Daylight, stretching vast across the shores of nearby California, waves crashing against the rocks, the sand, the people; a bell ringing, 10:22 A.M. The hallways abuzz of a school, people spilling out yammering.
Walking through the halls: Derrick, Sam, Amber, Monte, and Dilan, yapping amongst themselves.
“So what are we going to do when we go back?”
“I told my parents I was going to go study at a friends, I’d suggest you all come up with similar excuses Derrick.”
“Eh… my folks don’t care what I do so long as I tell them I’m going out… could probably tell them I’m going to chill with some people over the weekend.”
“I can tell mine that I’ll be busy with Monte for practice.”
“Like… my folks also won’t care, haha, so we’re like set and stuff right?”
“Perfect, we can head back there tonight and be set till Sunday night then.”
“Hey Samantha!”
The group turning around to see Stark walking up quick holding several books.
“Oh hi Stark, what’s up?”
“I was wondering if you’ve taken that one test yet, Mr. Collinsworth’s.”
“Oh uh no, I completely forgot about it, heh heh.”
“You, forget a test? Heh, that’s not like you,” he’d chuckle stopping, looking at those around Sam, “Oh… I didn’t realize these guys were with you.”
“Oh, yeah we uh, got assigned a project together.”
“Oh… say, the new Apprentice of Fire comes out this weekend, I was wondering if you’d like to go and get a copy?”
“Oh uh, sorry, I’m supposed to work on the project with these guys over the weekend… and some of them are, well… less than decent,” with a mumble looking at Monte.
“Hey, I resemble that remark!”
“Uh, Monte, that means you look or fit the bill.”
“Oh… hey, I resent that remark!”
“Haha, alright Sam I uh… I’ll catch you around. Good luck with that project!”
“Heh, thanks Stark.”
Walking away passed them, Monte would be growling, rain cloud over his head spitting anger, “What was that for Sam!?”
“Hey, I’m trying to keep a low profile on what we’re doing.”
“Yeah but what if he wants to see the project you spoke of?”
“I’ll just… tell him I handed it in already, that should do it.”
“Right then so, we’ll meet up at six, sound good?”
“Right.”
“Right!”
“Yeah.”
“Like… whatever.”
“Perfect… see you guys then then I guess.”
-
The sun, quickly setting, the crimson hue sinking through the trees with the rising darkness, shadows cast across the swamplands of Emerton, once more a familiar situation with the limo driving off down the road, leaving the five in place… though this time, no one in sight from the town.
“Wow… deader today than it was yesterday.”
“Should we ask around for Sindra again?”
“Hmm… you guys go ahead, I want to check out the library.”
“Heh, nerd.”
“No, not really, I’ve just been thinking I’d look into why a… uh… Spotted Dragon Monster might be in the area.”
“Alright. Dilan can go with Sam, the rest of us will fan out and look for Sindra again.”
“Right.”
Moving away, Dilan and Sam remained standing, turning to face the library and with both sighing, began to approach. Dilan’s eyes covered by his hair, yet still observant, “No one around… fishy isn’t it?”
“Uh, yeah I suppose.”
“The faster we find Sindra the faster we do our duty and get out of here.”
“Mmm… yeah, I know.”
Their steps echoing off the creaking wood stair case, the bell attached ringing, the door opening with a mild creak and shutting rather hard, both eyes looking around, only twelve shelves, all six foot, alphabetical signs up, nothing more or less, at least up front. To the left, a small fiction stand and to the right, a room marked History of Emerton.
“Hello??!”
“Shh, don’t you know to never speak like that inside a library Nerd Girl?”
“Nerd Girl? I’m just checking… my, the whole town is deserted.”
“Let’s just find what we need and get out,” Dilan mumbled, walking towards the history section passed a large glass window with writing on it, backwards inside yet readable outside, with Sam slowly following, looking around.
Dust, cobwebs, cracked shelves, broken splintered wood, creaking floor boards, a completely old top up above. Walking inside the room, candles all around, a large platform with a giant leather book atop it, a feather, and multiple other pieces of parchment. “This is it?” she’d mumble turning open the book.
Flip flip flap flap smack.
“In 1852 the town of Emerton was established by European Explorers and became a form of refuge against Native Americans in the region who for unknown reasons avoided the swamp. They seemed to believe that these lands were unholy and best left avoided though this was never truly proven, though it is believed that sacrifices were made to appease the beasts within the swamp.”
“Huh… seems interesting...”
“There’s more. In 1667, Spanish Explorers arrived on the coast on a wrecked ship attacked by the British, believed to have been adrift for days, stormed onto the land and later discovered Emerton, devoid of life. Sending a scout away to report back to the ship and back, the entire expedition disappeared minus this lone man who was later found believed to have gone insane.”
“Huh… rich history… man this place bites.”
“1791, it is believed that pirates stormed across into the swamp after being attacked by the British, carrying with them treasure plundered from the Spanish, only able to escape when the Spanish and British attacked one another… though the pirates were never reported to have come out of the swamp, nor were the British explorers that followed after them, or at least, none of the sane ones. Four men reported back, screaming about a creature that had attacked them dubbed El Diablo Lizzardo. Some believe this creature is responsible for the many disappearances of multiple people. It wasn’t until 1857 that the town was truly populated and the legend of the swamp established by-”
“By what?”
“Ink on the page, no good. But this tells us one thing, this isn’t the doings of Zaraka or his men.”
“Heh, which means we don’t know what we’re up against but I bet dollars to donuts that this has something to do with that treasure. Maybe Sindra can tell us more?”
“So do I.”
The shattering of glass, both flying around to see glass flying in, a giant green and black leg crashing through, stepping down with thick black claws visible, a long tongue zipping in and out three times, and then the appearance of what appeared to be a giant alligator though not just any, one with spots.
“Oy Sam, is that what I think it is?”
“It’s the Spotted Dragon Monster!”
Both looking, both surprised, stepping back a pace as the beast let out a low growl, sounding very echoey, it’s eyes glowing black and red as it’d clamp forward, dragging itself across the wood floor, soon standing on all fours, as if ready to attack.
“Hey uh, Dilan, what are your powers again?”
“I can use hypnotism… you?”
“Telekinetic but I can’t do anything to something that big.”
“The book shelves!?”
“Oh, good idea!”
Her eyes flashing sky blue, a sky blue glow quick to appear around a book shelf, the wave of her arms and a swipe, sending one shelf crashing out forward, the Spotted Dragon turning its head only to be surprised, a shelf of books crashing into it and burying it quick, hissing as it disappeared under the books.
The crack of wood, the left side of the room broken out by Sam, “Let’s get out of here!”
“Right!”
Both jumping out, they’d book it far away as fast as possible, turning around a corner and stopping, breathing heavy, “Oh… that should take care of that right?”
“Yeah no, I bet we just made it angry.”
“We need to regroup and find the others.”
“Agreed.”
“Hey… what are you kids doing out here?”
The sound of a wood cane striking the ground and foot steps behind, their heads turning back, an elderly man in cardinal robes though black in color, a long white beard, and thick black hair, a wrinkled fellow, slowly approaching.
“Running from the Spotted Dragon Monster.”
“You saw the creature? Where?”
“At the library, it came in through a window.”
“You don’t say… thank goodness you got away.”
“Uh… who are you if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Why, my name is Sindra.”
“You’re Sindra!?”
“This is him? I wasn’t expecting him to be so… old man.”
“Heh heh… so why are you kids here anyway? I don’t remember you being from around here.”
“Bro, Victoria of ONUS sent us here to find you.”
“Finally here to take out that thing eh? Heh heh.”
ns 15.158.61.21da2
