life of that dog, everything he had ever seen or experienced was transferred to Mark. -
- A few seconds have passed, yet for Mark a lifetime was added to his mind. And a long one as well… He got up and made his way towards the wall. -
"Thank you, little guy…" -Mark says while a tear rolls down his cheek…
- The dog looked up, knowing that he made a lifetime-friend… -
"Okay, he didn't know everything. However, it was enough to read this wall and most of the temple's history."
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"T-This story actually starts about two-hundred years ago… The temple and its inhabitant were in chaos. For some reason, they had to give 'something' up, or rather they had to give 'something' away. He didn't know what it was but is seems like some sort of power-source, maybe even magic? Eventually they gave it away, but first they performed a ritual. They put the dog up as temple guardian, against his will. They transferred a piece of their power-source into the dog and chained him up, so that the power would never leave the temple. They placed a curse on you, making you unable to age nor control your magic-source… The collar was cursed as well, it was made to shrink you, so that it was easier for them to make you do their bidding... Being chained up, responsible for protecting the people that did this to you, for two-hundred years… It must have been agonizing…?!" -Mark says as he explained the dog's story whilst pointing across many different drawings on the wall.
"I don't know what their reasoning was, but they caused him a lot of suffering…! Starvation, Pain, Fear, Loneliness, day after day you were chained up. Rain, snow, thunder, hail and every other type of weather. You had to endure it all, didn't you…? They left you to rot, so that their temple's legacy could live on…!" -Mark told them as he clenched his fists with a dark shadow covering his face.
"T-Two-h-hundred y-years…?!" -John stuttered in shock.
"No one around him, no food, rainy days and stormy night… What a horrible fate!" -Malissa said as she started crying with both her hands in front of her mouth.
"Now I understand why you were so happy to see me, you were lonely…" -Mark said as his right hand, that was reading the wall, started shaking.
"BARK Bark Bark (I've been alone for so long… I forgot what company felt like…)" -The dog barked casually as snot started coming out of his nose.
"Ah, what a poor guy…" -John said as he firmly held his wife.
"Mom, dad? I've decided… I'll take him i-" -Mark said as he was interrupted by his mother.
"We're taking him home!" -Malissa said as he started hugging the dog again, with tears flooding her eyes.
"BARK Bark? (You barely even know me, why would you do that do me?)" -The dog started to whine softly.
"Nonsense, you're family now!" -Mark said whilst smiling at the dog.
"Although we can't keep him living in our jeep?! We are on the road a lot and at the lab he would be just a lonely, wouldn't he?" -John said as he scratched his head.
"Don't worry, dad. I already thought of that. But first…" -Mark said as he looked at the end of the wall.
- He notices 3 drawings at the end, which seemed a bit different than the others. These were clear images. The first one with a man touching a cat on the head, at the altar. The second was just the cat standing there, with a glowing sun behind him. The third drawing showed a different animal entirely, while still glowing brightly. –
"What could this mean? It wasn't in the dog's memories either…" -Mark mumbles whilst confused.
"Mark at your feet, there are two more drawings." -John said as he crouched down.
"Okay, let's see what this one has to say." -Mark replied as he crouched down as well.
- The drawing in the lower-right corner, showed a picture of the temple that they were currently in. This picture of the temple was surrounded by a yellow glow. However, there was a second temple right next to it (using the same image). The only difference was, that this temple had a picture of the sun above it and two spears on the side of the sun. –
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"It looks like there is something else to this temple that just the dog. And on top of that, if I am reading this correct, then there is a second temple. I am unsure what the sun is suppose too represent here." -Mark said while turning towards his mother, who was still hugging the dog.
"Yeah…. So, what you do think, da-" -Mark stopped himself from talking when he saw his dad's expression.
"D-Dad?!" -He said.
"T-This drawing… I-It's the same a-as that m-man from my n-nightmares!" -John stuttered terrified.
- Mark turned towards the drawing to his left as fast as he could, desperate to identified it. –
"(The man from dad's visions, was a man with blonde hair, in brown rags with blood on his hands, standing on top of a ruined city.) This man is wearing brown rags and has blond hair. But that doesn't-" -Mark said as he paused and took a closer look at the drawing.
"You see it too, right Mark? The drawing is damaged, right around the man's feet." -John said as he closed his eyes.
"What do you mean honey, you make it sound like that is really important for some reason…?" -Malissa reacted as she had calmed down.
"Quite sweetie, I'm going to try something…" -John said as he placed his shaking hand on the broken part of the drawing
- He was concentrating very hard and after a few seconds, images started to pop into his head. The images showed him the past, allowing him to see what the drawing looked like in its original state. -
"Word, it was a word that was written here. It said: East." -John said as he calmed down.
"East, huh? Maybe it is referring to the drawing of the two temples on his right?!" -Mark said as he looked at the dog sitting next to him.
- The dog tilted his head sideways, as if he was saying that he didn't know. -
"No good, huh…" -Mark replied.
"Maybe…" -John replied as he stood back up and put on his thinking face.
"Well, we won't get anywhere just standing here. Let's head back to the camp, okay?" -Malissa suggested with a smile.
"That sounds good, hon. Let's get something to eat as well, all this excitement made me hungry." -John replied.
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- Upon arriving back at the camp… -
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"Now that the 'little monster' is out of the way *pets the dog*, we can research the temple in peace." -John said while playing with the dog.
"I'll call the local research lab in the afternoon, saying that it is safe to continue their research." -Malissa said as he placed her hands under her chin and looked at the dog.
"Anyway… what was your plan for the dog, Mark?" -She asked.
"Oh, it's simple. He is lonely, right? So, what do we do about that?" -He asked.
"I don't know. What do we do about that?" -John replied
"It really is simple, we place him with someone who is able to feel that loneliness and turn in into love and care." -He stated.
- His parents smiled at each other as they completely understood what their son meant. -
- The dog looked up, not knowing what they meant. -
"Alright then, take care son." -John said as he threw the car-keys towards him.
"If we need anything, we'll take the other jeep from the local research team." -John stated as he smiled wide.
"Be safe, honey." -Malissa said as she waved him goodbye.
"Well then, I'm of!" -He said as he drove back home with a two-hundred years old black puppy.
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- As Mark drove home with his new friend, he could only imagine what secrets the temple had in store. A mystery-power-source, a temple-guard and mysterious drawings and inscriptions scattered all over the place. Who were the people back in the day and why have they done what they did? What will the Starridge-Family do? Now that they know what happened at that temple many years ago, how will they prepare for what lies ahead without Mark...? -
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To be Continued in: Among Earth: Chapter Five – The Importance of Family