Chapter 01
Caught up in a Nightmare
Carter's POV:
"Azerin... Azerin... Azerin..."
Strange voices from unknown creatures were calling out to me, whispering to me. Everything was dark and blurry, not even seeing a glimpse of their faces as though they were without form, but only their very existence surrounded me.
Suddenly, a flash of light focused on my face from above as those evil creatures out of the light tried to approach me.
My heart was pounding loudly, and I wanted to scream, but my lip was frozen, and something was holding my mouth shut.
I suddenly became aware that I was lying on a rough, flat surface. I also felt that my body was paralyzed and that my eyes were the only organ I could move to this dark and lurking place. I didn't have a clue where I was.
"Azerin... Azerin... Azerin..."
As they keep calling me by this name over and over again, their voices get louder and louder until they scream like night creatures of hell.
As these creatures tried to get close to me to catch me in the light, I could no longer restrain myself. I shook my body with all my might, closed my eyes tightly, and forced myself to wake up from that horrible nightmare.
It seemed like those creatures didn't want to let me go, and they were trying to capture me in the light and bring me into the darkness. But all of a sudden, they were whistling like sand, slowly disappearing before me.
"Carter!" yelled Ricky. He was trying to rouse me from my terrible nightmare.
"Oh no... Watch out!" Sandra gasped, warning Ricky when she noticed the glass filled with lemon juice was about to fall into Ricky's trousers.
I didn't notice that I hit some of the few books and items on the table while sleeping, which made the glass fell right into Ricky's trousers.
"Argh! Fizzlebombs!" Ricky grunted and heaved a dramatic sigh.
He hasn't been able to prevent it. Things didn't work out for Ricky. You could see the frustration all over her face. He did not expect that I would accidentally hit the glass, and it would be spilled juice.
He looked at the stained trousers, full of disappointment. It was so yellowish that it made it even more convincing that he had peed in his chair. Sandra then burst into laughter after seeing Ricky's pants soaked in juice.
"It's like you took a leak in your pants, HAHAHAHA!" Sandra couldn't stop herself and continued laughing as she muttered her expressive opinion.
Anyhow, I was glad to wake up from this horrible nightmare! I thought I might die of fright! But thank goodness! It was nothing more than a dream. But one thing I was worried about being how weird it was in a scene like this to happen in my dream.
What does that mean, though?
I couldn't care less, so I put my curious spirit aside for a while and shrugged my shoulders. And ever since I woke up, my mind wasn't completely awake. Therefore, I sat and leaned my back on the sofa bed, stretching my arms and legs to release any joint, bony or muscular tension from this long sleep.
It just so happens the sun was rising from the east. I could see it from the window of the caravan we were riding in after I yawned. I looked at the window by my side when the sunlight caught my attention.
The sky had various colors, with a mixture of pastel violet, orange, yellow and pink. Some of the clouds were large and clustered like a ball of floating wool. Because my imagination was great, they resembled cotton sweets floating, except that they were only painted white. Especially since the shape of the clouds matches the color of the sky.
I didn't know why I suddenly felt my belly grunt and quivering like a blender. Apart from that, there was nothing to churn, but mainly because of that, my vivid imagination started to feel like a train fed by wood and charcoal.
And guess what? I haven't had any breakfast yet.
So I got a whole box of sandwiches and I put it on the corner of the table. Luckily, I didn't hit it with my unconscious hands in my sleep.
Or else, I would starve from waiting until we arrive at the destination we are heading to!
I took a bite, and it delighted me. It had peanut butter and blueberry jam on it, which craved me for another bite until I did not notice that all that was left in the sandwich box were little bread crumbs.
As I turned my head and saw my filthy mouth from the reflection of the glass window filled with some sticky jam, I immediately, but quietly took a napkin from my pocket, secretly wiping all the stain that was covering my sweet plump lips.
When I lowered my eyes, the trees and leaves seemed to fade one by one, and since we were also riding in the caravan that ran so fast, it was getting blurry through my peripheral vision.
If you wanted to know where we were going...
We were traveling, and we were moving into a new home. I wasn't sure whether we were on the exact road my mother told us about, but all I could see were trees standing in the way.
A few moments later, the caravan trembled and lost its equilibrium due to the uneven construction of the road on which we stumbled. It was rock and lumpy. Even the passengers inside, who were only Ricky, Sandra and me, ratting on each other.
Some of the items in the caravan fell off their separate and organized bookshelves. It looked as if the driver of this caravan had gone wrong.
All of a sudden, there was this thing that caught my eye when the built-in flat-screen television above us accidentally turned on to a certain channel.
There was this list of missing children on the screen and a lady who seemed mentally disturbed while being interviewed by a journalist.
"I'm begging you. If you see this child in this picture, please let me know. I will gladly reward those who do. His name is R-"
A few minutes later, the tremor came to a halt, and the ground flattened. We finally blundered our way out of the thick woods.
"I told you, Carter, this is a shortcut!" Auselle, my Step-Mom's voice rose upward as if she was singing with a constant tone added with a hum as she happily gave out her statement, glancing back to assure herself that we were listening.
Hello! Thank you for reading my novel! I truly do value your existence and the time It consumed you for being here right now. It really means a lot to me. I'm terribly sorry if there are some grammatical errors and failed expectations on the on outcome of some of my chapters in the story. But don't you worry! I will try my best to edit them as soon as I finish this project. I hope you understand and sorry for the Inconvenience... But for now, happy reading! And Enjoy! Best regards :) @Suconcious
Chapter 02 Welcome to Meverly! Carter's POV: "I told you, Carter, this is a shortcut!" Auselle, my Step-Mom's voice rose upward as if she was singing with a constant tone added with a hum as she happily gave out her statement, glancing back to assure herself that we were listening. You heard me loud and clear. She is not my real mother. And that is to say... Yes. You probably figured that out. A newborn orphan, a homeless child who looked like a sheepskin, lying in a warm basket, covering my fragile, bare, pinkish skin with large banana leaves. By the time I was nine, my mother had already enlightened me and told me about my unknown past. She found me outside their house. She felt bad seeing me at the time, so she had no choice but to embrace me. And yet here I stand, Living my life to this day! What about Ri
Chapter 03Wellhouse and The Enchanted GardenCarter's POV:"From now on, we'll stay here." said Mother.Sandra was thrilled to hear it. Since it was also our first time living in the manor.But as for me? Believe me. I'm exactly the other way around"Why here, mother?" Isn't this manor house too big for a family like ours? I mean, since it's just the four of us!" I objected, and I made my complaint as an implicit suggestion."I know. Aren't you even excited to live and roam through this beautiful home that I inherited from my great-great-grandmother?"As I gaze around, I can say that it was wide and spacious even though there were a lot of old items and sentimental objects that occupied the interior space of the room. I still didn't know why mom made the decision to move here.The place did not satisfy my taste, even though it had all the good characteristics and q
Chapter 04The Long Lost Key of LincolnCarter's POV: The galvanized iron roof was already chipped; mosses were growing on the paved walls. The bell was suspended under iron, and the pigments of its outer convex surface were rusted and withered. Even the old rope appeared severed and worn. I attempted to look into the well. It seemed deep, as the walls of the concave interior paving stones that advanced towards the end were enveloped in darkness. "Hello?" That was a dumb idea of me calling for someone in the well. My voice rang out. I could hear my voice bounce out of a deep well. I took one cent out of my pocket and threw it into the well. I expected to hear a coin fall on the water or on the ground, but it did not. Weird. How far is this thing headed? I- "Hmm, looks like you're having some fun..." My heart almost dropped as I heard someone talking from behind. I gasped. "Lincoln, You scared me! I thought I would fall into that pit out of fear! Jeez..." "I am sorry. I had no
Chapter 05The Getaway HousekeeperCarter's POV:"I just found this key in the woods," Ricky asserted when Auselle undressed him."But it appears odd, as a partial half of it is missing." He added, but his voice was mutilated by the turned dress he was bred to remove. As soon as she got Ricky's clothes, she went to the laundry and put the stained clothes on the basket.It might be better for me to keep this key temporarily! You never know what this key might open." His way of speaking was tainted with intention.He then placed the key in his side pocket and left Ricky, Sandra and Carter uncertain.Lincoln, without a flaw, graciously turned his back around, but before he even dared to walk out and flee, I pulled his arm to rotate his body back to face us."Hey!" I halted Lincoln."You cannot take what my brother had-" I
Chapter 06The Curious MindsCarter's POV: When I reached the garden, I hid on the side where there were large bushy leaves, so I would not be easily noticed. I carefully kept my distance as far as possible and restrained my steps to make no unnecessary noise of rustling on the ground. The rhythm of the bell was still strong and continual. It was making a noise, but as I was getting closer to the spot to take a look, it became deafening, and I could hear it even louder. I covered my ears, but it didn't serve any purpose. The sound continued to flutter through my eardrums. I just had to stand for it. I tried to look through the brush leaves to see what Lincoln intended to do. First, he pulled the key out of the lace that was around her neck. Second, he approached the edge of the well. He knelt and bent his body to match the height of the well wall.
Chapter 07Temporary OrdinaryCarter's POV:"Have you come across Lincoln? It looks like he wasn't here last night," Mom said after sipping her caramel latte.I made my way to the table where Sandra and Ricky were having breakfast."He never even said goodbye. If he was leaving or anything, he should have let us know."We turn our heads toward each other with a serious and thoughtful look, as if we were transmitting signals or messages that we could only understand.It was like our minds were united during these moments. We saw what happened yesterday evening."What have you three been up to?" Mom got skeptical. She placed her cup of coffee at the table, then began to narrow her eyes, and her gaze appeared to sting."It's nothing, mom," Ricky did his best to act normal, but I could see his nose begin to sweat as he repl
Chapter 08FallacyCarter's POV: "Mr. Wister!" Call from the professor. I did not realize the time that I slept in oblivion in my chair, waiting. I quickly raised my head, stood up and saw everyone looking at me, and they were all waiting for a response. "Present, Ma'am! Err... Sir," Most of the students laughed in derision at my error. I immediately removed my hood, unplugged my earphones and confronted the professor with vigilance. "How about you? If you were given a chance at a superpower, what would it be?" What? I do
Chapter 09Call for an AdventureCarter's POV: The minute I got off the bus, I ran and chased Lincoln. Upon my arrival, he vanished. He was not there and I was not able to find him or any trace of his existence. He just magically disappeared out of thin air like a bubble. Did he just teleport himself out to escape? Not only was it just to think about as a blink of an eye, but I'm certain it was Lincoln! First, he took Ricky's key that he found in the woods; second, he jumped into the well from the garden; and now this? Jeez, I no longer know what to think! I don't know what Lincoln was planni