poured herself another drink and settled
back down. She was as composed as if nothing ever happened. But now
she stood between the bottle and me.
“Tell me what you said to her,” I said.
She took a calm sip of her drink. “Madeline,
you mean?”
I nodded.
“You’re a worthless slut, you’re the reason
I got sick, your father left because of you. Nothing out of the
ordinary.”
“You were begging her to leave.”
“Women need changes. Quick, drastic
changes.”
“Where do you think she was really
going?”
Kerri considered it. “Her best friend for
years has been this boy….Ned something. He’s as unrefined as you.
I’m sure you’d enjoy his company.”
“She’s with him now?” I asked.
“Perhaps,” she said.
“Where would they go?”
“There are only two people who know that,”
she said. “Ned and Madeline.”
For once, the woman was right. The answer
had been staring right into my eyes. Ned had been following
Madeline. He’d known she would be out that night. He’d known
because he’d set her up. It probably went something like this: He
told her where to meet. He told her he’d give her the secret diary
back. Who knows if he meant it. But that’s where they were on their
way to. Ned knew, and I needed him to tell me. Ned was wrapped up
in my basement. He wasn’t going to be able to talk much. Not in
this state, anyway.
I stood up to leave.
“Thank you for your time, Miss,” I said.
“Please, call me Kerri,” she said.
I turned to leave.
“Do you like it?” she said. She put the wig
back on and straightened it with the help of a mirror. “The hair, I
mean.”
“It suits you,” I said.
I left her there. She was still looking at
the mirror, toying with her hairpiece. She didn’t seem satisfied at
all.
September 13, 2038
On the Path
9.
Tika was excellent at giving orders.
Usually, this isn’t the most endearing personality trait. But when
you need to be led out of an underground cave, it’s nice to have
someone else take charge.
I followed Tika into a dark corner. Instead
of running into a wall, we just kept going. After a few seconds of
walking, I stopped and looked over my shoulder. The light from the
room had already disappeared.
“Let us continue,” said Tika.
“How’d you know I stopped?” I asked.
“I cannot see, but I can feel. Your
footsteps are like earthquakes.”
“Are you calling me fat?” I said.
“No,” she said. “I am calling you Iron
Foot.”
“I don’t see how that’s better,” I said.
We moved forward at a quick, steady rate. It
didn’t even seem like we were going uphill at all. But before long,
I saw a pale ring of light up ahead. The light got bigger and
bigger. As it came into focus, I saw a picture of nature, flattened
out and framed by the cave walls. I stepped out of the cave and
looked around. I realized that of all places, I was in a park.
“This is amazing!” I said. After all this
time underground, seeing trees and people and trash cans was just
great. Then I had a thought. “Wait a minute…” I looked down at
Tika. “You knew how to get above-ground all along, didn’t you? But
you had me stay in the ditch instead for three whole weeks.”
Tika pretended like she hadn’t heard me.
“What is this ?” she said.
“Nice try,” I said. “But how about you
answer my question?”
“No,” she said. “Look here again. Look
closely, with both your eyes.”
As usual, I followed her orders, even using
both my eyes. And I have to admit, she had a pretty good reason for
changing the subject. Right by our feet, there was a thin white
line. It ran along the entire walking path, way out into the
distance. I couldn’t even see the end of it.
Then I noticed Tika crawling ahead.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I am discovering where this strange thing
is leading,” she said.
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea. People
could, you know, see you. Or step on you, for
back down. She was as composed as if nothing ever happened. But now
she stood between the bottle and me.
“Tell me what you said to her,” I said.
She took a calm sip of her drink. “Madeline,
you mean?”
I nodded.
“You’re a worthless slut, you’re the reason
I got sick, your father left because of you. Nothing out of the
ordinary.”
“You were begging her to leave.”
“Women need changes. Quick, drastic
changes.”
“Where do you think she was really
going?”
Kerri considered it. “Her best friend for
years has been this boy….Ned something. He’s as unrefined as you.
I’m sure you’d enjoy his company.”
“She’s with him now?” I asked.
“Perhaps,” she said.
“Where would they go?”
“There are only two people who know that,”
she said. “Ned and Madeline.”
For once, the woman was right. The answer
had been staring right into my eyes. Ned had been following
Madeline. He’d known she would be out that night. He’d known
because he’d set her up. It probably went something like this: He
told her where to meet. He told her he’d give her the secret diary
back. Who knows if he meant it. But that’s where they were on their
way to. Ned knew, and I needed him to tell me. Ned was wrapped up
in my basement. He wasn’t going to be able to talk much. Not in
this state, anyway.
I stood up to leave.
“Thank you for your time, Miss,” I said.
“Please, call me Kerri,” she said.
I turned to leave.
“Do you like it?” she said. She put the wig
back on and straightened it with the help of a mirror. “The hair, I
mean.”
“It suits you,” I said.
I left her there. She was still looking at
the mirror, toying with her hairpiece. She didn’t seem satisfied at
all.
September 13, 2038
On the Path
9.
Tika was excellent at giving orders.
Usually, this isn’t the most endearing personality trait. But when
you need to be led out of an underground cave, it’s nice to have
someone else take charge.
I followed Tika into a dark corner. Instead
of running into a wall, we just kept going. After a few seconds of
walking, I stopped and looked over my shoulder. The light from the
room had already disappeared.
“Let us continue,” said Tika.
“How’d you know I stopped?” I asked.
“I cannot see, but I can feel. Your
footsteps are like earthquakes.”
“Are you calling me fat?” I said.
“No,” she said. “I am calling you Iron
Foot.”
“I don’t see how that’s better,” I said.
We moved forward at a quick, steady rate. It
didn’t even seem like we were going uphill at all. But before long,
I saw a pale ring of light up ahead. The light got bigger and
bigger. As it came into focus, I saw a picture of nature, flattened
out and framed by the cave walls. I stepped out of the cave and
looked around. I realized that of all places, I was in a park.
“This is amazing!” I said. After all this
time underground, seeing trees and people and trash cans was just
great. Then I had a thought. “Wait a minute…” I looked down at
Tika. “You knew how to get above-ground all along, didn’t you? But
you had me stay in the ditch instead for three whole weeks.”
Tika pretended like she hadn’t heard me.
“What is this ?” she said.
“Nice try,” I said. “But how about you
answer my question?”
“No,” she said. “Look here again. Look
closely, with both your eyes.”
As usual, I followed her orders, even using
both my eyes. And I have to admit, she had a pretty good reason for
changing the subject. Right by our feet, there was a thin white
line. It ran along the entire walking path, way out into the
distance. I couldn’t even see the end of it.
Then I noticed Tika crawling ahead.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I am discovering where this strange thing
is leading,” she said.
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea. People
could, you know, see you. Or step on you, for
Similar Books
