Trails of Secrets

12. The First Message

Sara reached for the message that Liam was holding and he gave it to her. 

Sara's eyes sparkled with excitement as she observed the treasure in her hands. Her eyes scanned the contents of the message and quickly searched for a piece of paper and a pencil. 

The other three surrounded her as she scribbled something down on the paper. Liam tried to peer over her shoulder to see what she was writing, but all he saw was a jumble of letters. 

"What is that?" he asked.

Sara's eyes never left the paper and she continued writing. Chris looked away from the message and answered Liam's question, "It's one of the many ciphers that her sister created." 

Liam watched as Sara pulled a wooden circle with two layers of letter bordering the edge out of her pocket. She rotated the edge of the circle and the border began to spin. The bordering letters lined up with the letters on the inside of the circle. Once Sara seemed satisfied with the order of the letters, she stopped turning the edge. Then, Sara matched the letters on the message with the letters on the circle. 

The letters on the edge represent the letters on the message. And the letters under the ones on the circle are the real letters. That must be how it works. Liam leaned forward to see what she wrote down. 

Sara translated the message and shoved it into her pocket before Liam could see what it said. 

"What does it say?" piped up Annalise. Sara shrugged, narrowed her eyes, and walked out of the room. Chris gave Annalise and Liam a reassuring look and followed her out. 

The two left in the room looked at eachother and sat on the floor. 

"Why do you think she wouldn't let us see it?" Annalise asked Liam.

"Cause it's none of our business."

"Yes, it is. We helped her find it. I feel that it is only right that we see what it says."

"Well then what do you suggest?" As soon as the words came out of Liam's mouth, he wished he could take them back. He was already starting to realize that you never ask Annalise for her ideas.

"We can wait until she falls alseep.'

"No."

"We can knock her out."

"Definitely not."

"You could pretend to like her."

"Wha- no! I'm not doing that! And you can't drag me in on any of your little tricks."

"Watch me."

                                                                ~~~

"Why would she want you to go there?"

Sara couldn't stop staring at the word on the slip of paper from her sister. "I don't know."

"Are you going to go there?"

"I-," she paused. "I haven't decided yet."

"Why wouldn't you go there? This is the next step! You are getting so close- and you know it. maybe this is the last one."

Chris looked at Sara desperately. "This could be your last chance."

Sara stared at him with sad and worried eyes. "I don't think I can do it."

A slight groan escaped Chris's mouth. "Why don't you want to go there?"

"Too many memories."

His eyes softened as he took Sara's hands in his own. "You don't have to go alone."

Sara looked deeply into her friend's eyes. He had always been there for her. Every up and every down. She had felt so alone before she met Chris. He had always made her feel-

She gave him a quick hug. "Thanks, Chris. I'll think about it."

                                                                   ~~~

What is wrong with me? Thought Liam. 

Liam was standing in the room outside of the one Sara and Chris were in. Annalise had somehow gotten him to play along with other one of her tricks. How? Liam was still asking himself that same question. 

Annalise was outside preparing to cause some sort of diversion. Once Chris and Sara ran outside, Liam would find the message to see what it says. 

This will never work.

Liam leaned against the wall and tried to hear what the two in the other room were talking about. But all he could hear was quiet mumbling. He sighed and silently waited for whatever the diversion would be.

Loud banging was heard outside of the house. It sounded like someone was pounding on the walls. 

Sara and Chris emerged from the room with worried looks on their faces. "What did you do?!" shouted Sara. Liam was started when he realized the outburst was directed toward him. "I-, I didn't do anything!"

The loud banging continued all the way around the house and Sara and Chris ran outside. Liam almost followed them, but then he remembered that he was supposed to get the message. 

Liam rushed into the room that occupied the message and scanned the tables and floors. Maybe she put it in her pocket. 

He was about to head outside with the rest of them, when he saw a small slip of paper hiding behind the door. Liam bent over to pick it up and read its contents. 

"Persephone." 

He said the name out loud and marveled at the way it sounded. What a beautiful name. 

The door flew open and a frazzled Sara burst into the room. "What are you doing here?!" She reached out and snatched the paper from his hands. "We need to get out of here. Now."

She raced out of the room and Liam stood where he was, completely confused. 

"Follow me! Now! We are being attacked!"