Believe in the Magic of Your Dreams

By D.R. Kryz

This is a tale of three cousins with a very special magical secret that takes us to strange and awesome adventures in worlds far beyond our reach. Grandfather's Gold Eddie lives on a ranch in the Arizona desert. The ranch sits under the Superstition Mountain. One day while Eddie's dad and uncles were in the mountain searching for gold, Eddie found a gold nugget. Too excited to wait for them to return home, Eddie went looking for them. Eddie got lost and fell into a crack. He entered a time warp, discovered a vein of gold a foot and a half thick, and the ghost of his grandfather. Eddie returns from the mountain with not only more gold than his family can use but with a secret so powerful that it sets him and his cousin Jessie on a journey into other worlds and planets far beyond our galaxies. The Planet Htrae Aliens invade Earth. They steal all of Earth's fresh waters. The evil Captain Rameses from the Planet Zuard in the galaxy of the Five Suns come to earth with a sinister plan to steal Earth's water and take it back to their home planet. Oceans and rivers disappear. Our world is doomed. Eddie and Jessie must return water back to Earth before our planet becomes a dead star and all life dies. With the help of Grandfather's spirit placed into a divining water rod and the crew from the Planet Htrae, they take us through the depths of the mountain, caves, volcanoes, fire, gases, spitting lava, and the largest water rapids in the world, all while being chased by aliens. Aliens Among Us A scientist discovers that the Stones of Life and an Ancient Book of Spells are missing from the top of the universe. The stones must be returned. They keep the planets and universe in balance, which creates peace in the cosmos. Time is running out because without the stones, the planets are now unbalanced and are in danger of complete disarray. Jessie and Eddie have won a trip to Egypt, wanting to tell her sister Crystal about the good news, Jessie accidently found out about the universe and cosmos are unbalanced. Crystal and her team are sent back in time to ancient Egypt to retrieve the stones and book. Wanting to help her sister, Jessie devises a way to hitch a ride back in time on Crystal's vessel, but Jessie's plan goes awry. Jessie, Eddie and White Cloud, get lost in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings, shot into space, and shot down by space bandits and end up in a time machine trying to find a way home. Bermuda Triangle A starship cruiser crashes into the ocean with nine aliens (ambassadors) from other galaxies. They are on a mission of peace and are pulled into Earth's magnetic field. Eddie and Jessie discover them and must find a way to fly them back to their home planet. Eddie and Jessie are on a cruise to Bermuda with Eddie's parents. The ship encounters a weird storm in the Bermuda Triangle. A rogue wave hits the ship, and Jessie and Eddie are washed overboard into the choppy sea, fighting off sharks. They are pulled into the magnetic field forcing them deeper and deeper into the ocean, landing on top of a spaceship. The hatch pops open and they are sucked inside. Sitting on the bridge are two aliens who are ill. They are dying. They find seven more aliens with the same sickness. Jessie and Eddie get in touch with Crystal and her team in hopes they can help her and Eddie find a way to fly the ship out of Earth's ocean and return them back to the planet of its destination. While in flight, White Cloud finds a alien game called Meet the Master of Your Fate, but he did not read the instructions. On the last level, he is sucked into the game and must find his master before all of the monsters, ghouls, and demons get him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781640821934

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Believe in the Magic of Your Dreams

D.R. Kryz

Copyright © 2018 D.R. Kryz

All rights reserved

First Edition

Page Publishing, Inc

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc 2018

ISBN 978-1-64082-192-7 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64082-193-4 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

PART ONE

GRANDFATHER’S GOLD

I was born in Arizona on a family ranch passed down from generation to generation. Our ranch sat under Thunder Mountain, so as a young boy, I knew all of the superstitions that surrounded the mountain and its famous Old Lost Gold Mines. I know that some of these legends are just folklore and good campfire stories, yet others are true. I guess the rest is just hearsay to keep the tourists out of our beautiful mountain, so we can retain its natural beauty.

I remember my dad and uncles would pack up some of our mules and head out into the mountain in search of what they used to refer to as the mother lode. They did this at least six times a year. I would beg and beg them to take me along. My dad would always say the same old thing time after time, You’re too young, son. This here is man’s work. Sometimes we can be out in that thar mountain for weeks. This isn’t no game, boy! Now you go and tell your mom to pack extra supplies. Your uncle Mark is coming with us this time. I hurried in to tell mom that Uncle Mark was going along, so she should pack extra food. I wondered why my dad had to be so darn hard-nosed on the subject of me coming too. Heck! I was near on twelve years old, almost a man myself.

Not going didn’t really matter none because I always looked forward to them returning home from one of their trips. When they got back, the ranch would ring with excitement and talk of how much closer they were to finding the vein of pure gold that they say sits somewhere in the mountain around the old lost mines. They talked of the adventures they had on each trip and each trip was different. There is always something exciting to tell. I have five uncles and each and every one of them have a different theory on just where the gold is located.

Every time they would pick up and go into the mountains, they would search a different area and map it out to their own topographical findings of the specific terrain, such as build-up areas, rivers, cliffs, dwellings, mountain passes, canyons, and valleys. They noted all the different types of rocks and rock formations. I guess you could say my dad and uncles knew every crack and cave in this part of the country. Uncle John thought the gold was located somewhere around the east side of the ridge. Uncle Pete was sure it was hidden somewhere deep in a canyon. Everyone had his own theory about it except Dad. Now if he did, he sure was tight-lipped on the subject. That didn’t matter much to me. I just knew when they came back the ranch would be filled with life and the possibility of finding that gold, if not this time, then the next.

I think the best part for me was, each time they would come back from the mountain, Mom would have an old-fashioned barbecue for everyone. Besides all of that, talk of gold, lost treasures, danger, and the adventures of the most treacherous mountains in the world. My mom’s famous barbecue ribs were the next best thing that could ever happen in a young kid’s life.

I was brought up in two different beliefs: my mom’s, way, who loved and respected the Thunder Mountain; dad’s way, whose attraction for the mountain was the lust for riches, gold fever, and longing to find the treasure. Mom calls me Arizona. My real name is Eddie, but her people have names from the earth for all that live among the tribes. I am part Native American Indian, so I was given Arizona for my tribal name. Living right under the Thunder Mountains, in early spring we would have unusually severe thunderstorms. When I was small, I would often get frightened. I was never allowed to enter my parent’s room for any reason during these storms. Dad always said I need to grow up, a little rain shouldn’t scare anyone. So I would pretend I was a brave warrior and I was helping the Thunder God of the mountain to protect all of the gold.

Mom would sometimes tell me bedtime stories of the Thunder God who protected the solid vein of pure gold that, to this day, still sits concealed somewhere in the awesome mountain. It was folklore from her mother and grandmother of how her people inhabited this region of the mountain. This range was our fatherland, she would say, and among these mountains were hidden our wigwams and villages. We were scattered all over the mountain; the rocky caverns were our playgrounds. The caves held all of our supplies from year to year. Some caves served as a burial place for our ancestors. My mother taught me of the spirit that lives within. She taught me of the legends of her people, just like her mother and grandmother before her. She taught me to respect the land and other people. She taught me of their way and their love for the earth, moon, and stars. She said, All living things have a special purpose here on this planet.

Mom told me of the young boys who were about my age at the time who lived in the villages, how they were taught to hunt game. Horses were trained to follow the rabbit at a swift speed. As they approached them, the young boy would swing and strike the rabbit or small game with a hunting club, killing it instantly. Boys hunted small game like turkey and rabbit, but the larger game like bear and mountain lion were only for the warriors to hunt. They were taught to never kill anything they were not going to eat or use all parts of it. Grandfather used to tell me that the bear and mountain lion were good food and the skins were very valuable! He said: Your mother still to this day has an old bow and arrows made from the skin of a mountain lion that my great-grandfather made many years ago. Your mother knows of the powers in the herbs and can still make great medicines from them.

Then mom told me that her grandfather would tell her of the eagle and what it means to the great warriors. The highest honor to bestow was an eagle claw and two black feathers. If this gift was given to you by a chieftain, then you will never be harmed by any red brother, and you will have safe passage through the mountains and any Indian territory. The eagle is the most respected of all life. It is the sign of justice, wisdom, bravery, friendship, and power. All worriers respect the sign and honor the person as they would any great Indian chief.

Mom was just about to tell me about a white man who was given this honor of the eagle claw and feathers so many years ago when Dad interrupted her story.

Don’t fill that boy’s head with such nonsense, Dad yelled from the living room. Now turn out that light. You have school in the morning.

Mom smiled at me and said, You have plenty of time for more stories. Dad is right. It’s getting late.

As she turned out my bedroom light, I rolled over and punched my pillow a few times wondering why my dad had to be so hard on her. I enjoyed her stories; they gave me some insight of the different worlds they were both from. Mom was a sweet, understanding spirit, loving all things.

Once again, the winds whipped up and the sound of a thunderstorm was fast approaching. Lightning danced through my bedroom and the loud crack of thunder would echo through my head, like distance war drums. Tonight I was not afraid because this time, I had something to dream about. I drifted off to sleep dreaming about the eagle’s claw and two black feathers.

I heard my dad and uncles talk about all the people who had entered the mountain in search of the lost gold and never came back out again! Some old prospector would find a skull of a man somewhere, report it to the town’s sheriff’s office and our local newspaper would write a small article on it, saying accidental death.

Dad would always say, No matter how many people were found or how they really died, our local paper always said the same thing, ‘death by accident.’ Tell me, how can that always be?

I remember the summer of my eleventh birthday. Mom and Dad went into Phoenix to pick up my present while I stayed at my uncle Bill’s place. I was saddling my favorite mule Joe to ride the trails out in the desert under the mountain. Joe was a gentle mule. I could trust him not to get me out on the trail and throw me off his back while he proceeded to head back to the stables because he didn’t want to be ridden at that time. He used to do that to me when I was younger. Now, we are both a little older and wiser. I take his favorite snack along with me. He knows who the boss is now! We get along just fine.

I could hear some voices (sounded like four men) coming from the other side of the stables. The lost gold mine’s map. Uncle Bill was still laughing as I came around the corner. Why boys, he said, "do you realize how many people a year comes through here holding maps claiming the exact thing? If I had a dime from every person who made that claim, then I would be a millionaire! I don’t know where you got that map from, but I can tell you this for sure, it is not the real McCoy! No one is going to leave a map of those old gold mines for anyone. Men spend their lifetime keeping the gold mines a secret. For years now, people like you guys come into our little town and think you have it all figured out as to where the gold is. You young college kids bring your fancy equipment that you say can pinpoint gold, have all of your theories, but no experience. Wake up, boys, and smell the coffee. This is no game. Look over yonder at that mountain. Beautiful, isn’t she? We local people call it the Thunder God Mountain. It has taken hundreds of human lives, all proclaiming to know the location of the gold.

"They all carry some sort of map and claim to be so well-educated. They ended up the same way. The only way you will come back is in a body bag. Trust me, take your equipment, your friends, and go camp someplace. Hunt, fish, and just enjoy your vacation. In return, you will all get to see each other graduate from that fancy college you say you are attending. If you mess around and get yourself hurt or even worse, there will be no one around to help you once you are too far in the mountain. Trust me, boys, I have lived here all of my life, I know what I’m—

A man named Jim, interrupted my uncle.

We’re different, he said, "my friends and I have taken the time to do a lot of research on the subject, studied for months, before we even decided to come here. We know where the gold is and we are going after it. Nothing is going to stop us now. It’s our given right to search for the lost gold mine. Why, even your own newspaper the (Arizona Post) tells how it is the given right as a citizen of the United States to search for any lost gold. Look, sir, right here. The young man was pointing it out to my uncle. He added, Jeff here is a specialist in the field of hieroglyphic cave dwellings, he went on to say. Jerry reads topographical maps, we all have a talent to give to this venture, our minds are made up. We didn’t come all this way to camp."

Even if it kills ya? my uncle replied. I really hate to see you go up there. Mark my words, you and your friends will end up on the headlines of the Tribune FOUR COLLEGE STUDENTS EXPEDITION MISSING, the mountains will swallow you up, son, along with your pals. At least take Jake along with you, our old American Native guide, he is born and raised in this part of the county and knows these mountains. He can take you as far as you, want him to."

Jim reached out his hand to shake my uncle’s hand.

That is kind of you, he said, but we would rather go it alone.

Uncle Bill gave them some extra supplies and hitched up the mules.

If worse comes to worse, just follow the mules. They are trained to return to the ranch, but I except I will be seeing my mules before I see you and your friends, Uncle Bill told them.

I followed the group as far as I was allowed to go. I knew my limits, and I was not about to push that. Anyway, old Joe was trained to go just so far into the trails, and he would turn around and head back to the stables. It just goes to show you, an eleven-year-old kid had more sense than four college boys.

There was a four-way point at the break off in the trail, beyond that point you are on your own. Each direction leads in a different area of the mountains, and it is wild rough country.

As I watched the men go off into the direction of east slope, I just knew that would be the last time I would ever see them alive. I turned old Joe around and headed back to the ranch, maybe Mom and Dad would be back from Phoenix with my birthday present. It was too hot out here in this desert for man, beast, or insect. I can’t, for the life of me, ever understand why men have such an addiction for gold. Well, I am only eleven!

When I got back, I saw Mom and Dad’s horse trailer hooked to the back of our truck. At first I was puzzled. I didn’t know of any horses here on Uncle Bill’s mule ranch.

Then it hit me like lightning, do I dare to think that could be my birthday present?

When I saw the look on my dad’s face, I knew I was right. It was my birthday gift. It was a Palomino horse. I couldn’t believe it, what a beautiful young horse he was. I was never so happy in my entire life.

Do you like him, son? Dad asked.

Like him, I love him! I promise I will take the best care of him any boy could.

What are you going to name him? Mom asked.

I think I will call him Pal because he is a Palomino. He is just like the horses the young braves used to ride in the villages of years ago. I know if I live to be a hundred, I would never have a better birthday than this one, nothing could ever top this. Pal was my dream horse.

For the next couple of weeks, I got to know my new horse. We became the best of friends. I trained him to barrel race, and all the neat things a guy can do with his horse. I never did anything without him. We went exploring together, trail riding, Not once did he tried to throw me off of his back. It seemed to me that life without my horse was nothing. I could look into his eyes and feel the trust and love he had for me. Pal was a great name for him because that is just what he turned out to be, a real friend and pal.

I was out in the back of the horse barn cleaning out his stall and putting down fresh hay, grass, oats, and a mixture of wheat. An old truck pulled up in the drive going pretty darn fast. After the cloud of dust cleared, I could see it was my uncle Bill, he was real upset about something. My dad came running out the back door.

What is it, Bill? What is going on here? You would have thought you struck gold or something.

Nope! That’s not it at all. I just came from the coroner’s office in town. They called me down to identify a body that was found on a ledge near the east slope.

Uncle Bill had no more finished his words when the sheriff’s police car pulled up in the drive and he got out. Dad and Uncle Bill walked over to greet him.

How are you doing, John? Dad asked, reaching out for the sheriff’s hand.

Not too good, the sheriff replied. It seems we have a search and rescue on our hands once again. Didn’t Bill tell ya where he was this afternoon? Why, I declare the whole town is talking about this. Your brother here just identified one of those college students that went looking for those old gold mines a few days ago. Now I am out rounding up some of the mountain men we have in this part of the region. I know you and your five brothers are the best trackers we have. I need volunteers to head up different groups of men. I am getting together all of the ranchers. Each group will need a leader, someone who knows the mountain range. You and your brothers have been raised around the mountain and know of the different passageways and trails made by the prospectors. If you would be so kind to help us out we can get moving on this. My dad nodded in approval.

How many lives did she take this time? he asked. Uncle Bill jumped in, Four young college students, he said, were on vacation from California, said they were attending some college there. Got it in their minds to go up in the mountains and find the Lost Mines. I will never understand why these city people keep coming to the mountain with little or no experience and get it into their heads to search for that gold that no one has been able to find the last hundred years or so. Why not even some of the most experienced miners and prospectors who have been looking for the gold for years and years could find the Lost Mines.

They have lived here all of their lives, my dad added. It’s beyond my recollections! How long have they been missing? Dad asked.

Well, it seems to have been about six or seven days ago, from the coroner’s reports, the sheriff replied. But now of course in this hot sun it could be less time. There is just no telling what we will find or if we can even find the rest of the men. That is one evil mountain. I will never understand why people don’t listen to our local people who live here to stay out of it.

Uncle Bill told them not to go up in the mountains, I burst out, he tried to change their minds, but they went anyway. Uncle Bill warned them of the danger and the problems other people had who went looking for the Lost Mines. I was at the ranch the day the men came in for supplies and asked for directions. They talked to Uncle Bill about the map they had.

What map was this, Bill? the sheriff asked.

Some old map to the Lost Gold Mines, they said. They knew of the location. They were going to find them.

That’s just what I mean. People do not know the dangers, and they come up here thinking they are going to find the gold. Everyone has a theory on the Lost Mines.

Arizona, did you see the direction the men went in the day they first set out? Uncle Bill asked.

Yes, I said, Joe and I followed them to the end of the trail. The four men went north east toward the slope then Joe and I turned around and went back to the ranch. Dad, are you going to use the hounds? I asked.

That’s a great idea, Arizona, the sheriff replied. We sure could use them this time. I need to round up the rest of the men, so I had better get started. We will meet back here in the morning. Getting out by dawn would be best. That sun gets real hot by ten o’clock, and we could be up in the mountains by then. The sheriff rode off to the next ranch recruiting as many of the ranchers as he could. Dad made a few phone calls to his brothers, and we headed for bed for a good night’s sleep.

The next morning, I helped Dad pack up the mules with supplies, saddled six horses, and fed the hounds. They would need a good breakfast for that long hike into the mountains. I handed Dad the last of the food. I know what you want to ask me, Arizona, Dad said. Son, don’t even think about it. You’re too young, and even if you were older, I would not want you to come along on this trip. It will be hard on the horses and the dogs, let alone on the men. You stay here with your mom. Things need doing around here. Can I count on you for this? I really need your help on this one, son!

Yes, sir! You can count on me. I’ll hold down the fort, I said. Mom and I will be fine, don’t worry. I knew deep in my heart that I wasn’t ready for a trip like this one. If I were to go, I would like it to be on one of the adventures Dad and all of my uncles take when they are searching for the gold. If only to say, I once went out in the mountains with them. About that time twenty-five men rode up on horses, they were ranchers, neighbors, some were trackers, and friends. Sheriff John stood with a slate in his hand. He called off each man’s name and assigned them to teams. A–E teams were lead up by my dad and one of my uncles. I reckon it was because they knew all of the hidden passageways, trails, and caves in the area. Once again I watched them ride off into the mountains wondering if I was ever going to be old enough to do what my dad called Man’s Work. Leaning against the corral, I felt Pal’s hot breath on my neck, reminding me of how lucky I really was to have a friend like him. He kept nudging me for an apple or a treat of some kind. Well, I guess I really don’t want to be a man yet, anyway. I’m having too much fun just being a kid!

It was going into the evening of the fifth day. Must have been