Evil Star

flower plucked in another country, Matt would have proved that he was indeed one of the five.
    But how had the doorway worked? Had it been constructed by the same people who had built the gates — and if so, why? These were Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star things that Matt still didn't understand.
    The steaks finished cooking. Professor Chambers served them with salad greens that she had grown herself. It was only when they had eaten that Matt began to speak.
    "We have to talk about what's happened," he began. His voice was soft and somehow didn't sound like him. Richard glanced at him, trying to conceal a sense of sad-ness. Matt's childhood had ended.
    He could see it. It was as simple as that.
    "The Incas told me that the gate would open and that the Old Ones would come into the world," he said. "It was their prophecy. And they were right. Salamanda knew it, too. I suppose it was written in the diary. . . ."
    "Where is the diary?" Richard asked.
    "Salamanda had it. Now that he's dead, perhaps we'll never find it."
    "Were the Incas really right?" Chambers asked.
    Matt nodded. "I thought Pedro and I could stop the gate from opening, but I see now that some things can't be changed. They'll always happen the way they were sup-posed to."
    He drew a breath.
    "We won the first time, in England," he said. "We man-aged to close Raven's Gate. But this time we lost."
    "No . . ." Richard began.
    “Yes. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. I saw the Old Ones and although I tried to fight them, even with Pedro help-ing me, I didn't have enough strength. We have to face the fact that the Old Ones are here, in the world."

    Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star

    "Then where are they?" Richard couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't want to believe it. "It's been a week now. But the world is still the same. Nothing has hap-pened. You must have beaten them!"
    "I wounded them. Maybe they're resting, waiting until they regain their strength. But I can feel them, Richard. There's a coldness in the air. They're already spreading out, making their plans. They're everywhere. And soon it will begin. ..."
    "Well, that's great!" Richard couldn't keep the bitter-ness out of his voice. "So why did we come here? What's this all been about?"
    "We had to come here, Richard. It's all so difficult, but I think I'm beginning to understand things a bit now."
    Matt took a breath, then continued.
    "There are five of us. Four boys and a girl. We're all the same age and we've all been born for the same reason. Somehow, we have to find each other. Once there are five of us, that's when the real fight will begin."
    "But where are the others?" Richard asked. "They could be anywhere in the world." .
    "Pedro is the second of them," Matt said. "That's why I had to come to Peru. To find him. And I've seen the others — but only when I've been asleep. We have dreams which help us. They're not like ordinary dreams. They're part of how it all works. And it's not going to be as hard as you think. Pedro and I came together even though we had completely different lives, thousands of miles apart. I think the others are already looking for us. It's just a matter of time. . . ."

    Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star
    "But the Old Ones are already here," Chambers said. "How much time do we have?"
    Matt didn't answer.
    A cloud passed in front of the sun, and a shadow fell across the garden. And elsewhere, all around the world, the shadows were stretching out, too.
    Evil star had risen.
    The darkness was drawing in.

    The story continues in NIGHTRISE.

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Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star