Marilyn Kaye - Finders Keepers

An older girl appeared at the door, a nd then Stevie was there too. They kissed their mother. Then they started walking away, the mother went back inside, and the door closed.

Ken let out the breath he’d been holding. There had been plenty of time for the invisible Tracey to get inside. Now she had to stay invisible long enough to accomplish her mission, and get herself back outside.

Ken stared at the house, even though there wasn’t really anything to look at. It was weird, not having a clue as to what was going on inside.

An eternity seemed to pass. He kept looking at his watch, and he could see that only a few minutes had gone by, but it felt like much longer.

The door to the house opened again, and Mrs Fisher came out. She was holding little Dena’s hand. With the other, she locked the front door. Oh no! Ken thought. Would Tracey be trapped inside until someone came home?

‘I’m here.’

He looked in the direction of the voice. ‘Tracey?’

Even though he couldn’t see her face, he could hear the excitement in her voice.

‘I found it, Ken! It was right where you said it would be, under the loose floorboard in the cupboard.’

‘What did you do with it?’

‘I put it on the refrigerator door, under a magnet. They can’t miss it.’

Ken frowned. ‘Isn’t that a little obvious? I mean, wouldn’t they have noticed it before?’

‘Haven’t you ever searched everywhere for something and then found it, right in plain sight?’

She had a point.

‘I guess we better get back to school. We’ve got a long way to go.’

‘Yeah, OK.’

‘And you can come back now,’ Ken added. ‘Nobody’s watching.’

‘Actually. I can’t.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, it’s weird. I’m getting better and better at disappearing when I want to, but it’s not so easy to make myself reappear. It’s like, the invisibility has to wear off on its own.’

‘How long does that take?’

‘I never know exactly. But it’s usually within an hour or so. I should be OK by the time we get to school.’

Ken found it surprisingly easy to talk to an invisible Tracey as they walked back to Meadowbrook. He considered holding his mobile to his ear, so anyone passing by wouldn’t think he was talking to himself, but he was too happy to really care.

‘So, things are going to be all right for Stevie and his family,’ he said.

‘Yeah. Of course Stevie won’t ever know that you found the ticket for him. He’ll still think you’re one of the bad guys who tried to steal it.’

‘I know. I’ll just have to live with that.’ He was disappointed, but he knew it was for the best, because this way he didn’t have to tell Stevie about his gift. ‘Speaking of bad guys. do you get freaked out when Madame keeps talking about how much danger we’re in?’

‘Not so much,’ Tracey replied. ‘Not for myself, at least. If I can disappear, no one can really hurt me. I worry about everyone else though.’

‘Including me?’

‘Sure. You didn’t think bad guys would be interested in your gift, and look what just happened.’

‘So I suppose we really should try to keep our gifts secret.’

‘Absolutely,’ Tracey declared. And then she laughed.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘I’m thinking about kids at school — regular people, not criminal types. If they found out what each of us can do. ’

‘How do you think they’d react?’ Ken asked.

‘Well, unless they see us in action,’ Tracey said, ‘we’ve got nothing to worry about.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Think about it, Ken. Hi, guys, guess what I can do? I can disappear! You know Jenna Kelley? She can read minds. Emily sees into the future, and Ken talks to dead people.’

‘I think I get your point,’ Ken said. ‘They wouldn’t believe it.’ He remembered Jack telling him the same thing.

‘Exactly. I mean, I wouldn’t go around talking about what we can do. But if a rumour starts spreading around school, well, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. By the way, do you know where Amanda went? The real Amanda?’

‘No. Maybe she’ll be back at school today and we’ll find out.’

‘I think it could be fun to live someone else’s life for a while,’ Tracey said. ‘If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be?’

They were able to entertain each other with candidates all the way back to Meadowbrook. Tracey wanted to go into space as an astronaut or be a jockey on a horse that could win the Kentucky Derby. Ken admitted to a secret dream of performing as a hip-hop artist. They were so caught up in their fantasies that Ken completely forgot he was talking to someone who wasn’t physically there. He only remembered as the school came into view.

‘Better lower your voice,’ he cautioned Tracey as they approached the building. ‘Actually, it’s still early, there aren’t many people around. But we probably ought to stop talking before anyone notices us.’

‘They can’t hear me,’ Tracey told him. ‘You’re the only person who’s ever been able to hear me when I’m invisible.’

‘I guess I’m just more sensitive to people who aren’t really there,’ Ken replied.

‘I can’t believe I’m still invisible,’ Tracey grumbled. ‘I hope I’m back by this afternoon — I’ve got an appointment for a haircut.’

Ken didn’t reply. He’d just spotted Lucy standing alongside the stairs leading up to the main entrance. She was alone, and when she spotted him, she waved.

He winced. He hadn’t written that apologetic email yet. He was going to have to apologize in person. Well, so be it. He squared his shoulders and started towards her. It dawned on him that Tracey might still be by his side, and he should tell her to go on, that this was something personal. But now it was too late. Lucy would be able to see him speaking to no one if he did talk to Tracey.

He tried to put his companion out of his mind and focus on the girl in front of him. ‘Hi, Lucy. Listen, I want to apologize for last night. I was in a really bad mood about something, and I took it out on you. I’m really sorry.’

She didn’t seem upset. ‘That’s OK, I forgive you,’ she said with a smile. ‘As long as you take me to the eighth-grade dance this weekend.’

‘I’m in the ninth grade, Lucy.’

‘I know that! But we’re allowed to bring people from other grades as our dates.’

He took a deep breath. ‘Listen, Lucy. you’re a cute girl and all, but — well — I’m sort of into someone else.’

He could have sworn he heard a sharp intake of breath, like a gasp, and it hadn’t come from Lucy. Damn! Tracey was still there. And now she’d want to know who Ken was talking about.

Lucy didn’t seem to care. ‘Well, she’s out of luck, whoever she is. Because I want you to be into me.’

Ken shifted his weight from one leg to the other. This was not going to be easy. ‘Like I said, Lucy. you’re really nice, and I know Jack was crazy about you, but I’m just not interested in you that way. I hope we can be friends, but. ’ His voice trailed off as her expression changed. There was something cold in her face now.

‘Don’t forget, Ken, I know something about you.’

He looked at her stupidly. ‘Huh?’

‘I know what you can do. How would you feel if I told people that you talk to dead people?’

It was Ken’s turn to gasp. ‘Lucy! You wouldn’t do that, would you?’

‘Not if you go to the dance with me. And other places.’

It took Ken a moment to respond. ‘Are you — are you trying to blackmail me?’

Lucy laughed, but it wasn’t a pretty laugh. There was something very mean about it. ‘I never thought I’d have to threaten a guy to go out with me, but I’ll do what I have to do. I want you to be my boyfriend, Ken. I think we’d be good together, and once you get over your hang-ups about me being Jack’s ex-girlfriend, you’ll be happy with me.’