A Discovery

A Chapter by Katherine

A glimmer of moonlight shone on a window on the roof of a suburban home. It streamed into the attic, where boxes piled high surrounded a chest middle of the floor. A series of dark blue, purple, and pink flashes came from within, gleaming through the rim and keyhole. Inside laid a glaring book!

The story began in the small town of Paloma Falls. Kacie Tennant brushed her golden-brown hair before her oval standing flip mirror, heard the doorbell ring, ding dong. She ran downstairs, opened the door for her two friends, Darcy, and Holley, joined the family for breakfast as they did every morning.

On their way to the kitchen, Kacie’s father approached them in the living room.

“Kacie, by any chance, do you know where my records are?” Her father, asked.

“No, I don’t,” Kacie answered.

“Can you look for them?” he asked.

“Sure,” Kacie answered.

“And we can help,” Darcy offered and Holley agreed with a smile.

The girls went upstairs to a carpeted hallway leading to an arched door. Kacie opened it, and the stairs creaked as they walked up them to the attic.

Sunlight streamed through the window, spotlighting everything in the room. Kacie went up to a box full of tea sets and put it down next to the milk crate of records. She noticed her grandmother’s chest, a wooden trunk with aqua blue paper and purple flowers. Kacie knelt in front of the trunk and opened the lid. There were boxes of jewelry, notebooks, clothes, and many intricate items. It used to belong to Kacie’s grandmother, Charalayne, who had died the summer before.

Stuffed in the chest were the items Kacie’s grandmother had wanted to keep. Kacie’s grandmother was an extraordinary person, had collected valuables from her travels. She had told her many stories of her adventures around the world.

Darcy and Holley rummaged through the chest, Kacie picked up a black-and-white photo of her grandmother and two others she didn’t recognize. Their arms are around each other, and they were wearing smiles on their faces. On the back of the image written three names: Charalayne, Ada, and Arthur. Kacie put the picture in her dress’ outside pocket and continued digging through the chest.

Darcy took out a large, chunky brown book. The papers inside had burned edges, had deteriorated from age. Engraved in black at its center was a wand. A spoon and magnifying glass crossed the wand like an X. Under the logo, engraved in gold, read The Generation.

“I never saw this book before. I never knew my grandmother owned this,” Kacie said, confused. “I’ll give my dad his records, and we can come back for the chest,” Kacie added.

“Sounds like a plan,” Holley agreed. Kacie picked up the milk crate, and went downstairs to the living room. Where her dad was reading the newspaper on the couch. Kacie put down the milk crate on the glass table.

“Thank you,” Kacie’s father said.

“You’re welcome,” she replied.

The girls returned to the attic to bring down the chest to Kacie’s room. Kacie and Holley plopped the trunk on the bed and dove back in to explore the treasures of the past.

Holley found a mahogany, clunky, flower-patterned box. She lifted the magnetic flip-lock, revealing its strange contents of cork jars, labeled of weird unheard spices! Darcy took out the book they found earlier in the attic, flipped it open, and a paper fell out. “Hey, look, there’s a paper inside,” Darcy announced. Kacie took the paper, unfolded it, and read its contents:

“Dear Kacie, Holley, and Darcy,

I’m giving the three of you this book, The Generation. If you’re reading this, it means you’ve found it, and you’re ready to take on the responsibility that comes with it. The three of you are unique, more than you know. Each of you comes from a magical bloodline. Holley, you’re a Wizard uses pure magic. Darcy, you’re a Detective who can see clues no one else can, and Kacie, you’re a Mysterious One with a magical secret. I’ve left a trail of my poems to get you started on your magical journey. But I must warn you of the dangers that come along with it. So, I want the three of you to be careful and wish you the best of luck.

All the best,

Gama C”

When Kacie was eight years old, she couldn’t say “grandma” and called her Gama C instead. Since then, everyone in the family had called her that.

“Breakfast is ready,” a male voice called out.

“Perfect timing. I’m hungry,” Darcy said.

The girls went downstairs to the kitchen. Slade, Kacie’s older brother, was cooking breakfast.

Kacie, Darcy, and Holley sat at the table where Kacie’s parents were. Her parents were busying themselves with their iPhones, scrolling and texting. Finally, Slade put down a plate of blueberry chocolate pancakes on the table, and everyone dug in. Once the girls finished cleaning Slade’s mess, Kacie approached her brother. “Thanks, bro, for breakfast.”

“You’re welcome,” he answered.

The girls returned upstairs to Kacie’s room and sat on her bed. Kacie took her grandmother’s letter, stared at it, longingly. I wish she was here. Kacie thought.

“You, okay?” Holley asked her.

“Yeah, I miss my grandmother,” Kacie answered.

“I have an idea. Your grandmother mentioned in the letter she left poems behind for us. We should find them. That’s going to bring you closer to her, even though she’s not with us,” Darcy said from Kacie’s right.

“I like that idea. Okay, let’s do it,” Kacie said as her face lit up.

“But how are we supposed to find these poems exactly? Are there any riddles to find them?” Holley asked.

“No, there aren’t. Gama C always hid her poems when I was younger, and I always found them. It’s like I knew where it was,” Kacie said.

“Where do you think the first poem is?” Darcy asked.

“In the kitchen, under the crockpot.”

“How do you do that?” Darcy asked, amazed.

“No idea,” Kacie replied.

The girls go back downstairs to the kitchen. Kacie’s parents had already left, and Slade was still at the table, eating breakfast while reading a book. Kacie approached the corner of the counter near the stove and the sink, where the crockpot was. Holley and Darcy covered her back, ensuring Slade wasn’t looking, like bodyguards. Kacie lifted one side of the crockpot, removed a piece of paper from under it, and put it back down. She turned around, and Holley and Darcy followed her to the living room. They sat on the couch, and Kacie put the paper on the glass table for them to see.

It was a lavender - square paper. It had a border decorated in all shades of purple flowers, her grandmother’s trademark. Kacie read the poem:

Mystery Poem

Find what’s kept under your feet, a place cold and deep.

A place to protect, you won’t regret.

Somewhere we go, nights will show. Let the fireflies lead the way.

To a path unknown and swept away.

“What does this mean?” Holley asked, wondering.

“There’s something familiar about this poem,” Kacie said, with an inkling of recognition.

“Do you know what it means?” Darcy asked her.

“I do.” A light bulb switched in Kacie’s mind. “A path and fireflies. I remember my grandmother taking me to Kent Mayview Park,” she realized.

“Which means we need to get to the park,” Darcy said.

Kacie got up from the couch and called out, “We’re going to the park.”

“Okay, have fun,” Slade called back from the kitchen. The three of them headed out, and Kacie locked up behind them.

The trio arrived at Kent Mayview Park. There was swing sets, monkey bars, slides, ladders, and a roundabout on a carpet of sand. Large rocks kept it from spilling out, and the rest was a forest of trees.

“We’re missing something,” Darcy said, as she thought.

“What is it?” Holley asked her.

“The poem said fireflies. Fireflies come out at night, not during the day,” Darcy answered.

“You’re right,” Kacie realized.

“We have to come back here at night,” Holley said.

“Exactly. Here’s the plan. We’ll come here at eleven-thirty tonight,” Kacie suggested.

“Perfect, we’ll sneak out and meet here,” Holley confirmed.

“Good thinking.”

“I don’t like the sound of this. Do we have to?” Darcy asked.

“Yes,” Kacie told her, in a telling her what to do tone.

Darcy sighed, and had to roll with the situation, even though she didn’t want to. Instead of going forward, the girls swung on the swings and spun on the roundabout for a while. After, Holley offered to go to their favorite, famous, local cafe, Mal n Grove to get some drinks.

As the girls passed by the long window of the cafe, its name Mal n Grove written dark gold at its center in large cursive. Plants in a single file against the stone wall were below the window on the ground. Darcy pushed the door open, and as it did, a bell attached above the door jingled. Darcy held the door for her friends, entered the cafe and let go of the door closing on its own. Inside, had red velvet walls. Dark walnut, wooden planked floor. And bookshelves lined the walls, like a bookstore.

The girls approached the counter where small showcases on a larger one under them. Filled with treats. Muffins, scones, cookies, brownies, croissants, donuts, and cupcakes. And the town’s favorite chocolate chunk, raspberry Biscotti. Behind the counter was a tall man who wore an apron around his waist. His hair was graying, and had gray-blue eyes. He wore a blue, checkered, buttoned shirt, jean pants, and a warm smile on his face when he saw the girls.

“Good morning, girls. What can I get you?” He asked them.

“Good morning, Uncle Henry. We’ll take our usual drinks,” Kacie placed their order.

“Sure, have a seat. It will be ready soon.”

The girls sat down at a table, as people came in and out of the café, ordering their afternoon coffees. Henry approached the girls’ table and held a tray of two glasses and a mug. Holley got a glass of lemonade, Darcy a glass of iced tea, and Kacie a decaf coffee. The girls talked and sipped their drinks, paid and returned to Kacie’s house.

Back at the house, the girls took out many games to play in the living room on the carpet. Battleship, trivial pursuit, monopoly, checkers. Headbands, heads up, charades, jeopardy, and Clue. As the sun gradually set to evening then night.

Slade made dinner for the whole family plus friends. He made a three-course meal of fried spring rolls with lemon sauce. Teriyaki turkey steak. Family sweet potato cheese pot pie, and a smoothie ice cream cake for dessert. After a great feast, the girls cleaned the kitchen. Darcy spilled the teriyaki sauce all over the floor when getting more for her steak. Holley and Kacie gave her the nickname Miss Always Breaking Things Darcy, as clumsy as she could get.

Once the kitchen was cleaned, the girls huddled in the living room for a chat. “Remember, eleven-thirty tonight at Kent Mayview Park.” Holley began and looked at Darcy with a “you better be there” look.

“I’ll be there. I like my sleep,” Darcy said.

“Don’t worry, Darcy. You’ll get plenty of sleep. Who knows what we’ll find!” Kacie said as if there was treasure awaiting them.

“Great, I’ll see you there later,” Holley said.

Kacie followed Holley and Darcy out the door, locked it. The two went separate ways to their homes, and Kacie went up to her room. She dressed into her pink t-shirt and purple-black tiger-striped pajamas. Flipping through the pages of The Generation book. Sitting up against her pillows on her bed til eleven - twenty flipping through the pages of The Generation Book.

Kacie noticed the time on her digital clock on her night table, got up. She put on her shoes, a gray hoodie, and put her phone in her sweater pocket. She turned off her lamplight, then approached the window bench. Pressed down the gold handles, opened the window doors wide. Kacie climbed onto the screwed-in ladder down to the garden, met her friends at Kent Mayview Park, where Holley and Darcy waited for her.

“Hey guys,” Kacie began.

“Perfect, we’re all here,” Holley said. Holley wore a pink t-shirt with a panda on it and panda printed feet pants, a violet sweater, and shoes.

“Let’s get this done, we follow the fireflies.” Darcy said. She wore a white tank - top tucked in her fatigue army pants, a light gray sweater, and white patterned slip-on shoes.

To the forest, the three of them followed the fireflies hovered in a curved line above their heads. At the end of the firefly trail, the girls saw an arched, deep - brown door in a mountainside. Kacie grabbed the silver latch, pulled it open. A firefly flew above them and lit a light upon stairs going down. Kacie went first down the cemented stairs, next Darcy, then Holley.

They stepped onto the hard floor at the end of the steps. The underground chamber lit up by a fire inside torches in the walls. The door slammed closed, and the three of them jumped at the sound.

“Look, on the wall,” Holley pointed in front of them, dropped her hand by her side. On the wall was the magnifying glass, spoon, and wand logo. The same on the book they found earlier. The three of them stared at it in awe and thought the same thought, how’s this possible?

“Whoa!” Darcy stared at the logo, blown away.

“There’s text under it,” Kacie saw, as she approached the wall, read the text aloud:

“A Detective Can Solve and Find Clues. A Wizard Can Use Pure Magic. And the Mysterious One Is a Mystery Itself.”

“I understand what it meant about how a Detective can find clues,” Darcy said, as she looked around.

“What do you mean?” Holley asked.

“I noticed some drawings on the torches,” Darcy answered.

“You know you’re good at noticing things that Holley and I don’t see,” Kacie told Darcy.

“Thanks. I saw there’s a snake, a wand, and a key. Holley, yours is the wand, left wall, mine is the key. Kacie yours is the snake, right wall.”

“Darcy, what’s going on?” Kacie asked her, confused.

“We have to reveal something hidden in the room. My best guess is that we have to turn the torches to unlock what’s hidden.” Darcy answered.

The girls took their position near their torches. Darcy went to the left wall, front of Holley.

“Darcy, I’m confused,” Holley said from behind her.

“Oh, come on, am I the only one who knows this!?” Darcy exclaimed, sighed, and continued. “I’ll explain myself. Once we turn the torches, the something hidden will reveal itself.”

“How do you know all this?” Kacie asked her.

“Treasure hunt movies. Indiana Jones, National Treasure, The Treasure of Sierra Madre, Allan Quatermain. There’s always a part when the characters have to do something at the same time. Speaking of, we were in the middle of doing that.”

“Right, what are we supposed to do again?” Holley asked.

“Turn the torch forward,” Darcy answered. “By the count of three. One. Two. Three.”

Each of them turned the torch forward at once. The wall split the wand in half, opened like an elevator, revealed the hidden room within the chamber. A large oval, mahogany, table at the center, and bookshelves covered the walls. Kacie approached the table and saw another poem and an envelope. She sat down on a chair at the end of the table. Holley and Darcy pulled out a chair and sat down. Kacie read the poem out loud:

Mystery Poem

You have found The Underground Archive.

Next, you’ll find something to unlock.

Four walls inside made of wood, not pine.

You can hide a secret inside, shut closed, and block it.

The magic you touch to your neck. Three become one and mark a check.

“What does this mean?” Darcy asked.

“I’m not sure,” Kacie answered.

“It’s late. Besides, it’s hard to think at night. So, let’s leave it at that and figure it out tomorrow,” Holley said as she got up from the chair and pushed it in.

Kacie and Darcy got up, pushed in their chairs. Darcy took the envelope, followed the others out of the room. “Here, don’t forget this,” Darcy gave Kacie the envelope. The three of them walked up the stairs to the door, it flung open wide on its own. Walking out of the near-end Summer fresh air of the night, the girls split up in different directions to their homes.

Kacie arrived home, climbed up the ladder, and crawled onto her window bench in her room. The moment she entered, crouched on the cushioned seat; a lamp light turned on. She looked up to see her parents with crossed arms and stern eyes were in her room.

“Where did you go, young lady?” Her mother, Veronica, stared at her in disappointed, demanding to know.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I woke up Holley and Darcy to check our time capsules were okay, that’s all.” Kacie lied. Her mother smiled. Veronica let go of her crossed arms, and so did Kacie’s father.

“It’s okay. But don’t leave the house without telling me. That’s the golden rule.” Kacie’s mother told her.

“Got it,” Kacie replied and understood.

“Come down for the last hot cocoa for the summer,” Kacie’s father, Bradley said.

Kacie and her parents joined Slade on the front porch for their late-night drink. It’s a tradition they kept every summer, and now it’s ending. Once they finished their late-night drink, Kacie went up to her room, slipped under her covers of her bed. Her lamp light was on, flipped through The Generation book for a while. Exploring the intriguing contents until she fell asleep.