Olivia Stone and the Dread of the Dreamers

PART 1

Dreams

CHAPTER 1

Mixed Messages

Olivia rubs her tired eyes and yawns.

I’m not boring you, am I? Yip says, tugging on her ear.

Ouch! Olivia glares at the tiny grotesque sitting on her shoulder. This is the eighth night in a row you have dragged me out of bed to chase shadows.

Shadows? Yip’s voice jumps an octave higher and he glares right back at her, their noses almost touching. There is a monster loose in the city and you are worried about your beauty sleep.

At this stage, I would settle for a nanna-nap.

Humph. Yip snorts and his pug face quivers with disgust. Protecting the city is not a hobby. It is a full-time job, a calling…

I should have left you locked in the storeroom, Olivia mutters.

What?

Nothing. Olivia’s mind flashes back to the day the giant grotesque statue fell from the roof of St. Giles Old Priory School. The accident changed her entire life. It left her scarred with crippling injuries to her left arm and leg, but somehow infused her with part of the magical energy that animated the shattered guardian statue. Her rescue of Yip, the smallest living grotesque ever carved, opened her life to darkness and danger. In her new world, monsters are real and she is part grotesque with a responsibility for protecting the city.

Are you paying attention? Yip pulls her ear again.

Stop that. Olivia pokes the grotesque in the chest with one finger. Do that again and you can get down and walk.

Yip’s nostrils flare wide and he twists his sinuous neck around, sniffing at the air. It is close, he declares. His arm jabs out, the jagged stump of his missing little finger is a reminder of the dangers they face in the darkened streets of Haven. This way.

Olivia turns to where Yip is pointing. The laneway runs along the outskirts of the oldest parts of the city between the twisting cobbled streets and terraces of Old Haven, and the wider grid of New Haven’s streets with their detached homes and yards.

Something moves in the shadows. Olivia catches sight of it out of the corner of her eye. It is gone when she turns to look.

Strange, Olivia starts walking toward the spot.

Yip taps her impatiently on the top of the head.

Um… monster. He uses his little taloned hands to steer her back in the direction he had pointed.

But…

Yip’s glowering stare cuts off her protest

It’s probably nothing anyway, she thinks.

Of course it is something. I can smell it, Yip grumbles. He points again, away from the shadowy figure Olivia thought she saw on the opposite side of the street.

She glances back but hurries along in the direction Yip is pointing.

Trees line the sides of the street making a tunnel of dark leaves over the path. Olivia ducks under a branch, her face tangling into a spider web.

Ar ara ar YAH! She screeches, becoming an instant karate master. Her hands flash about her head, one elbow cracks into Yip, sending him sprawling to the path. A stab of electric pain shoots from her funny bone to her fingertips.

Olivia’s karate dance degenerates into frantic swatting at her own head.

Yip bellows out a battle cry and swoops past her face on his stony wings, slashing his claws in glittering arcs around her. He swoops in again and again.

What on earth are you doing? Olivia asks, pulling another strand of web from her hair.

Yip’s wings beat furiously as his eyes dart continuously about, searching the empty air. I’m fighting the monster.

What monster? Olivia glances nervously about.

Shhh, Yip puts a finger to his lips. It’s invisible.

An invisible monster?

No wonder it has been hard to track. He slashes his claws through the air again. You were lucky to stumble onto it.

Me?

I knew you had the makings of a guardian. Yip darts past several more times making little yaps and growls.

What do you mean, me?

Yip looks puzzled. You found it but don’t worry, I think I scared it away.

Olivia sighs and shakes her head.

What?

I walked into a spider web.

You what?

I don’t like spiders…they give me the shivers. Olivia shudders to prove her point.

Oh… Yip drops back down onto Olivia’s shoulder, looking a little embarrassed. I thought you were…invisible mons…never mind.

Olivia glares.

Yip rubs the back of his head. So it was you who punched me?

I really don’t like spiders. Olivia gives another involuntary shudder and the crawling sensation along the back of her neck starts again. Besides, it was an elbow.

Yip glances down and his hand darts forward, snatching the fat black spider out of Olivia’s hair.

Ow! What are you doing? she demands.

Um, nothing. Yip tucks his hand behind his back. The spider’s legs wriggle between his fingers.

When Olivia is not looking, he pops the spider into his mouth and bites down with a sound halfway between a crunch and a squelch. A squnch.

What was that? Olivia whispers.

Muffinn. Yip tries to swallow and bursts into a coughing spasm. Finally he clears his throat. Nothing, he repeats.

Olivia narrows her eyes at the little grotesque.

What, I swallowed a bug, he adds lamely, then sniffs loudly at the air to distract her. There, he says, pointing along the street.

Olivia starts to walk, rubbing absently at her elbow and flexing her tingling fingers.

CHAPTER 2

In the Shadows

There is something unnatural about the dark-hooded shape slinking through the quiet suburban streets. It is stooped, and although it shuffles along at a slow unsteady pace, its movements hint at a barely contained speed. The figure pauses from time to time, raising its head as if sniffing the air. After each pause, it adjusts its direction and moves on.

It reaches a crossroad and scents the night air again. For a moment it can’t decide which direction to turn. Several rounded bumps on the figure’s shoulders move and slide under the rough fabric of its robe, creating a faint scuttling scrape. Finally it turns and shuffles toward a side street.

At the sound of voices, the figure becomes deathly still. A shimmer of dark light ripples across it and it vanishes from sight, fading into shadow. Less than twenty metres away, a dark-haired girl turns to face it. She stares right at…no, right through the figure as if it isn’t there at all. A small stony creature crouches on the girl’s shoulder. It takes hold of her face with its clawed hands and turns her head back around and they hurry away.

After the girl disappears from sight, the figure moves and the shimmer hiding it wavers and dissipates.

The side street is lined with dark shadows. Street lamps are widely spaced and only on one side of the roadway. The cones of dirty yellow light don’t reach the far side where the figure lurks. It slips easily through the shadow side with no fear of being seen. It sniffs the air more frequently now, increasing speed and moving with a rippling, unnatural grace. Its goal is near now.

The figure stops.

A large birch tree spreads its branches over the roof of num­ber 17 Marriott Street. The scent of sadness wafting delectably from the house is bordering on despair. A strange chittering escapes the figure and it shivers in anticipation, raising its head.

Inside the hood, there is nothing human. The creature has no face. A smooth yellow-white orb fills the space where its face should be. The fragile illumination from the street light reflects off something shiny and faceted at the figure’s throat as it steps forward and enters the yard.

The creature doesn’t move towards the door. It lumbers, bear-like, up to the overhanging tree. Long, lumpy arms stretch out from beneath the robe and delicate fingers caress the trunk of the tree. Suddenly, the creature scrambles, cat-like into the upper branches and drops soundlessly to the roof of number 17. It stands there for several seconds then seems to crumple in upon itself and disappears from view.

CHAPTER 3

On the Scent

It is definitely something canine, Yip announces, sniffing again.

A dog?

It could be a Cerberus…

Like Fluffy from Harry Potter? Olivia asks.

Who is Harry Potter?

Never mind. Olivia sighs. You need to get out more.

I’m out every night and I am a statue during the day, so how can I possibly get out any more.

It’s an expression, Olivia doesn’t bother adding the sarcasm to her tone of voice. It would be a waste on Yip.

A Cerberus is a large three headed hound native to Greece, Yip explains. They are often used to guard magical places. They are very unpredictable…

Yes, I know. Olivia cuts the lecture short. And they love music.

They do? Yip asked, astounded. I wonder if Brother Westerman knows about that. He might need to add that to the reference books.

Olivia sighs.

Could be a Devil Dog or a Hell Hound, Yip continues.

Olivia looks down at her wristwatch. 02:14am. Her hand reaches up to cover a yawn.

Stop!

Olivia freezes in mid stride, glancing frantically about in the shadows for some kind of danger.

Yip licks one finger and holds it up above his head testing the direction of the wind. Cut across here and run, he says. We have to stay down wind of the creature and get in front of it. If it smells us, it will go to ground again.

Olivia starts to run but skids to a halt after only a dozen strides.

What are you stopping for now? Yip demands.

You have wings, Yip, Olivia says, her eyes alight with excite­ment.

Yes, Yip says very slowly like he is talking to an idiot. Your observational skills are amazing. Unlike Olivia, Yip doesn’t try to hide his sarcasm.

Olivia huffs. You can fly ahead of it and I can sneak up on it from behind.

Oh.

Well?

Yip puffs himself up to protest but doesn’t speak right away. His expression softens. That’s not a bad idea. See, I knew you weren’t completely stupid.

He launches himself into the sky and Olivia winces in pain as his claws prick into her shoulder.

Ouch.

Yip doesn’t even glance back.

Olivia works her way down the street until she hears Yip’s challenging yowl. She sprints toward the sound, hurdling hedges and garbage bins. There is a yelp of pain and she doubles her efforts, putting on a dazzling burst of speed. Olivia leaps a tall paling fence. Her foot tangles in a long tendril of a thorny rose bush on the far side. Wickedly sharp thorns rake bloody lines along her shin and send her sprawling onto the wet grass.

Olivia, look out! Yip shouts.

Olivia grunts and slowly rolls over onto her back. A set of slathering jaws stretch wide open. Rancid breath makes her gag and cough. A tremendous weight crushes down on her chest and needle-sharp teeth draw slowly toward her face.

Olivia gulps.

CHAPTER 4

False Alarm

The dog’s warm pink tongue lashes across Olivia’s face tickling lines of slobbery drool from her chin to her forehead.

Snuggles?

Snuggles starts to whine piteously and snuggle his big boofy head into the side of Olivia’s neck.

Where have you been, boy? She rakes her fingers through his rough knotted fur and scratches the big dog behind the ears.

Snuggles whines again.

Snuggles? Yip asks, landing cautiously beside her, hefting a sharp pointed stick.

Snuggles glares at Yip and bares his teeth.

He’s Mrs Mannings’ dog. He’s been lost for over a week and she has been worried sick, Olivia explains. Haven’t you seen the posters?

Posters?

They’re on nearly every second light post in town. Olivia points to a light post just behind Yip. Large bold letters read MISSING, followed by a description and picture of Snuggles.

Oh… Yip says.

So, this is the hell hound we have been tracking for the last eight nights? Olivia’s eyebrows draw down into a disapproving frown.

Yip smiles bashfully and scuffs his taloned foot in the dirt. It could have been a hell hound.

Olivia scrambles to her feet and strides back the way they came. She pats her leg and calls to Snuggles. Come on boy, let’s get you home.

The huge scruffy dog leaps up and bounds after her.

Olivia glances back at Yip. "And I’m not coming out to play again until there is a real monster to deal