Tommy and the Monster

Chapter Eleven

 The trees covered most of their view of the sky, but it was all clouds and no sun, with the possibility of more rain. Still, they went out to the forest that day.

 Simone was true to her word. She and Roy told Mark the story, who was obviously skeptical, but he agreed to help, anyway. He got together their friends Coen, Issac, Rob and Arien. It took some convincing where they were concerned, but they all agreed to out together as a search party. And then there was Oliver, the young man who made no secret of his admiration for Simone, despite the fact that she continued to show no romantic interest in him. 

 "You know he's only coming to impress Simone, don't you?" Coen asked Mark.

 "Of course I do," he answered, "But we could use another man with us. A man who disappears the way Karevik isn't something to be taken too lightly."

 No one was all that impressed when Roy when led them to the place where the past had been and found there was nothing there.

 "Perhaps we need to go further in," Simone suggested. "A hidden castle isn't going to be next to the main road."

 "You sure about that?" Issac asked. "It doesn't look like there's much there."

 "Well, if there were a castle," said Mark, "It would be hidden by all the trees. Of course we have to go further in. You lead the way, Khan, if you think you know where to go."

 The search party trekked further away from the main road, calling Tommy's name as they went.

 "You're sure this was the place, Khan?" Mark asked.

 "I'm sure of it," Roy answered. "There was a path here when Tommy and I came."

 "And if it was here then, why wouldn't it be here now?" Oliver asked, eyeing him skeptically.

 "Oh, shut it, Ol," said Issac."If Karevik really did get kidnapped, the decent thing for us to do would be to rescue him."

 After some debate, they decided to go back the main road and look in some other spots in case they were in the wrong place, though Roy continued to insist that this was the place. They did some riding around for a while, but found nothing. Eventually, they found themselves back in the same place.

 "Maybe we ought to go home for today," Rob suggested, looking up at the sky. "I think it's going to rain."

 "We can't go yet," Simone protested. "I told Roy I would help him find his brother."

 "Simone," Oliver gently touched her shoulder, "I know you're trying to do good by helping him look for his brother. But nothing he says makes sense. There was a castle, but it's not here. Karevik's disappearance might not have been kidnapping; he could have simply left."

 "Are you suggesting that Roy convinced himself his brother was kidnapped?" she asked.

 "I doubt that's it," Mark said. "He doesn't have the look of a madman. He's always been honest, so I doubt he's lying about this."

 "Are any of you coming with me?" Roy called. "If not, I'll just go alone. Perhaps I can prove that I didn't convince myself Tommy was kidnapped."

 "Oh, Roy, wait," Simone said, hurrying after him. "He didn't mean-"

 "Hey, Khan!"

 Roy looked up at the man riding down, recognizing his neighbor. "Thomas! What are you doing out here?"

 "Looking for you," he answered, coming down from his horse. "You think I haven't seen you coming out here every day? I certainly noticed you all today. Can someone tell me what's happening here?"

 "We're looking Roy's brother, sir," Simone said. "He was...kidnapped by a monster who lives in a castle, somewhere that way."

 Thomas raised his eyebrows. "Well, I don't know about a monster, but someone did used to live in a castle out here."

 "Really?" Roy asked. "Who was it?"

 "A noblewoman. Lady Floor Jansen. No one really remembers her these days. I was just a lad myself, but I remember the stories about her. To say she was cruel may not be quite exact, but she was cold and unfeeling. She could be quite vain, as well. To be honest, she wasn't a good person, and hardly anyone liked her."

 "What happened to her?" Simone asked.

 "I don't think anyone knows for certain. She simply vanished, and soon enough most people forgot about her. I wouldn't be surprised if she somehow got herself turned into a literal monster."

 The group listened with close attention. None of them had ever heard of the woman before, with all the stories going around. Roy turned back to the forest and said, "You know, I thought like a woman. It could be her. But why did she want Tommy? Why him?"

 "I couldn't say," Thomas replied. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Khan. Come on, I think you need to go home. It's starting to rain, anyway. Simone, you father's looking for you. He told me he hadn't seen you for hours. As for the rest of you, I suggest you also go home."

 "Do you think she would kill him?" Roy asked. "She wouldn't, would she?"

 "Well, far as I know, she never had anyone executed. So long as he doesn't cause any trouble, I think Tommy should be getting on well enough by himself. I know that man, and he's certainly not faint-hearted."