Q: What did people say when the first shovel was invented?
A: This is truly ground breaking!
Click here for the PDF file of Chapters 1 to 35.
Andy and the Zodiac Crystal – Chapter 36
“Do you know how long you’ve been gone?!” I said rather excitedly to Chris.
“It’s been about a month right?” Chris said not sounding concerned at all.
“How did you know that? And do you know what I’ve had to go through since almost the day you left?”
“The Council let me know a bunch of things during my visit to them, including the fact that you were ok and that everything was happening as it was meant to back here. But if I was to make a guess, you probably ended up pausing time and it’s still paused right now isn’t it?”
“Yes! And it’s all because of your parents calling my mother when they couldn’t track you down! My mother’s actually downstairs right now in mid-dial to your parents. She saw the mess in your room and immediately thought the worst!”
“You did the right thing Andy. And in a few minutes, you can un-pause time and let things get back to normal.”
“Trust me, I can’t wait to take a shower again!” I said with a chuckle. “So what was that word you spoke to Carl anyway?”
“It’s a self-defense tool that only a Guardian can use and when activated causes pure light to surround the keeper of the dark crystal, rendering it useless and causing them extreme pain.”
“Man, that’s awesome! Any other things you learned that can help defeat Dillard?
“A few, but right now, I need to tell you something far more important.”
“What can be more important than something that’s going to help defeat Dillard?”
“Andy, you can never give up your crystal to him ok? And I mean never!” Chris said sounding almost afraid.
“Chris, you realize I almost did that right? If you hadn’t reappeared when you did, it would have been too late!”
“Well that’s precisely why I returned when I did. The Council let me know the precise moment when you were going to need my help. And it’s a good thing you didn’t finish that statement Andy. It would have had dire consequences, not only for us, but really for the entire planet as well.”
“What? Now you’re just speaking gibberish Chris.”
“Seriously Andy. Without the light crystal in our possession, there is nothing that would be able to stop Carl from ruling the world, which is precisely what he wants to do. Remember Adolph Hitler from our history studies?”
“What about him?”
“You’re probably going to find this hard to believe, but he was an earlier keeper of the dark crystal.”
“No way! Seriously?”
“Yes, I’m dead serious.”
“Well how did Hitler get defeated then? History says it was due to the strength of the Allies overcoming him and his army.”
“Of course that’s what’s going to be recorded in all the history and text books. It’s all they know. But the real truth from what I was told by the Council is that they had to send a number of their Keepers here to turn the tide in the war. I guess it was the closest our world had ever come to being surrounded in total darkness.”
“Holy Crap! That’s crazy!”
“Now do you understand why Carl Dillard wants your crystal so bad Andy?”
“Ten more seconds and he would have had it Chris…” I said sounding extremely concerned.
“I know and I totally get why you wanted to give up the crystal and all this responsibility.”
“Chris, I’m friggin only 12 years old and I’m tasked with the burden of preventing the world from being taken over by another Hitler? Really?” I said a little too sarcastically.
“I know. But it’s not just on you. WE have the responsibility together. You’re not alone Andy and Council wouldn’t have entrusted you with the crystal if they didn’t believe you were the one who was meant to bear it and keep this world safe.”
“Chris this is a lot to take in! Do you know what this past month was like watching everyone remain frozen, eating nothing but junk food, and not being able to do things like use a toilet, a shower, or anything electric? I haven’t been able to talk to anyone or even seen my father or sister because they weren’t home when I paused time! Being a Keeper hasn’t been much fun for me lately dude and honestly, I’ve never felt so lonely in my entire life as I did this past month. I think that’s why it was so easy for Carl to convince me that it really wasn’t worth being one anymore.”
I was pretty upset and extremely overwhelmed with the news Chris had just thrown on me. Life as a Keeper was no longer feeling very pleasurable. While it had originally been the best thing to ever happen to me, especially since it brought Chris into my life, it had rapidly turned into a curse of sorts. And I was actually beginning to resent having the crystal at all.
“Andy, I get it. But that’s why you’re the keeper of the light crystal and Carl the dark. It’s in his nature to live in the shadows, to be manipulative, to control those around him and to spread nothing but more darkness. But you’re not that way. You have a good heart and care about people, about nature, and do your best to bring light into the world.”
“I guess I’m a little scared right now Chris. This really is a lot to process.” I said somewhat dejectedly. “Anyway, so does all this mean that Carl Dillard is somehow related to Hitler?”
“All I know is that there was a connection on Dillard’s father’s side to him.”
“Man. I’m finding it really hard to believe all this…”
“I know. I couldn’t believe it myself when the Council told me.”
“So where do we go from here then Chris?”
“Well how about for starters we deactivate the Libra ability?”
“That’s fine, but I need to get back downstairs first, as I’m sure it will look kind of weird if my mother doesn’t see me standing in front of her once time resumes.”
“Yeah, that would probably be the smart thing to do.”
“Hey Chris know she thinks you might have been taken by somebody right?”
“You mean like kidnapped?”
“Yeah, she really never got over my own three-year disappearance and I’m sure that’s why she’s freaking out right now so much about you.”
“Does she still think you were kidnapped during all that time?”
“Chris, that’s what everyone still thinks. And they believe I’m too traumatized to tell the truth as to what really happened to me.”
“Man, if they only knew…” Chris said shaking his head.
“Yeah, tell me about it…” I said wishing I really could tell everyone the truth. But I was grateful that at least Chris and my sister knew.
“Alright, well let’s go downstairs and get ready to deactivate Libra. I’m going to go outside and come in the front door right when you do.”
“Wait so what are you going to tell everyone about where you were?”
“Well, for once, I’m going to have to make something up…”
“What!!! Stop the presses. You mean you’re going to lie! Holy moly! Hell is going to freeze over!!!” I said laughing, feeling slightly relieved of some of the tension.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Chris said with a grin as we started to head downstairs.
I was really glad I wasn’t alone in my responsibility of somehow keeping this world safe. Although it was pretty strange to think two twelve year olds were actually in possession of something that could turn the whole world upside down if it fell into the wrong hands.
I had just reached the kitchen where my mother was still standing in mid-dial, cordless phone in hand and I couldn’t wait to give her a big hug, one that she would now be able respond to. I looked down the hallway and saw Chris giving me the thumbs up letting me know he was ready.
“Libra!” I said with anxious anticipation of the return of a little more normalcy.
WHOOSH.
Chris quickly walked in the door and closed it rather loudly to indicate his presence. And just as my mother was finishing dialing the number to his parents, she looked down the hallway and saw him heading towards us.
Before she had a chance to say anything to him, I immediately hugged her, as I was so grateful to finally see her “alive” again. A few tears then fell from her eyes, most likely because she knew Chris was safe now. Little did she know though just how unsafe she and the rest of the world really were and how her own son and his best friend were somehow the chosen ones to protect them all…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
