A handy word to use in Scrabble but a miserable word when it was directed at him Over the years Mrs Clapper had stayed a number of times but always always when he and Sarah were home together He didn’t like the idea of having Mrs Clapper to himself He’d always counted on Sarah to divert most of the babysitter’s attention And he was still haunted by some of the strange stories she had told them stories about people who shape shifted into animals about changeling children or creatures creatures that came in from the dark if you left a door or window open The evening hadn’t passed as slowly as he had feared They had played Scrabble and he’d won every game but one and she’d let him play WarGames on the computer for an hour But even this couldn’t make up for tolerating a babysitter Then Mrs Clapper had made a batch of ginger cookies and begun one of her stories It was about a stone that had been missing for many years a stone that cried out loud when the right person put a foot on it How can a stone cry out Timothy popped a warm cookie into his mouth This one has a voice but it’s not a human voice A cry rings out when a just leader places a foot on it Of course there are those who’d rather the stone was silent Why Because they’re not interested in justice
Are you sure there isn’t a sword in this stone Timothy asked thinking thinking of the story of King Arthur No there is no sword in this stone But there is a missing sword in the story and a missing spear and cauldron as well She handed Timothy a dish towel and the wet mixing bowl Like Arthur’s stone one specific specific person is intended to find it Timothy considered A good story should have battles Oh there are battles fearsome battles and if the Dark wins them the Dark grows stronger The Dark Of course the Dark The Dark wants the stone and is willing to do all kinds of terrible things to prevent anyone else finding it That must never happen Just as the Light longs for everything to be free the Dark longs to control everything The story was definitely getting interesting Timothy thought A chill passed up his arms What kinds of things He set the bowl aside and bit into another of Mrs Clapper’s ginger cookies Crumbs cascaded to the floor Things that are better left unspoken They’d give you worse nightmares nightmares than the wolves you’re afraid of
Timothy cringed He never should have told Mrs Clapper about the wolves in his nightmares Before I say anything more close the drapes You never know who might be watching us And lock the door You never know what might wander in She barked out a laugh and went into the living room Settling into the leather recliner with a sigh she pulled the plaid tartan throw over her legs and closed her eyes This throw is from your mother’s family isn’t it The O’Dalys Yes I guess so but who would be looking in here There’s nothing very interesting in our house Sometimes ordinary things turn out to be more interesting than you think Timothy drew the drapes So where is this stone Mrs Clapper opened one blue eye and peered up at Timothy Only the Stewards of the Stone know that and maybe not all of them But the stone is meant to be found By the right person of course If he survives Her words hung in the air Timothy breathed them in It’s a quest isn’t it But Mrs Clapper’s breathing had become deep and regular She had fallen asleep Timothy had picked up his book on magic tricks and
tried to read but the story of the stone distracted him A talking stone would definitely be spectacular That was when the leaves had blown down the chimney Now rubbing the knot forming on his head he took one more careful look up the chimney Nothing Too bad real adventures were so hard to come by He looked at the snoring Mrs Clapper Once she was in bed for the night he could spend more time on the computer He could stay up all night if he wanted to He grasped Mrs Clapper’s sweatshirt-clad shoulder and shook no response This time he grabbed her shoulder more firmly and spoke directly into her ear Mrs Clapper I’m going to bed now She snorted loudly Oh my goodness it’s past eleven At least you don’t have school tomorrow She pushed up her reading glasses to the top of her head Time for you to get ready for bed and I think I’ll be heading that way myself Easing herself up out of the overstuffed chair she cocked her head to the side and her clear blue eyes peered sharply at Timothy Is there anything you need For a moment Timothy felt as if she knew he was planning to stay up most of the night No He feigned a yawn I’m just really sleepy Well good dreams then Timothy good dreams
