Allison Brooks and the Silver Road, Chapter one Edited (with prolouge)

Chapter 11

Various Outlooks2

The summer sky was gray; as if the earth itself was preparing for the new course of action that would change the fate of the world. Even though the day was supposed to be a celebration for three families, it would end nothing like what they expected. Except for one. One expected it, she had seen it before. She knew what would happen. She had a plan.3

On the day that six adults disappeared without a trace; three five-year-old children were left without parents on their birthday. It was all part of the plan. The plan was complicated, and tricky. A slight shift in fate would send the entire thing tumbling; a single variation would ruin it. Luckily, no such thing would happen.4

The one person who knew it would happen; a mother of one of the three children and an aunt to another, left a letter filled with instructions to the people who found out first. The children were to be kept apart for three years, and then kept together until reported missing; when they would be thirteen.5

The letter was marked at top secret, and locked away for high clearance eyes only. In fact, anyone not directly involved in the case didn’t have a clue what their co-workers were talking about. The president didn’t even know.6

The most mysterious of these disappearances was perhaps the most important. The car was left on the side of the road, doors open, a Barbie Doll and birthday cake still in the backseat. The father was nowhere to be seen. The mother was unconscious and bleeding horribly in the passenger seat. She went into a coma at the hospital and disappeared the next day, leaving no clues as to what had happened. Just as the directions said.7

The letter was on the dash, sealed, addressed, and filled with information about the future one couldn’t possibly know unless they could see the future. Things like 9/11, and ink running out on the reader’s printer. Things that normal people live without knowing, but could save themselves a hassle. According to the instructions in the letter, the case workers gave their daughter the Barbie doll, after careful inspection. The cake was thrown away.8

They brought the girl, her cousin, and the other child to different states, following the directions. Allison Brooks sat in the car waiting to leave, holding a boxed Barbie doll and a backpack full of clothes.9

No parents. No friends. No pets. It was unavoidable- she was an orphan. Just like the instructions said. Allison Brooks was a very small speck in the huge world, but the huge world depended on her.10

The second disappearance was the same. Car doors open, forest on either side. There was no one to hear anything, no one to see them wander into the woods willingly, unlike their friends. Their friends had fought back, because it would make the difference.11

Their little girl was an orphan too, unless you count her aunt, who had recently lost half her memory and didn’t even remember who she was. And besides, the aunt was off-limits if the directions were to be followed.12

The third case was no different, leaving behind an orphaned boy and a car with a present and a cake. Everything was going as planned.13

On the first day of third grade, I was standing at the bus stop, twitching nervously. Samantha and Jake Voss were tackling each other, giggling and pulling each other’s hair. I shot them an annoyed look. 14

A half hour later the big yellow bus lumbered around the corner and groaned to a stop, belching black smoke. I wrinkled my nose and stepped up into the bus. 15

Suddenly, Samantha Voss shoved me out of her way and I fell into the wet gutter. I heard her nasal voice shouting to everyone on the bus; “Look at my stepsister! Isn’t she dumb?” Everyone started laughing. 16

I clenched my fist and stood up, hardly picking my feet up as I started up the stairs. Everyone was jeering at me, and the blonde bus driver just sat there, picking at her nails. Disgusting- they were half an inch off her finger! 17

I elbowed my way to the back, shooting Samantha a nasty glare. Her giggles stopped short and she abruptly sat down. I cracked my knuckles, just to scare her a bit. She would pay someday, whether it by ice cream falling on her pink flip flop at the zoo, or her teddy bear in a tree. Hmm, that sounded good- teddy bear in a tree. I had already put frogs under her pillow, and worms in her hairbrush, so I suppose that would work. Looking around for a place to sit, I saw a girl with a blonde ponytail and sunglasses move her backpack over. She wasn’t laughing. She beckoned for me to sit with her, and I gladly sat down as the bus lurching forward. 18

She smiled at me. “Sorry that you got landed with the Vosses. Everyone knows that they’re the meanest kids at school,” she said sympathetically. 19

I smiled. “I’m Allison.” I said, putting my backpack on the floor. The girl smiled, tightening her ponytail. “I’m Kate. What class are you in?” she asked. I didn’t actually know, so this proved to be hard to answer. “Er, I don’t know. Mrs. Voss didn’t take me to open house,” I confessed, lowering my head.20

Kate gawked. “They didn’t take you? What is wrong with them?” she asked, already getting mad. I rolled my eyes. “Everything is wrong with them. I sleep in a closet and eat leftovers.”21

Kate took off her sunglasses and muttered something, sweeping her hair out of her eyes. I saw her eyes and just about choked on my own spit. Her eyes were an unnatural gold. Just like mine were silver. “Your eyes!” I said, pointing.22

She sighed, clearly tired of this subject. “I know, I know, they’re gold.” She said, and then stopped short. “You too?” she asked. I nodded; and Kate looked taken aback.23

She sat back. “Wow,” she said, sounding stunned. I nodded. Again. “So what’s your favorite color?” I asked her. “Blue.” She said, fingering a golden necklace with a lightening bolt charm. I smiled. “I like purple. Blue’s too dark for me.” I said. She was still playing with the necklace. “Um, where’d you get that?” I asked, desperate for anything to talk about. Kate’s knuckles whitened. “Mind your own business, Allison.” She growled. Frightened, I shrank back into the seat. “Sorry. I’ve got a bad temper.” She said, embarrassed and just realizing what she’d said. I nodded. “It’s alright.” We sat there for a second, and then heard wild laughter. We looked up over the seat.24

A boy with unnatural reddish brown (you may as well call them bronze) eyes and red hair was lying in the aisle, his backpack’s contents spread all over the floor. Everyone was shouting and laughing, and I saw two kids exchanging a quarter.25

Jake Voss was snickering, and rolling up a tripwire. “Yeah, this one’s skilled…” he said condescendingly, leaving everyone waiting for the punch line. “In the art of tripping!” The bus roared with laughter. 26

Kate stood up. “That’s my neighbor! Don’t touch him or I’ll smash your face in!” She shouted, her eyes flashing. The bus went silent. Their thoughts were the same; who is this girl, who can stand up to Jacob Voss?27

Jake opened and closed his mouth like a fish. “You’re just jealous!” he said finally, and I immediately stood up.28

“Of what, being able to dish it out but not take it? Or of being afraid of the dark?” I said, shooting sparks from my eyes. The kids on the bus started to exchange whispers. I saw the same two kids who exchanged a quarter scribbling furiously on a piece of paper and trying to raise the price of their bet.29

“This isn’t fair…” he mumbled, his face turning pink. The bus driver reached for the speaker. “That’s enough of that… Tyler Johnson, please find a seat. It looks like Allison Brooks and Kate Dehnsfield have an empty spot and a big smile for you.” She spoke in a monotone that spent shivers up my spine, not to mention how she knew our names. Neither of us was smiling.30

Kate looked startled, and slid down her sunglasses. “Why me…” she mumbled. I shrugged, and slid my backpack onto my lap. 31

Tyler Johnson trudged up the aisle, and plopped down next to us. Kate put her sunglasses back on. We sat in silence for a while, trying to ignore the whispers directed at us.32

“Wow, they’re stupid-”33

“They are so weird, I mean-”34

“Did you see his eyes? They all have weird eyes.”35

I scratched my ear, and decided that someone had to say something. Before I could open my mouth Kate blurted out, “You know; you should learn to fight for yourself. Join football or something.”36

Tyler sat up in his seat, and raised an eyebrow. “I could punch a wolf.” He declared airily. I slowly turned my head towards him and gave him the special ‘why-would-you-say-that’ look.37

Kate sniffed. “I could punch you.” She retorted. I gave her the same look, and sat awkwardly between the two.38

Tyler set his jaw and stared ahead rigidly. I picked at my nails and tried to think of something to say.39

“Hey, do you guys want to play a game?” I suggested. Kate shrugged. “Sure.” She said tiredly, trying to act bored. Tyler nodded, still staring ahead.40

“It goes like this,” I started. “I say a word, you say a word, and we make a story like that.”41

Kate sat up. “Sounds fun.” She said. “I start. The.” She declared.42

I thought. “Beautiful,”43

Tyler grinned. “Potatoes.” He said with a small smirk. Kate snorted. “The beautiful potatoes?” she asked incredously. Tyler nodded, seeming quite amused with himself. “Yep. The beautiful potatoes.” He repeated.44

I sighed through my nose. “Let’s keep going,” I said, letting irritation spill into my words.45

Kate crossed her arms. “Were.” She continued. 46

“Lying.”47

“Potatoes.”48

Kate and I whirled on him. “Stop saying potatoes!” she demanded. I gave him a venomous glare and sighed.49

“If you don’t, Kate really will punch you in the nuggets. I know she will.” I insisted. God, if he was just going to ruin it I would kick him out of the game!50

Tyler sniggered. “I’d like to see her try,” he boasted. Kate ground her teeth. 51

“Shut your mouth, carrot top. Don’t make me rip your orange hair out and stuff it in your mouth.”52

Tyler turned red, and dipped his head down, mumbling something that sounded like; “always messing things up, Tyler, nice going.”53

Kate leaned back against the seat, and started swirling her hair. Every once in a while she would glance a wary look at Tyler, who had pulled a handheld Pac-Man out of his backpack. I stared out the window, and started picking my lip.54

Bumping along in silence, I started to get kind of sleepy. I saw a fine mist drift towards us- dang fifth graders are always spraying perfume. They did that on my last bus too. After a moment I fell asleep. 55

I drifted into consciousness as the bus slowed to a stop, and realized that everyone was sleeping- Except for me. But we weren’t at the school; we were on the side of the road.56

I watched through slits as the bus driver started towards the back of the bus. Towards our seat. She took her sunglasses off. Her eyes were turquoise. Literally, they had the little black lines in them, like the stone. They made her look like she was hideously evil, which seemed to fit her. I broke my eyes away from the black lines as she stopped next to us. I shut my eyes as she leaned down closer, pulling something out of her pocket.57

I opened them to slits, and felt my heart jump into my throat. She was about to poke the needle of a syringe into Tyler’s left arm.58

I jumped up, and ripped the syringe out of her hand. She looked up, surprised, and then froze like I had a loaded .12 gauge in my hand. Using it to my advantage, I slowly raised my head, giving her a venomous glare. She croaked; “That gas should have knocked the normal human out for at least a half hour.” She said, frozen with fear. I guess it could have been indecision, but her eyes were reflecting fear.59

I snorted. “Since when have I ever been normal?” I asked her. She grimaced. “You have a point. Would you please-” she made a grab for the syringe, but I threw it out the open window. “Nice try.” I said coolly.60

She growled, and lowered her into a crouched position. Okay, I guess she wasn’t scared. My bad.61

She leaped, and I jumped out of the way just before she plowed into the side of the bus, and then disappeared. I froze. What just happened? She should have smashed against the wall of the bus!62

Seeing as she was gone, I poked Kate. Her eyes snapped open, the gold sizzling with anger. “What?” she hissed.63

I pointed to the empty bus driver’s seat, and the unconscious kids that were flopped over one and other like rag dolls. Kate’s expression was deadly serious. She sat up, and brushed her hair out of her eyes.64

“What happened?” she asked, alert and surveying the scene. I shrugged.65

“Well, from what I know, the bus driver, who has crazy turquoise eyes, gassed us, and was about to stick a needle into Tyler’s arm when I woke up. She didn’t get to us, and I scared her off.” I said proudly. “I think.” Kate gave me a suspicious look. “Where did she go?” she asked.66

I sighed. “Well, I threw the syringe out the window, and she made a jump for me. I jumped out of the way, and instead of crashing into the wall she”- Kate put her sunglasses on and shook Tyler –“just disappeared.”67

Tyler blinked. “Who disappeared?” he asked. Kate said nothing. “The bus driver disappeared after gassing us and trying to stick a needle in you.” I said. Tyler gave a scared look and shrank into his jacket. “What?” he asked, hoping that he heard wrong.68

Kate pulled her sunglasses off and whipped her head around to me. “There she is!” she yelped, pointing to the bus driver and two other people with sunglasses. One, an African American, looked strong enough and mean enough to pick up the empire state building and throw it on your puppy. The other looked like nothing but a shadow.69

I froze. She looked angry as all-get-out, and the shadow dude freaked me out. “That isn’t possible, right?” I asked Kate. She was looking paler than usual, and Tyler looked like he would faint any second. “No,” rasped Kate, lifting her sunglasses.70

Tyler and Kate both looked at me for answers. “What?” I asked. “I know just as much as you do. What do we do?” I asked.71

Kate smiled bitterly. “We run like h-e-double toothpicks,” she said, and ran to the back of the bus, ripping open the fire escape and triggering the alarm.72

I dove for the back of the bus as I heard a roar of rage, and landed on Tyler. “Ow!” he said, throwing himself off the back of the bus. I jumped, and landed in a pile of rotting leaves.73

Spitting them out of my mouth, I clambered to my feet and started running. Kate and Tyler were ahead of me and I dared a look over my shoulder. They were about four feet behind me. I panicked, and started all out sprinting.74

The bus driver’s eyes were bloodshot and she looked like we had pressed fast forward to next week and she still hadn’t slept. She had dark circles under her eyes, and the biggest bags I had ever seen. No matter how rough she was doing, she looked determined. 75

I looked ahead of me, willing myself to run faster into the forest, even though my lungs were screaming in protest. Then, at the base of the tree, the shadow man lay in wait. I was running into an ambush. 76

I frantically tried to brake, and slipped on the leaves scattered on the forest floor, and landed on my butt. She screamed in triumph, and jumped for me. The shadow man morphed into a black orb.77

Time slowed down, or my brain processed faster. I remembered one of my oldest memories, my mom giving me a ring that looked like a toad wrapped around your finger. It was huge at the time, and my mother had tears in her eyes as she told me; “Someday you’ll need this ring, okay Allie? Don’t lose it. Keep it for Mommy.”78

It hadn’t made sense then, but if the ring could somehow help me, I would take whatever it would give. I ripped the ring off my finger and locked my gaze on it. Suddenly its expression looked like one of grim amusement.79

I watched in amazement as the toad sprang to life, expanding until it was a huge silver toad the size of a la-z-boy. The lady hesitated, and I heard Kate and Tyler screaming in the farther into the forest.80

The toad hopped to the shadow orb, and suddenly glommed onto it, swallowing it whole. I heard Kate shouting triumphant insults at the other man, and the huge toad made a noise between a grunt and a chuckle. It hopped onto the woman, and she shrieked, disappearing into thin air. That was when I fainted.81

When I came to, I was still lying there, and Tyler was shaking me. “Allison!” he shouted, hugging me. I groaned and tried to get up and trying to keep my ribcage from being crushed. Tyler let go and sat up. “Kate’s looking for your ring. I know you like it,” he said. I stared at him with a puzzled expression. “How did you know that?” I asked. He looked troubled. “You… you told me, didn’t you?” he asked. I shook my head.82

Kate bounded up with my ring. “Here you go,” she said, tossing it to me. I slipped it on, and proceeded to tell them what I’d seen. Kate looked skeptical and Tyler looked like he believed my story, but didn’t want to.83

“Oh come on,” Kate said when we got back on the bus. “You probably just imagined it.” She was convinced, but I was not. “I saw it,” I insisted. Tyler sighed. “The thing is; we didn’t. That’s a pretty hard thing to believe, Allie.”84

I was about to protest, but Kate broke in. “Whatever. Let’s just try to find a way to get out of here,” she said. I nodded, and Tyler frowned. “Do you guys hear something?” he asked. We shook our heads. Tyler made his way to the back of the bus and stopped dead in his tracks. “Guys, you better get back here.”85

Kate leaped over me and bounded into the back and shut the door. “Oh my gosh,” she said. I walked to them. There, bound and gagged and stuffed behind the very last seat, was a very grumpy looking bus driver.86

We set to work untying her, and the first thing she did was whip out her cell phone and call 911. 87

Later that week, I said something about Kate’s parents, like; “Hey, Kate, you never told me what your parents do!” She just put her sunglasses on and ran into the bathroom.88

I followed her, and I found her bawling on the bathroom floor. I asked her what was wrong, and she said that she was like me. No parents, they mysteriously disappeared- She was five at the time.89

She’d been moved every year, with no warning. She said that she thought maybe we could have been to normal girls who were best friends, but she knew how long she could keep it up. Tyler never really said anything, but he invited us over to his house one day and we discovered that he lived with an elderly woman who had a love of fur coats.90

Tyler had the same background. When I got moved, I felt like I’d been plunged into a black void. No friends, no family, the new girl with no past. Then, on the first day of school, I saw a familiar blonde ponytail, and a messy carrot top boy. I didn’t let myself hope, but I went up to them anyway. It was them. Somehow we had gotten moved to the same town without us even knowing.91

We’ve never been apart since.92