HERE WE GO!
Chapter 2 is up. Sorry for any spelling mistakes/grammar errors. I want to get a Bata, but they kinda intimidate me and I'm afraid of what they would say about my stories.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for what I own.
My heart leaps in my throat like when faro does his flips. Mom probably thinks we disappeared at sea just like dad. She's probably crying. She's probably… I started walking forward to the cottage to comfort mom, to tell her we could never leave her when Conner grabs the back of my wet shirt.
"What are you thinking Saph!" he whispers into my ear" that we can just waltz on in there after being gone for who knows how long!" he was right. That would probably shock mom just as much as when she found out we were missing. Connors eyes looked thoughtful at the police car.
"Ok Saph, were going to seek in to the cottage"
"And then what" I asked. Connors shoulders sagged and his eyes got that hollow look again.
"I don't know" he whispers even though he probably didn't have to" I just don't know"
Sneaking in was easy enough. The people by the police car reminded it of when dad took me to the farm on day and showed me the chicken. On the edge of the forest they must have seen a fox or something that scared them because they took off running around in their little coop, squawking and flapping their tiny wings. As Conner and I made our way on our hands and knee to the back door, I couldn't help but think of what we would have to tell mom. There was no other way around it. We would have to tell her all about Ingo. Over head a gull swooped down and landed on the rowan tree, its beady black eyes staring at me almost like he knew what I was thinking. Quickly looking away, I followed Connor until we were at the back door.
Conner put his hand underneath the mat and gropes around.
"The key isn't here!" moaned Conner" how can you sneak into your own house if you don't have the key!" I felt bad seeing Conner like this. Being in Ingo for so long must have been hard considering the amount of earth he had in him. Earth magic! Maybe that could help us!
"Conner can you use your earth power to get us in somehow" I wondering. He smiled and shook his head.
"What am I going to do, call a herd of bunnies to come brake down the door?" we laughed together for what felt like the first time in a long time. Still smiling I looked around the yard that I had spent most of my life in. That's when I saw it. The large maple tree that mum had planted in memory 3 years ago when she had thought dad had "died". She had said that the oak was just like dad. Strong and determined. Sometimes I'd catch her looking out the kitchen widow just staring at it with a look on her face. When she looked at that tree, she was with dad. The tree had been taller than Conner when we had planted it. Now it almost reached my window… which was still open from when I had last left it. If the tree was only a foot taller, we could reach it!
"Conner" I cried" dad's tree! If you could make it grow we could reach my window and get in." he turned around to look at it, then up to the window, a small and cautious smile on his face.
" I'll try" he said looking at me in a way that said he knew it wasn't going to work, and that he was only trying to make me happy. I stood back and watch him walk over to slowly, like how you would to a frighten animal. He circled it twice then touched the branch closet to him and trailed his figures back down to the roots. He circled it twice again, this time humming an odd, unpredictable tune. It reminded me of the dull buzz of Granny Crane's bees. His face was scrunched up in concentration and it looked shiny with sweat. Without looking over he called
"Saph, this tree… its represents dad and because he was part of Ingo, you we need your Ingo power as well. Hurry Saph!" I jogged over
"But Conner, I don't know what to do."I cried desperately.
"Don't think about it, just let what your body naturally wants to do" he said breathlessly. The moment I step over the roots I feel a little pull in my figure tips that grows stronger and stronger until it's pulling my whole body towards a group of braches. I touch each leaf and it becomes bigger and greener. My body is on auto pilot now as I too circle the tree leaving green, shiny leaves where ever I go. Far off I can hear Conner hum fall and rise. I reach down and touch the roots then trail my fingers up the ruff bark until I can reach no higher.
Suddenly, the tree bark burns the delicate pads of my fingers. It felt like when I had touched the stove top when Mom had been cooking when I was younger. My mind comes back to me and I try to pull away but I can't. My fingers are stuck to the tree. I close my eyes and can hear the drumming of the sea, the roaring of the waves, louder than it was during the flood pounding on my ear drums. I feel it take hold of me, and my fingers are moving again effortless over the bark. Just as quickly as it had started it stopped.
The silence was almost eerie as I looked wordless over at Conner who had stopped to. I open my mouth to ask what had just happened when were suddenly falling. My heart leaped into my throat as we went spiraling downwards until I was sure I was going to hit the ground. No roller coaster I had ever been on compared to the feeling I had now. I felt weightless as If I was free falling. I put my hands out to protect myself when I was about to hit the ground, but I never did. Instead I was standing again. Somehow, Conner's hand had worked itself into mine. Had I imagined all of this? No! Conner's eyes were wide and fearful like mine. Slowly he let go of my hand. There were five tiny red marks from where his nail had held on tightly. I started up towards the tree, putting up my hand to block out the sun. The tree now towered over our small cottage. We had done it!
Once we had climbed up the braches into my window I looked around the room. Something about it was unsettling but I couldn't quite place a figure on it. Bracing myself I walked over to my vanity and slowly picked up my watch that dad had given me. I had thought for sure during the flood it had been lost, but Rainbow had said she found it on the beach and had giving it back to me. Mercifully, it still worked. I felt oddly relaxed as I held the worn and familiar blue leather of the strap. It was part of Dad that would never die.
Looking at the face of the clock, I started to doubt myself. Maybe it had stopped working. The date was still stuck on March 16, the day we had left. I stared at the date, willing it to change when I felt something in my hands
Tick, tick, tick.
It was working. I dropped it like it had burned me. Was it possible that Ingo time had been running so slow that we had only been gone ONE day.
Conner was picked up my watch and looked at it as well. He too set it down then darted up the ladder to the loft.
"Saph" his voice floated down to where I was standing "my clock said the same date. We have only been gone for one day" He sounded just as disbelieved as I was. We had swum for what had felt like weeks, almost mouths. We could not have been gone for one measily day!
"But Conner, we saw the sun rise and set, the moon come out."
"Time zones Saphy, when it's day here, its night in Australia and visa versa." That's when I remember seeing mom. It made sense now. She said that they were leaving the next day and when the dolphin had taken me down to the beach to see her, it had been at night, and she was leaving that morning for the Outback. I considered telling Conner this but decide against it. It was a story I would save for when we were both 80 and in a retirement home together :).
Conner still looked confused.
"So let me get this story straight. We left early evening yesterday and by the time we got to Australia it was today's morning and their night. Than by the time we got back here, it's almost night of today?"
I shrugged as we walked down stairs. That Ingo for ya.
"Conner" I cried turning around. I had almost forgotten about the policemen outside."If where not missing than who…" Outside you could hear shouting.
"… They hate the water, there's no point in looking… There's parents are away right now…"
Conner and I stared at each other for what felt like ever. No one was looking for us. They were all looking for Rainbow and Patrick.
There we go. Hoped you like the chapter. As always Ingo fans, I would love it if you would review. Any advice is open!
Also question of the day:
Should there be a little romance in here( not that big, I have others things in mind for this story)
Review and tell me!