Kidnapped

Lisa

"Race you home, you fat Magpie!" I call to my twin brother, Kocco. 

 "You might as well give up now, you know I'll win." He smiles and his white teeth shine in the harsh summer sun as bright as the feathers on a dove's back. His light brown hair sticks up everywhere and looks almost blonde, just as it does every afternoon. For some reason, it's never blonde in the morning.

We take off down the dirt road, our bare feet so calloused the rocks and thorns don't stand a chance. No one ever wears shoes around here. Like all the other kids, Kocco and I are sun babies, so tanned we're almost brown. We race through the town, the dirt hot under our feet. We pass the doctor-hospital-dentist-chemist shop run by Mr Frank, two houses (belonging to the Parker's and the Brook's) and the supermarket. The hills around our small bush town are doted with gum trees and half dead bushes. The grass is a dry brown due to it not having rained here for more three years, aside from the odd shower or two. My and Kocco's favourite swimming spot on the hill behind our house is now dead dry and the high rock we usually jump off is crumbling. We now use it for BMX-ing on our bikes. Somewhere behind the hills a possum screeches.

Kocco skids to a stop and, because he was a tiny bit in front, I have to stop then walk back a few steps. He's stopped outside the milk bar. We look at each other and grin. The owner of the milk bar is Sally, our mum's best friend. She always gives us at least one free thing and a million hugs.

To me, Sally has always smelled of roses. She always wears a big white apron that says 'I love to cook' in fancy pink letters and her short, blonde, curly hair is always pinned up in a little halo around her head. She is rounder than everyone else in Baroon but her kindness makes up for it. No matter what you are, from the world's biggest criminal to the worlds sickest dog, she will take you inside her shop and offer you a cup of tea or a bowl of water (if you're a dog). Kocco and I have known her our entire lives and she has become like a second mum to us.

Kocco swings the door open and the bell rings twice. I follow him in. The wood floor is warm and I can see a fresh cake being baked in the oven. The magazine stand is overfilled and a few lollies look close to falling off the shelf. The ice-cream fridge in the back left corner is a tiny bit open, cool air is spilling out around it. I'm boiling so I go stand next to it.

"Hello, my lovelies!" Sally's voice rings out around the shop and I follow the voice with my eyes to see Sally standing behind the counter drying a cup with an old tea towel. She chucks Kocco and I each a lollipop. I peel off the wrapper and stick it in my mouth.

"Hi Sally." Kocco steals my wrapper and basketball shots it into the bin. I ignore him.

"Wha hype a cake you got ohing air?" I ask.

 Sally laughs. "I can't understand you with the lollipop in your mouth, Lisa."

I take out the lollipop. "What type of cake is it?" I jerk my lollipop towards the oven.

"Chocolate. Are you blind?" Kocco has made his way over to the oven is tapping on the glass door.

"No fat face. Just wondering." I'm so tempted to throw my lollipop at him but he'd just catch it and it would be a whole lollipop wasted so I stick my blue tongue out at him instead. He sticks his orange one right back out at me.

"Are kids always like this?" Sally looks between us with a sense of amusement.

I laugh. "No. It's just him." I check my watch: 4:36. We're meant to be home soon to feed our dog, Maisie, and our cat, Bubbles. Don't ask about the names.

"Bye Sally. We gotta go now." I skip out the door and check through the window to see if Kocco is following me. But a sheet of paper blocks my vision. Weird. Most notices are pinned on the notice board outside the school. It says:

DEAR RESIDENTS OF BAROON,

MY NAME IS CAPTAIN JONES AND I AM FROM THE CITY OF SYDNEY. WE ARE OFFERING A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR TOWN. A NEW NOTICE WILL BE HERE SAME TIME NEXT WEEK WITH MORE INFORMATION.

SINCERELY,

CAPTAIN JONES

I frown as Kocco comes out the door. He laughs when he sees me frowning.

"What's up, sour puss?" He never misses a chance to tease me.

"That." I point to the notice. He reads it.

"Good try, Lisa. I'm not that stupid." He rolls his eyes and walks away.

"What do you mean?"

"The prank. I'm not an idiot, you know." He points to the notice. "Captain Jones. Really? That's got to be the most common name ever."

"It's not a prank."

"Oh, and I'm the queen of England."

"I'm serious Kocco."

"So am I. For starters, I'm not a girl, and secondly, we're in Australia, not England."

"Kocco! The notice. It's not a prank. At least not by me."

"Sure."

I give up and follow him home. We pass the Thompsons house, the Turners house and the Gibson's house. Finally we pass the Peppers house (our neighbours) where my best friend, Lily, is playing. She looks up and waves when we walk past. I wave back, promising to call her once I've done my chores.  

Only another 800m or so and then we're home.

When Lily and her house are out of earshot, Kocco turns to me. I glare at him.

"Tell me the truth. Is it a prank or not." He stares me in the eye.

"I never lie to you." I respond, my anger with himdistrusting me still not gone.

"Yes or no. Is it a prank?"

"No."

"I still don't believe you."

"Well, you should." I push him out of my way and try to make a dramatic exit but it doesn't work. He runs in front of me and grabs my arm so I can't walk away again. I sigh. Sometimes I hate being the younger twin, even if it is only by five minutes.

"Tell me." It's not a question, it's a demand.

"I did."

"No you didn't."

"Yes, I did. I said no."

"The truth."

"That is the truth!"

'Why are making such a big deal of this?" He sounds seriously fed-up.

"Me? You're the one who won't believe me."

"Just tell me!"

"I did!" We're shouting now. I kick him in the shins and bite his arm. He cries out in pain and I run away. A million thoughts race through my head. Why are we fighting? Did I start this? Why doesn't he believe me? Does he not trust me?