Kira's Secret by Orysia Dawydiak Page B

their bottles went on quite the trip. One ended up in Boston.”
    Kira nodded her head. “I remember that. Have you got the paper out yet? Look, this is a fancy letter opener, not a knife. Why would they put that in the bottle? There’s no envelope to open.”
    By then Cody had extracted a rolled-up piece of paper. It was lined paper, like the type in their school scribblers, but with no punched holes, and all the edges smooth. Inside the lined paper, were two smaller cream-coloured pages of writing that had obviously been torn from a notebook. He began to read the notes.
    â€œApril 16, 1997 – CHD
    0600, 7 degrees C, SW wind at 5 knots. Clear skies, not a cloud in sight. Plan to drop nets east ofKelly Sound. Heard reports that halibut had been moving through the area last two days.
    0835, 10 degrees C, SSW wind at 8 knots. Dropped nets. Seas calm.
    094 0 , sudden fog bank, did not see it appear, seemed to drop down on us. Boat swung due west, nets caught on something, then pulled up. Nets gone! Cut or chewed through, rough edges. Anchor also gone.
    Boat rocking, tried to engage engines, but no response, we cannot change course. No radio, lost all power.”
    Â 
    Cody stopped and looked up at Kira. “This is no kid writing, this looks like the real thing, notes from a logbook.”
    â€œDon’t stop now! Keep reading,” she urged him.
    â€œ1605. Have never seen the like. Squid, giant squid, trying to take the boat. Been fighting for our lives, the four of us. Ron is injured, we think he’ll be okay, but need to get him to a hospital. Squid have stopped trying to come aboard, have a couple of their tentacles, nasty teeth on them, razor sharp, remember Bill’s story. Where do they come from? What do they want with us? Are being towed, can’t tell where to without instruments, still no power. Have seen fins surrounding boat after squid dropped off. Like no shark fins we’ve ever seen, all sorts of colours, green, grey, brown, black, mottled with white or blue, and a sharp spike in front of the fin. What in heaven’s name is going on?”
    Â 
    Cody looked up at Kira again. “Whoa. Creepy. Do you think someone made this up for a joke? It’s like a horror movie.”
    Kira shook her head. “A month ago neither of us believed in mermaids. Anything is possible. What about that other sheet of paper, the white one? What does it say?”
    Cody compared the two types of paper. “Same handwriting.” He continued to read.
    â€œMy dearest Yvette, all this time I thought you just wanted to believe in those fanciful stories you would read or make up. I thought old Bill was a bit soft in the head, the crazy stories he told. Perhaps I should have listened more carefully to both of you.
    I pray this bottle will make it to shore, so you will know that we are not drowned in a storm. If the paper does not last, these few tokens will let you know it was I who set the bottle adrift. Where we are being taken, I know not, but if it is to that mist- shrouded place you spoke of aloud in your worst dreams, heaven help us.
    Your loving husband,
    Harvey Doyle”
    Â 
    Kira had put her hand to her mouth. Together they both whispered, “Mrs. Doyle’s husband.”
    â€œTheir boat was lost over ten years ago,” Kira said. “We have to give this to her.” She paused. “No, you have to give this to her, Cody. My parents can’t know I was near the water. In fact, don’t give it to Mrs. Doyle until Monday, and you can say you found it washed up on the beach during one of your hikes.”
    Cody nodded, mute. He started up the engine to head back to their safe home harbour. The two of them gazed down at the water as the boat skimmed over the surface, the sea now a more sinister place than they had ever dreamed.

Chapter Ten—
Mrs. Doyle
    â€œKira!” The snap of a ruler on a desk made Kira jump. Her classmates snickered when the