like I suddenly know all the stuff I want to tell him—need to tell him. I never thought…you
never think something like this can happen, you know? But here it is. And how long can he last like this? How long can he make it?”
“The Gatorade, the fluids, that was brilliant,” Wanda said. “You may have saved him right there. There are probably other things we can do, without drugs, without medicating
him. I have a close friend who’s a registered nurse. I can trust her.
We
can trust her.” She hugged me again. “We’re a team now, okay?” I heard her voice
tighten. She was hugging me so I wouldn’t see her cry. “You, me, Finn, the others. We’re a team, just like Dad planned.”
I returned the embrace, partly because I thought I was supposed to, but mostly because I never got hugged and it felt insanely good. This, I thought, is what families do. This is what I’ve
missed my whole life. This is what I want more of.
“Sounds good,” I whispered.
And then it was time.
I waited for nightfall to enter the Magic Kingdom. Faces were more difficult to see in the dark, and I didn’t want to be seen.
Greg Luowski had escaped Finn’s front yard after smashing through the second-story bedroom window and falling to the ground. At the time, it struck us as an impossible feat. I had pushed
him hard, possibly injuring him even before he’d landed. Combined with a fall of at least fifteen feet, he should have at least twisted, sprained, or fractured something—if not broken
bones. But people in general and grown-ups in particular resist the notion of magic and spells, so I didn’t tell Mrs. Whitman the reason Luowski was still able to move after that “freak
fall,” as she called it. Even a woman, a mother whose son was immersed in a world of black magic, relied more on her training as a physicist than her own experiences.
It was strange, though. Mrs. Whitman had been placed under a horrible spell for the better part of two weeks. She of all people should have believed me. But time is an eraser. Memories are
repressed and bad memories forgotten. Her analysis of Luowski’s “freak fall” explained his escape. Enough said.
Once inside the Magic Kingdom, though, I felt otherwise. A million eyes seemed to bore into me from all directions. Among them? Greg Luowski’s. I could imagine him following me, the same
way he’d clearly tracked Mattie and me. I could sense him lurking. Waiting to pounce. I felt sick to my stomach.
On the ground, I approached the first line of Finn’s riddle in reverse, mostly out of sentimentality. I wanted to save my best memory with him for last.
Our time in MK could fill a jar to overflowing
The Keepers had taught Jess and me about codes, riddles, and clues. Wayne had communicated with them in these forms in order to slip a message past the Overtakers. Finn had done the same, and I
knew to pay strict attention to his choice of words, and any possible underlying meanings.
Our
, could be the Keepers, or Finn and me.
Time
could mean something more, like “running out.”
In MK
was straightforward: in the Magic Kingdom. Which was why I was here.
Could fill a jar
might be an expression, or I might be looking for a particular jar that would be significant to anything else mentioned or implied in the message. This was a tricky
one.
To overflowing
? A water attraction, fountain, and food service all came to mind.
The Keepers had covered every inch of the park over the course of their many battles with the Overtakers. If Finn was talking about the Keepers in the park, I was in trouble; it might take weeks
to cover all the spots. But in my heart I believed he meant the two of us. Filling the jar to overflowing was a reference to how we’d grown together as friends. The expression had a touch of
romance, too, that gave me chills. He’d anticipated how that might affect me.
I approached each stop—I could think of three in particular—keeping in mind my memories of
never think something like this can happen, you know? But here it is. And how long can he last like this? How long can he make it?”
“The Gatorade, the fluids, that was brilliant,” Wanda said. “You may have saved him right there. There are probably other things we can do, without drugs, without medicating
him. I have a close friend who’s a registered nurse. I can trust her.
We
can trust her.” She hugged me again. “We’re a team now, okay?” I heard her voice
tighten. She was hugging me so I wouldn’t see her cry. “You, me, Finn, the others. We’re a team, just like Dad planned.”
I returned the embrace, partly because I thought I was supposed to, but mostly because I never got hugged and it felt insanely good. This, I thought, is what families do. This is what I’ve
missed my whole life. This is what I want more of.
“Sounds good,” I whispered.
And then it was time.
I waited for nightfall to enter the Magic Kingdom. Faces were more difficult to see in the dark, and I didn’t want to be seen.
Greg Luowski had escaped Finn’s front yard after smashing through the second-story bedroom window and falling to the ground. At the time, it struck us as an impossible feat. I had pushed
him hard, possibly injuring him even before he’d landed. Combined with a fall of at least fifteen feet, he should have at least twisted, sprained, or fractured something—if not broken
bones. But people in general and grown-ups in particular resist the notion of magic and spells, so I didn’t tell Mrs. Whitman the reason Luowski was still able to move after that “freak
fall,” as she called it. Even a woman, a mother whose son was immersed in a world of black magic, relied more on her training as a physicist than her own experiences.
It was strange, though. Mrs. Whitman had been placed under a horrible spell for the better part of two weeks. She of all people should have believed me. But time is an eraser. Memories are
repressed and bad memories forgotten. Her analysis of Luowski’s “freak fall” explained his escape. Enough said.
Once inside the Magic Kingdom, though, I felt otherwise. A million eyes seemed to bore into me from all directions. Among them? Greg Luowski’s. I could imagine him following me, the same
way he’d clearly tracked Mattie and me. I could sense him lurking. Waiting to pounce. I felt sick to my stomach.
On the ground, I approached the first line of Finn’s riddle in reverse, mostly out of sentimentality. I wanted to save my best memory with him for last.
Our time in MK could fill a jar to overflowing
The Keepers had taught Jess and me about codes, riddles, and clues. Wayne had communicated with them in these forms in order to slip a message past the Overtakers. Finn had done the same, and I
knew to pay strict attention to his choice of words, and any possible underlying meanings.
Our
, could be the Keepers, or Finn and me.
Time
could mean something more, like “running out.”
In MK
was straightforward: in the Magic Kingdom. Which was why I was here.
Could fill a jar
might be an expression, or I might be looking for a particular jar that would be significant to anything else mentioned or implied in the message. This was a tricky
one.
To overflowing
? A water attraction, fountain, and food service all came to mind.
The Keepers had covered every inch of the park over the course of their many battles with the Overtakers. If Finn was talking about the Keepers in the park, I was in trouble; it might take weeks
to cover all the spots. But in my heart I believed he meant the two of us. Filling the jar to overflowing was a reference to how we’d grown together as friends. The expression had a touch of
romance, too, that gave me chills. He’d anticipated how that might affect me.
I approached each stop—I could think of three in particular—keeping in mind my memories of
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