Topic: Who is your role model?
Young Tucker sits at the top of the stairs in his Batman pajamas and bare feet, and hugs his knees to his chest. He'd be sent back to bed if he was spotted, so he doesn't make a sound, even when he starts to shiver from the cold.
He tries to understand the words his father is chanting in a low voice, but gives up after a few minutes, and studies the symbols painted on the floor instead. He recognizes a couple of runes - there's the one for "wealth", and there's the one for "power" - but most of them are a mystery. He plays a game, trying to guess the meanings. He's almost convinced himself that his father is trying to summon the spirit of Merlin, when the chanting stops.
He forgets the guessing game, and watches closely as his father picks up a jar and pours the contents onto the largest symbol. The smell drifts upward, and Tucker nearly gags on the stench of rancid blood, but there's no way he's leaving now.
His father speaks a couple of short, harsh phrases, then steps back and waits. The air shifts, and it's suddenly hot; a dry, scorching heat. Tucker licks his lips, and tries to swallow, but his throat is parched. Below him he sees the air shimmer with heat - and then the shimmers turn to waves, and the waves split in the middle, opening a gaping hole.
His eyes are dry and burning, and the vortex below makes him nauseated, but he's going to keep watching if it kills him.
The vortex wrenches shut suddenly, and there's a creature down there now - a huge, ape-like thing with tusks. It slowly rotates its head until it's looking straight at Tucker.
Tucker holds his breath, staring in awe at the beast. Suddenly, it lunges at him. The creature is up the stairs before he can move, and its hand wraps around his ankle. Tucker screams in terror, and tries to scramble backwards, but the thing pulls him toward its mouth.
Suddenly, it goes limp. Tucker sees his father standing behind the beast, holding a tranquilizer gun.
"You should be in bed, Tucker," is all he says. Tucker nods, and pries the creature's hand off his ankle with shaking fingers. He glances back before leaving the basement, and sees his father wrapping a rune-engraved collar around the beast's neck.
He tries to understand the words his father is chanting in a low voice, but gives up after a few minutes, and studies the symbols painted on the floor instead. He recognizes a couple of runes - there's the one for "wealth", and there's the one for "power" - but most of them are a mystery. He plays a game, trying to guess the meanings. He's almost convinced himself that his father is trying to summon the spirit of Merlin, when the chanting stops.
He forgets the guessing game, and watches closely as his father picks up a jar and pours the contents onto the largest symbol. The smell drifts upward, and Tucker nearly gags on the stench of rancid blood, but there's no way he's leaving now.
His father speaks a couple of short, harsh phrases, then steps back and waits. The air shifts, and it's suddenly hot; a dry, scorching heat. Tucker licks his lips, and tries to swallow, but his throat is parched. Below him he sees the air shimmer with heat - and then the shimmers turn to waves, and the waves split in the middle, opening a gaping hole.
His eyes are dry and burning, and the vortex below makes him nauseated, but he's going to keep watching if it kills him.
The vortex wrenches shut suddenly, and there's a creature down there now - a huge, ape-like thing with tusks. It slowly rotates its head until it's looking straight at Tucker.
Tucker holds his breath, staring in awe at the beast. Suddenly, it lunges at him. The creature is up the stairs before he can move, and its hand wraps around his ankle. Tucker screams in terror, and tries to scramble backwards, but the thing pulls him toward its mouth.
Suddenly, it goes limp. Tucker sees his father standing behind the beast, holding a tranquilizer gun.
"You should be in bed, Tucker," is all he says. Tucker nods, and pries the creature's hand off his ankle with shaking fingers. He glances back before leaving the basement, and sees his father wrapping a rune-engraved collar around the beast's neck.