Grip of the Shadow Plague
Grandpa, Grandma, Tanu, and Dale spent the day poring over journals and other books from their extensive library, trying to find any hint of something like the plague afflicting the creatures of Fablehaven. They took turns reading on the deck. Mendigo had orders to bring Seth inside at the first appearance of anything suspicious.
The day passed uneventfully. Seth played football and baseball with Mendigo, and went swimming in the afternoon. At lunch and dinner, Seth listened as the adults discussed how frustrated they were about the lack of any information that explained what was transpiring at Fablehaven. Grandpa had still been unable to get a call through to the Sphinx.
After dinner, Seth begged his way outside for a few minutes. Hugo was there, having recently finished some chores in the barn, and Seth wanted to see what happened if Mendigo pitched to the golem.
The baseball bat looked tiny clutched in Hugo’s massive hand. Seth told Hugo to hit the ball as hard as he could, then instructed Mendigo to throw a fastball right down the middle. Seth moved out of the way, worried about getting brained by a foul ball. He didn’t think they would need a catcher.
Mendigo hurled a blazing pitch, and Hugo, swinging one-handed, whaled the ball into the sky. Seth tried to follow the baseball as it shrank into the distance, but failed. He knew the ball had still been rising when it cleared the trees on the far side of the yard, so it had to have landed a good ways into the woods.
Seth turned to Tanu, who was sitting on the deck, enjoying the sunset as he sipped herbal tea. "Can I send Mendigo to fetch it?"
"Go ahead," Tanu said, "if you think the ball is worth fetching."
"It might just be a pile of mush," Seth laughed.
"That was quite a blast."
Seth told Mendigo to quickly retrieve the ball, but the puppet did not respond. When Tanu repeated the command, the limberjack dashed across the yard and into the woods. That was when Seth saw the shadowman coming into the yard not far from where Mendigo had entered the trees. The phantom moved toward Seth with swift, deliberate strides. Seth retreated toward the deck. "There he is," Seth told Tanu, pointing. "The shadowman."
The Samoan stared in the direction Seth was indicating, looking perplexed. "In the trees?"
"No, right there, in the yard, coming through that flower bed!"
Tanu stared for a moment longer. "I don’t see anything."
"He’s on the lawn now, getting close to us, walking fast."
"I still don’t see it," Tanu said, giving Seth a worried glance.
"You think I’m crazy?" Seth asked.
"I think we better get inside," Tanu said, backing toward the door. "Just because I can’t see him doesn’t mean you don’t. Where is he now?"
"Almost to the deck."
Tanu motioned for Seth to follow and went in the back door. Seth entered after Tanu and they shut the door. "We have a situation," Tanu called.
The others hurried into the room.
"What now?" Grandpa asked.
"Seth sees the shadowman in the yard," Tanu said. "I don’t."
"He’s on the deck," Seth said, looking out a window by the door.
"Where?" Grandpa asked.
"Right there, by the rocker."
"Anybody else see it?" Grandma asked.
"Not me," Dale said.
"He’s motioning for us to come outside," Seth said.
Placing her hands on her hips, Grandma regarded Seth suspiciously. "You’re not leading us on, are you? This would be a terrible joke, Seth. The situation at Fablehaven is much too-"
"I’m not making this up! I would never lie about something so important. I can’t imagine why you guys can’t see him!"
"Describe him," Grandpa said.
"Like I said last night, it looks like the shadow of a man, but three-dimensional," Seth said. "There isn’t much else to describe. He’s holding up his left hand, pointing at it with the other hand. Oh my gosh!"
"What?" Grandma prodded.
"He’s missing his pinky and part of his ring finger."
"Coulter," Grandpa said. "Or some form of him."
"Or something that wants us to believe it’s some form of him," Grandma added.
Grandpa strode to the door. "Warn us if he moves toward me," Grandpa told Seth, cracking the door open. Leaning forward, Grandpa spoke through the opening. "If you’re a friend, stay where you are."
"He’s not moving," Seth said.
"Are you Coulter Dixon?" Grandpa asked.
"He nodded," Seth said.
"What do you want?"
"He’s motioning for us to come with him."
"Can you speak?"
"He shook his head. He’s pointing at me, and motioning for me to come."
"Seth’s not going with you," Grandpa said.
"He’s pointing at himself and then into the house. He wants to come inside."
"We can’t invite you in. You could be our friend, with your mind intact, simply in an altered state, or-"
"He’s giving a thumbs-up and nodding," Seth interrupted.
"Or you could be a twisted version of Coulter, with all his knowledge, but sinister intentions." Grandpa closed the door and turned to the others. "We can’t risk letting him inside, or being led into a trap."
"He’s making a pleading gesture," Seth reported.
Grandpa closed his eyes, steadying himself, then opened the door again. "Help me understand what is happening. You are free to roam the preserve?"
"Thumbs-up," Seth said.
"Even places where we normally would be unable to go?"
"Two thumbs up," Seth said. "That one must be important."
"And you have found something we need to see."
"He’s shaking his hand like so-so."
"You can lead us to vital information."
"Two thumbs up."
"And it is urgent? The situation is dire?"
"Thumbs-up."
"What if only I come?" Grandpa offered.
"Thumbs-down."
"Seth has to come?"
"Thumbs-up."
"Could Tanu and I come with Seth?"
"He’s shrugging," Seth said.
"You don’t know? Can you find out?"
"Thumbs-up."
"Go find out if we can come. I can’t send Seth with you alone, I hope you understand. And none of us can accompany you until we can confirm you are not an evil version of yourself seeking to betray us. Give us some time to deliberate. Can you come back in the morning?"