THE ORB

different now-brighter, louder, and sharper as if every detail had been turned up to its maximum. The birds chirped, but t

n. His tail wagged as he barked at squirrels, completely unaware

on muttered to himself, c

ow, save for Jackson and Max. But it didn't feel empty. Jackson's skin pri

ack as if afraid it might explode. The swirling colors on its surface

to calm himself. "It's just... a rock. A w

e first touched the orb replayed in his mind-flashes of towering mountains that seemed to f

at first-a soft humming, like the sound of distant machinery. He turned his head, tr

ed, his voice shaky

g up. Then he growled softly, staring a

rb again, but his hand froze midway. A part of him didn'

doing something to

orb was dangerous? What if it was cursed, or worse-alive

rp, sudden pain in Jackson's head. He doubled o

he groaned,

legs. His entire body felt like it was on fire. He collapsed onto th

seemed to ripple like water. And the sky-oh, the sky. It was no longer blue but an end

ppening?" Jack

thing-someone-in his mind. It wasn't a voice exactly, but a pre

ve awak

"Who's there?" he shou

eelings-waves of emotion that crashed over J

ng his head. "This isn't

cloaked in shadow, their eyes glowing like the orb in his hands. He saw worlds

saw h

r, stronger, with eyes that glowed like stars and veins that pulsed with t

mbling away from the picnic

him and nudging his leg as if t

g down his face. "I didn't ask for this!"

convulse. He tried to stand, but his legs gave out beneath him. H

ddenly as it started

him returned to normal. The sky was blue again, the t

s chest heaving. For a mome

he saw

th light. He gasped, holding them up to his face. The glow

hands as if he could shake the l

st his side. Jackson looked a

ax?" he asked, h

but Jackson didn't dare go near it. He scrambled to his feet

e muttered. "I n

usly behind him. He didn't know where he was going

the steering wheel, Jackson felt a gnawing sense of dread. Whatev

knew-this was on