Chapter Three: Stepmother + Stupidity = Sequoya Willy

That was it. Of course I knew what the answer was to the riddle but where was I suppose to go? I loved riddles. The answer was an umbrella such a classic riddle, but what did I do in my past with my father that involved an umbrella?

I was about to give up when I thought about sneaking upstairs to get an ice cube into my mouth, but something stopped me. Something about an ice cube kept bugging me. I got out a piece of paper and started to write things that an ice cube reminded me of. Cold. Icy. Greenland. Snow.Wait snow? I am a real idiot. Snow! My father used to take me to this park called St. Louis when I was three. One time we stopped by but it was all covered with snow, we brought only an umbrella thinking it was going to rain but obviously the snow hadn't melted. We saw kids tobogganing down the hill. My father and I got kind of jealous but we didn't have a sled so what do you think we used? Yes, like lunatics we used the umbrella.

It was funny because when I got in the umbrella, the umbrella wouldn't slide down so my father tried to push me but I always ended up falling face forward into the snow. When my father got in and I tried to push him he wouldn't move, let's be honest what 3 year old had the upper body strength to push a 20 year old that weighs more than a 100 pounds. We couldn't stop laughing through the whole day. After we got all wet we found a tree covered in snow and Christmas lights, it was really pretty. My father took out his emergency knife and started carving both of our names " Mia + Stephen = Family Love." From that day it was known as our tree.

My father always told me " No matter what happens, promise me you will always visit this tree and find the answer."

I was three and didn't understand what I was promising but I knew that this was my father's and mine not his cruel wife or stepdaughters. It was one of the best days I had with my father and it was my last.

"I have got to stop dwelling on the past" I muttered to myself. In the morning I'd blow of school to find the answer I promised I would.

- -NEXT DAY-

Today was the day, the day I might understand the gibberish my father kept telling me when I was younger. I guess this was the first time I've ever cut school, I know it's boring and all but it's my second favourite place. Who can blame me? With a life like mine you'd wish school was all seven days. I gathered about 20 bucks and headed out the door to the bus station.

The bus ride to St. Louis is way longer than I remembered . One hour? I can't sit in one spot for too long I swear I'd go crazy. I almost feel ADHD. The places where I don't feel ADHD is during school, at the library and in my lovely, bug infected room. Finally I reached my destination, St. Louis hooray!

My first step took my breath away. It looked exactly as I remember, rows and rows of flowers of many different colours, a miniature pond full of lily pads with a couple of frogs , and so many kids running around one word stunning. Something happy about my past but something also sad. My last day was here at this park, and without a warning he felt. My father is the reason I refuse to like anyone, because I'm afraid I'd follow my father's lead. My eyes started to water but I held them back. So many memories came to me that I missed so much but I didn't bother with them.

Whenever I asked my stepmother about my father she'd always say," He was a lying B****. He never cared for this family. For me. For you," things like that. At the end of those conversations I always ended up enraged, sticking up for my father when I should obviously be agreeing to what my stepmother was saying, but I guess I didn't want to hear the truth I was always swimming in a swamp of lies, and I still am. But no more, that's why I'm here to find some answers , to accept the betrayals.

Laughing, love, family all the things I had to pass to get to the damn tree.

" This better be worth the trip father ." I muttered to myself.

The tree... man the tree was bent, scratched, and the engraving was almost gone. What do I now? I thought. I referred to the books note the words dig? Tree? He expects me to dig? Dig where? Ughhh this is so frustrating! The note could've at least told me to bring a shovel! Guess I got to be a dog for the next while.

Digging with your hand is a lot slower and dirtier than you realized. Finally after an hour of digging I dug out a small plastic bag labeled " Poison #2 ." As a normal person I opened the bag and found a key and note. Really? All that trouble for a key? What is wrong with my father? I read the letter and this time it said:

I'm glad that you didn't give up! I know you'd kill me for not making you take a shovel with you. That's right I know what my daughter thinks. This has got to be quick . This one's not a riddle but here it is:

The only reason you have kept from looking in was the key. If you had a key that could open any door, or box what would you open?

Hint: Forbidden

Great another one. This better not include digging. I had to actually think for this one. What would I open? A doorway to happiness? A box of mangoes? I don't know, but this box has to be in my reach and apparently I've tried to tear it open it before but it wouldn't budge. Now what would this key be used for? No way! This key would open it? I looked at the time 11:39a.m. She's still at work, yes! I raced back home. By the time I got back home it was almost 1:00p.m. I got about an hour to find the box before I she comes back. When I entered I didn't go to my room instead I went to Sequoya's room.

Where was it? Where? I'm running out of time! Clam down and think. If you were as stupid as your stepmother where would you hide a box to keep from your stepdaughter? Thinking stupidly is the worst kind of thinking to do. It took me forever. The next place I was about to look for the box, trust me I didn't know Sequoya could be an air head, but there it was the beautiful engravings of the ancient times of Rome and Greece. Words I understood so easily. I slipped the box from underneath the bed. It was dusty, sticky, gross, my worst nightmare no wonder I couldn't have think of this place.

I touched the engravings lightly, scared that it might disappear like everything else in my life. It was astounding. It's been years since I've seen this box. My stepmother had hid it from me since I was 5 because I kept trying to open it but eventually I gave up. Now I couldn't believe what was happening, I held the key to unlock this priceless piece of beauty. I didn't believe my eyes, I thought everything was a nightmare coming back to torture me. The key I always dreamt of having. The key my stepmother tried to look for to open. One thing was clear that whatever laid in this box were for my eyes only.

My hand shook uncontrollably. I found the key hole and twisted it to the left, I could hear the old gears turning and clicking. After one minute of sucking my breath the box lid finally popped open. I took a look in the box and gasped.

"Oh God," I muttered.

Then I hear the unlocking of the door downstairs.

" Oh god! Please no!" I look at my watch," How come time passes quickly now?"

I grabbed the box and I ran down the stairs, which I noticed was the wrong way too late. I never get any luck, just as I was about to change directions guess who enters? Yup my lovely stepmother, Sequoya.

"Where do you think you're going? " she questioned me.

" To my room." I replied.

" What's in your hand?"

" Shoe box."

" Shoe box for...?"

" School"

" Okay, well that's an ugly shoe box. No wonder you don't have any fashion sense."

" Neither do you !" and I dashed to my room.

I opened the box once again and took a better look. Inside there were 13 books , and a note pad that read:

My darling record your adventures from now on in this book.

I took out a pen and wrote, " Stepmother + Stupidity = Sequoya Willy"