by Obert Skye
“What?” Fiddle asked, scratching nervously at his right arm.
“Fiddle,” Tobias said kindly, “is there someone beneath the square building who can help us?”
Fiddle looked at the ground. “He doesn’t like Marvin at all.”
“That’s a good thing in my book.”
“My uncle said he wants to ruin everything.”
“Another good thing.”
“He’s my dad.”
“You have a dad who’s alive?” Tobias asked, dumbfounded.
“I’m not allowed to see him,” Fiddle said. “I haven’t seen him in years. He and my uncle don’t get along.”
Tobias grabbed a pen off the desk and wrote himself a note. He folded the small piece of paper and crammed it deep into his pocket.
“What are you doing?” Fiddle asked.
“If your uncle catches me and speaks to me again, I want to remember your dad.”
“I do too,” Fiddle said.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Tobias said with new resolve. “And let’s hope that fire has made at least one outsider curious enough to really check things out.”
“I’m hoping for three.”
Tobias pulled his hand out of his pocket. There were bits of the secret ingredient on his fingers.
“Any idea what this is?” he said, holding his hand in front of Fiddle’s face.
Fiddle sniffed. “Nope, but my dad probably knows.”
“We need your dad.”
“Tell me about it.”
“We need to take down this school.”
“No, really,” Fiddle said. “Tell me about my dad.”
Tobias took a few moments to tell his friend about a person he had never met, but also about a person who might actually have some answers.
CHAPTER 30
EVENING THE SCORE
When the fire was dead, the firelighters left without ever knowing what the true tragedy was. The iron gates were closed, and with that, any hope of happiness was lost. Students were ushered from the classrooms and returned to their dorms. There they would be put until things were sorted out.
Charlotte marched through the smoky gardens with everyone else, heading toward Severe Hall. In front of her, she could see, and hear, Orrin and Ms. Gulp walking and talking. They were both very loud.
“I don’t know who did it,” Orrin said angrily. “In fact, I’m on my way to see if I can find out.”
“What a mess,” Ms. Gulp growled. “This day has been cupful.”
“I think you mean awful,” Orrin corrected her. “Awful indeed, but we’re lucky to have dodged true disaster. Now we just need to speed things up. As you know, fire or no fire, the new recruits will be coming shortly.”
“Yes, as I know,” Ms. Gulp snapped. “Stop telling me things I’m already aware of.”
Orrin broke away from Gulp and headed off in another direction.
Charlotte watched him disappear into the waves of children. Her head was clear, but her heart was foggy. There were so many things she didn’t know. There were people she was worried about, and a brother she wished were here. She kept looking around carefully for any sign of him. It was quite possible that he had gone unnoticed and had not been caught. If Tobias had been captured or hurt, Charlotte didn’t think she could go on.
Tobias is fine, she thought over and over in an attempt to comfort herself. Tobias is fine.
As Charlotte moved with the other students, she looked around the gardens carefully. The air was smoky and burned her eyes, but even as they watered, she saw something.
“Lars?” she whispered in amazement.
Up ahead, in the branches of a cottonwood tree, Charlotte noticed a spot of orange. Her heart beat wildly as she looked around, wondering if anyone else could see the tiny creature.
Nobody seemed to.
The students Charlotte was walking with were only a few feet from the tree. More than anything, she wanted to reach out and grab Lars. But he was too high to reach. She wished for a net to scoop him up and take him with her. But she didn’t have one.
As she got closer to the tree, Charlotte could see Lars staring directly at her and shaking excitedly.
She smiled at him and his little round head bobbed.
Her heart broke even further. Witherwood was a place with so few bright spots, and now she was having to walk right by one of the only things she cared about here.
How many times can life be unfair?
Well, fortunately for Charlotte, life was looking to even the score a bit. As she passed by the tree, Lars jumped and, in one swift blur, flew into Charlotte’s hands. Without a moment’s hesitation, she pushed the tiny creature into her skirt pocket and pulled down her shirt to cover him up as much as possible.
Charlotte’s heart was having a fit. She looked around, but once again nobody seemed to have noticed.
Charlotte carefully patted her pocket, and for the first time in a while, she smiled. The smoke filled Charlotte’s eyes, but she cried for a different reason.
Sometimes happiness is surprising.
CHAPTER 31
LOST
Lost is a sad little word. It makes me feel, well, lost. It has very few word friends to make it look better. Follow up lost with words like keys, time, love, antidote, happiness, money, or wallet, and you’ll find little to celebrate. I lost a bet once, a dog twice, and an argument about turnips more times than I can count. Lost treasure is pretty exciting, but only if you’ve found it. If you haven’t found it yet, then it’s just lost. There’s not much to be happy about when all is lost, and there’s even less to rejoice about when a lost cause causes you to lose sleep.
I lost where I’m going with this.
Oh yes, Ralph Eggers was lost. He knew where he was, but his life was adrift. Lost at sea like a ship on a stormy bay. His only hope at the moment was to return to Witherwood and find out if the fire meant anything. During the drive from the city into the lonely desert, they had been able to witness small clouds of black smoke high in the air. You couldn’t see the mesa from the city, because it was too far, but the smoke was visible. Now, as they got closer, it seemed as if the sky was colored gray from smoke.
Sam took the ranch exit and turned onto the highway.
“I don’t think this fire will have answers,” Sam said.
“Well, then I’ll be just as lost as ever.”
When they reached the Witherwood sign, there were dozens of cars and news vans parked along the side of the road. In the distance, the tall mesa stood straight up with a crown of gray.
The turnoff to Witherwood was blocked by three police cars that had their lights flashing. A single police officer was standing in front of the vehicles. Sam pulled up and rolled his window down.
“Road’s closed,” the officer informed them.
“I can see that,” Sam said. “What happened?”
“Just a fire. Probably caused by lightning. It’s all under control now.”
“Lightning?” Ralph asked. “The sky’s clear.”
“Except for the black smoke up there,” Sam added.
“It’s a desert,” the police officer said. “Sometimes you get dry lightning. Move on.”
“There’s no way we could just drive up and see if we can help?” Ralph asked. “We were supposed to meet with Orrin.”
“Really?” the officer said, stepping closer to the taxi. He leaned down and sniffed. The name tag on his uniform read SHERIFF PIDGE. “I think Orrin’s got a lot on his plate at the moment. So why don’t you two just move along.”
“Can I ask you one last question?” Ralph asked.
“Quickly,” Sheriff Pidge replied.
“What do you know about that school up there?”
“It’s one of the finest,” he answered. “First-rate staff doing remarkable things to reform children in need of reforming. The world would be better off if there were more institutions like Witherwood.”
“It sounds like you work for them,” Sam said s
nidely.
Sheriff Pidge stepped even closer. “Well, I don’t. I work for the good people of this county, and I’m beginning to wonder if it wouldn’t serve the people well to take you two down to the station and let you spend a little time thinking about the proper way to speak to a sheriff.”
“Really?” Sam said heated. “Why—”
“That’s okay,” Ralph interrupted. “We’ll be on our way. Come on, Sam.”
Sam reluctantly pulled away and continued down the highway past the other cars and spectators. He was hot under the collar from how the sheriff had talked to him, so he drove in silence for a mile as he cooled off.
“You give some people a little authority and they turn into jerks,” Sam finally said.
To the right, they could see the mesa in the distance and smoke in the air. Sam sighed and pulled over at an abandoned rest stop.
“I don’t think the bathrooms work here,” Ralph said.
“I didn’t stop for the facilities. I figure since we’re out here we might as well watch the smoke. Maybe that ignorant cop will leave and we can try to go up again.”
Ralph and Sam got out of the taxi and sat on the front of the car, staring into the distance. The mesa looked pale under the cloud of swirling smoke that was positioned above it like a halo.
“I hate to say it,” Sam said, “but I really think this school has nothing to do with you. It just happens to be in the area where you were found, so we keep finding connections. The subconscious mind is weird that way. It’s like when you say you never see any brown cars, and then for the next few days, you see a ton of brown cars. We’re just seeing Witherwood because it was there.”
“I think you might be right,” Ralph said. “Besides, if there was a connection, why wouldn’t they know me?”
“Right, you’re a memorable guy.”
Three fire trucks coming from the direction of Witherwood pulled off the highway and into the overgrown parking lot of the abandoned rest stop. A handful of firefighters jumped off the trucks.
Okay, I don’t know about you, but I feel very hopeful right now. I mean, Ralph and Sam and a bunch of firefighters are all hanging out in the parking lot of the abandoned rest stop. The very same rest stop that Tobias and Charlotte emerged from after their first escape attempt from Witherwood. All that is needed is for someone to bust into the restroom and discover the hidden entrance to the tunnel that will take them to Witherwood.
“The rest stop is boarded up,” Sam said in a friendly tone.
“Thanks,” a firefighter with thick arms and a large mustache replied. “We just need to set our gear better.”
“So the fire’s out?” Ralph asked.
“Yes, there’s a few men still wetting things down with garden hoses, but the fire’s out. It was just one building filled with flammable things.”
“How did it start?” Sam asked.
“One of the workers accidentally started it when he was trying to fix an old tractor. We’ll be sending a fire inspector out to make sure that’s the case.”
“Hope he can get in,” a second firefighter said.
“They definitely don’t enjoy others coming onto their school grounds,” Captain Mustache said. “And that sheriff, he’s worse than all of them. We couldn’t even pack our trucks correctly because he insisted we leave.”
“If it’s the same sheriff we met, I don’t care for him either,” Sam said, spitting.
“There are a few more trucks still coming down the mesa. We’re actually stationed all the way back in town. We were out here supervising some controlled burns when we spotted the smoke. It’s weird how some folks just don’t want help.”
The firefighters strapped things tighter to their trucks and wound up their hoses properly, while Ralph and Sam watched the mesa. A couple of the firefighters started talking about going to get something to eat. One mentioned a certain place back in the city.
Ralph didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but he did.
“Excuse me,” Ralph said with excitement, interrupting two firefighters. “What did you just say?”
“We were just talking about getting something to eat and drink. We usually meet up after a job to unwind.”
“Sure, sure,” Ralph said. “That makes sense, but where did you say you were going to eat?”
“It’s just a dive down in the industrial district. Cheap food and drinks. Not many people know about it.”
“But what’s it called?” Ralph was beside himself.
“Burkenfield’s.”
Ralph looked at Sam. “Isn’t that the name Orrin gave us?”
Sam nodded.
Sam looked at Ralph. “Hungry?”
“More like hopeful,” Ralph replied. “It’s a lead, right?”
“As good as any we’ve had before.”
The two got directions from the firefighters and quickly abandoned the rest stop. And for a moment, Ralph felt a little less lost.
CHAPTER 32
FOUND
Most people want to grow up to be something. Some people aspire to be astronauts or presidents. Some want to own their own landscaping business or fireworks stand. I was recently interviewed by a woman who wanted to grow up to interview authors who wrote things about Witherwood. It was very satisfying to see her achieve her goal. Another popular thing to want to be is a firefighter. They are known for bravery and heroics and the occasional charity bake sale.
Mike Mann was born to be a firefighter.
As a child, he put out a fire at the old mill. As a teenager, he put out a fire at the new high school, and as an adult, he put out fires at buildings of all ages.
He was known as Fireman Mike, and he felt like he was doing just what he was born to do. Of course, occasionally there were fires that made him think. Like the time the city pool burned down, or the fire on top of the mesa he had just helped put out.
Mike and his crew had almost not been allowed on the premises. Then they were almost not allowed to drive their trucks to the back of the school where the fire was. And after they finally got to the fire and put it out, they were quickly escorted off the premises by the local police. Now he was standing in the overgrown parking lot of a boarded-up rest stop winding up his hose and securing his truck.
“That was a weird one,” Mike said to another firefighter, named Jeff.
Jeff was new, but he was able to recognize what an odd job they had just been through. “Yeah, I don’t think we were welcome. And I have to say, where that school is located doesn’t make it any more normal. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Both firefighters looked into the distance at the mesa, which still had light smoke encircling the top of it. They could see a helicopter flying overhead.
“It might be a weird school, but the kids were well behaved,” Mike said as he removed one of his boots and put on a regular shoe.
“I guess so. I hated school and could never sit still. Those kids looked like they were professional students.”
Mike took off his other boot. He was about to look inside when another news copter flew overhead.
“People love fires,” Jeff said.
“That’s the truth.” Mike tossed his boot into the truck and slipped on his other shoe. “Let’s go to Burkenfield’s.”
“Did you think it was odd how excited those two guys at the rest stop were about it?”
“Yeah, but it’s been a weird day.”
Mike and his crew got back into their trucks and drove off.
If you’re like me, you’re a bit bothered that Mike didn’t look into his boot and notice the note Charlotte slipped him. I mean, the chapter is called “Found,” and that would have been the perfect thing for Mike to find. I want the world to know that I think there are few professions more noble and brave, and that I am grateful for all firefighters do, but in this instance, I’m just a little disappointed.
Actually, it’s more than that.
I MIGHT ADD
I want to believe the world is good. I want
to believe that behind every closed door there’s a clear mystery that ends in a happy way. I want to see blue skies and bright stars and double rainbows out my window. I want the people I care about to be showered in success, and I would like the people I don’t care about to know I wish them well—in the sense that I wish they would fall down into a well. That seems harsh, but what I didn’t tell you is that at the bottom of the well they will have ample time to think about what they have done and change their ways for good.
You see, all’s well that ends well.
Well, this isn’t the end. Yes, things are a bit dicey. Patrick and Meghan are facing Marvin’s voice again. Archie is resting, but he is most certainly not himself. You might be surprised to know where Sue and Keith ended up after the fire. Well, that’s one surprise that will have to wait. Let’s hope it’s a good one.
And Ralph and Sam are following a lead that is based on a word Orrin just tossed out.
Burkenfield.
Charlotte is pretending to be dumb and she is alone. And Tobias and Fiddle are trapped in a hallway trying to find a way out before Orrin returns and finds them.
Dicey indeed.
Everyone experiences difficulty in life. We all have good days and bad days. On some days, we’re lucky just to have good hours. And on other days, we are quite fortunate to simply have a few seconds of hope.
Well, if Patrick and Keith and Meghan and Ralph and Sam and Charlotte and Fiddle and Tobias knew what Fireman Mike was eventually going to find in his boot, they would all be in for more than a few seconds of hope.
I believe I can safely say, all is not lost.
And if Orrin and Marvin and Ms. Ratter and Ms. Gulp knew what Mike was going to discover, they might all be in for more than a few seconds of misery.
I love it when the good people find hope and the bad people find the loss they deserve.
WITHERWOOD REFORM SCHOOL
BOOK 3
THE NEW ORDER
Things are changing rapidly at Witherwood—the institution is being challenged, and a new order has been set in place. Tobias and Charlotte find their hands full of possibility and danger as outside forces seek to destroy their very lives and quiet the growing rebellion. Their only hope is to discover the source of Witherwood’s power and put an end to the experiments. It will take some considerable risks, but Tobias and Charlotte are willing to gamble all they have in an attempt to blow open the secrets and set Witherwood free.