The Society of Imaginary Friends

by Kristen Pham

  Chapter 9

  Valerie and Thai traveled with a new sense of urgency, turning the trip from Stonehenge back to the London Heathrow Airport into a race to escape before Venu regained consciousness and found a way out of Thai’s rope. Valerie couldn’t help searching the crowds of people they encountered, half expecting to see his enormous shoulders in the distance, lumbering after them. Only when they were safely aboard their flight to Cairo, Egypt, and Thai had scanned all the passengers to make sure Venu wasn’t on board, did she finally let herself relax.

  “I wish there was some way we could know for sure that he isn’t following us again,” Thai said after they were safely in the air.

  Cyrus popped into view, sitting in a cross-legged yoga pose on top of the bald head of the man sitting in front of them. Valerie couldn’t repress a grin, but Thai hissed, “Get down from there! That’s so disrespectful.”

  “Whatever, he’ll never know,” Cyrus said, but then moved to the empty seat between Valerie and Thai instead.

  Before they could start bickering, Valerie asked, “Did you find anything out about that Venu guy?”

  “Sorry, Val. I tried to follow him to see what he’s up to, but he’s protected.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “Usually, a Conjuror thinks about someone on Earth really hard, and we’re at their side in seconds. But no matter how long and hard I thought about Venu, I couldn’t find him. That means that someone on the Globe is using a charm to prevent anyone else from locating him.”

  “So there’s no way for us to know where he is, then,” she replied.

  “Nope. It’s kind of ironic—the charm was originally created to protect children on Earth from being bothered by the Fractus who like to scare kids. But eventually, the Fractus found out about the charm, and now one of them is using it to stop anyone from finding Venu.”

  “We know he’s not on this flight,” Thai said. “We should take advantage of the fact that we’re safe for now and get some rest.”

  Valerie nodded. She was exhausted, so she was able to sleep for most of the flight. It wasn’t until the wheels of the airplane came into jarring contact with the runway in Cairo that she awoke. Rested and confident that Venu was hundreds of miles away, the thrill and worries about her adventure returned.

  “We made it! He’ll never find us now,” she said hopefully.

  Thai shook his head. “I don’t understand how he tracked us to Stonehenge in the first place. It’s like he knows where we’re going. Maybe someone is watching us and feeding back our whereabouts to him. What if he knows about the Great Pyramid, too? He could be only a few hours behind us. We need to go straight there tonight so you can get off this planet!”

  Valerie turned to him, her forehead wrinkling with worry. “Thai, you’re not going to like what I’m about to ask you, but it’s important. I don’t want to leave tonight. I want one last full day on Earth. Once I leave, I can never come back. And even though we’re in a foreign country right now, it’s not half as foreign as the world I’m traveling to. Please, give me one day.”

  Thai didn’t immediately reject her request with his usual condescending commands, as she expected. “I can understand that. I’d want the same thing if I were you. But you’re in real danger, and I really don’t want anything bad to happen to you. I don’t know what Venu is capable of and who might be helping him.”

  “I know, and it’s unfair of me to ask you to risk your life by waiting another day. I can find my way to the portal from here. I know where I’m supposed to go next. We can say goodbye now, if you want. The last thing I want to do is to put you in any danger.”

  Thai’s eyes flickered with anger. “You really don’t get me, do you? I’m not afraid for myself! It’s you he’s after, and I won’t leave your side until you’re on your way to the Globe.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that at all. I meant—”

  He interrupted, “You can have your day as long as no more trouble finds us. But the second anything weird happens, I’m getting you out of here right away, and I don’t want to hear any arguments from you.”

  Less than an hour after disembarking, Valerie and Thai had collected their luggage and found the air-conditioned bus that would take them to a campground in Cairo where they would stay for the night. But just as they settled in, Cyrus appeared, perching on the arm of Valerie’s seat. His mischievous grin was back.

  “I’ve got a surprise, guys. Turns out we have a contact here who has pulled some strings for you two. Get off the bus at the Mena House. A host will be waiting for you.”

  “But what about—” Valerie started to ask, but Cyrus had already disappeared.

  Thirty minutes later, the bus passed through twenty-foot, ornately carved iron gates that led up a flower-lined path, through a maze of elaborate gardens, and then pulled up to the front door of a building that resembled a palace more than any hotel that she had ever seen in Oakland.

  “Mena House!” the driver shouted.

  Valerie and Thai stared at each other in disbelief, their stunned expressions perfect mirrors of each other. She heard Cyrus laugh. “You guys are so easily impressed.” Thai pulled her off the bus, and she stared at everything in a daze.

  “Is this a mistake?”

  “It’s real, Val. Enjoy it,” Cyrus whispered in her ear.

  The enormous front door of the hotel opened, and they were immediately greeted by a tall man clothed entirely in white except for a blue silk sash elaborately embroidered in gold with symbols that Valerie didn’t recognize. “On behalf of my employer, I welcome you, American guests,” he said with a friendly smile. “I am Chisisi, your personal host here at the Mena House. It is my great pleasure to attend to your every need while you are here.”

  Valerie and Thai were so blown away by the magnificence of the hotel and the reception that they were dumbstruck—that is, until they saw Cyrus pretending to make out with a golden statue of the ancient Egyptian god, Ra. It was all Valerie could do to keep a straight face.

  “Come, let us get out of the midday sun,” Chisisi said cheerfully. He whisked them past check-in so quickly that all the glittering finery became a blur. He stopped before a distinguished dark-wood door at the remote end of the thirteenth floor.

  “Enjoy, with our compliments,” Chisisi said as he unlocked the door.

  Valerie entered the room and gasped. The living room of their suite was bigger than any hotel room she had ever seen. It was extravagantly decorated in golden hues, including an enormous mirrored circle that adorned an entire wall. Chisisi unloaded their backpacks and set them down gravely.

  “Please know that you are most welcome here at Mena House, but I would be remiss if I didn’t warn you that you must be on your guard. Please do not assume there is no danger here or anywhere in Giza. We have many strange guests visiting our landmarks, and not all are friendly. Do not hesitate to call upon me if I can be of service. Simply call Amun at the reception desk and ask for me.”

  “Oh, I’m sure we can take care of ourselves, but thank you,” Thai responded.

  “As you wish.”

  Chisisi left, and Thai exclaimed, “I’m pretty sure that Chisisi guy rolled his eyes at me!”

  But Valerie was already out on the balcony, and the view took her breath away in a way that she thought nothing ever could after seeing Stonehenge. In the distance, three tall pyramids were silhouetted against the pink and gold skies of sunset. Even from miles away, their dark, heavy presence was both imposing and intriguing. What secret passages and forgotten stories lay under the weight of those boulders?

  Valerie sensed that she was not alone. She turned around and saw that Thai had stepped out on the balcony, but he seemed to have totally forgotten his indignation at Chisisi. He was staring at her with a focus that made her blush, which was only made worse when he smiled. It was the first time she had seen him smile, and she was suddenly several degrees warmer.

  Thai’s eyes turned from her to th
e scene before them. “This trip keeps getting more and more incredible. The view is like something out of a movie,” he said.

  “It’s beyond any adventure I ever imagined,” she whispered. She turned to him and found that he was already watching her with his intense eyes, though they seemed softer now. She had the overwhelming desire to step closer and see if he really smelled like vanilla and cookies, like she remembered.

  “You were pretty amazing back at Stonehenge, you know,” Thai said.

  “Not what you expected from a fifteen-year-old kid you had to babysit?”

  “I barely know you, but I’m going to miss you, Valerie.”

  Her palms started to sweat and her heart rate speeded up. Why was she reacting this way? She needed to get a grip. Her nerves made her lightheaded, and she hoped she wouldn’t faint again in front of Thai. Once was more than embarrassing enough. Finally, she managed, “We’ll still be friends. I can come back—just not in person.”

  “Yeah, but from the fighting talent I’ve seen, you’ll be busy.”

  “Projecting won’t be the same as being here for real,” she said thoughtfully. Thai’s stomach grumbled loudly, and they both laughed. “We’d better get food in you, quick!”

  “I think we can arrange that!” Cyrus said loudly, startling them both. They turned around and saw him frowning at them. Valerie wondered why he looked like he’d tasted something sour.

  Someone knocked loudly on the door, and Thai answered. Chisisi greeted them with a quick nod. “Come with me. A feast has been specially prepared for you!”

  “Chisisi, it’s too much! We can’t possibly accept,” Valerie said.

  “Nonsense. Your benefactor would be insulted if you refused his hospitality.”

  “Please let us say thank you to him or her, then.”

  “No, his identity is confidential. Enjoy it. Now stay by me, and we’ll avoid all the tourists. No one will bother you.”

  Chisisi gave them a mini tour on the way to the restaurant, pointing out certain pieces of art and explaining their significance. The restaurant was as grand as the rest of the hotel, complete with high arches, beautifully painted screens, and lanterns that cast a golden glow over the restaurant. Chisisi led them to a secluded booth with crimson velvet draperies surrounding three sides of it.

  Valerie and Thai didn’t even have to order. Chisisi oversaw the entire meal, selecting each dish personally. Most of them were exotic. Valerie had never tasted food so delicious, her tongue reveling in the many-flavored delicacies. Her favorite was a delicate mint tea that made her tongue tingle, and something Chisisi called kushari, which was a delicious vegetarian pasta dish. Sometime during the feast, they heard the lilting sounds of a flute and the low percussion of a drum, adding to the enchantment.

  Cyrus, Valerie, and Thai talked excitedly, discussing their theories about who had sent Venu to attack Valerie. They barely noticed the curious looks of the other patrons of the restaurant until Chisisi stopped by their table. “It would be wise to keep your conversation quiet. You never know who might be listening,” he warned.

  After dinner, Thai and Valerie were exhausted and stuffed. Totally satisfied, they let Chisisi lead them back to their room. For some reason, he did not lead them back through the breathtaking lobby to the elevators that would take them to their room. Instead, he led them to the end of the hallway to the emergency staircase.

  “Thirteen flights of stairs? You’ve got to be kidding me. Why don’t we take the elevator?” Thai asked.

  “You are less likely to be noticed if you take the stairs. We have many guests tonight, and all of their intentions may not be honorable. I must insist.”

  Thai started to contradict him, but Valerie jumped in before he could speak. “Thank you so much, Chisisi. Good night,” she said.

  “Be vigilant, young ones,” he replied, and watched them from below until they made it, exhausted, to their floor.

  Thai collapsed, out of breath, on the sofa. He was already asleep by the time Valerie tugged off her shoes. After she grabbed a blanket to cover him up, she thought how different he seemed when he was resting. Not anxious and controlling, but happy and peaceful. “Sleep well, O Protector. Tomorrow is a big day,” she whispered with a smile.

  Valerie went into the enormous bedroom and snuggled into the middle of the king-size bed.

  “Sweet dreams for your last night on Earth, Val,” Cyrus whispered in her ear.

  “Night, Cy. See you tomorrow,” she murmured before falling asleep.