The Temple Unleashed (Book 1) | Updated Weekly

Chapter 3~An Unexpected Call

Kat groaned. She had set her alarm to five-thirty in the morning, barely enough time to dress, brush and grab a quick breakfast, and then meet Beks and her mom to drive to the airport. She sighed and heaved herself out of bed. Her eyelids felt like lead and the faint morning sunshine shone through her curtains making her blink a few times before her eyes adjusted.

She threw on some comfortable traveling clothes and made herself a bowl of cereal. She glanced around the empty kitchen. On days her mom would be home, it would smell like waffles with blueberries, their favorite breakfast. In the corner of the counter, the empty and worn coffee pot sat clean but empty. Kat missed the smell of the strong black liquid that her mom was so fond of. She glanced at the clock and decided to make a quick pot for herself and to add a familiar scent to the kitchen. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of Kat chewing and the familiar sound of coffee trickling into the pot.

After her quick meal, she ran upstairs to brush and lug down her rather heavy suitcases full of odds and ends that she probably would never use. A sharpening stone? A box of matches? Since when would you ever use that while touring Greece? But yet somewhere in the back of her head, Kat knew that in the unlikeliness of times, they would come in handy.

Grabbing a traveling mug, she filled it to the brim with the steaming liquid making sure to pour plenty of creamer in it.

"I honestly have no idea why Mom likes her coffee black, it's much too bitter for my taste," Kat said to the house cat Tigger.

Tigger was a rather fat and lazy animal....like most cats...who spent his days lounging in the window seat in the sun. He was orange with a white belly and a face that looked like he ran into a wall when he was a kitten.

 The Cadells found him as a stray and decided to keep him. At first, Kat's mom was hesitant about having a stray in the house so on the very first day they saw him on their doorstep, Mrs. Cadell slammed the door in his face. That night however the cat yowled and hissed at the door until finally Mr. Cadell couldn't take the pitiful noise anymore and came down and picked the cat up by his scruff and threw him over the fence. The next day there was no trace of him, but that night they heard the mewling and yowls louder and found the cat sitting on their bedroom window on the second floor, staring intently at their faces and swishing his tail. Finally, Kat's dad relented and opened the window laughing at the stubborn animal. Ever since that day, he had been Mr. Cadells's favorite pet. Tigger became even more closer to the family after Mr. Cadell passed away.

A car horn beeped from outside letting Kat know of her friend's arrival. She hugged Tigger's flat face saying,

"See 'round little tiger. Rose will make sure your food bowl is full." And with that, she rushed outside, suitcase in tow.

"Took you long enough," laughed Beks as her friend slid into the seat next to her. Giddy with excitement, Beks began to tell Kat their itinerary throughout the whole ride.

They finally arrived at the airport and after a quick hug and kiss to each girl, Beks mom left them with a group of students already gathered by their chaperones and teacher. The latter constantly taking head counts and ticking off names on a clipboard.

"Ah, Rebecca, Katherine, you've made it. We're just waiting for Jordan and Asher and we'll be ready if those clowns will ever show up."

 And then, just as if on cue, a gray jeep pulled out and two boys tumbled out of the backseat. Jordan and Asher were cousins but were so alike in appearance that they have been mistaken for brothers. Both had a mop of blonde unruly hair that seemed to stick in every direction. They both had a face full of freckles and blue eyes that twinkled with mischief.