The silver key

The First Day

Nicole ran down as she heard Minerva call everyone out for dinner. Drake sat opposite to Nicole with a tablet in his hand, he looked like a perfect business man from the round belly to the perfectly sleek hair.

"Don't work while eating, Drake" said Mrs. Theodore as she set up the table.

"Okay okay.." he replied, but kept on fiddling with the tablet, Mrs. Theodore rolled her eyes and sat down.

"Nicole, I talked to the principal of the local school you can join them next week" said Mr. Theodore, munching his food.

"Eat with your mouth closed " said Candace imitating Minerva.

Nicole chuckled at Candace's comment "Thanks a lot for all your help uncle Drake" she replied.

"Oh my god mom! What is that !? " said Leo pointing to a disgusting looking dish on the table.

"It's steamed eggplant, they're very good for your health"

Leo laughed mockingly at his mom's comment and said "I am not eating that"

After dinner Nicole returned to her room to continue unpacking, an old picture of her parents and grandma was placed with care on the dresser, and she filled all the cupboards in the room with her stuff.

"Hey is that your parents? " Nicole jumped at Leo's voice.

"Don't scare me !!! " said Nicole irritated "Yeah, they are"

Leo picked the photo up and looked at it closely, "How old were you when the died?" Leo asked.

"Around 5 I guess" she replied arranging some clothes.

"Sorry " said Leo.

"Why?" asked Nicole.

"That you lost them" Leo said with his eyes fixed on the picture.

"Don't be" she said with a smile.

Nicole woke up to her bed bouncing up and down "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up" said Candace as she jumped up and down on her bed.

"I'm up" Nicole said sleepily rubbing her eyes, Candace plopped down next to her "Good morning!!! "

"Good morning, don't you have school Candace?" Nicole asked almost ready to fall back asleep.

"Nope it's a Sunday!" said Candace, "Don't go back to sleep " she yelled and hit Nicole in the head.

After Candace left Nicole sluggishly got ready "What's the big hurry? " she asked.

"We are going to explore!!!!" said Candace.

"By explore she means randomly go around the neighbourhood" said Leo.

"Oh, okay... "Nicole said.

"Come on" said Candace as she dragged her out of the house.

"We do this almost every Sunday morning and mom wanted me to show you around too " said Leo as they walked through the garden.

"Let's go to uncle Sammy's house!!" Exclaimed Candace.

"Yeah, yeah okay" replied Leo "You met him and his wife right? They work at our house "

"Um... I met Clarisse " said Nicole.

"They live 2 houses away from ours " he continued.

An old man sat in front of the house engrossed in the morning newspaper, the house was fairly small but obviously well maintained .

"Sammy!!! " Candace ran towards him and from under his chair popped out a little dog.

"WOOF! WOOF! " it jumped onto Candace.

" Eeekkkk! " Candace exclaimed and ran back towards Leo and Nicole.

"Good job , Scotch" said Leo as he began playing with the dog, Candace ran and hid behind Nicole.

"Hahah, good to see you all" said Sammy as he got up from his chair and folded his newspaper.

"You must be Nicole, nice to meet you " he said smiling.

"Nice you meet you too" said Nicole.

"Come on in kids" he said and started walking into the house, everyone followed him including Scotch who kept wagging his tail and smelling Nicole, as soon as they went in Scotch jumped on her, he was small and absolutely adorable.

"What breed is he? " Nicole asked struggling to keep scotch from licking her face.

"He's a shih tzu" answered Sammy.

"I'll take him from you" said Leo as the picked up Scotch "Want him Candace ? " he asked teasingly.

"Keep him away from me" she exclaimed.

"Anybody want some cake? "asked Clarisse.

"Yes" everyone said in unison.

After going around town for a while with scotch, they decided to go back home.

"Is it all forest behind the house?" Asked Nicole.

"Yeah! There is huge pond and we sometimes even see animals!!" Said Candace as she skipped-next to Nicole.

"I'll go leave Scotch at Sammy's place, Candace knows the way home" Leo said and left.

As soon as they reached home Candace went in but Nicole decided to look around.

Nicole walked around feeling the evening wind , even though it was October it was still quite humid. It mostly doesn't snow around here she thought to herself. The fences around the house were old and tattered, most of them were broken and bent to the point were she could just walk over them, so she did. Walking into the forest the trees were extremely thick and there was no visible pathway.

*RING* *RING* her phone rang in her pocket.

"Hello ? "

"You stupid, idiotic, female " yelled the voice on the phone "You promised to call me, I was so worried"

"Oh, Rose I am so sorry, I completely forgot"

"Yeah, go to a new place and forget about your old friend" Rose said irritated.

Apologising Nicole walked back to the house, but she thought to herself that she will most definitely come back, to check this place out, which she surely will....