A New Generation of Clue Hunters
Author: PSAscience/IsabelKabra . Lucian
Editor: A Perfect Spy/Cookies'nCream Ice Cream
Genre/s: Humor, Romance, Action, Adventure, Family
Disclaimer: I do not own the 39 Clues or its characters and anything else you know I don't own, but I do own my Original Characters (in Amy and Dan's generation), and the Next-Generation ones too.
Author's Note: Most chapters are in Alice's point of view, but there are parts that are in the other characters' points of view, so I will be indicating whose point of view is in the chapter and if it is in third-person or first-person so it won't be so confusing.
1. Alice's World of Dreams
First Person: Alice
INTRODUCTION:
(Oh, by the way, my name is Alice Dreimoore. I am fourteen years old, almost as tall as my sixteen-year-old sister Louisa, and as skinny as Arthur, my eleven-year-old brother.
We live in Boston, Massachussetts with our mom, Marissa. We have a part-time au-pair named Sheila Zaragosa, who is the worst cook in the world.
Our dad died when we were kids, and I don't really remember him; I was only four years old when he died. Our mom doesn't talk about him much, but I've seen pictures of him. I have his black hair and Louisa has his gray eyes.)
Fire.
I couldn't get it out of my mind, no matter what I did, or how many times I tried. The flames kept on flickering, in and out, like a candle. I hated it. I hated fire. I didn't know why.
But sometimes, when I was at school, or at home, or just any place, the image came back, of a burning house and people screaming. But I didn't know where it came from; I didn't remember it ever happening.
A red-haired woman runs toward a burning house. . .
A dark-haired man talking very fast as the house collapses. . .
A shadow of a man in a hat appearing for a moment on a gray wall, before disappearing. . .
An explosion piercing the shocked, silent air. . .
The click of red Prada heels. . .
Somebody shouting at the police. . .
The cry of a baby. . .
And the sound of footsteps running towards the bushes. . .
The flashbacks always stopped there. Late at night, I often wondered about the house that caught fire, the man and the woman, and most of all, the shadow on the wall.
Thinking of that shadow always sent shivers down my spine. I suppose, under normal circumstances, seeing a shadow of a man in a hat wouldn't be at all scary, but given the mysteriousness of the whole thing, the shadow seemed downright terrifying.
The vision of the burning house haunted my dreams almost every night, but one particular night, after the cries of the baby had faded, I had another dream.
I was standing near the entrance of an underground tunnel, looking at an old, weathered mural painted on a crumbling wall.
The mural was composed of four figures, all who looked alike enough to be siblings. All of them were wearing old-fashioned clothes, like from the Renaissance. Above them were the words CAHILL FAMILY, FIRE: 1507, then what appeared to be their names.
On the left was a brown-haired, gray-eyed man in a red sweater and trousers. The expression on his face was cruel, and a dagger was partially hidden in his sleeve. Apparently, he was L. CAHILL.
Next to him, K. CAHILL, an emerald-eyed woman with short honey-blonde hair and a brown dress, was holding some kind of navigation device in her left hand, pointing it at the black-haired man beside her.
T. CAHILL, the black-haired man, was overly muscular, with blue eyes and a large jaw. He looked positively enraged and seemed ready to behead anyone who crossed him with the glinting silver sword he held.
Standing next to him was a woman with braided red hair and brown eyes wearing a green dress. She was holding a golden flute. The words above her read J. CAHILL.
There was something sinister and mysterious about them; all of them looked furious and ready to kill. Suddenly, a voice spoke in my head, Did my siblings actually fight, like Mother said? Why couldn't they get along?
Well, to be frank, I was shocked. I certainly didn't think that! The people in the mural weren't my siblings (though, on second thought, my brother, Arthur, kind of looked like L. CAHILL)!
I looked down on myself, and for the first time, I noticed I was wearing some kind of dress, all black and lacy and quite heavy. And my hair was very long. And straight. I frowned; my hair was curly. I took a deep breath, and realized that I was probably somebody else in my dream. Okay, no big deal, right? Just let the owner of whoever's body I'm in do the talking and the thinking.
"So are these my siblings?" I said. To my surprise, I didn't stutter, and my voice came out confident. "Yes, Madeleine," a sad voice beside me replied. I turned to the woman beside me. She was about as tall as my dream-self, but skinnier and way older. Her skin was so pale it seemed as though she'd never seen the light of day. Her eyes were practically lifeless, but they were brimming with tears.
"Why did they have to fight, Mother? Why did they leave?" I said, anger rising in my voice. Mother sighed reproachfully. "Please, Madeleine, don't be angry at how they acted. It wasn't their fault. The serum that your father created is the real root of the problem." She looked at me pleadingly. "I just wanted you to know the truth about our family and how important it is for us to be united again. You're the only one who can do it, Madeleine. It's hard, I know, but think of the good it will bring. Please, Madeleine."
I frowned. Surely, Mother must know that what she wanted me to do was impossible. I started to say this, but then I saw the expression on her face: desperate, sorrowful, regretful. I relented. "I'll do my best, Mother." Mother smiled and embraced me.
"But where do I start?" I asked her. "Just go to whe-" Suddenly, Mother froze and her eyes widened. She seemed to be sensing something I couldn't. "Mother, what – ?" I was cut off by the rumbling of the ground beneath our feet. "Oh no, oh no, oh no," Mother breathed. I scowled in irritation. "What just happened, Mother? You're not telling me something," I snapped. Mother looked up at me, still looking shocked and afraid.
"There is no time to explain," she said hurriedly, starting to shepherd me to the end of the tunnel. "Get moving, Madeleine!"
I stubbornly stayed where I was. "First, you order me on an impossible quest, and then this stupid tunnel almost collapsed, and I'm sure you know why, but you're not telling me!" I shouted. Mother turned to me angrily. "This is not the time to be stubborn, Madeleine! Get moving."
Before I could answer back, the earth started quaking below my feet, and a loud explosion pierced the air. I screamed.
I turned and tried to run towards the exit, but my foot slipped and I crashed to the ground. Stars danced before my eyes.
But before I blacked out, I heard a voice whisper in my ear, "One day, you will pay the price of your stubborness. Remember that, Madeleine."
Author's Note: I would really appreciate it if you would read and review, and give out suggestions on how to develop my writing abilities. And please tell me if you think this is clichéd, suckish, OOC, or that my Original Characters are Mary-Sues/Gary-Stus. Originally, I was going to publish it on my main account, but I changed my mind. Guess whose children Alice, Louisa, and Arthur are. I'm sure you'll say something like 'They're Amy and Ian's children, of course!' But remember how their dad looks, and their mom's name. And oh, one last note: flames are welcome, and CC is desperately needed. Thanks a lot for reading this author's note! :)
P.S. Please tell me if I should continue or delete this Next-Gen story, either through reviewing this story or PM-ing me.
P.P.S. Thank you very much for editing/beta-ing this story, my sister! You totally rock! :D