Beyond the Wicked Willow: Chronicles of a Teenage Witchslayer

CAVE OF THE ORACLE

They stood outside a low arching entrance to a darkened cave in a rocky area of the forest. Ambroggio sternly warned them, "Remember, try not to stare at the Oracle's eye. He does not like that."

"Why can't you just go in with us?" Frankie asked.

Ambroggio answered reassuringly. "This is something you must do for yourselves. I'll be here when you return."

Frankie nodded nervously to his comrades and treaded lightly to the mouth of the cave. He ducked his head and entered cautiously. Sam and Beef followed. One by one, they disappeared into the darkness. Bookworm went last. When he paused at the entrance and turned for one last look at Ambroggio, the man was gone. Bookworm noticed a faint wisp of smoke rise into the air just above where Ambroggio had been standing. A breeze came along and swept the fading curl away. Bookworm briefly tried to make sense of it, but finally had to hurry into the cave to catch the others.

The foursome crept through the damp, dark cavern in a close huddle, squinting as their eyes adjusted to the low light. "This really sucks, Frankie," Beef grumbled. "Tonight is pierogi night at the Bovinski residence. I should be knee deep in pierogies right about now."

"Hey, don't blame me. It was your home-ec partner who set this chain of events into motion. Cause and effect."

"Very good, Frankie," Bookworm commented. "Using scientific method to support your thesis and resolve conflict."

Sam elbowed Bookworm. "Quiet, Ein-Stain, I see light up there."

When the others looked, they too saw the faint glimmer of firelight dancing off the craggy cave wall ahead. The light was so faint that it barely illuminated the left side of the passageway. When the kids finally reached the end of the tunnel, their attention was drawn to an ancient den on their left. It looked to be about twelve feet long by twelve feet wide, and the walls were chisel-scarred from top to bottom. A reflecting pool stood in the center. The large terra-cotta platter filled with water sat atop a pedestal carved from a solid piece of granite. To each side were stalagmites, each of which was crowned with a tiny flickering flame. A semicircular stone bench sat at the back wall. Carved into to the walls were ledges and niches of various sizes and shapes. Each cubby held an item.

There was a mortar and pestle, an array of clay jars, jeweled amulets, and crystal rods; tomes, scrolls, folios, and overstuffed leather pouches; and an hourglass, which at the moment had its sand flowing upward from bottom to top. Frankie and the gang stared. Beef cautiously reached for the odd hourglass, but was abruptly foiled by a swift rap to his knuckles by none other than Sam. Beef cringed and squeezed his sore hand beneath his armpit to help quell the pain.

"I thought you might try to eat it," Sam said.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Beef said, rolling his eyes. "And I thought Bookworm was the genius."

Frankie studied the upward flowing hourglass from every angle. "This place is creepy."

"Where is this...Oracle?" Beef asked skeptically and impatiently.

"What the heck is an oracle, anyway?"

"A soothsayer, a seer, a psychic," Bookworm answered.

"I think you're a psychic," Beef said.

"Actually, I believe you mean psycho," Bookworm corrected.

"Yeah, that too."

Sam scowled at Beef. "Hey, knock it off. We're here on business, remember?"

The boys tossed Sam confused looks. "Business? What business?" Frankie asked.

Annoyed, Sam shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You guys are like The Three Stooges," she snapped. "Think! What are we doing standing in a dark smelly cave?"