Keep A Secret

Alice felt someone prod her in the shoulder.She yawned and turned to see who had woken her.It was her white cat.She smiled and said groggily,"Aw,you know how much I like you but I have to sleep." The cat gave her an irritated meow and flicked its tail to the right,indicating Jordan's room.Alice stared at the closed door and giggled.This could be fun.She tossed her blanket aside.

Alice pressed her ear against the door as she did before.This time there was no whispering,only a deep but quiet snore.Jordan had to be sleeping.Alice pressed her ear against the door harder,almost flattening her ear completely.Alice had no idea why she was doing this,but the cat seemed to like it as it kept purring contently while it watched her.So Alice listened.She heard a rustle,feet lightly touching the floor,then soft footsteps.The snoring continued.Alice frowned,the rare occurrence of reason resonating within her fogged mind.Wait a minute,the snoring must be from Jordan,but there's footsteps so...someone else is inside?,thought Alice.She wondered who it might be.A long list of names and people ran through her mind,each consecutive one increasing in unlikeliness.Jordan,Mom,Dad,her child-mind-big-brother,Santa,elf,Neil Patrick Harris,dwarf,the list kept going down.Alice peeled her ear from the door and sat there in front of it,lost in her dreams once again.Bunny,the Joker,pet shop owner,a door?Alice looked up as the door opened with a whisper.In the doorway stood a frightened looking girl in a T-shirt and pajamas.When she opened her mouth,the voice that emerged was filled with the pureness of the young and untried,laced with a sadness and wonder.The girl asked,"W-who are you?"

Alice quickly stood and brushed her clothes.She curtsied to the girl and whispered,"Your Highness." The girl continued to stare at her with large,unblinking eyes.The eyes of one who was scared.She asked again,more timidly,"Who,um,a-are you?" Alice replied,"Alice The Cat-Lover the first,or Alice,like in Wonderland with rabbit and mean cards.But I prefer Alice because people keep calling me Alice which I don't like.So call me Alice but never Alice." She smiled at the girl,whose eyes slowly blinked at the odd response.They both stood there and looked at each other.Alice surveyed the girl.She was more than a head shorter than Alice,who was of middling height.The girl's raven hair did not reach past her neck,but her fringe would have nearly covered her eyes if not for the fact they were bigger than most girls.She stood uncertainly,almost shy of the stranger.She looked barely older than ten.What struck Alice the most was that the girl's eyes had a slight but noticeable curve around her eyes which gave her a somewhat feline appearance.Alice loved her already.

The girl shifted her feet,eyes now cast downwards.She said,"You talk funny.Are you okay?" Alice replied,"Right as rain.Feeling great.Ready to start another adventure." The girl's lips twitched slightly,which made Alice chuckle.She knelt to look the girl in the face and asked,"What's wrong?Shouldn't you young ones be full of life and happiness?Brightening up everyone's day like a million-watt light bulb?I was happy when I was as small as a titch like you." The girl shook her head and mumbled,"But i'm scared of the grown-ups." Alice nodded,looking thoughtful."You better be scared.Be scared of everything.Don't be hush-hush and vegetably.Let it out all dam like.You'll feel better talking to someone.Like me!" The girl giggled uncertainly,which gave Alice a thrill.The girl whispered,"You're funny." Alice replied,"I'm not funny,I'm sage like,Yoda and Gandalf and Kung Fu master types.I ooze advice and stuff." The girl really smiled now,but it disappeared as quickly as it came.She asked somberly,"So I talk to someone?Like counselling?" Alice patted the girls's shoulder,which made her flinch.Alice praised,"Exactly,young padawan.The grasshopper ate the bamboo.Let it out,and you won't be scared anymore.Say,before I feed the cat,what's your moniker,your designation,your name you little sad thing?" The girl looked up and answered,"I'm Jackie,Little Sister, Jacqueline."

"I'm Jordan's eleven-year-old-sister,and you must never tell him you saw me or he'll kill you and your friends."

The Deal

William was roughly shook awake.He groaned and sat up,massaging his wound and yawning.Through bleary eyes,he saw Jordan similarly waking Kumar and Leon.Alice was already up,eyes bloodshot and blowing on yet another mug of Milo.She must have had another fit last night,thought William as the last vestiges of his sleepiness slipped away.Alice was prone to irregular outbursts of emotion both positive and negative.Usually it was during the night when her fits tended to occur.Jordan was saying,"Up,up up!I got needs to talk to you." Now fully awake,the boys gave Jordan their full and undivided attention.Jordan pulled up a chair and sat.He folded his arms and said,distaste clear on his face,"I've been up late last night,and I had a change of heart.You guys can stay here." William stared.Leon broke into a small grin and bumped fists with Kumar.Jordan snorted and held up his hands."Let me finish before you go party.There are several conditions I'm gonna attach to this arrangement,so listen carefully."

Jordan held up three fingers.Ticking them off one by one,he named his terms."First,while there's plenty of food and water for...me,sharing with four others can only last us a month.I ask for you guys to forage for yourselves.There are some places I still haven't searched yet in the area.Second,like I said yesterday,no one goes into my room.Ever.Don't even look in it.Finally,while you stay here,you answer to me.The Big Chief.Numero Uno.You all stick by these terms and you can stay as long as you like or live.Savvy?" Leon thought for a moment then nodded.Kumar said,"Its a deal." William stood and pointed angrily at Jordan.He asked Leon,"But Leon,we barely know this guy and you trust him?He shot a bloody arrow into me!He could kill us in our sleep if he could!" Leon retorted,"Will,you're a good friend and fighter but Jordan barely knows us too.Yet he's letting us stay here.Besides,we don't even know where the rest of our friends are.With a stable base,we can slowly look for signs of them." William fell back,finding it hard to argue with Leon's logic which always made him get a headache."Fine.Fine I accept too.",William said.Alice raised a hand and exclaimed,"Me two!Me three!" She giggled.The four boys ignored her.They were too busy trading fist bumps and shaking hands,albeit grudgingly on William's part.As Jordan went to fix some celebratory breakfast,Leon finally relaxed.He had not done so since he fought those adults on the flat rooftop so long ago.They were safe.At least for now.He glanced at the door to Jordan's room.He wondered briefly what Jordan wanted to so obviously hide,but he decided not to go further.Their host was quite the danger.

While Leon and Alice cleaned the dishes;Jordan,Kumar and William sat around the coffee table and discussed their responsibilities.Jordan was the leader,as he termed.He left it up to them whether they wanted to be his "soldiers and stand to when ordered" or just merely report to him.The three boys agreed on the second option.Teams of two would be regularly sent to search the area around the apartment.Jordan refused to join the scavenging party until he found the others trustworthy enough.Jordan also made a concession that he would let them eat from his store for the rest of the day.Security was to be managed by Jordan alone.Whether this was out of the goodness of his heart or to not wear down his guests,Leon could not say.Alice amused herself with the soap bubbles,laughing whenever a particularly big one floated and popped.While the discussions continued,Kumar noticed Jordan's room's door opened a crack slowly.He saw part of a small pale face stare at the four boys and girl.Before Kumar could confirm what he saw.The door closed quickly again,but not so fast as to seem deliberate.Kumar rubbed his eyes and returned to the discussion.

In My Mind

Alice woke up.She had seen the cat again in her dreams.It was always the same cat.A cute,white house cat with a peculiar black patch around its left eye.It purred at her,beckoning her to follow it.Alice loved cats,and she did as she was told.Right now the cat had leaped out of her lap where it had been napping.Alice took care not to disturb the three boys that had brought her here.She quietly tip toed past their sleeping forms and stared expectantly at the cat,which had settled in front of a door,twitching its ears in expectation.She smiled at it and the cat meowed in turn,tilting its head towards the door it was in front of.Alice examined the door and saw the words 'Enter Quietly' written messily in white paint.She squatted in front of the cat and stroked,murmuring,"Thank you Mr. Kitty." What the thanks was for,Alice did not pause to fathom as she savored the sound of the cat purring for her.Once her hand broke contact with the cat's fur,it loped past her and curled up on the cushion Alice had been sleeping on. Alice giggled,admiring the cat's gracefulness.It was then she heard whispering from behind the door.

Alice pressed her ear against the door,wondering who was talking.She vaguely remembered someone telling her it was rude to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation but she could not remember who.The voices in her head whispered,"It doesn't matter dear,just do it." Alice listened to the voices behind the door.Hush-hush,as her mother had once said.
"I'm too old for bedtime stories."
"Its only to pass the time."
"But..."
"Shh,J.No more noise.I don't want you to wake those outsiders."
"But they could be nice..."
"You said that last time when those,those thugs knocked on our door."
"And I lost my eye to them even when I killed them all."
"Please don't say that."
"Alright,anything for you."
Alice heard the first voice again,but it was only loud enough to be heard as a murmur.She felt a hand on her shoulder.She did not cry out in surprise or fear,just smiled and whispered,"Is that you,Aki?."

It was.Aki smiled at her best friend and her smile widened as she looked upon Alice's beaming face.They embraced,enjoying the moment of being reunited again.Alice whispered,"Where did you go?Aren't Hannah and the others supposed to be with you?" Aki broke the embrace and replied as quietly,"No.They're not coming back." Alice,in disbelief,asked,"But why?We're all friends.Friends stick together.Besides,I'm sure they'll wan to see the cat I found." Aki shook her head and only now did Alice realize that her friend's smile had turned sad.Aki said,"I'm only visiting.I'm not here to stay." Alice gripped her Aki's arm and shook it,saying,"But you can't leave me." Aki tugged her arm away and replied,"I can't stay,I have to be somewhere.You can't follow me anyway.At least not yet." Hope swelled in Alice's heart."You'll let me know when I can come?" Aki bluntly said,"No.You'll know when.Just listen to yourself sister.You'll know.We...I'll be waiting." Aki got up,leaving her friend kneeling on the floor.She placed both hands on her best friend and whispered,"Bye BFF." Alice nodded. As Aki walked out the apartment,Alice teared and curled up into a ball.She started to cry softly.She did not notice the weathered but young face peering at her from the crack of the opened door.

Jordan pitied the crazy girl the outsiders had brought.His harsh words earlier today had been a show.He was concerned for her,but could not break away from his own responsibilities.A small hand tugged on his sleeve and he bent slightly to hear the words meant for him alone.
"We should let them stay,brother."
He sighed.
"Alright,Jackie."

A New Friend?

Leon knocked the door and waited.William and Kumar waited.Alice giggled to herself but she waited too,swaying in her seat on William and Kumar's arms.Leon heard hurried footsteps,a door being slammed,then the door opened a smallish crack to reveal a suspicious eye.A guttural voice,which made Leon's hand drift nearer to his iron bar,sounded.It said,"Go away." The door closed forcefully,but not loud enough to attract any lurking adults.

Leon knocked the door again.The door clicked and swung open,this time opening fully to show part of a hall that seemed well-kept.The problem was,no one was standing in the doorway to welcome the four teenagers.Before Leon could call out for anyone,a boy stepped out from behind a wall in the hall.He held a strung sporting bow and was dressed all in black.Hoodie,jeans and socks,all of them were black.What startled the three boys but not the crazed girl was that the boy was missing his left eye.A clean white patch covered the hole where the eye should have been.Leon recovered and opened his mouth to say hello when the boy raised his bow and loosed an arrow.Not at Leon,who stared aghast as the arrow flew past him and punched through William's shoulder.William fell with a cry and he fell,clutching his shoulder.To his credit he did not scream.Kumar dropped Alice on instinct,swearing at the sudden attack.Alice fell to the ground,whimpering,"Owie." Leon tried to draw his iron bar but the sight of another arrow aimed squarely at his throat stayed his hand.The boy's expression did not change.His eye revealed a cold hate for everything outside the home he resided in.The boy,in that guttural voice of his,growled,"Now,will you leave me in peace?"

Leon swallowed,well aware of the arrowhead pressing against his throat.Despite the circumstances,he felt his humor stir and he said slowly calmly,"Even if we leave you alone,the adults won't exactly leave you in peace." The boy said nothing,but his eye mellowed a little.Leon was painfully aware of the arrowhead still digging into his throat.The two boys stared each other down.A bead of blood dripped from Leon's throat.Kumar stood,helping first Alice then William up,whose shoulder was bandaged.Alice giggled again,enjoying herself in her own world.The boy's gaze flickered towards her,then shifted back to Leon's.Leon betrayed nothing.After what seemed an eternity to the two sides,the boy lowered his bow.Leon heard signs of relief from the two boys behind him.Alice did the same a second later,mimicking the boys.The boy said,"One night thats it." Leon nodded thanks.The boy beckoned and the four teenagers followed him inside.The boy scanned the surrounding area before closing the door and its gate.

"Now,who are you people?" asked the boy.The five teenagers had settled in the hall.The boy fixed a mug of Milo for Alice but did not offer the same to the three boys.They said nothing,knowing that to provoke their host could mean their hospitality or even their own lives.Kumar cleared his throat and said,"We're all under eighteen if thats what you're asking." The boy snorted,"Hmph.Thank you Captain Obvious.You ain't some shambling wreck of an adult for sure." Kumar continued,unperturbed by the boy's remark,"I'm Kumar,you shot William,he's Leon and the girl's name is Alice." The two other boys nodded at their introduction while Alice suddenly let out a laugh that made the males jump.Leon glared at Alice,who hid behind her mug,still chuckling.the boy shook his head and asked,"What's up with your girl?" Kumar retorted,"First off,she's not my 'girl'.Second,if you got a bone to pick with us then at least don't have a go at Alice.She's been through a lot." Without another word,the boy swiftly took up his bow and fired an arrow at Leon's hand.It landed on the table the hand was on with a thunk,barely missing it.The action shocked Kumar into silence.Alice murmured,"Should have been hush-hush." The boy set down his bow and stared at William.He said,"You.How's your shoulder?" William croaked,"It's getting better." The boy nodded and directed his next words to Leon,"You all can sleep out here.There's food in the pantry.Take only the tuna and sardines.If anything goes missing,you're dead.Sleeping bags in the storeroom next to the fridge." Leon nodded mutely.The boy got up and took his bow.He was about to turn into another room when he stopped and said,"Oh and one more thing.Don't enter this room I'm going into.I'm Jordan.Don't make our lives harder."

He closed the door just as Alice said,"You're a good kitty." William swore he could have seen a faint smile on Jordan's stone-cold face.