Return to Now, Book Two: The Amphibian Portal

By Brian Shepp

wherein is chronicled:

Jack and his companions' treacherous journey to the Portal and its relentless guardians; the assistance of the frog-key Rhacopho; the temptation of the Dance at the Center of the World; the revelation of Obsidia'nar's mistress, the air elemental Xethecix; the boys' emergence in the Now and their growing friendship; their encounter with two-headed Sal and his recounting of the legend of the infant prince; Jack's experience with the fire dragon and the solving of the puzzle; the gift of the orbs; the birth of the third generation of the terrifying quetzals; Jack's struggle with the Orb of Empathy, and his connection with the giant manta rays.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Shepp
• Release date: Jul 30, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465777171

Brian Shepp

"Return to Now" is Brian's first foray into the field of fantasy fiction. In the past, he has been a painter and fine artist, an award-winning indie filmmaker, screenwriter, and children's theater actor. He intends to be many other things in the future."What is literaturebut the expression of moodsby the vehicle of symbol and incident?And are there not moodswhich need heaven, hell, purgatory,and faerylandfor their expression,no less than this dilapidated earth?Nay, are there not moods which shall find no expressionunless there be men who dare to mix heaven, hell, purgatory,and faeryland together...Let us go forth, the tellers of tales, and seizewhatever prey the heart long for,and have no fear.Everything exists,everything is true,and the earth is only a little dust under our feet."- W. B. Yeats

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Return To Now

Book Two:

The Amphibian Portal

Brian Shepp

Copyright Brian Shepp, 2011

ISBN: 978-1-4657-7717-1

www.BrianShepp.com

Also available at:

www.Smashwords.com

Return to Now, Book 1: The Infant Prince

Return to Now, Book 3: Revolution in Anjhélius

Coming soon: Return to Now, Book 4: The Road to Kra’akal

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Author’s Note:

Return to Now has been conceived as a single, epic story, serialized into volumes. So, I highly encourage you to begin your experience in the Now with:

Return to Now, Book 1: The Infant Prince

and then follow the story as it unfolds in this and subsequent volumes.

Read Ravenously!

Brian Shepp

Chapter 25 - Bike Path

____________________

The city was farther away than it had looked from the top of the hill, and by noon, they were still traveling. To anyone who saw Jack zoom past on his bike, he looked like just a boy and his white dog. No one would have seen the little orange wyvern tracing along above them. And little could anyone have guessed their quest.

In one strange and impossible day, Jack had grown to trust Tija’l more than anyone else in his life, perhaps more than he should. Now that he had time to think about it while he biked, he couldn’t figure out exactly why. Maybe it was the sincerity with which the weird kid spoke the ridiculous.

You must follow me to another world, Tija’l had insisted, because it is your world, too.

And of course, there was that shift thing. Jack glanced back to the wire basket he’d strapped to the bike. The white fox looked back up at him with those intense amber eyes. A kid who could turn into a fox. That was pretty cool. What would he change into, Jack pondered, if he could do that? Maybe a jaguar. Or an eagle so he could fly.

The bike path had been downhill, steep at first, then gentle as they traced alongside the river. It had leveled off a while ago, and Jack felt the ache building in his legs from constantly pumping the pedals. From the basket, Tija’l could still see black birds crisscrossing the skies far behind them, weaving their shadows across Shady Acres. He and Orange were on high alert; his vigilance would not fail him this time.

For most of its length, the river was nothing more than a man-made, cement groove gouged into the landscape to control the flow of water. Along the floor of the valley, a large freeway angled in on the other side of the path. All that separated the bike from the massive trucks roaring past twenty feet to the right was a rippling chain-link fence.

Now, as the river and freeway took a sweeping turn to the right, aiming directly toward the hazy outline of the city in the distance, the landscape changed. The river began to teem with life. Underground springs fed into the rushing water here, and had since before recorded history. The cement had proved no match and cracked. Plants had sprouted in the breaks and caught small eddies of mud in their wake. 

Over the years, the little sprouts had grown to the level of trees, reaching up until they cast their shadow across the freeway thundering alongside. The silt had built up into islands. Wild bamboo, reeds, and papyrus flourished, and an entire ecosystem had burst to life. Jack could feel the cooling breeze and the oxygen flowing on one side of his face as surely as he was buffeted by the heat and filth on the other.

The entryway we seek is close, said Tija’l.

How do you know?

It smells like it, the fox explained, sniffing the air. There’s magic here.

I think that’s just exhaust.

At first, the fox-boy’s voice in Jack’s head had been confusing, almost like his own thoughts, only more demanding. By now, though, he recognized the voice, not just by the words Tija’l used and the things he said, but by the ‘sound’ of it, even though there was no real sound. He could picture the face of the boy Tija’l speaking, even when he was looking directly at Tija’l the fox.

The enemy will be near, guarding the entryway, Jack heard. We should stop.

I need to take a break anyway, Jack agreed, already braking to a halt. He swung himself off the bike and leaned it against the little fence.

Orange zipped off, making a beeline for the riverscape and insect snacks that awaited her there. In the blink of an eye, Tija’l became the white haired kid again. One person racing past on the freeway was looking at them when it happened, but since what he saw didn’t make sense, his brain decided not to see it.

The boys shimmied down the steep cement slope to the river’s edge and sat. The main river flowed on the other side of an island ten feet from the shore. On this side, the water was a mere trickling. Plants grew thick, and ducks fed from the slime along the bottom. The boys chewed on candy bars and stared out at the river.

Earlier, Jack had dumped half of his savings into a group of vending machines, so his backpack was stocked with brightly wrapped snacks and bottles of artificially colored high-fructose corn syrup. Not the healthiest food, he thought as he chewed. His mother would be horrified.

Things will get better...

He could almost hear her speaking the words from her note. He had discovered the piece of paper wrapped around a tangerine in his lunch bag, and by now, he had it memorized.

Jack,

I know it’s been hard lately.

But we’ll get through this. Together.

Trust me, things will get better.

We’ll go to the movies this weekend, whatever movie you want.

Just you and I. Sound good?

Can’t wait for our date.

I love you very much.

Mom

He didn’t cry, not exactly. But his eyes felt like they were being squeezed and pushed from behind. He closed them and covered his face with his hands. A lump in his throat made it hard to swallow, as though the the words he might never get a chance to say to her were stuck in his windpipe.

He would be back, he told himself, once he was done with this business. Done with what, exactly, though? And when? He had so many questions. All he really knew was that he felt connected, somehow, to his life for the first time in a while. He felt like he might actually have a purpose. Wherever the Now was, and whomever these people were, they seemed to need his help. Mom would be proud of him, he tried to convince himself. If only there was some way of letting her know he was all right.

Then again, he might not be all right. Tija’l had only vaguely described the dangers that awaited. All would be explained once they arrived, the kid had assured him more than once. Jack had the feeling there was something he wasn’t saying, probably to keep from frightening him into running back home. But the imaginary monsters that not knowing created were growing more ominous by the minute.

If he wasn’t back by this weekend, would his mom go to the movies by herself? Would she sit in the theater and cry, trying to think of what she had done to make her son run away?

What am I doing? he thought.

Right now, or in general? Tija’l responded.

What?

You asked what you’re doing?

Did I say that out loud?

I don’t know, Tija’l admitted.

I mean, Jack tried to explain, I’m running away from home. I didn’t even tell my mom.

She will blame herself, he despaired

What would you have said?

Jack sighed. She wouldn’t have believed me.

You could have tried to convince her.

No. There’s no way. He remembered what she had told him about Orange years ago: ‘You’re too old to have imaginary friends.’ She wouldn’t be able to believe. She couldn’t 

Perhaps not.

But I could have told her something, Jack persisted. How long will I have to be gone?

Tija’l shook his head. I don’t know.

But you must have some idea...

Tija’l’s silence spoke for him. Jack sighed and leaned back against the incline, feeling the cool breeze from the river on his face.

This is crazy, he said.

Yes, Tija’l agreed. It is.

Jack looked over at the kid to see if he was being mocked. But Tija’l looked sad.

If you had told me two months ago that I would be here, in the Beyond, with the exiled Prince of Now, pursued by korvidae, I would have called you crazy, Tija’l sighed.

Well, if I somehow told you that two months ago, Jack reasoned, then I would have already been wherever you were, so you wouldn’t have had to come get me in the first place.

Tija’l looked down at his charge. Now, that’s the most intelligent thing I’ve heard you say, he said, smiling. Suddenly, his slightly pointed ears twitched forward as his eyes rolled back in his head.

They’re coming. Tija’l glanced around quickly. Hide!

But--

Tija’l had already shifted into fox and leapt halfway to the island. Jack heard scattered harsh cries coming from up river. He splashed through the shallow water and ducked into the trees on the island just as five crows emerged over the top of the bamboo. Peering up through the thick leaves, Jack held his breath as the birds flurried past.

Definitely glad that my sweatshirt’s the same color as the plants, he thought. If he had worn his red one, they would have seen him for sure. He pulled the hood over his his head. It had been such a simple decision this morning, which sweatshirt to wear, but it had just made all the difference.

Two crows circled back and wheeled around the bike he’d left up on the path, and Jack re-caught the breath he had just released. The birds discovered nothing of interest, though, and flew on, racing to convene with the others.

The fox poked his nose out from his hiding place, startling Jack who hadn’t known he was there. Even though his fur was white, Tija’l knew instinctively how to keep to the deeper shadows, using stillness as his camouflage.

They are expanding their search, he announced. We have to hurry.

It’s a good thing we were already stopped, Jack said. There’s nowhere to hide on the path.

Orange zipped down through the trees, then swept around, indicating the path with her head.

Good. You scout ahead, Tija’l agreed. We’ll be right behind you.

She sped away while the