The prone figure did not move. Come on, Seth said, hurrying through the wreckage.
Kendra followed him out the front door and around to the side of the house. They dashed over to the figure lying supine near an overturned birdbath.
Oh, no, Seth said.
It was a painted statue of Dale. A faithful replica, except the paint was more simplified than his actual coloring would have been. His head was turned to one side, eyes squinted shut, arms raised protectively. The proportions were exact. He was wearing the same outfit he had worn the previous night.
Kendra touched the figure. It was made of metal, clothes and all. Bronze, maybe? Lead? Steel? She rapped her knuckles against the forearm. Sounded solid. No hollow ringing.
They turned him into a statue, Seth said.
You think it's really him?
It has to be!
Help me flip him over.
Both of them strained, but Dale did not budge. He was way too heavy.
I really blew it, Seth said, palms pressed against his temples. What have I done?
Maybe we can change him back.
Seth kneeled down and put his mouth to Dale's ear. If you can hear me, give us a sign! he yelled.
The metallic figure made no response.
Do you think Grandpa and Lena are around here too?
Kendra asked.
We'll have to look.
Kendra cupped her hands around her mouth.
Grandpa! Grandpa Sorenson! Lena! Can you hear me?
Look at this, Seth said, crouching beside the overturned birdbath. The birdbath had tipped over toward a flowerbed. In the flowerbed was a clear footprint-three large toes and a narrow heel. The print was big enough to suggest that it came from a creature at least the size of a grown man.
Giant bird?
Check out the hole behind the heel. He stuck a finger into a nickel-sized hole. A couple inches deep.
Weird.
Seth acted excited. It has a pointy thing on the back of its heel, a spur or something.
Which means what?
We can probably track it.
Track it?
Seth moved forward in the direction the toes pointed, scanning the ground. See! He crouched, pointing at a hole in the lawn. That spur digs deep. It should leave a clear trail.
And what happens if you catch up to whatever made the tracks?
He patted his pockets. I throw some salt and rescue Grandpa.
How do you know it took Grandpa?
I don't, he admitted. But it's a start.
What if it turns you into a painted statue?
I won't look directly at it. Just in mirrors.
Where'd you get that from?
History.
You don't even know what you're talking about, Kendra said.
We'll see about that. I better get my camo shirt.
First let's make sure there aren't any other statues in the yard.
Fine, then I'm out of here. I don't want the trail getting cold.
After scouring the yard for half an hour, Kendra and Seth had come across various articles of furniture from the house or porch in unexpected locations, but they had found no other life-sized painted statues. They ended up by the swimming pool.
Have you noticed the butterflies? Kendra asked.
Yeah.
Anything special about them?
Seth slapped his forehead with the heel of his hand.
We haven't had milk today!
Yep. No fairies, just bugs.
If those fairies are smart, they won't show their faces around here, growled Seth.
Yeah, you'll show them. What do you want to be this time? A giraffe?
None of this would have happened if they had kept guarding the window.
You did torture one of them, Kendra pointed out.
They tortured me back! We're even.
Whatever we do, we should drink some milk first.
They went into the house. The refrigerator was lying on its side. Together they pried the door open. Some of the milk bottles had broken, but a few were intact. Kendra grabbed one, uncapped it, and took a sip. Seth drank next.
I need my stuff, he said, bolting for the stairs.
Kendra started searching for clues. Wouldn't Grandpa have tried to leave them a message? Maybe there hadn't been time. She walked through the rooms, but encountered no hints to explain the fate of either Lena or Grandpa.
Seth showed up in his camouflage shirt, carrying the cereal box. I was trying to find that shotgun. You haven't seen it?
Nope. There's an arrow by the front door. You could toss that at the monster.
I think I'll stick with the salt.
We never checked the basement, Kendra said.
Worth a try.
They opened the door by the kitchen and stared down into the gloom. Kendra realized it was just about the only undamaged door in the house. Stone steps led into the darkness.
How about that flashlight? Kendra said.
No light switch? he asked. They couldn't find one.
He rummaged in the cereal box and withdrew the flashlight.
With some salt from his pocket clutched in one hand and the flashlight in the other, Seth led the way. It was a longer flight than would ordinarily lead to a basement - - more than twenty steep stairs. At the bottom the flashlight beam illuminated a short, barren hallway ending at an iron door.
They walked to the door. It had a keyhole below the handle. Seth tugged the handle, but the door was locked.
There was a small hatch at the base of the door.
What's this? he asked.
It's for brownies, so they can come in and fix stuff.
He pushed open the hatch. Grandpa! Lena!
Anybody!
They waited in vain for a reply. He called once more before standing and shining his light into the keyhole.
None of your keys would fit this? he asked.
They're way too small.
There might be a key stashed in Grandpa's bedroom.
If they were down here, I think they'd answer.
Kendra and Seth started back up the stairs. At the top, they heard a loud, deep groan that lasted at least ten seconds.
The penetrating sound came from outside. It was much too powerful to have been made by a human. They raced to the back porch. The groan had ended. It was difficult to say from which direction it had originated.
Chapter Fifteen
They waited, looking around, expecting a recurrence of the unusual sound. After a tense minute or two, Kendra broke the silence. What was it?
I bet it was whatever has Grandpa and Lena, Seth said. And it didn't sound too far off.
It sounded big.
Yeah.
Like whale big.
We have the salt, Seth reminded her. We need to follow that trail.
Are you sure that's a good idea?
You have a better one?
I don't know. Wait and see if they show up? Maybe they'll escape.
If that hasn't happened by now, it isn't going to. We'll be careful, and we'll make sure to get back before dark.
We'll be fine. We have the salt. That stuff works like acid.
If something goes wrong, who saves us? Kendra asked.