Set in Stone: The Rose Secret

Chapter 21: The Search 🖤

I went out to the garage. It was cluttered with bikes, pool noodles and sports equipment. I needed to find something to protect myself in case we get captured again. Leaning up against the wall was a baseball bat. I grabbed that, it was wooden and had the initials S.R on it, probably the Steve triplets. I looked around a bit more until I found a goalie mask, one that was older and white. I also found padding from football gear. I was all set.

Shoving the equipment in a hockey bag, I left the garage. We were to meet at Antonia's, which was quite close to the entrance of the cavern. I would've had to walk until I came across my parents car. Maybe I could take it? My parents were on the back patio having breakfast, I decided to ask. I know how to drive a car, right? I do have my license. I walked up to them and they studied the large bag I had strapped over my shoulder. "Morning, care for a BLT?", dad said while he sipped a coffee.

"No thanks, I am off to play hockey with Dominic, Daryl and Tom.", I lied as I gestured with my oversized bag. "Since when do you like hockey?", Mom asked. "Well I have found a new passion for it, I guess.", I said. "Then we should sign you up for it in the winter!," dad said excitedly. Oh great! "Anyways, I was wondering, can I borrow your car?", I asked in a quiet manner. "I suppose", they answered. Dad pulled out his car keys and handed them over to me.

"Be careful, drive safe!", mom urged. I nodded and went to their lovely car. It was the fanciest of the lot. Aunt Susan's old minivan that was parked beside it would never compare, even in the scrap yard. It was a sharp red sports car, one you would most likely see a hockey player driving, I will look the part soon once I get my gear on.

I finally reached Antonia's farm. Remembering to put the car in park, unlike in Ferris Bueller, I went up the lane way. I was last here, and best dressed. My hockey mask and football padding was way better than their lousy pillows stuffed in their shirts for padding. "What do you call that?", I asked. "A stuffed diva", Sasha said pointing at Lianetta. Lianetta jabbed her in the side. Sasha was wearing a knights helmet, one her brother must've used for Halloween. Antonia had on a snow suit and held a baton, one used by police.

We walked over the train tracks through the fields and to the door. We looked like lost kids on Halloween. I slowly opened the door. The light inside was on, we were most likely not alone. I crept inside, the three following close behind. We went into the room with the old computers in front of me was... Marla and a scraggly looking man. Marla turned to us. "What are you four doing down here? Dressed like that?", she scowled. "We came looking for you!", Sasha said. "Well you found me", she smiled.

The man stepped out from behind her. He had saggy brown eyes, his salt and pepper hair was below his ears. He wore glasses, a plaid shirt and overalls. "This is Chad Livingston, or as you know him, Eddie", Marla smiles. "Hi. White, you look so much like your father it's incredible!", he smiled. "Thanks?", I said. "We were just discussing who is "the one". We now know it is Mr. Arnoldo! He has Blue in his basement!", Marla smiled excitedly.

But wait? We already know it wasn't Mr. Arnoldo! Is Marla lying? Or is Mr. Arnoldo lying? I guess Mr. Arnoldo is to old and fragile to pull of the stunts that the man in the black hood did on the train. Something seems... off!

I gave my friends a look, one to tell them to keep their mouths shut and let me do the talking. "That's great! Well, not really great but good we got a suspect. How do you know?", I asked intrigued. "Well, on Friday, he came up to me in the hall, just before lunch hour, and threatened to come after me if I didn't stop helping you guys", she frowned.

But wait! I knew for a fact that on Friday Mr. Arnoldo was absent. He always is so he can take his wife to see their sick daughter. I guess there is a possibility that he showed up anyways.

"What do we do now?", Sasha asked Marla. "Well we were just about to lift the curse now that we know who it is, and we have down the proper technique. We can teach you the spell.", Marla nodded. "Spell? Like magic?", I asked with a puzzled look. She smiled, "Magic indeed! Sorcery."! I raised an eyebrow. My friends looked as confused as I did. "Magic isn't real!", Lianetta said rolling her eyes. "It is in Bluntwood.", Eddie said in a deep hasty voice. "Remember the all powerful witch Edith I told you about? We found that if we use her spell she originally used to lay the curse, we can reverse it to get rid of the curse.", she spoke.

Marla pulled out a dusty brown book, it looked like an old dictionary. "And in this, is the spell"!