The Potion Room (Part 3)

Seth Williams (0:11)

When Cameron and Kieran opened the front door, they saw Mr. Vex himself. Well, hello there, said the boy's dad, opening the door wide. Can I help you? And Mr. Vex smiled, but it wasn't a nice smile. It looks like he had been practicing it in a mirror, but still hadn't quite gotten it right. Good evening, he said in a cold, flat voice. I am Mr. Vex. I am Kieran's substitute teacher. I make it a habit to visit the homes of all my students, to get familiar.

Oh, their dad said. Hmm. Well, that's unusual, but okay.

Welcome to our house, said dad, who was a very friendly man and had no idea he was talking to an evil villain. Come on in. Would you like some Thick Newtons or maybe a rice crispy treat or something? And from the top of the stairs, Cameron and Kieran watched in horror as Mr. Vex stepped into their house. Boys, dad called, come say hi to Kieran's teacher. They walked down the stairs as slowly as they possibly could. And then dad went into the kitchen to grab some treats for Mr. Vex, leaving the boys alone in the living room with him. Mr. Vex leaned down until his squinty eyes were level with theirs. You're probably wondering how I found your house, he whispered. It was easy. Substitutes have keys to the school office, you see. And the school office has files, and the files have addresses. I saw you watching me in the hallway, and I know you found Calder's room. And I think you have what was inside. We don't know what you're talking about, Kieran said. Oh, I think you do, said Mr. Vex. Hand over the potions, or I will tell the principal that two little boys have been stealing from the school. You will be in the biggest trouble of your entire lives. And then he straightened up and raised his voice. Excuse me, sir, may I use your restroom? It's upstairs, first floor on the left. Your dad called from the kitchen, but Mr. Vex did not go to the first door on the left. The boys heard him creaking down the upstairs hallway, opening doors, the bathroom, and then Kieran's room, and then Cameron's room. He's going to find the closet, Cameron said. Kieran thought fast. He grabbed a big glass vase from the coffee table and dropped it on the floor with a crash. Oops, Kieran shouted as loudly as he could. I broke a vase. Dad, Mr. Vex, come quick. Dad rushed in from the kitchen and Mr. Vex came stomping down the stairs empty-handed and furious. And with dad standing right there sweeping out the glass, there was nothing Mr. Vex could do. I must be going, he said. But at the front door, he turned to the boys and whispered one last thing.

I'll be back tomorrow, and next time, you will give me what I want. And the door closed behind him. And that night, the boys sat on Cameron's bedroom floor with the potion box between them. We can't keep it here, Kieran said. He's going to come back and he's going to find it. Well, then we don't let him find it, said Cameron. We make him find something else.

Kieran frowned. Well, what do you mean? Cameron picked up the key and held it up. Remember what the hidden note said? The potion room can only be opened with the key.

Only this key.

That means not the principal, not the governor, not even the president can get in or out, remember? Kieran said, so if Mr. Vex went into the room, and then we locked the door.

That's right, said Cameron, he'd be stuck until Mr. Calder comes back. That's a good plan, said Kieran. That's a really good plan. But how do we get him to go in?

And Cameron grinned, but we just have to let him follow us.

And then, very quietly, Cameron reached into the potion box and pulled out two small bottles, one red and one yellow. And he slipped them into his jacket pocket. Cameron, no, Kieran said. Mr. Calder said never mix those. Remember consequences beyond your wildest nightmares?

Oh, I'm just bringing him, said Cameron, just in case. The next afternoon, the boys walked through the school doors together. Cameron's heart was thumping so hard he could hear it in his ears. They found Mr. Vex right where they expected him, at the end of a hallway, tapping on the walls to see what he could find.

Cameron took a deep breath, and then, in the loudest voice he could manage, he said, Come on, Kieran, we should get everything out of Mr. Calder's secret room before somebody finds it. Mr. Vex's head snapped around, and the boys turned and walked quickly down the hall, around one corner, and then another, and then another, and behind him, they could hear footsteps, slow at first, and then faster. He was following them. They reached the dark hallway. Cameron pulled the painting off the wall and slid the key into the lock and swung the door open, and the two boys hurried inside the potion room, with all the beakers and bottles and twisting glass tubes, and they pressed themselves into the shadows in the back corner, and three seconds later, Mr. Vex burst through the doorway. At last, he cried, spreading his arms wide. Calder's laboratory, after all these years. He rushed to the shelves, grabbing bottles and holding them up to the light, but the bottles were all empty.