The Forbidden Side

Erin

Honestly, Erin did not want to go back to Home.  No one there remembered her, which could be a good thing, but it made her feel like an outsider, just like she felt while she lived there.  Thinking of her fake life unsettled Erin, she shrugged the thought off and walked down the sidewalk with Adam, Lizzie, and Justin.

            She saw the glowing, yellow border that separated Home and the Forbidden Side.  She didn't like calling it that anymore.  This was her home now, it wasn't forbidden.  She couldn't help asking, "Lizzie, does this place have a name?"

            Her sister slowed to walk beside her.  "Yes," she said.  "I was wondering when you'd ask.  We call "this place" The Secret."

            "The Secret?"  Erin asked.  "Why?"

            "Not many people know what's really here.  It's not just a strip of barren land, it's a town."

            "Does everyone else who lives here know that, or just you Powerfuls?"

             "Everyone knows our town is hidden, they just don't know why."

            "Do you?"

            Lizzie shook her head. 

            Justin, who was in the lead, put a foot over the border first.  The alarms started blaring. "Hey, how come it recognizes me now?" He asked.

"Probably because you've crossed it already," Erin answered.

Justin shrugged. "Ok, but where's the station?"  He yelled.

            "Past the houses and behind the Main Building!"  Adam shouted back.  Soon, all the Stations with their different symbols appeared in front of them.  Erin spotted the one with King Z's crown on it and pulled everyone inside.  She lunged into the familiar, well-furnished lobby.  Erin didn't see Bradley, so she started digging around, looking for the prophecy.  They looked through drawers, under posters, and in the pockets of extra uniforms.  The kids met in the middle.

            "Nothing," Justin reported.  The others nodded. 

            "But what if," Erin said, "the crown leads us to the prophecy.  The prophecy would tell us how to use the crown and then how to expose Home for what it really is."

            "Great idea," Lizzie said.  "Except we'll have to go back to The Secret."

             "Well we better get going," Adam replied.  "Look."

            Their heads turned to the back of the Station where they could see a shadow of a man moving behind the back door.  "Bradley," Erin whispered.  "Run!"

            The kids bolted out of the shop.  Justin sped ahead using his powers, and the rest of them ran behind him as fast as they could.  Erin looked behind them.  No sign of Bradley.  Once she crossed the border, she covered her ears, but no alarms went off.  Erin ignored it, though she was thankful. 

            Once on the Forbidden Side, Lizzie, Adam, Erin, and Justin caught their breath behind a tree.  "Lizzie," Erin asked, "when I crossed the border, and Adam too, there were no alarms.  How come?"

            "Well for all they know at Home," Lizzie answered, "you don't exist."

            The words stung.  Erin didn't know why, but she sometimes longed for her fake parents to be missing her.  She couldn't explain it.  It made no sense; they weren't her real family anyway.  But the fact that her old little brother cried when he saw her, and how he looked her in the eye when he was pulled away, they gave her hope.  Maybe Benny did remember her.  But he'd grown up knowing to report everything unusual.  He was probably brainwashed and forgotten her by now. 

            "So," Justin's voice shook her out of her thoughts, "Erin and Adam were Junior Hunters, where do we look for the crown?" 

            "We never got to look for the crown," Adam admitted.  "We were only Junior Hunters for, like, a week or two."

            "But Bradley told us once that because we had blue eyes, we could find it easier," Erin remembered. 

            "We all do!"  Justin exclaimed.  They set their eyes on the paved roads.  Erin's started to tear after a while.  She was about to tell the others that they should look again tomorrow, when something took over.  It walked Erin over to a patch of grass, and started using her hands to dig.  After a couple of digs, her hand slapped something hard.  A tear escaped as she grasped her injured hand, biting her lip so she wouldn't scream.  But the pain dulled when Erin looked at what caused her injury. 

            It was beautiful.  Blindingly gold with jewels all over.  Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, any type of jewel Erin could imagine was on it.  It was everything it should be.  Fit for a king.  It really looked magical, with a golden glow around it.  Erin gasped and stepped back as it started rising into the air.  But Erin knew she couldn't let the people of Home see it.  She used all of her mental energy to call it back towards her.  The golden glow diminished, and it sat on the ground like just another piece of gold.  By now, her siblings crowded around her.  "Is that?"  Justin asked.  It was.  In the middle of their little circle sat King Z's crown. 

            "It's beautiful," Lizzie gasped.  Erin nodded, speechless.  It really was.

            "Cool."  Justin grinned. 

            "Yeah," Adam agreed.  They all crowed around the artifact. 

            "Did you guys see that before?"  Justin asked, breaking the silence.  "It was floating!"

            Erin nodded.  "It's magic.  It really is magic."

            Lizzie elbowed her.  "Told you so."  They laughed.

            "So now what?"  Adam asked.  "What do we do with it?"

            Justin shook his head.  "Only one thing to do:  Find that prophecy."

            Erin sat quietly.  She didn't say it, but she was hoping the prophecy answered some questions.  What is Project Switch?  Why'd they do it?  Who are they?  Lizzie turned around.  She stared at her triplet, questioningly.  Erin slapped herself.  Of course, Lizzie could read her mind!

            "Let's go to Home," Justin said.  He sped ahead and Erin could see him waiting at the border. 

            Erin hung back with Lizzie.  "Can I tell you a secret?"  Lizzie asked.  When Erin didn't argue, she said, "I know this contradicts what you're thinking, but I kinda don't want to find that prophecy."  She looked at the ground.  "I know it's stupid, but I'm scared, Erin.  I'm scared of what we're going to have to do.  We have to overthrow Home, how.  They have highly trained Powefuls there, artificial of course, but still good ones."

            Erin looked at her sneakers.  "You don't have to look at the prophecy if you don't want, but I have some questions I want answered."  She jogged ahead, leaving Lizzie behind her all alone.