Free The Rightful Heir by Jefferson Knapp Page B

through the woods. At the raccoon’s request, they went in the opposite direction of the old ivy-covered barn.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A Sight for Slit Eyes

    B ENJAMIN FINISHED DRESSED for school and grabbed his backpack. His mom was alone at the kitchen table.
    â€œYou’re upearly!” Carol took a long sip of mocha from her mug.
    â€œDid Dad already leave?” Benjamin asked.
    â€œYes, and I’m about to. I have to help down at the church office. Then I need to check and make sure we have the park reserved for Sunday.”
    â€œThe Harvest Home Festival is Sunday. What do you need the park for?”
    â€œYou already forgot!” Carol rolled her eyes. “It’s time for our fall family reunion.”
    â€œWhat? I want to go to the Harvest Home Festival!” Benjamin knew Jessica would be there and hated the thought of not seeing her in her Watermelon Queen dress.
    â€œThe reunion is in the afternoon, Ben.”
    â€œDo I have to go?”
    â€œYes! Everybody wants to see you!”
    â€œThey all say ‘hi’ and then never talk to me again.” Benjamin looked at his mom’s offended face. “Will cousin Jon be there?”
    â€œYes. Their family is coming, too.”
    â€œAlright then, I can’t wait.” Benjamin stoically gave his mom a fake smile.
    She put down her empty coffee mug and left the kitchen.“Okay, I’m leaving. Have a good day at school. I’ll see you when you get home.”
    â€œBye.”
    He heard her close the front door and went to the window to watch her leave the driveway. He was surprised to see the fog that had rolled in. He looked at the hallway clock. He still had half an hour before the school bus showed up.
That’s more than enough time for me to go to the kingdom
. He opened the front door and felt a cool breeze caress him.
I hope it’s warmer inside the cave!
The pond looked eerie as wisps of cold fog slowly danced off it.

    T HE EARLY MORNING DAMPNESS from the ground chilled the rattlesnakes’ bellies as they slithered through the forest. Siloam trailed off from the others as they made their way to the barn. “I will meet back up with you after a while. Keep looking for the heir. He could be anywhere!”
    â€œYesss, Massster.” The others left as he disappeared through the bushes.
    He slithered a long way through the trees and grass, finally coming upon a small brook surrounded with limestone rock. A natural spring had filled up a small pool of water, where the trees above dropped their colored leaves. He stared into the calm water, watching for any movement.
“Ribbit! Ribbit!”
A large, fat, dark-green bullfrog with warts covering his whole body croaked from atop a patch of shadowy moss that floated along the side, camouflaging him. Two more bulbous sets of frog eyes stared out of the water behind their leader.
    â€œHisssssss
. I hope you have sssome…
interesssting
newsss for me?”
    â€œThe heir never showed up last night.
Ribbit
. The Snapper is keeping an eye open for him. We’ll check back in a couple days to see if anything happened.
Ribbit!”
    â€œA couple daysss?
Hisssssss.”
Siloam’s rattle shook. “We had an agreement, Fat Tony.You sssaid you would keep a continuousss watch on their kingdom.”
    â€œRibbit
. Do you realize how many workers I have on this project? I had to hire the Snapper, and he wasn’t cheap, not to mention the time spent finding tunnels that lead to their spring.
Ribbit
. That lazy, good-for-nothing Marlon’s been plundering the forest since all the competition is gone. Even Don Diego has backed away from the ‘coons!
Ribbit.”
    â€œHisssssssss
. Remember how grateful you were when we killed the raccoon? You sssaid you would help me out!” The bullfrog’s bulbous eyes blinked in consideration and the snake smiled maliciously. “I guesss I could eat you inssstead.”
    A giant croak