peering again at the book with great interest. Colin held the book closer, afraid for a moment he might want it again.
90
Jae laughed smugly.
“Don’t worry. I have no need of that book, although, it did help us out of quite a jam.”
“So that is our short and sweet story, how about yours?” grilled Meghan.
Jae took a deep breath and started.
“First, you have to understand that for the safety of my people, there is a lot I cannot tell you, and for your own safety, there are some things you cannot know.” Jae’s severe tone caught Meghan and Colin off guard.
“Can you at least tell us who you are, and what those horrific creatures are?”
“Those creatures, they are called Scratchers. And I hope after I leave, they will not decide to come back.” Colin interrupted then.
“You mean they might come back, later?”
“Yes, maybe no. The Scratchers hunt and kill my people.
Sometimes we do not see them for months, and then sometimes, far too often.”
“Those things are hunting you all the time?” reiterated Colin.
“Yes,” Jae answered.
Meghan and Colin linked their minds to discuss this news without talking aloud to Jae.
“Do you think we should tell him about what we saw earlier tonight, Col? It was the reason we were trying to find them after all?”
“Maybe it could help them,” Colin thought back. “If those things are hunting them all the time, it sounds like they need all the help they can get!”
91
“Jae, we have something to tell you,” started Meghan nervously. “Maybe this will help, or, maybe we were just really, really stupid and should not have followed you.” Jae leaned forward, intrigued by what they had to say.
“The reason we were there tonight was that we were trying to warn you. We followed a couple of your…
people, into the woods earlier in the evening, yeah-yeah, bad idea,” she saw a look of are you crazy on his face.
“Besides that point,” she continued. “We ended up at the tree and those Scratchers arrived. We hid… in the tree.”
“They were there, hours before?” cried out Jae in disbelief.
“Yes,” answered Colin.
“How could they have known where we were heading?” Jae’s face pondered the question, gravely.
“Anyway,” said Meghan, continuing. “We were stuck in the tree, confused as heck, and then someone else arrived.
It looked like a person, but it was impossible to see for sure since their voice was distorted and they hid under a dark cloak.”
“It’s true then! There is a Scratchman,” Jae said angrily, but not explaining further. He stood up and began pacing.
“This is so unbelievable.”
“Why do they hunt you?” asked Colin, boldly.
“Why? Many reasons I guess.” It was clear he did not want to discuss why. “The most confusing part is that somehow, they always know where we are and where we are headed.” Jae looked at the twins, cautiously.
“How do I explain so it makes sense? You see, when I met you and said we travel a lot, this is true. What I left out is that we rarely travel here, in this reality, even though this is the world we are originally from.” 92
The twins looked perplexed.
“We travel through doorways to other realities,” he continued. “You might think of them as other realms or dimensions. The thing is, these doorways are said to be secure and closed, before and after we use them. It is a mystery as to how the Scratchers always track us down.
Sometimes, like today, there will be just two. But other times there are more, many more.”
“You mean there are more of them?” Colin’s voice dropped and he sank into the sofa.
“Oh, yes. A lot more.”
“Wait! Hold up a sec! I am still trying to understand this world travel thingy,” said Meghan.
Jae explained again.
“There are doorways to other worlds, other realms, dimensions, realities… whatever you want to call it. You simply need the right key to open the door.”
“I believe it!” exclaimed Colin. “It is just
90
Jae laughed smugly.
“Don’t worry. I have no need of that book, although, it did help us out of quite a jam.”
“So that is our short and sweet story, how about yours?” grilled Meghan.
Jae took a deep breath and started.
“First, you have to understand that for the safety of my people, there is a lot I cannot tell you, and for your own safety, there are some things you cannot know.” Jae’s severe tone caught Meghan and Colin off guard.
“Can you at least tell us who you are, and what those horrific creatures are?”
“Those creatures, they are called Scratchers. And I hope after I leave, they will not decide to come back.” Colin interrupted then.
“You mean they might come back, later?”
“Yes, maybe no. The Scratchers hunt and kill my people.
Sometimes we do not see them for months, and then sometimes, far too often.”
“Those things are hunting you all the time?” reiterated Colin.
“Yes,” Jae answered.
Meghan and Colin linked their minds to discuss this news without talking aloud to Jae.
“Do you think we should tell him about what we saw earlier tonight, Col? It was the reason we were trying to find them after all?”
“Maybe it could help them,” Colin thought back. “If those things are hunting them all the time, it sounds like they need all the help they can get!”
91
“Jae, we have something to tell you,” started Meghan nervously. “Maybe this will help, or, maybe we were just really, really stupid and should not have followed you.” Jae leaned forward, intrigued by what they had to say.
“The reason we were there tonight was that we were trying to warn you. We followed a couple of your…
people, into the woods earlier in the evening, yeah-yeah, bad idea,” she saw a look of are you crazy on his face.
“Besides that point,” she continued. “We ended up at the tree and those Scratchers arrived. We hid… in the tree.”
“They were there, hours before?” cried out Jae in disbelief.
“Yes,” answered Colin.
“How could they have known where we were heading?” Jae’s face pondered the question, gravely.
“Anyway,” said Meghan, continuing. “We were stuck in the tree, confused as heck, and then someone else arrived.
It looked like a person, but it was impossible to see for sure since their voice was distorted and they hid under a dark cloak.”
“It’s true then! There is a Scratchman,” Jae said angrily, but not explaining further. He stood up and began pacing.
“This is so unbelievable.”
“Why do they hunt you?” asked Colin, boldly.
“Why? Many reasons I guess.” It was clear he did not want to discuss why. “The most confusing part is that somehow, they always know where we are and where we are headed.” Jae looked at the twins, cautiously.
“How do I explain so it makes sense? You see, when I met you and said we travel a lot, this is true. What I left out is that we rarely travel here, in this reality, even though this is the world we are originally from.” 92
The twins looked perplexed.
“We travel through doorways to other realities,” he continued. “You might think of them as other realms or dimensions. The thing is, these doorways are said to be secure and closed, before and after we use them. It is a mystery as to how the Scratchers always track us down.
Sometimes, like today, there will be just two. But other times there are more, many more.”
“You mean there are more of them?” Colin’s voice dropped and he sank into the sofa.
“Oh, yes. A lot more.”
“Wait! Hold up a sec! I am still trying to understand this world travel thingy,” said Meghan.
Jae explained again.
“There are doorways to other worlds, other realms, dimensions, realities… whatever you want to call it. You simply need the right key to open the door.”
“I believe it!” exclaimed Colin. “It is just
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