Secret of the Loch by Aiden James

Author:Aiden James
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Magical Realism, Thriller & Suspense, Romance, Fantasy, Men's Adventure, Thriller, Literature & Fiction
Publisher: Manor House Books
Published: 2014-12-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

I nearly tripped over my feet when my boots landed on the floor of the bridge. Made from stone similar to what we had found inside the burial mound, and what was used to construct the inner circles of Stonehenge, I was surprised at how dense and real the magical illusion was. And believe me—it certainly was an illusion far beyond what I could understand. As my thoughts wavered between faith and doubt in our survival, the stone became pliable and my boots began to slip through the floor as if it were made of quicksand instead.

“Hold on Boss!”

Ishi reached for me, and I grabbed onto his arm instinctively, to my shame pulling hard in a desperate move to avoid the terrifying fall I had expected all along. Meanwhile, Marie chuckled.

“What in the hell’s wrong with you?!” I roared in anger, as I stood up, scarcely noticing the floor had solidified. Apparently anger was as effective as faith in maintaining this alternate reality.

“What’s wrong with me?” she retorted, though much more kindly than I expected, and deserved. “I’m not the one refusing to believe, Nick! Believe or go home… or worse, meet your demise. You’re dealing with an ancient culture that valued courage, trust, and a level of integrity that is completely foreign in modern times. You’ve been shown the magical nature of this place, so no more proof is needed. Ishi has taken the step to believe, and you must follow, my love…. What awaits us is something far more spectacular than anything you’ve ever seen before. So says Papa!”

Papa in the flesh or Papa as an imaginary playmate? And is she going to continue speaking for him like a Bible-thumping evangelist speaks for God Almighty?

Could I also be on the verge of losing my mind from this ultra mind-fuck? Hell, ghosts and illusions that embraced senses beyond mere sight were the stuff of schizophrenia, from what my psych prof at UCLA used to say.

Marie’s eyes narrowed again, and I had the distinct feeling that someone stood behind me, angrily glaring in response to my silent musing. Of course, there was no one there when I glanced over my shoulder.

“Papa says you should just shut up and enjoy the ride, Nick! Ghosts and illusions are a bigger part of everyone’s reality than most realize—and glossing it over with rationalizations doesn’t make it any less true.” She laughed lightly again, studying me as if she could clearly read my least flattering thoughts. “If you’d open your mind and heart, he says you’ll be amazed at what you’re about to discover in the treasure room…. We’re almost there.”

The illusion of the bridge continued as we reached the narrow ledge along the chasm’s other side. Marie stepped casually onto the crumbling surface with full confidence, and I watched in amazement as it immediately was transformed into a solid stone walkway with a railing to our right, similar to the bridge.

Ishi followed Marie, and I brought up the rear. Once I stepped

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