A Surfacing Secret

Fear can prompt us to do many things we aren't proud of. There are moments in our lives when a cool mind could ward away mistakes, save us from needing to keep secrets from the ones we love... But fear, it is a dangerous thing. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," a quote that speaks on many levels -- for fear itself loves to create more things to be afraid of. ... Well, enough of the philosophical hooie.

For many who know Meredith Kane, there is very little to be suspicious of. Although often anxious and worrisome, her caring heart more than makes up for her short-comings as a hero. But, it is an error of many to believe that she's an innocent woman; for, where fear is, there is also danger.

And, hard as Meredith may have tried to hide her fears, she may soon find that trying to hide them is more worrisome than it's worth.

---

The speakers on the television seemed to shake the whole basement of the Kane house, but it wasn't the only noise coming from there; the squeals of two little girls was an added amount of annoyance to anyone unfortunate enough to be listening but not fortunate enough to be in on their fun.

Naomi Leman had been spending quite a bit of time at the Kanes the last few weeks, such that Amelia would probably say "Who?" if ever asked what had happened to her friend Alesha.

Such as things were, Amelia didn't have time to miss Alesha; Naomi had far more interesting stories of all the places she'd lived before, was able to stay up way later before getting tired, and was a lot more competitive -- not that Alesha was really boring, but Naomi was actually... well, fun.

And, for a young girl like Amelia, having fun was an incredible distraction.

"Uuuggh, you totally did not just do that!" Naomi expressed in disbelief as Amelia knocked her friend's car off the racetrack... In the video game, that is. "That's so unfair!"

"Haha, suckeeeeeerrrr," Amelia squealed loudly; loudly enough that she didn't hear the stomping footsteps coming down the stairs.

Both girls jumped a little when Bradley's voice suddenly seemed to come from nowhere, yelling, "Can't you two PLEASE keep it DOWN?!"

"I'm trying to get some work done, and with you two goofballs making such a racket, I can't focus on anything," Bradley grumbled as he came around to the other side of the couch. It was obvious he was trying to remain civil, but his lack of sleep and the noise of giggling people actually enjoying themselves were starting to press on his nerves.

"Oh, come on, Brad..." Naomi stood up from the couch as Amelia began switching the game, her eyes clearly trying to avoid contact with her older brother's -- for fear of getting too upset about his anger. "It wouldn't be so bad if you joined us, would it? There's an extra controller if you want to," Naomi finished.

Bradley was definitely not amused, though. "No, I do not want to join you two. What I'm working on is far more important than... than video games."

While they were talking, though, another intruder had also ventured down the stairs -- but this one wasn't coming to rain on anyone's parade. "Brad, why don't you just calm down, okay?"

July -- their cousin -- was far more even-tempered than most of the Kanes, but even she seemed a little irritated at her best friend's current... issues. "Your mom told me you were down here," she continued. "She's seems kind of worried about you. Why don't we go out? We haven't gone on a fishing trip in a while..."

"Look, July, I know you mean well, but I'm really busy right now," Brad said with a furrowed brow. "I'm working on a really important project, the kind I can't exactly walk away from. You understand, right?"

"Well, yeah... I do, but Brad, that's all you've been doing for weeks. At this rate, you're going to work yourself to death. You've gotten hardly any sleep, your grades are slipping.. I care about you, and if I believe that you've gone too far, then you really have." July shook her head and shrugged, concern clearly on her face. "You used to love the outdoors, Brad. I know it reminds you of her, but... You need to stop shutting yourself away."

July had a feeling that what she was saying was falling on deaf ears, but after a minute, Bradley hung his head and sighed, nodding slightly under the weight of his chin.

"Yeah, yeah. I suppose you're right." He still didn't look all that happy about it, but there was no use arguing with her. "There's no way I'm going to get anything done in this racket, anyways," he said as the two girls behind them suddenly broke out in laughter.

Yeah, probably for the best.

---

As the cousins pulled off of Savannah Lane and started heading towards the outskirts of town, Brad turned to July, and said with a staunch voice: "Well, we can't stay out after dark, so this is gonna be a short trip."

"That's alright," she responded with a shrug. "It doesn't matter how long we're out, as long as you get away from all that inventing business. Even inventors need a little R & R, you know..."

He grumbled, but shrugged in acceptance. "Yeah, I guess."

The sun was still high, and although the air was crisp, the feeling of the pole between Brad's fingers made him remember, if only partially, what he was missing.

"See, isn't this great?!" July was certainly enthusiastic, although her expertise with a fishing rod left a little to be desired.

"Yeah... I'm glad you talked me into coming." Bradley couldn't help but crack a smile. "This is great... thanks. I guess I forgot what it was like..."

As things went quiet again, Bradley turned away from watching his bobber and looked at July, his tone going morbid again as he spoke. "So... You're still with Thomas, huh?"

"Thomas? Oh... yeah..." July shrugged, clearly not all that happy about it. "Things haven't been too great ever since I found out he'd been necking Jade behind my back, but, whatever. This town isn't exactly full of great boys, and it wasn't all that serious to begin with, anyways. He's been trying to make it up to me and everything, ya know, especially since he's afraid Travis'll beat him up again if he doesn't, but... I guess we'll see. That's just life, ya know."

"Yeah, things never work out the way we plan. You at least happy?"

"Oh, sure I'm hap--" But before July could finish her statement, a blood-curdling scream suddenly broke the quiet talking between the two teenagers.

Surprise gripped both their hearts so tight that they each were frozen stiff, their eyes glued wide at each other, and their fishing poles quivering under their grips.

"W..W-What was that?" July finally said.

"I-I don't know, but it sounds like someone's hurt..." Once they both got over their shock, they set down their poles and turned towards where they both believed the sound to be coming from.

"This way!" July said as she raced up the hill, confident that once they crossed it's horizon, they'd find someone -- someone hurt, frightened... Or even dead.

Trust teenagers to be as morbid as possible, naturally.

But, as they both reached the summit, all they found was a thick stone tablet, with a few words scratched into the finish: "Rest in Peace."

Bradley shook his head, completely confused. The scream forgotten -- there was clearly no one in sight, from this vantage point -- he asked, "What the heck is this? A... Gravestone?"

Before he could even consider anything else, July suddenly seemed completely overtaken with fear. "Oh... Oh no... I know what this is... It's...It's..."

"It's probably a prank, is what it is," Bradley grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "Some upper-classmen trying to hoodwink people into thinking this spot is haunted. Don't think anything of it, July."

"No-- N-no, you don't understand, Brad. I know what this is. It's real. Very, very real."

"What the heck are you talking about, July? You're the last person I thought to buy into hocus-pocus stories like thi--"

"Brad, you're gonna be really angry at me about this, but--"

"What, you planted this here?"

"No... Of course not. It's way, way more serious than that." July was almost shaking, she was so anxious. "Bear with me, and please, don't be angry..."

July paused for a moment, before starting warily, "See, I was going through some stuff of my mom's one day a few months ago... June dared me to break into her safe because she didn't believe I could. And well, we found some stuff saying that your mom... like... buried someone here."

"What?!" Brad stepped back, raising his hands in disbelief. "You've gotta be joking me."

"No, I'm not, I wish I was," July said, her voice quivering. "June and I promised each other we'd never say anything about it to anyone, especially you guys, because we weren't sure how you'd react... I don't even know if it's true. I just don't understand why my mom would keep a letter from your mom about where she buried some... Chandra person... unless it was real."

"Please, please don't be angry that I didn't tell you," July continued, her eyes and hands both pleading to her older cousin. "It's just if my mom had found out that I went through her things... If your mom had found out you knew where she buried... Well... Like, a body, then..."

"No, no, I'm not angry at you, Julee," Brad said, trying to calm her down, although he was having a hard time keeping calm himself. "I'm just confused. My mom is like, the nicest person I know. I can't believe that she'd do something like that... It just doesn't make sense."

"No, it doesn't." July seemed a bit relieved, but she still began to turn away, clearly more spooked than ever. "Not at all."

As July disappeared down the hill, clearing up their supplies to begin heading back to the car, Brad stood poised over the stone, trying to understand what may lie beneath. Was it really a body that his mother had buried? Was it a secret past that none of them had ever known?

What had his aunt... His mother... done?

Bradley couldn't be sure, not even that it was true... But if anything, there was one thing he knew for certain: he was going to find out.