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the shadow demon took on Erec s features.
 I m not saying there is anything wrong with your mother. She s very sweet, actually. But she s of no use
here. Won t talk. We re letting her go in two days. So you just need to go back and wait. That way
you ll both be together soon, right?
Erec glanced at his mother. She obviously could not hear their conversation. She was gesturing wildly for
him to run at the shadow demon.
 See, there she goes again, Erec s image calmly said.  She means well. But this isn t the first time she s
been wrong, is it? I mean, she didn t even know how hot the dungeons were, did she? Her little cell is
cool enough. She doesn t know what it s like out here. Or& did she warn you about the heat?
Erec wished she had.  It s okay. The shadow demon sighed.  She loves you. But she ll never
understand you. She has you all caught up in this insane rescue mission, but you have more important
things to think about. Like that scepter. King Pluto s scepter. You used it, Erec. That takes incredible
power. And you felt it, didn t you?
Erec nodded. He did feel that power& could almost feel it now.
 You re ready for it, Erec. And you re so close. Only two more contests. Then one of them is yours.
And why only one? Maybe two? All three? Who else can use them like you?
Erec pictured the scepter in his hands so vividly he felt it, mouth watering. Then he remembered where he
was and why he was there. The shadow demon seemed able to steer his thoughts so easily. Well, he
wouldn t let it. His mother had warned him&
The boy who looked like Erec shook his head and laughed.  Do I look like an evil murderer to you?
Wouldn t I have killed you by now?
Erec looked at his mother, who was now standing limply in her cell. She said to just run through it.
Maybe she was right.
The shadow demon said,  Do you think King Pluto is so evil he has ruthless killers patrolling down here?
I m here to keep order. I really don t want to kill you or to clean up the mess of your mother that blasting
formula would make, so I d advise you to go now. Go and get that scepter, be with your new friends,
show those Stain boys who s boss.
Erec s head spun. If he ran into the shadow demon he could be killed, and he might blast his mother with
the formula. But his mother had said that if you don t walk through the demon, and it melts your resolve,
then you become its chocolate soda.
Erec s mirror image grew more serious.  I didn t want to have to bring this up& bad feelings and all& but
it looks like I have to. Do you know why your mother is a prisoner?
Erec shook his head. Against his better judgment, he really wanted an answer.
 Pretty strange she didn t tell you herself, huh? But why would she? She s a criminal, Erec. You were
right when you suspected she stole that money and the Sneakers. But there was more. Much more.
 Your mother is not to be trusted. She tried to kill the royal triplets almost ten years ago. Just snapped.
Went crazy. She ended up kidnapping two of them, your brother and sister Danny and Sammy. But
don t be angry at her, Erec. She s really not evil. Just confused, crazy maybe.
Erec s head was swimming. All of his doubts were coming to the surface.
 You always knew she was a little off-target, didn t you? All those times growing up when she talked
about  magic this, magic that. Ridiculous.
His old feelings of embarrassment surfaced. He had tried to tell her he was too old for those dumb
stories, she just wouldn t listen.
 And then there is that small incident of erasing everybody s memory of you. How does that feel? Did
you know that nobody from your class in school last year remembers you at all? That s right. Did she
really say she wouldn t do it again? He shook his head and clucked his tongue.  She can t help it. Don t
blame her. She thinks she knows what she s doing& really. Just don t do anything stupid now because
she told you the wrong thing.
Erec stared at the glass jar in his hands. He felt ridiculous. What was he thinking coming here?  Can I put
my glasses on and talk to her before I go?
Erec s image smiled.  Take your time. But remember, she s a little unstable. You ll have to break it to
her easy that you re leaving. Tell her we re letting her out in two days. But be kind, she s very
confused.
Erec put the glasses on and he was back in the room with his mother. Instead of looking at him, she
stared through the now clear wall at what looked like two versions of Erec, one walking slowly toward
the other that had glasses on. He stared at the two images of himself, transfixed.
 Take those off, she screamed.  Get out of here! He s coming to kill you!
 Mom, he s not killing me, Erec said.  You re getting out in two days. I don t need to blast you out.
 Erec, he s lying, June cried.  Take the glasses off now! Walk through him!
 Mom, it s okay. Really.
 Erec! Listen to me. Don t believe the shadow demon!
Erec looked through the clear force field of his mother s cell. One version of himself was now swiftly
approaching the other. It was strange, mesmerizing, to be one place and watching two of yourselves
through a big window.
June screamed, jolting Erec into alertness. The shadow demon grew, changing into a hideous beast with
long fangs. The beast opened its jaws wide over Erec.
Erec yanked the glasses off just in time. The beast s mouth was closing over him. He tried to run, but was
frozen where he stood. Something strange sank into him. Not teeth, exactly. He felt lighter, as if he was
disappearing. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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