Polaris by Beth Bowland Page B

life is but a dream. My answer lies within the tie that binds.” He looked up at the word again and slowly opened the closet. The way it was angled plus the way the light was coming in from the front door didn’t help his vision.
    He strained to see inside the closet. From the outside it only looked to be a couple of feet deep, but for some strange reason, it felt as if it went on forever. He placed his foot inside the narrow doorway and hesitated before going any farther. He took another step and reached out to feel for the back and sides of the closet. He felt nothing. He moved in a little farther, and he heard the closet door slam shut behind him.
    Aaron’s heart raced as he quickly turned around and only felt a solid wall behind him. He shuffled his feet to the right and then back to the left, attempting to find another door. Standing motionless, he forced his mind to focus.
    “How do I get out of here?” he whispered. He fully expected to see Mr. Kessler appear. “Mr. Kessler?” he called out. “Are you there?” He received no response.
    Aaron kept his arms out, reaching for anything solid. He continued to walk until he spotted two green specks of light bobbing around in front of him. As he headed toward the specks of light, they grew larger. Brisk air blew across his face.
    “A doorway?” he said, quickening his pace until he ran directly into something spongy. He ran his hands around the softness, trying to figure out what the object was.
    “Hey, cut that out,” came a voice. “That tickles.”
    Aaron gasped and stumbled backward. The green lights blinked at him. “Who are you?” he asked.
    “Who are you?” the voiced replied. “You broke into my home and tickled me while I was trying to sleep in my bed.”
    Suddenly, the room lit up. Aaron blinked several times to adjust his vision. Before him lay a massive seaweed-covered manatee. Its green eyes twinkled with joy, and beside his wide flat snout hung two jowls.
    “So,” said the creature, “now that the lights have been turned on and I can clearly see, who are you?”
    “Um … ” Aaron stuttered. “I’m Aaron.”
    “Nice to make your acquaintance, Aaron. My friends call me Max.”
    Aaron’s eyes widened. “Max?”
    “Yes, well, my actual name is Maximilian, but that’s entirely too long to say, don’t you think?” His jowls turned upward into a toothless grin.
    “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure how I arrived in your home,” Aaron said. “I was looking for an object and came in through the closet marked Alrescha.”
    “Interesting,” Max said.
    “Yes. It was part of the clue for the object I have to find in an odd game that I’m playing that you wouldn’t believe if I told you.”
    Max smiled. “Oh, really?” He chuckled.
    Aaron looked at his oversized jolly new friend and thought it did sound silly since he was having a conversation with a manatee. “Well, there is this evil alien kid named Nakal, and somehow I was chosen for a game. I didn’t want to play, but they kidnapped my mother and best friend so I’m forced to find three out of five objects while Nakal tries to stop me or I will lose my life or something weird like that but I’m still unsure how I can be zapped into some place call nothingness and they will get away with it,” Aaron said, without pausing to take a breath.
    Max’s jowls hung downward, and his eyes softened. “You are in a pickle indeed, my little friend.”
    Aaron’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah,” he answered weakly.
    Max straightened up as much as his massive gelatinous mass would allow. “Well, if you think the object is hidden within my home, feel free to look around.”
    Aaron’s eyes perked up. “Oh, thank you,” he said and offered Max a smile. “That kid Nakal that I mentioned will probably show up. He does when I get close to the object. Could you yell if you see him?”
    “Certainly.” Max winked.
    “I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for. The clue said my answer lies