Carlousia: The Passing of the Guard

by Carter, E. G.

• ISBN13: 9781462055296
• ISBN10: 146205529X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-11-17
• Publisher: Author Solutions

Summary

Ten-year-old Eddie Caskitt is filled with relief. The worries of moving into a new neighborhood, making friends, and starting a new school have been weighing him down. But after spending just a few minutes with the kids of Drayton Woods, Eddie realizes that the adventurous summer he was hoping for might just happen after all. Eddie hopes all the fun he anticipates will ease the pain of knowing his grandfather is dying. With his last bit of strength before he passes away, Eddie's grandfather whispers that he has left something for Eddie in his barn-and that the tall tales he has been telling Eddie for years are true. With the help of a magic bracelet he finds inside a secret hole in the barn, Eddie and his two new friends, Dan and Scotty, enter a portal where they are suddenly thrust into roles guarding the world of Carlousia. Now the boys must conquer fear, outwit predators, unfold betrayal, and overthrow evil-all while pretending everything is normal at home. In this extraordinary adventure, three boys take a wild, coming-of-age journey that intertwines risk, honor, loyalty, and the kind of danger that unfortunately may lead to unimaginable loss.

Excerpts

The foursome entered the water with Scotty and Eddie clacking their heads together, and the three boys landing on top of Sara Ellen with such great force, that it drove all of them deep under the surface of the water. As they opened their eyes, trying to get their bearings, the water turned from the red muddy color of the creek, to a clear and brilliant blue. No longer did they taste or feel nasty creek water; it was now salty ocean water. Struggling to the surface, trying to catch their breaths, a wave crashed down, and pushed them towards the beach. Eddie, Dan, and Scotty came up for air, floating on their backs and trying to assess if anything had broken. Just then another wave came and drove all three of them onto the beach. The water retreated back into the ocean and left the trio on the beach, on their backs. Eddie sat up because his Ark was digging into his back. Rubbing his head where a knot was starting to rise, but still looking at the sand, trying to figure out if anything was broken, something clicked inside Eddie's mind. Wait I was just on the creek with Dan and Scotty. He reached back to feel his Ark. Then how did my Ark get on my back?' Slowly his eyes started to focus. "Oh, my God, I think we're dead," Scotty said still lying on his back. Eddie's gaze went down his legs and to his feet. Slowly, Dan rolled over, gathering his bearings. "Huh, why are we on a beach?" Dan said face down, staring at the sand. Full-on panic set in for Eddie. He had on his Guardian clothing. He quickly looked over at Scotty and Dan. They were here with him—and they both were 16 years old! Scotty actually had sideburns and a mustache, and Dan looked like a professor from school. The panic slowly changed to excitement as a real big grin crept up Eddie's face and he thought, Holy smokes...they're going to freak out! I did it, they're here with me and they're not going to believe what happened! Eddie quickly jumped to his feet, pulled out his Ark, and stuck it in the sand next to him. He crossed his arms, across his chest, as if he were posing for a picture. The look on their face is going to be priceless! Eddie thought holding back a laugh. He just stood there, motionless, waiting for his friends to figure out they were in Carlousia with him! Dan slowly pushed himself up to his knees. "Wow, it's bright; when did the sun come out?" he asked shading his eyes, with his hand. Scotty was still on his back and had started to rub his head. "Man, I've got another knot on my head. Is everyone okay?" Scotty suddenly realized his voice was a great deal deeper. He moved his hand from the knot on his head, to his neck, and tried to clear his throat. Eddie snorted trying to hold back a laugh, attracting Dan's attention. Dan slowly turned and saw Eddie. "AAAHHHHHH!" Dan screamed, crab-walking backwards towards Scotty. "Who are you?" he screamed grabbing for Scotty. "Scotty?" At that second, he bumped into Scotty and turned to look at him. "AAHHHHHHH!" they both yelled when their eyes met. In one move, Scotty rolled away from Dan and quickly jumped to his feet. "Hey," Scotty said, his voice cracking a bit when he pointed his finger at Eddie, and then stopped on Dan. "Who are y'all, and where's Edd...." His voice trailed off and cracked in a high pitch. Scotty slowly squinted, and fixed his eyes on Eddie, "Eddie?" "Yes," Eddie proudly said, with a big grin. "It's me." Scotty studied Eddie's face a little longer. Slowly, but surely, a small grin started to build on Scotty's face. He took a few steps forward and walked around Eddie and said, "You're bigger, and what are you wearing?" Scotty asked. "Like I told you at the tree house, I'm 16 now, and these are the clothes that I wear...," Eddie paused for effect, "in Carlousia," he finished, still sporting a huge grin. Dan was in frozen shock, mouth wide open, skin sticky and white, and looking on the verge of passing out. Scotty had calmed down almost immediately; things to him were getting very cool, very quickly. He reached out and squeezed Eddie's bicep, testing it for strength. "Dude, you're built!" Scotty, realizing he, too, had changed, suddenly grabbed his own arm, "I am, too!" Scotty shouted with excitement and then did a half circle trying to look at his back and legs. The air was broken with a sudden scream. Dan had finally caught his breath; sort of like young children who have been frozen in that mouth-open, silent scream, right before they catch their breathe and unleash a ear piercing cry, "WHAAAAAT AND WHEEEEEERE?!" Dan jumped up, threw his arms over his head, and started to pace. "Ohhh, this is not good...I'm not here, what am I doing here, I can't be here...I need to go home." His voice got higher and cracked, as he started a full-on panic. The sound of Dan's loud whine snapped Scotty and Eddie out of their joy. Scotty rolled his eyes and Eddie winced as if he were in pain. The combination of the bright sun, Dan's fit, and the banged heads, made their own heads start to throb. "Calm down, Dan, good grief," Scotty said annoyed, squeezing his eyes tight, and rubbing his knot again, "You're acting like a girl again, and you're hurting my head." "I'm acting like a girl?" Dan threw his arms over his head again in a flounce and spun to point at Scotty's face. "You have a mustache...and sideburns. We're in a...a...a... another world and I'm supposed to calm down and stop acting like a GIRL?!" Dan stopped in mid stride and froze again. "I do?" Scotty said forgetting his pain and getting excited again. He reached up a stroked his face, "That's cool, Dude, I've gotta mustache." He said, smacking Eddie with the back of his hand. Scotty moved in close to Eddie and flexed his muscles, like a fierce wrestler, "and I'm buff!" "Giiiirl," Dan said again, this time the word seemed to hang in his throat, "oh, my God." The words were barely coming out of his mouth; he swallowed real hard. "Where's Sara Ellen?"