�One�two�three!�
Kaden boosted Justin out of the underground society room. Justin met up with Joey and Michael in the chapel. Kaden floated beside them.
�We have to travel to the beach fast.�
�Where�s that?�
�To the northwest. Follow me.�
Cool night air and freezing raindrops drenched their skin as they weaved through the graveyard. Kaden halted. �Something�s wrong.�
Sure enough, familiar howls resounded across the cemetery. The rain gradually stopped. 6 Lost Souls appeared in the mist.
Kaden whirled to face the petrified guys. �There�s a traitor amongst you!� He said angrily.
Joey knew it wasn�t Justin. So�
Michael!
Justin suddenly tackled Michael and twisted his arm behind his back. �You! It�s you! You�re the suspicious stranger!�
Joey snapped his fingers. Of course! How can a man survive this kind of life and live underground for 6 years?
�There�s no way anybody can live underground for 6 years,� Justin continued.
Joey frowned. �J, who told you that?�
�I-didn�t-tell-him,� Michael gasped.
�Um�um�you said�� Justin stammered.
Kaden kicked him off of Michael. �That�s because �Justin� here is able to read minds!�
�He can�t read minds!�
�No,� Kaden conceded furiously, �But a demon can.�
Michael�s eyes narrowed. Joey�s mouth dropped open. �No way!�
Justin grinned evilly. �Who�s gonna stop me now? I�ve got you all exactly where I want you.�
Justin�s features dissolved, replaced by that of a sinister creature�s. 7 ft tall. Pale white skin. Hard chiseled facial bones. Glowing red eyes. Long claws for fingernails. Gleaming fangs surrounded by thin lips.
�Welcome to my territory,� he greeted snidely, �I am Kujaur, the Dark Lord, far superior to the Master.�
Michael and Joey shrieked. Michael fired 4 rounds into Kujaur. The bullets passed effortlessly through him. Kujaur chuckled. �Is that the best you�ve got?�
A white-hot laser beam shot out of his palm. Kaden, Joey, and Michael slammed into a gnarled oak.
�I never cease to marvel at how easy it is to fool humans. 2 Lost Souls and I cornered the real Justin after he pulled out of the water. We knocked him unconscious, dragged him to my mansion, locked him in the study, and returned to the river. When I sensed Joey and Michael�s arrival, I transformed myself to Justin�s likeness. My minions and I staged the attempted murder scene just to lure you in. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!�
�Run!� Joey shouted. Kaden vanished. Joey and Michael sprinted out of the cemetery. �The beach is to the northwest!�
�After those idiots!� Kujaur ordered. The 6 beasts gleefully began the chase, whipping around trees and disappearing into the night.
***
Joey�s legs ached so bad his toes grew numb, but he increased his running speed down the beach. With every burning beat of his heart, he knew the Lost Souls were a step closer. Michael dashed ahead, splashing through tiny waves.
The gloomy mansion loomed above in the distance. Several windows, including the left tower, were lit. Faint screams and crashes echoed from the structure.
Joey recognized the screams. Lance!
Michael reached the cliff and frantically climbed the stairway built behind the rocks. Joey followed him.
Claws pulled at Joey�s robe. Joey struggled with the Lost Soul that threatened to send him hurdling down while Michael dashed to the rescue.
He secured the monster by its shoulders. �Take off your robe!� Joey fumbled with the ties and ripped his arms out of the sleeves, revealing his shirt and jeans. Michael punched the Lost Soul square in the nose and continued moving.
They pushed each other through the house�s front doors�and stumbled into the unknown.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Books. Thousands of books. They lined the walls stacked on bookshelves. The study itself presented a musty odor, the kind of stale air pinned inside a tightly enclosed space for hundreds of years.
Scratchy metal penetrated coolness against Justin�s left temple. His eyelids fluttered. He groaned and straightened his sore back. Something had propped him in a chair behind an iron desk.
Am I in somebody�s study?
Justin�s whole body hurt. His tongue felt like dry cotton and stuck to the roof of his mouth.
What�s happening?
In an instant, memories came flooding back. Justin remembered.
�I�ve gotta bust!�
He forced himself to stand. �Where is the door?�
He didn�t see one, but common sense told him even if he did, great precautions would�ve been made for security.
Justin almost moved, except a blood-curling screech froze his muscles.
�That sounded like Lance,� he choked. Gosh I hope I�m wrong.
How will I get out of here? I�ve gotta save him! Deep down, Justin realized that simply breaking out was a near impossible task, let alone playing the big hero. Failure caved in, and he began to cry.