"I think we might be getting close." Greg flips down the shade, peering through the windshield. "Man, it's a scorcher out there."
"You think maybe whatever it is really is affecting the weather?"
"Could be. Gonna want that sunblock, either way."
It had been two days since they packed up the van and started the trip. Papers had blamed the constant buzz of static affecting televisions on a low-pressure system passing through the area, but the two of them had developed a pretty good knack for when something magical was acting up. Still, the two weren't mutually exclusive.
"Hey, can you reach the CD stack? I'm in the mood for--"
"Dad, look out!"
The van swerves sharply, before a deafening POP shakes the car and it tilts at an angle.
"Oh no, it got the tires... Steven!" Already, the boy has flung off his seatbelt and jumped out of the car. There's a great hissing sound, as likely from an animal as air escaping the tires. The smell of burned rubber hits Greg's nose. He's only a few seconds behind to get out of the car, a low moan in his throat.
From inside the van, there's very little to see. The occasional flash of light, accompanied by the sounds of Greg and Steven yelling to each other. It's maybe five minutes before Greg throws open the back doors, eyes wide and searching and teeth clenched against pain from the large burn on his shoulder. Behind him, a sizzling sound drowns out Steven's grunting from audible effort.
Greg's attention scans wildly over the contents of the van: the dynamite, the harpoon gun, the bags of trail mix, the--his eyes light up as they fall on the mirror. "There you are!" he gasps, snatching it up and running back out into the fray.
The sand by the side of the road has been burned into streaks of molten glass. A pale, lizardlike creature has Steven pinned in his bubble shield, keeping him from getting loose with laser blasts from its... head?
"Steven?!"
"I'm okay!" His voice is strained, but Greg's call catches the monster's attention. It swivels to face him by the van. Its gem resembles a magnifying glass, sitting in the center of wide neck frills taking in heat and energy from the blazing sunlight. With that hissing noise, it releases another shot from its laser, and Greg gets the mirror up just in time; the blast bounces back, singing a leg.
The hissing rises in pitch, and Steven takes the distraction to roll the bubble forward and knock the unbalanced monster over. It rolls with the hit, however, skittering away, keeping its weight on its five intact legs. The featureless head darts between Steven, Greg, and the mirror in his hand. Light glints in the magnifying gem, and the frills press flat against its neck before the creature darts away.
Greg runs over to Steven just as he drops the bubble, both panting hard. "D-dad, your shoulder..."
"I'm okay. You hurt anywhere?" Steven shakes his head. "Good."
"What if it comes back?"
"I think it came the worse off, it'll keep to itself." He gives a weary smile, and waves the mirror. "If not, we'll be ready with our secret weapon." Steven smiles back, just as tired. "C'mon, we better start getting new wheels on the van. Think you can work the jack?"
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"You think maybe whatever it is really is affecting the weather?"
"Could be. Gonna want that sunblock, either way."
It had been two days since they packed up the van and started the trip. Papers had blamed the constant buzz of static affecting televisions on a low-pressure system passing through the area, but the two of them had developed a pretty good knack for when something magical was acting up. Still, the two weren't mutually exclusive.
"Hey, can you reach the CD stack? I'm in the mood for--"
"Dad, look out!"
The van swerves sharply, before a deafening POP shakes the car and it tilts at an angle.
"Oh no, it got the tires... Steven!" Already, the boy has flung off his seatbelt and jumped out of the car. There's a great hissing sound, as likely from an animal as air escaping the tires. The smell of burned rubber hits Greg's nose. He's only a few seconds behind to get out of the car, a low moan in his throat.
From inside the van, there's very little to see. The occasional flash of light, accompanied by the sounds of Greg and Steven yelling to each other. It's maybe five minutes before Greg throws open the back doors, eyes wide and searching and teeth clenched against pain from the large burn on his shoulder. Behind him, a sizzling sound drowns out Steven's grunting from audible effort.
Greg's attention scans wildly over the contents of the van: the dynamite, the harpoon gun, the bags of trail mix, the--his eyes light up as they fall on the mirror. "There you are!" he gasps, snatching it up and running back out into the fray.
The sand by the side of the road has been burned into streaks of molten glass. A pale, lizardlike creature has Steven pinned in his bubble shield, keeping him from getting loose with laser blasts from its... head?
"Steven?!"
"I'm okay!" His voice is strained, but Greg's call catches the monster's attention. It swivels to face him by the van. Its gem resembles a magnifying glass, sitting in the center of wide neck frills taking in heat and energy from the blazing sunlight. With that hissing noise, it releases another shot from its laser, and Greg gets the mirror up just in time; the blast bounces back, singing a leg.
The hissing rises in pitch, and Steven takes the distraction to roll the bubble forward and knock the unbalanced monster over. It rolls with the hit, however, skittering away, keeping its weight on its five intact legs. The featureless head darts between Steven, Greg, and the mirror in his hand. Light glints in the magnifying gem, and the frills press flat against its neck before the creature darts away.
Greg runs over to Steven just as he drops the bubble, both panting hard. "D-dad, your shoulder..."
"I'm okay. You hurt anywhere?" Steven shakes his head. "Good."
"What if it comes back?"
"I think it came the worse off, it'll keep to itself." He gives a weary smile, and waves the mirror. "If not, we'll be ready with our secret weapon." Steven smiles back, just as tired. "C'mon, we better start getting new wheels on the van. Think you can work the jack?"