The steps start small, no threat of fall, nor fear of emptiness below. As I climb, fascinations and inspirations unfold. Near the top, I dream of the crop of fulfillment’s reward untold, only to find a deep chasm between my step and the last. A void so vast it will not cease to last. and no ferry to take me to the farthest shore, so I falter as I weep and overwhelmed with dreaded fear I find we were merely on a stairway to nowhere.

from Poetic Heartbeats by Anne McFarland

Brent Perrywhether sat at his desk at the Shaffer estate rereading the report from the dance last night, looking for anything that would possibly involve Brittney in the events at the Gymnasium. He was beginning to be relieved that it looked like Brittney was completely not involved. His aid, Conner McKormik came into the room through the hidden side door. He slid two folders in front of him. There was a 3x5 picture of a teenager on each one. One had a dark haired girl named Megan Trendale, the other was a sandy haired boy named Bradley Lockman. He set the paper he was reading down and looked at Connor. “What’s this?” Connor looked down at the boy. “It looks like the drone was being operated by him.” Brent looked down at the boy and up at Connor. “I’m not protecting him, our concern is Brittney, that’s it.” “They are friends, she’s Brittney’s best friend.” The man said as if that should indicate something to Brent. Brent scooped up the folders and handed them back. “If they did it, they did it, the authorities will handle it. As long as they didn’t include her in their plan, they are not my concern.” Connor took the boys folder and put it back down infront of Brent and opened it to a report with a section highlighted. “I know that, my point is that, well, they did involve her.” Brent raised his eyebrow and looked down at the page. She bought the drone that was used and gave it to him! You didn’t think that her buying and giving someone a military grade drone was a possible problem?” He bellowed. Connor pointed to the page again. Brent looked down and read some more. He sighed and shook his head. “Terminate her employment, make up a reason. Give her a good severance package to keep her quiet, she’s going to need to find another rich family to give a massage to. Find a replacement for her. Make sure her family credit card is closed and the purchase removed. It says here that the purchase was actually made by a Billy Poke, so who bought it, Brittney or this Billy kid?” Connor handed him another file. A teenage boy with red hair, freckles, and pimples was on it. Jake Finley, what’s his involvement?” “He’s the local Black Hat, he tried to cover the trail to this Lockman kid and frame the Poke boy. He’s got some talent, we almost didn’t find out what was really going on. You should think about Hiring him.” Brent looked through Jake’s file and grinned. “Maybe, if he survives High School.” He looked over everything in depth. The drone was purchased through Trinity’s Credit card, it was given to the Lockman boy. Text threads between Lockman and Trendale indicated a terror campaign against an Alianna Oaksen. Connor placed her file in front of him. He read it for a few minutes. “Do we know where her and this other kid disappeared to over the summer?” Conor shook his head. “It’s a dead end. Kids don’t remember and there is no evidence of an abduction or anything. I checked with all my sources, they didn’t catch them at any checkpoints. It’s like they just disappeared for five months.” Brent looked at her picture. “Isn’t Brittney spending the day with them today?” “She is, they are going to Wilkes-Barre to help a friend's grandmother move. The story and place check out. A, Paul Kopcheck, passed away in September. His Widow, Marleen, Didn’t want to try to keep the house up herself so it sold last week.” Brent nodded. “Anyone tracking her or the McFarland boy?” “No one we’ve seen. I even called in a couple favors, nothing. No Idea what happens to them. It’s like they fell down a stairway to nowhere.” “That worries me more than if you’d told me they were being tracked.” He closed his eyes and tried to think of another way, but couldn’t see one. The Drone purchase was too close to Brittney and by association the rest of the Shaffer’s. Something like this could ruin them. “Okay! Here is how we’re gonna play this one. Brittney is way to exposed on this. This Finley kid is good, but if Anna can brake his encryption the Feds can too. I’m gonna call in a favor for this. Have Anna do as much as she can to completely erase Brittney from this thing, and lay it all at the Poke boy’s feet. Psych eval says he’s most likely to wind up at Warren State Hospital. The Shaffer’s need to be protected, at least, for now.” Connor looked at him. “Do you have a problem with any of this?” Conner sighed and shook his head. “Nope, I’ll get Anna on it right away.” “One more thing, I want you to tag each and every one of them before they get into that house. Connor nodded and then left through the same secret door. Brent pulled out his phone and called his friend Rex who worked at NSA. He plugged his phone into what looked like an external drive. He held it away from his ear as the scrambler did its processing. “Rex, hey, it’s Brent.” “Hey man, what’s happening.” “Remember that favor you owe me?” It was quiet for a minute. “Yeah” came his friends tense reply. “I’m calling it in.” Another long pause, then a sigh. “ Okay Brent, what do you need?” Over the next hour Brent outlined his needs to make sure none of this ever gets back to the Shaffer’s.

Alison woke up with a start. She had heard a noise downstairs, it sounded like a loud slam. She fell out of bed and scrambled to her door. She ran down the steps and saw the ornament on the front door still swinging. She looked out the side window and saw her sister getting into a large black Yukon. For the briefest moment Megan looked back at the house and Alison saw her eyes. They were swollen and red and it tore at Alison’s heart. She had practically raised Megan and she always gave her a hug or told her she loved her. Her hand grabbed the door handle, but it wouldn’t turn. The real Alison and the Alison that became Queen had a titanic battle inside her head at that moment. The real Alison won in the end and she ripped open the door and ran outside, her bare feet biting at the cold. She ran over the rough Macadam of the driveway and got to the curb just in time to see the Yukon turned the corner and disappeared out of sight. Alison collapsed on the grass, the cold November air tearing through her, but the hurt in her heart was tearing far worse. “Meg…I’m…I’m sorry…” A car stopped behind her. Then warm arms wrapped around her. “I’m here Ali.” Alianna’s soft voice came to her ears. “I was so hard with her Ali, I didn’t go to her last night when she was crying, I didn’t comfort her. What if I don’t see her again?” Alison turned and saw Alianna’s eyes filled with concern and compassion. Then someone else knelt down next to them and Alison turned and found herself eye to eye with Keri Bellows. Alison shrank back and pulled herself from Alianna’s arms. “K..Keri, I’m…”. The war broke out inside her head with vengeance. Keri was the one that won the day. She moved forward and gave Alison a hug. “It will be okay Ali, it’s hard being a big sister.” Alison really began to cry. “I…I’m sorry Keri, for that video.” There was a long pause then softy Keri whispered to her. “A part of me hated you for that, and a part of me still does, but the large part understands the corner Mandy pushed you into and I probably would have made the same choice. I…”. She took a very deep breath. “I forgive you Ali.” Alison kept crying and said “Thank you.” Was all she got out. A few minutes later they were helping her up and walking back to the house. Alison opened the front door and looked back at them. “Would you both be willing to do me a favor?” They both looked at each other and then back at her and nodded. “Would you watch out for Megan for me, and let her know, that I love her?” I…I’d go with you but I have to meet with a few people this morning, plus, well, she doesn’t want to see me right now and so It would probably only make what you are doing today harder.” “We will keep an eye out for her Ali.” Said Keri. “And, we’ll let her know you love her.” Said Alianna. Alison smiled and nodded. “Thank you both, I’ll… I’ll see you later.” She went to turn into the house when Keri spoke up. “Ali, how did you know what we were doing today?” Alison turned back and looked at Keri. “Brittney texted me last night, she said she got invited to help Olivia’s grandma move and that she was taking Megan and Bradley Lockman with her.” Keri looked at Alianna and then back at Alison. “How did Brittney know what we were doing?” Alison shrugged. “I’m not sure, but it must have been someone Brittney knew well for her to go to this thing.” Alianna and Keri looked at each other and shrugged. “I’ll, I’ll see you both later.” Said Alison as she finally noticed the Bellow’s escaped pulled up in front of her house and at least five other kids in the car besides Mrs Bellows and Mrs Oaksen. She shut the door, went up to her room and cried. She would pull out her phone to text her sister only to throw it back down. She did this repeatedly until the doorbell rang and she saw the text from Mandy that they were here. She threw on a hoodie, put her hair back in a ponytail, placed her feet in her slippers and headed downstairs.

As Mrs Bellows pulled away Alianna’s mom looked at her. “Is she okay Ali?” Alianna nodded, concern for her friend still evident on her face. “It sounded like her and Megan had a bad fight last night and Ali was really upset because Megan left before she could talk to her.” Mrs Oaksen nodded and turned back around.

Keri looked around at the others. She grinned at them. “Okay, so, who went and made friends with Brittney Shaffer?” She looked around. Jim and Trudi’s mouths dropped open, Jaius leaned into Alianna and whispered “Who’s Brittney Shaffer?” She whispered into his ear. “She’s the richest Girl at our School.” As he had leaned into her he noticed the brown leather satchel tucked in between her legs. “What did you bring that?” He said with concern in his voice. She looked down and then back at him. “My dad is redoing my closet at home today and that was where I hid it. He is having two of his workers help him and I didn’t want to risk them finding it or even destroying it somehow. That Fig is still in there and so I also thought if anyone was in an accident and needed it, I would have it.” He looked like he was about to protest but didn’t. “Is IT still in there?” She thought for a moment. “Yes. It’s safe, but I doubt it’s useful. I think after the flood all that radiation that was powering the crystals disappeared.” “How did you save Keri with it then?” “That puzzled me for a while too, but then I started thinking about it and the Jars the water was in had the radiation trapped inside. That’s why it worked. I also concluded that they Thron must be still around somewhere because the beam came into the room and struck the crystal in the jar. At least that’s my theory.

When Jaius leaned in towards Alianna, Olivia leaned in toward Jim. “Who is Brittney Shafer?” Jim leaned in and whispered. “Richest girl in the county, maybe the state. Her Dad owns all of the oil drilling sites that are scattered around north of us. He also owns a tone of real estate in the area and a number of other things.” “Wow, and she’s coming to my nan’s house to help? Why?” “Unknown.” “Is…is she pretty?” Jim shook his head. “I guess if your into the pink dipped blond hair thing, but I’m kinda partial to dark hair with a certain flash of red.” She was confused for a moment but then she began blushing profusely.” “Oh, wow, thank you Jim. I like…well…you.” “Same here Olivia.”

While the other two couples were whispering to eachother, Keri kept looking around for any sign of the person who had made a friendship with Brittney Shaffer. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Anne trying to shrink into her seat. Keri leaned towards her. Anne tried to pretend she didn’t see her. “Anne, it was you? How in the world did you become friends with Brittney Shafer she said in a loud whisper. Trudi’s eyebrow rose in supprise, as the other four were distracted she was, as always, trying to be a second pair of eyes for her sister. Anne shrunk back more, but she did look at her. “We…we sat next to eachother in my homeroom. She was shocked that I wanted to be her friend even when I didn’t know who she was. We began talking and, well, I guess we shared some of the same deep hurts, so, we became friends.”

Slowly the others stopped what they were doing and looked towards Anne, having become aware of the separate conversation with her and what it was about. Everyone looked at her with different spectrum of emotions on their faces. Jaius spoke first. “Wait, your good friends with a girl who will probably be Queen of the Table when your in eight grade? Anne, you know the table has it out for us, you…you haven’t…” “Jaius McCfarland don’t you ever think for a moment that I would betray or hurt anyone here, Brittney never asks and I don’t tell.” Jaius got red a little and then became a bit miffed because he had gotten red. “I was just…” Alianna placed her hand on his. “He’s just worried about me Anne, see, those notes apparently were pointing to what happens last night. I would of had that Pigs blood all over me if Alison hadn’t saved me. Someone is after me specifically and we don’t know why.” Anne cooled down a lot. “I’m sorry J, I just have been walking a tight rope between being her friend and keeping my distance and it’s been a lot to process.” “It’s okay Anne, I’m sorry too, I was worried about Ali, but I definitely shouldn’t have not trusted my own sister.” “It’s okay Jaius, I ahoy have told you sooner, I thought this might be a time today that you could all meet her and get to know her and it would be a way she could do it without the Table knowing.” Alianna sighed. “I don't think you’ll be able to avoid that now Anne.”

Anne looked at her in confusion. Alianna sighed “When we went out to check on Alison, she said that Brittney invited her sister Megan and Bradley Lockman, both of whom also sit at Alison’s table.” Anne’s face fell a little. “I’m sorry everyone, I didn’t know this was going to happen.” Alianna reached across and squeezed her hand. “None of us knew that anything of last night would happen either Anne, it’s okay, God will take care of us.” Anne squeezed her hand back and smiled. “Thanks Ali.”

An hour later they arrived in Sugar Notch., a small town at the far western end of Wilkes-Barre. Set into the side of the mountains, its streets were very narrow and went down at very steep angles. Olivia was looking out Alianna’s window and so everyone else turned their gaze there. “Hey look at that.” Said Jim. “The Stumble Inn, ya stumble inn and ya stumble out.” Keri giggled and so did Trudi and Anne. Olivia tried to smile but only got a thin line. Jaius and Alianna smiled as they got the joke, but then it faded as they realized what they were laughing about. Jim caught the discrepancy in their reactions and sat back a little. “Sorry , sounded funny in my head.” Everyone made gestures to let him know it was okay. Olivia, however had been looking intently at him and slowly grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. She leaned in and whispered. “I see you Jim, thank you for letting me see past the walls of the game.” He actually blushed and gave her a nervous grin. Trudi nudged Keri with her elbow, Keri nodded already hiding her smile behind her hand. Olivia smiled at Jim and out of the corner of her eye caught a familiar sign. “Oh…ohh.. here it is Mrs Bellows, turn right at the R C sign. The car slowed and turned right and suddenly everyone felt like they were on the big hill of a roller coaster. “Wow, this is steep.” Said Mrs Bellows as she crept down the incredibly steep hill. Houses lined the street on either side. The downhill part of the foundation of each house raised up above the slope of the hill to make the house level. “There it is Mrs Bellows, on the left.” Said Olivia excitedly. “My papa al aye told my mom to make sure the wheels were turned in toward the curb to make sure the car didn’t roll.” She said a little more sullenly as she thought of her Grandfather. Mrs Bellows must have caught the change in her voice. “Thank you very much Olivia for sharing that, your Grandfather sounds like a very wise man.” Olivia smiled a little. “He was, thank you Mrs Bellows.” Jim squeezed her hand which brought her smile back in full. Mrs Bellows parked across the street next to an empty lot with a fence around it. “That’s Nowhere house.” Said Olivia as if everyone should have already known that. She laughed. “I mean, I know that there isn’t an actual house there, but, I used to imagine that there was a house there when I was little, because with all the other houses so close together on the street, I couldn’t figure out why there was an empty place there.” “I think it’s really cool Olivia, and I can’t wait to see all the other cool things here, come on.” Said Alianna as she opened the door and grabbed Olivia’s hand. Jim let go just in time and waved at her as she disappeared out the door. She waved back and smiled at him. Keri and Trudi got out followed by Anne. Jaius looked at Jim and then out the door. “After you my good man.” Said Jaius. “Age before beauty.” Jim quipped and they both laughed. Jaius was two months older than Jim they had discovered. “Okay okay.” Jaius laughed as he got out. They were all looking at the empty lot. Jaius and Jim joined them as they listened to Olivia explain all the adventures she had had exploring this lot. “…and later I just have to show you the Stairway to Nowhere. It’s in the lot behind the house. It is definitely the coolest sight to see at nanna and Paps.” “Definitely!” Said Jim. “I’m looking forward to it Olivia.” Said Alianna. Just then someone cleared their throat behind them. They all turned and and saw a man and woman in a suit and suit skirt outfit with sunglasses. The two moms stepped in front of the children and Jaius and Jim stood in front of the others. “Wait, wait, Connor, Anna, they are with us.” Said a voice from the other side of the Bellows car. Around from the front of the car came a girl about Anne’s age with blond hair that had the bottom few inches dyed pink. She stopped next to the man and woman. “Hi Brittney!” Exclaimed Anne. The girl smiled at Anne and waved excitedly. “Hey Anne, it’s great to see you.” She turned to the man. “Connor, these are my friends that we are here to help.” “Of course Ms.” The man said in what sounded like a Scottish accent.

All the while they were standing still by Connor and Anna’s interruption two other operators took aim from a rooftop at the top of the hill and began to fire. Small projectiles, the size of a small Button left the barrels of the weapons and attached themselves to all the children in different places. Some the heal of a shoe, others the collar of a jacket. Some of the children reacted like something had hit them, but as they investigated themselves they couldn’t see anything. The small sensors faded into the color of their surroundings. Through their sunglasses Connor and Anna saw the trackers come to life and appear on the 3d map of the area they were in which was Mapped by drones before they got here.

Once all the trackers were in place, Connor and Anna stepped aside. Brittney went up to the two mothers who were about to speak to Connor and Anna. “Hi Mrs Bellows and Mrs Oaksen, I’m Brittney Shaffer. I’m sorry if Connor and Anna made this uncomfortable. My Dad owns a lot of companies and is usually traveling for work and so he has a security team go with me when I’m out of town and he is on a trip. They’re really great and you won’t even know they are around, right Conner?” Brittney said with a tone of command in her voice. The man looked down at her. “Of course Ms.” “We will be in the Car Ms.” Said the woman, Anna. “Thank you Both. I’ll check in with you through the day.” They both nodded and turned sharply and headed back to a black Yukon that was parked in a small side yard between the house and a row of bushes.

Brittney watched them go and when they crossed the street she sighed with relief and turned back to the others. “It’s nice to meet you Brittney, your father is a major donor to the community programs that I help oversee back in Black Canyon, we are very grateful for his Generosity.” Said Keri’s mom. “It’s a pleasure to meet you dear.” Said Alianna’s mom. “ Your Dad is one of my husband’s top customers.”

Olivia stepped forward and waved at Brittney. “Hi Brittney, I’m Olivia Parker. My nanna lives across the street. Thank you for being willing to come out and help us today.” She said with genuine gratitude in her voice. Brittney smiled at her. “I’m glad to help Olivia, I’m sorry to hear about your Grandfather. I hope it’s okay that I brought two friends, Megan and Bradley.” Olivia nodded. “The more the Merrier, and many hands make light work. That’s what my Pap always said anyway.” She said a little sadly. Brittney smiled. “My grandfather always says things like that too. There must be a grandfather only website that they go to to get these phrases.” She smiled. “Olivia lagged. “You are so right Brittney, that has got to be where all the grandfathers get their sayings.” She looked across the street just as a woman who looked to be in her seventies was coming out onto the porch. “Nanna!” She exclaimed and ran across the road. She walked up the steps and hugged the woman who returned it warmly. Jim followed along with the others. As Alianna crossed the road she saw Brittney wave at the large SUV that was sitting, idling, next to the house. The back doors opened and out stepped a boy that looked to be Anne’s age with sandy blond hair. Behind him stepped someone very familiar to her Alison’s sister Megan exited the vehicle behind the boy and grabbed her arms and began shivering. Her outfit was more stylish than it was practical for the cold weather. Alianna smiled and waved at her. Megan just kept moving. Alianna moved across the street towards them. She could hear Jaius right behind her. She stood in front of them. “Hey Meg, it’s so good to see you, it’s been a while. How are you?” Megan went to keep walking past her but as she walked past she turned slightly and looked at her and all Alianna could see was rage. It was so deep it was palpable. She took a step back as if pushed by it. She felt Jaius’s reassuring hand on her back. It was only a moment, but one that seemed to last for hours. Then Megan was past her and walking towards the house. The boy stoped infront of them however. “Hi, Im Bradley, Bradley Lockman. Thanks for having us.” The boy talked so fast Aliann actually didn’t register what he said, she was still dealing with the wall of fire Megan had up towards her. Jaius saved her again. “Hey Bradly, Jaius McFarland nice to meet you.” He held out his hand. Bradley looked at it a moment as if trying to figure out why it was there. Then he seemed to remember the gesture and shook Jaius’s hand. His grip was a little week, like someone who wasn’t used to shaking hands. “Hi Jaius, nice to meet ya!” Then he seemed to do a double take and suddenly seemed to get afraid. “Uh…um… I better go make sure Meg is okay, nice to meet you.” He said in his very fast voice and then moved past them and headed towards the house where everyone had gathered on the porch. Jaius looked at Alianna. “You okay?” He said. She shook her head as if clearing a fog from it. She looked up at him and nodded. “I think so. That was Ali’s sister, Megan. Megan always hung out with us when Ali and I would hang out. I always felt she thought of me as her older sister too, but the look she gave me looked like it was full of rage, and it felt like it was directed at me.” Jaius looked up at the porch at the girl with long brown hair. He could see the resemblance to the girl he had bumped into behind Ali’s house. He looked back at Alianna. “Why would she be raging at you?” Alianna shook her head. “I don’t know, I mean, Ali’s and my relationship had been bad for almost two years so maybe she is just siding with her sister and doesn’t know that we patched things up some. Maybe I could talk to her today, try to let her know that Ali and I are working things out.” Jaius gave her a very dubious look. “I don’t know Ali, if she had laser beams for you it might not be wise to talk to her alone.” She smiled and grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “ I won’t, my knight, but I also know you will be there when I’m in trouble.” He squeezed her hand. “You know I will be there, I just always worry for that day that I can’t get to you

Fast enough.” The smile faded a bit but it still touched her eyes. “God is watching us Jaius, I’ll be okay.” He opened his mouth, but then shut it. “I know, I’ll be praying for you Ali.” She blushed. “Thank you Jaius.” He smiled, turned and led her up the steep sidewalk to the little cement path that led from the sidewalk to the back of the house. They then turned right and walked up the steps that led to the porch. The porch was about four feet wide and 15 feet long. It had a roof, but was open to the outside. The opening was split up by three white pillars, and there were four old white wooden rocking chairs. The others had gathered along the outer wall of the porch near the pillars. In the middle stood the older woman with her arm around Olivia. Olivia smiled when she saw them. “Oh, Nanna this is my good friend Alianna, and my good friend Jaius.” The woman walked toward them and gave them a hug. They were caught off guard by this and were rent sure how to react. “I praise God that you both are safe. We were praying all summer for you, God has answered yet another prayer that My Paul prayed for before he left us. Welcome Jaius and Alianna.” She let them go with a warm smile then turned to everyone else. “Thank you all for coming, this is such a sweet blessing during this time and thank you all for being such good friend s to my Olivia. Well, let’s go inside I have breakfast for everyone and some hot tea or cocoa.” Everyone’s eyes brightened up when she said that. They went inside and there was a large main room with a stairway heading upstairs on the left and right below it an old TV in wooden frame. Straight ahead was a dooorway to the kitchen with another door off to the left as you go into the kitchen. To the right of that we’re three bookshelves full of books and then next to that was a recliner that sat in the open entry way to the dining room. Which had an antique table set with bowls of scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits, and ham and something that looked like sausage but was a darker maroon color. Everyone filed into the main room and Olivia’s grandmother south the door. She indicated for everyone to set their coats and bags on the couch that was next to the recliner. As Alianna laid her coat down she looked up and saw a beautiful stained glass window set in the wall. It was of a ship sailing on the ocean. She stared at it as the morning light shone through it, imagining it coming to life like it did for Edmund, Lucy and Eustice in the voyage of the dawn treader. She sensed someone standing next to her and it wasn’t Jaius. She glanced over and saw Olivia standing next to her looking up at the window also. “Where did you go when you saw the window?” She asked, sounding as if she already knew the answer. Alianna giggled and smiled. “Dawn Treader of course.” They had found out early on that they both loved Narnia and the books about it. Olivia laughed too. “Me too, my Pap would sit in that rocking chair right there and I would sit on it with him and he would read to me. Whenever he got to Dawntreader I would look up at that window and imagine that I was there with Edmund and Lucy and Caspian. I so wished that I could enter the story and have an adventure with them.” Alianna nodded in empathic agreement, but then turned more serious and somewhat sad. She turned and looked at Olivia. “Real adventure isn’t like it is it the books. It’s a lot of cold nights and hungry days and pressure and fear.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry Olivia, I didn’t mean to get all gloomy on you.” Olivia gave her an encouraging hug. “It’s okay Ali, I’m sorry for being insensitive and not thinking of how what I said might bring up bad memories.” Alainna hugged her back. “Don’t you dare go trying to filter your words for me Olivia Parker, I like how you speak just fine. Also, don’t worry about bringing up bad memories, it’s how we best deal with them. If you didn’t bring it up, it would stay where it was and keep getting more bad. At least now I can deal with it.” Olivia looked at her with awe in her face. “Wow, Ali, where did that deepness come from.” Alianna smiled, then began laughing. “From having adventures.” They both started laughing at that Irony. They then turned away from the window and went to join the others at the table.

They had an amazing breakfast and then got to work. Olivia’s dad and two of her older boy cousins came after breakfast and joined them in helping. They broke into teams and started sorting through things boxing up things they were going, making piles of things to be sold or donated, and filling bags of trash. At one point Olivia found herself in the attic going through boxes of books. She was so lost in going through and thinking of her pap that she didn’t hear when someone came up to

The attic and joined her. Someone sat down next to her and that startled her. She jumped and looked to her right. There was Jim smiling at her. She caught her breath and then smiled. “Hey Jim.” She said wiping at her eyes. “Hey, it’s cold in attics in the winter so I got you some hot tea. Earl Grey right?” Her whole face softened, she hadn’t noticed the cold till he said it, but once he did she started shivering. “Th…thanks Jim, that was so sweet of you.” She said taking the tea and sipping it. He put his arm around her to help warm her up. She went stiff at first when he did it, but after a few moments leans into him. “What have you found up here?” He asked. She took another sip and then looked at the box she was working on. “These are my Pap’s book collection. He was a Pastor before he retired, he was smart and knew the Word so well.” Jim let his defenses down a bit and asked a question he normally would have skipped over. “What…what word?” He said tentatively. She looked at him and he almost saw an incredulous “what do you mean what word.” Face begin to form on her, but she caught herself and stopped and her face softened again. “Sorry Jim, I mean the Bible, he knew the Bible very well.” He nodded. “Why do you call it the word?” “I believe that God breathed each word of it into the writer of each book of the Bible. That God was the author and the men were the pen. So it’s really his spoken word to us.” Jim got a confused look on his face. “My sister Julie, Jaius and Ali have been saying things like that to me also, that the Bible and the events in it are true, but at Mass and CCD classes were told that it is mostly stories that teach us about God and how we should live and how to do good works to please Him. So are you all right, or is the Catholic Church right?” She closed her eyes and he saw her lips moving slightly. He was trying to decide if she was wanting him to kiss her, as he had seen this look on a girls face before, but thankfully he didn’t act on it because her eyes sprung open and she looked at him intently. “I think I can clear up at least one of your questions Jim.” She picked up the book she had been reading. It said NASB study Bible on the front. “This was my Paps Bible when he was a teenager. I was reading through it and I found myself in St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. In chapter 2 verses 8 and 9 it says…” She paused and opened the Bible to chapter 2 of the book of Ephesians.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

“Paul is saying here that it is not any good deeds or works that save our souls Jim, it’s just faith alone in the work that Jesus did on the cross that saves us.” Jim sat back a bit and thought. “I’ve never heard that verse before, or that works don’t save you. How are we saved then?” He said with concern in his voice. She didn’t respond right away x. She glanced down at the Bible again and almost laughed. She pointed to a handwritten note on the side of the page. “Jim, look, it’s like my Pap could see into the future and see us sitting here asking that question.” Jim looked at the page and there in very neat penmanship were written. “How then are we to be saved?” Jim felt a weird tingle go down his spine as if something out for the normal was happening. Under this was written the words. “See John 3:14-15.” “My sister has all these stickers and shirts that say John 3:16 on it. She said it’s one of the key verses for our Salvation. Why did your Pap bit highlight that verse but the ones before it?”

Sh shrugged, I’m not sure, let’s find out.” She said with an excitement he had not seen in her before. There was nothing in her excitement, a spark of life that made it seem like she was alive and he was dead. He found a deep part of himself wanting to be alive like her. They read the verses in John. Jesus was talking to a Jewish religions leader named Nicodemus. Jesus told him that like Moses lifted the snake up on the pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man, or Jesus, had to be lifted up. The notes there led them to the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament where the people had rejected God’s bread that he was giving them and so He sent poisonous snakes among them and they bit the people and some died. When the people realized that they had sinned they asked Moses what to do. He asked God and God told him to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole, and anyone who looked at it and believed would be saved from the curse of the poison. The notes then led them to the books of Romans and Galatians where St Paul said that Jesus came in the likeness of Sinnful flesh and that he became a curse for us because anyone hung on a tree was cursed. As they finished reading this Jim’s mind exploded with a realization. “O…Olivia, wait, I mean, I think what Jesus was telling Nicodemus was that, like, for the people of Isreal who were. Being bitten by snakes, the snakes were the curse that had been sent upon them as punishment, and so God told Moses to put an image of the curse, the snake, on the pole and if people looked at it and believed they were saved. Well, Jesus then says that the Son of Man, or Him, had to be lifted up. Well, when was Jesus lifted up over the people.” She still looked confused. “At the Crucifixion Olivia, he was also hung on a pole or a Tree. St Paul said that Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh, and became a curse for us. Just like the likeness of the curse of the serpents was put on the pole, so Jesus was put on the cross in the likeness of our curse that is killing us, Sin.” Her mouth dropped open. “Oh Wow Jim, I never put that together because the cross in our church is always empty.” Now it was his turn to have his mouth drop open. “Wait, Olivia, that’s it! In my church there is a cross also, but it always shows Jesus on the cross. You just filled in the missing peace, the cross at your church is empty because Jesus rose from the dead. The curse isn’t just healed, it isn’t there anymore for those who believe. Quick, let me see that John 3:16 verse. He felt it, like a trickle of water pouring down a dried out throat, he felt a trickle of that spark he saw in Olivia run down into to his parched soul. She quick turned back to John chapter 3 and read verse 16.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Tears began running down Jim’s cheeks as he felt something dead in him come to life. He looked at Olivia through the tears and saw tears running down her cheeks too. He believed, Jesus really did exist and he had removed Jim’s sins on the cross. “Olivia, I understand now, I understand what you all have been saying these past months, that we aren’t saved by doing good deeds and going to church, that is a stairway that goes nowhere, but the true Stairway to heaven is through Jesus only. Olivia, I’m saved.” She nodded and smiled and threw her arms around his neck. “I know you are Jim, I felt it, I feel the Holy Spirit in you know. Oh Jim, this is so wonderful.” They stayed that way for a while, crying joyfully tears and praising God. After awhile a voice called up to them. “Olivia are you there? I’m sorry I’m late dear, I had two appointments this morning.” Olivia’s eyes got wide when she heard her mother’s voice. “Mom, Mom! Guess what! Jim just got saved, and it was Pap’s bible that he found Jesus.” Jim suddenly got very self conscious as Olivia jumped up and ran to the steps and her and her mother embraced and started jumping up and down.

Brittney looked at the portrait of the Kopcheck family taken some forty years ago, it featured a man and a woman and two young girls and a baby boy. A tear leaked out as she thought of all the memories this family must have experienced together. All the trips and Holidays, good times and bad, but she was pretty sure they went through them together. A hand touched her shoulder. “You okay Britt?” Said Anne. Brittney turned and tried to subtly remove the tear. “Yep, just thinking about how this Family didn’t have a lot of money, but it definitely seemed like they had a lot of Love.” Anne nodded. “Yep, there is a whole stack of letter from Mr Kopcheck to Mrs Kopcheck, and I bet they are love letters.” She swooned a little. Brittney swooned a little too which made them both giggle. When they stopped Anne looked over Brittney’s shoulder at Megan who sat on an old beanbag chair scrolling on her Phone really not doing anything. There seemed to be a black cloud hanging over her. She then looked back at Brittney. “She hasn’t done anything since we got here.” Said Anne, the frustration clear in her voice. Brittney sighed. “I know, she just had a really bad night and I think she just needs a little more space, she didn’t sleep too well.” Anne softened her face a bit. “Sorry Britt, I know she’s your friend too and I really don’t know her, so, I’m sorry I judged her like that.” Brittney smiled. “Oh no Anne you are totally right, she’s in Pity Party mode and she needs to snap out of it. I was just going to give her a little more time, that’s all.” Megan was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t even hear the other two talking, or at least she didn’t hear what they were saying. She kept typing a message to Ali, but kept deleting it before sending it. The messages ranged from “Ali, I’m sooo sorry for what I did please forgive me!” To, “How could you sentence me to doing service hours which trapped me here in Wilkes-Barre on a Saturday!” She said a few tears while sitting in that beanbag chair.

Alison sat looking at her phone where she just deleted a message to Megan. “Ali?” Said Mandy. “What did you think of Jake’s Idea about putting a video he took of the Gym last week in Billy’s computer to strengthen the case against him?” Alison looked at Mandy as if she was just now realizing they were there. “Huh…I’m sorry Mandy, yes that is okay. I’m sorry everyone, I’m having a rough time today, I got only a few hours of sleep last night.” Tiffany looked at her with her own blood shot eyes and their shared trauma from having to discipline their younger siblings. “It’s okay Ali, I’m right their with you.” A single tear leaked out of Alison’s eye, but Tiffany got the message as clear as if she had texted it. “I’m being torn up inside.” Tiffany had a tear running down her cheek too. “I am too.” Alison knew that was what she was thinking. Alison knew instinctively too that Tiffany was opening a door for her. “I’ll be right back.” Alison said as she got up and headed back towards the bathroom. Tiffany’s room was right next door, she went in and collapsed by the bed crying, without making a sound. A minute later the door opened and Tiffany entered and shut the door. She knelt down next to Alison and put her arms around her. They both sat there for a good ten minutes trying to find some solid ground again. Alison looked at Tiffany. “Why are we falling apart over this? I mean they will be back tonight and we can smith things over with them then.” She said, trying to make herself believe it. “I know, that is the realistic answer, but there is this gnawing feeling in my heart that last night when he left my room crying, was the last time I was going to see him.” That was exactly what Alison’s heart was saying and so it all came out. “. I felt it too Tiff, I had a dream right before I woke up that she drove away in that car and a cliff appeared and the car went off it and she was gone.” Tiffany hung her head and nodded tears dripping off her nose. Alison put a hand on her shoulder. “You love him a lot, don’t you?” Tiff nodded and looked up at her, her face a mess but not caring. “We’re, we were foster Children. Out Dad is in Jail and our mom is dead. Bradley is the only blood family I have left. Our parents are great, don’t get me wrong, but they aren’t our birth parents.” Alison nooded and as the walls of the game fell she found herself saying something no one at the table knew. “Our Ded left us when I was two and Megan was one. He had found a younger woman without kids. My mom is with us but barely. She works three jobs and when she is not doing that she is dating one guy or another. Maybe she’s trying to find a dad for us, or maybe she is just lonely, but that filled most of her free time. Now that she is the Cheer coach Megan and I have actually seen her more in the past six months then we have in six years.” They looked at each other and both started laughing at the same time. “All of this is Ultra…” began Alison. “…Top Secret.” Finished Tiffany. They laughed some more and then helped each other up and went into the bathroom to fix themselves. “That’s why I hated you so much when you first came to the table. It just hit me, we have a similar past. I felt something in you when you first came to the table, a drive, and maturity that the other kids didn’t have, and, well, I felt threatened by it. I’m sorry Ali for treating you like that when you first got here.” Alison smiled and gave her a hug. “It’s okay Tiff, I’m sorry that I hurt you and Mandy so badly when it came time for the election, I was willing to do anything to win, but it wasn’t right to hurt you both that way.” Tiffany hugged her back. “It’s okay Ali, Mandy and I both agree that had Mandy won, she would never have been able to handle all the things you did, and are handling.” They pulled apart and smiled and then went back to the others.

Alianna placed another old newspaper in the trash bag. She and her Mom were wearing long gloves and painters masks to keep any dust or mold from being breathed in. She hadn’t heard her mom move for a minute or two so she turned around and looked behind her where her mom was. She saw her mom looking intently at a newspaper. She put down her bag and went over to her mom. “What did you find mom? Her mom looked at her with tears on her face. “Mom, what is it, are you okay?.” Her mom nodded and smiled a little. See for yourself sweetheart.” She said as she pointed to a small blurb on the page under the “births” column. It read:

Alianna Renee Oaksen born at 8:25 am to Jonathan and Emily Oaksen of Black Canyon.

A large smile appeared on Alianna’s face and she hugged her mom. Emily Oaksen laughed despite her tears as her daughter’s laughter was alway contagious. “Oh, Ali, your father and I we so happy that day that you came into our lives and still so happy that you are here. You are such a joy to us and we love you very much.” “Ahhh Mom now your going make me cry too.” She said, wiping at her eyes. Her mom pulled back and looked at her. It seemed like her mom was burning her into her memory. “Is everything okay Mom?” Emily Oaksen closed her eyes, said a prayer in her head and opened them and nodded. “Yes dear. Ali, I want you to know something. No mater where you are or what your doing I want you to know that you have a mom and Dad who love you so dearly and are praying for you daily. No mater how dark a place you find yourself sweetheart, know that there are two people who love you and we are praying protection over you.” Now Ali did start to cry, she knew her mom loved her, but the depth of the emotions she was throwing at her was overwhelming, in a good way, but still overwhelming. “Mom, I love you so much too and Dad too. You both have sacrificed so much for

Me and shown me so much love and you taught me what was good and what wasn’t.” She said through sniffles. “What brought this on mom?” Emily Oaksen undid the locket that had hung around her neck for years. It was made of white gold with silver scroll work on the outside. She moved to put it around Alianna’s neck but Alianna recoiled from it like it was a snake. “No, no way Mom, that is Nana’s locket. It is your memory from Nana, I can’t, I won’t wear it.” Her mom just held it between them. “Alianna Renee Oaksen, I know exactly what this is, who it belonged to and who is currently wearing it. Please take it Ali. My mother gave it to me and now I’m giving it to you. I want you to have this reminder with you always that your Father and I are here and we love you, no matter where you find yourself, we love you.” Her resistance decimated, Alianna slowly moved back towards her mother and pulled her hair up. Her mother put the necklace around her neck and closed the clasp. She looked up at her mom with fresh tears in her eyes. Images of her Nana, wearing this very locket when they would visit her, floated in her head. “I…I love you soo much Mom. I will keep this close to my heart always Mom, and I’ll always remember you and Dad no matter where I am.” “May it light your darkest hours sweetheart.” Alianna paused at the odd statement that came out of nowhere. Yet she didn’t say anything, not wanting to break the mood. “Now, look inside it quick. Alianna looked down and opened the locket. Inside on one half of the locket was a picture of her Nanna, on the other side, it was a picture of her family. She smiled from ear to ear. Her mother had given her precious memories to carry with her always. They hugged for a very long time. As they left that store room, her mother looked back at her. “Don’t forget your satchel dear.” Alianna, so lost at the precious gift she had been given, looked shocked and ran back and got the leather satchel and threw it across her body. Then she hurried and followed her mom.

Mrs Bellows looked deeply at the antique dresser in the upstairs bedroom. “Very fine work indeed, I would say, at least a hundred years old, and Amish by the look of it.” Keri smiled as she folded another shirt and placed it in a tote. “Mom, you should open that antique store you always talk about, you know everything about them.” Said Trudi as she zipped up a dress bag full of dresses. “Maybe someday, once you both are done with College.” She turned around and watched her daughters work. Such joy filled her heart as she thought of how different this picture could have turned out. That right now she could have only been standing in this room with just Trudi. She went over and took Trudi’s hand, led her over to Keri and hugged them both. They returned the hug. “You okay mom?” Asked Keri. “Uh hu, can’t a mother give her two wonderful daughters a hug just because they are amazing and she is so grateful to have them here with her.” They both laughed and replied with an affirmative. “So, what do you girls want to do after College?” She asked. “Keri wants to be a Doctor.” Trudi said with a smile. The Twins did this a lot, at least with family and close friends, they would answer questions for the other. It helped them remember how well they knew each other. “And Trudi wants to be a Mamma with lots of children.” Keri said with a warm smile. Normally Trudi would blush and smile, but this time she couldn’t put that mask up in time. The events of last night to draw her couldn’t put it up at all. She collapsed in tears. Keri was in complete shock, her sister had always talked about wanting kids and having a big family, had she misread her? Her mom recovered before she did. Mrs Bellows knelt down gently and embraced her daughter. “Sweetheart what hurt you?” Keri’s paralysis finally broke and she knelt down on the other side of her mom and wrapped her arms around Trudi. “I’m so sorry Tru, I…I thought that you wanted…”. “I…I do, I do want that Keri, I…I just know I won’t have it.” She sobbed. Both of them drew back a bit and looked at her. “Why wouldn’t you have it?” Keri asked. Trudi looked at them both as if the answer should be drastically obvious. “Look at me, I’m hideous, no man out there would want to Marry me, at least not a good one.” She began getting red with embarrassment. “Trudi Alice Bellows you look at me right this instance!” Her mother said softly but sternly. Trudi looked at her with a look that exposed just how small she thought of herself and her chances of a family. Patricia Bellows placed her hands on either of Trudi’s cheeks. “You are beautiful Trudi. I’m not just saying that because I’m your mother, I mean it. You care very deeply and you have an insight of people that I’ve seen in very few people, any man would be very lucky to have you as a wife, and, you also are not God and so you have no notion about what will happen ten years from now. “Mom’s right Tru, you are so supportive and encouraging. I never would have made it through last year without you by my side. I believe you will have that big family!” She smiled a little which let them know they had broken through the barrier, at least a little, but they had actually succeeded in stopping the downward spiral of depression that she had battled her whole life. They comforted her for a few more minutes. Then their mom stood up and looked down at them. “Common Mariens, we’ve never left a mission unaccomplished. They both smiled and helped eachother up, it’s what their daddy always said when they had work to do.

Jaius placed the last box in the living room and then went back to the kitchen where Bradley was boxing up utensils and pots and pans and labeling them. They had been working together for about two hours and almost had the kitchen done. He had wanted to work with Ali, but her mom had snatched her up and gone upstairs. Jim had been helping them, but then he mentioned wanting to check on Olivia. So it had left him with Bradley. He seemed like an oaky kid, talked supper fast but somehow Jaius was able to understand him. “Hey Jaius, I think I’m done here, is there anything else?” He said supper fast. Jaius looked around and saw that he was right. He shrugged. “I’m not sure, I’ll go ask Mrs Kopcheck.” Jaius went into the adjoining dining room where Olivia’s grandmother was wrapping news paper around crystal glasses and silverware. “Uh, Mrs Kopcheck? We’re done in the kitchen, where else can we help you?” She turned to him and Jaius had the distinct feeling that it wasn’t Mrs Kopcheck looking at him. “Do you truly love her? Would you be able to give her up?” He took a step back as if she’d hit him. Within seconds though that feeling of someone else being there was gone and she smiled at him. “Oh, yes dear. There is a closet out on the back porch that needs cleaned out.” Jaius was still stunned for a comment but recovered quickly. “Ye…yes ma’am, we’ll get right on it.” He smiled and backed out of the room and into the kitchen. Bradley was looking at him weird. “What happened to you man?” “What do you mean?” “You were frozen like a statue for like a whole minute when you first walked in.” Jaius looked back at the dinning room where Mrs Kopcheck was sitting wrapping pieces of china. She looked like nothing had happened.

He shook his head. LI’m not sure what it was about.” Bradley looked like he was going to say something more, but held it back. “Anyway, what did she say?” Jaius motioned with his head. “She said there was a closet outside on the back porch that needed to be cleaned out.” Bradley looked at the back door and shrugged. “Sounds good to me.” He grabbed his coat, Hat and gloves a d so did Jaius and they headed out onto the somewhat rickety back porch. To their right was an Old door they didn’t close too well. They opened it and saw an old charcoal grill, a push lawnmower, a weed wacker. There were bags of miracle grow and other types of planting dirt. There were cinder blocks and gardening tools and some old siding and some lumber. As they began pulling things out Bradley looked nervously up at Jaius. “So, Jaius, um…well…”. Jaius raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s on your mind Bradley?” He took another breath and let it out. “Okay, well, like, your Sister Anne, is…is she going with anyone right now?” He said breathlessly as he finally got it out. That was the last question he had expected coming from a boy at the A table. Then his defender mode kicked in inside him and he was instantly on guard looking for some signs of the table targeting his sister. It must have shown on his face as Bradley took a step back and held his hands up. “Whoa, look Jaius I know you can twist me into a pretzel, everyone knows how you handled Stephen and Pete, so please understand I don’t mean Anne any harm. I got to dance with her at the formal last night and we talked and, well, I think she’s kinda cool. I mean I’m told that o talk fast and a lot of time people ask me to repeat myself, but she didn’t, it was like she could hear me at normal speed, anyway it was refreshing and she seemed really smart and pretty and, I wanted to see if she would want to go with a bunch of us to see a movie.” Jaius was doing everything he could to keep his mind from spinning off in some crazy direction, especially in a direction that would lead to some movie clip in his head turning Bradley into a pretzel. As much as he hated to admit it, Bradley seemed okay, not like the other boys at the table. He sighed. “You seem okay Bradley, as far as I know she’s never been on a date or even mentioned a boy, so you should be okay there.” Bradley breathed a sigh of reliefs. “Thanks Jaius, um, any tips on how to connect with her?” Jaius mentally slapped his head. What in the world had he gotten into, being matchmaker for his sister. The scene from Fidler on the Roof popped into his head and the song began repeating in his brain. “Matchmaker, Matchmaker, find me a find, catch me a catch…”. He shook it out of his head. “She loves poetry, a poem of your own might work. If you really want to connect deep though, look for the Anne that she hides. She thinks she needs to be the person you want her to be or need her to be, and so she shows you that instead of who she really is.” Bradley’s eyes got wide and he nodddd. “Yeah, I get that. Wow, thanks Jaius.” Jaius nodded. He then moved toward Bradley and did bend over him a little. “Just keep in mind what you heard about Pete and Stephen. I’ll protect those I love Bradley.” Bradley nodded his head vigorously. “You betcha Jaius, I won’t hurt her.” Jaius nodded in acceptance and they went back to cleaning out the closet.

Anne looked through the boxes pulling out photo albums and photos and placing them on a card table along with other loose pictures she found. Brittney had left her to go sir next to Megan, who had yet to lift a finger to help anyone. Lazy people really got under Anne’s skin.

Megan looked up from her phone as Brittney sat down. “Hey Meg, how are you doing?” She said with a smile. Megan sighed and put her phone down. “Terrible Britt, I had no sleep last night and Ali and I had a rough night and so far we haven’t spoken to each other. What have you been doing? Who is that girl over there anyway, she looks familiar, but I can’t remember who she is.” Brittney took a breath and looked at Anne then back to Megan. “Her name is Anne, and she seems cool enough.” Megan looked over at the girl in the corner looking through bikes for pictures. She shook her head. “Whatever, I don’t have the bandwidth for anyone new. Why did you come over here anyway, my head is killing me?” Brittney put on her best calming voice. “I was worried Meg that you hadn’t been able to help out yet. I was worried that maybe Ali would ask someone other than Bradley and I about what you did here and they will say you didn’t do anything.” There was a flash of anger in Megan’s eyes but it was quickly quelled by the reality of what Brittney said. “Wow Britt, your right, she might. Megan looked at her phone and saw that it was 12:30. She looked at Brittney. Wow, I didn’t know that much time had past, what…what can I do to help now?” “Well, you can help us carry these boxes upstairs and set them ont the porch so they can load them onto the truck. That way the most people will see you working.” Megan nodded and slowly got up from the couch she had been laying on since they got here. Megan began carrying boxes up the steps and out to the porch. She saw a number of Peoole, but no one she really knew, and she was so thankful to have not seen Alianna.

As the light of day began to fade the truck was almost full and they had ordered a bunch of Pizza’s from a place Called Pizza Heaven that was across the Susquehanna River from them. While they waited for the Pizza Olivia exclaimed that she wanted to show them the Famous Stairway to Nowhere. They all agreed readily, except for Megan who needed a pep talk from Brittney on how it would make sure that people remembered she was here today. She finally capitulated and went with them. Before they left the back porch. Alianna’s Mom pulled both Alianna and Jaius into a huge bear hug. “Watch out for each other, and trust God no matter what happens.” They both hugged her back but gave eachother very odd looks as to what she said. Then she let Jaius go but held onto Alianna. It was the most intense hug she had ever received as if her mother was pouring every ounce of her love for her into one hug. “I love you so very very much my sweet girl, never forget that.” Alianna began to cry and she didn’t know why. “ I love you too so very much Mamma, I always will.” After a few more moments Emily Oaksen let go of her daughter. No one around her knew what monumental effort she had accomplished just then by letting her daughter go. Every instinct of a mother screamed at her not to, but her Faith in God overwhelmed those voices. She stood on the back porch as the group of children walked down the small steep patch of grass that was the back yard, through a small brake in the bushes behind the house and into an empty lot. Beyond she could see the stone stairway set into the side of a slope of a hill. It seemed such a innocuous structure to cause such impending hardship.

Jaius looked at Alianna as they walked down the slope toward a brake in the bushes. She was looking back at her mother as she stood on the porch. When they got to the brake in the bushes he led her through it and going through this brake was also what broke her eye contact with her mother. She looked at him with a ton of emotions in her eyes. “Why did your mom say that?” She shook her head. “I…I don’t know. She has been acting very odd all day today. She made this massive breakfast for us this morning, she must have been up before 4 am cooking, that’s why I didn’t eat them much when Mrs Kopcheck made Breakfast. She made me take my Nana’s locket and, Jaius I just don’t know. It felt like she wasn’t going to see me for a long time.”

Before he could answer they were at the stairway and Olivia was clearing her voice. “Behold, the Stairway to Nowhere. Built but for no reason, as it goes to nowhere.” She said dramatically. All her fitness clapped appropriately and oohed and ahhed. Brittney did too, Bradlyokked confused, and Megan was on her phone. “Come one come all and experience a trip upon the Stairway to Nowhere.” Said Olivia as she took Jim’s hand and they began walking up the steps keeping to the side of the hill for support. As they waited for their turn to go up the stairs Jaius looked down at the satchel Alianna was carrying. “Why did you bring that?” He said indicating the bag. She shrugged. “I heard we were leaving right after dinner so I wanted to make sure I had it with me and didn’t leave it behind.” He shrugged and nodded. Then it was their turn they stepped onto the stone step and then the nexts. It was tall enough so that all of them were on it at the same time. Megan ewe the last one to get to the top, she didn’t even look around as the others had, but her eyes were glued to the phone. Jim and Olivia were just about to step off the bottom step when three dots appeared on her text tab with her sister. She got so excited she forgot where she was or what was going on. “Brittney!” She exclaimed. Brittney and Bradley turned around and saw her excitedly jumping up and down. “It’s Ali, Britt, she’s texting me….” Megan’s words were lost as her foot missed the step and she fell forward. Bradley caught her but wasn’t strong enough to hold her and so he fell back into Jaius. Megan screamed and reached out and grabbed Brittney, which pulled her off balance and she fell forward into Alianna. Jaius was able to pulled Alianna into him as the fell forward into Trudi and Keri who then careened into Jim and Olivia. They all landed in a painful heap at the bottom of the steps. There were a lot of exclamations happening all at once. Cries of confusion, anger, and pain. Within a minute they all were able to seperate form eachother. Thankfully, it seemed like everyone was at least unhurt. As they began to stand up they began to realize that their situation had changed drastically. The stairway was still there but now, instead of a hill, a towering wall of stone rose a hundred feet above them. They were now standing in a stone courtyard instead of a grassy empathy lot. Before anyone could say anything, they all started choking and coughing and fell to their knees. Alianna and Jaius were the first to recover because they had experienced this before. They looked at eachother, each realizing what had happened, and the weight and the burden of what it meant. Eventually everyone became acclimated to the new air. They stood up slowly. They all looked around wonder and fear fighting a battle on their faces. Olivia who was griping Jim’s arm in a death grip looked at Alianna with wide eyes and mouthed the word “Paltophern?” All Alianna could do was nod her head . A tear leaked from Olivia’s eye. Anne looked to Jaius and mouthed the same word. He nodded. Then, before anything else could happen, Megan screamed. “Where are we!” Everyone looked at her and could see the panic attack starting. She began looking around wild eyed and her hands began to shake. Alianna was the first to take a step towards her with her hands open and out in front of her. Megan eventually saw her and backed away. “Stay away from me!” She turned and ran up the steps and then back downs. She did this three times, even throwing herself off the last step and landing hard. She didn’t seem to feel the pain however as she got up and ran right back up the steps. This time up, however, something different happened, she stopped on the last step before the top and froze. Ever so slowly she began backing down the steps. After she took two steps, everyone else could see why. A tall man with wavy black hair and a straight cut beard and mustache, wearing leather pants, a white wool shirt. a brown leather vest, and leather riding boots came out of an alcove and began walking down the steps. He didn’t seem menacing, in fact there seems to be a crazy weird peace emanating from him. They all looked confused, even Alianna, but Jaius’s face lit up. “Enoch!” The man Smiled and looked at Jaius. “It is good to see you again Son of Maleric.” He said warmly as Megan reached the last step and ran back to where Brittney and Bradley were huddled. Enoch strode easily over to where Jaius and Alianna were. He shook Jaius’s hand. He then bowed to Alianna. “ Hyress, it is a great pleasure to meet you.” Alianna was frozen for a moment but quickly all the etiquette of greetings and responses that she had learned from Nisa came back to her. She bowed her head with her chin touching her neck and then lifted it. “It is an honor to meet you finally Master Enoch, the Son of Maleric had told us Much about you.” It did scare her a bit how easily she fell right back into the Hyress persona. He smiled and then looked at the rest. Welcome, everyone, to Carthage-Dral, the city of light…”. Before he could say anything more a voice cried out from the top of the steps. “Ali!” There was a dark haired girl of about Alianna’s age standing at the top of the steps. She ran down the steps. “Nisa!” Alianna cried with the utmost joy. She ran to her and they met at the bottom of the steps and embraced and wept at a reunion neither of them thought they would see. Behind her came two voices shouting Jaius’s name as one. Behind Nisa Jaius looked up and saw Alise and Lorna running down the steps towards him. They ran up to him and hugged him and were both wiping their eyes. He found himself wiping away some tears as well. During the reunions Enoch moved over and spoke to the newcomers as they had now all huddled together. “Peace my friends, do not fear, you are safe here.” They all looked at him, terror on their faces and unable to speak. Olivia was the first to recover. “You…you are Enoch, seventh from Adam?” Enoch’s eyebrow raised up, but then he nodded. “You are blessed Olivia Parker, as you have believe, yet not seen, as are you James Kurtz. You both carry the Eternal’s most Holy Spirit with you as does the Hyress and the Son of Maleric.” Olivia straightened some and so did Jim. “What..what about everyone else, will they come to know Him also?” She said looking around to the others. Enoch shook his head. “Such knowledge the Eternal keeps to Himself.” Jaius and Alianna rejoined the group. While everyone looked at them Megan ran away from them accross the courtyard toward an open archway. She went through the archway but bounced backwards and landed hard on her backside. A tall man with short brown hair stepped out into the light. He work a crystal brestplate, vambraces and grieves. He carried a crystal shield and had a sword in a scabbard at his side. Megan started to crawl backwards on her hands and feet. Jaius had had enough of her running off. He ran over to her, picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. He turned to the man in armor. “Hey Kenia, it is good to see you again.” The man nodded to him. “I am very glad to have you and the Hyress back with us, Son of Maleric.” Jaius grinned at him and then ran back to the others with Megan screaming and ponding on his back. He set her down. “Look I’m sorry I carried you like that but you can’t go running off here, you have no idea the dangers that are out there.” She seems not to register anything he said. “Don’t ever touch me again!” She screened into his face. Then turned and sat on the ground and began to cry. Brittney went over to her and comforted her. Looking completely out of sorts herself. Alianna walked over to Jaius and placed her hand in his. He looked at her and she had a concerned look on her face. “Sorry, Ali, she kept running off and if she runs off now, we may not find her.” She squeezed his hand and mouthed “It’s Okay.” Anne came over and stood near them. Alianna wrapped her arms around Anne’s shoulders and whispered. “It’s going to be okay Annie, just stick close to us.” Anne nodddd, tears already starting to form in her eyes. Enoch looked at them. Nisa moved to stand next to Alianna and Alise and Lorna stood behind her next to Jaius. Kenic moved out from the archway and stood about ten yards behind them. “You are all most welcome here and you will be safe here. Trust in the Eternal and all will work out for good in the end. Come let us find rooms for you all.” He walked back towards the stairway to nowhere that led somewhere, and went up the stairs. Jaius turned to everyone. “Come on everyone, we can trust Enoch. He helped Ali and I the last time we were here and everything he told us came true.” “Wait, wait, what do you mean when you were here before?” Said Bradley. Jaius looked back at them. “This is where Ali and I were for five months over the summer, I guess I should say when too.” He saw everyone’s reaction to what he said and shook his head. “We’ll explain it when we ge to our rooms.” He lead the way after Enoch. Brittney, Bradley and Jim had to get Megan up off the ground. She eventually started moving, crying the whole way to the Catha-Dral.

Emily Oaksen watched as her beloved Daughter and her friends tumbled down the stairway and disappeared, just as they had in the dream she had had at the beginning of November. She had had it each month since Alianna had returned, and so she knew it was from the Lord. He had graciously prepared her in heart and mind for this day. She went into the house, just as she heard car doors slamming. Patricia Bellows was just coming into the kitchen and was about to say something when Emily turned to her left and saw Ellene and her mother sitting at the dining room table. Ellene was crying softly, but Mrs K, as Emily had always called her, was looking right at her. Emily knew they needed to be in that room right then and so she looked at Patricia and smiled. “Please, Patricia, we need to go in The dinning room right now.” “Oh, is the Pizza here?” She said as she followed Emily in. Emily shut the swinging wood door that led to the kitchen and sat down. Ellene looked at Emily with blood shot eyes, pleading with her that it wasn’t true. Emily was about to say something when Mrs Kopcheck looked at her. “Tell them your dream.” She looked at Mrs Kopcheck with her mouth open. “How, how did you know?” Because it is the same dream that My dear Paul wrote in his journal back in September, right before he died. I want them toy hear it before I show it. Emily nodded, took a breath and looked at Priscilla and Ellene. She told them the dream about seeing this house and the stone stairway in the back and everything that happens that followed exactly what happens tonight, even that She had not met Bradley or Brittney before but felt like she knew then because she had seen them in her dream so many times. When she was done Pricilla was on her way to Panic when Mrs Kopcheck pushed the open journal to Mrs Bellows, she hesitated before reading it, but only a few moments. She looked down and read and tears began to form in her eyes. “What does this all

Mean?” She cried. Mrs Kopcheck looked at her with understanding, yet determination. “We place our trust in the Lord Almighty.” In the distance, they heard the sound of sirens.