The Uncanny Tales of Crush & Pound 1 Read online

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  Back in the room, Dr. Tatum retrieved a wooden staff from her suitcase and held it out in front of her for Sherry to observe. “This is the Staff of Helios. It’s not ancient Greek, however, it’s been named that because of what it can do. This!” she exclaimed as she brought one end of the staff down on the floor. The staff burst out in a blinding light, and Sherry fell backwards, shielding her eyes with her hands. Dr. Tatum, however, was unaffected.

  “What is that!” Sherry exclaimed.

  “This is one of the many artifacts that have been uncovered by our organization over the years,” explained Dr. Tatum as the light died out. “Crush found it on a mountaintop in the Middle East. There were no instructions included however, and we don’t know the full extent of its abilities. After playing with it for several hours, I’ve only been able to make the light burst from it. The one who holds the staff only sees a less intense illumination, like a candle to light the way. Everyone else sees a light source with an intensity comparable to the sun. At least that has been my experience.” Dr. Tatum handed the Staff to Sherry.

  “You want me to use that? What about Detective Jackson?”

  Until the dinner conversation, Dr. Tatum had no reason to worry about using the staff. Now, there was reason for concern. “Only use it as a last resort,” she reassured her.

  Sherry struck down once with the Staff in practice, and the sunburst crowded the hotel room. After several minutes had passed, the light had not reduced in intensity, and Dr. Tatum realized that Sherry had a special connection with the talisman that no one else in the Department had shown. Intuitively and without instruction, Sherry struck the end back down to the floor, and the light dissipated on cue. Several more iterations passed, and Sherry was as confident with the tool as if she had been born with it.

  “She has a knack with that Staff,” thought Dr. Tatum. “I hope she can unlock its potential.”

  **********

  As they approached the stakeout, Dr. Tatum and Detective Jackson parked at one end of the lot, while Sherry and Mary were expected to park at the other end of the lot when they arrived ten minutes later. “Remember if Sherry uses the magic, the staff will harm you, Jackson. Just repeat what you did last night so that there is no need to use it. Otherwise, if you delay, you may be in serious danger.”

  “Thanks, Tatum. Let me know ahead of time if you get any more bright ideas,” he said with a wink and a nod, and then disappeared into the night.

  “That still creeps me out,” she said to herself as she crept out to the far side of the overlook and into the shadows. Despite being in the Smoky Mountains, every star was shining bright in the sky that night, and part of her wished that this was only a vacation. No missing person, no investigation, only the peace of a starry night. Headlights appeared from around the last curve, and the micro vacation was over. Mary’s car parked in the planned location, and seconds later, Sherry disguised as Mary ventured out and stood on the overlook, patiently considering the darkness in the distance and awaiting her fate. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes to hours, and still no sign of the beasts.

  At 1:15 a.m., Dr. Tatum leaned against the trunk of a large oak tree at the perimeter and closed her eyes for only a moment. Then a growl penetrated the darkness, waking her from a dream and bringing her back to reality. Three beasts with glowing red eyes converged on Sherry ever so quietly as she sat on the ground rubbing her arms to break the night chill. Closer and closer they crept, but still Sherry did not seem to take notice. Dr. Tatum feared that maybe she was also on the edge of a dream, but finally Sherry caught sight of the red glimmer from a set of the glowing eyes. Quickly she rose, turned her back to the sheer cliff, and lifted the enchanted staff to the sky with both hands, ready to fill the night sky with an explosion of magical light. Then Detective Jackson appeared from the darkness in the same enigmatic manner as he had the night before, streaking to Sherry’s rescue with his mysterious abilities. Dr. Tatum suddenly felt a twinge of fear and apprehension, as the night sky turned black behind Sherry, as if all the stars were swallowed whole by some unforeseen force. As if time stood still, Assistant Agent Sherry Lance and Detective Bat Jackson were consumed by the smothering darkness, leaving the three beasts behind to scatter back into the shadows of the night. The darkness slowly drifted to the forest cover where Dr. Tatum was concealed, and an evil whisper riding upon the wind blew forth a message.

  “Payment was due of Senator Fromage. Where are the crows to help you now, friend of Crush?” Then the darkness twisted and crept its way over the mountains, vanishing past the peaks out of sight.

  Tears streamed down Dr. Tatum’s cheeks as she struggled to grasp what had just transpired. One minute two investigators were there, and next minute they were gone. Wiping the tears from her eyes she snuck out to the overlook and felt the earth in the dark for any clues she could find: temperature changes, humidity, residues of any kind. There was nothing.

  And where was Mary! Frantically, Dr. Tatum sprinted to the car and lifted the handle, but the door was locked. With her open palms she slapped the windows, and a sleepy face rose from the back seat. Rubbing her eyes Mary opened the car door, slipped out, and stretched her hands high in the air.

  “What’s wrong?” she yawned.

  “You mean you been asleep! You didn’t see what just happened?!”

  “No . . . where’s Sherry?”

  Dr. Tatum’s heart sank at the realization that not only had her newest agent and an accompanying private detective disappeared mystifyingly, but she was now the sole witness. “They’re gone. Just vanished, Mary . . . we’re going to have to contact your father.” Dr. Tatum slid down the side of the car onto the ground and began making calls.

  **********

  Two weeks later the new cases had begun to pile up on Dr. Tatum’s desk, and she sat back in her chair, staring thoughtfully at the popcorn ceiling. She drew in a deep breath as she leaned forward to snatch the top folder from the stack. After reading the first few lines of the cover page, she placed it back down on the desk and gently closed it before she could take in anymore. Then she headed out of the office and down the hallway to the cubicles where Crush, Pound, and Seth were waiting for guidance on the next assignments.

  “You all right, Doc?” asks Crush.

  “Yes, I’m fine, thanks,” she said as she leaned against the top of the cubicle with her chin rested on her fingers. She looked as if she had more to say but was not able to put the words together.

  “You know, Doc, you called my last assignment perfectly. I was wrong to give you a hard time about it,” apologized Pound. “I just wanted you to know that.”

  “Thanks, Pound,” she replied.

  “That stack of cases is growing, and I’m ready to knock one out for you. Do you feel like looking through them with me?” asked Crush.

  “Oh, . . . sure, sure. Come on back,” she replied and motioned for him to follow.

  “Hey, I’m coming, too,” said Pound, and he thumped Seth in the arm as he walked by.

  “Oh, yeah. Me, too,” agreed Seth.

  All three agents crowded in her office and started sorting the jobs one after another by location, and each made suggestions about the places they might like to go. Within a few minutes, each one had a new assignment and a plan for the week ahead. When Pound and Seth had taken an assignment folder and left, Crush lingered in the office with Dr. Tatum for a few minutes longer.

  “Doc, that was a brave thing you did taking that case. Not just anyone would have taken such a high profile case. We’ll find Sherry, you’ll see.”

  “You were there for a week afterwards, and no traces of her or Jackson turned up,” she replied as she sheepishly stared at the floor.

  “Trust me about a couple of things. The Senator will turn down the heat on us, and that demon will turn up again. I still say the Senator’s involvement is deeper than he’s let on. Haven’t met many polit
icians that weren’t hiding something.” Crush then placed his hand on her shoulder and said, “You’re a good leader. Don’t forget it.” Breaking the moment, Crush left her to her thoughts, whistling down the hallway back to his cubicle.

  Alone, Dr. Tatum placed the new cases in the respective slots for each of her agents, and then she picked up her phone and returned the call from Human Resources that she had been avoiding for a week. “Yes, this is Theresa Tatum. I read through the resume, Linda, and I think you should send the candidate in for a meeting with my group next week. Friday morning will be fine. Okay, thank you,” she said as she hung up the phone. Wiping the tear from her cheek, she walked with purpose out of the office, leaving the past behind.

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  Next Issue

  Hold on tight as our heroes investigate the mysteries of a sinister sawmill and the murders in a National Park! And check in next time to find out what happens to Sherry and Bat in their adventure into the darkness!!

  About the Author

  Christopher Carter is an engineer by day, and transforms into a writer and artist by night. He lives with his wife and cat in central North Carolina.