CHAPTER THIRTY

SPOTS

Alexander’s eyes opened, but his vision was fuzzy, at best. He closed his eyes again; afraid he might still be dreaming. A gentle shake followed by the smell of turkey sandwiches brought him around. He knuckled his eyes to see if that helped to focus. It didn’t. “I can’t see who or what you are. I can only hope you feed me that turkey sandwich before you eat me. I’m starving.”

“And dehydrated.” A female voice beside him comforted him. “You’ve been out for hours and should be happy we got tired of waiting for you and came looking.”

“Abby?”

“Of course it’s Abby,” Malley answered. “Who else would it be, stuck out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“I think I’m going blind,” Alexander whispered. Abby was holding his hand, and he jerked it away, causing her to flinch. “I’m not THAT blind.”

 “Nonsense,” Malley laughed. “You’re dehydrated. Once we get some food and drink into you, you’ll be fine.”

“You’re a fool.” Abby shook her finger at Alexander.

Malley looked at Abby. “Now, now, this isn’t the time or the place to condemn our young friend.” With his hands on his hips, he chastised Abby and then turned to Alex. “You’re a fool.”

Alexander blinked his eyes in an attempt to focus. “What did I do?” he protested.

“Well, other than going out into the desert alone, and without a chaperone…”

Alexander interrupted him. “You sent me out there.”

“Don’t interrupt me with facts. The point is I told you to find where we were, not to traipse around the desert for three days.”

“Three days?” asked Alexander, visibly shaken.

“That’s what I just said, three days.” Malley observed his young charge. “I wouldn’t hazard to guess what might have become of you if we didn’t show up when we did. We found you alone, might I add, mumbling something about red unicorns—”

“And spots, don’t forget the spots,” Abby interjected.

Malley shook his head. “And spots. Did we mention what a fool you were, going off alone like that?”

Alexander licked his lips. His tongue seemed to have swollen to twice its normal size. “Water?”

“Water? Oh yes, I forgot.” Malley brought a small flask of water from inside his pocket. “Drink slowly,” he admonished Alexander. “Not too much at once.”

Alexander gulped down the water and then wiped his mouth with the back of the hand. “I wasn’t alone.” There was a far-off glint in his eyes. “I was with O’Toole.”

“Stop it,” Abby blurted out with tears in her eyes.

 “I suspected that might be the case.” Malley rubbed his bulbous nose. “Abby, I told you what might have happened to O’Toole. What do you think now?”

Abby continued to sob.

“It’s true, Princess,” Alexander stated, but the voice was not his own. It was O’Toole. Then the voice was gone.

Abby ran to Alexander, gave him a hug, and kissed his cheek. “O’Toole, you’re not dead?”

Alexander squirmed from Abby’s grip while wiping off the kiss. He looked at Malley for help.

Malley sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “As I have already told you, Alexander has a significant portion of O’Toole’s… intelligence, for lack of a better description.”

“You mean like possessed by O’Toole’s soul?” asked Abby.

“Yes and no.” Malley scratched his head. “A soul cannot be transferred from one to another. It’s more the essence of O’Toole.”

“Huh?”

Malley shook his head. “I told you it was difficult.” He snapped his finger as if he just thought of something spectacular. “O’Toole swore an oath to complete this quest, no matter what happened to him.”

Blank looks greeted him.

“Death does not remove the oath. That would be too easy.”

More stares.

“O’Toole is still obligated to finish the oath. It’s that simple. Alexander will remain… um… possessed by O’Toole until the quest is completed.” He wiped his forehead and whispered, “Or Alexander’s death.”

                                                                 

“What?” asked Alexander? “We didn’t hear the last thing.”

“Nothing, ignore it,” Malley said quickly. “What, if anything, did O’Toole tell you?”

Alexander, still sitting on the ground drew a circle in the sand. “You don’t wanna know.”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know.” Malley noticed Abby remained silent. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Malley placed his hand on her shoulder as Abby sobbed. “It isn’t fair.”

Alexander looked at her. “Would you wish the mice ate me instead?”

“No, I wish they had devoured that nobody. It’s just I can’t come to grips with the thought that he’s gone.” She dried away a tear. “I hate my father.”

“O’Toole’s not gone.” Alexander wiped his mouth with his hand. “I mean, he’s the ghost inside me.”

“O’Toole is not a ghost, he’s a spirit,” Malley shook his head. “And as for Abby, O’Toole knew full well the risk involved. Sure, he didn’t foresee he might give up his life by mice. He knew that we might not survive the quest. And you don’t hate your father.”

“Yes, I do.”

Malley just rolled his eyes. He knew an argument with a preteen girl could only prove disastrous. “Whatever you say, Your Majesty.”

Abby stared at Malley and gave him the icy cold shoulder with her nose in the air.

He turned to Alexander. “What did O’Toole tell you? It’s important.”

Alexander fought the urge to comfort Abby. The urge made his skin crawl, yet he felt compelled. “He said we need to go to see Morgan.” He offered his hand to Abby.

A stunned look came on Malley’s face. “Do you mean Witch Morgan or another Morgan?”

Abby smiled and held Alexander’s hand next to her cheek.

“Witch Morgan,” Alexander answered Malley.

“There must be a mistake. O’Toole knew we were to avoid the witch.”

“You asked me what O’Toole told me.” He reluctantly jerked his hand from the girl’s embrace. “I told you.”

“It’s suicide,” replied Malley.

                                                                 

 “Tell me about the dream.” Abby sat next to him with her knees held to her chest.

“I don’t remember too much about it. All I know is it was the second time I’ve dreamt it.” Alexander scratched his cheek. “Oh, and there were red unicorns.”

“Sounds spooky,” Abby, sighed.

“Tell me something, Alexander, about the spots you were told to follow.” Malley acted concerned.

“Sure.”

“Did you say they were leading you back to us? To the cave?”

“Yup. Would have made it too, if I didn’t fall asleep.”

“I’m afraid the spots led you in the opposite direction. You didn’t find us. We found you after three days of searching.” Malley pointed behind Alexander.

Alexander turned to see where Malley was looking.