Flip
1


Thud, my shoulder hit a wall as I ran. I grimaced but kept running. I have to keep running, don’t stop, DON’T STOP! He’ll catch me if I stop! My feet pounded on the ally floor. Each time one of my feet hit the ground I felt pain shouting though my body, making my legs stiff and sore. I kept running. As I ran I looked around desperately for a place to hide, tears rolled down my cheeks, desperation and pain twisted my mind into dizzy confusion. I pushed the tears away. This is no time to cry, just keep running. I looked ahead; the street forked and to the right was a dumpster truck. I quickly dove under and hoped he didn’t see me dive under. As I lay there, I covered my face in my sweater sleeve; little black dots swirled in front of my eyes, from loss of blood. I heard his foot steeps coming my way, I held my breath. He stood there for what seemed like an eternity, I felt like he knew where I was but that was torturing me for his own enjoyment.
So this is how I’m going to die, he’s going to find me and tell me if I don’t tell him what he wants, he will kill me, my friends, my family. One by one he will kill us all. And of course I’m not going to tell him, so that is the end of my life. Even if he doesn’t find me, I’ll probably bleed to death. I bit my tongue and shut my eyes as tears rolled down. Stop it, your over reacting he’ll probably just kill you. I looked at my side were blood gushed out, I touched it and cried out, I heard something shuffle, I looked up. I forgot he was still standing there. Stupid, stupid, I must be delusional from the loss of blood. Now lie still and be quite. I heard his feet start running to the left. I let out a sigh, and let myself relax against the cold, dirty street.

Something had brushed past my arm; I looked over, A RAT! AHHHH! I jumped up only to hit my head on the bottom of the dumpster truck. Ouch, nice move there genius. You feel asleep, you’re a hero, and I just can’t imagine what the world would do without you. I rolled my eyes at myself. What’s wrong with you, sacred by a rat! You’ve been in a room full of bats, just waiting to suck all the blood out of you, and what about that time with the lions?! And now I’m afraid of a little rat. Great not only am I dieing, but I’m turning into a wimp. And stop talking to yourself! You loon, before you go completely nuts.
I looked out form my hiding place, the street was darker then when I feel asleep and some cats were digging in the trash, but I was sure that there was someone else there and I knew that I had to act quick. I pulled my cell out of my jacket pocket and flipped it open. I looked at the time, 6:00 pm, good I had only slept for one hour. I turned the volume off and then started to look through my contacts. I looked at Riley’s number, I sighed sadly. Of all the times to break your phone why now? Riley and I had been friends since babyhood. And we were as crazy as you could get when it comes to teenage girls. Of course you would have to break your phone at a time like this. I scowled at the screen then continued to scroll down the numbers, trying not to think what might happen if He caught me. My eyes fell on Luke’s name, anther one of my best friends. Not as crazy and can be serous if he wants, perfect! Carefully I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of crumpled paper, trying hard not to get blood on it. I smoothed it on the ground and then took a picture of it with the camera on my phone. I saved the picture and laid my phone on the ground. I reached into my bag and pulled out a book of matches, I had to smile when I looked at them. They made me think of Riley, did I mention that she’s a pyromaniac? Not the kind that goes around burning down house’s or anything like that, just the kind that likes to light matches. I struck one of the matches and watched the little red flame flicker. Then before it got to my fingers I lit the paper on fire and watched it burn. Then when it was done I flipped open my phone and went into photos, I clicked onto the picture that I had taken and then clicked “add massage”. I sat there thinking about what I should write, I had to make it believable and yet tell him as little as I could about why I was in trouble. I knew that he would want to know but I knew if I wanted him to live, I couldn’t tell him a thing. After thinking for a long time, I texted my massage and reread it to make sure that it was spelled right and made sense. As much sense as something like this could. I pressed the send button and held my breath as it sent the massage. “Massage Sent” flashed on my screen, I let my breath out. I went to settings and clicked “Master Clear” and watched as phone deleted all my numbers, settings, and pictures. It took awhile for it to delete, when it finished I sighed. I sigh a lot, I wonder if it’s unhealthy to sigh too much? I looked down at my phone and made a face, the key pad was covered in blood. I wiped off the blood on my skirt. My as well, it’s already bloody and ripped. I put my phone back into my pocket and looked out from under my hiding place. I didn’t see anyone but I knew they were there, I could feel it deep inside me, like a spike driven into my side. Man do I repeat myself or what. Maybe it’s from the loss of blood. I should get going, before He finds me, that little freak why does he always seem to pick on me? I have to get out of here. I jumped out and ran as fast as I could, never looking back, for fear of what I would see. And I prayed that Luke would get my massage and that he would do as I told him. His life might depend on it. God keep him safe and help me to do the same!
And then everything went black. I could feel myself crumbling and pain rippled though my body. Black engulfed me and I felt like I would gag on it. And then silence and utter darkness.


2

Almost there, almost there, DIE, DIE, DIE! I had almost beaten my new video game, when my cell phone vibrated and then ring in my back pocket. “Whoa!?” I jumped off
the couch and landed hard on the floor, spinning myself awkwardly as I fell so that I wouldn’t land on my cell phone. My chine hit the coffee table and the controller flew acrossed the room. I could tell it was a text because I had texts and calls on different rings. It’s so annoying; I stood up and rubbed my chin, then opened my phone and closed it so that it would shut up. I looked at the TV “Game Over” flashed on the screen; I stuck my tongue out at it. Who could have text me? All I know is that from now on when I play video games I’m going to take off vibrate and put it on the table. That almost gave me a heart attack. Whoever sent me this text is going to get it! I looked in my massage box there was one unopened under the name Harper, I had to smile. She was my best friend, how could I stay mad at her? When I pressed open I was expecting one of her crazy texts. But this was totally different, I had to sit down. Is she joking or is this real? I read it again to make sure that I read it right.
Luke, I am in trouble, but I can’t tell you why. With this massage is a picture, do NOT show this to anyone. You have to take it to...to some people. They will find you; don’t tell them anything, not even that you know me, until they prove that they are on my side. They will be looking for Sisal Lance. (That’s me) Please be careful. Harper
I sat there staring at the screen. What kind of trouble? What people? Where is she? Is she alright? And why did they give you a name like Sisal? Questions swirled in my mind but no answers came. I clicked into pictures, and pressed on the one she sent me. It was fuzzy but I could see it was a piece of paper. Was that blood?! Was she hurt or was it someone else’s blood? Ether way it didn’t sound good. I couldn’t read the writing but I knew that there was writing. Harper, what have you done now? She was always coming to school with some kind of injury, a bruised arm, a twisted ankle. I sighed and put my phone in my back pocket and turned off the TV. Now what, do I have to just wait here forever? Or can I go out of this house? Then again I don’t want to get mugged for my phone, so I guess I just wait. Ever since I’d known Harper she’s always been getting into scraps. One day she’d be fine then all next she’d have a broken arm. Always with some crazy story that she made up about how she got hurt, was she just telling a story? Sometimes I cant tell if she’s telling the truth, I’ve always felt that she was hiding something. Just be safe Harper.


* * *


I lay on something soft and warm. I tried to remember were I was, what happened, and what was that smell? My eyes were still closed I tried to sit up; I fell back in pain and cried out. I opened my eyes; I was in a small room that had only a bed, a small stove, a night stand, a little window, and an old chair by the stove. In the chair sat an old lady staring at me. “Finally up” she said with a little chuckle the lines on her face forming a small smile. “You are properly wondering who I am so I will tell you. My name is Pat Davis, now who are you?” I wonder if I can trust her, she seems nice enough but you never know. This could be trap to get me to talk and seal my death sentence. I should use my made up name, for now that way if she is my enemy she won’t know who I am.
“My...” I stopped my throat ached, I cleared it and went on. “My name is Maurice McGill, where I’m I?” she laughed and looked at me with deep blue eyes.
“I saw you collapse and a man was about to slit your throat and I thought that you might need help. So I grabbed my shotgun and told him to go and boy did he run.”
Her eyes sparkled with mischief and her smile deepened. “I brought you in here and cleaned you wounds. I would have taken you to the hospital but I don’t have a car or a phone to call a taxi. So there you are.”
I sat there trying to make sense of it, my head throbbed and it was hard to concentrate.
“They let people in apartments have shotguns?”
she shrugged
“Never said I couldn’t”
I stared at her, that like saying that you can steal something because no one said that you couldn’t. I didn’t say this seeing that I was lying in her bed not being able to move and she was the one with the shotgun.
“Can I have a glass of water” I asked in a horse voice.
“Of course, I’ll go get it.”
She said getting up and walking out of the room. After she left I looked around the room again. If she had more stuff I would snoop, there nothing here that looks of any worth. I wonder if I should drink what ever she brings me? It might be drugged, smart me in a house with a crazy who has a gun. The world wonders why I’m still alive?! The old lady came back into the room then and I stopped yell at myself in my head and looked at her. She handed me a paper cup with juice inside it. I eyed it suspiciously and looked at her. “What?!” She demanded, looking surprised and confused. “You take a sip first” I said my voice still horse.
She laughed a hearty laugh that stunned me, and then took the cup.
“Ok love, I will take the first sip.”
She took a sip then handed me the cup and went back to her chair. After staring at it for a second I took a sip, and then downed the whole cup. I breathed out and relaxed.
“How long have I been here?” I asked.
“One night” she said smiling at me.
“You should have been out longer but you’re strong. Now, is there someone who needs to know where you are?”
“Yes, my phone is in my pocket, I don’t think I can reach it” I said grimacing.
She came over and asked what pocket it was in, I told her and she got it out of my pocket and handed it to me. She went back to her chair and I sat there trying to remember the number. If I had all my numbers on my phone this would be easier. Oh, what is the number, how could I forget? Oh, now I remember. I typed in the number and waited for them to pick up.
“Dave’s mechanics, how can I help you?” I knew it was my friend Al from his voice. I took in a deep breath and said.
“The road is long the sky is dark.” Silence, then.
“FBI, who is this?” I glanced over at Pat then said
“Harper Elizabeth Marie Armstrong.” Pat’s eyebrows went up; I tried not to look at her.
“Harper! Where are you?! We have been trying to locate you for three days!”
“I know, but I was a little busy at the time.”
Getting a little annoyed, I covered the phone and asked Pat where we were.
“1777 Spring Street.” She said in the same annoyed tone that I had. I ignored her
“1777 Spring Street” I heard a sigh on the other side of the phone.
“We’ll send someone over, are you hurt?”
“Yes, But I’m ok Al.”
“Okay, don’t move and I mean it.”
“Why would I move I like my house?”
“Don’t get smart, just stay there, we don’t want you disappearing again.”
“Do I get a welcome back party?” I said in an excited and slightly pleading voice.
“I don’t think so; I have to go, STAY THERE.”
“One more thing,”
I looked over at Pat and then whispered
“Can you run a quick check on the person that lives here?” “Wait one minuet.”
There was a long silence. I took one of my hands and felt the bandages on my side, it still hurt a little.
“You’re lucky,” said Pat startling me. I looked at her confused.
“He barely gave you a scratch, it bleed a lot that’s all.”
Just then I noticed that Al was yelling from the phone, I quickly put the phone back to my ear.
“Yes Al?”
“Finally, we did a run she’s safe.”
“Ok thanks.”
“Stay out of trouble long enough for me to get to you.” “Killjoy” I hung up and then looked at Pat, her arms were crossed over her chest.
“So Maurice, is there something you want to tell me?” She gave me the evil eye and I felt pinned.
“I wasn’t sure if you were friend of foe, so I made up a name.” I shrugged and waited for her to speak. She shook her head
“I don’t think I want to know.” She smiled. And I lay back and wondered where Luke was. Slowly the world faded and strange images played through my head.


* * *


I sat there wondering what to do when the door bell rang. I almost jumped out of my skin; I was so deeply in thought.
Slowly I opened the door, not sure if I should open it at all. Once I started opening the door the man quickly pushed it open, stepped inside, and closed it in one swift movement. He was about a foot taller then me and when he removed his I saw that he was bold. “Who are you?” I asked.
“I am a friend.” Little red flag going up.
“Do I know you?”
“Not yet but, I’m Harper’s friend and I need your help; do you know where she is?”
“I’m sorry but, I don’t know a Harper. You must be thinking of someone else.”
“Are you sure? She said that this was your house and she sounded so sure.”
“Everyone makes mistakes.”
“I’ll be going. Sorry for the inconvenience.” And with the same move he was out the door and gone. I leaned on the door and let my heart slow to normal pace. Who was that? When are the good guys going to come? How do I know that wasn’t a good guy? I sat there until my heartbeat was normal, then got up and went to the TV. I have no idea how long it will be until they come. So I should relax until then. Or at lest try to relax.
“Luke, who was that at the door?” mom called from her bedroom.
“Just a salesmen, Mom.” I called back. Then sat down and popped in a movie.


* * *


I heard banging and wondered why the lights were turned off? Then realized that my eyes were closed and that I must have fallen asleep, again. I opened my eyes and squinted at the bright light. Pat was walking to the door, and mumbling about people who were too rushed. She opened the door “Hello, who are you?” she asked.
I listened to hear what they would say.
“Hello I’m looking for Silas Lance.”
Before Pat could say any thing I shouted
“I’m right here Al.”
Pat opened the door all the way and in the doorway stood my friend Al. I smiled; better to have a friend help you then a stranger.
“Come on in Al” I said as if it was my place and not some crazed woman with a shotgun. Al eyed Pat then steeped in and walked over to me.
“Hi Trouble, what’d you do now”
He looked me up and down, eyeing the bandage on my side. “Didn’t I tell you about how I got hurt?”
“No, no one knows anything right now. Not since your last report three days ago, you should know that.”
“Well, I was at the zoo and a lion got out of his cage. And I made him chase me so that he wouldn’t eat anyone but he swiped me before the zoo captured him. And I blanked out in front of Pat’s house and she helped me.”
“I don’t believe that”
“It’s true, why would I lie?”
“It’s not true and you know that, so tell me the truth. And get it over with.”
“You’re no fun. Smith was chasing me because I found Z. He got me with his knife and I burned Z.”
His eye became ten times bigger, I tried hard not to laugh. “YOU BURNED Z, HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!”
“I took a picture of it.”
He let out a long sigh and stuck out his hand. I shook it, smiling.
“Give it to me, now Harper.”
“Give what to you.” I pretended to act clueless.
“Your phone, you took the picture with your phone right?”
“Yes, here you go.”
I handed him my phone. He sat on the edge of the bed and played with it for awhile, I waited for him to yell at me.
“There are NO pictures on this phone, what are you trying to pull, Harper?”
“Nothing, I sent the picture to a friend and cleared everything off my phone, so that if Smith did catch me, he wouldn’t have the information on my phone.”
Sometimes Al gets on my nerves, does he have to yell? He sighed and then handed me back my phone.
“We should get you to a doctor.” I crossed my arms
“Say, sorry for yelling.”
I made my face hard and unmoving.
“Okay, I’m sorry, let’s get out of here.”
Al walked to the door and motioned for someone to come. Two men with a stretcher walked in and over to me.
“I can walk, I don’t need a stretcher.” Al looked at me hard. “Look Harper, you are going on this stretcher and that is all there is to it. I let you play your little game, let you almost give me a heart attack. But this is where you do what I say, no if, ands, or buts. Now get on that stretcher.”
I quickly got on the stretcher, when Al gets serious, you ether do what he says or. . . . well I’m not sure no one knows what happens to those who cross him when he’s mad. I don’t think that He’s had sleep for a few days because of me disappearing. The two men picked up the stretcher and put it inside a van. I waved to Pat, she smiled and waved back. As the men closed the door, I saw Al walk over to Pat and start talking. The doors closed and I sat in semi-darkness. I wondered if Luke had got my massage, if he was all right, and what would happen to Pat. I hope they don’t lock her up and interrogate her. That’s what happened to me, they made me an agent. And once you’re an agent you’re always an agent. Lucky me, I get to be drafted into the FBI. I’m the only kid there, what in the world did they do with the others, and did they send all the other kids to an island? Why did I have to see that agent get shoot down? And of course I had to help him, there’s nothing I could do about that. And I had to deliver the massage he gave me, and then they grilled me and made me an agent. And I had to be so glad about it; I should have known that it was all fun in the beginning. But after a mouth or so, everyone seemed to want me to leave. I wish I never saw that guy get shoot.
I was in sour mood when Al got into the van; he seemed in a better mood now. He smiled at me, and then looked at the two men.
“Is she safely buckled in?”
“Yes, she should be ready.” Said one of the men, Al looked at me
“You ready?”
“Just drive Al, I don’t want to talk.”
I crossed my arms as best I could while strapped down. Al started the van and drove away form 1777 Spring Street. The movement of the van slowly lolled me to sleep.


* * *

I wasn’t sure what would happen. I had been sitting here watching movie after movie. And still no one had come to the door, called, or anything. May be the whole thing was a joke, maybe that guy was a friend of Harper’s. And tomorrow she’ll be laughing in my face. Great I fell for another one of Harper’s dumb jokes. You’d think that I would have gotten wise to these jokes. I wish that she would know when to stop. It’s not funny anymore!
Voor, thud ump. What was that, it sounded like a car in the driveway. That’s strange, I wonder. Slowly I got up and looked out the window. It was very dark and all I could see was the slow movement of a long black car. It was pulling into the driveway; it moved so quietly that even my dog, Honda, wasn’t barking. The only reason I had heard it was because the culvert at the end of our driveway made a little hill. And every time any car pulled in it made a funny sound. I stood there not daring to move because they might see the movement and come to investigate. I watched as two men in black came out of the car and started toward the door. My heart was beating like a thousand mixers all at top speed. If these are the good guys then why are they coming in the middle of the night? Will they knock or just bust in? Should I hide, run, or call the police? By time I was done thinking this I heard the door bell ring and I jumped up quickly to answer it before it woke up my parents or one of my brothers or sisters. I tripped on something in the dark and went flying forward; there was a big thud as I hit the floor. I heard my mom get out of bed and shuffle to the stairs.
“Luke is that you, dear?”
“Yes mom, I’m just getting a drink and I tripped on something, but I’m alright.”
“You should be more careful and next time, turn on a light.”
“Ok, good night.”
I heard the shuffle of her feet as she went back to bed and then silence. At lest the men at the door were smart enough to stop ringing the door bell. They most of heard me hit the floor. I sighed and went to answer the door. The men were still at the door when I opened it; they seemed surprised that I had answered the door at all, probably thought that I had knocked myself out. They were both whispering when I opened the door, as soon as they saw me they straitened up and stared at me for a full minuet before talking to me in hashed whispers.
“Hello are you Luke Martin?”
“I am, and you are?”
“Who we are does not concern you at this point.”
“Let’s see you are ringing my door bell at…”
And at this I looked at my watch
“Three in the morning and you’re saying that it doesn’t concern me?”
At this the men paused and looked at each other then back at me; like they had never thought about that way before. “We need to talk to you, can you step out side?”
Carefully I took one step outside and quietly closed the door behind me.
“So what’s this about?”
“We are looking for a girl called Silas Lance; you may know her as Harper Armstrong.”
“I might know a girl by that name, who wants to know.” “Son were the FBI, Can you please tell us what you know about this girl.”
I stood there dumbfounded, how….. What….. When? A million questions filled my mind in that split second. She’s in the FBI! For how long, since when. No wonder she always came to school with broken arms and burses. I wish she would have told me. I know that it’s a top secret thing but still.
There I stood lost in my mind until one of the men started shaking me. I looked him straight in the sun glasses and said.
“Is this a joke? Do you think you can just show up and this or that and I’ll believe you!?”
They looked slightly startled by my outburst and they looked as if they weren’t sure how to answer me.
“Please come with us.”
He grabbed my arm and started pulling me to the car. Isn’t that like the number one rule? Don’t go into a car with a stranger, especially at three in the morning.
“NO!”
I shouted one of the man put a hand over my mouth; he smelled of lickerish and dust. He whispered in my ear. “You can come quietly or we can make you quite you’re choice.”
I wasn’t sure what make you quite was but I know that I was not willingly going to just walk into there car. No matter who they say they are. The man started whispering in my ear again.
“So what’s it going to be? Are you going to go quietly?”
His breath was hot and I thought I felt him press something to my back. I nodded and the man removed his hand from my mouth and I took my chance. I yelled at the top of my lungs. I started to say
“There mad men there kidnapping me, HELP!!!”
But all that came out was a little squeak. The man who had put his hand over my mouth had hit me in the stomach when I had tried to yell. Next thing I know there was something over my mouth. They were holding my arms down and were holding a cloth to my mouth. It smelled funny and tasted worse. Then ever thing went black.


* * *


I slowly walked up to the FBI base. One because I really didn’t want to meet with Mr. Crane, two because of the cut on my side, I was trying to make sure that the wound didn’t reopen. Inside the base there was a hospital and houses for the people who were life time agents. I really hate coming here; for one thing it’s in the middle of nowhere. And I mean nowhere; even if I wanted to find this place it would be impossible. Not like I want to find this place in a thousand years. Another thing about this place is that everyone looks like there about to straggle any one that gets in there way or annoys them. And no one ever smiles. There like the living dead, but worse, theses people would kill you in a second if they thought you would betray them in any way.
Slowly I walked up to the forlorn base so that I could get my cut examined. Al opened the door for me and the nurse had me fill out a form and said that the doctor would out in a minuet. Even though it’s an FBI base the doctor still makes you wait. That’s the only normal thing around here. I wish I were home cooking dinner and cleaning the house. I wonder if dad’s home, I wonder if he noticed that I’m gone? I hate all the lies and hiding, I want to go to school and have friends. Why do they do theses things happen to me? At lest I’m done with school and got a collage picked out. At 15 that’s pretty good if you ask me. At lest the teacher and the principle were on my side when I went to school, it’s nice to know that the people around you are on you’re side. They would tell the class that I on a trip with my dad. But we can barely go on a car ride to the store and say more then three words put together. I just wish that there was a better way to have learned my school work. Since I was getting pulled out class to ‘go on a trip with my dad’ I have to learn my lessons on the go all the time. One time I learned math as I was jumping out of an airplane, I’ve got to say that was fun in a freaky way. I looked at Al who was sitting next to me and reading a magazine about making dolls out of vegetables. Who reads that stuff anyway?
“Al?”
“Hum?”
“Why does the FBI want me?”
“Because no one suspects a kid to be in the FBI and you have great talent and your super smart.”
“But why aren’t there other kids?” “Because you’re special and that’s the end of it Harper. I didn’t need this right now.”
“Oh and I’m just guessing here but I don’t think that you really NEED to know how to make dolls out of vegetables! Is there something that you’re not telling me or is it something that the FBI’s not telling me.”
He was about to answer when a young doctor with red hair and big gasses came in the door and to tell the truth he smelled like old turnips.
“My name is Dr. Pinkwater. How are we doing today?” “What do you think?”
I snapped back, he must be an idiot or his gasses don’t work.
“Hello there’s a big cut on my side, which is bleeding as we speak!”
“Oh I see, how long has it been bleeding?”
His voice makes me think of a cat that’s having its tail steeped on.
“I think a day and a night, but I’m not sure.”
“Goodness me we better put an IV in you and some blood. What is you’re blood type?”
Why are the lights dancing, wow do I feel dizzy.
“I….I can’t remember. Al where are you?”
“Can’t you see me? Harper, Harper?”

3

I woke to the slow movement of a car and to the smell of lickerish and dust. My head was throbbing and I didn’t know where I was. Then it hit me, the men, the car, Harper. I sat bolt upright and looked around. I was in a car, the back seat was empty and there was a metal gird that separated the front form the back. One of the men laughed and give his friend a small punch on the arm.
“Hay look sleeping beauty is awake. Thought that you would pull a fast one on us, ha kid.”
He laughed again and to me it sounded like nails on a blackboard. I winced and put a hand to my hand.
“Charlie stop that before ya kill the boy.”
It was the other man who like his friend was wearing dark glasses that covered most of his face. Charlie hit the other man on the head and whispered to him.
“Don’t tell him our names for all we know he’s a dangerous criminal.”
“Relax Charlie he’s just a kid.”
Then he turned to me and in a louder voice said.
“So kid why they after you? Hack into there computers or some thing, How old are you anyway, ten?”
This man seemed nicer then the other and his accent sounded like he was form Brookline. But I wasn’t sure if I should trust a guy that just kidnapped me.
“My friend is in trouble and THEY want to talk to me. And I’m sixteen”
“It’s never good when they ‘want to talk to you’. I bet that there going to make you quite.”
This was Charlie talking and I’m beginning to not like him. “What do you mean make me quite?”
“You know.”
He put a finger to his throat and drew a strait line on it making a choking noise. The unnamed man hit him as best he could while driving.
“Stop that you big buffoon, you’re scaring the kid. Don’t listen to him kid. My names Jake, what’s yours kid.”
I decided that if they trust me with there names then I guess that I could thrust them with mine. I sighed and rubbed my head.
“Luke, my names Luke.”


* * *


I tried to keep up as Al walked steadily in front of me. We were headed down a loooooooooooooooooooong hallway to The Office. It’s one of those places that you try to stay away from at all costs. I had already tried to get away from it a dozen times and now Al had had enough of it. He had been in a very sour mood of late and I wondered why. It’s not like him to be so gloomy. Was it that one part of him that I didn’t know the real life part. It seems that lately he’s been having a lot of mood swings. Maybe I should go easier on him. What am I talking about he’s fine, probably not enough sleep. That’s all it is I should buy him an energy drink. But he wouldn’t drink it; I wonder why he doesn’t drink them. Boy is he missing out or what.
I was so busy thinking that I bumped into Al. He had stopped walking; we were in front of the Office.
I took a deep breath, its one thing to tell Al that I burned that paper but it’s another to tell the Boss. Shivers ran up and down my body, I tapped Al.
“Can you go in first and see if he’s in a good mood?”
You know I wonder how someone working for the good of man can be so awful.
“No, this is as far as I go, I’m sorry kid.”
He gave me a hug, being careful not to touch my side and then opened the door and pushed me in.
There was an older lady sitting at a chair behind a desk. She looked up at me then back down at the paper she was holding.
“Name please.”
“Harper Elizabeth Marie Armstrong.”
“Thank you.” She pushed a button on her desk, a buzzer sounded and a door opened.
“Room three please.” She said and pointed her pencil in the direction of the open door. I dragged myself into the room. There wasn’t much in the room but a stool, and a small table with a chair behind it and a lamp that pointed at the stool. I looked around for cameras; there was one in the far corner. I went and sat in a ball under it so that it wouldn’t see me. I hate this room.


* * *


They had pushed me into a room with only a few peaces of furniture if that’s what you want to call it. The dark was almost unbearable and it smelled kind of funny, kind of like wet shoes in the sun. I sat in the chair behind the table; it seemed the safest place to be.
Now what do I just sit here forever? I guess that this isn’t a game, Harper what did you do? Why did you have to send that text to me? Of all the people, why not Riley she’s your best friend right, but so am I, so I guess that doesn’t make a difference. At lest this means that you trust me, that’s one good thing. I wish that you would have said something more then ‘they call me Silas Lance’ that would have helped. You could have told me that one of them smells like lickerish. But you might not have known that. Of all the things that you’ve done to me I have to say that this tops the ‘This Sucks The Most List’. I wish I could just talk to you, why are you so hard to talk to? I can talk to anyone about almost anything but for some reason I can’t talk to you. Why is that? Maybe I should just get my head examined. Or maybe it’s something more.
The door sung open and an older man that was rather fit steeped inside the room. He had a mustache and a few small hairs sat sadly on his head. It looked like he had tried to comb them so that they covered his bold spot. But it looked silly and childish. He had a very square face and eyes that seemed to see right through you. And those eyes were fixed on me.
I had been leaning back on the chair and his sudden burst into the room made me jump and the chair fall out from under me. The man walked over in what seemed one steep. He hit me with his cane
“Get up you fool. Do you think that I came in here to enjoy the décor?”
I jumped up, the way he talked made me think of a bull dog in those old cartoon.
“Not much to look at in here is there?”
“Silence, who said that you could speak?! Not me, now sit on that stool and be quick about it. I don’t have all day to talk to simpletons in diapers.”
My cheeks burned as I stood there but I did not move.
“Did you not hear me?! I said SIT ON THE STOOL!”
Spit flew from his mouth and landed on my shirt but I did not move. His face was as red as a cherry and his nose seemed to stick out three feet long when his face was red. “I don’t think,”
I said “that you should yell at your gests.”
“YOU THINK, YOU THINK, WHO SAID YOU COULD THINK. WHO SAID THAT YOU COULD TALK!! NOW SIT DOWN!!”
He hit me across the face and I took a step back. I felt where he hit me and in the dim light I looked at my hand to see blood on it.
“Now sit.”
He tried to say it in a calm voice but it ended up sounding horse and high pitched. I sat, what was I suppose to do? Get killed, ok maybe not that bad but still.
“Now what is your name how do you now Harper and what has she told you.”
“Luke, Friend, nothing”
I folded my hands in my lap and smiled, just in time to get slapped again. I almost fell off the stool but somehow I managed to stay on top.
“You insolent boy, what are you trying to hid. Tell me the truth or your little girlfriend gets hurt.”
“She’s not my girlfriend!”
“Silence!”
This time he hit me in the ribs with his cane. I went sprawling onto the floor.
“TELL ME NOW!!” I clenched my ribs and moaned.
“All I know this that she sent me a text. And that’s all!” “Where is your phone?”
I struggled to pull my phone out of my pocket but then hesitated sliding it over the floor to him. In the end I slide to him a frown deep on my face. He picked it up gingerly, it made me sick. He cares more for that dumb phone then for how he treats humans and right then I hated him.
“Where is Harper?”
The man seemed lost in his own world as he stared at the phone like it was a million dollars.
“WHERE IS HARPER?” He looked up startled
“Oh her, she’s in the other room you can she her later.” Then he walked out of the room without a glance back.


* * *


I sat there a long time before Mr. Crane came in. By then I was sitting on the stool trying not to seem too scared. He went and sat behind the desk, then stared at me for awhile before speaking.
“Harper I was just talking to your boyfriend.”
“Luke” I said in barely whisper. He didn’t seem to hear me because went on.
“Fool boy, but I got what we needed and that’s all that matters. Now who stabbed you, are they still alive, and what is the name of the lady who helped you?”
I swallowed; I didn’t want him to know about Pat.
“Smith, yes he’s alive.”
I stopped hoping that he forgot the last one.
“Who helped you Harper?”
I didn’t move; I braced myself for the hit that I knew was coming. Thwap. I fell to the floor and groaned as my side throbbed.
“Tell me now Harper, you know what I will do. Why do you even try to resist? It always ends the same way. Sometimes you get your way but not this time.”
He walked over and kicked me hard several times then hit me with his cane. He leaned down close to my ear and whispered.
“I know that you could stand this for weeks but this time you have a weakness.”
“And what would that be?”
“Your little boyfriend is not as strong as you. He will brake easy, and when he begs for you to stop us what will you do? Will you stand there as we silt his throat? Some friend you are.”
“You wouldn’t.” my voice was horse.
“Want to bet?” With that he pulled out a walkie-talkie “Jones, bring in the bait.”


4

The next thing I know some guy in gasses….. Why am I using that as a description? There all wearing glasses; every one of them even the girls, well most of them anyway. OK so this BIG guy comes in and starts dragging me to…. somewhere. All of a sudden I’m in a room just like the one I left, but. . . . . is that Harper?! Then the guy grabs me and puts a knife to my throat. I straggle but all I get is a little cut on my neck. That other guy is here to Mr. Big shot and his cane.
“Now Harper it’s your choice do you want to help some stranger or save your boyfriend from dieing?”
My eyebrows shot up; is he for real? Would he kill me? By the look on Harper’s face I think that he would enjoy it. “As I said it’s your choice I’m sure that you’re boyfriend wont mind dieing for the good of that stranger that you met.”
He smiled broadly and then took a knife out off his belt. “This will be very enjoyable, seeing you friend squirm like the little bug that he is.”
He kissed the blade and started walking toward me.
“No wait I’ll tell you, just leave him alone. I’ll tell her name.”
Harper shouted, she looked defeated and I could see a tear sliding down one of her cheeks.


* * *


I sat down and put my face in my lap trying to keep the tears from coming. Out of all the things that Mr. Crane asked me to do this was the one thing that I hated doing. Betraying someone like that, because they would most likely become like me forced to do work for these people like some slave. How can someone do that to someone else? I just don’t understand and maybe I never will. I felt Luke put an arm around me and gently pull me up to my feet. He put his arms around me in comforting hug. I let myself cry into him and be comforted for a short time before I pushed away and whipped away the tears. My whole body ached with all that had happened
“Thanks, sorry about pulling you into this, I hoped that they wouldn’t. But I guess it was just a very small hope.”
I sniffled and whipped my runny nose with my sweatshirt sleeve.
“It’s ok; I’m glad that I’m here for you. If I wasn’t here how long would you have gone through that?”
“I don’t know, as long as it would take till they gave up. Days, mouths, depends on now stubborn Mr. Crane was feeling.”
“You would do that for someone you don’t even know?” “I don’t want them to end up like me. Trapped into doing something because someone makes you, I know that everyone thinks that the FBI is so great and that’s what every little kid thinks is the best thing in the world. But it’s not! It’s the worst thing in the world for me and I don’t want anyone to end up here because of me!”
“Harper, its ok you don’t..”
“NO, it’s not ok I just sold out an old lady to these people! I how do you think she’s going to make it in this place?!” We stared at each other and all of a sudden I could see how different we were. Me and my dad living alone and barely talking to each other besides ‘Hi and bye’, him and his big family of nine brothers and sisters and a good mom and dad and in there house talking to each other is like all they do. All of a sudden we were from different worlds, I could see how completely different we truly are. He took a step forward and looked me in the eye.
“But I want to understand, help me to understand Harper.” “Luke, I… I can’t, it’s complicated.”
Just then the door opened and a guard came in.
“You may go back to your homes, follow me please.”


* * *


I sat at home and wondered at what had happened. It was all so fast, one moment everything was fine then the next I was at an FBI base then I’m back home and my parents’ think that I was sleeping the whole time.
Weird, I just wish that I could help Harper; she’s so scared when it comes to that place. I’ve never seen her afraid in my life, what are they doing to her? I’ve got to help her out of there, before it’s too late. I should give her a call to see if she’s alright. I wonder if they dropped her off at her house or just said that. Oh no, why did I leave her with those maniacs? Stupid, stupid if she gets hurt it will be my fault. I ran to the front door and I opened it and ran through the house looking for the phone.
“Honey this that you? Where have you been?”
“I was just out for a walk, where’s the phone?”
I said as I ripped the cushions off the couch.
“Are you ok Luke, you look like you didn’t sleep last night.”
“I had a hard time falling to sleep last night. Where’s the phone?”
“It’s on the charger.”
She sipped her coffee and pointed at the phone sitting on the charger.
“Thanks mom.”
I said as I ran and grabbed the phone heading to my room that I shared with my two brothers.
“You are going to clean this up right?”
“After I’m done on the phone.”
I yelled from the top of the stairs. I walked into my room James was on the floor trying to put on a pair of pants. “Can you help me Luke?”
“If you leave after I’m done. Where’s Mat?”
“He’s in the shower.”
James is Five and he has the most adorable lisp. So when says ‘shower’ it sounds like ‘thower’. And when he gets older you can tell that he’s going to be a chick magnet. Big blue eyes and silky blonde hair demand it. I helped him into his pants and pushed him out the door. I lay on my bed and dialed Harper’s number. The space between the rings seemed to last an eternity.
“Hello?”
Harper is like the only person that still don’t have caller ID at her house.
“Hi, it’s me are you ok?”
“I guess.”
“You want to talk? I can pick you up for lunch.”
“Sure, what time.”
“I’ll pick you up at 1:00.”
“Ok see you then.”
“Ok Bye.”
I hung up and lay there staring at the ceiling. Then there was a banging on the door, I jumped up Thinking that the FBI was after me.
“I won’t tell you anything, you can’t make me!”
“Luke what are you talking about, let me in I’m standing out here in a towel and I need in, open up.”
I let myself relax and opened the door then flopped back on my bed. Mat was two years older then me and he was the one that I needed to get the car from.
“Hey can I barrow the car?”
“Why would you need the car?”
“I’m going to take a friend to lunch.”
“Wait is it a girl?!”
“Maybe….”
“WHAT!! You’re going to lunch with a girl, wow. She must be a real dog to want to go out with you.”
“She’s not a dog! And we’re not going out, she’s just having a hard time and wanted to talk.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it. Ok here’s the deal I’ll let you use the car if you let me meet her after lunch.”
I thought about this as he finished getting dressed and sighed. My brother will probably ask her out if he thinks that she’s cute enough. But I already told her that I’d take her to lunch so it seems that I have no choice.
“It’s JUST Harper Mat.”
“What! You mean that girl you’ve had a crush on since preschool.”
He started laughing, I just glared at him.
“I don’t have a crush on her!” I yelled, my face turning red. Mat whipped a tear away from his eye.
“Sure, then why every time she called you, you would grab the phone from whoever had it like you were a cow going to the copping block and she was your last meal?” I made a face at him.
“What are you talking about?! Your mad, what kind of nonsense is that.”
He tossed me the keys.
“Have fun with your girlfriend.”
He moved his eyebrows up and down and smiled at me. I through a pillow at him
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Yet” He said in a singsong voice, he swayed his hips back forth “Like I said have fun.” He waved his fingers at me and batted his eyelash’s, then walked out of the room laughing at his own stupidity. I just shook my head and got ready to take a shower.


* * *


I opened the door to my house and walked in. My dad was already gone, but it wouldn’t matter if he was there is would still be dead silent. If I died I don’t think he would find out until an undertaker came to take my body away. I sat down and looked around at the room and hated it. It was like a jail with no bars, but it still keeps me locked up. I can’t wait till I’ll be able to dive, just three mouths you can make it, maybe.
Just then the phone rang, I wondered if I should pick it up it was probably a salesmen. Or it could be the FBI; right now I did not want to talk to them. In the end I picked up the phone on the last ring. It was Luke asking me if I wanted to get out of the house and go to lunch with him. Anything to get me out of this pit, even though it sounded like he was asking me out, I got ready and went and sat out on the grass in front of my house. It was going to be about an hour before he would pick me up, but I didn’t want to stay in that house anymore. I touched one of my sides ouch, blast that Crane, he knows how to kick you just right. Hard enough to leave huge bruises but not enough to brake or fracture any ribs. At lest he kicked me on the side that didn’t have the cut, that could have been bad. Beside that I had some scratches from running away from Smith and a bruise on my check from Crane. Over all I think I’ll live to see another day.
About an hour later a car pulled up and Luke waved. I jumped up and bolted for the car; I hopped in and smiled at Luke.
“Thanks for taking me away form this place.”
“No problem.”
For the rest of the ride no one spoke, I stared out my window at the passing world. We drove to one of those outside restarts, where the tables are outside and they have the umbrellas and flowers and everything. I sat at the table and stared down at my feet. I wish that this was just a dream. Mom why did you leave me? I need you, please come back. Dad and I never talk and the FBI is practically killing me. I don’t know what to do. I looked up to she Luke staring at me.
“What? Is there something on my face?”
“No, there’s nothing on your face.”
“Then why are you staring at me?”
“It’s nothing I was just thinking.”
I put my elbows on the table and rested my head in my hands.
“Bout what?”
“Just stuff.”
“That tells me a lot.” He opened his mouth to say something when a crash from down the street stopped him. We both looked over to see what the crash was. I stared not sure if I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. I jumped up and ran over to the car crash forgetting all else. I could hear Luke in the background but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I ran up to one of the cars and knelt next to it. Tears started rolling down my cheeks; I pulled on the door handle desperate to get it open. Luke ran up behind me and started pulling on the handle. He braced his leg on the side of the car and pulled with all his might. The door banged open and I jumped into the opening of the door. At first I thought that it all was a mistake but now I saw the truth sitting in front of me. I rapped my arms around my dad and sobbed. How could this have happened? The man from the other car came over by me.
“I’m sorry.” He murmured.
I was enraged, him just kill my father and all he has to say is ‘I’m sorry’? I looked up at him and then took a step back. Smith Oh my…. I grabbed Luke’s hand and bolted down the street. I don’t think that he would fallow me because of the crowd, but I kept running. Luke stumbled behind me as I pulled him along. How could he have found us? How could this have happened? What am I going to do? Tears rolled down my cheeks as I ran, my side burned. I didn’t know him well but he was still my father. I hated crying in the end it just made you feel worse and nothing gets solved from it. Not to mention that I got the worst runny nose after I’m done crying. I made a quick turn in between some old buildings, Luke barely turned in time to not hit the side of the building. He looked at me the space between his eyes wrinkled and his eyebrows caved in.
“I’ll tell you later but not right here.” I said. Hoping that there would be a later, and then telling myself not to think like that.
“Ok so were do we go? “ He said jingling his car keys in his pocket. I grabbed his arm and stared weaving in between the buildings.


5


After awhile of weaving, dogging, and ducking we finely made it back to Luke’s car. I slouched in my seat and played with a lose thread that was stinking out of the side of my skirt as Luke pulled out and drove away. After some discussion we decided to go to my house. But as we drove past we noticed a car in the drive way. Luke parked a crossed the street and we watched to see what was going on. A man with a hat that looked to big for his head and pants that were to short walked out of my house. He walked up to the car bent over and talked to some one that was inside. I tried to see the man’s face but his hat (being to big for his head) covered his face and hair so that all you could see was his mouth and his chin. (Which was very pointy) The man grabbed a piece of paper out of the car, walked up to the door and taped the paper to the door. Me and Luke sat very still as they pulled out and drove away. We sat for about fifteen minuets before Luke jumped out of the car and I followed. He stopped in front of the door and looked at the paper that was taped there. Then he started to read aloud.

This is to notify that:
Harper Elizabeth Marie Armstrong is under house arrest and is to be taken to the headquarters of the FBI. Anyone having seen Miss Harper please notify the police or hold her till they come. Be careful she may be armed and dangerous.


Ichabold Crane
Ichabold Crane

Luke finished reading and then looked at me one of his eyebrows cocked up.
“Your middle name is Elizabeth Marie?”
“Oh shut up”
I said elbowing him in the rib which was a bad idea, he winced and I remembered that he to had talked to Crane today.
“And they think YOUR dangerous!?” he said laughing even though he had just been elbowed. I glared at him, seriously thinking that I should pulverize him.
“Don’t you know what this means?” I asked him trying to change the subject.
“That I should turn you in.” He said with a cheesy smile. “Keep this up and I might have to give you a black eye to go with all your other bruises.” I said testily.
“It means that once the FBI gets there hands on me I’ll end up let Al.”
“Al?”
Luke tilted his head to the side like a curious puppy.
“A FBI guy that I work with.”
Right after I said it I slapped my hand over my mouth and Luke’s eyebrows went all the way up into his shaggy black hair.
“I guess you already know about that.” I said forcing a smile. He nodded.
“Yeah I kind of figured it out when two guys dragged me out of my house at three in the morning. I just want to know what it’s about but I guess that comes later, lets get inside.”
He pushed me to the door so that I could unlock it. Once we were inside Luke was all business.
“You go upstairs and pack I’ll keep a look out.”
“Why do I have to pack?”
“Because you can’t stay here and there’s a good chance that you don’t have anywhere to go. So you can crash at my house for awhile.” I eyed him for a minuet
“What?! I said go!”
He seemed to be getting frustrated, I decided to push my luck anyway I wasn’t sure what ‘crash at my house’ meant. I crossed my arm over my chest and shifted my hip to the side. I tried not to wince from the pain in my side.
“Harper, what are you doing?!”
“What do you mean crash at my place?”
“Is that all?!” He said in a voice that was almost a wine. “You can stay in one of my sisters’ rooms. Now get GOING!”
I turned around and leaped up the stairs two at a time. When I opened my door I expected it to be a mess, thinking that the men had searched my room. But when I opened the door every thing was how I had left it. I grabbed my backpack off my bad post and shoved my phone in the front pocket and stared to stuff it with socks, shirts, skirts, and under where. Then I want to go get my treasure box, I know it’s kind of dumb but I keep this music box and fill it with my special things. Like: a lock of my mom’s hair, a rock that’s shaped like a star, a plastic bead bracelet that me and my mother made, the ticket form the last time my dad took me to the movies (When I was seven), a friendship bracelet that Riley made for me, a picture that Luke drew of me and him climbing a tree when he was like 4 years old, a necklace that my grandma gave for my eighth birthday, and some other small things. I opened it to look at all my things and was shocked to see a yellow envelop sitting on top of the pile. It was the kind that you can buy at the post office, the ones that had all the plastic bubbles inside it. On the front it had my name written in big letters in my dad’s hand writing. I picked it up and weighed it in my hands, it weighted no more then a 12onz bottle of water. At that moment Luke yelled from downstairs for me to hurry up. I shoved the envelop into to my backpack and my box and stared packing the last few things. After getting my toothbrush and face wash and all that good stuff I jumped down the stair and followed Luke to his car.


6


I pulled slowly into my driveway and then helped Harper with her backpack. I didn’t know they made backpacks this big, it’s like a trunk. I opened the door and shoved her in before she could change her mind. Once we were in the house it was total kayos. James was trying to get our dog Honda to let have a back ride, Hannah was watching Dora the Explorer on max volume. Debby and Rachael were fighting over a shirt, and my mom was trying to talk Eve into watching Hannah and James for a night so that she and dad could go to a party. I guided the dazed Harper thought the room to my mom.
“Hi mom.”
I did a little half wave and pointed to my dazed friend.
“Is it ok if Harper crash’s in one of the girls rooms for a few nights?”
I practically had to yell to be heard over Dora singing “backpack, backpack, yeah!”
“Hannah turn down the movie I can’t hear Luke.”
Hannah turned the movie down like two clicks, it was a little better.
“Now about Harper what’s going on?”
I saw Harper shift and I jumped in before it got uncomfortable.
“Her dad died in a car crash and she needs somewhere to stay for a while.”
“Oh I’m sorry, make yourself at home.”
She gave Harper a hug and then went back to talking to Eve. I walked her to the girls room and set her backpack on the ground.
“It will be kind of cramped in here but you won’t be lonely.”
She looked around the room and then at me, she did a half smile and then I gave her a hug. It was an ‘I’m here for you; it’s going to be ok kind of hug’.
“We’ll talk after you’re done unpacking.”
He said then walked away. I went into the room and pulled the envelop out of my backpack. I sat on the floor and slowly turned it over in my hands. I opened the flap and pulled the contents out, it was a book? It was black with hot pink and black checkers on it and on top of the checkers was music notes, a guitar, piano keys, and twisting veins; the more you looked at it the more you saw. Taped to the front was a pair of keys, slender and dark. The lock on the book was a lot sturdier then the normal locks on diaries. I peeled the keys off the front of the diary and slipped one of them into the lock. In turned smoothly and you could tell that it was a complicated lock the kind that are hard to pick. I opened the book and saw that there was note written on the first page in my dad’s handwriting.

Dear Harper
I’m sorry that I have not been a very good father to you, but I fear that now it is too late. All those times when you asked me about your mom I told you that I didn’t want to talk about it but now I must tell you that the truth is that I can’t remember her. I know that it sounds terrible but it’s true, I’ve tried so hard to remember her but all I get is a headache. I want you to have these pictures that I found of her, she was so beautiful and you look just like her. Oh Harper I’m so sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you, please forgive me. If I could do it over I would spend every moment with you. But I just went to the doctor and he gives me one year to live, I don’t know what will happen to you after I’m gone. You have no relatives that could take you and all my friends are long gone. But somewhere in my heart I know that your mother is alive somewhere. I don’t know how I know but I do, please trust me. I love you more then anything.
You’re Father


* * *


I sat at the kitchen table waiting for Harper to finish unpacking so that we could talk. I decided on going into the yard that way we could have some privacy. Finally Harper came into the kitchen and sat in a chair next to me then put her head on the table. I rubbed her back then patted it. “Let’s go out in the yard”
We went out the back door and sat on the swing hanging on one of the old trees. She sat with her head leaned back like she was thinking where to start, she took a deep breath.
“It all started with the Z document, both sides were looking for it.”
“Both sides?”
“The FBI and the CTF, anyway two of our top agents, one from each side, were close to finding it. In the end they both ended up finding it at the same time there was a bitter fight. One was killed and the other badly wounded, the one that was wounded tried to get back to his base but died before he got there and Z was lost to both sides. After that there was a mad search to find it before the other side did. I was sent on a tip as to where it was and I fond it. A day after that when I was on my way to the base Smith found me and tried to get the document from me, I ran for one day trying to get away, in the end his knife got me and I hid, burned Z, and passed out.”
“And you sent me the picture.”
“Right, and now the FBI has it.”
“Just what is Z, anyway?”
“They never told me.”
“I think we should find out,” I said pulling my phone out of my pocket. Harper gasped,
“Now did you get it back?!”
“I pit pocketed square face, when he wasn’t looking, now when he looks for it they’ll think that he lost it.”
She looked like she was going to ether burst into tears or jump up and hug me.
“Did anyone see you; did you make sure that a camera didn’t catch you on tape?”
Her eyes were wide and she was squeezing my hand so hard that it was turning purple.
“I made sure that no one saw me and I watched out for cameras. It’s ok I’m a big boy I know what I’m doing.” “So you say, hurry lets see what it says!”
“You mean that you don’t know!? You had it for two days and you didn’t even look at it?!”
“Of course not the FBI told me not to look that way if I got caught they couldn’t get anything out of me.”
“So you want to see the picture?” She nodded eagerly. Slowly I pulled it out of my pocket and even more slowly I opened my phone Harper frowned at me and grabbed the phone out my hand and leaned back as she started to look through my photos. Knowing that there were some pictures of her on there that I had taken that she didn’t know about it, I grabbed my phone back and quickly fond the picture and handed it back to her.
“I can’t read it, it’s to small and fuzzy”
She handed me the phone, and then sighed. “You know I could blow this up and make the picture clearer on my computer”
“You can! Well lets go!” she grabbed my arm and dragged me back into the house.


* * *


“What does it say?!”
Harper was standing behind me bouncing up and down while holding the back of the chair.
“Relax; I almost got it…… there!”
“This chemical is top secret and is not yet named s it is there for it is called Z, this chemical when added to water will evaporate and will be absorbed by the clouds. After three hours in will then rain acid, be careful about how much chemical you add to the water. For three hundred acres only use about one teaspoon no more……. After that it’s just a bunch of science mumbo gumbo. At the bottom it says Translucent labs” She frowned
“Funny name for a lab….translucent means that when light shines on it, it makes it almost invisible……. Why would someone want to make something horrible like that? Acid rain, what crazy thought of that?!”
I nodded thinking of the documentary about Hiroshima. I closed my eyes to the memories of some of the pictures of half burned people and blacked bodies.
“Maybe we should just delete it.” She shook her head
“If they find out that we have this it might be the only thing saving our necks” She put her left hand on her right elbow and her right fist on her chin, in a thinking pose.
“Luke……” I looked up at her
“I think we need to run.”
“What?!”


* * *


Once I got Luke to agree to the idea, we put a plan in motion. Tonight we would get as much food as we could and then leave a note saying that we were going to the zoo or something for the day that would buy us some time. Then we were going to find Translucent Labs, where ever it was.
I had just finished talking to Luke and was headed to the girls’ room. I flopped one of the beds, Luke has seven sisters right now three of them were in the room. The youngest, Hanna who was three, must have finished her movie because now she was on the floor playing with dolls. And Eve was doing her hair at the vanity, and Debby was helping.
It was a very big room with three bunk beds and one twin; it was bright and colorful, full of life. So unlike my room my house……… OH MY…… my dad.
The reality of it hit me like a stack of bricks; I fell off the bed and on to the floor, uncontrollable tear streamed down my face. Eve, Debby and Hanna all ran over and tried to find out what was wrong. I couldn’t speak; I couldn’t think, all there was in my life was pain. It’s all my fault that he’s dead, I’m a murderer!
Luke run around the corner and into the room, he knelt next to me and pulled me into his arms.
“It’s ok” he whispered into my hair
“It’s ok, shh I know it hurt just get in out.” He sat there with me for over an hour, slowly rocking me back and forth, and never letting go, telling me that I was going to make it.
“Thanks Luke” I snuffled and whipped my runny nose with my poor sweater.
“You ok now?”
I nodded and pulled away, after the first couple minutes of me braking down everyone had left. It was just me and Luke, I tried to get up but my sides were killing me, I need to change the bandage on the cut pretty soon. I sat on the bed and started to dig though my backpack as I looked for my phone. I pulled it out of the front pocket and opened it. “5 MISSED CALLS” screamed at me from the screen. I wonder, there all the same number, who would have called me that much? Because I had deleted everything off my phone when I was being chased I didn’t have caller ID.
I exited out of missed calls and saw that I had a voicemail. “What is it?”
I almost jumped out of my skin; I had forgotten that Luke was still in the room.
“I have five missed calls and a voicemail.”
He sat on the bed next to me and looked over my shoulder at the phone.
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know” I sighed “when I was being chased I deleted everything off my phone.”
“Then why don’t you listen to the voicemail?”
I pointed to the phone it’s calling right now; I put a finger to my lips and then put it on speaker.
“Please type in your password now, if you need to sp” I typed in my password before it could say anymore. “Thank you Harper Armstrong you have one new voicemail to listen to your voicemail press one, to” I pressed one.

“Hello?! Harper” It sounded like Riley she was talking was hushed, and hurried I leaned in closer.
“I don’t know what’s going on, these people grabbed me and brought me here and they keep asking about you! I don’t know what to do this man says that I know something about some dumb Z thing but I have no idea what he’s talking about. I hide my phone so that I could call someone for help but no one answering! Please Harper call the police or something……. Wait I think someone’s coming……. AHHHHH! ..........”
The sound of static rang in my ears as I stared at the phone. They have Riley, I looked at Luke, and he nodded.
“Change of plan”
I managed a small smile
“Change in plans”


This ends Part1

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 23.08.2011

Alle Rechte vorbehalten