Chapter 6 The Note
December 20-Present Time
The kids woke up the next morning to find a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. The winter winds were gusty that morning, enough to rattle the old windows of the house with each blast that slammed the historic mansion. The sun was nowhere to be found, and when you looked outside you saw the sure sign of another long and cold northeastern winter. Drifts of snow had piled up against the fence that outlined the perimeter of the Hanks' property. The branches on the trees seemed to sag a little deeper with their freshly laid blanket of glittering flakes. It was like looking at a painting from the museums, a place that only imagination could create and no human could ever enter.
The Hanks' property sat on the higher end of Giles street, overlooking the small town. From Marshall’s window, you could see Preston Preparatory, the old church in the town square and the park that the kids loved to go to during summer break.
Marshall sat watching the snow putter down from the gray sky and decided that it was time to get dressed. Alice had not poked her head in yet this morning, which was not too unusual, but Marshall decided that he wanted to find her and talk to her about his new layout. He wasn’t going to tell her about the previous night, when he realized that one of the trunks he had dragged to his train room was part of the mysterious collection from the attic. It was engraved with the initials of his brother, Ethan, and was, just like the other trunks, locked. Makayla's had been the only one open.
Marshall had been up all night thinking about the trunks and why there would be six trunks, one with each of their initials, and who would have left them up there. The only reasonable conclusion he could make was that his parents had been leaving them up there and were collecting them for some reason. However, that still didn’t explain the clippings in Makayla’s trunk that were dated far into the future. He reasoned that hers was only unlocked because his parents had been putting something into her trunk last and forgot to lock it before they left for their current expedition. But after revisiting the attic alone last night, there was a more perplexing discovery.
Throwing on a pair of old jeans and a sweatshirt, he put on his slippers and went into the hall. He could hear fighting coming from the kitchen and raced down the stairs to join in the commotion. Although he was very intelligent for his age, there was nothing he enjoyed better than egging on his brothers and sister.
When he reached the kitchen, he saw Alice sitting in her usual spot, next to Makayla and Sebastian, glancing over the paper. He frowned; he was obviously too late for the fight. He sighed as he considered that he was almost always the loser with those two anyways. The other kids didn’t seem to be up yet, so Marshall took his normal seat and reached for the box of cereal on the table.
“Good Morning, Sherlock,” smirked Makayla, giving him a wink while she said it.
“Yeah, whatever,” Marshall said. “What’s all the commotion about? I heard fighting while I was coming downstairs.”
Sebastian shot him a look and Makayla rolled her eyes over to Alice, who was engrossed in her morning paper.
“Nothing that matters,” Sebastian said with a look of warning.
“Oh, I see.” He decided to quickly change the subject. “Alice, could I get you to help me take one of the trunks I was using for my layout back up to the attic?”
Makayla and Sebastian quickly looked at each other and then at him. Alice put down her paper, obviously annoyed at the request.
“Marshall, we just brought those down a couple days ago. Those things weighed a ton! Are you sure you’re already done with it?”
“Well, I’ve decided to move my layout to the floor to see if I can build a ramp system for the different engines to travel up and down. It was something I saw in my latest Lionel magazine. It looked really hard.”
Alice sighed. “I guess. But I am not bringing it back down once it goes back upstairs. Got it?”
“Yep,” Marshall said with a smile on his face. He shoved down the rest of his cereal. “I’ll go clear all the stuff off the trunk. I want to get started right away.” Marshall glanced over at Alice and saw that she was already absorbed in her paper again. He looked at Makayla and Sebastian who were staring at him, eyes wide, when he motioned with his head for them to follow him. The three quickly excused themselves and ran out of the room, taking their dishes into the kitchen.
Alice put her paper down and watched them go. She glanced at her watch, folding up her paper and laying it down on the table. She quickly scanned the room to make sure no one was watching, and decided it was time to go.
Alice had come to the Hanks family only three years ago, when their other nanny had decided to return home to care for an ill relative. She had found the Hanks in what they all thought to be sheer dumb luck. Alice was walking a dog outside Preston Prep when she ran into Sebastian and his friends. Sebastian asked about the dog, and Alice said she was housesitting for a family who were out of town. They started talking about the town, Alice only giving vague answers about herself and where she was from. A couple weeks later, she ran into Sebastian and his friends at the Java Board. She smiled at them, noticing Sebastian blush, and asked if she could sit down with them. Alice chuckled inside when Sebastian’s friend, Trevor, seemed to be eager to have her company. Most people were taken by Alice’s natural beauty, but Alice thought of herself as simple and plain. She made small talk, inquiring about the people, the local hangout, and any other big scoop about Ithaca. Brooke began to poke around with a few questions about her background, making Alice squirm in the process. She told them she was new there, having just finished up traveling through Europe and Asia. She said she was looking for a job, especially one that dealt with children. Sebastian told her about the new nanny position and the rest was history.
Alice was always a bit of a mystery to the Hanks children, but not enough to cause them to question her about her past; they didn’t think to inquire about her home or family. Occasionally, she would refer to a few friends or her mother, but she never went beyond a small suggestion that they existed. She had provided the Hanks with her own background check, and they never thought to push her about where it was she came from. No one in Ithaca really knew much about Alice, but it seemed she liked it better that way. Once, while at the park, Makayla was asking Alice about girl issues and wanted to know what her mom had taught her. But nothing more was usually mentioned about family or past when it came to their nanny. She just lived in the guest house in the back of the property, was always there when needed, never complained about anything and seemed to love her job. The kids took to her right away, knowing she was just what they wanted. Sebastian occasionally thought he’d catch her snooping around the children’s bedrooms or thought he would see her in the shadows when they were having secret conversations. But he had decided it was just his imagination getting carried away. After all, she was the best nanny they’d ever had, and he wasn’t going to let his mind make up stories to ruin that.
Alice made her way to the back of the property, making sure no one was following her. With one last glance toward the house, she ducked onto the wooded path, listening to the eerie howl of the wind whipping through the thick cluster of branches above her. The cold seeped through her fleece jacket, making her suddenly wish she had put on another layer. The snow crunched beneath her boots with each step, leaving fresh footprints to where she was going. Looking down at the exposed trail, she grunted under her breath. There was nothing she could do about it, and she was sure no one was following her. In the three years of working for the Hanks no one had ever caught her, and she didn’t think they would today. She had prepared a pocket full of alibis in case of being found out. Today she decided the excuse she’d use was that she was gathering items to make snow people with Julian and Scotty. Something they loved to do when it snowed. She made the last turn and started down a small hill that opened into the same meadow she visited weekly. Glancing around, she pulled a small
golden box out her satchel and turned the key, causing it to open. A couple seconds later familiar blue light burst into the meadow releasing the magic hidden within. She walked to the middle of the clearing and looked up at the sky with her arms spread wide. Whispering, so that no one could hear her, “My lady, all is safe and well.” In that moment, the conditions of the forest around her began to slip away. Snow gave way to grass, trees turned thick with leaves, and flowers appeared in full bloom. Alice closed her eyes and smiled, taking in the smells and beauty so familiar to her.
A woman in front of her began to take form from the haze deep within the light. She was tall and the most beautiful looking creature anyone could ever lay eyes on. Her hair was a thick mane of golden blonde, flowing down to her waist and being blown by winds that were unfelt anywhere else in the meadow. The gold in her hair glistened whenever the strands were blown in the light, like metal reflecting the sun, casting a brief, but blinding, spark to anyone watching. There were tiny diamonds embedded throughout the thick billowing trusses of hair, creating rainbows of light that chased the gold sparks radiating off her head. The same diamonds also adorned the length of her slender neck, continuing onto the white gown that caressed her soft silhouette. All this gave her the illusion of a fairy creature in the midst of an inexpressible dream. She wore a silver crown that rose majestically above her slender figure. In the middle was a large lion etched in gold, looking like a powerful beast ready to snatch anyone who posed a threat to this magnificent woman. Her skin was creamy, like toffee, and her expression radiated peace and love. She appeared to be very young, but one could tell by the haunting look in her eyes that she had seen much and was, in turn, very wise.
“News, Alice?”
“Yes, my lady. They found the trunks, just like you planned.”
“Good. Have they found the box?”
“I’m not sure. They are up there now trying to make sense of it all. Is there anything I should do to make sure they find the map?”
“No, you must not let them know you are watching, for it would jeopardize our plans. Make sure you follow them closely, and let me know when they set out on their journey.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“You have done well, Alice. You are a warrior for the King, and He is grateful for your service. Now, go, and make sure that the wheels are set in motion, for what we have been waiting for all these years is about to begin. Be safe and make sure those children find all that is necessary for the journey ahead.”
“Yes, my lady. I will call again two days from now.”
Instantly, the lady was gone, the box closed, and the clearing returned to normal. Alice listened for a moment, making sure no one was approaching. The only thing she could hear was the rustling of a bird landing on a nearby tree. Alice stood in the snow, thinking about her duty to the children and to the King. She sighed, making her way back to the house, knowing that after today, things would never be the same.
Trunks of Ages: The Seven Seals Page 7