The Ghost of Dome Rock Road

An Arrival with Destiny

"Ok. Let us go over this one more time," the old man told his companions. "First, try your best to keep your minds clear of negative thoughts. The evil spirit will try to use those thoughts against you and make you believe he has power over you." Bud squirmed in his seat, thinking it may be tough to turn off the negative thoughts that still seemed to race through his mind. He remembered the calming technique the old man taught him and decided this would be an excellent time to test it out. "Young one. When we get closer, reach out to your father. Tell him that he should look for the one that wears the glowing necklace. When he sees that. Quickly, he should go to him," the old man said, pointing to Bud.

"Are you sure you want me to wait in the car?" Jessie asked. "Yes. If something goes wrong, you should call the authorities," the old man replied. Bud looked at Jesse and grinned, "Yeah. Good luck explaining what we're doing up here in the first place." Jessie shook his head in response. "Mr. Willis, I'm not sure how to call upon my ancestor's spirit. I've only done it when I'm dreaming. Are you sure this will work?" Danny asked. "Yes, Danny. You will find a path to contact the sympathetic spirits if you look deep inside. Their presence will help us even the odds," the old man said.

"At the end of the cavern, a large open-pit there is. That is a gate to the underworld from which the evil spirit came. It feels comfortable staying close to the gate, but it does not want to get too close - else it might fall back into the underworld from which it came. Then it would not be able to return to the world it enjoys now." The old man turned to Bud. "Your job Mr. G is vital! The evil spirit fears you for some reason, so the young one's father summoned you in a dream." "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it. My job is to be like bait and lure the spirit away from Lizzy's father," said Bud.

"Tell me again, what's so special about your cane, Yawaka?" Lizzy asked. The old man smiled. "I have had this cane for many, many years. It used to steady me on the long walks I would take in the wilderness. The cane has always been with me for the many healing ceremonies. A bit of the essence from each person I have helped over the years has been stored inside this cane." "So, this cane, along with the power of the good spirits young Danny will summon, will push the evil spirit into the pit. It will not want to be touched by this cane, much like the stories of vampires who do not want to be touched by holy water." The old man held the cane, gripping it tightly. "At least that is what my plan is. Hopefully, everything will go as planned, and your father will be released into the afterlife."

Bud and Danny have small backpacks that hold water, flashlights, and some snacks. It's still well before midday, and prodigious thunderheads have built up. It's good in that it keeps the heat down but is dangerous because heavy downpours often produce flash flooding without warning. This can be especially hazardous in underground passages like the one they are heading. There's no cell phone service here, but Jessie has the satellite phone the newspaper provided him when he frequently reported in remote areas. "Be careful, you guys," Jessie shouted as the others trudged their way up a rocky pathway. Soon they disappeared behind a hillside.

As they arrived at the entrance to the cavern, a pack of rather large coyotes was pacing back and forth. The canines started howling and growling. They're menacing-looking with fiery red eyes and large fangs that appear to be dripping some sort of foamy goo from their jowls. "Be careful! They look rabid," Bud shouted. "Rabid with fear and terror," the old man said calmly as he walked toward the pack and raised his cane high over his head. Then he recited some sort of incantation. A loud bang, like thunder, seemed to come out of the tip of the cane. The noise frightened the coyotes who made a beeline for the hills.

An intense, warm, humid rush of wind billowed out of the cavern opening and rushed by them. The smell was awful. Danny and Lizzy recognized it instantly from that night out near the Interstate. "He's in there. Oh yeah! He's in there," Danny said. "My Dad too," Lizzy said. "I think I was able to let him know we're here." "Let us go," said the old man. "Remember what we spoke about." They grabbed their flashlights, fired them up, and entered the darkness.