Ravincroft's Retribution - 2. A Discovery

Chapter 2 - A Discovery

The next day, back at the Ravincroft family farm, Theo listened to music through a pair of earbuds humming to himself as he drove the tractor pulling the plough turning the soil ready for planting. Now that Ren’s gone, maybe dad will finally listen to me.

A loud clang brought the tractor to a halt. ‘Geez, I hope nothing’s broken. Dad will kill me.’

He jumped off to inspect any damage. One of the blades had bent. ‘Not that bad...hardly noticeable.’

Something glowing drew his eye and he looked over to see a large stone. Inside, a red pulsing orb beat like a heart and floated in what looked like a captured ocean.

‘Is that what I hit?’ Theo could hear a low hum as he moved toward the rock. He pulled out his earbuds and it grew louder. He shook his head. As he neared it, he could feel the warmth radiating from it then the pulsing stopped, and it returned to an ordinary-looking river rock.

Theo scrambled to pick up the stone when he heard his father calling him. Heavy footsteps were almost upon him, as he stuffed the rock into his pocket keeping his hands inside.

‘Theo!’ His father shouted as he reached him. ‘Why have you stopped the plough?’

‘It hit a rock and I was checking for damage, dad. It’s fine.’

‘Then get back to work. We’re running out of daylight. We must start the planting tomorrow, so stop wasting time. Ren would have finished this by now.’ His father turned his back on Theo and headed back to where he worked on the other side of the field.

Theo made a face and poked his tongue out at his father as he walked away. He took out the smooth stone and turned it about in his hands. He rubbed his chin and smirked. This could be worth something. I could make a lot of money if that glowy stuff has any value.

Later that evening, Theo wrapped the stone, now cold and lifeless, in an old tee-shirt inside his wardrobe and drifted into a deep sleep. Visions of prosperity filled his dreams until he woke suddenly and sat bolt upright.

He heard a low-pitched drone and scanned around his room. An intense light flickered from the gap under his wardrobe door. ‘Geez, I hope that thing isn’t radioactive.’ He spied wisps of smoke escaping under the door. ‘Is it going to blow?’ He jumped out of bed, ready to flee when the door flew open, sucking him into a black swirling mist and he blacked out.

When Theo came to, his head throbbed, and he found himself floating in a dark haze. A smell both sweet and sour lingered in the air. He looked below him waiting to fall or expecting an abyss to open and swallow him. ‘This is a bad dream! Where in the hell am I?’ Theo rubbed his eyes and scanned around. Makeshift shelves containing old books and beakers faded in and out of his vision.

As he glanced around, a dark shadow appeared sliding across the floor heading straight for him. It rose and formed into a hooded entity dressed in a wide-sleeved dark robe. Theo felt the same heat he encountered when first approaching the stone as the entity floated toward him. The light that awoke him earlier surrounded its eerie appearance. Smoke trailed out of the sleeves and weaved in and around its skeletal fingers.

Beads of sweat formed on his temples. His voice quivered raising high and low. ‘Wake up, Theo! This isn’t real.’ He slapped his cheeks. A smell of old smoke and dust invaded his nose as the entity closed the gap between them.

The apparition with no face spoke in a deep, hollow voice. ‘You shall not fall, fool! I am no illusion. Can you not see me?’

The voice thundered inside Theo’s head. He closed his eyes and covered his ears. ‘No! No! I’m dreaming, this isn’t real.’

‘You, Boy have opened a passage and shall aid me. I have been imprisoned in this void between worlds for aeons. I propose an exchange.’

‘What are you talking about? Who are you? Where am I?’

‘Silence! You seek to take charge of your establishment, do you not? I can make this happen in exchange for my freedom. There are four ancient relics I wish to secure. These are all that I seek, and you shall make this possible.’

Theo held his forehead. ‘My establishment? What do you mean, the farm? Oh, sure…what’s the catch?’ Theo put on a brave face and managed a weak laugh. ‘What do you expect me to do? I’m in the farming business. I’m no archaeologist.’

‘Silence your tongue, fool boy!’

Theo shuddered and sweat ran down his temples. A prickling sensation crept over his head. His short-slicked hair, rarely out of place, felt like it stuck out like pine needles.

The entity’s words continued inside his head. ‘What is asked of you, is on the last day of the full moon in…’

The voice trailed off and a short time later, Theo landed abruptly against the wardrobe back in his room.

The rock landed next to him, and it pulsated like a beating heart. Next to it lay a black gem set in a signet-type ring. ‘What in the hell…? I’m not putting that on! If he thinks he can buy me, that thing is the fool, not me. He returned the stone and the ring to the cupboard and slammed the door shut.

Theo tried to go back to sleep but tossed and turned for the rest of the night. His dreams were filled with floating demons overpowering him and the entity’s voice roaring inside his head. He woke in the early hours of the morning and looked directly toward the wardrobe. Everything seemed back to normal. When he opened the wardrobe door the stone looked normal, but the ring was gone. ‘See, everything’s fine. It’s an ordinary rock exactly as I—’ The red pulse started up again, and the same voice entered Theo’s head. ‘It’s a rare and precious element, you fool! —a passage to my world, whence I elect to activate it. Moreover, for a simpleton such as you, an imparting of thought transfer.’

Theo dropped the stone and covered his ears. He locked the talisman away as fading laughter riveted down his spine. Then he saw it…the ring with the black stone sat on his middle finger. ‘What! But I never put that on.’ He grabbed at the ring and tried pulling it off, but it stuck fast.

His bedroom door opened, and his father stood there. Theo hid his hand.

‘Let’s go, Theo. You’ve already overslept.’ He started to walk off. ‘Your breakfast is in the oven. Get a move on.’

‘Okay, I’m sorry, alright? I had a rough night,’ Theo retorted.

‘By the way, I’ve fed the animals,’ his father said cynically without turning around. Left the chickens for you. Watch the rooster he’s a doozy,’ his father laughed.

‘Hell, is he ever satisfied?’ Now that Ren had moved out, Theo thought things would be easier between him and his dad, and they could get back in touch, but Ren’s leaving left a bitter taste in their father’s mouth and only made things worse. ‘This is Ren’s fault if he hadn’t left home…’ Theo clenched his teeth and threw his shoe across the room. Some random words came into his head.

Speak these words, boy and all will be well.

‘Tearg Karabos eseal rew-kalanas.’ 

A sudden clap of thunder erupted. ‘Uh-oh! What just happened.’ Theo ran out of his room and peered through the window. Thick, dark storm- clouds with flashes of lighting had gathered and strong winds blew. He saw his father who had begun sowing seed, holding his hat on his head, and looking to the sky. He mixed the chook food and headed to the coop muttering and swearing at his father.