Second Spell: The Invisible Wall

After Tombo unwrapped all his presents, the family got dressed and left their single-floor home with the surname 'Dende' printed on the mailbox next to the front door. It was a pleasant spring day, though still chilly enough that the family wore light coats. After putting on their face masks, they took a bus to the zoo and made their way around the open area full of different animals both native to Japan and from foreign lands. Tombo immediately made his way to the tropical animals exhibit which had various snakes and reptiles, while his sister Daichi went to an area full of kiddy rides from a small train to a miniature Ferris wheel.

"Hi, Moriko," Tombo said to a green tree python that was resting on a branch in a glass cage. "Today's my birthday, so I thought I'd visit you again."

Apart from a slow blink, the python didn't move.

"I know you're just a snake, but…you're the only friend I have," Tombo continued. "Most of the kids at school think I'm weird for liking snakes, and that my birthmark is lame."

"Your birthmark is not lame," said a quiet female voice.

Confused, Tombo looked around. But to his surprise, there was no one else in the exhibit apart from him. "Who said that?"

"Me."

Tombo noticed Moriko the python had raised her head from her curled position. "Were you the one who—

"Talked?" Moriko's jaw moved as a tongue flicked out. "Yes, it was I."

Adjusting his glasses, Tombo's mind raced. "How is this possible? Snakes can't talk!"

"We can to those who are Arukus," Moriko said calmly.

"Aru-what?"

"Who are you talking to?"

Tombo looked to his left and saw Papurika standing next to him.

"I was, um, talking to Moriko," Tombo said sheepishly.

"But you were speaking in a series of hisses and strange words," Papurika claimed. "Is that a language you made up?"

Suddenly, a loud creaking noise echoed through the exhibit. This made Tombo and Papurika head outside. At the section where the kiddy rides were, the Ferris wheel was shaking violently causing the kids riding it to scream in terror. On the topmost cart was Daichi, who was crying for help. Uenō was already rushing to the scene, while the technician was trying to figure out what was going on.

Then without warning, the Ferris wheel collapsed on its side sending the kids flying out of the individual carts. As he ran towards the Ferris wheel, Tombo's hand raised calling out Daichi's name. But just before the kids hit the ground, they froze in midair much to everyone's surprise including Tombo. When he got closer, though, he realized they had landed on something solid above his head and yet there was nothing there no matter which angle he looked at it.

"What's happening?" Daichi mumbled as tears ran down her face.

"It's okay, Daichi," Tombo said, raising his hands. "Your big brother's here!"

He expected to hit the invisible wall, but Tombo's hands went right through it as he grabbed Daichi and brought her down. At the same time, the invisible wall lowered allowing the other kids who fell onto it to be placed gently on the ground. While the parents collected their kids and checked to see if they were okay, Uenō and Papurika took theirs out of the zoo. But as they left, Tombo noticed a dirty-looking man in a trench coat staring directly at him. Then in an instant, the dirty-looking man changed into a large dog with matted fur and amber eyes.

A week later, Tombo was told to take Daichi to the park that was a block from their house. He wasn't told why, though Papurika and Uenō hadn't spoken to him that much since his birthday.

"Why have Mom and Dad been so quiet lately?" Daichi asked Tombo as they sat at the swing-set together. "Is it because of me?"

"No, Daichi," Tombo said, rubbing Daichi's head. "I think I'm to blame for their silence."

Daichi looked at Tombo like he was crazy. "But you saved me when that Ferris wheel broke!"

"I know, but there was an invisible wall that you and the other kids fell onto, which was how I was able to grab you. And then the wall lowered so the other kids could land safely on the ground."

"Where did the wall come from? Did it appear out of nowhere?"

"Yeah, like…magic. That might also explain why I was able to talk to Moriko the python before the Ferris wheel broke, and that man I saw who turned into a dog." Tombo shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe I'm going crazy."

Hearing that, Daichi suddenly hugged Tombo. "I hope Mom and Dad don't take you away."

"Take me away? Why would they do that?"

"Mom said when people are crazy, they get taken somewhere."

"Only if there's no way to cure them through therapy," Tombo assured. "I don't think I'm that far gone."

While Daichi continued to hug Tombo, his eyes wandered toward the setting sun. He noticed a trail of smoke rising up not far from the park, and became worried.

"Daichi, we need to get home," Tombo insisted. "Now!"

Picking Daichi up, he left the park in a hurry and ran down the street. When they got home, the two siblings beheld a terrible sight. Their house was completely blown up from the inside with the charred walls barely standing. From the wreckage emerged a man with long dark hair wearing a white robe and a mask depicting a snake-like demon's face.

"That's the guy from my nightmares," Tombo realized as he set Daichi down. "How is he real?"

"What happened to our house?" Daichi demanded. "Mommy! Daddy!"

Immediately, Tombo closed her mouth to not alert the masked guy of their presence. But he still spotted them and re-appeared right in front of them in a puff of incense smoke.

"You thought you could hide from me forever, didn't you?" said the masked man in a low smooth voice.

To be continued…