by Orca Various
The cover wolf uses a very Grampa tone of voice. The yellow eyes blaze like fire and then the lite in them goes out. The magazine is just a magazine.
There is a name on it. The magazine is delivered to Violet Dieters. Whoever that is. This must be her house. The address is in Toronto.
Holy crap! Grampa was rite—Im way past Creekside.
I stare at myself in the meer for a second. A big rumply boy with dark hair sticking out and a look of Holy crap! on his face. That’s me all rite.
I have to stand on the toilet to reach the window. It is small but I can push myself thru the open part even in my coat witch I am still wearing. I am worryed about my feet. I will run faster in socks than in skates—but not for long.
You probly think I am crazy. Fair enuff. It doesnt make sense that Grampa is helping me from beyond the grave—but sense isnt everything. It doesnt make sense that I found a baby in a gym bag. It doesnt make sense that Aiden Tween is so popular. It doesnt make sense that people smoke cigarets or feed stray cats or kill children or like pickle flavor potato chips—but they do. It doesnt make sense that you are reading this story insted of all the other millions of stories out there. Life isnt about making sense. Its a gift and you do your best with it. Yeah its crazy that Grampa is talking to me but it would also be crazy for me not to pay attention—like saying no to the gift. If you need help and you get help you shuld use the help.
IT IS AN EASY DROP FROM THE BATHROOM WINDOW
to the ground and I am out and running. The back yard is covered in a clean sheet of snow. My footprints are huge—a giant smashing his way across the earth. Joe will have no problem following me. I hop over the back fence and keep running. The snow is up to my knees. I run thru to the street. Now the snow is smashed down and you can not tell where Ive been.
I run up the drive way of the first house and pound on the door.
Help! I shout.
The porch lite comes on and I hear noises behind the door. Somebody is there. But they are not opening the door. What they are doing is watching me thru the peep hole.
Its OK! I shout. I am not dangerous!
Mind you I am hopping because my feet are cold. I must look weerd. I try again.
I am not crazy! I shout. Let me in! The Pee Yan Vee Yans are after me!
That sounds pretty crazy tho doesnt it.
No wait they really are! Help! Please let me in!
Nothing. I will have to think of better stuff to yell. No more Pee Yan Vee Yans. Nobody is home at the next house or the 1 after. The house after that has lots of lites up and a mess on the front porch—a broken sled and a mitt and a hat that a kid has dropped. A mom comes to the door when I ring the bell but she will not let me in.
Go away! she says. Please go away!
The door is on a chain lock. I can see a strip of her face. She is scared of me—a crazy stranger.
Im cold! I shout. I have no shoes!
Her face softens. I can feel her weaken. She is a mom after all.
Please let me in! I shout. I have to get back to jail!
The door slams. Drat.
I am so mad I kick the kids hat off the porch—and find a cell phone lying underneath! Wuld you believe it? It must have fallen out of the moms pocket befor the kid started losing his close. Its the same kind as my phone. I push the start button to turn it on.
My hart has been on a trampoline trip for the last few minits. Good luck bad luck good luck. Up down up. I escape from Joe—up!—but my feet are freezing—down!—but heres a house with people—up!—but they wont take me in—down!—but heres a cell phone—up! But it doesnt work. I cant turn on the darn thing. I gess theres no power.
Down.
I hold out the phone so the mom can see it and ring the bell again. Let me in and I will give it to you!
I shout.
Wait—that sounds nasty.
Your phone I mean!
Nothing.
I slip the broken phone in my pocket and start running. No sidewalks so I head down the middle of the road. My breath steams in the street lites. I try not to think about my feet. I cant. Joe will be looking for me so I have to hurry. I wish I had my skates. I can go faster on skates and they keep my feet warmer.
I come to a stop sine with a line of 3 or 4 cars. I cant see the people in the cars but they can see me. I stick out my thum like I want to hitch hike. Nothing happens for a second and then 1 of the cars ahead of me honks. The back door opens. I hurry over and slide into the warm.
Thank you I say to guy in the back seat. He has a scarf over his face. His eyes are wide like he is surprised. Thank you thank you.
I am bouncing high on the trampoline of good luck.
I bend over and rub my feet thru my socks. Oh. Oh. Oh that feels good.
The car takes off and makes a turn. And another. I sit up. My name is Bunny I say. Please take me out of here. I need to find a phone. I am going to—
And then I fall rite off the luck trampoline and land with a thud.
O crap I say.
The guy beside me takes off his scarf. His hair is pointy at the front. Its Lubor. Vi is in the front passenger seat. I do not know the driver but he is smiling into the meer and not in a nice way. I am back with the kid nappers.
When I try to scramble out of the car Lubor grabs me pretty hard.
No he says.
With Lubors axent it doesnt sound like the way I say no but thats what he means.
VI TURNS AROUND.
The lites from the street and the houses shine off her face. Shes still nice looking. I want to hate her but I cant. Is it because she is pretty? Yes. Yes it is.
Do you know how long we have been following you? she asks me. All the way from Perivale.
I dont know the name. Oh wait—I remember now.
Steves place I say.
That idiot! says Vi. I don’t know how Lubors mom can work for him. And then to the border and all the way to Toronto. We kept just missing you! You were in the US customs shed just ahead of us and then you escaped. Youve been lucky all day long.
Lucky? And here I am thinking about my unluck. But I gess Ive been lucky 2. Maybe everybody is lucky and unlucky—it depends on who is looking.
Vi leans back over the seat and slaps me across the face. It hurts.
Thats for the flat tires she says.
Maybe I dont like her so much even tho she is pretty.
We turn a corner and another and pull up outside the place I ran away from. Joe is outside looking grim. He gets happier when he sees me get out of the car with Lubors hand on my arm. We all go inside the house.
Joe holds the door open for the driver and then for Vi. Lubor and I go in on our own. Joe and Lubor talk for a while in back-of-the-throat language. I know what they are saying even if I do not know the words. Lubor is mad and Joe is trying to xplain.
They throw me in a basement room and lock the door.
SO AFTER ALL MY SKATING AND RUNNING AND HIDING
I am kid napped again. The room is white and cold and empty xept for a clock on the wall. Thats all there is in the room—a big round 6:01. I have no idea what they use this room for—telling time is all you can do. Now its 6:03. I sit down on the cement floor. After a while my bottom feels cold so I stand up. 6:14. Now my feet feel cold.
I feel I shuld do something. Anything. Waiting for your luck to change is not enuff. Good luck happens when you do something. And if it doesnt happen at least you feel better. 6:16. I throw my sholder against the door. It does not move. I try again—harder. Nope. I try kicking the door. Nothing happens and now my sock foot and my sholder are both sore. Doing something doesnt always make you feel better. 6:19.
I take the phone I found on the ladys porch out of my coat pocket. It is still not working. I put it in my pants pocket.
At 6:20 the door opens and Joe walks in with the driver who is smaller and thinner than Joe but more important. Joe stands back and lets him talk.
So here you are in Toronto Bunny he says. You
traveled a long way and nearly escaped but we have you now. It is a long journey for my country also—my poor suffering Pee Yan Vee Yah! And tonite the journey ends he says. Your grampa stole our anthem. Your brother found it. Tonite the world will hear it—and they will weep!
I gess the anthem is sad. I never cry during our anthem. We stand on gard for the—so what? Also we sing it about 80 times. I want to shout We know! Were going to stand on gard! We get it.
Not gard—something else. Gaurd maybe or guard—but that just looks wrong. Yes wrong. English is harder than it has to be. The driver has a wispy beerd and long hair and talks like Lubor only more so. He reminds me of somebody.
You must phone him he says to me.
Phone—
Your brother. Tell him you are in our power and he must do what we want. You will do it now.
The driver punches a number on his sell phone and hands it to me. I finally realize what is going on—what has been going on all along. These guys from Pee Yan Vee Yah are kid napping me so that Spencer will do something for them!
What do you want my brother to do? I ask. The phone is ringing in my ear.
He knows what to do says the driver. Talk to him. Let him hear your voice.
Who does the driver remind me of?
The phone rings a bit more and then stops.
Sorry I say. I cant get thru.
We try again and again and then the driver gives up and turns to go. On his way out he pats Joe on the back—witch he has to reach up to do.
You keep trying Joe he says. You and Lubor and Vi are in charge of Bunny. Get him to talk to his brother. I am going to the square now to check on the others. Keep Bunny safe for now he says.
For now? I think. What does that mean—for now?
We all look at the clock. 6:32.
Sure Dusan says Joe.
Dusan?
I know the name now—I thot it was Susan the first time I herd it.
Your Dusan? I say to the driver.
He is standing in the door way.
It is 1 of my names he says and walks away.
He knows what he wants. And hes neat and tidy—even tho he has a lame mustash. If I ever see Dusan again I will tell him who he reminds me of. Hell be surprised.
Joe walks out with him. The door slams shut. Its just me and the clock now.
6:35.
I think about Spencer doing something to save me because I am kid napped. I do not like the thot at all. I wonder wuld I do something to save him? Course I wuld. But I am unhappy. It is no fun to need saving.
I wish I was back in the police station. Then I culd call Spencer and tell him I am safe and he wuld not have to do the thing that Dusan wants him to do. Even Bets jail is better than here. I worked hard and came a long way to be here like Dusan said—but I ended up in the worst place I can be.
I feel bad and useless and a failure and my feet hurt. I wonder what I can do. Words come back to me. Do what you say your going to do. Help as many as you can. These are good things to have on your grave stone. He helped many. He did what he said he would. But I still feel bad. 6:36.
Im yawning all the time.
The wolfs words come back to me—take care of yourself Bernard.
Im not mad at him—the wolf I mean. Im not mad at Grampa ether. I culd be mad because he didnt tell me Vi and Dusan were in the car. But I still trust him and I will try to take care of myself. The clock says 6:38.
When I wake up it says 11:15. I do some push ups and some jumps. Sleep helped me. I’m ready to go. Thanks for the advice Grampa. I feel better. Witch is funny because talking to Grampa didn’t always make me feel better when he was alive.
WE TRY DIFFERENT PHONES.
Lubors and Vis and Joes. I remember how Joe told me his phone didnt work. Now he wants me to use it and it really doesnt work. What do they call that kind of joke? Its not funny. But something.
11:35.
If I was back at Creekside it would be lites out.
You didnt call Creekside did you? I ask Joe. But hes not paying attention. He frowns at the phone in my hand witch rings and then stops. We are not getting thru. I remember the old lady who thot I was God. Not even you can get the phones to work she said. Joe presses redial and we try again. Still nothing.
Why doesnt Vis mom have a landline? he mutters.
I know a bit about what is going on by now. Theres a New Years Eve concert and something is going to happen and it will be about Pee Yan Vee Yah. Thats all I know for sure because Lubor and Joe talk a lot of Pee Yan Vee Yan and I have no idea what there saying. And even when they speak English I do not know what they mean a lot of the time. They talk about 80 a lot. Is 80 there yet? Whos with 80? When is 80 going on? Will 80 know the words?
What is this 80? I asked when I was trying Vis phone.
It was like 80 was somebodys uncle—or an animal like a hamster.
80 is old if its a person I said.
And if theres an 80 year old hamster its a miracle.
80 is letters Vi told me. A and T.
Oh. AT. Whoever that is.
Her phone didnt work either.
That was a few minits ago. Now it is 11:47 and they are all back in the room together and something is going on because they have coats and boots on. Joe holds my skates.
We have to get closer he says. AT will be going onstage soon and we have to find a phone signal. Come on.
We walk upstares. Joe and Lubor hold onto my arms. Vi talks to me.
We are going for a car ride she says. Its about twenty minits from here to the concert. We need you to be awake to talk to your brother. So you have to be good. No running away. No shouting ok?
I dont know what to say. There are more of them and they are bigger and stronger than me and I have no shoes.
Promise? she says. Promise you will not try to escape and you can sit in the car until we find a signal from your brothers phone.
I shake my head.
I cant promise I say.
Im wondering if she will slap me again but she doesnt.
Lubor! she calls.
Next thing I know there is a thing on my head like a blanket or something. I cant see. Lubor and I gess Joe grab my arms and legs and carry me outside.
Help! I yell. Help!!
Nobody comes to save me. Im thrown into a place that smells like dust. I hear a click and then silence. It takes me a while to get free of the blanket because I cant see or stretch out very far. When my head is clear I still cant see. Its super dark. There are 2 lumps near me—my skates. And a bigger lump under me—a spare tire. I hear a familiar rumbling noise and feel a vibration around but mostly under me. We start to move.
BUMP BUMP SLIDE BUMP.
Ow. I am an idiot. Why didnt I promise not to escape? I could be sitting in the back seat of the car rite now insted of sliding around the trunk getting hurt every time we run over a pot hole or stop at a stop sine.
Bump bump bump. This is how it all started—me in the trunk. I dont know how much time I will have befor they get a phone signal. I shuld get ready to escape. The only thing I can think of is to put on my skates. Its not much of an idea but a skater can move quick across the ice. If theres ice.
I twist around like a worm on a fish hook to get my skates on my sore feet. It takes a while in the dark with all the bumps and jolts. I work up a swet. I am the hottest I have been since I dont know when. But at last the skates are on. I take a breath. If theres ice on the Toronto streets I can maybe get away.
The pop song surprises me. Not witch song it is—You baby you baby you are the 1. You hear that song all the time. Aiden Tween is hard to miss. But I dont expect to hear him coming out of my pants.
I reach into my pocket and pull out the phone. Its working now. Full power. There were no bars befor but now they are all lit up. Lites are flashing.
Befor I can say hello into the phone I hear a loud voice tell me Ive won a chance to go on a dream vacation. Lucky you! says the voice. Its a what do you call them—guys
who sell stuff on the phone. Only its really a tape recording. Mom hates them. She shouts into the phone until Dad tells her to chill. Then she slams down the phone and shouts at Dad.
I end the call and stare at the phone. This is my chance. I dont know why the phone is working but it is. I slide up my coat sleeve and my shirt sleeve and use the lite from the phone to read the number on my arm. The call to my brother goes thru—first time tonite. I am about to give up when the ringing stops and Spencer says hi. I say hi.
BUNNY! HE SAYS.
He recognizes my voice rite away and he sounds really happy to hear from me. I almost start to cry. I dont tho. He asks where I am.
In Toronto I say. In a car.
Fantastic Bun! he shouts. Your home safe.
Well actually—I start but he interrupts me.
Mom said you would be okay he says. Man am I ever glad.
Mom? I say.
Yeah. She knows all about you. She sees this you know.
At least thats what I think he says. I dont understand. What can Mom see? Doesnt matter—I dont have much time. If the signal is good enough to get thru now then Joe will be stopping the car soon.
Spencer call the cops I say. Tell them—
And I stop. Its my usual problem. I dont know enuff. I dont know whats going on at the concert or where Dusan is or the license plate of this car. I dont even know anything about AT xept its probly not a hamster. But I have a working phone and a chance to talk to my brother. This is help and I shuld use it.
Im going to get away Spencer I say. I have my skates. So dont do it ok?
Dont—
Whatever they want you to do at the concert I say. Dusan and those guys. The kid nappers. Dont do it.
I cant hear you Bun he says.
And dont worry about me.
Dont—
Dont worry! I almost shout.
OK see you soon he says. Have fun.
He clicks off.
Fun? What does he think is going on? Has he herd anything I said?
I didnt get a chance to tell him about Dusan. Theres a mistery—or why would Dusan remind me of Jade? Im sure theres a reason. Jade is a mistery 2. But Spencer hung up so quick I didnt get a chance to say any of this.
