Guardians of the Light Read online

  Guardians of The Light

  R L Delaney

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  © 2020 PureRead Ltd

  PureRead.com

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Other Books in this series…

  Chapter One

  Justin stared at the bulletin board at the entrance of Dewsbury High and scratched his head. Was he reading that correctly?

  Janitor Bud Broderick just pushed the last thumbtack in the cork board and took a step back to admire his handiwork. The note with the glaring black letters hung slightly crooked, but that could be expected of Bud Broderick. Everything about the 64-year-old janitor with his unkempt, long black hair was slightly crooked. The man had apparently never grown out of his days as a regular hippy, and would not let an opportunity go by without upholding the former glories of Flower Power to all who were dumb enough to ask him about it.

  Justin never did. He had no knowledge of that time in which his parents grew up, and he didn't like the janitor either, who was still wearing a necklace with beads around his neck and often appeared in school with a faded red hair band to keep his wild hair from falling into his empty, green eyes. Why Principal Rigby allowed that man to wear such a weird outfit, while they, as the students, were constantly admonished to wear proper clothing, was a mystery to him.

  But, it didn't matter. If all went well Justin would be leaving Deswbury High at the end of the year, and he couldn't wait for the day.

  But the notification was weird, to say the least.

  Walking Down the Line: Walk with us. Pray with us. Grow with us, and enjoy newness of life.

  Uncover the hidden mysteries, and make them work for you.

  All serious students are welcome.

  Benefits are enormous

  Join the Walkers

  It's free.

  Every Monday evening at 7.00 pm

  in the chemistry lab under competent leadership.

  Richard Sternfoot

  "What does it mean, Mr. Broderick?" Justin asked as he eyed the janitor with a suspicious look. The man rearranged the faded red hair band he was wearing again this day, and laughed, showing a set of broken teeth. "It's cool Justin Ames. Reminds me of my days as a hippie. You know freedom, love… the absence of rules. You shou—"

  "Thank you," Justin interrupted the aging janitor. "I have a feeling that it's not my thing."

  The janitor narrowed his eyes and leaned toward Justin. The scent of Indian incense was overwhelming, and the janitor's greasy hair almost touched Justin's cheek. "But it should be your thing… If everybody demanded peace instead of another TV set, there would be peace, young man," Broderick said with a scowl. "You are here in school to learn the true values of life, not how to get rich."

  Justin took a step backward, and scowled. Whatever this was, it was weird, and Justin decided he would have to do a little investigation. Whenever Sternfoot was involved, Justin smelled a rat and the hairs in his neck stood up straight.

  Broderick wanted to say more, but at that moment the bell rang. It was time for their Biology class with Miss Minty, and without saying another word, Justin turned and walked off.

  When he reached the classroom, Amy was waiting for him at the door and cast him a gentle smile. Sweet, dear Amy.

  Justin smiled back. She had no idea how much that smile meant to him.

  "Morning, Justin," she said, her voice as cheerful as ever. For a moment Justin considered grabbing her hand, to pull her away from the school, and just take off. Why couldn't they just fly away on the strong wings of happiness to distant shores of joy and peace?

  But they could not. At least not right now. Miss Minty was calling everyone to sit down. As they stepped inside the classroom and found a seat somewhere in the middle, Justin wondered if Amy had even heard about the shoot-out? She would be shocked to hear about the strange dagger that had been planted on their front door this morning, and all he had witnessed on his walk with Balthazar. How could he go through a day at school as if nothing was happening?

  "Everyone be still. Quiet!" Miss Minty's business-like voice demanded their attention and the small-talk in the classroom died down. All eyes were on Miss Minty, except for Billy Bratmeyer's, who let out a loud yawn and kept on peering at a comic book he held on his lap.

  "Billy," Miss Minty frowned, "… that includes you."

  Billy looked up. "Sorry, Miss Minty."

  "Before we continue our study about the molecular structure of the mushroom," the teacher continued, "I need to pass on a message from our chemistry teacher Mr. Richard Sternfoot."

  Justin froze and pricked up his ears.

  "Mr. Sternfoot," she said, "has asked me if I could tell you about the new curriculum he is starting on Monday night for all those who are interested."

  Justin saw how Amy's eyes grew wide.

  "I do not know what it all entails," Miss Minty said as she raised her brows, "but Mr. Sternfoot mentioned to me it is of the utmost importance, and will help you all to make better grades as well."

  "Monday night is Monday Night Football," Billy sneered. "We can't miss that."

  Miss Minty cast Billy an icy stare and continued. "It's more important than a sports-event, Billy. Think of the sacrifices Mr. Sternfoot is making, and how kind of him to teach you youngsters even outside of school hours. You must give him a bit more credit."

  "That's what they all say," Billy chuckled, half whispering, "but it's only a trick to get you to waste a perfectly good evening." He fell back in his chair and continued reading his comic.

  Miss Minty's face turned red.

  "Billy Bratmeyer… you can be excused," she shouted, her voice one pitch higher than before. "Go see Principle Rigby."

  Billy let out another sigh and shook his head. "What did I do? I am just exercising my right to free speech, and was saying—"

  "—Out, Mr. Bratmeyer." Miss Minty picked up her plastic ruler and slapped it with a loud bang on her desk, causing the cheap thing to snap into two. Billy shrugged his shoulders, picked up his books and left the class.

  It took Miss Minty a few seconds to collect her thoughts. She picked up the broken pieces of her ruler, tossed them into the waste basket, and mumbled an apology.

  "More information can be obtained from Mr. Sternfoot himself, although he apparently is still sick as he has not shown up today."

  Justin clenched his teeth. Sick? Sternfoot wasn't sick at all, and most likely had something to do with last night's shoot-out.

  "Now open your textbook to page 45," Miss Minty said. She was done talking about Sternfoot's club and wanted to begin the class. Justin sighed and looked at his watch. Only 35 minutes to go. Then he could talk to Amy.

  Amy's eyes grew wide and she stared at Justin while she pressed her lips together. Justin's adventures of the night before filled her with horror.

  "I did not read the morning's paper," she said, "but after school is out, we need to go see your Uncle Harry right away. He will fill us in on all the details."

  Amy and Justin were standing in the schoolyard waiting for their next class. Justin aimlessly kicked a pebble with his shoe, and saw how it ricocheted against a metal garbage can. "I am not sure how I can even properly function in school," he sai
d with a sigh. "Something is really fishy here." He turned his voice to a whisper. "It was actually quite scary last night and that dagger on the door fills me with dread."

  Amy nodded and wanted to answer but just then Billy Bratmeyer walked up. He came from Rigby's office and strangely enough, his face carried a rather unusual and somewhat foreign smile. It even appeared he was rather excited about something.

  "Amy… ?" he said as soon as he came close, but he completely ignored Justin and directed all his attention to Amy. Justin felt anger rising. He wasn't used to being treated like that, not even by someone like Billy. Billy's voice sounded dull and the tone of his voice did not match his smile. It had a sleepy and flat ring to it, and he spoke with a slur.

  "Yes, Billy?"

  "You should really come to Sternfoot's evening class on Monday too. It's going to be ex-excellent."

  Amy frowned. "Are you all right, Billy?"

  "Of course I am," Billy answered in the same tone. "Couldn't be any better."

  "Why would she go to Sternfoot's meeting, Billy?" Justin butted in with a scowl.

  "B-Because it's going to be e-excellent. T-That's why." Billy refused to look at Justin but kept on gazing with big, round eyes at Amy.

  Amy cast Justin a concerned look, and Justin nodded. This was not the unconcerned, lazy and rebellious Billy they knew.

  "But I thought you and your friends wanted to be clustered around your TV-set to watch the Monday night Football game?" Amy asked. "What has changed?"

  Billy shook his head. "Nothing has changed… Go-Going to Sternfoot's class is lots better. It's very educational… eh… enlightening." His smile was gone and while he stared at Amy with a deadpan face, his voice sounded like a broken car that could only drive in first gear.

  "What's wrong with you, Billy?" Justin cried, and took Billy by his right shoulder in an attempt to shake the boy out of his lethargy. But as soon as his fingers touched Billy's shoulders, a shock went through the boy's body and he hissed, "Get your dirty hand off me, Justin Ames."

  "Huh?" Justin's hands flew back. Billy’s eyes had a strange, distant look. Had he been drinking? He had seen a similar stare once in Uncle Harry's eyes when his uncle had been drinking too much. Uncle Harry was not married, but it was no secret he had wanted to marry his high school sweetheart Arlene Wilberforce. She had died in a terrible traffic accident a few months before the wedding, and that time Justin had seen Uncle Harry like that. Lost, empty and disconnected from the real world. Just like Billy right now.

  Amy tried to get through to Billy from a different angle. "Hey, Billy…," she asked, while licking her lips, "…That comic book of yours," she asked, "can I borrow it?"

  "Comic book?" Billy narrowed his eyes. "You mean Tarantula Heroes?"

  Amy nodded. "That's the one."

  Billy shook his head. "No good. No good. Not educational. Threw it away."

  "You threw it away?" Justin gasped. "You were so proud of that book?"

  Billy did not respond, and Amy and Justin looked at each other. This was not normal.

  "How was your talk to Principle Rigby?" Amy queried further.

  "It was nice," Billy answered flatly. "It was very educational." He stared into the distance and added, "I will now… have to go to my next class." He turned one last time to Amy. "So, remember… Monday night. Excellent lecture."

  Amy wiped a strand of hair out of her face. "Who knows, Billy. I'll be thinking about it."

  "What about me?" Justin asked. "Can I come?"

  A shiver went through Billy's body and an angry grimace appeared as he mumbled. "No good. No, no, no. You are not we-welcome."

  Then he lifted his finger and shook it in the air. Justin and Amy stared at him in disbelief and when they heard Billy's next words, it was as if a bucket of ice water was poured out over them. Billy, who barely spoke proper English, spoke Latin. The words were slow, clear and deliberate. "Vita enim novis."

  Then he turned and without saying another word he walked off.

  When he was gone, Amy and Justin stared at each other in disbelief.

  "What in the world is going on here?" Justin was the first to break the uneasy silence. "That wasn't Billy… Something happened to him while he was in Mr. Rigby’s office."

  Amy shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea, but it is indeed very weird."

  Justin bit his lower lip. "Do you think he could be hypnotized or drugged or something?"

  "I don't know." Amy's face had turned white. There was no sensible explanation. But what they had just seen, they had not been talking to the normal Billy Bratmeyer they knew. Something had happened to him, and whatever it was… it was bad.

  “I expected some opposition,” Harry went on, his voice wavering as the images of the gunfight the night before was still vivid in his mind, “but not like this. We ended up having a full-fledged gunfight.” He shook his head in disgust, as he peered at Justin and Amy who were sitting before him in his office. "I am sure glad I sent you home Justin. Your Dad would have never forgiven me if you had been involved."

  "And you arrested Alfred Rodeo again?" Amy asked. She swished the Blue Sky creamy root beer Uncle Harry had given her around in her can, and looked up.

  Uncle Harry grinned as he leaned forward. "I guess it was the only victory of the evening." He curled his lips as he recalled the scene. "Rodeo tried to escape and make a run for it, and I tell you, he was fast, very fast. But then…" his face got a faraway look, "… a very strange thing happened. It was like the forest lit up, and minutes later I found Rodeo unconscious on the ground.”

  "Just like that? Did he maybe fall and knock his head on a stone?" Justin wanted to know.

  Uncle Harry shook his head. "Don't think so. I cannot tell what happened to him… I mean I am convinced there was a light, but when I reached Rodeo, that light was gone. Just like that." He sighed and shook his head. But…," he continued in grim tones, "… we are guarding him well this time. He won't be able to escape again."

  "Is he talking?" Amy wanted to know.

  Uncle Harry shook his head. "He won't say a thing. His lips are sealed."

  "And the other shooters?" Justin asked.

  "Gone. All gone. We found a tunnel."

  There was a long moment of silence. Justin's mind was racing a mile an minute, and judging by the look on Amy's face, she too was contemplating the strange happenings that were shaking up Dewsbury. Uncle Harry did not seem to be thinking anything. He was just very tired.

  At last, Justin broke the silence. "Did you know my father speaks Latin, Uncle? He said your Dad forced him to go to seminary."

  Uncle Harry raised his brows. "My brother speaks Latin? Most unusual? I understood he was in seminary like five minutes before he quit. Why do you ask, Justin?"

  "Someone planted a dagger on our front door with some sort of a warning message."

  Uncle Harry's eyes grew wide. "What did it say?"

  "It was rather weird. It said something like 'He’s coming. The one whose shoes I am not worthy to bear shall baptize you all with sulphur and brimstone.”

  Uncle Harry shook his head. "And that was pinned to your door, Justin? The people we are dealing with are dangerous."

  Amy finished her can of soda and smacked her lips. "And you know, Mister Ames… it's spreading."

  Uncle Harry looked up. "What do you mean? You make it sound like we are dealing with some kind of disease."

  Amy and Justin exchanged glances. Finally Justin let out a sigh and said, "Maybe it's not a disease in the actual sense, but it sure seems to be spreading. A boy in my class was acting really weird today and…"

  "And what?"

  "He spoke Latin too."

  Uncle Harry narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his chair and raked both hands through his hair.

  "I think it's time you pay our chemistry teacher a visit… remember that man Sternfoot?" Justin went on.

  Uncle Harry scratched his forehead. "Wasn't that the man I met on the road after he crashed into Joe Mi
lls’ tractor?"

  Justin nodded. "And the one I saw just minutes before they found the body of Alvaro Ironbark."

  Uncle Harry wrinkled his nose. "I remember him well. He had the same weird, glowing eyes I saw in Alfred Rodeo."

  "He's been absent from school for a few days now," Justin went on, "I am almost convinced he was involved in the shootout last night."

  Uncle Harry tapped with his fingers on the desk. "Maybe paying him a visit will be a good idea."

  "He's organizing some sort of science club now too," Amy added. "It's for students on Monday nights."

  Uncle Harry raised his brows. "A new curriculum?"

  "It's called 'Walking down the Line,' and it's really weird."

  Uncle Harry's face lit up, and he leaned forward again. "Maybe I could go there, supposedly as an interested and concerned parent."

  Amy shook her head. "He's not stupid, Mr. Ames. He knows who you are. I don't think just anybody is welcome there. That boy we told you about, the one who spoke Latin, yelled in anger that Justin wasn't welcome there either. But, he invited me…. Maybe I should go and see if I can find something out."

  Justin froze and cast Amy a worried glance. "You? But you saw what happened to Billy Bratmeyer. It's not safe, Amy."

  "Maybe not," Uncle Harry interrupted. "Still… it's not a bad idea."

  Justin was just about to say it was a really bad idea when there was a knock on the door. Before Uncle Harry could answer, the door opened and the worried face of Poppy Alberts, the secretary of the police force, appeared.

  "There are some men here to see you, Mr. Ames," she said in her familiar local drawl that suited her pleasant, soft face.

  Uncle Harry looked up. "Well… let them in then."

  Poppy Alberts cleared her throat and nervously played with the braid of her long blond hair, that she always positioned over her right shoulder. "Yes… but…"