by Fletcher, MJ
“He does?” I kept staring at them.
“Yes, he’s been doing it ever since your mom...” Her voice dropped below a whisper.
I spun to face her. “What happened to her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Of course you don’t,” I didn’t have to try for sarcasm; it dripped with my every word. “Conveniently no one does, do they?”
“If I knew I would tell you. Unfortunately, I don’t know any more about what happened on your parents’ mission than what your father told the council.” Her fingers brushed gently across a picture of my mom. “I haven’t heard from your mother since.”
I tried to find an ounce of forgiveness for her but where had she been since my mom disappeared? If anything, at least she could tell me more about my mom. “Why did my mom leave?
“I wish I knew. She loved you more than words could say and was one hell of a Guild member. We all miss her.”
“Maybe she should have stuck around.”
“She must have had a very good reason for disappearing, dear.”
“Right, I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation for why she skipped out on us and hasn’t even bothered to call or try to contact me, her daughter, her only child,” I said the sarcasm back.
“She loved you, you must remember that.”
“I remember a happy family that she tore apart by leaving us.” I turned away from the pictures and plopped back down in the chair. I was annoyed. I hadn’t let thoughts of my mom bother me this much in some time. I didn’t like the painful memories they stirred up.
“Come on let’s head to the kitchen, I’ll fix you something to eat.”
She walked out of the room and I followed along, since I didn’t have much of a choice. I was stuck here like it or not.
The kitchen was large with a long table at one end and a big island with stools at the other. I pulled out one of the stools and sat as Mrs. Grimm, couldn’t bring myself to even think of her as Gran, began pulling things from the fridge and cabinets. She grabbed some vegetables and slid them in my direction and handed me a knife and a cutting board and without thinking I went to work dicing everything up for her.
We talked as we prepared the food, mostly about school and regular stuff. And for those few minutes life seemed normal and I hadn’t felt normal in a long while. I may not have seen her in over ten years but still she was my grandmother and I enjoyed the normalcy if only briefly. When the stir fry was finished we sat at the table, ate and reminisced about my parents. I was glad we kept it cordial and the memories humorous. I was surprised when I heard the front door open having completely forgotten about my cousin. She walked into the kitchen, stopped a moment to stare at us and then she walked over grabbed a bit of food from the bowl and nibbled on it.
“How was your night dear?” Gran asked her.
“It was fine. Sully wanted to go to the Diesel Factories but James and I stayed in and did some studying.” She snatched another bit of food eating it quickly.
‘Sounds lovely but obviously you didn’t eat, so sit down and have something. Chloe and I were talking.” She gestured to a chair beside me.
Jessica eyed me with her usual contempt and stepped back.
“No I’m fine, Gran, I better head to bed.” She turned to leave but Gran’s voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Jessica Grimm, it wasn’t a request, sit down now.”
Jessica spun around and sat without looking at me. “Can I have a plate please?”
I suppressed a laugh and handed Jess a plate. She reached for it with eyes blazing. For a minute I thought she was going to break it over my head, but she grabbed it and dumped a heaping spoonful of stir fry on it.
“I am aware that you two have been having issues with one another,” Gran said “Jessica informed me of what happened in the library and I want to say this... that all ends now. You’re family and don’t ever forget that. You’re cousins and you should never let anything come between you. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes.” We spoke in unison surprising each other.
“Good. Now that that’s settled let’s finish eating.”
Jess dug in and Gran got some cake from the fridge. She cut us each a generous slice and set the plates in front of us. We sat around the table talking and it felt so normal I nearly forgot how bad things were in my life. But for just a few moments I didn’t need to worry about Dad or about what was happening.
“Anyone for coffee?” Gran asked as she started to brew a pot for herself.
She stopped abruptly and froze. I was about to ask if everything was alright when the hair on my neck and arms stood on end.
A heat so strong rushed through me that I thought I was on fire and it scared the hell out of me. I turned to see Jessica who looked just as fearful and unsure. I stood and my knees grew weak.
My grandmother turned and looked from Jessica to me, sadness filled her aged eyes. “Girls remember what I told you... stick together no matter what happens. Do you understand me?”
I nodded unable to speak, the full weight of pure energy weighing me down.
I fought to get some control and was finally able to ask, “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know but I haven’t felt this kind of power in a very long time. And the last time I did it wasn’t friendly.”
A booming knock followed by another echoed from the front of the house.
Gran rushed over to us and grabbed mine and Jessica’s hands shoving them into each other. “Stay together and take care of one another. The power they’re using is blocking any exit out of here right now, I might be able to distract them enough to give you time to find an exit. When you find it leave.”
“But, Gran, what about you?” Jessica had finally regained her voice and it trembled with emotion.
I turned to see tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Your girls’ safety is the only thing that matters. Now do as I say, this is not something to argue over this is—”
The knock shook the entire house.
Gran turned but before she could rush off I grabbed her arm. “You don’t have to do this we can get out together.”
“They’re knocking, dear, because they know they’ve blocked all of our exits and we have no chance of escape. If I can cause enough of a ruckus I can change that.”
“I won’t let you do this, Gran,” I guess her putting her life on the line for me made me call her Gran or maybe it was my anger that someone was once again after my family and me. I was sick of it and I wanted to fight. I wanted to put an end to it all.
Gran reached up and brushed her hand against my cheek, her smile sad. “You remind me so much of your mother. I may not have been able to help her but I can help you. Now go to your cousin and help her get out of here.” She pulled away and hurried to the kitchen door.
“Gran,” I choked not able to say more.
She smiled, the sadness gone. “I love you too, dear.” And then the door swung closed behind her.
I heard her open the front door and the rumble of power shook the whole house to its foundation knocking me off my feet. I stared at the kitchen door. It glowed brighter red by the second... then all hell broke loose.
Chapter 21
Status: Things couldn’t get worse, could they?
The door exploded inward sending splinters of wood in all directions. Jess screamed and scrambled toward the back of the kitchen. I ducked and pivoted trying to avoid the flying debris. A doorknob materialized and hovered in the air, a blue aura surrounding it. Its energy consumed the room, making the hairs on the back of my neck rise just before my powers activated.
“Chloe, run! Take Jess and get out!” Gran shouted from the front room, her voice dripping with fear.
I stood rooted in place, unable to move or respond. I strained to listen, to hear what the floating doorknob was trying to tell me. But it was like whispers in a dark room, I couldn’t make out where they were coming from or quite what they were saying. Th
e indistinct voices hung in the air around me talking softly, urging me to grab the doorknob.
The house shuddered as another explosion rocked it and sent me crashing to the floor. My powers waned and I turned to see Jess tucked in a corner, hugging her knees to her chest and staring at me wide-eyed.
I pushed myself up, snatched my bag off the kitchen island and threw it over my shoulder. I ran to Jess and reached down sliding my hand under her arm and yanking her up. She didn’t make a sound, her eyes never leaving the kitchen door that glowed brightly and where from beyond came terrifying sounds.
“Gran threw up a protection field. This is it. We need to go.”
“B—b—but Gran.”
“We can’t help her if we’re dead. Can you unlock a doorway?” I asked as I spun my bag around and dug through it in search of my doorknob.
“I can try,” Jess said pulling a skeleton key off the necklace she wore. A mist of red energy snaked from the edges of the key floating down to the floor then shooting back up to form a wispy, crimson door.
My gut twisted from the pull of energy Jess used, its power too attractive not to affect me. I’d been around other Old Kind for months now but still had trouble controlling my powers or the urge to siphon off someone else’s energy.
I watched the door shift and shimmer before us. “It’s not solid.” We’d never be able to get a strong enough portal from the doorway if it wasn’t’ solid.
“I’m trying.” Jess’ voice cracked and beads of sweat popped out along her brow as she battled with some unseen force attempting to mute our powers. Whatever had come for us had been prepared.
My hand wrapped around the old brass knob at the bottom of my bag and I pulled it out. A trail of bright blue light floated behind it. The energy shot up my arm stinging though not hurting and crazy as it was, I welcomed it. It filled me, empowered me, and became part of me.
I shoved it at Jess’ doorway and was quickly absorbed. No soon as they connected, the door grew more solid as the red mist thickened and turned more concrete.
I grasped the knob and twisted it. The feelings that ran through me were amazing; the turn of the world beneath my feet, the dance of the planets through the universe and the taste of eternity on my lips as it all opened up and poured through me. I pushed the doorway open and the glow of a portal bathed the kitchen in its welcoming light.
“You did it.” Jess seemed impressed and surprised, her eyebrows arching.
“Noooo!” Gran’s scream startled us both as she came hurtling into the room, crashed into the island and crumbled to the floor. Blood poured from a gash along her hairline. She tried hard to get to her feet but it was no use. She had spent all her energy and finally slumped in defeat to the floor.
Her head lolled to the side and with a terror-filled glare that sent chills up my spine, she whispered, “Run.”
I didn’t wait, I grabbed Jess and pushed her through the portal and dashed in behind her. I turned back wanting to make sure that Gran saw that we had made it.
A dark figure had entered the kitchen and was racing toward our doorway. With a shaking hand I yanked it shut, the energy of the knob slamming the portal closed.
I shivered more fearful of Gran’s fate after recognizing her attacker... the man in black.
~~~
We rolled out the other end of the portal and onto a cobblestone street. The doorway slammed shut behind us with a boom that shook the surrounding houses, not that anyone would notice; only our kind would. The red, wood door shifted and turned to mist, while my doorknob hung silently in the air humming, its aura dimmed from powerful use.
Jess pulled herself up and looked around. “Where are we?”
Since I had been the one controlling the portal it had followed my directions on where to take us.
“A safe place.” I grabbed the doorknob and the last of the blue light scattered like dandelions in the wind.
“As if,” she said quietly and I knew exactly how she felt.
We walked down the street passing only a few houses before I stopped in front of one of the many Victorian style homes. I pulled my mobile from my pocket and tapped a message lightning fast. A moment later a light in an upstairs window clicked on. A few minutes passed and the light went out. Seconds later the front door opened and a shadow crept out and silently closed the door.
“What’s going on?” Edgar Magnus asked joining us, his ever-present goggles pushed up into his messy brown hair. His side bag hung over his shoulder, map corners poking out of the edges. He never went anyplace without his maps. Before I could answer him he nodded toward Jess. “What’s she doing here?”
“We need help Edgar, someone’s after us.” I quickly caught him up on how we’d been attacked and made our escape.
“Who do you think it is?”
“I’ve got no idea. Mr. Jordan knew where I was, which means the Doorknob Society did as well.” I let the accusation hang in the air.
“The Society?” Edgar asked as we walked down the street.
“Maybe, I just don’t have enough information.” I didn’t bother to conceal my anger.
“And the Guild?” he asked with obvious apprehension.
“Right now I don’t trust any of the Old Kind. No, I have to do this on my own.”
“No, you don’t,” Jess said adamantly. “I am doing it too.”
“You know how dangerous this is,” I said, a part of me wondering if I could even trust her. “You can go to the Guild, they’ll protect you.”
“I don’t know that for sure, besides,” —her lips trembled—”she’s my grandmother too. This may have started with you, but now I’m involved. We do this together just like Gran told us to.”
She sounded like she meant every word and I hoped she did. “All right together, but where to start?”
“I’ve got an idea about that?” Edgar chimed in a smile on his lips.
“Let’s hear it.”
“This seems to have to do with whatever happened to your dad, so I think that’s where we have to start looking for answers... with your dad.”
“That makes sense, but all of Dad’s stuff is still at the house. We’d need to get in there and see what he was working on.”
“How, they’ll be waiting for you?”
I smiled at Edgar. “True, but they’ll be looking for me and Jess.”
He rolled his eyes and his shoulders sagged as he sighed, “I walked right into that one.”
“Yeah, you did.” I punched him playfully in the shoulder as the three of us headed for my house.
‘So how do we do this?” Jess whispered as we moved along the dark streets.
She was smart keeping it to a whisper. Being so close to the ocean, it was like a conduit for sound. A whisper in the dead of night could often sound like a shout.
“I heard Mr. Miller say the Society has someone posted watching the house,” Edgar said. “I bet they put a lock on the entire structure so no one can use a portal to enter.”
“We go about it the old fashioned way,” I said. “You’re going to walk in the front door.”
Edgar shook his head. “Bold and totally insane.”
“No it’s not. You head for the door as if it’s the most natural thing to do and when the guard stops you, you tell him that you left maps, a homework assignment due tomorrow, in my room and you need to get them.”
“And they’ll just let me in. Yeah, right.”
“Look, maybe the Doorknob Society is involved and maybe they aren’t but they aren’t going to believe that the Mapmakers Union is involved.”
“Guys?” Jess said slowing her steps.
“Yeah, we feel it,” I said.
Rolling waves of Old Kind energy rippled along the street washing over us as we approached Mission Street. A heavy energy lock had been placed on my house. It was like a beacon exuding energy in every direction. Whatever was going on, it had to have caused considerable worry or fear to use such immense power.
From the corner
where we stopped, we were able to see the house. It didn’t look any different. A few lights were on inside and the street appeared empty as usual for this hour.
Edgar grabbed his goggles and pulled them down over his eyes, flicking the dials on the side. He let out a low whistle. “It’s locked down tight all around. There’s one guy patrolling around the outside and another inside. Their aura signatures tell me that they’re with DS.”
“You ready for this?” I asked suddenly worried about placing Edgar in such a dangerous situation. He was a good friend taking a risky chance for me.
“Ready as I’m going to be.” He must have sensed my worry because he nudged my shoulder with his and said, “I can do this.”
“Don’t take any unnecessary chances,” I warned and he nodded. “Okay Dad’s room is on the second floor. There’s a bag that he keeps by his bed. Inside is a hidden pocket he tucks things in, that’s the best place to look.”
“Here I go,” Edgar said and pulled the goggles off and handed them to me. “If I get caught you guys get out of here.”
He grabbed the strap of his bag and pulled it tight, keeping firm hold of it as he stepped into the street and walked toward the house.
I pulled the clip on the goggles sizing them to fit me and slid them over my head, shoving my long blonde hair out of the way. I blinked trying to adjust to the view.
The street came to full life through the goggles. Everything on the block glowed with their personal aura signatures; the houses, bushes, rocks and lampposts each had energy of their own. Each person in every house also emitted their own unique aura.
Edgar glowed brighter than others and symbols floated in his aura as he continued down the street. I was aware that they marked him as a member of the Mapmakers Union.
My house pulsed with power and hazy locks were visible at all entrances. Like a thudding heartbeat, they gave off energy blocking access through any portal to the house. Symbols floated all around them and it made me pause, not only did the symbols designate that the locks were made by the Impossible Engineers but the Skeleton Key Guild as well.
The two guards Edgar had detected at the house glowed as brightly as he did and were both designated as DS members. Edgar reached the front door and the goggles informed me that his heart rate had nearly doubled. He reached out and was about to knock when the door swung open.