The Seven Keys

Harlow- 2

Harlow

After I found that key my life slowly began to change. I hooked a chain around the key and wore it around my neck and under my clothes. I had been keeping it hidden, knowing people would question me if they saw it. Every night I’ve been having the same dream, where a girl with curly brown hair and large eyes had a skeleton key like mine. Suddenly, the dream would turn violent. I would see a woman, casting what seemed like a spell. A girl screaming one minute, and in the next second of my dream blood covered her. The dream was short and choppy, not complete pictures. it was like reading the first half of a book and not reading the end. The even stranger part was that I had never seen these people before, but their faces were so clear, their screams so... realistic.

                        ***

“Sweetie! Breakfast is ready!” I heard my mom call from downstairs. I was still in bed, but luckily for me I get up easily, unlike most teenagers my age.

“Coming!” I yelled, running my fingers through my hair and walking down the creaky steps of the house and into the kitchen. Breakfast was already on the table. Pancakes and bacon. My favorite. I sat down next to Cassie and my dad, who were dressed for the day. Dad was ready to start his day in the hospital as a neurosurgeon, while my sister Cassie looked like she was dressed for another day of kindergarten.

“Really, Cassie? A purple dress with rainbow tights? Do you want  to get bullied?”

“Oh, shut it Harlow! You think you’re so cool.”

“That’s because I am cool. I should really show you how to dress sometime.” I said, stuffing my face with pancakes.

“That’s enough girls.” My mother said, sitting down at the table. She added, “Are you two excited for school your second week of school?”

“Yes!” Cassie said enthusiastically, and my mom smiled.

“No.” I muttered, and quickly finished my breakfast.

   When I arrived at school, I fell into the daily routine once again. Say hi to Lucas, go to my locker, then go to class. First hour of the day was study hall, which I always ditched after the first ten minutes. I just had to wait for Mr. Bobson to fall asleep. As I arrived in class, I realized everyone was already gone, and Mr. Bobson was already in deep slumber. I slumped into my chair and watched him, thinking of something funny I could do to him while he was still asleep.

   Just then, a girl with curly brown hair and a pale face walked in. A newbie, I assumed. When I looked at her a memory came to mind; a girl that looked just like her with a key just like mine. I pushed the thought away, and gave her a smile. She almost looked afraid. I tried to make conversation with her and explain why no one was there, but she just looked away and stood awkwardly. I told her my name, and she told me hers. Logan, I thought, it’s nice to put a name to the face.

   I started walking down the hall, and she followed behind.When I told her where I intended to go, I could almost feel the worriedness in her voice. Oh great. Another goody two shoes. I turned around to look at her. I was immediately drawn to the old skeleton key around her neck. My dream was real. This girl has a key like mine, I thought. But how could a dream be real?

   “Where did you get that?” I asked, curious beyond belief. She responded with some nonsense answer, and when I asked her where she got the key, she told me she found it.

   “It looks just like mine.” I muttered under my breath. I quickly pushed the thought away and set off down the hall again. Inside my mind was bursting with questions, but I knew that if I asked Logan now she would shut down and be too confused to speak. I walked down the hallway, still trying to think of what to do. I led her out onto the football field, and started walking to the theater that was close by when I ran into Lucas.

    “Hey, Harlow!” he called out and walked towards me.

    “This is my new friend-” I stopped and turned around. Logan was gone.

    “What friend?” Lucas said, chuckling a little.

    “She disappeared on me, I guess.”

    “Way to lose a newbie, Har.”

    “Thanks. I try. So, where are you headed?”

    “To the movies. Wanna come?”

    He smiled brightly. “Only if we can see Attack of the Gorillas 3!” I laughed, and we both walked side by side to the movie theater.

   When we arrived, we were basically the only ones there, since adults had work and kids had school. So Lucas and I got whatever seat we wanted, and we watched Attack of the Gorillas 3, and all was great. After we had been munching on popcorn and Whoppers for about forty-five minutes, a vision crept into my mind. It was much like the one I had saw of that girl, who turned out to be Logan.

    Keys. Eight. Eight keys. Some rusty, some shiny. All old. Something was wrong with one of them. Broken. All I saw, all I could hear or think about was a broken key. Death, blackness, torture, hurt. Eight keys, one broken.

    “Harlow! You there? Snap out of it!” I was snapped out of my daydream by Lucas. “Hey, the movie’s over. It’s time to go.”

   “Okay.” I mumbled, and tried to stand up. “Ouch!” I yelled, grabbing my head. A throbbing pain went through it, and I immediately fell back in my seat.

    “Har! Woah, take it easy. Are you okay?”

    “Yeah. Um, I’m fine. I should get back to class.” I got up and ran out the door, Lucas following behind me.

    “Wait! Har-”

    I turned around suddenly, and Lucas ran into me. “Luke! Go away!”

    “Harlow! Please!”

   “I need to be alone!” I screamed, running away. The vision of the broken key seemed to haunt me, and I just wanted to get away from it.