*Magnify*
    March     ►
SMTWTFS
     
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Archive RSS
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/entry_id/910324-War-Cabinets
Rated: 18+ · Book · Activity · #2120076
Collection of 31 short-short stories and some micro fiction. Easy to review.
#910324 added May 2, 2017 at 4:00pm
Restrictions: None
War Cabinets
Day 2

Chapter title:The Worst Birthday

Source: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Main event in the chapter: Harry's uncle has invited a potential client to dinner, and Harry has been told that he has to stay in his room and pretend he doesn't exist. To make it worse, he's received no birthday cards or presents from any of his friends at Hogwarts.

*Plane*

The time of war lasted way more than anyone expected. Cities had been swallowed whole, kinda like what happens when an I.E.D. explodes. The bad guys altered the technology, and let those weapons kill most of us. They never even checked the target. Just blew us to smithereens.

Before the war, everyone laughed at my dad because he was one of those nutcases that shout about the end of all time. But when the jets zoomed over our way, Dad saved us all. Well, only me, really. Ten-year-old minds skivvy away from facts like both their mom and sister had died. All they wanted was a shopping day in the big city. Wrong city, wrong day. After that, my mind changed. I stopped caring. About anything. And so did Dad.

A jet overhead screamed, which meant one thing.

I choked on my Lucky Charms, and milk flew across the table. "Dad." I swallowed and blotted my mouth on my sleeve. "Soldiers on the ground. Lots of them."

For the last few days, Dad barely glanced at me. I wondered if I turned invisible. But now, his hands were under my arms and he was swinging me up and out of the chair. "Dad!"

"Carrie, we only have minutes, and I promised your mom I would keep you safe." He pulled me into a tight squeeze.

For a few seconds, my body stopped trembling. But when Dad eased up on the hug, the trembles shivered down my spine. "We're gonna die, aren't we?"

"Carrie," Dad said, in a voice that meant listen. He struggled to get something out of his jean's pocket and then held up a ring. Sort of emerald in color. "This belonged to your mom. It's been handed down through tens of generations."

Dad and I stared at each other. His eyes dampened, but he shook the sadness off, like flinging away a useless doll. He swallowed and gestured to the ring finger on my right hand.

I held it up, and he slid it on. It fit perfectly. Was it mine?

Dad nodded, as if answering my unspoken question. "The ring belongs only to you."

The emerald stone looked like faded jade. An artifact. Long past its days of power. Tears beaded on my eyelashes. "I don't understand."

Outside our cabin, the boots of soldiers pounded up the porch stairs.

"Time to go." His voice rang hollow.

"Where?"

"Our . . ."

I saw my mom mirrored in his eyes. He forced the words the next words past gritted teeth. "My bedroom closet."

"But soldiers search the houses and kill everyone." It was like talking to a robot. "They're gonna check the closet."

"No time to explain."

The goons outside yelled, "Anybody in there, get out, now. If you comply, we'll let you live."

Well, both Dad and I knew that was a lie.

"What about you?" No point in hiding the terror in my voice.

Dad grabbed my arm and half-dragged me into their--his--room. He shoved me toward the closet. "Get moving. Right now."

His voice scared me almost more than the soldiers. "You're serious. Hide in there?" I pointed to the darkened interior.

Dad pointed and I crawled away a bit. His words came rapid fire. "All the way in the back, mind you. Even past Mom's fur coats. The ring will glow. When you see the latch on the door, crawl into the space. Close the door from the inside, and no one, not even the soldiers with super sonic hearing or x-ray vision will find you."

"You're coming with, right?"

Dad smiled like I'd never seen before. A grimace? Determination? "The other side of the cabinet has a door that leads to a . . . small apartment." He looked up at the ceiling, and if Dad believed in an afterlife, which he didn't, I'd swear he was beseeching my mom.

"We're coming in!" the soldiers shouted. The explosion from the front door giving way boomed through the house.

The ring on my finger seemed to understand the danger. It glowed, just like Dad said, and illuminated the invisible door handle. Within seconds I scooted into the hiding place. Sure enough, once in there, a door appeared on the opposite wall. "Dad, come on!"

From the sound of crashing lamps, I knew the bad guys were trashing the living room. My limbs shook and tears scalded my face.

Dad drew a pistol from his pocket. "Go. The escape is only for one." He drew me into a fierce hug and then let go. "It takes a few minutes for the door to turn invisible." Dad's hand shook, desperately clutching the gun. "I'll hold them off as long as I can."

"Wait! I have to live in the apartment? By myself?"

Dad nodded, his smile definitely grim.

"Please don't leave me alone," I begged.

He ignored my pleading. "When the clock I installed turns to three in the morning, take the back door out of the apartment, and you'll be safe."

Voices muffled by the door, but still loud, the mercenaries called out, "In the closet!" One of them commanded, "On me." Their boots kicked the door, but it didn't buckle. "Traitors made a titanium door that only appears like wood."

"Carrie, it won't take them long to blast that door open."

My heart tried to escape my rib cage, but Dad was saying goodbye, I think. Hard to be positive with my ears still ringing from all the explosions. "Who are you, Dad? You have ancient rings?
Build secret apartments? You can read my mind, and talk in my head?"

He pointed to his chest. "Not who am I?" His eyes misted and he blinked away tears. "You and your mom."

"Me and Mom?"

His voice was in my head again. "So much I never got to tell you. Once you leave the apartment, you'll understand."

"No, Daddy, no!"

"I love you, Carrie. Don't ever forget me."

The door swung shut, but not before I saw Dad lift the pistol and shoot. And then the door sealed. I wrapped my arms around my bent knees and sobbed. "Who am I?"










© Copyright 2017 Nixie is feeling crummy. Ugh. (UN: nixie9 at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Nixie is feeling crummy. Ugh. has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
Log in to Leave Feedback
Username:
Password: <Show>
Not a Member?
Signup right now, for free!
All accounts include:
*Bullet* FREE Email @Writing.Com!
*Bullet* FREE Portfolio Services!
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/entry_id/910324-War-Cabinets