“Not if you’re the one being swung around,” said Maybeck, clearly challenging Finn.
“I’ll take my chances,” said Finn, staring back at Maybeck’s twitching smile and wondering why he’d volunteered.
63
THE LINE FOR EXPEDITION EVEREST had been shut down fifteen minutes prior to the Park closing to make sure the roller coaster was free of passengers by the appointed time. The line twisted through a startling reproduction of a Nepalese village, complete with prayer flags and Asian memorabilia.
Finn, Philby Amanda, and Jez stuck together. They passed into the backstage area through a “Park Rangers Only” gate and simply walked into the enormous structure that housed the exotic roller coaster.
Finn had expected to need his ID and perhaps some quick talking to get them all inside, but with the closing of the ride to the public, someone had left the backstage door open, and the kids simply walked in.
“It’s three structures in one,” Philby explained in a hush. “The massive superstructure that supports the exterior building, the roller coaster, and the yeti.”
“I thought you hadn’t studied it,” whispered Jez.
“I haven’t studied it thoroughly,” Philby replied, “but that doesn’t mean I haven’t read up on it a little.”
“We may need the roller coaster for our escape,” Finn said to Philby. “Why don’t you stay and try to handle that?”
“Done,” said Philby. He could be a handful when he showed off.
“See you up there,” Finn said.
The metal stairs reminded him of a fire escape. The three of them climbed and climbed. Then they climbed some more. Far below they suddenly heard men’s voices. The lights went out. Then a reverberating thunk as a door was slammed shut with a finality that Finn felt up his spine.
With the lights out, the building’s vast interior was held in an unnatural haze caused by the few emergency lights strategically placed throughout.
No one said anything at first, but a tremor of fear passed between them.
Finn couldn’t lose the image of his being swung around by his feet. Step by step he felt himself drawn to that fate.
Amanda started talking, possibly to break the mood established by the lights going out. “What is it that something—someone—like Chernabog wants?”
“Power,” Jez answered.
“Exactly,” Amanda agreed. “He’s been locked up in here ever since they built the ride, and now he wants freedom and power, probably in that order.”
“And you’re saying he’d have gotten both if I hadn’t dreamed what I dreamed,” Jez said.
“He still may get both,” Amanda cautioned. “And what’s the one thing anyone seeking power is afraid of?”
“What is this?” Finn complained, “a social sciences class?”
“Answer the question,” Amanda pushed.
“His enemies,” Finn answered.
“Yes! His enemies,” Amanda agreed. “In particular, any enemy who is potentially more powerful than he is. So who are his biggest enemies? You—the Kingdom Keepers—or Wayne, or Jez, or whom?”
“All of the above,” a winded Finn replied. The stairs seemed to go on forever. The trio passed along the roller coaster’s high-tech tracks and the arctic scenery that only made the chill of the air all the more convincing. “Or none of the above,” Finn said, his mind racing.
“You’re messing with us?” Amanda said accusingly.
Finn answered, “Chernabog is rarely seen in any of the Disney stuff. Fantasia and Fanstasmics are it, I think.”
“And all the postcards and stuff that show the Disney villains,” Amanda corrected.
“That, too. But in the Fantasmics—he’s beaten by the sorcerer, Mickey,” said Finn. “And in Fantasia, by the sun.”
“Interesting,” said Amanda. She didn’t sound winded at all. Finn wondered if she was levitating herself up the endless stairs.
Jez asked, “Are you saying he has to defeat Mickey before he can be assured of maintaining any power he gains?”
“Defeating Mickey,” Finn said, “defeats us all. Without Mickey, there is no Magic Kingdom, no Animal Kingdom, no Disney at all.”
“But then why kidnap Jez? Why involve the five of you? What do you guys have to do with Mickey?” Amanda asked.
“Nothing,” Finn answered. “That’s what’s puzzling. But think about it: the sooner he eliminates Mickey, the sooner there’s no one to stop him from overtaking the Park.”
mybest: ice truck just arrived!!!
Finn told the two sisters the news. “The ice truck pulled up around back.”
“Then this is it,” Jez said, her voice trembling. “Whatever Maleficent has been planning, it’s happening right now.”
They rounded a corner and then quickly jumped to one side to hide.
What they’d witnessed was emblazoned in their minds. Far above them towered the frightening figure of the yeti. It stood thirty feet tall or more, leaning out over the track—the embodiment of eviclass="underline" monstrous and otherworldly.
At the yeti’s feet stood a tall figure in a black robe. They were too far away to see the purple fringe on the cape or the green skin, but no one in the group doubted it was she. Hidden by an outcropping of rock, they continued higher until the steady chanting of her voice could be heard. She was conjuring a spell. As the staircase curved, following the rocks, they were forced to drop to their stomachs and belly-crawl up the metal stairs. Then Finn raised a hand signaling the others to stop.
He didn’t know exactly why they’d come here—only that they couldn’t turn away from Jez’s daydream. Perhaps they were here to witness whatever Maleficent planned, perhaps to stop it. He believed their attendance here critical to Wayne’s rescue, yet he knew they were no match for the yeti. Not if Maleficant awakened the thing.
And then it became perfectly clear to him: they had to stop her from awakening the yeti in the first place. Chernabog must not come to power. This was the secret to preserving the peace in the Animal Kingdom. This was why Jez had dreamed it in the first place.
More than anything, Finn’s concern for Wayne remained at the forefront of his thoughts. He had to find out what had happened to him, where he’d gone. And to that end, he must not be afraid.
This became his focus: he must not be afraid. He felt a tingling sensation wash over him.
It was true: he did not see the green skin or the fringe on Maleficent’s robe, and he was betting she couldn’t make out the sudden slight shimmer to his skin, either.
He rose to his feet and called out boldly, “Do you really think you’ll get away with it?” His electronically-edged voice echoed in the cavernous building.
Amanda and Jez slunk back and down, once again hiding in the lee of the rock outcropping.
Far below—miles it seemed—a loud pop was heard, followed by sudden humming. The round rail to the left of the stairs carried a slight tremor.
The roller coaster had been switched on.
64
IT ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY: his words echoing around the building; the steady increase in electronic and mechanical sounds as the roller coaster started up; Maleficent’s arms shooting up from her sides and lifting her robe like magnificent wings.
The twitching of the yeti’s fingers, like the paws of a sleeping dog.
Too late! She had already awakened the giant.
His massive head moved side-to-side, and a loud crack thundered through the snowcapped mountains.
The hum and whir of the roller coaster grew steadily closer.
“Silly, silly, boy!” Maleficent spun around and shot a ball of fire at Finn. The size of a soccer ball, it exploded at his feet, flaming out.
And whereas once Finn would have been terrified by such things, would have stood transfixed by the power she displayed, something had come over him. She was nothing but an illusionist, a magician using her substantial skills to scare him. He was no longer convinced she even possessed the ability to kill him—or, if she did, then why hadn’t she done so?