Eugene and Casper

Chapter Five: The First of Many Meetings

It was the dark man. Out here in the light, Eugene couldn't help but notice his pale, clammy, almost translucent skin -- like you'd expect from someone who lived in a cave. Blackish bags drooped under his eyelids. His eyes were sunk, dark as pitch, without a single reflection or gleam, rather like a yawning abyss.

And yet the man was smiling. Not a nice smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Come here." He curled in his fingers in a smooth and yet somehow lifeless gesture.

Eugene didn't know what to do. He wanted to run. But if he did, the dogs would be on him before he'd gone two paces, and besides, he was paralyzed with fear. He sat still.

"Come," the dark man said. "Now."

Before he knew what was happening, Eugene stood up and started walking over to the man. That wasn't what he wanted! But no matter how hard he tried to stop, he couldn't. His legs moved by themselves.

Two or three feet in front of the man, he suddenly stopped. The power which had taken over his legs abruptly relinquished control, before Eugene was ready, and he sank to his knees in a daze.

"Why didn't you obey me, Eugene?" The dark man bent over and lifted Eugene's chin, but the boy didn't -- couldn't -- look into those blank eyes. "Answer me."

It was hard to talk. His heart pounded, and his arms felt like ice, and his head felt like a hot air balloon with nothing inside. But Eugene somehow managed to choke out, "Who are you?"

"Milagro is what my master calls me," said the man. He stood up. "You're probably wondering why I've summoned you here. Good. Keep wondering."

A twig snapped at the other side of the clearing. Milagro spun around and made a motion with his hand as the dogs pounced upon the area. There, frozen with one leg in the air, was a young woman. She remained motionless, somehow not falling, not even blinking.

"A girl?" Eugene gasped. Yinks was a girl?

Milagro turned back. "Your friend?"

Eugene was about to say yes, but then he thought better of it. "No, I've never seen her before." And that was true.

"You lie." He bent down again and whispered, "Don't ever lie to me again, Eugene." And with that he flicked his hand and Yinks shot up through the air, finally stopping a hundred or two feet up. Thin white strands flew out from the surrounding trees, catching her in the center of a hexagonal pattern which blossomed into a full-scale spiderweb.

"You can't do that!" said Eugene, standing up. "She didn't hurt you!"

"No," said Milagro. "But that doesn't matter. I can do whatever I want, and right now I want her up there. Besides, she's dangerous. A runaway criminal. She could have killed you."

Before Eugene could say anything, Milagro had raised a finger to his lips. "No more. We've got to leave before they smell us." He motioned up with his head. Eugene stifled a cry as he saw three elephant-sized spiders crawling down the trees toward Yinks.

"You're just going to leave her there?"

"Yes. Let's go." Milagro started walking out of the clearing, with the dogs following close behind.

"But--"

"Now." And Eugene's legs started to move again. He kept his gaze on Yinks as he was walked out of the clearing. The spiders were getting closer. Just as she disappeared from his view, he thought he saw her arm move. But maybe he was just imagining it.