Spy for Life (A Watty Awards Story)

Chapter 5: The Hide Out

Chapter 5: The Hide Out

The take off wasn't so bad. We finally snuggled ourselves in these comfy airplane seats. Lindsay fell asleep instantly. I think she's going to sleep through the 2-hour flight to California. I listened to music for about half an hour and got bored. By that time, everybody on the plane started sleeping too. There was just one boy, reading a business magazine awake. He is about my age and looks bored too.

I still felt hot in my attire so I got some clothes from the compartment above and headed for the bathroom. I walked down the aisle and entered the tiny comfort room. I squeezed myself inside and changed. I now wear a thin top which is very loose like a t-shirt and knee-length khakis. I feel comfortable in these and I got to prepare for what the weather will be in there which is hot.

I came back and still got nothing to do, I just slept. And when I tried, I did feel tired and I could feel I could sleep in here forever. It is so nice and comfortable.

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I don't know how long did I fall asleep but I woke up suddenly. The airplane made a very subtle bump and Lindsay woke up too. But the other passengers didn't seem to notice it and just kept on sleeping. We were the only ones who woke up because we have the sensitivity to feel it and our 'spy' genes reacted to it automatically. It shifted our mode into battle.

When we made sure that it was just a slight bump of the airplane, we settled back in our seats comfortably. The whole room was full of sleeping people and it looks like they were all knocked out by a stink gas.

Almost.

The boy who I saw earlier was still awake, reading a novel this time and his eyes seemed not to look at the page. It was like he was in a trance of somesort. I shook the thought off and think that some people really are deep. Deep in their own mind and thoughts. I wonder, what could he be thinking. Then, I was jolted back to the present by Lindsay who seemed to nudge me with her elbow.

"Don't stare. That's rude." She teased. She said it in a very soft manner that only a spy could here it.

"I wasn't staring." I whispered back defensively.

"Yeah, like I wasn't just sleeping a moment ago. You know, he IS kinda hot."  She said sunnily.

"Oh, please! He's not my type anyway." I said half heartedly. He is kinda cute. Kinda. Oh, Cass, stop it! You're on a mission right now!! Focus!! I think my acting skills made Lindsay believe he really wasn't because she got bored when there is nothing to say and went back on trying to sleep. She couldn't, I noticed, because she kept on twisting and turning. The boy even looked over from his novel. I can't pinpoint what expression he had when he saw Lindsay. Then, his gaze floated to me and he gave me either a 'you're such a weirdo !' look or the surprise look for I don't know what.

He quickly resumed to reading his novel, although I think there is something fishy about his book. Lindsay forgot about going to sleep and started to think of a new thing to do. I was really bored too. Then, an idea came to my mind.

"Hey, Lindsay. I wanna teach you something. Give me your hand." I said. She gave it and I intertwined my pinkie with hers. I connected our thumbs together.

"You're so lame. That's the pinkie swear. Everybody knows that." She said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"But I'm not finished." My voice rang through the cabin. It's so quiet that even if we whisper, anybody could here us up to the pilot's cabin. I then twisted my hand downward and made a locking sound with my mouth.

"What does it mean?" She asked confused.

"This is what James, my neighborhood friend - before he vanished, anyway - taught me as our secret handshake. It's like a lock and key and when I twisted it down, I locked our secret together. " She looked at me weirdly.

"We were kids and bored back then!" I protested.

"But why share it with me if it's a secret?" She asked curiously.

"Well, he's not coming back and I think I want to share it with my best friend now. It just came to my mind. I don't really know what triggered the memory. Maybe it's the boredom. I agree with the slogan now -- boredom kills." I said casually. She laughed at that one and when she noticed that someone was staring at us, mouth wide open, she asked him, "Is it bad to laugh nowadays?"

He went back to reading but I know something is up. He looked perturbed at the same time maybe happiness? I'm not too sure. After that, they announcesd that we're going down now and prepare for landing. We buckled up for landing and got off the plane. I can feel the warmth of the sun as we headed inside the airport. It is so sunny here!

We continued to the parking lot and found a range rover in one spot. We went to it and said infront, written on one side of the folder inside the windshield -- 'Caitlin Bridge and Lisa Bridge.' Lisa dug into her pocket and got a key. She pressed a button on the control and it unlocked. We got our luggage loaded in the back and Lisa started the engine. She threw the folder with our 'names' and drove off the parking lot.

"What town will we live in?" I asked curiously.

"Ms. Emily said Warnerville. Consult the map by the glove compartment." She said, her attention focused on driving. I took it out and saw that it's gonna be the next town.

"It's the next town" I said.

"What's the name of the town we are in now?"

"Carmel Hills." I replied. Looks like the drive will last for at least an hour. So after thirty minutes, we stopped by McDonald's and ordered late lunch. Lindsay can't stop making jokes about the people around and I have to clutch my stomach and my mouth to stop the burger coming out of it. We continued our trip for half an hour singing along with the radio songs and laughing our head off at everything. This is the life.

We arrived at the town by three thirty in the afternoon, indicated by a bright sign saying Warnerville. We drove past it and Lindsay asked, "We'll live in 68 Oakland Road. Where is it?"

I looked at the map once more and found the road. I instructed Lindsay where to turn and we stopped by a pretty old victorian house and I shivered. It creeped me out because 1) Old houses are the most likely place a ghost hangs out. So I hate old buildings. 2) It looks empty and no warmth to offer. Lindsay sensed my distress so she asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just hate old buildings, that's all. You know, when they're so old, they may collapse on you anytime." I said that as an excuse. Lindsay didn't know about the ghost business. She might freak and hate me for lying to her. And she's a SPY. Almost all spies have this issue about having tangible proof in their hands before they believe something.

"Yeah, but I assure you, the company rebuilt the house. They implanted a lair too. They won't tell us and spoil the fun. They said we have to find it ourselves and beat the record time of the others." She said amused.

"Others?" I asked. I never knew this information before.

"Yeah, Rod got the fastest time to find his lair in a new location. It's about thirty minutes after he talked to Emily on the laptop." She said, excitement filling her face.

"Well, we better settle in and beat his time." I said jokingly. I smiled to assure her I'm fine and she got off the front seat. I undid my seatbelt and we took our things into the house. Inside was already filled with furniture. The first thing I saw was the staircase to the right side of the room. There is the door to my left and right. If you go straight past the staircase, there is a glass window and I can see a porch and the lawn.

"It's nice and we got it by ourselves!" She shouted.

We jumped up and down by the coat rack and squealed. Lindsay went to the kitchen which is the door to my left and said that she'll prepare a celebration for dinner. I told her not to go overboard and she disappeared. I looked up and saw there were three doors upstairs. I can see the white banister shining between my sight and the door in the middle.

I went up and headed for the room to the left. Lindsay can have the middle room. I want the one with the window to the front porch so I can see the view of the beach nearby! I entered the room quickly. I saw a baby pink bed in front and to my left, as I saw it outside, the window. It has padded seating and I can see the waves at the beach. My knees went weak with the sight and I ran to it.

I loved it! After that memorable moment by the window, I turned around to find a ghost on my new bed.

How disappointing.