Full Moon: Scratch & Scream, #2

By D.L. Post

In 'Full Moon', readers follow the thrilling tale of a young boy named Josh as he begins his new life in a new town. After meeting a mysterious girl from the carnival, Josh discovers a world of magic, mystery, and wonder that he never thought possible.

 

He encounters the lizard man, a fairy & her best friend a unicorn, a powerful witch, and many more characters; each with their own unique abilities and secrets.

 

But all is not well in the small town of Mount Crystal. Peter, the mayor's son, has taken an instant dislike to Josh and goes out of his way to bully and hurt Josh. 

 

Will Josh safely navigate scary situations?

 

Will Josh survive the night of the full moon?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scratch & Scream
• Release date: Apr 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781739285227

D.L. Post

D.L. Post is a passionate author with a deep love for nature, animals, and cooking.  Before embarking on her writing career, DL worked as a learning support teacher in helping children who struggled with dyscalculia, dyslexia, and processing issues. Through her work, she developed a strong sense of empathy and understanding of young minds, this shines through in her writing. As a mother of two DL draws inspiration from her own experiences, the joys and challenges of raising children. In her free time, DL can often be found curled up with a good book, delving into different genres, and discovering new literary treasures. She strongly believes that reading is not only a source of entertainment but also a gateway to knowledge, empathy, and personal growth. Through her writing, DL seeks to entertain, educate and inspire readers of all ages. With her rich imagination and genuine passion for storytelling, she invites readers to embark on unforgettable journeys and discover the magic that lies within the pages of her books.

Book preview

Chapter 1

If you happen to glance toward the little village tucked away in the mountains of a European country, you will notice the colorful rooftops of the houses. The warm, yeasty scent filled the air, hinting that the baker had been up early, tending to the bread. Or perhaps a baby needed feeding. Apart from that, there was complete silence. Not even a whisper of movement.

However, if you looked past the town towards the open field you would see a lot of activities.

Is everything fastened down? Maestro shouted.

No one answered him. There was no need to. They knew what had to be done. Hercule was pulling an old wheelbarrow behind him. And in the wheelbarrow, lying on her squishy, round tummy was Madame Blanc.

Madame Blanc was holding her staff in both hands. Once upon a time; long ago, she would have walked the perimeter of the campsite. The only thing is time marches on. Sadly, she now had to be pulled around. Rather unceremoniously, in her opinion. Living for over two hundred years has its downsides.

The end of the staff left a trail of upturned earth. The circle had to be perfect. Easier said than done. Occasionally, Madame Blanc requested Herc to stop so she could dig with the staff. Then they would be off again. Once they made a full circle, Herc would wheel Madame Blanc into the center of the ring. And that is when the magic happened.

The unicorn was acting up again. The blue fairy, Fay, with long golden hair who stood over five feet tall, as not all fairies are little and live in flowers; was losing her patience. She chased him around the caravans. He frolicked and skipped just out of her reach. He was thoroughly enjoying this game. She, however, was not.

Get your lily-white bum over here, she shrieked.

Nope, catch me if you can, laughed the unicorn.

The blue fairy unfolded her silver wings and took to the air. She tried to pounce on his back, but he bucked and sent her flying over him. She swore under her breath.

I have chocolate. Swiss chocolate, she bargained.

Why didn’t you say so? replied the unicorn.

The unicorn trotted over to the blue fairy as she floated gently to the ground. She opened her hand and showed him the chocolate. He whinnied with delight.

You do this every time, she scolded the unicorn.

I do, but it’s our thing, he said as he munched on the dark, bitter chocolate.

The carnival folk packed their valuables into wooden boxes and picked up pieces that could hit you when the move happened. Someone carefully rolled the tents and packed them into large crates. Everything had to be put away.

Madame Blanc could only do so much. Mo, the bearded lady, learned this lesson. She had forgotten to pack her favorite pearl comb. They arrived at the new campsite, but the comb did not. Mo was heartbroken, as it was a gift from a pirate ghost.

Theirs was a short romance. He could not leave the seaside town where his once glorious ship had struck the jagged rocks by the lighthouse. She was a working girl. Mo traveled the world. She was an actor. The most renowned performer with a magnificent beard in all the lands. Many men envied her. And many women admired ginger hair that hung in spectacular curls to her waist.

Times up, yelled Maestro in his squeaky voice. We need to leave before dusk.

The carnival folk gathered to form a circle in the middle of the caravans. While waiting for Madame Blanc, they talked about the show and going back to Mount Crystal. Herc wheeled Madame Blanc to the center of the group.

He had not broken into a sweat; he was very fit. Herc had joined the troupe at the bequest of Maestro. Hercule used to be a professional wrestler. Unfortunately, his fate took a turn when he fell on his head. They paired the stunt with another pro wrestler, a good friend of his. The stunt involved Herc being chased up the ladder. Then Herc was to grab onto the ropes and swing away. At that moment, they expected the crowd to burst into joyous squeals. With Herc safely on the ground, the wrestling match was ready to begin.

Needless to say, the stunt went wrong. Herc had fallen ten feet when he didn’t grab the rope. The blow had knocked Herc unconscious. His best friend leaped off the ladder to reach Herc, who had already stopped breathing.

In the ensuing panic to get to Herc, the friend landed awkwardly, and that friend broke his ankle. But that did not stop him. He hobbled over to Herc and performed CPR. The lack of oxygen to Herc’s brain affected, among other things his ability to talk. His thought process slowed down, and he had difficulty following instructions. The wrestling committee released him from his contract shortly after the incident.

Did you put the packages outside the circle? Maestro whispered to Herc.

Huh? replied Herc.

Maestro leaned in close, The coffins.

Oh, nodded Herc slowly.

It's the last straw for those vampires and their broken promises. We cannot cover for them anymore, said Maestro.

Are we ready? Madame Blanc asked.

The crowd shouted in agreement. Madame Blanc asked everyone to hold hands. They should, at the very least, make contact with the person next to them. Just as unicorns, certain carnival folk were handless. They were told to close their eyes. There was whooshing, whizzing, crackling, lightning, thick fog, and a buzzing sound.

If you happen to notice a group of caravans and people in a circle you would surely see them slowly fade away. The carnival, once filled with awe-inspiring acts and delectable foods, is now gone without a trace. Except for two abandoned coffins, there was nothing left. You might find a letter from Maestro if you dared to open one of those coffins, though it's widely known who sleeps inside.

You’re fired!

Chapter 2

The new car whizzed along the lonely road, its engine purring with power. The lane was lined with trees bursting with ripe summer fruits. In the cloudless baby blue sky, the sun shone brightly, illuminating the world below. Two adults sat contentedly in the front seats, enjoying the gentle breeze that flowed through the open windows. While the woman softly commented on the lush greenery, the husband absentmindedly fiddled with the radio station.

An eleven-year-old boy sat silently in the back of the new car. They spoke in barely audible whispers, taking extra care not to disturb their sleeping son. He, however, was wide awake. He had actually been awake for quite some time. This was due to the fact that all his belongings were squished around him in the back seat. He shifted uneasily, trying to find a comfortable position amidst the clutter of books, suitcase, and skateboard.

Teddy, the stuffed bear he had since birth, so his mother often likes to remind him, is nestled between his head and the window of the car, its soft fur providing a comforting touch. The boy thinks he understands how it feels to be a sardine in a sardine tin can.

He was bitterly disappointed with his parents. They were constantly moving. And the worst bit was that they did not give him a moment’s notice. His father had promised hand to heart this was the last move. The boy did not believe him. If he remembered correctly, they had made this promise almost yearly. He wondered what his friends were doing. Were they at the library? Were they skateboarding.? Did Jeff find that rumored empty pool to skate in?

When the family moved, they only ever took the essentials with them. Things that meant the world to them. For the boy, it was Teddy, his books, and his prized possession: a skateboard. Granted, it was secondhand, and he had found it in the trash. After some sanding and wood varnish, the skateboard was as good as new.

The boy sat quietly, deep in thought, pondering on his theories. Was his father a spy like James Bond? Or was he an assassin? It had to be something remarkable as they kept moving. Perhaps they were in the witness protection program. Maybe his father had been a criminal, but he got caught. Turned on his boss and…

Joshie, wake up, honey. We’re almost there, says the mother, tapping on the window to point out the town, they were driving towards.

He pretended to wake up, made a fake yawn, and then rubbed his eyes for added effect.

Jeez, Mom, don’t call me Joshie. I’m like ten years old, said the boy.

Sure, thing Joshua, she said, exaggerating the last word.

Joshua saw his mother glance at his father, and he too was smiling; his father made eye contact with him in the rearview mirror and winked. The boy Josh nodded and looked out the window as the car passed the Welcome to Mount Crystal sign.

This is not like any other city they have stayed in. Moving to a small town was a new experience for them. And there does not seem to be anything remarkable about this place. He noticed a statue of a man on horseback. This is a one-horse kind of town; he mused thinking