not compromising his relationship with Jesus. Whether Jesus would have chosen to do what he had done this evening was something he would ponder later—and more than likely struggle with.
“I don’t even know what to say,” Kiran interrupted his thoughts.
“It has been quite an evening, hasn’t it?”
“Look, Hawk, I’m not sure what to think of your story, your key to the kingdom, or your breaking into the attraction. I’m not sure why I didn’t call security on you when I found you.”
“Kiran, I . . .”
Kiran raised her hand for him to be quiet. He decided it was better to let her continue.
“I think I didn’t call security because there was something about you that I found attractive.” She hesitated and Hawk felt his face blush a bit. He hoped the dim lighting hid this from Kiran. “And I liked what you said when you were preaching. Perhaps I was hoping you were different than other people I knew. I think that’s why I was hoping the story you told me about Farren Rales, the Dwarf Cottage, the key, and everything else was true. After we found the stuffed Mickey, I had about decided you were just another crackpot. Then it called you by name!”
“That was a bit odd.”
“It was more than odd, Hawk! It was bizarre. This whole evening has been something out of a movie, or nightmare, or something. . . . I don’t know what to call it.”
“I’m not sure what to think about it either, but I’m glad you didn’t call security,” he graciously offered.
“Look, Hawk, like I said, I’m not sure why I didn’t call them, but this is the end of the line.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is it. I don’t know why you ended up with that key to the desk. But you got a chance to open it and you got your souvenir. My advice would be for you to go home and figure out why your friend sent you on this scavenger hunt. If you ask me, we’re both lucky we didn’t get caught.”
Kiran turned and stalked away toward the cast member parking area. Hawk watched her for a moment and then trotted after her. Cast member parking was the Television parking area of the Studios. As she passed underneath the pleasantly smiling face of Minnie Mouse, he drew close enough to get her attention.
“Kiran, wait,” he called softly, and she turned back toward him. “I really appreciate your help tonight. Thank you so much. I need some time to figure out what really did happen and what it’s supposed to mean.”
“Hawk, didn’t you hear me?” she asked tersely. “We were lucky tonight; it isn’t that tough to figure out. There isn’t any deeper meaning than that!”
“It’s just that I need to get a little perspective on it, that’s all. Let’s figure out a time tomorrow to talk about what happened after we think about it awhile.”
“Think about it all you want, I don’t need to help you.”
“I know you feel that way right now, but we were supposed to get together tomorrow night at seven o’clock. Meet me where we planned on Front Street,” he attempted to convince her.
“No, I don’t think so,” she answered too fast. “I think the time we spent hanging out together tonight was memorable enough.” She turned and again headed deeper into the cast parking area.
Hawk stood firmly planted in place as she left. She finally disappeared from his line of sight without looking back. Certain she was not returning, he began making his way toward his car, his footsteps echoing across the concrete. He tried to decipher the events of the evening. Stopping at his car door, he placed the Pal Mickey on the roof of his car, facing him. He slid his hand into his pocket and removed the skeleton key, the key to the kingdom, and held it up. Placing his elbows on the roof of his car, he leaned against it, staring at thekey and at Mickey Mouse. Mickey had told him they were going on the adventure of a lifetime . . . whatever that meant.
C HAPTER F OURTEEN
----
Day Five
Morning
I T WASN’T YET SEVEN
“I don’t even know what to say,” Kiran interrupted his thoughts.
“It has been quite an evening, hasn’t it?”
“Look, Hawk, I’m not sure what to think of your story, your key to the kingdom, or your breaking into the attraction. I’m not sure why I didn’t call security on you when I found you.”
“Kiran, I . . .”
Kiran raised her hand for him to be quiet. He decided it was better to let her continue.
“I think I didn’t call security because there was something about you that I found attractive.” She hesitated and Hawk felt his face blush a bit. He hoped the dim lighting hid this from Kiran. “And I liked what you said when you were preaching. Perhaps I was hoping you were different than other people I knew. I think that’s why I was hoping the story you told me about Farren Rales, the Dwarf Cottage, the key, and everything else was true. After we found the stuffed Mickey, I had about decided you were just another crackpot. Then it called you by name!”
“That was a bit odd.”
“It was more than odd, Hawk! It was bizarre. This whole evening has been something out of a movie, or nightmare, or something. . . . I don’t know what to call it.”
“I’m not sure what to think about it either, but I’m glad you didn’t call security,” he graciously offered.
“Look, Hawk, like I said, I’m not sure why I didn’t call them, but this is the end of the line.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is it. I don’t know why you ended up with that key to the desk. But you got a chance to open it and you got your souvenir. My advice would be for you to go home and figure out why your friend sent you on this scavenger hunt. If you ask me, we’re both lucky we didn’t get caught.”
Kiran turned and stalked away toward the cast member parking area. Hawk watched her for a moment and then trotted after her. Cast member parking was the Television parking area of the Studios. As she passed underneath the pleasantly smiling face of Minnie Mouse, he drew close enough to get her attention.
“Kiran, wait,” he called softly, and she turned back toward him. “I really appreciate your help tonight. Thank you so much. I need some time to figure out what really did happen and what it’s supposed to mean.”
“Hawk, didn’t you hear me?” she asked tersely. “We were lucky tonight; it isn’t that tough to figure out. There isn’t any deeper meaning than that!”
“It’s just that I need to get a little perspective on it, that’s all. Let’s figure out a time tomorrow to talk about what happened after we think about it awhile.”
“Think about it all you want, I don’t need to help you.”
“I know you feel that way right now, but we were supposed to get together tomorrow night at seven o’clock. Meet me where we planned on Front Street,” he attempted to convince her.
“No, I don’t think so,” she answered too fast. “I think the time we spent hanging out together tonight was memorable enough.” She turned and again headed deeper into the cast parking area.
Hawk stood firmly planted in place as she left. She finally disappeared from his line of sight without looking back. Certain she was not returning, he began making his way toward his car, his footsteps echoing across the concrete. He tried to decipher the events of the evening. Stopping at his car door, he placed the Pal Mickey on the roof of his car, facing him. He slid his hand into his pocket and removed the skeleton key, the key to the kingdom, and held it up. Placing his elbows on the roof of his car, he leaned against it, staring at thekey and at Mickey Mouse. Mickey had told him they were going on the adventure of a lifetime . . . whatever that meant.
C HAPTER F OURTEEN
----
Day Five
Morning
I T WASN’T YET SEVEN
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