victory appears impossible
on the fields of Pelennor
after Aslan’s death
but at least
they knew where
to begin
“But where do
we start?”
Evan repeats
“He could be
anywhere”
“If we’re operating
under the assumption
of foul play, I suggest—“
“What do chickens
have to do with it?”
Renee blinks
“No,”
I chuckle
“I mean, if
Arkn was kidnapped,
we have to assume
he’s somewhere
no one would look”
“Clear as mud,”
Mandy mutters
“No, think about
Frodo and the Ring
Sauron wouldn’t dream
of destroying it
So, Frodo succeeded.
We have to think
backwards
Where wouldn’t
Arkn be?”
“Under the bed,”
Evan teases
Renee kneels down
lifts the dust ruffle
“A cardboard box…
a pen…an earring…”
Grace joins her
“Lots of dust bunnies…”
Mandy burrows
into my closet
Evan looks
behind the door
it opens
“Bailey,
did you know
that Admiral Nelson—“
“James,
I don’t
care.
Share your
useless info
elsewhere!”
I shake my head
“Put on
socks first,”
he demands
I rummage
in my drawer
pull out a pair
shove them on
“Happy now?”
He shuffles out.
“Puberty,”
I mutter
“Now, back
on topic
We should
look for Arkn
The one place
that’s too obvious
The memory room
I read a book once
where someone was
hidden
in an invisible castle
in an empty field
We should think
like that”
Mandy shakes
her head
“I’m weird,
but not that weird.
We’ll need you—“
“But Bailey
can’t come,”
Grace blushes
“Remember?”
I deflate
“Then we’ll need
a portable webcam
and a cellphone”
“I have a cell”
Mandy says
“But a portable webcam?”
“Get one from
the memory room”
Evan suggests
“What do you
have in mind?”
I try
to wink
failed
“And get some
armor and
weapons too”
Evan steps in
comes out
with camo vests
pistols
oh, and a
webcam
“I was thinking
swords
But you’re
right
Renee,
can you shoot?”
“No”
“Stick with me”
Mandy grins
“I’ve got
your back”
After some
fiddling
we had
the webcam
strapped to a vest
and streaming
“We’ll keep
the cell on”
Renee promises
“You may need
to call me again,”
I quip
“If anything happens
to the streaming
I’ll yell
bloody murder!”
Mandy adjusts her vest
“Don’t worry
we’ll be careful”
Grace adjusts
the webcam
“I’ll make
sure it’s good”
Evan grabs
a pistol
“I’m ready!”
“Can you get
hurt
in the memory room?”
Renee asks
“Well
don’t find out”
I scold
“If anything goes
wrong
get out!”
Mandy steps
through the wall
“Let’s go!”
Evan
Renee
Grace follow
Grace turns to me
“What if we can’t?
What if
we get stuck?”
Her words
hang behind
as she vanishes