FIERY ILLUSIONS (Keeper of the Emerald Book 2)

by B. C. Harris

  I take another bite of my sandwich, but there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s watching me.

  I must escape. I can’t let anyone stop me from talking to my Aunt’s family.

  Suddenly, the man, maybe in his early thirties, leaves his position against the wall and begins to walk towards me.

  - 34 -

  A STUNNING DISCOVERY

  Abruptly leaving the small wobbly table, I hasten towards the back of the store. I hope there’s an exit.

  I rush through an opening in the counter, open a door marked PRIVATE, and head down a narrow hallway to another door.

  A man behind the counter shouts at me, but I don’t hear what he says.

  The door is unlocked.

  In a burst of action, I arrive in an alleyway behind the store.

  It’s much darker here than it was back on the street.

  I hesitate, trying to decide which direction to go. At the same time, I grasp my emerald. If I see anyone else in this dark alley, I’ll use my emerald to escape.

  To my left looks like a dead end. I definitely don’t want to go in that direction. I sprint to my right. In less than a minute I enter a busy street.

  I head to a crowded corner and try to mingle into the mob, but I note that there aren’t any other fifteen year-old girls carrying backpacks in this end-of-the-workday crowd.

  I walk along with the horde for another block. My heart is racing like the wings of a hummingbird. I know I will have to go directly past the stores where I just ate.

  Unexpectedly, three girls about my age come laughing down the street. They are heading in the direction where I want to go. As they reach me, I fall in beside them, keeping step, as though I’m part of their group. They are so animated in their discussion that they don’t pay any attention to me.

  Soon we’re past the store where I stopped to eat. I note the street number on the front of another store. A quick calculation tells me that I’m about eight-hundred numbers short of my destination. Observing that the numbers of the buildings are two apart, I realize that I have a lot of walking to complete before reaching my aunt’s house.

  After another block, I pull away from the girls I have been walking beside. They were starting to glance at me, their eyes telling me to “get lost”.

  At first I’m simply walking fast, but it isn’t long before I break into a jog, and then a sprint. In a few more blocks I’m exhausted. There are no longer any crowds.

  My mind keeps replaying what I just experienced. How is it possible that anyone could possibly know that I’m in London?

  By now, the businesses have given way to rows of townhouses. I look at the number on the house beside me. I take out my cell phone to check the address that Jamie had sent to me.

  As I look at my cell phone, I stop in my tracks. I wonder if my cell phone is the problem. Jamie texted my aunt’s address to me before I left for London. If someone is tracing my texts, they would know exactly where I’m heading. It’s also possible that someone has access to the GPS location on my cell phone and is tracking me. This would explain how the tall woman knew that Jamie and I were going to Splendid Gardens last Saturday.

  I glance down the street to see if anyone is following me. I can’t see anyone.

  I kneel beside a parked car and place my cell phone under the front tire. When the car moves forward it will destroy my cell phone.

  “We’re almost there,” I say to Squirt and Radwin, trying to soothe their fears as they must be wondering what I’m doing.

  “Almost there, almost there, almost there,” Squirt squeaks as though he’s enjoying the adventure. Oh, to be an innocent limnit, I think to myself.

  I’m alone on a dark street. There are no other people and no cars. I tremble as I clutch my emerald.

  Finally I reach my destination.

  On the opposite side of the street is my aunt’s house. It’s a tall, narrow brown brick building squashed between a dozen other similar houses. It looks old. I think it’s Victorian, but I‘m not an expert on architectural styles.

  I slowly cross the street, wondering if this is a mistake. Am I about to fall into a trap?

  What will I say when someone answers the door? Hi, my name is Emily. I’m trying to save the world, but first I need to know if you are my relatives. Or. Hi, I’m Emily. I just happened to be in your neighborhood this evening on a walk from the United States. You wouldn’t happen to know what happened to my father about eleven years ago, would you?

  I force myself to walk the remaining steps to a dark blue door.

  I notice a lighted brass button for a doorbell. I decide to use this rather than knocking. Over the last day I have learned that when someone is knocking at your door, that’s not a good sign.

  There’s no response. Perhaps no one is home. I begin to turn away, but realize I have come a long way to get some answers. I need to be more persistent; this is no time to be timid.

  Stepping back to the door, I push the doorbell button again.

  I hear some voices.

  After a few minutes, the door opens a tiny crack.

  “Yes?” I hear a girl’s voice say. I surmise that she’s around my age, or perhaps a little younger.

  “Hi, my name is Emily. I have traveled from the United States to meet you. I believe that your mother was my father’s sister. I think I’m related to you.”

  I hear some muffled voices behind the door. I guess they’re trying to decide whether to open the door further.

  The door opens a sliver more. A good sign.

  “What’s your name again?” the girl asks.

  This time I’m certain she’s around my age.

  “I’m Emily Sylvester. I live near Washington in the United States. My father’s name is David Sylvester. My mother’s name is Tanya. I believe your mother’s name was Kelly Sylvester before she got married and her name became Kelly McKenzie. For some reason, my parents never told me that I had relatives in England, and I’m guessing that no one ever told you that you had relatives in the United States.”

  The door opens a bit more.

  “Please let me in. I have traveled a great distance. I know about your mother’s accident. I’m sorry about what happened, but I need to talk to you. This is very important. I’m in a big strange city and I have nowhere to go. Please open the door.”

  Once again there are muffled voices behind the door.

  The door suddenly opens much wider.

  I almost faint when I see the girl standing before me.

  She looks exactly like me.

  There is a boy who is younger standing beside her.

  As I look closer at the boy, I gasp.

  He looks like a miniature version of Santtonnice.

  - 35 -

  LONG LOST RELATIVES

  Having grown up with no relatives, I’m shocked, thrilled, bewildered, and delighting that I’m now sitting in a living room with two cousins who I never knew existed. I have learned that their names are Lucy and Richard.

  Lucy and I could be twins, although I suspect that she’s a year or two younger than me. She has the same dirty-blonde long hair, the same fair skin, and she’s tall and thin.

  On the other hand, I’m having trouble taking my eyes off Richard. His deep-set eyes and thick lips are an exact duplicate of the same facial features on Santtonnice. Do my cousins realize this?

  “How did you get here?” Lucy asks, then offers, “Would you like some tea or soda?”

  “Water would be great,” I reply.

  As my cousin leaves the room to get my water, out of the corner of my eye I see Squirt and Radwin poking their heads out of my backpack that I left in the hallway. It’s a tight fit for Radwin in the backpack so he must be very uncomfortable.

  I turn my attention back to Richard. He smiles weakly at me.

  “I’m sorry about your mother,” I say, not knowing how I should begin a conversation with Richard.

  Tears well up in his eyes. I think I’ve said the wrong thing.

&
nbsp; “Here you go,” Lucy says as she reenters the room. Although Lucy looks like me, she has much more enthusiasm, almost bouncing when she walks. My alter ego.

  After giving me a glass of water, she turns and gives a cola to Richard, and keeps another one for herself.

  Glancing from Richard to me, Lucy senses that something awkward has occurred.

  “I told Richard that I’m sorry about your mother.”

  “Yes, yes. It’s a horrible tragedy.”

  “I can’t imagine,” I reply, not knowing what else to say.

  “How did you ever find us? Have you eaten yet? Are you by yourself? Where are you going to stay?” Lucy asks a series of questions without taking a breath in between each one.

  Where should I start? Should I tell her that my mother is in jail? No, that won’t do. How about I tell her I used a magical emerald to travel from the United States to England? No, I don’t think so. What if I tell her that I’m homeless, that the police are chasing me? No.

  I decide to choose another path, thinking that Lucy asked so many questions that she probably won’t be concerned if I don’t answer them all.

  “I’ve always wondered whether I had any relatives, but my mother told me that I didn’t, that is except for my Grammy.”

  “You have a grandmother? Richard, did you hear that? If Emily has a grandmother, then maybe we have one too,” Lucy says eagerly, her energy surging throughout the room like a tidal wave.

  “Yes, that’s true,” I say, finding Lucy’s enthusiasm infectious. “My Grammy, I mean our Grammy, is my father’s mother so she would by your mother’s mother. My father and your mother were brother and sister.”

  Richard looks confused. I’m not sure I’m explaining myself very well. Then again, how much more obvious can I state it?

  “Amazing,” Lucy replies with her bubbly personality.

  I now have a clearer picture of what I would be like if I had a more extroverted personality. I like what I’m seeing.

  “That must also mean that we have an uncle and aunt in the United States,” Lucy states, as she shifts from side to side in her chair.

  “Yes, you have an aunt,” I reply. “Her name is Tanya. Unfortunately my father disappeared when I was four.”

  “Disappeared? Are you kidding me?” Lucy replies. “How could he disappear?”

  Lucy acts like she’s on a constant flow of sugar.

  “I don’t know,” I say as I glance at Richard, his deep-set eyes causing me to feel a little uncomfortable. I take a sip of water before continuing. It has a slightly different taste than I’m accustomed to, but right now I’m so thirsty that it’s refreshing. “That’s part of the reason I came here. I thought that you might have a picture of my father.”

  “No,” Lucy replies, momentarily sitting still. Then the words explode from her mouth. “Why would we have a picture of your father? Doesn’t your mother have one? Why didn’t our parents ever tell us we had relatives? Why didn’t my mother ever tell me she had a brother? Why didn’t your mother ever tell you your father had a sister? This is completely crazy,” she adds with a dramatic flair.

  It doesn’t matter what Lucy says. She’s so animated that even things that should be sad come out of her mouth like they’re part of some great adventure.

  “Do you like books?” I ask, a random question that I have no idea why I asked it.

  “Oh no,” Lucy instantly says. “Too boring. I can’t sit still long enough to read one. I want to experience life, not read about it.”

  I think to myself that Lucy should have been the Keeper of the Emerald, not me.

  “But Emily, why would our parents keep this information from us? It doesn’t make any sense. Do you have any ideas about this? And you still haven’t told me how you got here.”

  I take another sip of water, trying to resist looking at Richard.

  “A few days ago I visited my Grammy, I mean our Grammy. Grammy has dementia so sometimes she rambles on without knowing what she’s saying.”

  “I must have dementia as well,” Lucy laughs. “People are always saying that I ramble on about nothing.”

  Richard nods his head and rolls his eyes.

  I wonder what Lucy would say if I told her that someone tried to strangle our grandmother.

  I continue, “Our grandmother began to talk about her daughter Kelly. When I heard this, I realized I must have an aunt. A friend of mine who is great on computers did a search for Kelly Sylvester and unfortunately discovered some information about your mother’s accident. Eventually I was able to discover your address, and here I am.”

  Neither Lucy nor Richard respond to me.

  “I’m sorry,” I say. “Perhaps this is not a good time to visit you after your recent loss.”

  “Didn’t you say that you lost your father?”

  “Yes,” I reply, “but that’s different.”

  There are blank looks on the faces of Lucy and Richard.

  I continue, “I think my father is still alive. That’s why I came to see you as soon as I found out you were related to me. I was hoping you might have a picture of my father, or know something about him.”

  “No,” Lucy says. “Until a few minutes ago I never knew that we had any relatives. We certainly don’t have a picture of your father, or know anything about him. Why didn’t our parents tell us that we had relatives?”

  I hesitate.

  “Secrets, secrets,” Lucy says.

  I hear Squirt softly repeating, “Secrets, secrets, secrets,” from across the room.

  “What was that?” Lucy bolts upright in her chair.

  “I never heard anything,” I quickly reply.

  Richard looks confused, but doesn’t say anything.

  “Must be going bonkers,” Lucy says. “I’m sure I heard another voice.”

  I force a laugh, trying to divert my cousins away from Squirt and Radwin. The discovery of them would be far too much for my cousins to handle right now.

  “It’s so strange,” Lucy says. “Three weeks ago my mother dies in an accident. And now, I discover that I have relatives that I never knew existed.

  I’m not sure what to say in response. I can’t imagine that my presence in any way makes up for the loss of her mother.

  “My mother was the most careful person in the world,” Lucy begins, as though I had asked her about the accident. “She was always telling me and my brother to be careful crossing the street. She was returning from the store, and wham, a car hits her. Making it even worse, the driver never stopped.”

  “Have they discovered who the driver was?” I ask, suspecting they haven’t.

  “No,” Lucy replies.

  I’m certain that her mother’s death was not an accident. I want to tell my cousins that their mother might have died because she had a secret. And now that I’ve met Lucy’s brother, I think I have figured out another part of the secret. I almost gag thinking about the reality of it.

  “I’m so sorry,” I say with sincerity.

  Richard starts to cry. Lucy leaves her chair to comfort him.

  I hear the front door opening.

  “It’s dad,” Lucy says enthusiastically to her brother, as if to say that everything will be okay now. “Dad’s home.”

  As their father enters the room, it’s instantly obvious that he doesn’t look anything like either of his children.

  My uncle is short, probably not as tall as me. He’s balding with a stripe of grey hair on either side of his head. He has a nose that is a little too large for his face. His eyes are dreary, almost like he has stopped living.

  The moment he sees me, his face changes.

  “Who’s this? What’s going on here?”

  Lucy jumps up from consoling her brother.

  “This is Emily. She’s my cousin from the United States. Why didn’t you ever tell me I had a cousin? Why didn’t you ever tell me that mom had a brother?”

  My uncle’s face turns a bright red. He’s either going to explode, or have a heart at
tack.

  “Cousin? You don’t have any cousins. This girl is an imposter.” Turning to me, he shouts, “Get out of here right now. Get out!”

  “But dad, she’s my cousin. You’re her uncle. Stop shouting for a minute and listen to her story. She came all this way to meet us. She wants to know if we have a picture of her father.”

  From the look on my uncle’s face, I think he’s about to physically throw me out of the house.

  “Get out!” he screams. “Lucy, you don’t have any cousins. This girl is crazy. Get her out of here.”

  Something drastic is about to happen. I know I have to leave.

  I rush to the hallway and grab my backpack, being careful not to get too close to my berserk uncle.

  As I pull the door open and exit, I hear him ranting, “Get out of here! Never come back again. You don’t exist! Do you hear me? You don’t exist!”

  - 36 -

  OUR FAMILY SECRET

  The moment I leave my cousin’s house, I see a man leaning against a lamp post on the opposite side of the street. It’s the same menacing looking guy in the black T-shirt who followed me earlier.

  Gazing both ways down the street I notice a black van that cries out to say that it doesn’t belong in this neighborhood. Looking back at the guy across the street, I see a smug smile on his face. He knows, and I know, that I’m trapped.

  I turn and knock frantically on the door of my cousin’s house.

  There’s no response.

  I’m on my own.

  The uncle, that I never knew I had, has abandoned me. Just like my father. Does my uncle know that his son looks exactly like Santtonnice? Does my uncle know that his wife’s accident was not an accident? Is he worried that I’m going to bring more death into his family? What else does he know that he’s keeping from his kids?

  I look once again at the thug across the street. I smile at him. Not tonight my friend. Not tonight.

  Before he can react, I hold the emerald in my hands and begin to stare into it.

  “Sandarium, Lattisan,” I say.

  I find myself on a couch in a room where I have spoken to Capurni before. Squirt and Radwin are already out of my backpack.