Books in Progress
Fraternal twins Max and Wynnie are determined to find out the secret behind the mysterious black book in their grandma’s attic. Is it a spellbook? Is grandma a witch?
What they didn’t expect, was that the book held a secret portal. A portal to the lost island, they have heard stories about.
Should they go through the portal or get their grandma?
One
Max should have opened it when he had the chance. Instead, he’d hidden it. He’d been going crazy the last two weeks with a million possibilities of what could be inside it. Ugh! He wanted to scream. It was his own fault; he panicked when dad showed up early to pick him and Wynnie up. The wait was almost over though.
His fingertips itched and his body all but vibrated. He rubbed his hands together and grinned. Just one more day and he will be with the book. He waited two whole weeks, and it felt like forever. He just hoped it was still where he and Wynnie hid it.
“You’re thinking about the book aren’t you?” Cayden asked.
Max nodded and grinned at his best friend.
“Yeah, Wynnie and I hid it in the attic, in a box of old clothes. We made sure to put it where grandma won’t find it.”
“Are you going to open it?” Cayden whispered, his brown eyes growing the size of toonies.
Max chuckled and jumped off the edge of the sidewalk. “Yep.”
“Shucks, I wished I didn’t have to go to Aunt Mary’s this weekend. I wanted to see what’s in it.” Cayden kicked a pebble across the street and his thin shoulders sagged.
Max patted Cayden on the back. He knew how much his friend wanted to see the book after Max told him about it. Cayden was as intrigued as Max was. Max couldn’t contain his excitement until his visit to grandma’s tomorrow.
“It’s okay buddy, don’t worry about it. Summer break just started, you have all the time to see it.”
“Really?” Cayden asked, smiling shyly.
“Uh huh, come on I have to finish packing my bag for tomorrow,” Max said tiptoeing on the edge of the sidewalk.
“Are you sure it’s okay to open the book? It might be important,” Cayden frowned scratching his head.
Max paused before continue walking.
“Of course it’s okay to open it. I’m sure it’s important, but if grandma didn’t want us to find it, she wouldn’t have left it in the attic don’t you think?”
He stopped and turned to Cayden, “I told you it looked mysterious and had a golden crest on the front, with intertwined golden feathers in a star. It was even locked, which proves my point. There has to be a secret inside. I need to find out what it is,” he whispered, scanning their surroundings.
“Maybe you guys shouldn’t try and open it. This isn’t one of your puzzles Max. What if it’s something bad?” Cayden whispered eyes widening as he shuffled his feet.
“What’s bad?” Wynnie asked, from behind Max.
Cayden jumped and looked away, a blush touching his brown cheeks. Max sighed as he watched his friend stare at his feet.
Darn it! “Wynnie, where did you guys come from?” Max asked his twin sister.
“Duh, Sam and I were right behind you guys. What were you talking about?” she looked at them a gleam in her brown eyes, while Sam shrugged.
Max rolled his eyes. His twin sister was such a nosy, busy-body sometimes. He sighed, there was no use keeping it from her.
“We were talking about the book.”
“What book?” Sam asked, blowing a bubble with the gum in her mouth.
Each time he saw her she was always chewing the stuff. He wondered if her jaw ever got tired. Wynnie said she would be great for a gum commercial, but Sam wants to be a singer. Max cringed at the thought. The problem with Sam’s singing was that she didn’t know how to carry a tune. Even their dog Biscuit agreed.
“Remember I told you about the old black book Max and I found in grandma’s attic?” Wynnie asked.
“Oh yeah that book, what about it?”
Another bubble popped.
“Never mind, are you already packed,” Max asked his sister, sure he already knew the answer.
She waved her hand at him and shrugged, “what’s the rush, we’re leaving in the morning, I still have time.”
“Do you have to procrastinate for everything?” he asked frowning.
“Come on Sam; let’s go before he starts with one of his lectures.”
He watched them stroll down the street towards the house, and groaned.
“Relax, she’s not like you. You two are like night and day,” Cayden said.
He was right; they were the worst twins ever. Mum and dad said they never synchronized on anything other than eating and pooping when they were babies. They’re always fighting over something and they have different tastes in friends. Cayden was cool. He liked chess and video games and was shy, but he was a good guy. Sam, she was, well she likes singing even though she should give it up, and only thinks about herself and maybe his sister. At this age, he doubted they’ll ever agree on something.
“Hey nerd, if you beat me home I promise to pack my bag now,” Wynnie called out giggling.
Nerd, he’ll show her who’s a nerd.
“Mum said not to call me that,” he shouted, and started running towards the house.
She’ll be in for a surprise, she may have beaten him the last eight times they raced, but he had been training for the last month just for this. He had to beat her. He zipped by her and reached the house first.
Panting, he dropped his backpack on the front steps and peered up at his sister.
“Y-y-you have to pack as promised and stop calling me a nerd.”
“Fine. Nerd,” she giggled going into the house and slamming the door.
“You’re so easy to annoy,” Sam said, gazing at him, her blue eyes mocking before she flipped her long blond hair and followed his sister inside.
Ahhhhhhhhh, darn it, why didn’t he have a twin brother instead!
***
Wynnie pushed her food around on her plate. She hoped Grandma Nora didn’t find where they hid the book. A frown creased her forehead. She wouldn’t have to wait two weeks to find out what’s in the book if it wasn’t for Mr. Bossy pants, who decided to hide the book for later. She would have already read the dang thing.
Max thinks he is the boss just because he was five minutes older. But at least she was a quarter inch taller than he was. Take that nerd.
She stabbed her fork at the broccoli and glared at her brother across the table, wishing it was his head.
What? He mouthed.
Bossy, nerd, she mouthed back.
“Mum, Wynnie’s calling me names again,” he said sticking out his tongue.
Tattletale.
“Dad, Max just stuck his tongue out at me,” two can play this came, dork.
“Kids, you’re twelve, not two. Wynnie, what did I say about calling your brother names? Apologize to him,” mum said.
Max grinned and she glared at him, stabbing the broccoli harder. Yep, she was mentally picturing it was his head.
“Sorry.”
“You’re not off the hook either Max, tell your sister you’re sorry,” mum said.
“Me, she’s the one—”
“Max listen to your mother,” dad said, giving him the ‘I’m not kidding’ stare.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
“Now shake hands,” dad ordered.
Why couldn’t she have a sister? At least she would be cooler than her dork of a brother.
“I’m still waiting,” dad said looking at them.
Sighing, she shook her brother’s hand.
“Truce,” they said in unison.
“Good, now we can go back to our dinner,” mum said smiling.
Mum hated conflict; that’s what dad says anyway. So he always tried to be the peacemaker. It makes mum happy and therefore he’s happy.
“Don’t forget you’re going to grandma’s tomorrow,” mum said.
Wynnie shared a look with Max. How could they forget?
“We know,” they said in unison.
At least they were staying for a week this time, so there was no way mum and dad would come early to pick them up. There was no chance anyone else would interrupt them from finding out what was in the book. She shifted in her seat, tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.
“May I be excused?” she asked.
“Me too?” Max said.
“You haven’t finished your dinner,” mum said frowning.
She and Max rushed and finished their dinner before looking at their parents.
“Now may we please be excused?” they asked in unison.
Mum sighed, “honestly, what am I going to do with you two? What about dessert?”
“Honey, they’re agreeing on something, let them go,” dad said.
“Alright, go,” mum nodded.
“Thanks, mum and dad,” Wynnie said rushing up the stairs to her room.
“Thank you,” she heard Max said from behind her.
When she got to her room, she went to the computer. She spent the last week at the library looking up old books and came across one just like grandmas.
“What are you doing?” Max asked from her bedroom door.
“Didn’t you see the sign?” she pointed. “It says knock first.”
“Your door wasn’t closed,” he said crossing his hands.
Ugh, if only he was a girl. An idea crossed her mind, she wondered if it’ll work. Maybe the book could help. She looked at him, the girls in the newspaper club thought he was cute. Maybe he’ll be cute as a girl too.
She got up and walked to the door and closed it.
“Come here, look at this,” she walked back to the computer and sat at the desk.
“Look at what?” he frowned.
“I found a book online that looks just like grandmas.
He gasped and backed away from the computer shaking his head.
“No, that’s not it, nuh-uh. That says it’s a spell book.”
“I know, but look they have almost the same drawings on the cover, intertwine golden feathers in a star,” she stood and clasped her hands together.
“B-but spell books are for witches. Grandma’s not a witch.”
“Maybe she is.”
“Then then would mean mum—”
“Would be a witch too, isn’t that cool!” she whispered grinning. “Now I really can’t wait to see inside the book.”
“We should ask mum.”
“No way. You’re the guy who likes solving puzzles and mysteries. We need to get evidence first. Mum will only deny it.”
“But—”
“Come on Max, we waited two weeks to see what was inside the book, now we have an idea. We just need the proof then we’ll ask mum about it, that way she won’t be able to lie to us. Isn’t she the one who always says, we need to back up our story with facts?”
“Okay,” he said crossing his arms.
“A spell book, who would have thought? Wouldn’t it be cool if our family were witches and such?”
“You know they burn witches right?” he asked with a glare.
“You’re such a spoilsport. Let me have this moment.”
“Fine, but it’s not a spellbook,” he said leaving the room.
She watched him leave and smiled. Ah, but it would be so perfect if it were, so she can use it to turn him into her twin sister, she giggled.
Two
They were finally here!
The car barely stopped when Wynnie and Max, took off their seatbelts, opened their doors and sprinted up the steps to grandma’s house.
“Hey, what’s the rush,” mum called out.
They turned and glanced at her.
“I missed grandma,” Wynnie said.
“Yeah, I can’t wait to see her,” Max said.
“And I missed you both too,” grandma said coming out of the house.
“Grandma!” they said in unison, jaws dropped wide.
Okay so maybe, she should have thought that out. Grandma must have been at the window waiting for them to arrive. So much for a clean getaway.
“What’s the matter? I thought I heard you both said you missed me?” grandma said lips twitching.
Grandma had nice chocolate brown eyes that shine when she smiled and short curly black hair. Her dark brown skin didn’t have any wrinkles, even though she was the same age as daddy’s mum, Nana Pam.
Wynnie glanced at Max, then back at grandma.
“We did miss you,” she said, giving grandma a hug with one hand while she waved Max to go on with the other.
“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to?” grandma asked Max.
He stopped and gazed at Wynnie and she sighed. Dang it, so much for her plan. Now they were going to be out here forever, while grandma chats with mum and dad.
“Ah—nowhere,” Max said, rubbing the back of his head.
“Where’s my hug?”
Maybe she could slip away while Max hugged grandma and no one will notice. She tiptoed to the front door.
“Wynnie, where do you think you ’re going?” dad asked.
Ugh! It was as if she was trying to get into Buckingham Palace. She turned and trotted to where dad was standing holding her bag.
“Thanks, dad, see you next week.”
“Max here’s your bag,” mum said.
“Thanks mum, see you—”
“Alright, both of you stop where you are,” mum said scowling. “What’s going on? You’ve both been very excited and agreeable this morning.”
“Nothing,” they said quickly in unison.
Mum stared at them then sighed.
“Just behave for grandma,” she said.
They nodded their heads quickly.
“No fighting,” dad said, his blue eyes staring at them like lasers.
Another nod.
“No staying up after bedtime or—are you listening or just nodding?” mum asked.
“Listening,” Wynnie said.
“Nodding,” Max said.
Wynnie elbowed Max in his side. Did he want mum to pack them back in the car and drive them home?
Grandma laughed. Wynnie always liked the sound when she did, it made her feel all warm inside.
“Leave the kiddies alone, Nicole, they’re excited school’s out for the summer. Why don’t you say goodbye to your parents?” grandma asked.
“Bye mum and dad, love you,” Wynnie said hugging them.
Max hugged their parents and they bolted towards the house. Max stopped, pulling on Wynnie’s hand to stop her.
“What now?”
“Wait,” he whispered.
She groaned but did as he said. This better not be one of his bossy tactics.
“Grandma, Wynnie and I are going to the attic to play with one of those old games you showed us, is that okay?”
“Of course, come down for lunch when you’re hungry.”
“Thanks, Grandma,” he said turning to Wynnie. “Now she won’t interrupt us.”
“Clever; nice. I might keep you as my brother after all,” she said rushing up the stairs.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. Let’s take our bags to our rooms and meet back in the hallway in a minute.”
“Okay.”
*
Max went to his room and put his bag on his bed. He was tempted to put his clothes away but knew Wynnie would come charging in if he wasn’t in the hallway. He guessed it wouldn’t hurt just this once if he didn’t put away his clothes before he played.
He frowned as he walked to the hall wondering what Wynnie meant by keeping him as her brother after all.
“Come on slow poke.”
“Darn it, Wynnie, Mum said not to call me names.”
“Fine, let’s go,” she said climbing the stairs to the attic two stairs at a time.
“What‘s the matter?” he asked, wondering why she was standing in front of the attic door. Was she having cold feet after everything? She’d been in such a rush to get here now she wasn’t opening the door.
“Are you scared?” he asked grinning.
Twin pink spots touched her caramel coloured skin. “As if,” she said flipping her long brown curls.
“It’s okay you know, if you are I can go in first.”
“Shut up. I didn’t open the door because I know once we do, there’s no turning back. You were the one who freaked out last night after I showed you the book, maybe you’re the one who’s scared,” she taunted.
Chin up and shoulders back, he glared at her. He wasn’t going to fall for her reverse psychology.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he huffed.
“Okay, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to wet your pants when we opened the book. You’re sure you don’t want to make a run for it?”
“Open the door, Wynnie,” he growled.
Sometimes she can be such a drama queen. He rolled his eyes; he wasn’t in the mood for her dramatics as mum calls it.
When she opened the door, Wynnie went to the box where they hid the book and Max locked the door and followed her.
“Do you think it’s still there?” he asked, helping her pull out the clothes from the box.
“It has to be, or grandma would have said something. Yes!”
She grabbed the book and he put the clothes back into the box.
“It has a lock on it, how do you think it opens?” she asked, resting the book on the coffee table in the corner of the room.
“Let me see,” Max said. He was good at figuring out puzzles; maybe he can find a way to open the book.
Wynnie moved aside and he ran his hands over the book and at the sides. It would be nice if there was a secret compartment in the book holding the key. But even he knew things weren’t that simple.
“What do you think?” she asked wrapping a curl around her finger.
He could tease her now about her being nervous, but he wouldn’t. Instead, he shook his head and picked up the book.
Wynnie squinted and peered closer. “Max, there’s something on the back!”
He turned the book over and glanced at the words and read them.
“I want to help those in need. To right the wrongs that have been done.”
There was a click and they gasped as the lock came undone. They stared at each other and Max put the book on the table. A few seconds past, but all they did was stare at the book. Whatever was in this book could be life-changing. Wynnie took a deep breath and opened the book.
They coughed as a cloud of dust rose up in the air. Max fanned the dust until it was clear again. They looked down at the book; it was full of writing they didn’t understand, so they flipped quickly through it and found a single page with a passage they can read.
“A city of statues, quiet and still, all protection is gone and a curse unleashed. Taken treasure must be returned, to make the city into its glorious form. Who can help, who will help end the silence?” Wynnie read.
There was a whirling noise and an oval light appeared beside them. Max moved and stood in front of Wynnie as they watched the blue and yellow light glow. After a few seconds the light grew and shaped itself into a doorway.
“W-what’s that?” Wynnie whispered from behind him.
He swallowed, looking into the light. What did they just open? He licked his lips moving away from Wynnie, now that he knew nothing was coming out from it.
“It’s a doorway.”
“A doorway?” she asked, her voiced sounding a little high to his ears.
“Yeah, like a portal.”
“There’s something behind it,” she said. “It looks like a—“
“Light or fire.”
“You think someone is on the other side?”
“If there were, they would have come through by now.”
“What should we do? Should we go through it?” Wynnie asked.
“I think we should go,” he said walking to the doorway. He touched it with the tip of his fingers. “Are you coming?”
She looked at the attic door, then back at the portal.
“Are you sure it will be okay?”
“Yeah, give me your hand. As long as we stay together, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Okay,” she said taking his hand.
They walked through the portal and as soon as they were on the other side, it disappeared behind them.
Three
“Max, look the doorway closed. How are we going to get back home?” Wynnie held her breath before letting it out and taking quick deeper ones.
Max touched her shoulder and she jumped.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
She could say she wasn’t frightened, but that would be a lie. She was sure he’ll know it was too. How could he be so calm, when they were just stranded in what looks like— what’s this place anyway? She wondered looking around the stone room.
“Wynnie, I need you to be brave and stay calm. I know you’re scared, but I will get us back home. We got here by reading that passage, I’m sure something is here that can send us home. We just have to find it, okay?”
She looked into his calm, yet serious brown eyes and let out a breath. Even though they didn’t know where they were, she knew he meant it. She might call him names, but apart from mum and dad, he was the person she trusted the most. Not that she would tell him. So she nodded. If there was one person she would rather be stuck on a desert island with, it would be him.
He was very resourceful and always optimistic. He was also great at solving most puzzles. Maybe it was because he was in the chess and mystery clubs at school, but dad said he just had great deduction and strategic skills whatever that meant.
He also had years of camping experience with dad, while she stayed home with mum. Mum doesn’t like camping, she said they invented indoor plumbing for a reason and she didn’t grow up doing it since grandma grew up in the Caribbean. Wynnie just didn’t like it period. She preferred sleeping inside where there aren’t any bugs or bears. But she decided she’ll use the same excuse mum does.
Now she wished she’d gone on some of those camping trips with dad and Max.
She watched as Max started walking towards the light then stopped and turned to look at her.
“Here give me your hand,” he said smiling at her.
When she got out of here she promised not to turn him into a girl. He might be a dork, but he was kind. It was time for her to stop being a baby. If Max can do this, so can she.
Raising her chin, she shook her head. “Thanks, but I’ll be okay. Lead the way.”
“Alright, but stay close.”
She nodded.
They walked to the other room where something was glowing blue on a pedestal in the middle of the room.
Max walked over to it and she stopped him.
“Be careful” she whispered.
“We have to see what it is. It could be something that leads us back home.”
She let him go, taking a shaky breath.
“Max…”
“What?”
“Look on the walls above us,” she said pointing to the old pictures and writings.
Max stopped and glanced up.
“Wow, this is awesome,” he said, spinning around the room looking at each picture, before walking over to where the first one started.
The first picture showed an island surrounded by ten temples. Wynnie stared at it frowning. For some reason, she felt as if she’d seen it before.
“It looks like each temple holds an item that forms a shield around the island,” he pointed, his face lit up with a wide grin.
That too sounded familiar.
“And it shows a glowing compass pointing to them. That glowing thing must be the compass,” he said, snapping his fingers. He was popping with excitement, and couldn’t contain it.
Wynnie’s head snapped up. That’s it; she knew why it sounded like she heard it before. That’s because it was one of her favourite bedtime stories.
“Max, I know where we are!” she said turning him to face her.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, eyes shining.
She knew that look; he was already thinking this was going to be an adventure.
“Look around you, don’t you see it?” she asked wondering how he hasn’t made the connection as yet.
“Wynnie what are you saying?”
It was no use. The moment he realized they were in another land, he had adventure on his mind. She sighed; he can have such a one-track mind when he was interested in something.
“We’re in the story. We’re on the lost island. This is the place grandma used to tell us about in that bedtime story, about the cursed island.”
*
Max shook his head and looked at Wynnie. Could it be true? The moment he realized they were in a strange land, his mind had raced at the possibilities. What were the objects in the temples and would they be able to use the compass. The drawings intrigued him, but as he looked around the walls again and looked at the strange writing, they did look familiar.
He never paid much attention to the stories like Wynnie did, because he thought it was all make-believe. But it was true, Wynnie was right. They were on the lost island.
“How is this possible? I thought it was just a story,” he said looking at her.
“Me too.”
“I guess we need to break the curse before we can leave.”
She nodded, “I guess so, maybe that’s why the book brought us here.”
“That’s what the passage meant.”
“I think so.”
“Remember the story was about an artifact getting taken from one of the temples. With one of the magical artifacts gone the island’s protection failed and a curse descended on it.”
“Alright Wynnie, let’s get the compass. You know the story better than I do, what happens next?”
“The compass should help us find the missing artifact, once we find it and put it back in the right temple, everything should return to the way it used to be,” she said.
“Then we can find a way home,” he said. That sounds like a good plan and an even better adventure.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“Alright I’ll grab the compass,” he said walking over to the pedestal and picking up the compass.
Wynnie was next to him and they both stared at the compass.
“Why does it look odd, shouldn’t it have directions on it like north, south, east, and west?” she asked.
Yeah, he was wondering the same thing.
“It should. It’s what dad’s compass looks like and all the other compasses I’ve seen,” he said frowning.
“Well maybe this isn’t a compass then,” Wynnie said.
“It has to be. The story said it was, and the needle is pointing in that direction. I think this is a special compass that points to the missing artifact.”
“Okay let’s get going. The sooner we get the artifact back to where it belongs, we can go home,” Wynnie said.
They looked around the room and saw a light down a hallway.
“That must be the exit,” Max said as he started down the hallway.
As they approached the end of the hall they could see sunlight and tall grass through an open doorway. When they stepped outside, they let their eyes adjust to the light and could see a large city in the distance that appeared to be taken over by the surrounding jungle. Max looked at the compass and saw that the needle was pointing to a spot just to the right of the city.
“Look, I think we should head over there,” he said pointing in the direction.
“You mean we have to go through that scary jungle?” Wynnie asked as she shivered.
“I guess so. But there must be a road or pathway around here,” Max said nodding and smiling at her. If he wasn’t optimistic for himself he at least had to be for her.
“Right,” she nodded.
What they didn’t expect, was that the book held a secret portal. A portal to the lost island, they have heard stories about.
Should they go through the portal or get their grandma?
One
Max should have opened it when he had the chance. Instead, he’d hidden it. He’d been going crazy the last two weeks with a million possibilities of what could be inside it. Ugh! He wanted to scream. It was his own fault; he panicked when dad showed up early to pick him and Wynnie up. The wait was almost over though.
His fingertips itched and his body all but vibrated. He rubbed his hands together and grinned. Just one more day and he will be with the book. He waited two whole weeks, and it felt like forever. He just hoped it was still where he and Wynnie hid it.
“You’re thinking about the book aren’t you?” Cayden asked.
Max nodded and grinned at his best friend.
“Yeah, Wynnie and I hid it in the attic, in a box of old clothes. We made sure to put it where grandma won’t find it.”
“Are you going to open it?” Cayden whispered, his brown eyes growing the size of toonies.
Max chuckled and jumped off the edge of the sidewalk. “Yep.”
“Shucks, I wished I didn’t have to go to Aunt Mary’s this weekend. I wanted to see what’s in it.” Cayden kicked a pebble across the street and his thin shoulders sagged.
Max patted Cayden on the back. He knew how much his friend wanted to see the book after Max told him about it. Cayden was as intrigued as Max was. Max couldn’t contain his excitement until his visit to grandma’s tomorrow.
“It’s okay buddy, don’t worry about it. Summer break just started, you have all the time to see it.”
“Really?” Cayden asked, smiling shyly.
“Uh huh, come on I have to finish packing my bag for tomorrow,” Max said tiptoeing on the edge of the sidewalk.
“Are you sure it’s okay to open the book? It might be important,” Cayden frowned scratching his head.
Max paused before continue walking.
“Of course it’s okay to open it. I’m sure it’s important, but if grandma didn’t want us to find it, she wouldn’t have left it in the attic don’t you think?”
He stopped and turned to Cayden, “I told you it looked mysterious and had a golden crest on the front, with intertwined golden feathers in a star. It was even locked, which proves my point. There has to be a secret inside. I need to find out what it is,” he whispered, scanning their surroundings.
“Maybe you guys shouldn’t try and open it. This isn’t one of your puzzles Max. What if it’s something bad?” Cayden whispered eyes widening as he shuffled his feet.
“What’s bad?” Wynnie asked, from behind Max.
Cayden jumped and looked away, a blush touching his brown cheeks. Max sighed as he watched his friend stare at his feet.
Darn it! “Wynnie, where did you guys come from?” Max asked his twin sister.
“Duh, Sam and I were right behind you guys. What were you talking about?” she looked at them a gleam in her brown eyes, while Sam shrugged.
Max rolled his eyes. His twin sister was such a nosy, busy-body sometimes. He sighed, there was no use keeping it from her.
“We were talking about the book.”
“What book?” Sam asked, blowing a bubble with the gum in her mouth.
Each time he saw her she was always chewing the stuff. He wondered if her jaw ever got tired. Wynnie said she would be great for a gum commercial, but Sam wants to be a singer. Max cringed at the thought. The problem with Sam’s singing was that she didn’t know how to carry a tune. Even their dog Biscuit agreed.
“Remember I told you about the old black book Max and I found in grandma’s attic?” Wynnie asked.
“Oh yeah that book, what about it?”
Another bubble popped.
“Never mind, are you already packed,” Max asked his sister, sure he already knew the answer.
She waved her hand at him and shrugged, “what’s the rush, we’re leaving in the morning, I still have time.”
“Do you have to procrastinate for everything?” he asked frowning.
“Come on Sam; let’s go before he starts with one of his lectures.”
He watched them stroll down the street towards the house, and groaned.
“Relax, she’s not like you. You two are like night and day,” Cayden said.
He was right; they were the worst twins ever. Mum and dad said they never synchronized on anything other than eating and pooping when they were babies. They’re always fighting over something and they have different tastes in friends. Cayden was cool. He liked chess and video games and was shy, but he was a good guy. Sam, she was, well she likes singing even though she should give it up, and only thinks about herself and maybe his sister. At this age, he doubted they’ll ever agree on something.
“Hey nerd, if you beat me home I promise to pack my bag now,” Wynnie called out giggling.
Nerd, he’ll show her who’s a nerd.
“Mum said not to call me that,” he shouted, and started running towards the house.
She’ll be in for a surprise, she may have beaten him the last eight times they raced, but he had been training for the last month just for this. He had to beat her. He zipped by her and reached the house first.
Panting, he dropped his backpack on the front steps and peered up at his sister.
“Y-y-you have to pack as promised and stop calling me a nerd.”
“Fine. Nerd,” she giggled going into the house and slamming the door.
“You’re so easy to annoy,” Sam said, gazing at him, her blue eyes mocking before she flipped her long blond hair and followed his sister inside.
Ahhhhhhhhh, darn it, why didn’t he have a twin brother instead!
***
Wynnie pushed her food around on her plate. She hoped Grandma Nora didn’t find where they hid the book. A frown creased her forehead. She wouldn’t have to wait two weeks to find out what’s in the book if it wasn’t for Mr. Bossy pants, who decided to hide the book for later. She would have already read the dang thing.
Max thinks he is the boss just because he was five minutes older. But at least she was a quarter inch taller than he was. Take that nerd.
She stabbed her fork at the broccoli and glared at her brother across the table, wishing it was his head.
What? He mouthed.
Bossy, nerd, she mouthed back.
“Mum, Wynnie’s calling me names again,” he said sticking out his tongue.
Tattletale.
“Dad, Max just stuck his tongue out at me,” two can play this came, dork.
“Kids, you’re twelve, not two. Wynnie, what did I say about calling your brother names? Apologize to him,” mum said.
Max grinned and she glared at him, stabbing the broccoli harder. Yep, she was mentally picturing it was his head.
“Sorry.”
“You’re not off the hook either Max, tell your sister you’re sorry,” mum said.
“Me, she’s the one—”
“Max listen to your mother,” dad said, giving him the ‘I’m not kidding’ stare.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
“Now shake hands,” dad ordered.
Why couldn’t she have a sister? At least she would be cooler than her dork of a brother.
“I’m still waiting,” dad said looking at them.
Sighing, she shook her brother’s hand.
“Truce,” they said in unison.
“Good, now we can go back to our dinner,” mum said smiling.
Mum hated conflict; that’s what dad says anyway. So he always tried to be the peacemaker. It makes mum happy and therefore he’s happy.
“Don’t forget you’re going to grandma’s tomorrow,” mum said.
Wynnie shared a look with Max. How could they forget?
“We know,” they said in unison.
At least they were staying for a week this time, so there was no way mum and dad would come early to pick them up. There was no chance anyone else would interrupt them from finding out what was in the book. She shifted in her seat, tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.
“May I be excused?” she asked.
“Me too?” Max said.
“You haven’t finished your dinner,” mum said frowning.
She and Max rushed and finished their dinner before looking at their parents.
“Now may we please be excused?” they asked in unison.
Mum sighed, “honestly, what am I going to do with you two? What about dessert?”
“Honey, they’re agreeing on something, let them go,” dad said.
“Alright, go,” mum nodded.
“Thanks, mum and dad,” Wynnie said rushing up the stairs to her room.
“Thank you,” she heard Max said from behind her.
When she got to her room, she went to the computer. She spent the last week at the library looking up old books and came across one just like grandmas.
“What are you doing?” Max asked from her bedroom door.
“Didn’t you see the sign?” she pointed. “It says knock first.”
“Your door wasn’t closed,” he said crossing his hands.
Ugh, if only he was a girl. An idea crossed her mind, she wondered if it’ll work. Maybe the book could help. She looked at him, the girls in the newspaper club thought he was cute. Maybe he’ll be cute as a girl too.
She got up and walked to the door and closed it.
“Come here, look at this,” she walked back to the computer and sat at the desk.
“Look at what?” he frowned.
“I found a book online that looks just like grandmas.
He gasped and backed away from the computer shaking his head.
“No, that’s not it, nuh-uh. That says it’s a spell book.”
“I know, but look they have almost the same drawings on the cover, intertwine golden feathers in a star,” she stood and clasped her hands together.
“B-but spell books are for witches. Grandma’s not a witch.”
“Maybe she is.”
“Then then would mean mum—”
“Would be a witch too, isn’t that cool!” she whispered grinning. “Now I really can’t wait to see inside the book.”
“We should ask mum.”
“No way. You’re the guy who likes solving puzzles and mysteries. We need to get evidence first. Mum will only deny it.”
“But—”
“Come on Max, we waited two weeks to see what was inside the book, now we have an idea. We just need the proof then we’ll ask mum about it, that way she won’t be able to lie to us. Isn’t she the one who always says, we need to back up our story with facts?”
“Okay,” he said crossing his arms.
“A spell book, who would have thought? Wouldn’t it be cool if our family were witches and such?”
“You know they burn witches right?” he asked with a glare.
“You’re such a spoilsport. Let me have this moment.”
“Fine, but it’s not a spellbook,” he said leaving the room.
She watched him leave and smiled. Ah, but it would be so perfect if it were, so she can use it to turn him into her twin sister, she giggled.
Two
They were finally here!
The car barely stopped when Wynnie and Max, took off their seatbelts, opened their doors and sprinted up the steps to grandma’s house.
“Hey, what’s the rush,” mum called out.
They turned and glanced at her.
“I missed grandma,” Wynnie said.
“Yeah, I can’t wait to see her,” Max said.
“And I missed you both too,” grandma said coming out of the house.
“Grandma!” they said in unison, jaws dropped wide.
Okay so maybe, she should have thought that out. Grandma must have been at the window waiting for them to arrive. So much for a clean getaway.
“What’s the matter? I thought I heard you both said you missed me?” grandma said lips twitching.
Grandma had nice chocolate brown eyes that shine when she smiled and short curly black hair. Her dark brown skin didn’t have any wrinkles, even though she was the same age as daddy’s mum, Nana Pam.
Wynnie glanced at Max, then back at grandma.
“We did miss you,” she said, giving grandma a hug with one hand while she waved Max to go on with the other.
“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to?” grandma asked Max.
He stopped and gazed at Wynnie and she sighed. Dang it, so much for her plan. Now they were going to be out here forever, while grandma chats with mum and dad.
“Ah—nowhere,” Max said, rubbing the back of his head.
“Where’s my hug?”
Maybe she could slip away while Max hugged grandma and no one will notice. She tiptoed to the front door.
“Wynnie, where do you think you ’re going?” dad asked.
Ugh! It was as if she was trying to get into Buckingham Palace. She turned and trotted to where dad was standing holding her bag.
“Thanks, dad, see you next week.”
“Max here’s your bag,” mum said.
“Thanks mum, see you—”
“Alright, both of you stop where you are,” mum said scowling. “What’s going on? You’ve both been very excited and agreeable this morning.”
“Nothing,” they said quickly in unison.
Mum stared at them then sighed.
“Just behave for grandma,” she said.
They nodded their heads quickly.
“No fighting,” dad said, his blue eyes staring at them like lasers.
Another nod.
“No staying up after bedtime or—are you listening or just nodding?” mum asked.
“Listening,” Wynnie said.
“Nodding,” Max said.
Wynnie elbowed Max in his side. Did he want mum to pack them back in the car and drive them home?
Grandma laughed. Wynnie always liked the sound when she did, it made her feel all warm inside.
“Leave the kiddies alone, Nicole, they’re excited school’s out for the summer. Why don’t you say goodbye to your parents?” grandma asked.
“Bye mum and dad, love you,” Wynnie said hugging them.
Max hugged their parents and they bolted towards the house. Max stopped, pulling on Wynnie’s hand to stop her.
“What now?”
“Wait,” he whispered.
She groaned but did as he said. This better not be one of his bossy tactics.
“Grandma, Wynnie and I are going to the attic to play with one of those old games you showed us, is that okay?”
“Of course, come down for lunch when you’re hungry.”
“Thanks, Grandma,” he said turning to Wynnie. “Now she won’t interrupt us.”
“Clever; nice. I might keep you as my brother after all,” she said rushing up the stairs.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. Let’s take our bags to our rooms and meet back in the hallway in a minute.”
“Okay.”
*
Max went to his room and put his bag on his bed. He was tempted to put his clothes away but knew Wynnie would come charging in if he wasn’t in the hallway. He guessed it wouldn’t hurt just this once if he didn’t put away his clothes before he played.
He frowned as he walked to the hall wondering what Wynnie meant by keeping him as her brother after all.
“Come on slow poke.”
“Darn it, Wynnie, Mum said not to call me names.”
“Fine, let’s go,” she said climbing the stairs to the attic two stairs at a time.
“What‘s the matter?” he asked, wondering why she was standing in front of the attic door. Was she having cold feet after everything? She’d been in such a rush to get here now she wasn’t opening the door.
“Are you scared?” he asked grinning.
Twin pink spots touched her caramel coloured skin. “As if,” she said flipping her long brown curls.
“It’s okay you know, if you are I can go in first.”
“Shut up. I didn’t open the door because I know once we do, there’s no turning back. You were the one who freaked out last night after I showed you the book, maybe you’re the one who’s scared,” she taunted.
Chin up and shoulders back, he glared at her. He wasn’t going to fall for her reverse psychology.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he huffed.
“Okay, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to wet your pants when we opened the book. You’re sure you don’t want to make a run for it?”
“Open the door, Wynnie,” he growled.
Sometimes she can be such a drama queen. He rolled his eyes; he wasn’t in the mood for her dramatics as mum calls it.
When she opened the door, Wynnie went to the box where they hid the book and Max locked the door and followed her.
“Do you think it’s still there?” he asked, helping her pull out the clothes from the box.
“It has to be, or grandma would have said something. Yes!”
She grabbed the book and he put the clothes back into the box.
“It has a lock on it, how do you think it opens?” she asked, resting the book on the coffee table in the corner of the room.
“Let me see,” Max said. He was good at figuring out puzzles; maybe he can find a way to open the book.
Wynnie moved aside and he ran his hands over the book and at the sides. It would be nice if there was a secret compartment in the book holding the key. But even he knew things weren’t that simple.
“What do you think?” she asked wrapping a curl around her finger.
He could tease her now about her being nervous, but he wouldn’t. Instead, he shook his head and picked up the book.
Wynnie squinted and peered closer. “Max, there’s something on the back!”
He turned the book over and glanced at the words and read them.
“I want to help those in need. To right the wrongs that have been done.”
There was a click and they gasped as the lock came undone. They stared at each other and Max put the book on the table. A few seconds past, but all they did was stare at the book. Whatever was in this book could be life-changing. Wynnie took a deep breath and opened the book.
They coughed as a cloud of dust rose up in the air. Max fanned the dust until it was clear again. They looked down at the book; it was full of writing they didn’t understand, so they flipped quickly through it and found a single page with a passage they can read.
“A city of statues, quiet and still, all protection is gone and a curse unleashed. Taken treasure must be returned, to make the city into its glorious form. Who can help, who will help end the silence?” Wynnie read.
There was a whirling noise and an oval light appeared beside them. Max moved and stood in front of Wynnie as they watched the blue and yellow light glow. After a few seconds the light grew and shaped itself into a doorway.
“W-what’s that?” Wynnie whispered from behind him.
He swallowed, looking into the light. What did they just open? He licked his lips moving away from Wynnie, now that he knew nothing was coming out from it.
“It’s a doorway.”
“A doorway?” she asked, her voiced sounding a little high to his ears.
“Yeah, like a portal.”
“There’s something behind it,” she said. “It looks like a—“
“Light or fire.”
“You think someone is on the other side?”
“If there were, they would have come through by now.”
“What should we do? Should we go through it?” Wynnie asked.
“I think we should go,” he said walking to the doorway. He touched it with the tip of his fingers. “Are you coming?”
She looked at the attic door, then back at the portal.
“Are you sure it will be okay?”
“Yeah, give me your hand. As long as we stay together, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Okay,” she said taking his hand.
They walked through the portal and as soon as they were on the other side, it disappeared behind them.
Three
“Max, look the doorway closed. How are we going to get back home?” Wynnie held her breath before letting it out and taking quick deeper ones.
Max touched her shoulder and she jumped.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
She could say she wasn’t frightened, but that would be a lie. She was sure he’ll know it was too. How could he be so calm, when they were just stranded in what looks like— what’s this place anyway? She wondered looking around the stone room.
“Wynnie, I need you to be brave and stay calm. I know you’re scared, but I will get us back home. We got here by reading that passage, I’m sure something is here that can send us home. We just have to find it, okay?”
She looked into his calm, yet serious brown eyes and let out a breath. Even though they didn’t know where they were, she knew he meant it. She might call him names, but apart from mum and dad, he was the person she trusted the most. Not that she would tell him. So she nodded. If there was one person she would rather be stuck on a desert island with, it would be him.
He was very resourceful and always optimistic. He was also great at solving most puzzles. Maybe it was because he was in the chess and mystery clubs at school, but dad said he just had great deduction and strategic skills whatever that meant.
He also had years of camping experience with dad, while she stayed home with mum. Mum doesn’t like camping, she said they invented indoor plumbing for a reason and she didn’t grow up doing it since grandma grew up in the Caribbean. Wynnie just didn’t like it period. She preferred sleeping inside where there aren’t any bugs or bears. But she decided she’ll use the same excuse mum does.
Now she wished she’d gone on some of those camping trips with dad and Max.
She watched as Max started walking towards the light then stopped and turned to look at her.
“Here give me your hand,” he said smiling at her.
When she got out of here she promised not to turn him into a girl. He might be a dork, but he was kind. It was time for her to stop being a baby. If Max can do this, so can she.
Raising her chin, she shook her head. “Thanks, but I’ll be okay. Lead the way.”
“Alright, but stay close.”
She nodded.
They walked to the other room where something was glowing blue on a pedestal in the middle of the room.
Max walked over to it and she stopped him.
“Be careful” she whispered.
“We have to see what it is. It could be something that leads us back home.”
She let him go, taking a shaky breath.
“Max…”
“What?”
“Look on the walls above us,” she said pointing to the old pictures and writings.
Max stopped and glanced up.
“Wow, this is awesome,” he said, spinning around the room looking at each picture, before walking over to where the first one started.
The first picture showed an island surrounded by ten temples. Wynnie stared at it frowning. For some reason, she felt as if she’d seen it before.
“It looks like each temple holds an item that forms a shield around the island,” he pointed, his face lit up with a wide grin.
That too sounded familiar.
“And it shows a glowing compass pointing to them. That glowing thing must be the compass,” he said, snapping his fingers. He was popping with excitement, and couldn’t contain it.
Wynnie’s head snapped up. That’s it; she knew why it sounded like she heard it before. That’s because it was one of her favourite bedtime stories.
“Max, I know where we are!” she said turning him to face her.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, eyes shining.
She knew that look; he was already thinking this was going to be an adventure.
“Look around you, don’t you see it?” she asked wondering how he hasn’t made the connection as yet.
“Wynnie what are you saying?”
It was no use. The moment he realized they were in another land, he had adventure on his mind. She sighed; he can have such a one-track mind when he was interested in something.
“We’re in the story. We’re on the lost island. This is the place grandma used to tell us about in that bedtime story, about the cursed island.”
*
Max shook his head and looked at Wynnie. Could it be true? The moment he realized they were in a strange land, his mind had raced at the possibilities. What were the objects in the temples and would they be able to use the compass. The drawings intrigued him, but as he looked around the walls again and looked at the strange writing, they did look familiar.
He never paid much attention to the stories like Wynnie did, because he thought it was all make-believe. But it was true, Wynnie was right. They were on the lost island.
“How is this possible? I thought it was just a story,” he said looking at her.
“Me too.”
“I guess we need to break the curse before we can leave.”
She nodded, “I guess so, maybe that’s why the book brought us here.”
“That’s what the passage meant.”
“I think so.”
“Remember the story was about an artifact getting taken from one of the temples. With one of the magical artifacts gone the island’s protection failed and a curse descended on it.”
“Alright Wynnie, let’s get the compass. You know the story better than I do, what happens next?”
“The compass should help us find the missing artifact, once we find it and put it back in the right temple, everything should return to the way it used to be,” she said.
“Then we can find a way home,” he said. That sounds like a good plan and an even better adventure.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“Alright I’ll grab the compass,” he said walking over to the pedestal and picking up the compass.
Wynnie was next to him and they both stared at the compass.
“Why does it look odd, shouldn’t it have directions on it like north, south, east, and west?” she asked.
Yeah, he was wondering the same thing.
“It should. It’s what dad’s compass looks like and all the other compasses I’ve seen,” he said frowning.
“Well maybe this isn’t a compass then,” Wynnie said.
“It has to be. The story said it was, and the needle is pointing in that direction. I think this is a special compass that points to the missing artifact.”
“Okay let’s get going. The sooner we get the artifact back to where it belongs, we can go home,” Wynnie said.
They looked around the room and saw a light down a hallway.
“That must be the exit,” Max said as he started down the hallway.
As they approached the end of the hall they could see sunlight and tall grass through an open doorway. When they stepped outside, they let their eyes adjust to the light and could see a large city in the distance that appeared to be taken over by the surrounding jungle. Max looked at the compass and saw that the needle was pointing to a spot just to the right of the city.
“Look, I think we should head over there,” he said pointing in the direction.
“You mean we have to go through that scary jungle?” Wynnie asked as she shivered.
“I guess so. But there must be a road or pathway around here,” Max said nodding and smiling at her. If he wasn’t optimistic for himself he at least had to be for her.
“Right,” she nodded.