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“Come back! You have to get ready for the ceremony!” shouted a Watcher, trying to lure me to them.
I creeped down the road until I couldn’t see their shadow. I turned a corner and started running. A hoot of delight escaped my mouth. I raced down the narrow streets and alleys that I knew so well. I expected that by the time the Watcher turned the corner I had disappeared around, I was already halfway across the city.
I saw the small, eager faces of my accomplices peek out of doorways and around corners. I shouted to them and they scattered to set up traps, tricks and barricades to stop any Watchers following me. I headed for the bells near the church, rang them, and then headed to the swamp fort.
It was near sunset by the time that everyone had gathered. I told them we needed to make a battle plan.
“So tomorrow night there’ll be a ceremony held in the ballroom for my coronation, ” I said, “Jamie and Jackie; it’ll be your job to go to my room, get me clothes like I’m wearing right now, and hide ‘em somewhere outside the mansion. Belle, Harris, and Zoe; you need to make a distraction, so that Jess and Frank can help me escape. After we get out we’ll find the clothes, I’ll change into ‘em and then we all get to a tree house and Zipp across to the swamp. We’ll take roll and then we go an’ cause some mayhem,” I concluded.
“What if one a’ us gets caught?” asked the youngest in the group, Hannah.
“Well, we’ll go on a rescue mission,” I said. “An’ if you do get caught, use these radios to call us,” I said and handed out small radios that I had gotten at a fair.
“Now you all go home and get some good rest,” I said as I watched everyone leave.
Before I made for home, I reset all the traps around the fort. I started walking to the mansion but decided to run to a tree house and Zipp into my room. One of the great things about the Zipps was that even if the adults could get up to them, they wouldn’t be able to Zipp to a tree house. The Zipps were built for kids and adults were too heavy.
The reason why not even my parents could get to my room is that it’s in the attic. There was a staircase to go up there and I filled the place with traps. My favorite is the trip wire that shoots a suction tip arrow at you. And, about two feet away from my door, was a trapdoor and if you didn’t know where it is, you’d crash into an underground lake I discovered when I was making it. I decided to line the walls with stone and you had to find the loose one. If you pushed it, the water will get deeper, but if you pulled it, the wall would open and you could get out.
“Kendra, darling, come down,” shouted my mother.
“Coming!” I yelled back. I pulled off my dirty jeans and tank-top. I decided to wear the dress my grandmother had gotten me. It was very old fashioned, but my parents liked it. I pulled it on with a grunt. It was way too small. I jogged until I arrive at the large, metal doors that lead into the main hall. I straightened my dress and attempted to smooth my frizzy hair. I pushed on the doors and they were immediately opened by the guards standing on either side of the door. I walked into a high-ceilinged, brightly-lit hall, the size of the town square. There were long tables in it and chairs were around them that were filled with people. At the end of the hall, there was a raised dais on which my parent’s thrones rested(along with mine.) They beckoned and I trotted up the middle aisle as quickly as possible. When I got to the dais, I curtsied before stepping to my slightly smaller throne and sitting down. My father stood and opened his arms.
“Friends! Welcome! Tonight is the last night that my daughter will be only a princess. Tomorrow is her coronation in which she will officially be the heir to the kingdom of Caradon,” he announced.
My eyes swept through the crowd, picking out friends, family, and other nobles. I saw my grandmother smiling at me and then nothing.
“Darling, are you alright?” I heard my mother say. I slowly opened my eyes to see my parent’s faces.
“Yeah, I’m good. How long was I out?” I asked after my parents relaxed a bit.
“Well, we figured you had been asleep for nearly the whole thing,” said my father in his deep, echoing voice.
“Why?” I asked.
“Well, you could have been exhausted after that run from the Watcher,” my mother started.
“Or it could have been something else,” my father finished.
“Well, either way, I just have one question. How did you guys get to my room?” I said after I had looked at the roughly painted ceiling for a full minute.
“Well, your father fell down your trapdoor and I brought you in,” explained my mother.
“Okay. What time is it?” I asked.
“It’s around 9:00,” replied my father.
“If you don’t mind, I’m gonna go to bed,” I said, getting up.
“Alright. If you need anything just come down,” said my mother as she walked out the door.
I pulled on my blue nightgown and climbed into my four-poster bed. I was asleep in seconds, though it didn’t do any good. I woke with a start. Someone was rapping on my balcony doors. It’s one of the kids, I told myself as I got up and opened the glass doors. All I saw was the face of a Watcher and then everything was dark.
Someone was shaking me.
“Wake up!” they whispered. I opened my eyes to gaze up at a girl’s face. She was about the same age as me. She glanced from my face to look at something else, but immediately returned to my face. I sat up and found I was on a small heap of straw, lying against a stone wall. We were in a dark chamber. On the other side of the room, there was another heap of straw. Beside the large, metal door there was a lamp and a clock. I looked at the girl. She had long, dark, frizzy hair just like me. She also had the same dark brown eyes as me. She was wearing jeans, a black tank-top, and a denim jacket. I was still in my nightgown, but there was a pile of clothes on a stone bench that matched hers.
“Come on. You gotta change into them clothes before they call everyone down.” she said urgently.
“Who are you? What do you mean “they”?” I asked, very confused.
“I’m Hugo Jordan. What’s your name? As for who; the Watchers.” said Hugo.
“I’m Kendra Caradon. Where are we?” I asked.
“We’re in one of the cells. The Watchers kidnap kids, mostly nobles, and they keep us here in these cells. They feed us and stuff, but every time they call us down, someone new’s here. I ‘spose you’re the someone.”
“Why do they kidnap us?”
“Well, they’re tryin' ta find two people. Twins, is what everyone says. Usually they put ya with someone you look like. But, if you don’ look like anyone, you get put in your own cell or go with someone who don’ look like anyone either.” She quickly explained as I put on the clothes. They fit me perfectly.
“So, are Watchers everywhere? Not just the kingdom?” I asked.
“That’s what they say. Every time someone new comes, they tell us that they’re collecting more an’ more from all over the world,” She said. A bell sounded.
“That’s the call. We better get going.” She walked over to the door, tapped 5 times and whispered, “Watchers are watching.” The door swung open and she beckoned for me to follow. We were joined by two boys, but they had on white t-shirts and black leather jackets.
“This here’s Jack and Andy. They got caught along with me. This is Kendra,” Hugo explained as we walked down halls.
“Hi, Kendra. What were you?” asked Andy.
“I was a princess, and yesterday I was ‘sposed to become the heir to my kingdom, Caradon, but last night one of the Watchers in my city kidnapped me,” I quietly explained as we were joined by more and more kids. A lot of them looked like twins, but there were subtle differences between them. I caught sight of a few that didn’t look like anyone else.
They all turned a corner into a hall that resembled the one at home. Accept there were only tables that were meant for two. There were Watchers everywhere in here. Everyone sat down with their cellmate at tables. Hugo led me to one in the corner. Jack and Andy sat at a table close to ours.
There were five Watchers on a raised dais at the end of the hall. The Watcher in the center stood and there was silence.
“Children! You have a new companion to meet! Please, stand up, Kendra Caradon!” He sat and all eyes turned on me. I stood up for a few seconds and then sat down. The Watcher stood again.
“Kendra has been put with Hugo. Tomorrow night there will be another call for we have located another child. Now, if you’ll just follow our directions,” he never got to finish his sentence.
“We’ll never follow your directions!” shouted a girl who had stood up on her table. She had black hair that was made into many small braids. She had fierce eyes that never left the Watchers face. “We’ll never help you! We’ll never do as you tell us! We’ll never ever in a million years do anything for you!” she screamed. Anger flashed across the Watchers face, but he remained calm. He waved his hand and two Watchers came out of the shadows and made to grab her.
“No!” she yelled. She started kicking, hitting, biting, scratching, and screaming. Her table mate started fighting too.
“Hard fighters.” I whispered to Hugo, except she wasn’t there. She had joined in with the fighting. Andy was standing beside me, holding out his hand.
“Join me?” Is all he asked. Instead of taking his hand, I stood up and pulled out the dagger that I had found under the stone bench. I jumped into the fray before Andy could even close his mouth from shock. Several Watchers fell to my weapon, but then I was surrounded. The Watchers had left the girl that had started the fighting. They realised they had a more dangerous enemy. The Watcher that had been talking came down from the dais.
“Kendra, really? Causing mayhem on your first day? My, my you really are like what your maid said you were. A caged animal.” he sighed. “I really didn’t want to do this on your first night, but I guess I have to.” He turned to the group behind him. “Tonight, we will have another call, but only for Kendra and Hugo,” the Watcher stepped away.
It was clear that the assembly had ended. Everyone surged back into the hall and off into the branches of cells. Hugo and I walked in silence to our cell. When we arrived, Hugo tapped 5 times and whispered, “Watchers are watching.” The door opened and we walked in. She sat down on her straw and I sat on mine.
“Sorry,” I said. It echoed in the darkness.
“It’s not your fault. Joanna knew how much everyone wanted ta fight and she reacted,” Hugo sighed.
“Do ya know what they’re gonna do to us?” I asked.
“No. No one’s ever got a call like that. I don’t think they’re gonna do anything ta me, but they’re gonna make me come anyway. Whenever they have tests on one kid, they make their cellmate come too,” she said. She stood up and walked over to me.
“I think we might be the twins they’re looking for,” she said, looking into my eyes. “That means, no matter what, we have to stay together and help each other,” she said. The call sounded. “We better go otherwise they’ll come here.” Hugo made for the door.
“Can I try this time?” I asked. She moved aside. I tapped 5 times and whispered, “Watchers are watching.” The door opened. Hugo led the way. It looked like we were going to the hall, but she turned left into a smaller passage. This one wasn’t lit very well. We walked for awhile in silence.
Finally, when we came to a door, we stopped.
“Remember, we’re sticking together,” Hugo whispered before knocking softly on the door.
“Come in,” said a muffled voice. Hugo tapped 5 times and whispered “Watchers are watching.” Nothing happened.
“My dear, this is a normal door. Grasp the handle, turn, and push,” came the muffled voice again. Hugo followed the directions and we shuffled into a room about the size of a classroom. The 5 Watchers that had been on the dais were now sitting around a table.
“Sit down,” said the Watcher at the head, indicating the two chairs in separate corners of the room.
“It’s fine. We’ll stand,” said Hugo, edging closer to me.
“Sit down,” said the Watcher in a firmer tone.
“I said we’re fine,” said Hugo in the same tone.
“How about we ask your mate about it,” he said.
“We’ll stand,” I said immediately.
“Very well. Now, about earlier today, Kendra. I know that Joanna triggered a lot of children to fight, but none killed. Other than you. Kendra, where did you find that dagger?” asked the Watcher.
I looked at Hugo and she nodded. I should tell the truth.
“Under the stone bench in our cell,” I stated.
“You didn’t bring it and someone didn’t give it to you?” he asked.
“No and no. I found it before the call sounded and I took it. I thought it might be useful. I proved myself right,” I said.
“Put them in the Keep.” said the Watcher. Four Watchers grabbed us from behind.
“Hugo knows about the Keep because she’s been there before. It’s time you know too,” he said as he watched us be carried out the door. We were carried all the way to a small door; the Watchers were too big to get through. One of them opened it and we got shoved through. I got up and looked around. It was as big as the room we had just been in. There was a large heap of straw against one wall and a lamp near the door. It was filled with silver instruments.
Hugo was on the floor, running her fingers over cracks.
“Don’t touch those. They mess with your head. Help me find the loose one,” she said, already searching the walls.
“So, you’ve been here before?” I asked as I went to the opposite wall.
“Several times,” she replied without hesitation. Hugo stopped. She was studying a stone that was darker than the rest. She pushed on it and the lamp went out. I heard a rumble and then light filled the room. I saw one of the walls had been replaced with a corridor. Hugo had already started down it. I ran to catch up.
“How did you know that was the stone?” I asked.
“The stones around it have been rubbed so many times they were lighter than it. And the block was darker because it had never been rubbed,” she explained. We came upon two doors on opposite sides of the corridor.
“They’re trying to separate us again. You open the left, I’ll open the right,” Hugo sighed. We took up our positions and opened them at the same time. A roar issued from my door and a tongue of flame blasted onto the door at the end of Hugo’s door. I slammed the door shut. Hugo beckoned. We walked toward the door that had been melted at the end of the hallway. We stepped through it, careful to avoid the hot edges and light assaulted our eyes. We had opened a door into the gathering hall. It was behind the dais. There was a gathering in session. Hugo and I searched the crowd for Jack and Andy. We found them at their regular table.
“Do you still have that dagger?” Hugo whispered.
“Yeah.” I replied.
“Good. We’ll sneak up behind the head Watcher and poof, he’ll be gone. Then everyone will be free,” she explained.
“Hopefully, they’ll have enough common sense not to point us out,” I said as we crept up onto the dais. The hall was silent. A glint caught my eye and I saw Joanna was tied behind one of the Watchers. I realised the glint in her pants was a dagger like mine. I crept over to her and cut her ropes. I gestured toward the head Watcher and then to her dagger. She nodded and the three of us moved silently toward the Watcher.
Once I was directly behind the Watcher, I beckoned for Joanna to move behind the Watcher in purple robes. Hugo got in position to pounce on anyone if they made any quick movements. I counted 1,2,3 on my fingers and on the moment after three we went into action. Joanna and I grasped our Watchers around the necks and pressed our blades to their throats. Hugo pushed two of the Watchers onto the table, held them down with her knees and grasped the third. Several children gasped and then a deathly silence descended onto the hall. Jack and Andy were the first to move. They ran forward to the dais and held the two Watchers that Hugo had under her knees.
A collective cheer rose up from the children and they surged forward. They started jostling and hitting the Watchers.
“Be quiet! We need to get these Watchers somewhere they can’t get out,” Hugo shouted.
“How about their meeting room? I saw a lock and it’s a regular door.” I suggested. Hugo nodded and we made our way to the wooden door. We made sure there wasn’t anywhere they could get out and then locked them in.