Attic, part 16

“This is very weird,” Josh said.

“Weirder than a six inch tall cigar smoking demon from Brooklyn?” Jenny asked.

Josh considered this. “Yes, I see your point. But still, what on earth do we do now?”

“No,” Mr. Symarian corrected him. “Not on Earth, I’m afraid. I don’t believe we are meant to return to Earth — or what you would call Earth — until we have completed our mission.”

“Well that’s just great. Anybody know how we’re supposed to do that?” Josh looked around at his three companions, but nobody said a word.

Finally Jenny said, “Anything is better than standing here. Let’s go.” And with that she started off into the woods. She didn’t get very far. “Oh my gosh,” she said, “This is the thickest forest I’ve ever seen. I can’t get more than a few feet into it.”

“Let me try,” Josh said, and he started off in a different direction. Jenny watched in astonishment as he walked right into the woods, as though taking a stroll in the park. “Hey, this isn’t so hard,” he said.

“Sid looked at Mr. Symarian. “Kid’s a pathfinder.”

“A what-finder?” Josh looked confused.

“Our little friend is trying to say,” their teacher explained, “that you always go in the right direction.’

“Wait a second,” Josh looked suspicious. “What happens if I go in a different direction?”

“Look kid, listen to your teacher,” Sid said. “Doesn’t matter which way you go. It’s always the way the path goes. Yeah sure, you can try to change it up, but that’s where the path’ll be. Like I said, you’re a pathfinder. Do I gotta spell it out for you? You — find — paths.”

“Josh,” Jenny said, “Don’t argue with them. Just walk.”

Shrugging his shoulders Josh plunged once more into the brush. Jenny followed, and Mr. Symarian followed her. “Hey!” Sid shouted. “What about yours truly here? What am I, chopped liver?”

“Um,” Jenny said, “Can’t you just fly?”

Sid fanned one of his wings, eyeing it critically. “Nothin’ doing. The wings’re strictly vestigial. They make me look pretty though, don’t they?”

Before they could say anything in reply, Mr. Symarian had scooped the little demon up and deposited him on one shoulder. “I suggest we refrain from dawdling,” he said. “These spells usually contain an element of time. If we do not move with alacrity, I’m afraid we could become permanently mired in this dimension. And then things might become most unpleasant.”

And with that, they plunged onward.

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