Sometimes They Do Come Back

"Don't waste time ---- get out of here," the other figure said, "there's more Japs and they'll come back and we won't be able to help you this time." Mark thought the phantom that warned them of the impending danger was Pete Foley but he wasn't totally sure because the figures were starting to fade like the fog on the ground.

"Thanks for the help this time and I miss you guys ---- we all miss you."

"We know and we'll all be together someday," Mike said.

"What do you mean?" Mark asked.

"The meteor or whatever it was that crashed here thousands of years ago was some kind of antimatter that created sort of a black hole in the earth. It will be here for eternity but for now we are trapped in it. Hopefully, we'll be able to leave when we're needed or the being in the portal allows us to leave and I have reason to believe that when it is done with us that we'll be released."

With that, the four phantom soldiers saluted once again and disappeared into the deep, bottomless lake. Mark stood sadly and watched them go. He gave one last salute to his valued friends. Would he ever see them again?

"Wow!" Jason said almost feinting. "You sure have some strange but most welcome friends."

"Yes, I really do," Mark agreed.

"Just one thing though," Robert insisted.

"What is that? " Mark asked.

"I think that we all should agree to keep this between ourselves."

"I think so too, " Mark replied, "after all, who would believe us."

Four years later Mark lay beside Elizabeth in bed. She was sleeping soundly and he was thinking about the life they had together now that he was home. He had continued his education and was now a great writer, known far and wide for his books on mystery and science fiction. There was one story that he was afraid to write. He was afraid that it would put a curse on the friends that he knew that he would always have in the pond in the woods.

He often visited them on moonlit nights and spent as much time as he could with them. He always explained to Elizabeth that he was out hunting but she acted as if she didn't believe him. Somehow, he knew that she knew what he was doing and just didn't want to question him. Nate had been there along with the others and they all promised that every time the moon was full and the whirlpool would permit it to be so that they would visit with each other. They all had a lot of stories to tell and many happy times to talk about. Whatever the force was in the portal, it had decided to keep Nate in the portal with his other friends. One good thing that made Mark exceptionally happy was that his friends didn't age anymore.