The Magical Legacy

ROSS 2

MAC PAIDIN MANOR, DUBLIN, IRELAND - PRESENT DAY

Standing at the top of the staircase, Ross stopped and dipped his head to the side, realizing there were voices rising from the library below. Inez and Father were having an argument and their conversation was getting louder. Suddenly, the double walnut doors burst open and Inez strode out into the foyer.

"Come, Sister! Grab your bag. We're leaving now!"

Ross squatted down and could just glimpse a pair of heeled feet, suitcase in hand, moving from the library and out of view.

"Girls, wait!" His father shouted, "Where will you go? Please, don't leave. We can figure this out."

"We are DONE waiting!" Inez shrieked and Ross heard the front door of the mansion open and then slam shut.

Ross dashed down the stairs and came to an abrupt halt when his father and Arthur, the butler, came into view.

"What's going on?" He began. "Where are the girls going?" He stared expectantly at his father, who was now standing open-mouthed in the center of the entryway.

Sir Edward Mac Paidin's gaze shifted, as he turned to face his 12-year-old son, who stood breathless halfway up the expansive staircase. The older man closed his mouth, inhaling deeply, shoved a hand through his raven-black hair, and blinked slowly.

"They're gone, Ross." His father raised his brows high on his forehead and closed his eyes for a long moment, before he continued.

"Your sisters are gone. And they're not coming back." Edward Mac Paidin shook his head and turned toward the library.

"I don't know where they're going," he paused, "but I'm very tired."

Ross watched as his father shuffled listlessly into the room and closed the doors behind him.

Two lines creased Ross's forehead and he pursed his lips, turning to face the butler, who stood open-mouthed before him.

Arthur shook himself, and closed his mouth, inhaling deeply.

"He'll be better soon, Master Ross, it'll just take some time."

The butler opened his arms and made a move in the boy's direction.

Ross's face was instantly throbbing and his head was spinning. Hot tears pooled in the corners of his eyes and began spilling over, making salty streams down both cheeks.

First his mother went missing, and now his sisters just abandoned him? Leaving him there, all alone?

"NO!" He wiped his face on his shirt sleeve and ran for the entrance.

Bolting past the butler, he grabbed the handle on the massive wrought iron and glass door, and forcefully pulled it open. Dashing out the entry, he stopped momentarily to gaze at the long gravel drive in front of him.

"Master Ross!" Arthur called.

GO! The voice screamed inside his head. And Ross started running.

The lands encompassing the Mac Paidin estate consisted of more than 760 acres of rolling hills, lush green forests, fragrant rhododendron gardens, bubbling streams, and swan ponds. Over the course of Ross's nearly 13 years of life, he had explored only a fraction of the property. Most of his wanderings had been confined to the mansion and manicured lawns immediately surrounding the home. But as Ross ran down the lengthy driveway, he paused briefly to glance over his shoulder. There, he witnessed the family butler, jumping into a shiny black automobile, and turning it to head down the drive in his direction. Looking to either side of the drive, then down to his sock-covered feet, he made a command decision and quickly dashed to the right, heading toward a cluster of trees. Once he made it to the treeline, Ross gazed behind him, and could see the car just pulling to a stop at the side of the road.

Ross turned and ran faster, into the woods, zigging and zagging in an effort to lose his pursuer. After several minutes, and out of breath, he stopped when he came to a narrow path among the trees. Bending over, he placed his hands on both thighs, trying to slow his breathing. His feet were burning and he was sure he'd worn holes in the soles of his socks. Glancing around for a place to sit, he spotted a strange-looking rock formation off in the distance. Standing upright, he cautiously moved toward the boulders, wishing he'd taken the time to grab a pair of shoes before spontaneously dashing out the door.

Arriving at his destination, he noticed this wasn't just a random pile of rocks. These stones appeared to create a structure of some kind.

Taking a moment to prop himself up against the first large stone, he lifted his feet, one at a time, and sure enough, the soles of his socks were holey and frayed, with small twigs, leaves, and dirt clumps clinging to the tops, and even climbing up his ankles. After removing the debris and pulling the socks off to rub his blistering feet, he pulled them back on, and pushed off, away from the stone.

Wandering around the corner, he could see that this was definitely a man-made formation of some kind. There were side walls, and even a huge stone slab perched carefully on top of the thing, creating a kind of protective enclosure.

Ross bent over to enter the shelter and was squinting to adjust his vision when he noticed the far wall appeared to be shimmering. The blackness at the far end of the space definitely had a sparkling 'aura' about it. Ross dropped to his knees to study the effect more closely. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, then opened them again, thinking it might just be a result of the abrupt shift from bright sunshine to the darkness of the cavern. But when he opened his eyes again, the shimmer was still visible.

Hmmm...that's strange he thought. And he bent in closer, lifting his hand to touch the surface.

No sooner had he pressed his palm against the rock, than a vacuum-like force pulled him forward, into, and through the wall.

"Whaaaaa!!!" he screamed as the vortex sucked his breath away, and he found himself inside a speeding tunnel composed of a myriad of brilliant colors and sparkling lights.

The experience only lasted a moment before Ross landed, with a thud, on a glassy, black surface. Shaking his head, he blinked rapidly, and looked up to discover he was surrounded by a small crowd of horned creatures, all staring down at him.