Finding Red

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Nadia

As soon as the school bell rang I ran to the elementary school building. I had to pick up Donny before I went home. I didn't have time to stop and talk to Isabelle or Marie. We were supposed to talk about our trip to the diner next weekend. They were talking by the entrance to the school. I'll see them tomorrow anyway. Plus I have better things to do. Jase would be late coming home and I could finally find out who sent that letter.

I grasped the straps on my backpack as I waited for Donny to get out of class. I looked down at my watch and waited. High School, middle school, and elementary used to be connected. Until some boys ended up setting fire to the middle school which spread to the high school burning both of them down. It was incredibly sad, twenty people were injured and one passed away; but that was before we moved here three years ago. That was before the magic began.

My father and my mother made Kinburow bloom. We were a symbol of good luck for the town. Before we came there were constant storms and even fires. My father was in the military so he was automatically respected, but he earned the respect. He helped build new houses and stores, and my mother was a great cook. She made food for homeless families and they stayed in our extra room while my father built their new house. We made Kinburow a better place for everyone. That's probably why when our mother died everyone in our small town was at the funeral. She loved everyone, and everyone loved her, at least that's what we thought until she was murdered. Donny was so upset. I know our mother always told us that she didn't have a favorite but we all knew it was Donny.

"Ready to go Nat?" Donny ran up to me bouncing as he held onto the green straps of his brand-new backpack Jase had just bought him. "What do ya think Nat?" He spun around showing it off.

"I love it, it looks amazing. We have to hurry." I said as we both started down the sidewalk.

Every once in a while, we stopped to wave at a neighbor, Mrs.Smith even stopped and gave us already-cooked soup. "Okay, Donny when we get home" I grabbed his hand so we could scurry across the street "You stay outside and let me know when Jase gets home, okay?" He nodded his head.

Once we got home I ran inside and left Donny alone on the porch. I was going so fast that I fell and tripped over the fireplace. It's a good thing Donny was carrying the soup or it would have gone all over the place. I swung the door to Jace's room open and started going through his desk. His room was about the size of mine and Donny's combined. He had a queen bed and a dark black desk in the corner. A pile of clothes were thrown all over the closet floor. Under his desk was a small black safe, it was new he had just brought it a week ago. His desk had an insane amount of letters, some from his girlfriend, some from his school. I only had to go through the first stack to find the letter. I finally got what I needed: the military notice letter, with the address. Under the Notice letter was a red paper with fancy cursive letters. I flipped the paper over and looked for a name, all that the paper said was

"Come find me, Jason, Miss you all lots, Kiana D'Los 1938. " With an address below the writing. I folded the red paper and the notice letter and shoved them into the pocket of my skirt. I grabbed the rest of the letters and shoved them back into his desk. The sounds of keys bouncing up and down made my heart stop. I closed the drawer and ran over to Jason's bed as I started fixing his bed he walked in. Thanks for the help, Donny.

"Nadia? What are you doing?" He asked as he sat his keys down on the desk. On his keychain was a golden locket that was my father's. I would have given anything in the world to have it.

"I'm just making your bed, it's the least I could do really." I pulled the comforter onto the pillows and then folded them back down just enough to show the pillows.