The Glass Wall (Return of the Ancients Book 1) (4 page)

I watched as he stapled the next sign to the underside of the mailbox. I cleared my throat and said, “No one can see these.”

“Can’t tip them off,” he explained as he posted the last one behind the trash cans at the side of the house.

I shook my head and followed him back.

“I’m going to have to order a few things,” he told his wife as he walked in.

She nodded thoughtfully and then her expression brightened. “I’ve got a 20%-off coupon. Maybe we can use it!” Taking his hand, she led him into the living room where the computer lived amidst the mountains of her Ebay boxes.

With their attention locked onto the computer, I wandered away. Grace was in her room listening to music, so I decided now was a good time to give Jerry some exercise.

I took his box out from under the bed and poked the little mouse in the belly, waking him up from his nap. He yawned, his whiskers vibrating as he sniffed my finger.

“I got you some yummy food.” I smiled, feeling happy that he’d eat well now. “But first, some exercise.”

Tucking him into my pocket, I walked past Betty and Al huddled over some spy supply website and skipped out the back door before they could stop me.

I took a deep breath of fresh air.

It was in the middle of October. The leaves were falling, but it was still warm. Neelu had told me it wouldn’t be for long, though. She said it was always rainy and cold by Halloween and that was less than two weeks away.

I checked out the chicken coop and watched the bizarre chickens for a few minutes before heading to the greenbelt that sprawled behind the house. A tiny path led through the evergreens. I followed it, enjoying the heavy scent of pine.

After a few minutes, I found a secluded spot among several huge trees and boxed off a nice sized playground for Jerry with rocks and logs. Satisfied that it was a secure environment, I took him from my pocket and dumped him into it, watching him skitter around, sniffing in excitement. Sprinkling some of the hamster food in front of his face, I smiled as he stopped running to select a seed and sat on his haunches to nibble it.

Sometimes, I felt guilty for keeping him. I’m sure he’d probably prefer his freedom to living in cardboard boxes, drawers, and backpacks with me, but I couldn’t bring myself to let him go. I played with him, catching him as he climbed the walls of his enclosure to place him back down again in front of the seeds.

I looked up at the evergreens surrounding me, closing my eyes to listen to the wind rustling their branches. It was a pleasant place, and I knew I was going to like hanging out here.

Jerry and I stayed there for quite some time. Finally, I noticed it was growing late. I figured I’d better return. It was probably close to dinner, and I was certain they’d have chores they’d want me to do.

Jerry looked pleasantly tired as he washed his face with his paws and he didn’t resist as I tucked him back into my pocket.

I’d taken only two steps back to the house when I heard voices.

Instinctively, I ducked back into my hiding place.

Rafael and Harmony appeared, walking in my direction.

“Are you sure about this?” Harmony asked with her brows creased in a deep frown.

“Yes,” Rafael said. “Summon both Zelphie and Marquis. You know I’m right and now Jareth is changing his schedule to come here sooner. He must have sensed it too. We have to find her before he does.”

For some reason, the hair stood on the back of my neck. I drew back further.

They were less than twenty feet away.

“Very well,” she murmured. “But I can’t leave until Ajax gets here.”

“He’s coming.” Rafael tilted his head to the side. “I’ll be safe. You may go now. This is urgent.”

Jerry wiggled and I glanced down, pushing him deeper into my pocket. When I looked up again, Rafael stood by himself next to a small cloud of smoke that had mysteriously appeared.

I couldn’t see Harmony anywhere.

I squinted, wondering where she’d run off to so quickly, but then Ajax suddenly bounded into view. He leapt up on his back legs, jumping at Rafael in an exuberant greeting.

Placing his hand on the dog’s head, Rafael laughed a little and dropped gracefully to one knee.

The animal nuzzled his ear.

It was a rather touching scene, and Rafael was distractingly handsome, but then suddenly, they both turned in unison and looked straight in my direction.

I froze.

I swear they stared for at least a minute. I was certain they could see right through the trees, and then Rafael rose to his feet. With a whistle, he strode away, Ajax prancing by his side.

Unnerved, I hurried back to the house.

“Good news, Sydney.” Betty smiled as I entered. She leaned over to snag a piece of paper from the printer next to her computer and handed it to me. “Jareth tickets! They just went on sale. He changed his schedule to come here in November. Can you believe it? He’s going to stay in Seattle for a while and record a new album.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

She watched me for a few seconds and then her face flooded with concern. “What is it, honey?”

Jerry wiggled, jolting me into action. I had to hide him before she discovered I was carrying a mouse in my pocket.

“Nothing,” I said, forcing a smile as I took the tickets. “I’m just a little tired. It’s been a busy weekend.”

She smiled in understanding and I escaped to my room.

As I tucked Jerry in his bed, I replayed the greenbelt scene in my mind again and again.

The names Zelphie and Marquis sounded unusual. What did he mean that Jareth had sensed something? People only talked like that in movies and books. And surely, it couldn’t be the same Jareth as in the singer Jareth?

And where had Harmony disappeared to? I mean, she had literally disappeared. I hadn’t heard her move away. There were dry leaves everywhere on the path. I should have heard
something
! I’d only glanced down a second and when I looked up, all I saw was Rafael and a fading puff of smoke!

But most of all, I couldn’t forget how Rafael and Ajax had stared in my direction. I knew with every fiber of my being that they had seen me.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong.

For all of Rafael’s good looks, he was creepy.

Chapter Three - Jerry

With the daylight of the next morning streaming through my window, the greenbelt incident didn’t seem nearly as sinister, and I all but forgot about it with the anxiety of going to a new school.

I kissed Jerry on the nose before I left. I felt I needed his support.

Al drove Grace and me to school in his truck. He was preoccupied, scribbling in his notebook at every stop sign. His ‘Battle Plan’, he called it. He dropped us off with a salute before heading to his job at the tire store down the street.

Telling myself that it was just another school, I followed Grace across the bridge. I was too nervous to stop and read the words. We didn’t talk as we walked up the hill and the long flight of stairs that led to the main entrance.

“Good morning, Grace.” An elderly, gray-haired man smiled at us. He was dressed in slacks and a black shirt with a priest collar.

“Good morning, Father.” Grace dipped a quick nod of respect.

“This must be Sydney,” the priest said pleasantly. “Welcome, child.”

I nodded a bit nervously, wondering how the man had remembered my name with the hundreds of kids behind me and the countless that had already entered. I paused for a minute, just listening to him rattle off the name of each kid as they walked by: John, Reese, Ellison, Maddie, Holly, Russ....

“What is it?” Grace asked.

I jumped, startled, and shook my head.

She frowned a little but took me inside and pointed to the admissions office. “They're waiting for you. See you at the bridge after school.”

Then she left.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door, and poked my head inside.

It was fancy. It looked just like a private school in the movies. There were leather chairs with brass rivets, vases of fresh flowers, and large paintings on the walls. There was even a fireplace, but there was no fire burning in it.

I glanced around, wondering what to do, but then a woman dressed in khaki pants and a white blouse entered from a door in the corner of the room. She was tall, thin, and reminded me of an ostrich.

“You must be Sydney,” she greeted and came over to shake my hand. “I’m Sister Ann and we are so happy to have you here.”

The office door opened and a lanky, sandy-haired, freckle-faced boy about my age came into the room.

“This is Ellison. He’ll be your buddy the next few days.” Sister Ann continued, “You know, show you to your classes and things like that. He’s also in your mentor group, so I’m sure you’ll be friends in no time.”

Ellison flashed me a wide grin and held out his hand.

I shook it and swallowed nervously. So he was going to watch me for a few days. I didn’t like being shadowed. I preferred to hide in the background and fly under the radar.

“We are glad you are here, Sydney.” Sister Ann smiled at me again and then waved her hand in an obvious dismissal.

“Let’s go!” Ellison strode to the door and opened it for me with a bow. “We missed our mentor group meeting today, but I’ll introduce you to everyone tomorrow. We’ve got to hurry. It’s almost time for English.”

Holding my breath, I followed.

The boy oozed friendliness and he loved to talk. In fact, it seemed he couldn’t stop. He talked to everyone he met, about anything and everything, as he guided me up the steps and toward our classroom. He introduced me along the way, but there were so many kids that I lost track of their names.

I was relieved when I finally sat at my desk and didn’t have to smile at yet another kid that I knew I’d never remember.

The bell rang.

English was my favorite subject. I nervously wondered how I’d compare to the other students here.

“You’ll be used to this place in no time,” Ellison whispered loudly from the desk next to mine.

I tried to smile. It came out more like a grimace.

A rotund man with thinning hair entered the classroom and the chatter died.

“I’m your new substitute, Mr. Richards,” he introduced himself congenially, sitting on the edge of the desk. “I know that you say a prayer before each class, and since I’m not Catholic, can any of you help me out?”

There was a momentary pause before Ellison raised his hand. “I’d be very happy to show you how we pray here at Issaquah Catholic, Mr. Richards.”

“Very well.” The substitute teacher nodded. “Thank you, Mr. …?”

“Ellison Cunningham,” he replied, rising to his feet. With a solemn expression, he placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head.

The classroom fell silent and I lowered my eyes.

There was a lengthy pause and then Ellison intoned, “Dear Dark Lord Cthulhu—”

He didn’t get any further.

The entire classroom erupted into snickers.

I glanced nervously at the teacher, but the man’s lips were twitching.

Mr. Richards waited until the laughter died and then suggested, “Perhaps, you would like to try again, Mr. Cunningham?”

Grinning widely, Ellison bowed his head.

This time, the prayer was short and to the point.

I found myself smiling a little. But only for an instant, as I couldn’t let myself relax yet. I still had no idea what was in store for me.

The morning flew by.

I found the classes difficult to follow and I was overwhelmed. I’d have to study hard to catch up. I wasn’t sure I could do it.

I had science for the fourth period.

The teacher was Mrs. Kemensky. Ellison had warned me about her, saying she was slightly demented but lovable. She obviously loved cats. She had several framed photos of them on her desk and she wore a pink sweatshirt with a hand-painted kitten.

I listened to her lecture. At one point, she sidetracked into atoms, ions, and cations.

“Now, remember what you learned in your freshman year,” she said, taking her glasses off and putting them on the desk. Cupping her hands in front of her like paws, she hopped a little and hissed, “
Cat
-ions are
paws
-itive.”

The students groaned.

I wasn’t bold enough to smile on the outside though I smiled on the inside. I knew that one day I’d forget what a cation even was, but I’d certainly remember that a cation was positive.

Ellison picked me up for lunch, herding me into the cafeteria and through the line. As a subject of the foster care system, my lunches were free. It was a relief. I wouldn’t have to risk stealing anything.

I took my place at the table filled with a mixture of boys and girls that I’d met earlier and had already forgotten.