Chapter 4
Erin left for the library to look at old folklore books. It was a beautiful fall day. She rode her 10-speed and she enjoyed breathing the crisp fresh air. Her cheeks were rosy and cool from the headwind she created by riding with speed. The trees were at the peak of their fall colors. She thought it was a perfect day.
She decided to cut through the park using the bike path. When she got to the park entrance she thought of Brandon. She wondered where he could be.
A scream startled her. She looked toward the pavilion. She rode over and found her friend, Rebecca, halfway under the porch of the bandstand.
“Erin, help me!” Rebecca yelled.
Erin dove to the ground and grabbed Rebecca's arms and pulled. Erin screamed for help. Just then, Officer Bishop grabbed Rebecca's arms and pulled her out from under the porch.
“What happened Rebecca?” asked Erin.
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“It was terrible. Someone was pulling me under there,” Rebecca said. “He was so strong. I couldn't get away.”
Officer Bishop was shining his flashlight under the steps. He got down on his knees and looked in the craw space. It was empty. He stood up and asked Rebecca.
“What were you girls screaming about?”
“Someone pulled me under the steps and Erin was trying to help me,” cried Rebecca. “Then you pulled me out.”
“Just try to relax young lady. I looked under the porch and didn’t see anyone. The grass is damp and with the leaves on it maybe you slipped. Were you running when you fell? I think you may have slipped and it felt like being pulled,” said Officer Bishop.
“That's not what happened. She was pulled under there. I tried to help her and she didn’t budge. You had to feel it when you pulled her out,” said Erin.
“Just cool down sweetie. I just helped her to her feet. I didn’t feel any resistance. That’s why I said she slipped on these wet leaves. Well let’s just put this behind us. We don't want to start any wild stories. That could get us in all kinds of trouble. Besides I checked the entire area and there isn’t anyone around,” said Officer Bishop.
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“I wasn’t running. I was sitting on the steps. Someone under the steps grabbed my legs and tried to pull me under. I'm going to tell my Father. Let's get out of here Erin,” said Rebecca.
“Yeah and don’t call me sweetie. It’s demeaning,” said Erin.
“Ok. You girls be careful now,” said Officer Bishop.
Erin and Rebecca turned and walked to the bike path. Rebecca was shaking a little and Erin was worried about her. She tried to calm her down by talking to her.
“Wow, that was crazy. I’ve never been through anything like that in my life. Hey, I'm going to the library, why don’t you come with me?”
Rebecca didn’t answer so Erin tried again.
“Do you want to come with me? If you don’t want to go to the library we could go somewhere else. Maybe go get a soda or something.”
Rebecca responded this time.
“No, I'm going home to tell my parents what happened.”
“Ok. I’ll walk with you. Do you want me to walk you home?” asked Erin.
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“No. I’m sorry. I think I want to walk home alone. I'll be ok. Why don't you call me tonight,” said Rebecca.
“All right. Be careful,” said Erin.
“Erin, did you hear that Brandon’s missing?” she asked.
“Yeah, Dad told us about it after church,” said Erin.
“Do you think this has anything to do with what happened to him?” said Rebecca.
Erin thought that is was connected with Brandon. She didn’t think it was a good idea to worry her friend anymore right now. Save the supernatural for another time she thought.
“I don’t know. I hope not. I don’t want anything to happen to my BFF, right,” she said with a smile.
“Right. Thank you for helping me. I was so scared. Then you show up and then Officer Bishop and you guys pulled me out. I was so happy to get out of there. Thank you BFF,” she said.
“Your welcome. I’ll call you later,” said Erin.
Erin watched as her friend left the park. She got on her bike and rode to the library. She chained her bike to the bike rack and went inside.
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“Can I help you?” asked Miss Simon a college student who worked part time at the library.
“Yes you can. I’m looking for information on shape shifting. Where the legend developed? Which cultures believed in it? Any myths or folklore books about shape shifting. Stuff you wouldn’t find on the internet,” said Erin.
“I think I know what it is you are looking for. Come with me,” said Miss Simon.
She led Erin through the library to a back corner. Erin followed and wondered where they were going. Miss Simon pulled out a key and opened a door. They went in to the room. There was a table in the middle of the floor with one chair. The walls were covered with old looking books and just the one door.
“What is this place?” asked Erin.
“This is where we keep the very special books,” said Miss Simon. “I think you will find all the information you need in these two books.”
She placed the two books on the table. She opened both books to the sections Erin would need.
“Take all the time you need looking at these books. Don’t touch any of the other books. Don’t photocopy or photograph anything in this room. Don’t take anything from this room. If you break
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any rules you will not have permission to return. Do you understand the rules Erin?” asked Miss Simon.
“Yes I do,” said Erin.
“Ok well have fun,” said Miss Simon. “Thank you,” said Erin.
As Erin worked on her research she kept wondering about the situation she was in. What was this room? What was with all the rules? How did Miss Simon know her name? One mystery at a time she thought. She worked for a couple more hours and decided that was enough. She left the books on the table and went to the front desk. She thanked Miss Simon went outside and unchained her bike and returned home.
“Hi Erin. How did it go at the library? Were you able to find anything?” asked Teddy.
“You wouldn’t believe it. Anyway, a Vantor is a shape shifter. Shape shifters date back to the first human civilization. About 6000 years ago the Sumerians wrote about them on clay tablets called cuneiforms. They show up in writings from then on. The Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans and others have stories of shape shifters,” she said.
“That’s great. What else did you find?” said Teddy.
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“I found that it’s a stalker. It watches its prey, learns their patterns and lays in wait to strike. It takes the shape of someone the victim would trust. That way it can get close to its target without spooking him or her. It only attacks when it thinks no witnesses are around. It lives underground in caves, abandoned mines or places like catacombs. That's about it,” said Erin.
“Wow Erin, you’ve done a good job. I’m surprised you were able to find all that,” said Teddy.
“Thanks. What about you? Any luck on the net?” she asked.
“Yeah. I came up with a few things. It doesn't like the light but it can hunt during the day. It tries to hide in shadows. It chooses its prey by sight and stalks them. Holy water can kill it, but it takes a lot – about 3 gallons,” said Teddy.
“What do you drown it?” asked Erin.
“No, the water burns it and dissolves it like acid. You have to dissolve most if it or it could regenerate,” said Teddy.
“You said it chooses its prey by sight. Do you know why or how it chooses by sight?” asked Erin.
“It can see the energy around a person – a person’s aura. It chooses people who give off the
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brightest auras. That could be the reason its victims are young,” said Teddy
“So how can we catch it?” asked Erin.
“I don't know. We have to catch it in the act or we find its lair and then we blast it with the holy water. But how can we catch it in the act? How do we find its lair?” asked Teddy.
“I don't know. I think it attacked Rebecca this afternoon at the park but we were able to save her. We didn’t see who grabbed her but she said she was being pulled under the porch of the pavilion,” said Erin.
“That’s it, if it went after Rebecca then it will try for her again. She is its target now and it won’t give up until it gets her. We have to be there when it comes back for her and we have to kill it or we will lose Rebecca,” said Teddy
“This is terrible! We have to help her. Do you think it will try to get her tonight?” asked Erin.
“No, not if she’s at home with her parents. It likes its victims to be alone and it prefers to attack outside. Call her tell her to stay inside with her parents and she’ll be ok,” said Teddy.
“I’ll call her but we better come up with a good plan because I don’t want to lose my best friend,” said Erin.
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“I know, I don’t want to lose her either. We’ll come up with something. We have to,” said Teddy
He thought of whom he could go to for help. Since it was something supernatural maybe someone from church could help. Maybe he should ask his parents what to do or call one of the ghost researchers he had seen on T.V. There wasn’t a lot of time until the Vantor came back for Rebecca and Teddy needed to come up with a solution fast.
He thought about the game of Chess. How you force the king into checkmate using two pieces. You stair-step the king into a corner for checkmate. He knew that Brandon vanished from the park and Rebecca was attacked at the park. The park would be his Chessboard.
He would need the help of Officer Bishop without letting him know why he was there. He would have Rebecca in the park alone near the playground. Erin would have to be at the utility shed with the holy water loaded in a couple of super soakers. He decided that since time was against them tomorrow would be the day to enact the plan.