Inked (The Ink Keepers Book 1)

by N. I. Rojas

  “You are such a weirdo.” -Kyra said, twitching her lips. But inside she was laughing at Mackenzie’s strange manners.

  Both walked to the S.W. office searching the perimeter. Kyra was nervous. Mackenzie felt excitement. Acting like himself again was great. Something risky, adventurous, and a little against the law, that was Mackenzie’s daily rules. That was his thing. Taking Kyra with him to do the mischief was even a greater satisfaction.

  Gaining access to the office was easier than what Mackenzie thought. Soon he felt bored to the max. This Fairy Girl was killing the fun out of things! It looked like she had a special pass to go through the whole school without been called to attention. Even the Principal waved at them when they walked in front of his door. Kyra was pure boredom running through Mackenzie’s green stockings hiding under those rigid skinny jeans.

  Mrs. Rose was not in her office and the bell was due to ring at any second. They had maybe seconds to get Mackenzie’s backpack- the second backpack if it was real- and escape the office before been caught. The only thing Kyra feared was to walk face to face with Mrs. Rose. She was, for obvious reasons, a cause of worries to every single kid in the school. One step out of line and Mrs. Rose would make sure your parents know about it. Maybe she could add a little more exaggerations, just to make the problem more dramatic. Kyra opened the door with trembling fingers, and she breathe again when saw the empty office. Instantly, she noticed a leather backpack hiding under Mrs. Rose’s desk.

  “Is that it?” -Kyra asked showing Mackenzie the backpack.

  “I’ll take it. Watch the door.” -Mackenzie ordered Kyra. If only Mackenzie could know how much Kyra hated to be ordered around! And his tone of voice. It was hideous. Kyra imagined kicking him or screaming at him to stop his jerk act; but she stopped herself, remembering they were at school.

  “Hurry, I think she’s coming.” -Kyra said in a hush voice when a slithering shadow came from the hall. Noisy giggles echoed through the walls. Mackenzie raised his head when the noise reached him. He panicked for some reason.

  Grabbing his backpack with one hand and Kyra with the other, Mackenzie escaped through the backdoor, falling straight into the school parking lot.

  Both ran and ran. Mackenzie ran following Kyra, trying to catch up with her. Kyra was just running to put enough distance between herself and an imminent warning card and a reprimand at home known as no more visits to the library after school and coming straight back home at three o’clock .

  She stopped when she thought they were safe and sat under a free tree in the back garden where only the biology students were working. Nobody looked at them as usual. Insignificant kids. Just two more from the pile of slush that was Middle School.

  “That was awesome. I think I’m going to kiss you!” -Mackenzie said grabbing Kyra from the sweaty cheeks.

  “I think I’ll pass, but thanks.” -Kyra said, grabbing Mackenzie’s hands and moving them to his own cheeks. - “Your hands are safer there.”

  “I was excited, nothing personal, okay? It is not like you are attractive or something, but I’m happy you helped me get my stuff back.”

  “Saying thanks will be enough.” -Kyra snapped back. Mackenzie made a mocking face at Kyra. Saying that word? Maybe not! Mackenzie preferred to let his lips being sewed together, or maybe being forced to drink from the potty, but saying thanks was definitely not his thing. - “Open it. What is so important to make me risk been grounded for like an eternity if my father finds out what I just did?” -Kyra confessed, but deep within she knew her father was so soft that the punishment wouldn’t go beyond the weekend.

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?” -Kyra said in astonishment. - “This don’t belong to you after all? You tricked me? How could you?” -Kyra attacked Mackenzie with words. She felt betrayed and it was not something she was not accustomed to, but it really made her angry.

  “Hey, relax, Fairy Girl. This is mine. But I don’t know what’s inside. My uncle…”- Mackenzie thought about those words full of lies. - “He gave this to me before entering to school, but I left it in the office as soon as Mrs. Rose sent us out this morning. I knew she was not going to recognize it as mine, so I asked your help.”

  “Then open it, Mackenzie Kensington, and show me what stuff your uncle and you share.”

  Mackenzie was scared, maybe for the first time, scared of what was inside the bag. He wasn’t going to flinch, so he kneeled at one side of the tree and opened his bag. He moved the zipper slowly as it was stuck in a corner. Mackenzie felt confused when peeked inside. It wasn’t empty, but he didn’t recognize any of that stuff.

  “Oh, come on, Mackenzie. You are taking a lifetime.” -Kyra kneeled in front of the opened bag grabbing it to peek inside. She was very impulsive sometimes and this wasn’t the exception. - “Oh. My. Holy. Prepaid. Credit. Card. Paradise! Your uncle gave you a backpack full of gift cards!” -Kyra laughed very loud this time. It was a laughter so impossible to tame that Kyra rested her back on the ground just to try to stop. Mackenzie closed his eyes, just enjoying the fresh scent coming from Kyra. He enjoyed every moment thinking that a smell like that must be connected with Mother Nature. Kyra saw him staring at her with a dumbo face and, snapping her finger, brought him back to reality. - “This is odd... but fabulous.”

  Mackenzie’s face was deadpan. What crazy maggots were all those plastic little rectangles? Why not food from the Berry Valley or his sharp knife made from the finest oak wood? What was the meaning of gift cards and why in Alter Land Kyra knew what those strange witchcrafts were?

  “I don’t get it. I was expecting something different.” -Mackenzie confessed.

  “Like?”

  “Like stuff that belonged to me, or food, or… I don’t know what this is?” -Frustrated, Mack threw the backpack.

  “You don’t? Isn’t it obvious, Mackenzie?” -Kyra ran to collect the few gift cards that had escaped. - “Your uncle didn’t feel comfortable giving you money… cash I mean, and instead he give you gift cards. This is money, Mackenzie. You can buy almost everything with it.”

  “A ship... A boat maybe?” -He asked sheepishly.

  “Too rush, Mackenzie. Not a vehicle, but clothes, books… Oh! How many good books you could have…!” -Mackenzie looked at her like if she was talking about another mysterious stuff like the gift cards. - “Sorry, just wandering.”

  “I don’t know how to use this stuff. This is useless to me.” -Mackenzie said throwing the bag against the bark of the tree. Kyra rushed to grab the backpack for the second time. Mackenzie didn’t know the total value of the cards, but Kyra had an idea.

  “You have never used a gift card? A credit card maybe? Obviously you use cash?” -Kyra asked in disbelief.

  “No to all of your questions. No. No and no.” -Mackenzie answered proudly.

  “So, you have never gone shopping before?”

  “What’s shopping?”

  “Go out buying stuff, like clothes.” -Kyra mentioned, like if it was something obvious.

  “No.”

  “Then how you get clothes?” -The answer really needed to be good to amuse Kyra.

  “We made it ourselves or change stuff we have for other stuff, like handmade stuff.”

  “That’s a lot of stuff. You buy from artisans?” -She wondered.

  “Something like that.” - Mackenzie answered, not knowing what exactly artisans meant. Kyra tried to make more questions, but Mackenzie stopped her. - “You ask too much.”

  The end of the day came easier and faster now that Kyra and Mackenzie have mocked each other in many ways. After school, Mackenzie was waiting for Kyra just outside the gates. A few girls came to talk to him but as soon as he felt a change in the scent of the air, he knew Kyra was coming and shepherded the girls away.

  “Hey.” -He said trying to imitate other boys.

  “Hey to you too. Haven’t you said “Hey” like a hundred times just today?”

  “Well, hey again.” -Mackenzie repeat
ed.

  “What you want, Mr. Popular. I saw you in good company a few seconds ago. Why you sent the girls away?” -Kyra really wanted to know.

  “Well, you must take me to get clothes. To do some… how you called it? Shaplin, shampoo, sherry?...”

  “Shopping?” -Kyra interrupted him, frowning deeply. Thank God she did because Mackenzie had a repertoire full of crazy names to use.

  “Yes. You must take me shopping.” -Mackenzie ordered Kyra. She hated so much that attitude, even having known him for just a couple of hours she knew she would never overcome the tragedy of this boy. Mackenzie was so much like her stepmother, ordering Kyra to this or that.

  “I don’t know, Mackenzie. I have so much homework to do.” -Kyra answered doubtful.

  “You can take any of the plastic cards you like if you help me.” -Mackenzie offered. Liking the offering, Kiara thought for a moment, but she wasn’t sure. Nobody was waiting for her at home until six thirty, but on the other hand, he was a total stranger offering money in exchange of company. Was he doing that? Because it felt kind of money-vixen. - “And we’ll eat. I’m dying of hunger. I think I could drink Merm’s Lagoon from a single sip.”

  “You are really weird. From which country you said you come?” -Kyra was curious. He sometimes talked about strange things or unknown places, and Kyra was not happy feeling she was just a dumb girl with electric hair.

  “In which country are we?” -Mackenzie asked smartly.

  “In America?” -She asked dazed.

  “Right where I come from.” -Mackenzie said without giving Kyra time to burden him with more of her exasperating questions. - “Are you going or not? I’m going to eat the bigger serving of food I see. You must guide me, Fairy… Kyra”

  “It is better if you say: Can you guide me? instead of being ordering me around. You should be a little polite.” -She scolded him.

  “Yeah, whatever you say.”

  Kyra took a deep breath. She did it a few times, repeating the same breathing pattern until her body and mind were both in the same tuning. She gave up in the end and took Mackenzie to the closest Shopping Center. The first thing Mackenzie did was to run up and down the electrical stairs, after overcoming the shock of seeing those magical instruments functioning on the human world. Soon, it was boring as well. His nose was driving him to candies and chocolate and sweets. Grabbing Kyra’s hand, Mackenzie ran through the shopping center searching for the source of the smell. In a corner, almost hiding from the kids’ eyes, a candy store was waiting for them. He stood a bit confused.

  “Why everything is hidden behind these crystal walls?” -Mackenzie asked Kyra silently.

  “To avoid germs. You must order what you want. The employees will give you what you ask.” -She explained.

  “And what about their germs?” -Mackenzie asked ignorantly.

  “Seriously?” -Kyra said, trying to decipher if he was just that naïve or he was trying to fool her. - “Just do what I do.”

  Kyra went to the line with Mackenzie following her. She asked for a chocolate chip cookie and a small piece of carrot and cream-cheese cake. The worker gave Kyra what she ordered, and she looked at Mackenzie, encouraging him to do the same. Bravely, Mackenzie told the guy to give him a sample of everything they had there, but the guy answered with a smile that they don’t give samples anymore.

  “Well, in that case, give me a piece of chocolate cake,” -Mackenzie walked in front of the crystal showcases trying to read the names of the desserts. Soon he gave up. He couldn’t read. He couldn’t write. Even the note he sent Kyra was made by magic. - “Give me one of this… one of this… three of those cookies… a pint of ice cream and a big drink.”

  Kyra helped Mackenzie carry his whole order. She took a prepaid credit card from his backpack and showed Mackenzie how he was supposed to use it, but Mackenzie wasn’t paying any attention. It was easier to let her do this kind of serious stuff.

  They took a seat close to the veranda with a view to the water fountains. The jets of water changed colors every few minutes. Mackenzie was nibbling every one of his orders enjoying some tastes, putting others aside. Kyra looked at him while Mackenzie, absently, watched the colors in the water. Not even Merm Lagoon under a shower of rainbows was this amazing and hypnotizing.

  Curiosity taking control, Kyra felt she needed to know the story of this strange boy, but she feared too, because Mackenzie was different to every boy she had met, and maybe a little weirder too. Mackenzie burped out loud and Kyra hid her face behind napkins to cover from the looks of people seating nearby.

  “Enjoy your meal!” -Mackenzie said aloud while rubbing his extended belly. - “Now what, Fairy Girl?”

  “Mackenzie, keep your word. And please, keep your gases to yourself, please!” -With a wave of his hand, Mackenzie ignored Kyra’s suggestion. - “Whatever, Mackenzie. I think I’m leaving. You can follow your discovering trip alone.”

  “No. You haven’t taken me shopping yet.” -Mackenzie complained.

  “Then start walking. Time is short and precious.” -Kyra complained in return.

  “Boring.” -Mackenzie hissed at Kyra’s back.

  “You said something?” -Kyra asked while turning to face Mackenzie. To her surprise, Mackenzie was mocking her.

  “Nothing.” -Mackenzie answered, straightening his body. Deep inside he knew Kyra will hit him sooner rather than later.

  The rest of the time passed by smoothly. Mackenzie tried on just the clothes Kyra said were ok. He got clothes for many days and a few pair of shoes as well. He didn’t learn how to use the prepaid credit cards, but he didn’t put any interest in it anyway.

  At seven o’ clock, Kyra was back at home and nobody asked her about her delay. She ran to her room and discovered her cheeks blushed three levels of pink beyond normal. She felt embarrassed, but how to fight against it. Mackenzie has walked her straight to her door and politely kissed her hand to say goodbye. Kyra was not waiting it when it happened. That was the reason behind so many shades of pink in her face. Her family- if Kyra could call some of them that way- always assumed she stayed late in the library devouring boring History books. If they only suspected that she spent the evening with a boy in the Shopping Center, maybe Kyra would find trouble with her dad.

  Chapter 5: To bully or to be bullied

  Tuesday

  The next day was boring as any other. Kyra and Mackenzie met before classes, during classes and after classes. It began to be a monotonous routine that seemed to tie these two together every second. At lunch, Kyra and Mackenzie were eating in the cafeteria when a big, muscular blonde boy came to Kyra spilling his food on purpose over her.

  “Oh, sorry Rouge! Now you’ll have to go back to the Beauty Salon. Can your boyfriend afford it? Well, I think no considering the green pantyhose he wears every day.” -The guy mocked.

  Hearing nothing but a buzz hammering inside her head, Kyra looked down at her clothes. Dirty and food all over, she wouldn’t be able to show her power-point presentation the next period. She had dressed in a professional outfit as Mr. Radisson’s class was her favorite and she hoped to be included in the Historians and Journalists Club for next year. Covered in sauce from head to toe, tears escaped her eyes.

  Mackenzie’s heart ached when watched those pearly tears falling. Standing up from the table, he grabbed the huge blonde boy by an arm, swinging him easily. The muscular boy launched a hit at Mackenzie but he dodged it. Taking advantage that the muscular boy turned away, Mackenzie grabbed the big boy’s underwear and pulled it up with strength. Everybody laughed while videos of the incident were recorded and uploaded to Youtube.

  “Oh, what’s this, big boy? You should wear clean clothes. Your girlfriend saw how dirty your granny panties are?” -Mackenzie mocked the big boy.

  Every student in the cafeteria laughed and yelled and mocked the muscular boy, but Mackenzie just walked back to Kyra’s side. Taking her hand, he led Kyra out of the cafeteria and into the hall, walking proudly, holding her ha
nd. Telling her to stay hidden in the bathroom, Mackenzie left in the hunt for some clothes for Kyra.

  Kyra didn’t know how to react. Mackenzie had defended her, stood up for her, and she wasn’t expecting any of this. Sitting in a corner, Kyra started to cry uncontrollably. How much she missed her best friend Ash!

  Many sobs later, she heard Mackenzie’s voice calling her name from the door.

  “I think you’d better hurry. The bell will break our eardrums any moment. Wash your hair in the sink and put this on.” -Mackenzie threw a bag inside the bath. - “There is shampoo and clothes. I’ll wait right here, unless you need help!”

  Kyra felt so touched by Mackenzie’s caring attitude that while she washed her hair she couldn’t stop crying. She wanted to hug him hard!

  But when she opened the bag and found what Mackenzie had brought her to wear, she felt the imminent desire to twist his neck at least a thousand times. The belt rang and Kyra stopped thinking about it. She tried to convince herself the outfit wasn’t that bad after all.