“Precious, hurry up. Your faraway Grandpa and Grandma will be here to pick you up soon,” said her mother firmly, as Precious rushed about packing her things, preparing to spend the last part of summer at the new lake cabin.

 

Beep, beep…

“They’re here,” yelled her mom.

“I’m coming,” said Precious eagerly, grabbing more than she could carry, running out of the house; not really even saying good-bye to her mother and siblings.

“Bye, bye, bye, oh and bye, I’ve got to go before they leave without me,” she said excitedly, running out of the house and jumping into the car, ready to meet new friends and any new adventure that might come her way at the lake cabin.

On the way there, she sat in the back with Zoe. She played with her tablet with the headphones plugged in, as if her brainpower were supplying the energy to it. “How much longer?” she asked, knowing very well that she couldn’t hear the answer. She knew it was what she was supposed to ask to make the trip a memorable one for her grandparents.

“Two hours more, and we’ll be there,” said Grandma, looking back at her.

Precious gave no reply, still petting Zoe. “Ok,” she said, still looking at her tablet, never hearing the answer to begin with.

“Hun, should we tell Precious about the strange things happening in the town, and all the pets gone missing?” asked Grandma.

“They’re all just rumors. Have her stick close to the cabin and things will be fine.” said Grandpa.

After some time had passed, Precious looked up for a moment. “We’re here at Thirteen Shadow Lane in Antigua, Precious….Precious?” said Grandma. “Honey, she’s deaf with those headphones on.”

They pulled up and started unpacking the car, as Precious sat in the back oblivious to what was going on around her, as if the tablet had become a physical part of her.

“Hey, hey, we’re here, are you coming?” asked Grandpa, pulling the headphones off her ears. “Hello, Earth calling Precious… I’m going to keep these. You’re going to miss everything, being glued to your tablet this month, Come Zoe” he said, walking to the other side of the car to get the rest of her things, as Zoe jumped out.

“But… Grandpa,” she said, crossing her arms, being pouty.

“Now… go find something to do that doesn’t involve batteries, and take Zoe with you,” said Grandpa, walking into the cabin with her tablet under one arm and her bags under the other.

Precious got out of the car and looked down, as she kicked around some stones in disapproval. Zoe started pawing at the stones trying to imitate Precious, making her laugh, and then they headed into the cabin. “Precious, you have the back bedroom, here are your things,” said Grandpa.

She grabbed her things, headed to her room, and closed the door behind her. She sat on the bed upset at the loss of her tablet. “So, what trouble can I get into this summer?” she asked Zoe, looking out the window at the backyard. Just then she saw something glistening in the grass under an extremely old oak tree.

“Now what in the world could that be,” she said curiously. “Maybe it’s an old gold coin, or ring, or —?”

She ran out the door with Zoe right behind her, headed for the backyard thinking she’s rich. “Dinners at six… be here or starve,” said Grandma, cooking in the kitchen with Grandpa helping.

“Ok, I’ll be back soon, come on Zoe” she said, running out the back door with only one thought in mind.

 

Woof, woof…

Zoe barked to reassure them that she would watch over Precious.

Slam…

They entered the backyard. “Now, where was it?” she said, looking around at the ground, noticing a small hole going right through the center of the tree. “Wow, how did that happen?”

They keep looking around, and then Zoe started pawing at the ground. “There it is,” she said, as they started digging feverishly.

She started to uncover it. “Oh damn, it’s an old rag, wait… what’s this, there’s something inside the rag,” she said, pulling it out of the ground cautiously.

She carefully unwraped it slowly, acting as if it were a treasure from King tut’s tomb. “What! A stick, well this is a great start to my adventure. I find a stick wrapped up in an old rag, only me…” she said, disappointed it wasn’t a gold coin.

However, Precious was not deterred by this small bump in the road of her summer vacation. She pretended it was a wand, waving it around, and making up incantations as she goes. “Zap here, zap there, zap everywhere, and then we all disappear, blop, bebop, pop, and Congelo,”

 

Spark, spark…

Came shooting out the end of the wand, hitting the ground next to her, freezing a small spot solid.

Precious jumped in astonishment, dropping the wooden wand, and ran to the back of the cabin. She turned, facing the wooden wand lying on the ground. “What was that? It scared me for real,” she said aloud, shaking somewhat. “It must be a real wand…with real magical powers, I love it….I love it!”

She got up the courage to slowly walk back up to the Wooden wand, she picked it up and slowly, carefully wrapped it back up in the rag that it was once in, and headed back into the cabin.

 

Slam…

“Back so soon?” asked Grandma.

“Yeah, just for a bit, but I’m going back out again, so much to do and see…” said Precious, running into her room and closing the door behind her.

“Now, where do I hide this Wooden wand, Zoe?” she asked, in a low voice, as she noticed Zoe pawing at a loose floorboard. “Good — idea, Zoe,” she said, taking her comb out of her backpack, and started prying on the loose floorboard until it popped up. Then she removed the board, placing the Wooden wand, wrapped up in the old rag, inside. Then she returned the board to its rightful place.

“Safe and sound,” she said proudly, brushing her hands together to clean the dust off. “Let’s see what else we can find Zoe.”

 

Woof, woof…

Precious headed to the backyard with Zoe right behind her. They searched and searched, but no more clues were to be found.

Later that night after dinner, “So Precious, did you have a good time today?” asked Grandpa, placing the last piece of chocolate cake in the center of the table.

“Yes…I had fun,” she said, staring at the last piece of chocolate cake.

“I saw her digging in the backyard earlier today. It looked as if she were mining for gold.” said Grandma, laughing. “Precious, did you find any riches?”

“Can we talk about that piece of chocolate cake on the table?” she said calmly, leaning over the table looking at it.

“That’s for later, dear,” said Grandma, smiling.

Precious and Zoe headed off to her bedroom, closing the door behind them. “Zoe, what are we going to do with this Wooden wand?” she said, pulling the loose board back up again. “There must be some clue how to work this thing, or who it belongs to.”

As she started cleaning it up, she noticed writing on the side. “Substantia of veneficus Jedrek Moonstone, hmmm, who could that be?” she asked, looking at Zoe, waiting for an answer.

Precious started to unpack, putting her things in a very old dresser that was next to the only window in the room. As she opened the bottom drawer, an old book dropped out from underneath the next drawer up, announcing itself.

She slowly reached down, picking it up. “Wow, this is old, I mean like really old,” she said, putting the rest of her things away. Just as she looked out the window, she saw a black cat with green eyes fearlessly pawing at the ground in the backyard, right where she found the Wooden wand.

“Now what’s that cat doing out there?” she asked herself, jumping into bed and opening the book that lends itself to so much mystery and amazement.

“Ye Property of Jedrek Moonstone,” she read, and under that in small faded print. “Ye Book of Sorcery. Hey that’s the same name that’s on the Wooden wand Zoe.”

Precious cannot believe it; she’s hit the mystery jackpot. She stayed up until about midnight trying to read the text, but the language was difficult to understand. Just as she fell asleep, she could hear the old grandfather clock strike twelve times to announce the bewitching hour has arrived, but Precious and Zoe were now fast asleep. Then from within her dreams appeared a specter of unworldly features, glowing red eyes and bat wings. “Precious, thou wilt fail — thou cannot succede in thou endeavors — turn back now while thou still can,” said the specter, screeching and howling, then flapping away into the darkness.

Precious was startled in her dream, which awakened her suddenly. She sat up, clenching her sheets under her chin. She gazed around the room for the creature that shocked her so badly. Then, from a dark corner of the room, a ghostly figure arose into view. It looked as if it were made of smoke. “Little one, whom knows not of me, I am Jedrek Moonstone, the Sorcerer of Solisa. I require thy assistance, so I may be free once again to stop the evil witch Ursula.”

Precious moved backwards, pressing her back up against the wall in terror. “You — are — who?” she said fearfully.

“I request thee to assist me in destroying the evil witch that cast me out unto the darkness of this prison,” said Jedrek calmly, as he faded in and out of her view.

Precious felt she could trust what she had seen was real. “But… how can I help you?” she asked, releasing the tight grip on the sheets.

“Thou must search out and find Count Raven’s Cemetery of the Doomed. You must find the maps and the wands. They are the keys to everything,” said Jedrek, fading away.

Precious reached out to the scattering mist as he faded away. “Was that for real?” she asked aloud, pulling the sheets over her head again, “It wasn’t real, it wasn’t real. Wait, that’s the name on the book…. and the Wooden wand.”

She pulled the sheets back off, to find the room gone. Just her bed remained, floating in the darkness. Then she woke up to see the room once more as it should be. “I knew it was just a dream,” she said gently.

Zoe jumped on the edge of the bed, scaring her. “Zoe!” she said, laughing. “You scared the life out of me.”

 

Knock, knock…

“Breakfast” said Grandma, through the door.

“Ok,” said Precious. “Come on Zoe, it’s time to eat, and I know how much you love food.”

 

Woof, woof…

After breakfast, Precious was determined to find Count Raven’s Cemetery of the doomed. “Grandma, do you know of an old cemetery in this area?” she asked inquisitively, standing at the kitchen table, Zoe sitting beside her, hoping for more scraps.

“Cemetery?” asked Grandma shockingly. “Now why in the world would you two want to go there?”

“Oh, nothing, just curious about the area, that’s all,” she said quietly, looking down at Zoe.

“You do know there’s a park with a playground just down at the end of the street, or you could go to the beach,” said Grandma.

“Ok, we’re going to the playground, see you later,” she said, running out the door with Zoe fast behind her. “I’ll bet someone at the park knows where it is, Zoe.”

 

Slam…

With adventure in her eyes, and her companion by her side, she headed to the park in search of someone that might know the whereabouts of the cemetery. As she reached the end of the street, and reached the entrance to the park, she saw a younger boy playing on the slide. He’s younger than her, but with the look of familiarity about the area on his face. “Hi, I’m Precious. Cool looking jeep you have there, shorty,” she said firmly, standing at the bottom of the slide. She yelled “Hello… Are You Deaf?”

“No, I’m Jeffery, and that’s my ride. I’m also the king of this slide,” he said, reaching the top of the ladder. “This is my slide and you are forbidden to use it.”

He slid down. “Yes, your highness, do you know of any cemeteries around here?” she asked, stopping him at the bottom of the slide...

“I am king, and I will only tell you if I can come too,” he said strongly.

“Ok, you have a deal young sire,” she said jokingly, with no real intentions of having him tag along.

“Follow me then, peasant,” he ordered.

“Great, now I’m stuck with him,” Precious thought, looking down at Zoe saying. “How are we going to get out of this one?”

 

Woof, woof…

Zoe barked, as if to agree with her.

Jeffery started walking to the back of the park. Precious could see these tall bushy pine trees lined up so closely, that no one could see through to the other side. “I found this, one day, while I was playing back here,” he said, pointing to a small opening in a row of pine trees.

They crawled through the small opening; it was like stepping back through time, an old stone wall ten feet high, covered with moss, stood before them. It was as if the trees were placed there to hide the cemetery. Precious looked at Jeffery. “How do we get over this wall?” she asked curiously.

“Over here,” he said, pointing to two large pillars that signified the entrances to the cemetery, with a large sign in a half circle above the two gated doors.

“Count Raven’s Cemetery of the Doomed 1613 – 1813,” she read, with a shiver in her voice. They walked over to the rusty front gate that had one side stuck in the ground, but the other side still had the ability to move freely, it was open about two feet. They pressed their faces against the bars, looking into this overgrown cemetery, as if they were looking at a tiger in his cage at the zoo. Precious could see the gate opened onto the main path going back with some thirteen rows leading off of it. All the gravestones were extremely old, but had been well taken care of.

“Wow, this place looks ancient,” she said, in amazement. It’s as if each gravestone told a story of its own, just from its condition.

“Let’s go in. The grounds keeper doesn’t make his rounds until later tonight. I know where there’s a real cool building made of stone, but I can’t find a way in. Maybe you can?” he suggested, looking up at her.

“Ok, lead the way Jeffery,” she said, covering up her fear with excitement.

They went down the main path for three rows and made a left two rows over, and then a right. They could see the building two rows in front of them. “See, it’s right there,” said Jeffery pointing next to a fallen tree. They walked up to the front steps.