“That’s it,” was all Riya said, as she ran her fingers across the symbol on the paper.
“Remember when I saw this symbol in my dream? It was the day that car alarm woke us up so early, and I couldn’t fall back asleep.”
Riya nodded.
“I just had that same dream, except this time it wasn’t interrupted. That’s how I knew where to find it,” Kieran explained, holding up the piece of paper with his shaky hands.
“Can I see it?” Riya asked, holding out her hands.
Kieran placed the paper in Riya’s hands, and both of them continued to stare.
“To think, if that car alarm hadn’t gone off that morning, we would have figured things out weeks ago,” Riya said.
“We haven’t really figured anything out, Riya. I still don’t know where it came from or what it means.”
Riya began examining the paper, turning it around, and looking at it from different angles. When she held it up to the light, it looked as though something was written on the other side.
She handed it to Kieran. “You should read it.”
Kieran slowly turned the paper over and scanned the handwritten note before reading it out loud.
Thirteen
Be Brave
Kieran,
I know you have so many questions. I promise you in time you will have answers. All I need you to know now is how much I love you and how leaving you was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. But I am in danger, and you are in danger—I have no choice. There is no way out of this for me. But you still have a chance. I need to make sure that you, my sweet boy, stay safe. That is why I have to leave, and that is why I left this note for you—knowing that if you need it, if you follow my bloodline, it will find you.
If you are reading this you are vulnerable. Go to this address: 1 Forest Ridge Lane, as soon as you can. There, you will get the protection you need.
Don’t tell anyone of this. You need to go alone.
Be brave, sweet boy.
Love always,
Mom
KIERAN’S VOICE CRACKED AS he read the last word. He dropped the paper to his lap and his hands followed. He felt numb. Seeing his mother’s handwriting. Reading her words. It made her real. No more was she just a person who had left him. A person he couldn’t even remember. She was Mom.
“She left me. She left me when I was in danger.” Kieran’s voice was low and devoid of emotion. He knew she said she had no choice, but…
Mom—the one person who is supposed to always protect you. His heart couldn’t help but feel betrayed.
“She didn’t just leave you, Kieran,” Riya corrected him. “She saved you.” Riya covered his knee with her hand.
Kieran’s eyes remained focused on that last word—Mom. He wasn’t convinced.
“Kieran, listen to me.” Riya took the letter from under his hands, placed it on the bed, and instructed him to look at her. “Your mother loved you. She didn’t want to leave you. She left you that day at Laken House to save you. And she wrote you this,” Riya picked up the note, “so that you would continue to stay safe.”
Kieran nodded but didn’t say anything.
“We’ve been looking at that symbol all wrong. It wasn’t making sense because the dream you had—with that symbol in it—it wasn’t a premonition. Kieran, it was a message. A message to you from your mom.”
Kieran knew Riya was right. It was a message. But that scared him even more.
Bloodline.
Vulnerable.
Protection.
He shook those words from his mind focusing on the other, ironically less unnerving, question that had always bothered him. Why couldn’t he remember anything from before he was left at Laken House? Will this be another question that will be answered in time?
Kieran’s mind was reeling. Riya leaned over and gave him a hug. She then picked up the note and proceeded to make herself comfortable at his desk, knowing that he needed some space to process it all. Now that Riya knew Kieran needed protection, she wasn’t about to waste any time. She opened up his laptop and typed, “1 Forest Ridge Lane” into Google Maps.
Riya scrolled through the results. “Okay. Here we go.” She scanned the results. “There are two Forestridge Roads. Both are about 800 kilometres away, in opposite directions.” She continued to scroll down the search results. “There are two Forestridge Drives. One is only about 65 kilometres away, and the other one is overseas somewhere,” she mumbled. Riya trapped her bottom lip between her teeth and narrowed her eyes on the screen.
“Wait. Here it is. Kieran, I found it,” Riya raised her voice, bouncing in her seat.
She motioned Kieran over and pointed to the pin on the map. “1 Forest Ridge Lane.” She checked back to the letter to make sure the spelling matched. “It says that it’s only 35 kilometres from here.” She turned to face Kieran revealing a wide tooth-bearing grin.
Kieran’s eyes were fixed on the red pin denoting 1 Forest Ridge Lane.
There, you will get the protection you need.
Go alone.
Every muscle went rigid. He could hardly breathe as a wave of panic shot through his body.
“Are you saying we should actually go?” Nervous laughter escaped from his lips.
“Are you saying we shouldn’t?” Riya’s voice went up an octave. “Kieran, the pieces are all finally starting to fit together. We are so close. I can feel it. The answer is at 1 Forest Ridge Lane.”
Kieran raked his hands through his hair.
“Kieran, look here,” Riya pointed to the note. “It says that you were in danger. If you found the letter, it means you are vulnerable and in need of protection. We don’t know what kind of protection you need, or what you need it from…” Riya paused and grabbed onto Kieran’s arms. “Are you seriously going to ignore that? Are you willing to take that chance?” Riya glared up at him.
I kind of want to.
“What if it’s a trap?” Kieran retorted. “We don’t even know where this is.” He motioned his hand toward the computer screen. He was overwhelmed. He needed this all to slow down.
“Kieran, you didn’t find this note shoved in your backpack or stuffed into your locker. It was concealed—for only you to find.” Riya stood from the chair and held Kieran’s hands in her own.
“I know.” Kieran conceded, but his stomach was twisted in knots. This was what he had been desperately searching for—answers. It didn’t answer everything. In fact, it raised even more questions. But it was a start. Why was he resisting?
Because I’m scared.
No, I’m terrified.
I can’t do this alone.
“It also said that I wasn’t to tell anyone. That I’m to go alone.” He took in a shallow breath and held it, squeezing Riya’s hands a little tighter.
“You are not going anywhere alone,” Riya declared without hesitation. “So just put that out of your mind. We are in this together. No matter what that note says.”
Kieran exhaled and wrapped his arms around Riya.
“I have an idea.” Riya pulled away from him and turned to scribble the address down on a piece of paper. “Pack your knapsack. We’re taking a trip tomorrow.”
Fourteen
Eye Spy
“KIERAN, ARE YOU FEELING okay? You’re looking pale. Are you sure you want to be going on all those rollercoasters today?” Patti glanced at Kieran and Riya through the rear-view mirror. “I can take both of you next week, give you a few more days to recuperate.”
Riya laughed as the light changed to green. “What’s so funny?” Patti asked, checking her blind spot before switching lanes.
“There is no way Kieran will be going on any rollercoasters—not today, not ever.” Riya winked at Kieran.
Her attempt at lightening the mood hadn’t worked. Kieran was just as nervous as he was the night before, when they had made the decision to ditch the amusement park today. Riya’s bouncing right leg was a clear
indication that she felt the same.
“There are lots of other things to do there, you know,” Patti responded, addressing both of them. “You don’t need to have some thrill-seeking gene in you to have fun at an amusement park.”
Kieran folded his arms across his chest and turned his head to look out the window. He was uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. He was freaking out about what they were about to do. But more than anything, he hated lying to Patti—he had been doing so much of that lately. And this lie was huge.
“I’ll be okay. I’m just tired. Thanks for the offer.” Kieran kept his eyes focused out the window of the car. He sighed and let his arms fall to his sides.
Riya slid her hand across the seat between them and grasped onto Kieran’s hand. She gave it a squeeze. He squeezed hers back and turned his head in her direction.
“It’s going to be okay,” Riya mouthed. Kieran pulled his lips together and nodded. He hoped so.
The tires crunched over the gravel as Patti pulled the car into the bus station. “Here we go. I think those are your friends getting on the first bus.” She pulled into a spot, put the car into park, and twisted in her seat to face Kieran and Riya.
Patti handed them each a fifty-dollar bill. “For the bus ride, the admission, and the food. Don’t even try to resist me. I’m not taking it back.” They eyed the crisp bills, looked at each other and then back at Patti, unsure of what to do.
“Go on. Get out of here.” Patti waved her hand at them, shoeing them out of the car.
“Thank you, Patti,” Kieran and Riya responded in unison.
Kieran quickly exited the car, knowing full well that Patti would recognize the guilt in his eyes if he sat there one second longer. Riya followed closely behind him.
“And have fun!” Patti called after them through her open window.
Riya turned back to wave at Patti as she drove away.
Kieran and Riya slowly walked in the direction of the buses. They kept their distance from the bus that their friends were piling onto—for risk of being spotted by anyone. Earlier that morning, Riya had sent Gina a text explaining that Kieran wasn’t feeling well enough to go on the trip and that Riya wasn’t going to go either—she didn’t want to leave him home alone.
They waited until Patti’s car left the parking lot and joined the stream of cars passing on the street. Only then did they head to the bus that would take them to their real destination.
“That is the last time I’m lying to her, Riya. After everything her and Jim have done for us…we’re horrible.” Kieran kicked at the gravel and a cloud of dust hung in the air between them.
“I don’t like lying to her either. But what other choice do we have?” Riya’s voice was soft.
Kieran just shrugged. There was nothing to say. Riya was right—there was no other option. Kieran thought back to the letter…
Don’t tell anyone of this.
You need to go alone.
Be brave, sweet boy.
Brave—Ha! So brave that I'm dragging my friend along to who knows where, to find who knows what—because I’m too scared to do it alone. I’m not brave. I’m a coward.
Riya gave him a slight nudge with her elbow, taking him from his thoughts. She motioned her eyes to the scrolling sign mounted at the top of the windshield of the bus parked ahead of them. “Looks like this one is ours.”
She climbed the stairs, paid the driver, and found a couple of free seats near the back. Kieran followed, sliding into the seat next to her. They both sat in silence, lost in their thoughts, until the bus reached their stop.
***
Kieran squinted as he walked down the steps of the bus. After over an hour on a dimly lit bus, his eyes needed to adjust to the outdoors. He paused once his feet landed on the sandy road and looked longingly at the sparkling lake on the opposite side of the parking lot.
Kieran and Riya shuffled off to the side, allowing the other passengers to pass on their way to the water. That’s where people normally headed after taking the 1187 North from the city—to the sandy beach and clear blue lake. Kieran breathed in the fresh air. He wished he were one of those people now. Kieran and Riya watched as other kids their age set up towels and umbrellas by the water. School was out for the summer and it seemed everyone was unwinding—except for the two of them.
Kieran’s stomach was twisted in knots tighter than he had ever felt before—even before an exam or on the way to a new foster home. Then, at least, he knew what to expect. This trip…it was terrifying. And worst of all, he had brought Riya along for this impulsive and rash adventure.
If anything happened to her…
Riya pulled out the map she had printed off the Internet. She checked the notes she had scribbled down on a piece of paper before they had left the house earlier that morning.
“If we walk up that way three blocks and then turn left,” she pointed in the opposite direction of the water, “we should see the bus stop we need.”
“We better get going then.” Kieran struggled to keep his voice steady.
He cast his eyes to the ground as the two of them walked to catch the next bus. He let out short breaths in time with his steps, allowing the rhythm to preoccupy his mind.
“What are you thinking?” Riya’s voice broke the silence.
“I don’t know. I’m not really thinking about anything,” Kieran responded.
“Let me rephrase. What are you trying not to think about?”
Kieran thought for a moment and then let out a long breath. “That I dragged you into all of this.” He gripped the shoulder straps of his knapsack. “I’m worried something may happen to you, because of me.”
“I’m here because I want to be, Kieran. We’re a team, and we’re going to do this together.” Riya was adamant.
“For real?” He dropped his hands letting them dangle by his sides.
“For real.” Riya grabbed onto Kieran’s hand and gave it a squeeze. Just like in the car, Kieran squeezed hers back, but neither of them let go. “Let’s try and clear our minds until we get there. No good can come from all this worry.”
“I’m all for that. What do you have in mind, Ri?”
“I spy.”
Kieran stopped walking, causing Riya to stumble back a few steps. “I spy? Really, Riya? We aren’t six years old.”
“I know. Except we didn’t know each other when we were six, so you never got to experience the game with me. I’m kind of awesome at it.” A sinister smile spread across Riya’s face.
Her eyes lit up and her smile grew as she began scanning their surroundings, contemplating.
“What exactly makes someone awesome at I spy?”
“Well, I’m glad you asked. There are two ways to be awesome. Either you always guess what the other person is spying, or the other person can never guess what you’re spying. And just so you know, I’m double awesome.” She swung their intertwined hands back and forth, slicing through the thick humid air.
“I see. So what you’re saying is that I have my work cut out for me?”
“That you do, Kieran. I’ll let you choose. Do you want to start spying or guessing?”
“I’ll spy,” Kieran answered, already formulating a plan in his mind.
“Okay, these are the rules. You spy three things. I have two chances to guess each spy, and for each spy I guess right, I get a point. If I can’t guess the spy, you get a point. And,” Riya raised the index finger of her free hand, “if I guess all of them right, I get an extra point. And if I don’t get any of your spies right, you get an extra point. After your three spies, we switch places. Got it?”
“I think so. That is quite the set of rules.”
Kieran slowly moved his head from right to left, deciding which colour stood out the most. Green. He would choose something green for his first spy. More possibilities meant less of a chance Riya would guess correctly. Kieran remembered an important strategy to use when playing
this game—one that he had picked up when he was younger. Never allow the object you choose to be the last thing you look at before you state your spy.
“I spy with my little eye, something that is green.”
Riya’s expression turned very serious as she surveyed the area. Her eyes passed over the trees and the green car parked on the other side of the cobblestone road. The brightly painted storefronts also didn’t seem to catch her attention. Riya’s eyes locked on a puppy tied to a pole outside an ice cream shop. Kieran noticed and made a fist with his free hand, trying to will her with his mind to move on. Yet sure enough, the puppy turned his head at that moment, revealing his green collar.
“That puppy’s collar.” Riya pointed to the puppy, fully confident in her answer.
“That was just lucky,” Kieran declared. He started searching for his next spy, trying not to be discouraged.
“One point for me,” Riya proudly stated.
“I spy with my little eye, something that is round.” Kieran was sure he was going to get a point this time. There were way too many options.
Riya took her time once again. She scanned over the tires of the cars that were parallel-parked along the street, and the wheels of the bicycles that were locked up on the sidewalk. She also looked past the clock on the tower that stood atop the hill ahead of them. She continued to search until she was sure she found it.
“The lights,” Riya pointed to the streetlights lining the road. They were tall back columns, topped with a globe-shaped light.
“Nope,” Kieran’s face beamed with pride.
“Don’t go getting all excited. I still have one more guess.”
They continued to walk, and Riya continued to search. Just before they reached the end of the third block, Riya stopped and turned around. Kieran stumbled around her, being dragged by their intertwined fingers. She widened her eyes to take everything in.
Volume 1: Bailex, #1 Page 10