The Junk Drawer

THE JUNK DRAWER

© 2014 by Isabelle LaTourette (anticlimactic)

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Warning: The story contains graphic content such as violence and use of profanity. Viewer discretion is advised.

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00. PREFACE

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

0100 HOURS

ROGERS RESIDENCE

To be honest, I never realized the true importance of secrets. They were a sacred thing- dispensable yet inexhaustible; frail yet strong; all-knowing by knowing nothing at all. Secrets are whispered stealthily into the ears of the innocent, tarnishing them with imagery and thoughts they couldn't have known before. A secret is a bond, a connection, between two individuals. A secret is paradise, shared only if you believe in it.

Either way, I've done my fair share of keeping secrets and more importantly, hiding them from others. There were some secrets out there though, that my wildest dreams couldn't even imagine. And it all rooted from my father. He was a distant man, one whom I haven't really known for the majority of the eighteen years I've been alive. All I know is that one day he was here and the next he was gone.

Sometimes, if I lay awake at night and I concentrate really hard, I can catch snippets of the day he left. It's a vague blur, but it was enough to keep me satisfied when the longing for a father figure enlodged itself deep into my heart.

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"Scarlett, please. You have to understand why I kept this from you." His low, rich voice wafted through the hallways. It was loud enough to be firm, but soft enough to not interrupt the lonely, quiet atmosphere of the night.

"If only I had known, Lucas." My mother's voice retorted, the sound of sobs stuck deep in her throat. She sounded broken, betrayed. "You're a danger to us. You're a danger to Gwen."

"Which is why I'm leaving." My father murmured, and the creak of the floorboards underneath his feet indicated him walking towards my mother. Another creak told me she had taken a step back.

My back was pressed against the cool sensation of the drywall, provoking goose bumps onto my arms as the cold drifted through my thin, sleeping gown. I strained my eleven-year old ears to listen, while making sure I was safely hidden around the corner as I continued eavesdropping.

"You're... you're what?" My mother asked in a hushed tone, hiccupping as her tears dried her throat. She was angry, yes, but she loved the man who stood in front of her, unwilling to let him go that easily.

My father sighed, and I hear the sound of shuffling noises followed by the crinkle of an object being lifted into the air. "Scar, this is for your own good. You're right; I'm endangering you both just by being here." There was silence until the sound of crinkling returned. "I want you to have this, alright? This is important. Very, very important. If you need to find me, unlock the drawer up in my study and follow the instructions."

"Lucas-"

"I love you. And I love Gwen too. Which is the only reason why I'm doing this. You're already exposed to too much danger. The Agency already knows about this: about us."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Maybe one day. I hope so." I heard the sound of a soft kiss. It seemed sad and desolate. A kiss that would have to do for years to come. A kiss of untelling goodbyes. "Whatever you do: do not lose that key. It's important, Scarlett. And it's safer with you, but I can't say the same about you."

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice hitching upwards a few octaves.

"People want that key, and they know I have it. Well, had. Sooner or later, they're going to realize that it's not in my possession anymore, and they're going to go after it. I'll try my best to fend them off and keep them off guard. But you and Gwen need to relocate every once in a while, okay? Do you remember those self-defense moves I taught you?"

"Yes, but-"

"Teach them to Gwen. After tonight, she won't remember anything I've taught her. Get her prepared to defend herself, but promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"Do not tell her anything. This is an important secret, Scarlett. She shouldn't have to know about anything until the circumstances come to it. I don't want her world to change; I want her to live a normal life. I don't want to expose her to this one."

"I promise." My mother stated firmly, determinedly.

There was a long pause until my father shattered the silence with a few broken words, "Some secrets are meant to kept."

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What do you think, guys? This is a new story that I'm working on, and it's not like the stuff I usually post. It's a mixture of action, adventure, and mystery, so I hope you all enjoyed the short excerpt. I don't know when I'll be regularly updating this story, but for now, leave thoughts and feedback down below.

-Isa