Monster War. Dean Lorey

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      Purple fire blazed across Charlie as a wide portal snapped open right below the fearsome beast. The RSS let out a wail of surprise and then plummeted through the portal and into the Nether, tumbling wildly through the air before crashing into the icy waters of the 4th Ring, where it was consumed by a passing Hydra. Charlie quickly closed the portal and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the purple flame on his body had melted the thick gum of the Sticky-Spitter, freeing him. With a couple swipes of his rapier, he killed the few remaining Netherstalkers, then turned to his parents with a smile.

      “You two are…you’re Leet!”

      Barrington grinned. “I have no idea what that means, but I’ll take it as a good thing.”

      “It is. Trust me.”

      Olga smiled primly. “I’d better get to work helping out the other unfortunates that have got caught in the big lizard’s spit. I’ll be in the supermarket getting peanut butter. It helps remove chewing gum from hair, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t be useful in this situation.” With that, she strode off.

      “Terrific, isn’t she?” Barrington said proudly once Olga was out of earshot.

      “Yeah. She really is.”

      And that’s when they heard a scream.

      What now? Charlie thought as he and his father raced in the direction of the sound.

      The screaming woman stood in front of an electrical store, pointing at a widescreen TV in the window. Charlie pushed his way through the crowd of people around her to see an aerial view of Central Park in Manhattan - or what Charlie knew should have been Central Park. But the wide lawn of Sheep Meadow and the rippling waves of the toy-boat pond were now gone from view, covered by a thick, impenetrable white mist that had settled over the place like an Otherworldly shroud.

      “What is that weird fog?” a small boy asked, awestruck.

      “And where did it come from?” an older man in a baseball cap added.

      Charlie thought those were both perfectly legitimate questions, but he had another more urgent one: what is it hiding?

      Olga Benjamin’s peanut-butter idea didn’t help free the captured shoppers from the Sticky-Spitter’s slime balls, but it turned out that vinegar did - also her idea. After she had finished helping the last of the victims escape their gluey prisons, she met up again with Charlie and Barrington. They were waiting for her in the mall car park, keeping a careful watch on the sky.

      “See any Hags?” Olga asked as she walked up.

      Charlie shook his head, amused that his mother knew that if they were looking up, they might be searching for Hags. “It looks clear.”

      “That’s good news.” Olga smoothed out her dress, which was spotted with monster goop, then turned to Barrington. “It appears that things are finally under control. Ready to head home?”

      Barrington nodded. “I am…” He seemed hesitant.

      “But?”

      “But Charlie has something to tell you.”

      Olga turned to her son. “Go ahead, Charlie. Don’t be shy.”

      He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Mom, but I can’t go with you. The monsters are going to keep attacking us - until they’re all dead or we are. I just…I need to do what I can to help.”

      “Of course you do,” his mother replied promptly.

      Charlie wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. Where was the explosion of dismay? The pleading that he come to his senses and return home, where it was safe?

      “You have a destiny,” his mother said, cradling his cheeks in her warm hands. “I didn’t want to acknowledge it before, but now that I’ve seen how skilfully you handle yourself and how much good you can do for others, I can’t deny it.” She smiled gently. “You go on and do what you need to, son.”

      “I wish I could stay here and protect you.”

      Olga shook her head. “Your father and I will be fine.” Having just seen them in action, Charlie knew it was true. He hugged her then and she whispered, “Be safe.” He could feel her breath tickling his ear.

      “I will,” Charlie promised. Then he turned to his father and extended his hand.

      Barrington laughed. “A handshake? You’ve got to be kidding me!” He snatched his son up in his arms. Charlie could feel his father’s stubble on his cheek and he smelled his aftershave. “You go get ’em, son. Then you come back to us, safe and sound, you hear?”

      Charlie nodded, then stepped back and opened a portal. The war with the creatures of the Nether had taken a new and unexpected turn and Central Park - with its monstrous mystery - was clearly going to be the next battleground. The real fight was about to begin, and for that Charlie Benjamin needed his friends.

      He had to return to the Nightmare Academy.

      Charlie waved goodbye to his parents, then jumped through the fiery gateway and was soon gone from view.

       CHAPTER THREE NO PLACE LIKE HOME

      Theodore Dagget and Violet Sweet were repainting the outside of the broken yacht that housed the Addy students at the Nightmare Academy when they heard a familiar voice.

      “Thought I’d find you painting,” Charlie said cheerfully as he walked towards them over the rope bridge that was strung between two huge branches of the mighty banyan tree.

      “Charlie!” Violet squealed, running over to him. She hugged him tightly - then quickly drew back.

      “What’s wrong?” Charlie asked, surprised.

      “You shouldn’t be here. You’re exiled. What if someone from the Nightmare Division sees you? It’s not safe.”

      Charlie shrugged. “Nowhere’s safe right now - not with all those monsters out there. I’m not going to hide; I’m going to fight. Besides, no one’s keeping me from my best friends - no one - not even the Nightmare Division.”

      Violet burst into a sunny smile and hugged him again, more tightly this time.

      “Geez, calm down,” Theodore said with a grin, “or you’ll knock him off the bridge before he has a chance to save the world.”

      Charlie laughed. “Yeah, right…” He gestured to Theodore’s clothes, which were covered in blue paint. “You get any on the ship or just yourself?”

      “Hey, don’t give me any grief, OK? I’m a precision instrument! A finely crafted tool for Banishing! Painting is beneath me.”

      “Yeah, beneath you, above you, in your hair, on your clothes - you’ve got paint everywhere but where it’s supposed to be.” Charlie inspected the Addy yacht. There was fresh СКАЧАТЬ