Assumptions
Wednesday, July 3
I don’t know why Maquoldo doesn’t trust me (it’s probably because I’m only 8); Cuz then things like this happen, and I can’t defend myself! Something seemed to be taking care of those bullies though. The boy in the lead tried to stand, but was immediately knocked down again. “Run!” he yelled, obviously afraid; taking his own advice he quickly got up and sprinted toward the corner, following his buddies.
I stood up and glanced around, wondering if this so-called ‘invisible force’ that one of them mentioned earlier would come after me next. Because I’m just not ready. Just one more thing to tell McMoldy; I hadn’t had my Key, and if I got smushed then it would be his fault. Suddenly, right before my eyes, a teenage girl that must be twice my age materialized out of the air holding a key. Hold on! My mind screamed, something was wrong here, I’ve never seen this girl before. My mind dashed to my Key - most likely lying on Maquoldo’s desk somewhere - and my next instinct was to put my good acting skills to use.
“Hello,” the strange girl smiled warmly, “are you okay?” I was scared, but I took a deep breath, put on an innocent face, and gave myself a victimized voice.
“Yes…. Who are you?” The question had just slipped out, but I needed to know who this girl was, and how did she get a Key! With powers no less! At least it sounded like a reasonable question though.
“My name is Vitahlomae, I hope they didn’t hurt you.” I’ve never heard that name before, but maybe she is part of our Family of Keys; if she was sent to find me or something, she needs to know who I am. Maquoldo would never give a Key to someone he didn’t know. It sounds kinda like Tahladareal, I wonder if that was on purpose?
“No, I’m good, my name is Isoderaine; but how on earth did you ever do that!?” The question isn’t the one this girl thinks I’m asking, she doesn’t know that I have a Key too. That’s when I notice it: this girl isn’t just holding any Key, she’s holding the Silver Key. I was right, especially if she’s got the Royal Silver Key, she’s an ally. But…why didn’t Maquoldo tell me about her?
“I’ll tell you, we can keep anybody from hurting you again; you see, this key is magical-”
“I know,” she looks beyond shocked, “I know it’s magical, I have one too.” She looks like she’s just figuring out that magic is real (dad tells me that most people don’t believe in magic), and she takes a couple steps back. Her eyes look like they’re bugging out of her head; I’ve never seen it happen before, but it looks really cool. Then her eyes fill with questions, and so do mine. How can she have the Silver Key and still be so surprised?
Stolen novel; please report.
“How… how did you get it?” Wow, that’s the first thing she asks, when she doesn’t even seem to know that there are other people with Keys?
“My dad gave it to me; he’s a woodcarver, so I got a really cool spiral one.” I stuck out my left forearm so she could examine my scar. She looked at it for a few seconds before looking at her own scar on her upper left arm; it didn’t look special to me, just straight. If I’d had my Key with me I’d have shown her the purple spiral, I like it; but I don’t think Maquoldo would have wanted me to. Sure, she has the Silver Key, but she doesn’t seem to know anything; so I shouldn’t tell her that my dad is Maquoldo’s adviser, just in case. Vitahlomae looked back at my scar, then back at hers again, before glancing at the Key in her hand and tightening her grip around it. She took a step back and glanced at my arm one more time before, with frightened, tear-filled eyes, she stabbed her Key into her arm and vanished. I could hear her footsteps as she ran away.
“MAQUOLDO!!!!” I screamed into the air. Why would he give someone a Key and then turn them loose to do things like this… especially if it’s a Key that makes you disappear! Really stupid if you ask me.
Another idea struck me: what if Maquoldo didn’t give her that Key; what if she took it! I should have followed her! I need to know where she went! No, I couldn’t have, she’s way faster than me. I need to tell dad about this! I hope I remember this spot, I think as I take off for home. I don’t know how many people she has behind her, to have been able to make off with the Royal Silver Key, but it must have been a lot…no wait! What if they have their own magic with them! What if that’s where the rest of the Key’s are! Someone would have needed to already have had a Key in order to give her one!
I know why Maquoldo doesn’t trust me with a Key in public. He knew I would probably do something like this; just a big mess-up. I shouldn’t have told her about my magic; maybe she was acting. Do they have a better actress than me? That sounds hard to do.
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Several Days Later
“Delno.”
“Yes, Rynzie?”“I’m worried about Vitahlomae.”
“Why?”
“She hasn’t been eating, she has nightmares almost every night, she stays in her room almost all day, and when she does go outside she never leaves the yard. The few times I’ve been in her room, all she does is write in a journal.”
“You haven’t been reading it have you?” He looked up sharply.
“No.”
“Good, just give her her privacy and leave her alone. Don’t worry, I think things will be fine.”