The Key Finder

By Mary Beth Bowman

Tony Bagwell, a very normal young man with an unknown and strange past, is suddenly able to uncover all his mother’s secrets when a shining box, which holds only a key and a name flies through his bedroom window one night, sending him to a strange world where everyone knows him as the savior who will free them from the powerful and deceptive Spirits who have been possessing the land and the people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483584300

Book preview

24

Chapter 1

Tony Bagwell was not a very unusual boy. He had no special talents or features and was, by most acquaintances, very easily forgotten. This did not bother Tony, however. He was quite content with life for the most part.

He lived in a fairly nice house with his mother and her cat Bingo. His mother was a hard-working seamstress who was mainly commissioned for weddings and proms. She received a modest income and was usually more than a little stressed with all the deadlines she had to meet, but she always tried to make the best of things. Tony and Bingo had a love-hate relationship. Bingo was a grumpy old thing who merely tolerated the rest of the household, but Ms. Bagwell liked him and Tony found him amusing.

The only thing that really bothered Tony was that his father seemed to have never existed. Now, this is not to imply that Tony’s father had been present at one time and had suddenly run out on the family. No, other than Tony’s own existence, Tony had absolutely no evidence that his father had ever even lived. He had approached his mother about the matter more times than he could count, starting as far back as he could remember. Early on, Tony was informed that his father had been hit by a train. When Tony became a little older this answer, in and of itself, was no longer satisfactory. Even if his father was dead, shouldn’t Tony at least have paternal grandparents or aunts or uncles or cousins?

To that his mother had replied, Your father was an only-child and both of his parents died in a car crash the year we were married.

Tony lived with this for a very short while before he decided that his mother should at least have pictures of his late father. No, she said. They were all burned before you were born. The apartment where we lived caught fire.

Then he wondered why his grandmother didn’t at least have pictures of her daughter’s wedding day. They were lost when your grandparents moved, Ms. Bagwell replied.

Ms. Bagwell always tried to keep these discussions short. The only real conversation Tony ever had on the subject was one Christmas Eve after Tony and his mother had arrived at his grandparents’ house. They had just unloaded the car and greeted everyone. The house was packed with relatives from everywhere. Tony hardly ever saw his extended family, but when he did there always seemed to be more of them than he remembered.

After only five minutes in the house, Tony was developing quite a headache. This was perhaps due to the fact that one of his younger cousins named Matilda (or was it Melinda?) was hitting him over the head with some sort of green, plastic toy she’d just received. Tony had no idea what the toy was for, but didn’t think that its current use was its intended function. Another cause for the headache could have been one of the other younger children (Tony had no clue what to call this one) who was continuously making very shrill noises for no apparent reason. Still yet another factor could have been his Aunt Janine who always laughed at everything, and very loudly.

Well, whatever the cause, Tony’s head was pounding. He somehow got away from the bustle and found himself outside in the cool night air, staring up at the stars. He suddenly sensed that he was not alone. Tony turned around to see his grandfather standing next to him. Tony’s grandfather was a tall, slender man. He had piercing blue eyes and besides the laugh-lines in the corners of them, he had very few wrinkles. The only thing that told his age was his snow-white hair.

Nice night, Tony’s grandfather said, breathing deeply, then looking down to smile at Tony. Had to get away from all the chaos for a moment.

Tony sighed. Yeah.

I like to come out here to look at the stars. A night like this is perfect. Not a cloud in sight.

They stood in silence for a moment. Then Tony’s grandfather spoke again. How old are you now?

Nine and a half, Tony replied.

Nine and a half, his grandfather repeated quietly, almost to himself, keeping his eyes on the sky. Has it really been that long?

Has what been that long? Tony asked.

Tony’s grandfather looked at Tony again. Haven’t you ever asked your mother where your father is?

Oh yes. Lots of times.

And what have you learned?

Well, he’s dead. He was run over by a train. I also know that he was an only-child, both of his parents are dead, all the pictures Mom had of him got burned, and Mom’s wedding pictures got lost when you and Grandmother moved.

Tony’s grandfather laughed. Tony was quite offended. He didn’t really think that he had said anything funny.

Tony’s grandfather smiled at him again, leaned over, and asked, Do you really believe that?

Tony thought about it for a moment. Well, no. I don’t, Tony admitted.

As you shouldn’t, his grandfather replied. Then he turned and began walking back to the house.

Wait! Tony raced after him and stopped him. Aren’t you going to tell me where he is then?

No, I’m not, his grandfather answered solemnly. I can’t. I am sorry. We were all sworn to secrecy. He started to walk away again, and then turned back saying, But when the time is right, you’ll know. You’ll know.

With that, Tony decided that it was useless to ask any more questions. However, he thought it out and came to the conclusion that if he hadn’t needed his father for nearly ten years, he could certainly go another ten years or more without him.

Chapter 2

It was a crisp, clear Monday morning about five years later. Tony awoke before the sun came up and could not to go back to sleep, so he just stared out the window near his bed. He watched the stars twinkling in the distance. He decided to try to count them to see if that would help him go back to sleep.

He only got as far as four when a funny thing happened. Star number four started gleaming brighter and brighter and seemed to be getting closer. Tony sat straight up in bed and got right up to the window, his breath making clouds on the cold glass. Number four seemed to be headed right for Tony’s window at an amazing speed. Tony’s first concern was that it would break the window and get glass everywhere, so he quickly unlatched the window and opened it. Then he jumped out of the way as the speeding object shot through the open window and slammed onto the floor, amazingly causing only minor damage.

Tony slowly walked over to this strange thing. It looked just like a crystal of some kind. It was shining beautifully and almost seemed to be giving off its own light. He bent over and picked it up. It was cold. As he turned it over in his hands he saw that it was slightly cracked. At first he thought that this must have happened when it hit the floor in his room, but then he noticed that the crack went all the way around the crystal. It was separated perfectly into two halves. Tony gently pulled them apart. The crystal was a box and inside the box was a small note.

If you intend to use the mirror, please do so at 4pm on December 5th. All other times of use will have most drastic consequences. Remove note at exactly aforesaid time and not before.

Tony stared at the note, completely dumfounded. What could it mean? Where was this mirror and how was he to use it? Should he simply look into it? And what would happen if he did? And what was all this business about December 5th and drastic consequences?

He was so preoccupied that he didn’t even notice his mother standing in the doorway. Well, she said quietly, are you going?

Tony started and looked up at her. He decided that the loud crash must have waked her. Yes, that would probably have done it. Then he suddenly realized that she couldn’t see the note from where she was and didn’t seem to be at all bothered by the dent in the floor. He looked at her quite puzzled.

Am I going where? he asked her. What is this? Do you know what this is? He held the box out for her to take. She walked over and stood next to him, but didn’t even bother to look at the box.

It’s a key, she said.

A key? Tony was completely lost. No, it was a box and it had a mirror in it, but he didn’t argue.

Yes, she smiled at him, obviously amused by his ignorance. There’s a reflective glass behind the note. You need only to remove the note and look into the box.

And that will open some kind of door? Tony was still lost.

In a way, yes. Then she looked straight into his eyes and said sternly, But be sure you only use the mirror when they say it is safe to use it.

Why? What will happen if I use it some other time?

Something too horrible to imagine.

Tony didn’t really know what to say to that. He was unsure. He thought perhaps his mother might be making it up. How do you know about this? Tony asked her. Have you used one of these before?

Yes, she looked down at the box for the first time, longingly. I have. Before you were born.

Where does it take you?

Tony, his mother sighed, trying to find the right words to explain. There is a world that coexists with the one we live in. There are people living and moving right here around us that we can’t see. And, for the most part, they can’t see us either. Usually we can’t cross over into their world, but sometimes the barrier is weak, allowing someone to pass through. It usually only happens once a year, often in December, and on that day the barrier is weakest in the afternoon, just before the sun sets.

Tony always knew his mother was crazy, but for some strange reason he believed her. Maybe he was crazy too. "But who sent this to me? And why do they want me to go?"

Tony’s mother smiled at him, perhaps a little sadly. Tony almost thought she would answer, but instead she changed the subject. What’s the date in the note?

Tony looked down to read it again, December 5th.

That’s today, she said. You’d better get a little more sleep. She walked away and left Tony alone with his thoughts.

He shut the box and walked back over to the window. There wasn’t much chance of him going back to sleep. He held the box up so that he could see it in the moonlight. It was so beautiful. Suddenly he noticed something that he hadn’t seen at first. On one half of the box, in the center, there was some sort of writing. It didn’t look like it had been carved or written in ink, but written in light just under the surface of the box. It was one word: Mehlek

Chapter 3

Tony! his mother called, banging on his door. Time to get ready for school!

Tony opened his eyes and looked around. He was confused. What was he doing on the floor? He didn’t remember falling asleep on the floor. Well, either way, he’d just had the strangest dream. He always dreamed odd things when he fell asleep on the floor. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head. Tony hated sleeping on the floor. It was just so hard and cold. Suddenly Tony heard something glass slide against the floor ever so slightly. Tony looked down. It was the glass box and he had just moved it with his hand in preparation to stand up. Tony checked the floor and saw that the dent was still there. It hadn’t been a dream after all. He picked up the box. It