Chapter One: Anna Exodus

Hi, my name is Trey Matthews and I'm about to tell you how I got from America all the way to an uncharted island called Lanark.

As I got ready to go to school, I heard my doorbell ring. As I walked towards the door I wondered who it could be. When I unlocked the door I saw a black haired girl wearing glasses.

"Hi, are you Trey Matthews?" She asked. "Yes I am." I answered wondering what was wrong, because I sensed sadness in her voice.

"I'm sad to say," the girl said looking down at her feet "but your father has passed."

"Err…" Was all I said that was the last thing I had expected to hear that morning!

"I'm hear to talk to you about his will." She said as I gestured her in the house.

I saw my little brother going to get his bookbag and I told him to go in his room and watch T.V. "Why?" Joey asked. For some reason I hadn't expected that question so I awkwardly replied, "It's umm… err…-" The girl cut in for me "No school today!" Being the believing 5 year old he was he just prodded to his room.

"So umm-" "Amanda, Amanda Green." She replied.

"How did this, no when did this happen?" I asked. I had known that my dad left my mom for a rose or something to help her sickness, but had never returned.

"He died when he was staying town waiting for a rare emerald sand rose to bloom." I interrupted her before she said anything else, "What town?" "It's more like a village, it's called Ivy village." "It's located on an island called Lanark."

"So tell me about this will." I said silently.

"Well I can't really, you have to come to his funeral in Ivy Village to get your share."

"Okay." Was all I could really say. I was speechless, one minute I was eating Corn Flakes next I find out I'm an orphan! My mom had died a few months ago and I was hardly able to handle that, my brother couldn't either so I doubted he could take it either.

A couple of days later my brother and I were on a plane to Lanark Island, Ivy Village.

He thought we were going to Disney Land because I couldn't think of any other excuses. As I sat on the plane I thought about Ivy Village, I had heard of it but couldn't think of where.

"Are we going over Kai's house when we come from Disney Land?" Joey asked as he drank his Mott's Apple juice. Then I remembered! My two friends Kai and May had moved there for family reasons! I might not be so lonely after all I thought.

Then I heard the pilot say over the intercom "We are now landing in Bay View, Lanark Island, please stay seated."

When we had finally got on land I realized that we were in Bay View, not Ivy Village. Don't get me wrong I heard what the pilot had said before but my brain didn't really register it.

"How am I supposed to get to Ivy?" I thought out loud as I held Joey's hand. "Do you mean Ivy Village?" A girl asked who had obviously heard me talking to myself.

I turned around to see a red haired, blue-eyed girl smiling at me. "Yeah," I replied, "Do you know where it is?"

"Know where it is!" She laughed, "I live there!" Hearing this I asked her what was the shortest way to get there. "By ferry." She said, but that confused me. Noticing my confusion she replied, "Ivy Village is an island in a island, I know it's confusing but we should get going, the ferry leaves in five minutes!" I picked up Joey and followed the girl.

It only took two minutes to get to the ferry, but it was full and we had to stand the whole thirty minutes. I was surprised that the girl didn't ask Joey or me our names so I decided to introduce us. "My name is Trey and this is my little brother Joey, what's your name?" "Anna Exodus." she replied as two seats appeared (bathroom I guess).

"So why are you coming to Ivy?" Anna asked, "My dad's funeral, he died about a week ago." I said looking out into the clear waters with my brother sitting on my lap.

"Was his first name Scott? She asked looking me right in my eyes. "Yeah how'd you know?"

"I was a friend of his." She answered.

Anna and I spent the rest of the day (well thirty minutes) talking about my father; I have to admit it took a huge load off.

After we reached land I looked around my surroundings and saw that Ivy Village had Ivy in its name for a reason. It had Poison Ivy (I'm one the few that pay attention during biology) and moss growing all over the houses!

"Trey, where did that lady go?" Joey asked me as we walked out the ferry dock. "She's right behind us-?" Then I turned around and saw…well I didn't see anyone except those few that were boarding the ferry.

It was then I found a book that would change my life.