The Protector of Esparia (The Annals of Esparia Book 1) by Lisa M. Wilson Page A

family could activate it.  If he hasn’t shut it down yet, then this should work.”  Reaching out, Gaylee touched the metal knob.  The moment her fingers connected, a small arc of electricity jumped from the metal to her hand and from her hand to John’s leg.  His muscle involuntarily contracted when the shock connected with his body. 
    A low rumble came from the other side of the door, like the soft purr of a contented kitten, but within seconds it increased in volume and intensity.  The door trembled.  John thought an earthquake had hit, but then the door dissolved away.  Each molecule was drawn backward with such rapidity that it took only a few moments for the entire wooden structure to disappear.
    John stared, open mouthed, in disbelief.  He heard Sophia call from behind the car.  “Good-bye.  I’ll take care of everything here.”
    A black oval materialized where the kitchen should have been.  The shrill sound of rushing air exploded around them, immediately followed by a faraway whistle.  Gaylee grabbed John’s arm, her nails dug into his flesh.  “I nearly died the last time I was in this thing,” she yelled into his ear.
    “What?  You never said anything about dying!”
    As the distant whistle grew in volume, an iridescent funnel of wildly spinning air appeared deep inside the hollow.  The rotating cone hurtled forward until it reached the mouth of the opening.  John glanced over at Gaylee.  Her eyes were closed, her mouth was pinched tight.
    He stared back at the hole to see the inside of a wild twister.  Together, they were sucked into the funnel.  Side-by-side, the two shot through the long dark tube.  A loud, high-pitched swishing sound filled the conduit.  Nothing in his previous life experience could be remotely compared to the reality of the spiral.  He closed his eyes.  Now he understood why Jessica screamed.  She must have been terrified!  He gulped at the air, trying to push enough oxygen into his lungs to avoid passing out.  It took every ounce of concentration to control the buzzing in his head.  His muscles cramped, his ears rang, and he wanted to throw up.  With each passing second, he felt the powerful, forward pull on his body, as if he were attached to the end of a tightly stretched elastic string, snapping back at lightning speed to its point of origin.
    The brief trip abruptly ended with a crash-landing on damp, mossy, ground.  Over and over John rolled until a tree stopped his forward momentum.  The spiral continued to spew air for a few seconds, then it collapsed inward and evaporated.
    John fought the dizziness that threatened to plunge him into unconsciousness.  He focused on breathing and keeping his stomach contents where they belonged.  He managed to gasp in adequate quantities of air, but lost the battle with his churning gut.  He was suddenly grateful that he had only sipped part of the tomato juice and taken just two bites of toast, but once they were up and out, he felt considerably better.
    Unconscious, Gaylee lay on her side several feet away.  Giving her a quick exam, he was relieved that none of her bones were broken, and her vital signs appeared strong.  She would be coming around soon.
    He pressed his hand down nearly an entire foot into the spongy, aqua-green moss.  It immediately sprang back when he withdrew the pressure, gently showering him with a watery mist.  It was this thick, soft cushion that saved them from being hurt on impact.  He surmised it had recently rained.  If Jessica had been here, all traces of her were long gone.
    His head ached.  He combed his fingers through his hair.  The sun rested high in the sky, yet its warm rays did little to relax him.  Jessica…Jess…where could she be?  He tried to keep his frustration and fear in check.  Hopefully, when his headache faded, he would think more clearly.
    A gentle breeze rustled through the high forest canopy at the edge of the meadow.  The trees were tall, thin