Macey's Missing: Taber Blood II

Chapter 3

The weeks went by without incident. David believed it a warning. Jared's appearance changed or, in Brenda's opinion, improved. The muscular definition seemed magical, similar to Eddie's transformation as the beast. They considered it a spell or curse that made Jared's new physique possible. But, the idea didn't make sense since an enemy wouldn't curse Jared to be stronger unless Sarah was behind the phenomenon. Speaking of Sarah, none of them understood why the ghost of her hadn't returned. They hoped she was with Macey, and neither was alone in the underworld. Jared wondered what it was like in the underworld. Was it dark and creepy or delusional like the alternate world the witch created? The latter is the worst-case scenario. It is cruel to trick people into remaining in parallel existence with their departed loved ones. If it weren't for David's ability to distinguish reality from fiction, they'd all be living under the witch's spell in a separate realm. 

"Jared, you up there?"

Jared blinked and gazed around the attic. He's spent most of his time there, writing and thinking. The attic is where his mother and father fell in love. Being there brought him closer to his parents. 

"Jared?"

Brenda reached the top of the attic stairs, "There you are. We're ready to interview the applicants." Brenda's mother, Roxanna, wasted no time posting the job for a new butler. They needed someone to run the house while they continued exploring portals and fighting demons. 

Jared put his journal aside, "We haven't had a new butler since mom disappeared." 

"We better choose a good one then," Brenda held Jared by the shoulders, which is a bit of a stretch of her arms with Jared's broadness. "Your muscles are growing. Like superfast." 

Jared gazed down at himself, "Brenda, I don't know what's happening to me. I'm scared. The massive muscle growth is unreal." 

"Whatever it is, it has Eddie's beast side on alert, so you'll be fine. We are all here," Brenda said.

"I'm not worried about myself, Brenda." Jared leaned on an old dresser that belonged to his grandfather. "Brenda, when I was a kid, I talked to the dead. It's how I met my grandfather, Elijah." Jared laughed, "I guess you could say I've always been weird," he said and faced Brenda. 

"You're not weird, so stop sounding like your giving up. Everything is happening for a reason," Brenda said. Her impulse led her straight into Jared's arms. They stood there, neither knowing what move to make next, a strange noise came from downstairs. "What was that?" Brenda said as she let go of Jared. 

"It's downstairs," Jared said just before a loud crash that sent him running downstairs in a flash. 

Brenda stood there, "Jared?" A second ago, she and Jared were in each other's arms. Jared moved with a speed she never thought humanly possible. Left alone in the attic, she asked, "How?" Another crash came from the lower level, perhaps the foyer. It sounded like a scuffle. Brenda rushed down the stairs, but the hall was empty. She heard her mother's voice and sprinted to the library. Inside the tree, branches swayed in stormy weather. But it wasn't storming. That is the magic of the tree. The first impression people have is that the hand-painted tree shimmers as they move from one side of the room to the other. It has become a tourist attraction when Jared throws parties at the mansion. The family knows the tree comes alive when demons pass through. Brenda, watching the branches, knew they had a visitor from the underworld.

Jared, Roxanna, and Eddie faced the tree. Between them, Brenda saw a young boy struggling to get through the portal. "Is that a demon?"

Something pulled the boy back into the tree. He managed to grab a branch to pull himself back out to say, "Macey is alive," something snatched him back into the underworld. 

Jared followed. 

"What's going on?" David said from the doorway. 

Eddie pushed on the tree, searching for an opening, "Jared went through the portal." 

David joined Eddie, "How did he get through? We haven't been fast enough to enter before it closes."

Roxanna shoved both Eddie and David aside, "Who cares. How do we get him back?"

"He'll come back on his own," Brenda said with teary eyes. All eyes were on her as she explained, "Jared has superspeed powers. He moves so fast, and it's like he disappears."

David faced Brenda, "How do you know?"

"He just did it right in front of me. That's not all. Jared knows things about me he shouldn't or couldn't know unless he was with me."

"What do you mean?"

"He knew my dentist found two cavities. But he wasn't at my appointment. That's not all. Jared saw me dump soda on a classmate's lap and knew I got a hundred percent on my test. He thought he could read my mind. But now I know the truth." 

"Jared was there for each event," David said. 

Roxanna burst between Brenda and David and grabbed her candles, "You going to talk all day or help me get Jared back." It wasn't a question. She lit the candles. "When the portal opens, we are going to the other side."  

Eddie, David, and Brenda watched as Roxanna prepared a spell. But all three knew the portal would open when something from the underworld comes through, not vice versa. They've failed every attempt to get through the tree, which is why they search for other portals. But, there was no stopping Roxanna from trying. She'd spend weeks in the library before realizing the truth. 

"Roxanna, we can't get through. We've tried many times with no success," Eddie said. 

Roxanna snapped back, "That was before Jared got through."

David grabbed Eddie's arm and shook his head at him. "Let her try. I'm afraid it's all we have." He whipped his head around and faced the tree. "Did you see that?" 

"Something is coming," Eddie turned beast. His instinct is faultless. 

Jared burst through the tree and smacked into Roxanna, landing on top of her body. He shook his head and got to his knees before he realized he had knocked Roxanna out. "Roxanna?" 

"Let me get to her," David said. 

Jared stood and backed away and soon met with Brenda hugging him at the waist. 

"My head," Roxanna said. 

"Take it easy," David turned toward Jared, wondering if he was the real Jared and not some demon posing as him. 

Eddie's beast side hovered beneath the surface. He, too, wondered about Jared.

"I'm sorry, Roxanna," Jared held Brenda by her arms and pushed her away. "Didn't you try and save me?"

"Of course we did. Mom was making a spell." 

"Making a spell? I've been gone for weeks!" Jared couldn't hold his tears back. 

"You were gone no more than five minutes," David said. Both he and Eddie relaxed, knowing the real Jared was in front of them, eliminating the threat of another demon. 

David assessed Roxanna's head and determined she'd be ok. "Did you find the boy?"

"No, like I said. I suffered for weeks," Jared balled his fist. It seemed no one listened. 

David appeared in Jared's face, "The boy said Macey is alive. Did you see Macey? Is she alive?"

"I didn't see the boy. Ok?" 

Brenda stood back and watched with hurt feelings. Jared had pushed her away. No one else paid attention or realized it was a moment of truth for Brenda. She and Jared will not be together as a couple. The time came to let go of fantasies. While Brenda stood there, devastated, she saw Eddie struggling with his beast side, "Hey," she said, "Let's go get some air." She took Eddie by the arm and led him out of the library, leaving the others behind. 

Jared watched Brenda leave with Eddie confirming his belief none of them had tried to save him. How could they? He spent weeks yelling for them from a cold a dark place.