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here's a story that i've been writing. i dont know how well it will turn out here, but i have sent it to some of my friends as well to get thoughts. the spacings may be wrong in some parts, but i'm not really good at that part. i write and then send out.
Prologue
“Are you sure that she will be safe there? What if the plague stretched that far across the void?†A man turned at the sound of the woman’s voice. He held a tiny child in his arms.
“There is no other place that we can send her. She is too young to stay here and live. The plague would take her in a matter of days. The world I will send her to will allow her to live, and then when the time is right I will bring her back her, to her rightful home. You don’t need to worry.â€
The woman grabbed the man’s arm, “But what if you can’t find her again? What if she dies of some disease there, what will we do then?â€
“We will just have to wish for the best. She has a better chance there than here.†The man raised his hand and stroked the woman’s cheek. “As soon as I can I will bring her back and then we won’t have to worry anymore.â€
“Father.†Both the man and woman turned to see a little boy watching them. “You will bring her back again so that I can see her, won’t you Father?â€
The man smiled, “Of course I will. Your sister will be back before you know it. And you can play in the garden together. Just promise me that you will obey your mother until I come back.â€
“I promise Father.†The man leaned down and patted the boy’s cheek, “Good boy†He straightened up and looked back and the woman, “I will try to be back before dawn tomorrow. Don’t worry, everything will work out, you’ll see.â€
“I’m trusting you. Make sure that she grows up somewhere that she will be loved.†The man smiled down at the woman and turned away. Making sure that the child he held was still asleep, he stepped forward and disappeared into a swirl of blackness.
Chapter 1
Spencer shook his head as two figures shot past him and charged into the large outer room of their home, “Please, Leo, Mary Ann, calm down! It’s too early for you two to be at each other’s throats.
Mary Ann’s head appeared in the doorway, “It’s not my fault! Leo took my shoes and I want them back.â€
Spencer walked over to the doorway and looked through, there was Leo sitting on the back of the couch with Mary Ann’s shoes in hand, “Leo, give Mary Ann her shoes back. I don’t want to have to deal with you two already.â€
Leo sighed and jumped off of the couch, “Alright,†he threw Mary Ann her shoes. “But she did deserve it, after what she did to me last night.â€
“The only reason I put the mud in your shoe was because you made Mikey blow that spitball at me.â€
Leo walked forward indignantly, “I did not! Mikey did that on his own. The only reason that he made you think that I did it was so that you wouldn’t attack him!â€
Spencer rubbed his head, it was only eight and he already had a headache, “That’s enough! Both of you just stay away from each other for a while. Leo you can go and get Mikey and Phil and help some of the other boys see what they can salvage from the sewer streams. Mary Ann, you can go help Don on whatever project he’s decided to take up this time.†As they started heading off in their separate direction Spencer called out, “Please don’t go above to the surface! I don’t want any of you getting in trouble again.â€
Mary Ann gave a wave to acknowledge him and continued on. Leo turned around, “Father why don’t you let us go above the surface? You know that we would be careful.â€
Spencer sighed, “I know, but it is one of the rules. Now go and round up the others.â€
As Leo turned and left, Spencer headed of to talk to some of the other adults that were part of the group of the people that lived in the sewers under New York.
When he entered the room many of the others looked up and gave him a slight wave. He returned them with a nod and headed to his seat.
“Ah, Spencer.†Spencer looked up to see who had spoken his name. It was Mark, the leader of the “Sewer Peopleâ€, as Mary Ann called them, “You’re a little late, problems with the younger ones again?â€
The others around him looked at him with a bit of sympathy since he watched over his own for sons; Leo, Don, Mikey, and Phil and then took on the task of raising Mary Ann when she was found orphaned as a baby.
Spencer nodded, “Just a little, but it’s fine now. It was just a little shoe incident.†There were many around him who knew very well how the four boys enjoyed teasing Mary Ann and taking some of her stuff, they all laughed.
Mark smiled and shook his head, “I don’t know how you do it. Well, since you are here we can continue with the matters at hand. There have been reports of some people, seemingly form the surface, roaming close to the edges of our city. I haven’t gotten any really valid reports, the ones I have are from some of the boys who mess around out there when they find the time, but I think it is something that we should look into.â€
“If it is from boys who mess around and don’t work and stay out of trouble why should we trust them?†Spencer looked over and saw that it was Karen. She hadn’t been to the meetings in a while because she had just had a little girl, but now she was back, and just as rude as ever.
Spencer spoke next, “Karen, you live on the outer parts of the city. What would you do if these reports were true and people from the surface suddenly appeared on your doorstep?â€
Karen face paled for a second. Spencer thought that she might have been thinking of her little girl, “I was just saying that we shouldn’t go off reports from children, that’s all. We should send some of us out there for a while and see if we see anyone. Maybe also let the surface patrol know so that they can keep watch at the entrances to the sewers.â€
Mark nodded, “I agree, Jim,†he nodded to a man sitting a few seats away from Spencer, “If you would go up to the surface later and tell the patrol up there to keep a watch out for anything suspicious by the entrances we would really appreciate it.†He turned back to everyone else, “And just to be on the safe side, it also may be a good idea to keep all of our children closer to the city when they go out on scavenges, that way they are closer at hand if anything does come up.â€
Everyone nodded. Mark continued, “Well if there isn’t anything else that is needed to be discussed, I say that we all return to our families and continue on with our normal lives.†Spencer laughed at that last statement and Mark winked at him.
As everyone was leaving, Mark came up to Spencer, “How are you doing now a days? I haven’t seen you around for a while.â€
Spencer shrugged, “I’m doing okay, a bit frazzled at times, but other than that, perfectly fine. I’m not sure if you could consider my life normal though.â€
Mark laughed, “I wouldn’t exactly consider it normal either I guess. So you’re doing well dealing with your four boys and Mary Ann? I’ve heard some people mention that they’ve been getting into a lot of mischief lately.â€
Spencer stiffened, “They are not the only ones. Almost all of the children around their age have been getting into trouble.â€
Mark stepped back, he had forgotten that a lot of people didn’t approve of him raising five children on his own so they were likely to mention small things about him that they wouldn’t mention about others.
Spencer clapped him on the shoulder, Well, I better get going, see you around.â€
Mark waved as he started off, “See you later.†He continued standing there as he watched Spencer walk off. Ever since his wife had died ten years ago Spencer had been distant, no one could ever really tell what was on his mind.
I don’t see how he can deal with those five kids. I have a hard enough time with my two, and I have my wife to help me.
He stood there for a bit longer and then started back to his house.
Chapter 2
“Don, slow down!†Mary Ann yelled as she held sat behind Don as they sped on top of the water in the sewer canals on his latest invention, a type of water motorcycle.
Don slowed down and eventually stopped, “So what do you think? Pretty cool?â€
Mary Ann laughed, “You bet! That was amazing! How fast were we going?†She tried to brush out her hair that had gotten tangled in the ride.
Don shook his head, “I can’t tell you for sure, but I think it may have been close to fifty miles per hour.â€
“Wow, I think that’s the fastest you’ve gotten so far. Are you going to leave it how it is for now? It would be a shame if you tried to improve it and end up ruining it and having to start over.â€
“I’m probably going to leave it, for a while. I may come back and try to change a few things after I ride it a bit and find some spots that need to be fixed or improved.â€
Mary Ann laid her head on his back, “We should start back soon. It’s getting close to lunch time.â€
“Very well,†Don started to turn the watercycle around when he saw a figure watching them from the shadows, he stopped. Mary Ann, feeling his back stiffen, looked over his shoulder and gasped as she saw the figure. The figure stepped out. It was a man in his late twenties dressed in brown pants and a shirt that seemed to be from the renaissance time in style. He had a slight beard and mustache, but was cleanly cut, definitely not a hobo in search of a dry place to stay for the night. Mary Ann thought.
“Who are you?†Don asked, preparing to start the watercycle at any moment and zoom away from the man.
The man stepped a little closer, “My name is Kane Borlea. I’m here looking for someone I was told may be here.â€
Chapter 3
Lady Tillia paced around in her room while her servant, Amy carefully stitched up a hem in one of her dresses.
“Lady Tillia, please sit down. Pacin’ abou’ like that won’t make him come back any fasta’.â€
“I know Amy, but he’s already been gone for three days and he told me that it wouldn’t take that long. He already knew where she was, all he had to do was get her and bring her back. What could have made it take so long?â€
“Well, ya’ know ma’lady, people move abou’ an’ stuff, so she coulda' left that place a long time ago an’ he had to find where she went to.â€
Lady Tillia sighed, “I guess you’re right. I’ll give him a few more days before I go after him.†She turned back to face Amy so abruptly that it made Amy jump, “What if he doesn’t find her? What if she didn’t make it, or she got sick from a foreign disease? What will we do then?â€
Amy shook her head, “Ma’lady there are times when ya’ worry too much. Lord Kane will be back befor’ ya’ know it an’ ya’ll feel foolish fo’ worrying.†She held up Lady Tillia’s dress, “Could ya’ please come an’ try this dress on so that I can make sure that it fits righ’? That way I can get de other dresses ya’ want fixed done fo’ ya’ quicka’.â€
“Sometimes I wish that we had never sent her away in the first place. There could have been a way that we could have kept her safe here in Ambor. Why did it have to be in such a foreign world? Couldn’t it have been a closer one where we could see her if we scouted her?†She shifted the blouse of the dress as Amy pinned a bit of lace onto the collar.
“Ya’ must rememba’ that all the worlds close to us were also sufferin’ from the Darian Plague. Some of them even more then us.†She folded over part of the lace to make hem on the collar, “Lord Kane thought that de world he chose would be fa’ enough away so that de plague wouldn’t get to it.†She put a few more pins in, “There now ya’ can take it off again so that I can sew this on fo’ ya’ to wear tonigh’. Like I said Lady Tillia, don’t worry, Lord Kane will be fine. He always is, why would he not be now?â€
Chapter 4
“Who are you?†Mary Ann stared at Kane.
The man sighed, “My name is Kane Borea. I’m here looking for someone.â€
Mary Ann climbed off the watercycle to stand next to Don, “Who are you looking for? I don’t think you’ll find who you are looking for down here. You’ll probably find them up above in New York.â€
Kane smiled, “No they’re not up there. In fact, I think that the person I’m looking for is right here.†He then brought up his hand and made a quick gesture with his hand. Before she knew what was happening Mary Ann felt herself being grabbed and pulled through a gaping black hole that appeared in the wall. She turned around and tried to reach out for Don to grab her and pull her back, but she found that he was gone. All that was left was a small crack where she entered this blackness. Finding that she was on her own in this fight, she started struggling and prying at the hand that was holding her trying to get free.
Kane struggled to keep a hold of Mary Ann as he took her through the void. If she got free of him then he would lose her in the void. Instead of risking losing her and going all the way to where he wanted to go, he changed his destination and pulled himself and Mary Ann out of the void.
“Will you please hold still! I almost lost you in the void!†Kane let go of Mary Ann’s arm and let her fall to the ground.
Mary Ann stood up, “Well, what do you expect me to do? All of a sudden you appear and take me through that…..that…..void and I don’t even know you!†she looked around, “Now you’ve dropped me in this place that I don’t even know! Where are we?â€
Kane sighed, “We are in Ambor. Now if you will let me I would like to take us home.â€
Mary Ann scowled at him, “When you say home, do you mean your home or mine? ‘Cause if it’s yours then no, I’m not going to go with you. If it’s mine I’ll go with you only if you warn me before we go into that voidy thing again.â€
Kane smiled, “Okay, I’ll take you to your home.â€
Mary Ann paused in her anger and turned to face him, “Really? Just like that? I would think that you would put up more of a fight.â€
He walked forward and took hold of her arm one more time, “Nope, I don’t need to fight. Because at the moment, our home is the same place.†With that he opened the void again and jumped. When Mary Ann realized what he had done she started to struggle again. Pushing and prying at Kane’s hand trying once again to get free of his grasp. All of a sudden she was once again on the grass of the strange land, Ambor, with Kane standing over her glaring at her.
“What happened to staying still and letting me take you through the void without a struggle?â€
Mary Ann stood up and glared back, “What happened to taking me home?â€
Kane sighed, “I am taking you home, to your real home.â€
Mary Ann stared at him, “What do you mean real home? My home is back in the sewers of New York. Not this weird place where people like you pop me in and out of that void. My home is where I go around on Don’s inventions giving him things to fix and things to leave the way that it is. Not with you.â€
“Do you know that the people that you lived with weren’t your real family?†Kane looked at Mary Ann trying to gauge her response. Her face was blank, except for the anger of being dragged to this place that she didn’t know.
“What do you mean? Of course I know! Father told me that I was found orphaned in the sewers when I was a baby and he took me in. What of it?â€
Kane rubbed his head, “Well, what if I told you that I knew where you were from and it happened to be Ambor?â€
“Wait,†Mary Ann backed up from shock, “Are you telling me that I’m from this…. weird place. Please tell me that I am not, in any way, related to you. If that happens, I swear that I will puke!â€
“Well then I guess that I will have to step back a few paces. I’d prefer to stay clean.†Kane paused and ran his figures through his hair, “The truth is, I am related to you. I’m your father.â€
“WHAT! Are you kidding me! There is no way that I am related to you! We..we don’t match!â€
“Well, the reason for that would probably be because you take after your mother and the fact that you didn’t grow up around us.â€
Chapter 5
The pale dawn sunlight filtered through the lace curtains of Mary Ann’s bedroom. Mary Ann rose and stretched, the bottom of her nightdress brushing at her ankles. She leaned down and lightly scratched where the fabric had irritated her.
Someday I’m going to get something that doesn’t bug me every morning.
She shook her head at the thought. What would she wear of not a dress? It would be a crime to wear a pair of men’s pants. Only the lowly peasant women wear them, as her mother would say.
“Mary Ann are you dressed yet? Breakfast had been sitting out for a while and is getting cold. If you don’t hurry Mother will have a fit!â€
“Don’t worry Kat, I’m coming!†Mary Ann quickly stripped out of her nightdress and put on a morning blouse and a skirt. She took a glimpse of herself in the mirror, Mother wouldn’t like it, but she would have to deal with it if she wanted her downstairs so fast.
“Next time you want to have breakfast be sure to come down on time, I won’t wait for you again!â€
Mary Ann slid into a chair, “Well, next time you want me to be down on time don’t keep me up to all hours of the night having to sit and listen to boring men who don’t pay the slightest bit of attention to anything, but their problems!†She smiled as Amy, one of the servants, placed a plate of food in front of her.
“I’m sarry it’s still a bit cald, bu’ I did try ta heat it up fo’ ya Lady Mary Ann.â€
Mary Ann smiled, “It’s okay Amy. I can live. It’s not like I can’t have something a bit cooler now and again. Anyway, in Mother’s sense I really don’t deserve breakfast at all this morning.†She gave a quick glance over at her mother as Amy left the room, and went on, “Even though if it was up to me I would have just gone to sleep and let the Lord Umber deal with his sheep problems on his own. There really wasn’t anything that we could do; we can’t stop infection and disease.â€
“Mary Ann! Watch your mouth!†Lady Tellia stood up to reprimand her daughter. “It is our duty as the royal family to help our lands and people.â€
“Of course it is, but what can we do about things that we can’t control. By even showing the slightest bit that there is a chance that we can fix it, we give the people the impression that we can do anything and then when something happens, like the Darian Plague, that we can’t stop comes along, they will turn to us to stop it and when we can’t they will turn from us and blame us for the disasters!â€
Lady Tillia let out a slight gasp and sat down, “How can you say that?†Mary Ann could here the slight twang in her voice which showed that she was trying to control her anger. Mary Ann felt her temper cool a little with the smug success of getting her mother unnerved. “How can you say that when it will be your duty to help these people after me?â€
Mary Ann shook her head, her temper rekindled, “My duty after you, will be after you die. We have the gift of an extended life! It will still be about fifty more years before you even start looking old!â€
“MARY ANN!†Lady Tillia lost control of her temper and lashed out, “That may be so, but it is still your duty to learn how Ambor is run so that you will be completely prepared.â€
“Enough with my duties! I’ve had it up to here with the same speech over and over how it’s my duty to learn and prepare for something that is more than a hundred years away. I have time later, let me live and be a child for a bit longer!â€
“Being a child was long ago! You’re fifteen, old enough to start being a young woman! You always say that you want me to treat you like an adult, but when I do…â€
“Mother, please, not again.†Mary Ann turned and gave Kat a grateful glance and he entered the room. “Give her a break, she still needs to adjust more to life here.
“Still needs to adjust! I would think that four years would be enough.â€
Mary Ann stood up and turned back to face her mother, “How could I adjust in three years when all you do is keep me coped up in here unless some Lord who has no right to even rule land comes and complains about his problems. I’m used to being able to be out and roam about. When you keep me in here I have so much energy that I need to burn I try to find come other way, but you always seem that it is something wrong.â€
“Of course it’s wrong! You’re supposed to be calm and composed all the time. Think of what others would say if they saw you romping about like you do. It would be a disgrace to our family and position.â€
Kat slammed his hand down on the table. Mary Ann jumped and turned to face him. “Please! Will you both just stop it for a day or two? Every time you are around each other you fight like cats and dogs. For once I would like to just come down to a meal and have a civilized conversation without you two bickering at each other at every word.â€
Mary Ann glance back at her mother and stormed out of the room.
“Where do you think you’re going?†Tillia came around the table to start after her daughter, “You cannot walk out on me!â€
“Try me,†Mary Ann said as she continued out the door.
“Mary Ann†Tillia started after her.
“Mother please, just leave her for a while.†Kat stood in front of the door and blocked her path out of the room. She scowled at Kat, but went and sat back down.
“I just don’t understand her sometimes. Why does she have to turn from me like that?â€
Kat came and sat down next to his mother, “Just give her a bit more time. She didn’t even know that we existed for eleven years. She needs to have time to herself, not around us. I’m sure if you let her go outside once in a while there wouldn’t be so much tension around here.â€
Tillia shook her head, “ If I let her go outside who knows what she will do. She doesn’t know the differences between us and the lower classes.â€
Kat shook his head, “Like I said Mother, just give her more time.â€
Chapter 6
Mary Ann fell down onto her bed and started sobbing. All she wanted was to have her old life back. To roam through the sewers and on top of the buildings, and to where pants again! Why did she have to be here?
“If only I could go back and live with Father and the guys again!†Mary Ann looked up and quickly wiped away her tears when she heard a knock on her door.
“Lady Mary Ann? I heard you goin’ out of de’ kitchen in a huff an’ figur’ dat ya would need some hot tea an’ a friendly face.â€
Mary Ann sighed with relief, “Oh, Amy, it’s just you. Come in.â€
Amy pushed open the door and set a tray with some tea and a few tea cakes, “I figur’ dat since ya didn’t finish ya’re breakfast ya may be a bit hungry.â€
Mary Ann smiled, “Thank you Amy, you really are sweet.â€
Amy blushed and came to sit down next to Mary Ann on the bed, “Well, since ya’re now my friend instea’ of a lady, ya can tell me abou’ what’sa troubling ya.â€
Mary Ann laughed, “You have the best way of cheering me up. It makes me feel kinda guilty about ranting on and on about my mother whenever you are around.â€
“Oh, it’s no trouble to me Mary Ann. I just wish that there was a way that ya two could get along betta' than this.â€
Mary Ann nodded her head, “So do I Amy, but every time that I’m around her she seems to find some sore spot in my mind that she can rub the wrong way and get me irritated. Why can’t she understand that all I want is to be able to go home and see the guys again.â€
Amy smiled, “The way that ya talk abou’ them guys it makes them sound like pretty good people.â€
Mary Ann leaned back on the bed and smiled, “You have no idea, they may be a bit annoying at times, but they were like brothers to me.†Mary Ann’s smile faded a bit, “For a while I really thought they were my brothers, until Father told me that he found me in an old part of the sewers when I was a baby and took me in.â€
Amy turned and rubbed Mary Ann’s arm, “Before I came here to work for Lady Tillia, I lived with my family an’ at least five other people from my tribe. They were like my brothers an’ sistas.â€
Mary Ann sat back up, “You never really talk about your village much. What was it like?â€
Amy face brightened, “Oh Mary Ann, it was an amazing place! The vines on the trees would dangle down so low that we could climb up onto them an’ then reach down to tie them up into hammocks an’ nests an’ sit up there unti’ it was time for afternoon chores. After chores we would all gatha' around in the shade an’ sing songs an’ weave baskets an’ clothe. Then us women would go to start suppa' while the men would help with repairs an’ de crops. When suppa' was done we would gather around de bonfire an’ listen to the old ones tell stories until our bedtime.â€
Mary Ann sighed as Amy finished, “Do you ever wish you could go back?â€
Amy nodded her head, “Oh yes, almost every day! I’m glad that I’m here, with all of de food that I get my people would think that I’m spoiled an’ fat.â€
“You, fat? Not likely, I know a lot of people that would die to be as skinny as you.â€
Amy looked away, blushing, “Really? People jealous of me?â€
“Of course! In America everyone seems to always be obsessed with their weight. I would always wonder why because I had always been skinny until Father told me that I had a fast metabolism, so I burned fat faster than others.â€
Mary Ann and Amy laughed, then they heard voices out in the halls, “Oh, that would be Taren an’ Luke looking for me,†Amy said as she rose and headed for the door, “If ya ever want to talk again just find me an’ I’ll come.†She then turned and went out the door leaving Mary Ann with a slight smile still on her face.
Chapter 7
Kat looked up as Lady Tillia walked past him again in her endless pace around the small courtyard in the center of the palace, “Mother please, sit down. She will come when she comes. After this morning I will be surprised if she comes at all.†Even though the last part was to himself Lady Tillia heard it and turned to face him.
“She had better come! She is supposed to accompany me when Lord Haman comes.â€
Kat shook his head, “Can’t you just give her a break this one time? She has been to these conferences for the past three days and each time she gets up late the next morning and you just yell at her for it.â€
Lady Tillia’s back stiffened, “Very well, I’m going to go to the conference. If Mary Ann finally does show up, tell her that she doesn’t have to go if she doesn’t want to.†She then turned and headed down the halls to the conference room.
Kat shook his head and stood up to start heading towards Mary Ann’s room to tell her the good news. When he got about half way there, he turned around a corner and almost ran into Mary Ann.
“Whoa, what are you trying to do, play knock down the brother?â€
Mary Ann smiled, “No, I only do that in a wide open space where I can throw them a little farther.â€
Kat laughed and rubbed her head, “Well, then I guess I must be grateful then. Just to let you know, Mother decided to allow you to get out of the conference today with Lord Haman.â€
“No way! How did you get her to do that?â€
“Well, after she sat around and waited for you for about ten minutes she was getting impatient and I asked her if she would let you off for the day. She seemed reluctant, but she agreed. And now since you don’t have anything to do I thought that I would take you somewhere special for the rest of the afternoon.â€
Mary Ann laughed, “Somewhere special? Right now I would be happy to just get out of the palace and go outside.â€
Kat put his arm around her and started steering her towards the kitchen, “Well, it’s better than that, I can tell you that.â€
“Really? Well, if it’s better than that, can I ask one small favor?â€
“Well,†Kat looks at Mary Ann and tugs her hair playfully, “It depends on the favor.â€
Mary Ann leaned her head against his shoulder, “If it’s not to much of a hassle, can Amy come with us?â€
Kat laughed, “Well, if I’ve heard my facts right you two have become close friends.†Kat paused. Mary Ann shoved him lightly for him to continue, “I guess.â€
Mary Ann hugged him, “Thank you! Wait a second and I’ll go get her. She should be in the parlor cleaning Mother’s vases for the umpteenth time.†With that she dashed off down a hall and turned a corner out of sight.
Kat smiled, for one who never seems to do anything but argue all day, she can get pretty happy. With that he got up and followed Mary Ann. When he finally caught up to her she was talking to Amy about what he had said.
“Come on Amy it will be fun!†Mary Ann looked over as he came up to them, “Won’t it Kat? Tell her that she won’t get in trouble for not working, please!â€
Kat smiled, “Amy, you have my word, as future high prince of Ambor, that you won’t get in trouble.â€
Mary Ann smiled and looked back at Amy, “See? Everything’s fine. Please come with me, I would feel sad if you didn’t, after all you’ve done for me.â€
Amy looked over at Kat and he gave her a reassuring glance, “Alrigh’ then, I’ll go.â€
Mary Ann hugged Amy and them grabbed her hand and Kat’s, “Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!â€
“Okay, stay close to me, I’m gonna jump.†As Mary Ann and Amy drew closer to him, bracing themselves for the cold blast of the void during the jump, Kat reassured himself that this was the right thing to do.
Well, if Mother doesn’t agree there is nothing that she can do any more. I’ve made up my mind. And with that he opened the void and jumped.
Mary Ann looked around to try to orient herself, “No matter how many times I jump I don’t think I will ever get used to it.†She looked over at Kat, “Well, where did you take us to?â€
Kat looked around and smiled, “You tell me.â€
Mary Ann turned and surveyed her surroundings. They seemed familiar, if only the jump hadn’t made her see dots. She shook her head to try to clear it. Kat laughed.
“This place isn’t like any that I ‘ave ever seen,†Amy said looking around, “I feel as if I’m in some type of weird maze like de ones that de mice go through.†She reached out her hand and touched the wall, “only I think de mazes that de mice go through are a bit cleana’.â€
Mary Ann gasped. She spun around and looked at Kat, “Are these the sewers under New York?â€
Kat smiled, “See, I told you that you knew where you were.â€
Mary Ann squealed and ran over to hug Kat, “I can’t believe you brought me here! Does Mother know?â€
“Do you think that Mother would want you to come back here? I mean this is where you learned all of your ‘bad habits’ after all.â€
Mary Ann leaned against his shoulder and grinned, “Well, you’re right about Mother not wanting me to go back here, but I wouldn’t consider the things I learned here bad habits. They’re just a bit different than what Mother wants.â€
Amy walked up to Mary Ann and put her hand on her shoulder, “Does that mean that this is the place where ya grew up? With them guys?â€
Mary Ann put her hand on top of Amy’s and replied in almost a whisper, “Yes….. We’re really close to the old junction underneath Main Street.†She paused, trying to remember the layout of the city and the surrounding sewers, “Which means that the northern edge of the city is only about a quarter of a mile that way.†She pointed to her left and looked at her brother and friend, “Shall we go see if they’re still there?â€
Kat rubbed her head, messing up her hair, “Let’s go see.†With that the three of them started of down the sewers.
Chapter 8
Spencer sighed and looked up from the papers in front of him. Mark looked over at him. Although both of the men had a few more grey hairs they both could remember what had brought them together, when Mary Ann had disappeared three years ago, and Don had come back saying that she had been taken by a man named Kane Borlea.
“Why don’t we call it a day Spencer? I don’t think that our eyes and minds are going to be able to figure these papers out any more then they have for the past few hours.â€
Spencer nodded and stood up, “I’ll agree with you. After sitting down for so long I don’t know whether or not I will be able to get up and do the same thing tomorrow.â€
Mark agreed with a slight groan as he rose and his stiff back resisted him trying to straighten, “How ‘bout we head over and see if your boys have made any progress on that thing Don’s been working on.â€
“Do you mean that watercycle thing? I guess we could, as long as we don’t get in his way.†Spencer smiled, “He can be a bit protective of it.â€
Mark laughed, “Well, I’ll be sure to not touch it, how’s that?â€
Spencer shook his head, “Sometimes I think that we have been here in the library so long we are starting to lose our mind. Then there are some times that I think being here so much is saving us from losing our minds.â€
Mark walked around the table and the two men made there way out of the library.
Chapter 9
“Leo, pass me that wrench over there I need to tighten this bolt.†Don reached out and caught the wrench that Leo threw at him, “Thanks, can you come over here and hold this while I tighten the bolt next to it.â€
“Don, I am not your slave. Can’t you do these things on your own?â€
“Yeah, but I prefer having someone here to help me. It doesn’t take as long.†Don looked up and winked, “And besides you are willing to help me.â€
“Hey Don! Can you come here for a second? I think I may have done something weird to your computer.â€
“What! Mikey you better be joking or else you are definitely dead!†Leo laughed as Don ran over to where Mikey and Phil were messing around with his computer. They moved over when Don came over to see what damage they had done to his computer.
“Luckily you only reset the hard drive and undid my program balance.†Don stood up, “There, now it should be as good a new.â€
“Well Don, if we understood what you had just said, I’m sure that we would be more relieved.â€
Don turned around, “Hey, Dad. When did you get here? Hey Mark.â€
Spencer laughed, “We only just got here,†he nodded towards the watercycle, “how are you doing on that?â€
Don shrugged, “I don’t know. I haven’t really been able to fully focus on it. There have been too many distractions.â€
Mikey threw up his hands, “I was here in this corner with the computer the whole time!â€
Mark laughed, “And amazingly that was the first place that I saw Don when I first got in here.†He walked over and stood between Don and Mikey, “So I think that I can come to the assumption that between the three of you Don has very little time to work on anything.â€
“I wouldn’t jump straight to that.†Mikey said smiling, “He just said before you got here that with Leo helping him he gets a lot done on his watercycle thingy.â€
“Ah, but aren’t you the one that always makes it impossible to work on it on his own because you are over hear fiddling with things that you aren’t supposed to?â€
As Mark mused up Mikey’s hair Spencer called from the kitchen. “Can any of you tell me how old this tea is? If it’s more than a day I’ll make a new pot.â€
Leo walked to the door and looked in, “I’m pretty sure that it’s only a few hours old. I made it earlier today, I’m just not sure when.â€
“Okay, then it will do. Would you like some Mark?â€
“Well, if it’s only a few hours old and not covered in anything strange looking then yes, I’ll have some.†He turned back to the guys.
“You know Mark you’re here so much that if you stayed a few hours longer you could live here.†Don said as he moved back to work on his watercycle.
“I could, but I still have a wife at home that would prefer that I eat some dinner. And then I also have children that want to see me every now and then too.â€
Spencer walked in with two cups of tea and handed one to Mark. As Mark took the cup and thanked him, a small high-pitched beeping sound echoed through the room. Don looked up from his work and headed over to the computer.
“I swear upon anything you like, I did nothing!†Mikey raised up his hands in a sign of innocence. “I was just sitting.â€
Don shook his head, “I know it wasn’t you. That was the alarm for a sensor that I installed around the border of the city to alert me if anyone unknown to the system crossed through.â€
Spencer looked over at his son, He must have installed that after Mary Ann disappeared, how did I not hear him talking about it before?
Mikey watched as Don pulled up a video of the outer sewers. “Dude, I didn’t know you had that thing. It’s awesome!â€
Don smiled, “They should be coming into view shortly. I set it up so that the first camera would show them after I’ve had enough time to get to the computer…….. There!†He pointed to three figures coming into view. “I should be able to magnify and sharpen the image, so we can get a closer look at them.†After a few clicks, Don stepped back a bit to let the others look.
Spencer let out a sound that sound like a choke, “Am I seeing what I think I am seeing, or are my eyes going bad?â€
No one responded, everyone was staring at one of the figures on the screen, trying to get it through their minds that the person was actually there. Don was the first to speak.
“It’s Mary Ann.â€
Chapter 10
“Come on you guys! You’re sitting and gawking at the walls like they are something important, and trust me they’re not.â€
“I’m sarry Mary Ann but I ain’t neva’ seen anythang like this befo’. It’s so different from Ambor.â€
Mary Ann slowed down and tilted her head to the side so she could talk to Amy and still not run into anything. “I guess you’re right. I lived here so long that these things are normal for me. I didn’t think that they would be too different for anyone else, but you’ve never seen sewers or pipes, have you.â€
Kat can up to walk with Mary Ann, “Can you tell us how far we are from the city now?â€
Mary Ann nodded, “We actually crossed the far border a few minutes ago. We should be able to reach my father’s home shortly, if I remember the right turns to get there.†Kat put his arm on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze, sending a silent message relaying his trust in her. Amy came up to walk on the other side of Mary Ann and gave her a warming smile.
“If eva’ ya’ could rememba’ the way to a place it would be today. No doubt abo’ it.â€
“Thanks Amy, I really hope you are right.†As the three of them headed deeper into the city Mary Ann confidence grew as she saw more and more landmarks that she recognized. In only about fifteen minutes they were standing at the end of the passage that lead to her childhood home.
Chapter 11
“She’s here, she’s really here. After so long she’s back.†Spencer couldn’t seem to get the sight of Mary Ann in the sewers through his head. And by looking around, it seemed that no one else could either.
“I can’t believe it, after four years of worrying about her and wanting her to come back, but not really feeling that she will. There she was…..is, right back where everything started.†Don shook his head in bewilderment. “I just can’t understand why though. Everything that happened that day suggested that she would never be coming back, everything.â€
Leo looked at the computer watching as the previous image changed to show a different sewer passage, closer to their home. Staring as Mary Ann came into view again, She even remembers the way. “Who do you think are there with her? They definitely aren’t from here and the one doesn’t seem like the guy you described that took her.†Leo looked over at his brother, “am I right Don?â€
Don nodded his head, “The man that took her was older and a bit taller. This guy looks young enough to be only a few years older than us. They’re getting close to the house, I should undo the lock, Mary Ann won’t know the new password.†He closed out the image of Mary Ann and started typing something in. at that moment everyone seemed to snap out of their seemingly trance-like state.
Spencer headed back towards the kitchen, “I think that we all will need a cup of tea after this. I’m going to have to make a new pot.â€
Chapter 12
Mary Ann had stopped in front of the door, “I’m pretty sure that they would have changed the password by now. How are we going to get in?â€
Kat walked up to the door, “Maybe they left it unlocked. Should I try and see if it opens?†Mary Ann stared at the door and nodded, “I guess it’s worth a shot.â€
Amy reached out and touched Mary Ann’s chin, pulling her head up to look at her, “Don’t ya’ worry Mary Ann. If Masta’ Kat can’t get it open I’m sure that there is anotha’ way to get in. we will just hav’ta find it.â€
At that moment Kat turned around and smiled at the two behind him. “There’s no need to find another way, the door’s unlocked.â€
Chapter 13
Spencer stood leaning against the wall, watching the door and holding his breathe as the door started to open. As he looked around at those by him head could see the dame expression that he guessed was on his own face. Mark returned his glance and nodded, showing that they were all in the same boat, expectations mounting and hopes reaching their peaks. When the door finally opened all the way, the tension in the room seemed to pop and simmer away.
Spencer slowly walked forward to embrace a silent teary-eyed Mary Ann. As he ran his fingers through her hair, he felt tears come to his own eyes. “I never thought I would see you again. I thought that you were gone for good.â€
Slowly Don, Leo and everyone else joined in the embrace, leaving Kat and Amy watching. Kat turned to Amy, smiling, and in return Amy closed the still open door, and leaned against it. All while watching Mary Ann emerge from the large embrace and embrace each of her family separately and smiling as Mark reached out and ruffled her hair.
“I hate’ta intervene Mary Ann, but since we are here I was a’wonderin’ if ya’ could intraduce Masta’ Kat and me to ya’ family?â€
Mary Ann turned and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, “Oh, of course, how silly of me. This is Leo, Don, Mikey, Phil, our friend Mark.†As she went through each introduction she pointed to each person. When she reached Spencer she stopped and smiled as he put his hand on her cheek. “And this is my father, Spencer.â€
Kat smiled and nodded, “I’m Kat Borea and this is Amy.â€
Don looked closer at Kat, “So I suppose then that you are related to Kane Borea. Am I right?â€
Kat nodded, “Yes, Kane Borea is my father. I guess you met him when he came for Mary Ann. I’m sorry, I didn’t expect that he would just come here and take her. When he explained it to be it sounded like he would come here and explain everything to you.â€
“Well that definitely didn’t happen.†Mikey looked at Kat. Spencer gave him a sharp prod in the side. “I don’t suppose that you would like to explain what happened, would you? I believe an explanation is due for what we have gone through.â€
“Certainly, but first, if you don’t mind. I can smell that you are making some tea. If it is done would it be alright if I could have a cup?†Spencer nodded, “Splendid, now where would be the best place to begin? I guess I should start by explaining that Mary Ann is my sister, first in line to become empress after our mother dies.
“Our father, Kane, as you pointed out earlier, was the one who came to get Mary Ann. He was also the one who sent her here as a baby to try and protect her from the Darian Plague. A deadly disease that was sweeping our land at the time that Mary Ann was born.
“My mother had wanted her in a nearer land, but at the time most lands around us were infected by some form of the Darian Plague. So my father decided that this land was far enough away that the Darian Plague wouldn’t reach……..â€
As Kat told how Mary Ann ended up getting to New York and what had been going on in the four years that she had been in Ambor. Those around listened with interest and awe at a world that they had never known to exist before.
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If you were to juggle a lion, and a house cat, the end result would look something like a tattered chunk of red fabric. The cat would scratch anything within reach, and the lion would just eat you. The lesson to learn? Make sure you eat your spinach.
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