Grey - A Kotlc Story

Secrets and Sleuths

All four heads turned to look behind Sophie, where an Imparter was buzzing from its place on the solid marble countertop.

"Oh," Sophie exclaimed. "That's mine!" She stood up, walked up to the counter and picked up the square crystal. When she saw the name that was hailing her, her brown eyes widened with fear. "I... um... will be right back. I just have to answer this..." Then she hurried out of the kitchen into the next room. Asia looked at her father, who's normally smiling face was now worried. He seemed to be preoccupied in his thoughts, probably trying to feel Sophie's emotions from the other room. Asia squinted her eyes. What was going on? It wasn't normal for her mother to be afraid of anything...

"What was that all about?" she queried, still looking pointedly at her father. Keefe shook as he snapped out of his thoughts.

"Umm... what?" He stuttered.

"I said, what's that all about?" In seconds, Asia had gotten up from her seat and was now standing with her arms crossed across her chest, on her face a look of "are-you-going-to-tell-me-or-do-I-have-to-find-out-myself?"

"Oh... nothing, nothing." Keefe shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Then he dropped his voice to a whisper which he thought she wouldn't hear and muttered "I hope..." He looked back up to Asia, who looked unconvinced. "Don't you have to get to school? Come on, up to the Leapmaster!" Keefe got up and started to pull Asia up the staircase, motioning for Nathan to follow behind. Nathan frowned.

"Oh, come on!" He exclaimed. "I didn't even get to finish my butterblasts!" But nonetheless, he stood up and trailed the two all the way up to the third floor, where their Leapmaster 15,000 was located. Asia and Nathan walked up to the glass chandelier together, bellowing "FOXFIRE!" in unison. For a split second, all stood still. Then, the sun's rays gleamed through the glass windows and the Leapmaster, making the room radiate bright yellow. Then, all of a sudden, the light disappeared. And where once stood Asia and Nathan, now was just air. Keefe let out an exasperated sigh.

"Finally," He murmured. Then, he ran out of the Leapmaster room and down the two sets of stairs back into the kitchen calling, "Sophie! Sophie! Where are you?!" the entire way down. When he stepped into the kitchen, he saw Sophie sitting back at the kitchen island, her head buried in her hands. "Sophie...?" he asked softly. "What's wrong?"

Sophie looked up at him, her brows furrowed and her brown eyes appearing both confused and angry. She cleared her throat and in a voice no louder than a whisper said, "It's happening again."