Chapter Six [Key]

Chapter 6

[Key] 

      She tried to reach Anni on her cell phone, but she didn’t answer. She looked inside the nearby stores and told the man standing at the mall’s information desk about her disappearance where they made an announcement to the all of the stores’ workers to look out for someone who looked like her. She called a few more times, but there was still no answer. She waited thirty minutes and then decided to contact Chuck.

            “Hi, Chuck. It’s Tracey. Did you pick up Anni yet?”

            “No, neither one of you called.”

            “I can’t find her. She disappeared.” She was starting to freak out now.

            “What do you mean? How could she disappear?”

            “I went into a store and when I came out she wasn’t sitting on the bench like she was when I had gone in. I checked in all of the stores and I informed the information desk and they’re having all of the workers look out for her, but she’s been gone for an hour now. If she was just looking around and I missed her I think she would have the common courtesy to at least let me know. I can’t stay here all day can you take me home?” Tears were finding their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks. They left a salty residue on her skin that she tried to wipe away along with the tears.

            “Maybe she lost her cell phone. Try her one more time and leave a message. You did give the information desk your cell number right?”

            “Yes.”

            “Good. That way they can contact you. Call Anni one more time and then call me back and I’ll pick you up.”

            “Ok. Thanks Chuck.”

            “My pleasure.” He said hanging up. She sat there for a minute just staring at the floor watching the tear drops slip from her cheek and plop to the ground making a small water puddle that faded into the carpet. Why did she feel so bad about this? It’s not like this was her fault. If something like this happened back in NYC to someone she knew she would never blame herself. Why was she blaming herself now? She just met Anni today why did it feel like she had known her all of her life?  It’s not like she left a child by itself, Anni’s around her age, and she can take care of herself. Right?

            “Are you ok?” It was without a doubt a male voice. She didn’t want to look at him.

            “Yeah. I guess.” She wiped away the tears and fought the rest back with all her might. There was no way this guy was going to see anymore tears.

            “Are you sure?” She looked up now and realized he was only nineteen at the most.

            “Yes. I am sure. Why would you care anyway? No teenage boy in America would ever ask someone if they were ok unless it was for their own personal benefit.”

            “Well, last time I checked we weren’t in America.” He smiled and she knew that he asked if she was all right because he cared not because he wanted to get something out of it.

            “I’m sorry for misjudging you. I’m just dealing with something right now.”

            “You mean the fact that Anni went missing.”

            “What? Yes. How did you know? Do you know her? Have you seen her?”

“Yes, I know her and no I haven’t seen her. My mom has a shop here and she was informed.” He was totally cute. She would never use the word hot or sexy, but he was cute. Like puppy dog cute. The word fit him perfectly. He could have even created it. He had brown hair that was longer and curved around his face with little wisps at the end that curved up. Deep blue eyes stared at me lovingly like he knew something that she didn’t and maybe he really did.

            “What’s your name?”

            “Landon.”

“So, Landon, you, just came looking for me to see if I was all right?”

            “No, I came looking for you to give you this.” He held out his hand and inside laid a silver chain with a Victorian key at the end.

            “Um, thanks, but what’s it for?” She said taking it.

            “It’s your 17^th birthday present.”

            “How did you know that today is my 17^th birthday?”

            “That’s not important.”

            “What does it go to?”

            “It goes to many things that you will soon discover one of which you already know of. Always remember what I am about to tell you. Wear it at all times, never let anyone know or see of it, and never deny who you truly are.” He kissed her cheek and then was gone. Just like that he was no longer there. What was up with everybody disappearing all of a sudden? She looked down at the gorgeous key that lay in her hands and then pressed in the numbers for Anni’s cell. It started to ring once again.

            “ Hi. You’ve reached Anni’s cell. I’m sorry, but I’m not able to come to the phone at this point in time. Please leave a message with your number and I’ll return your call as soon as I can thanks. PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE TONE.” I flipped the phone shut and tears welled up in my eyes once again.

            “Beep! Beep!” She flipped open the phone and read the screen. You have an incoming text message would you like to read it? I pressed accept and read the following:

Tracey, don’t worry. I am fine. I know you have been trying to reach me and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what’s going on sooner. I will contact you today, but I can’t guarantee when today. I will not be able to receive your calls so don’t leave any messages or bother calling me anymore and don’t text back. Everything will be explained to you eventually. I know you’re confused and unaware of the danger and circumstances that surround you. Just lay low and watch out for anything unusual. Can you please tell the information desk that I was found so they don’t have the workers continuing to look for me? Thanks. I’m sorry our shopping spree got cut short. Have a great rest of your birthday. (Your bags are in your room.) Don’t tell anyone of this text message. I’ll contact you soon. Bye.

~Anni

At the bottom of the text were three symbols that were on the piece of paper from Nate. There was a key, a girl, and the circle thing again. Obviously Anni was also involved somehow. Things were becoming a lot weirder. Why did Anni use those signs and does she know about the piece of paper Nate gave her?  Tracey called the information desk and told them she called and had left with a friend. She wanted to go back to the house and get away from the noise so she could think. She dialed Chuck’s number and he came speeding up to the front. She got in the limo and shut the door.

            “So what’s going on with Anni? Did you get a hold of her?”

            “Yeah. She’s fine. She ended up leaving to go to the bathroom and when she came back couldn’t find me either. She ended meeting up with one of her friends and went with them for the night. Her cell phone was having bad reception so she couldn’t call me or receive any of my calls.” She felt bad lying to Chuck, but she couldn’t tell him the truth. She just hoped that it sounded like the truth for now. When they pulled up she opened the door and went out to the garden with her Foreign Treasures bag in hand. She sat down on one of the ivy-infested benches and gazed at the key. There was a small piece of paper taped to the back of the key. She tried to scrape it off lightly afraid she might damage the key. It finally came off and she unfolded it.

1-768-540-4832

            It was a phone number, but whose? She thought it might be Landon’s, but there was no way to be sure other than calling the number which she wasn’t in the mood to do just yet.

Underneath the piece of paper there was something engraved. She tipped it into the sunlight and caught letters. “Never deny who you truly are.” Sounds like what Landon said right before he disappeared. Wait a minute. She just thought of something. The last two times a guy around her age touched her she passed out or at least something of the sort. How come she didn’t pass out when Landon kissed her cheek? She felt a hand press down on her shoulder and eyes stare down at the key in her hand. Instantly, she knew she had something they wanted and what they wanted was something they would kill for.