Fireflies: A Tale of Life and Death (#1 Heroes Next DoorTrilogy) Read online

  Gabriel frowned. “What?”

  “Well, strange stories are told about that house,” Jack said, speaking up for the first time since they’d sat down by the fire. “And in this case, strange means scary. You sure you want to know?” Jack’s eyes were hard as he looked at Gabriel.

  “Don’t be an ass!” Jordan said, elbowing her brother. For a second Jack just looked at her. Then he got up and walked away.

  “I’m sorry,” Gabriel whispered. “Maybe I should go.” It was clear that Jack didn’t want him there.

  “You’re staying,” Jordan said in a tone that left no room for discussion. “He always needs a little time getting to know someone. He’ll get over it.” Cat lay down beside her in the grass, nudging her. “Tired?” Jordan said to the dog, brushing a hand over her black coat.

  “So, are we telling stories or not?” Eddie asked, looking from one to the other.

  Liam shrugged. “You asked, so you go first.”

  “All right,” he said, rubbing his hands. “As with every good story, it is unclear to this day how much of it is based on fact and how much is only rumored.” An evil laugh rose from his throat.

  Jordan shook her head. “You’re such a doof!”

  “Hey, no heckling,” Eddie complained. “You’re ruining the mood.” Sprawled-out on the grass, his eyes turned to the house in the distance. “An old man lives there, but no one knows who he is. No one has seen him leave his house in many years. By now people don’t even remember his name.”

  “It’s Hamilton.”

  “Jordan!” Eddie whined, sitting up.

  She raised her hands. “Sorry. Go on.”

  Eddie cleared his throat. “Where was I? Right, no one remembers his name.” He shot a warning glance at Jordan, who pretended not to see it. “He doesn’t leave his house. He never has guests over. The curtains are always drawn and no noise ever reaches the outside, as though no one really lives there.” He held his breath. “Some say the old man died years ago, and that his body is rotting away with the house.”

  Liam suppressed a grin, but Jordan laughed out loud. “Where do you get this?” she asked, shaking her head at him.

  “I’ll just ignore that,” Eddie said, not looking at her. He kept his eyes fixed on Gabriel as he went on. “Some believe no one but his ghost still lingers in the house, scaring away all those who dare come near. At Halloween, children stay well clear of the house, afraid that if they knock, he will pull them inside and eat them whole.”

  “What? The ghost?” Jordan asked, brows knitted together. “Are you sure you’re not getting this confused with some kind of zombie story?”

  Unimpressed, Eddie continued. “Others say that whenever someone goes missing in town, the old man is responsible.”

  Jordan snorted with laughter. “Seriously? How often does that happen?”

  “Lately, there have been rumors that he is keeping children captive.” Leaning forward, Eddie’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Some say they’ve heard voices from the basement. Others tell they saw someone standing at the window in the attic, looking out. But no one dares investigate. They are all afraid to be next.” He looked Gabriel straight in the eye. “I would not recommend going near that place,” he said, a warning ringing in his voice. “It will be your doom.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Gabriel saw Jordan and Liam press their lips into a tight line to keep from laughing. Taking a deep breath, Gabriel did his best to keep a straight face and nodded.

  “Now look at what you did,” Jordan said, pointing at the dog lying in the grass by her side, head on her leg. “You put Cat to sleep.” She grinned at him. “So much for haunting stories.”

  ***

  “Still tired?” his grandmother asked as Gabriel walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.

  Yawning, he nodded and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the bright light coming in through the windows.

  “C’mon, sit down,” his grandfather said, looking up from the paper. “Have a bagel.”

  Just as Gabriel took his seat at the breakfast table, there came a knock on the door.

  “No, you stay there,” his grandmother said as he wanted to get to his feet again. “Eat some-thing. You look a little pale.” Walking toward the front door, she looked back over her shoulder. “We shouldn’t have stayed out that late.”

  “But you looked like you had fun,” his grandfather whispered, one eye on the door. “Am I right?”

  The ghost of a smile on his face, Gabriel nodded.

  “Here, try the apple syrup,” his grandfather said, handing him the jar. “Your grandmother made it herself. It’s the best I ever had.” Again his eyes shifted to the door. “But don’t tell her I said that.”

  Gabriel took a bite from his bagel. “I promise.”

  “Look who is here,” his grandmother said as she came back into the kitchen. Behind her, Liam walked into the room.

  “Ah, your partner in crime,” his grandfather said, winking at Gabriel. “What brings you here? Sit down, have a bagel.”

  Liam grinned. “Thanks, but I’m meeting the others at the Dive, and I just wanted to see if you would like to come.” He turned to Gabriel.

  “That sounds great,” his grandmother beamed, nodding at him.

  For a moment Gabriel was tempted to say no. He wasn’t sure about meeting Jack again and if Jordan and Eddie would be okay if he tagged along. But then he remembered something his father had said to him when he had taught him how to ride a bike, a long time ago. The things that scare you are usually the ones most worthwhile.

  “Yes,” he finally said, seeing his grandmother smile. “I’ll just get my stuff.”

  “And I’ll pack you a little lunch,” she said, putting a hand on his grandfather’s shoulder. A moment later, he placed his own over hers.

  ***

  “So, what’s the deal with Jordan’s dog?” Gabriel finally asked as they walked their bikes the last few yards through high grass. “Why is it called Cat?”

  Liam laughed. “That’s a bit complicated.” He shook his head as though to clear it. “Okay, I guess by now you’ve noticed how competitive Jack and Jordan are.” Gabriel nodded. “Especially Jordan always feels like she needs to prove herself. Like climbing the tree last night. Well, she is the only girl in her family–they have two elder brothers in high school–and although Jack and Jordan are technically twins, she kind of is…the baby of the family. Always has been. And that has always bugged her.” In the distance, they could hear splashing water and cheering voices. “Ever since I can remember, she’s always wanted the exact opposite of what the rest of them wanted. If they want pizza for dinner, she wants burgers. If they want to go hiking, she wants to go swimming.”

  Gabriel frowned. “What does that have to do with the dog’s name?”

  “Well, one day the family decided to get a pet. And since they all wanted a dog, of course Jordan didn’t. She decided she wanted a cat.” An amused smile flashed over Liam’s face. “But she was overruled, and so they got a dog. Jordan was spitting mad, and out of spite she started calling the dog Cat.”

  Gabriel laughed. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously,” Liam said, shaking his head. “Cat’s actual name is Ronia. You know after the book Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter.”

  “Then why don’t you call her Ronia?” Gabriel asked. “I mean not only Jordan calls her Cat. You all do.”

  “Oh, we did call her Ronia,” Liam said. “But the darn dog didn’t listen to that name. I don’t know how Jordan did it, but that dog only listens to the name Cat. You’ve seen how loyal Cat is to Jordan. She was supposed to be a family dog. Well, she’s not. She’s Jordan’s dog.”

  “And Jack is mad at her for that?” Gabriel asked.

  Liam shrugged. “I don’t think so. At least not anymore. But all that is very difficult for Jack be-cause he wants to look after Jordan–after all, she is his little sister, if only by a few minutes–but at the same time her attitude drives him
insane. Believe me, I know what that’s like.”

  “Nahla?” Gabriel asked. “That was your sister’s name, right?”

  Liam nodded. “Yeah, but Nahla and I don’t hang like Jack and Jordan do. She does her thing and I do mine. Nahla is more of a girly girl, and Jordan is…not.”

  A loud call above their heads suddenly caught their attention.

  Deep in conversation, Gabriel hadn’t noticed the change of scenery from high grass to high trees. Looking up, he saw Jack, in swim-wear, hanging on a rope, swinging through the air like Tarzan on a vine. As he reached the highest point, Jack suddenly let go.

  For a second, Gabriel’s breath caught in his throat.

  A moment later, Jack didn’t hit the forest floor but instead, with a loud splash and accompanied by even louder cheering, dove into a lake, about the size of a football field, that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere right in front of them.

  Liam pointed at the pool of water and those splashing around in it. “And this is the Dive.”

  Chapter 8 – The Dive

  A few trees grew diagonally out of the earth, with ropes tied to their crowns high above the watery surface below. After watching Jack fly through the air and then splash head-first into the lake, Gabriel stood staring as more and more kids he had seen the night before at the bonfire climbed trees, grabbed a hold of the ropes, swung through the air and then let themselves fall into the water. Others sat by the shore or swam in the shallower parts, but they all cheered whenever one of their friends dropped from the sky, spraying the world around with water.

  “Do you want to give it a try?” Liam asked, leaning his bike against a tree.

  Still staring, Gabriel shook his head.

  They walked a little down the shore and found Eddie sitting under a huge tree, eyes fixed on his cell phone. As they approached, he looked up. “Hey there, any luck with the riddle yet?”

  “Haven’t even looked at it,” Liam admitted, taking the backpack off his shoulders and placing it next to the others. “Are you not going in?”

  “I am, I am,” Eddie said, eyes still on the little screen. “I don’t get this. There are no mills around here.”

  “What?” Gabriel asked as he sat down next to him, peering at the display.

  “Here,” Eddie said, pointing at the photo Jordan had taken of the scrap of paper they had found in the birdhouse and sent to all of them. “It says In summer I work the mill. What is that supposed to mean? If they don’t mean a real mill, then why does it say mill in the riddle.” Sighing, he leaned back against the tree.

  “I don’t know,” Gabriel said, looking up at Liam. “Shall we work on it?”

  “Sorry, but I can think of something better to do right now.” His eyes turned to Jordan, who stood high up on a tree, her hands wrapped around a rope. Then she jumped off and flew through the air. As she splashed into the water, Cat, who was prancing up and down the shore, started barking until Jordan’s head reappeared above the lake’s surface.

  “Count me in,” Eddie said, getting up. “You coming?” He turned to Gabriel.

  “Maybe later. I…eh…want to have another look at the riddle.”

  Watching them head over to the trees near the shore, Gabriel sat back and then rummaged through his bag, trying to find his cell phone.

  A loud scream drew his attention and, looking up, he saw Eddie fall rather than jump off a tree and hit the water in a horizontal angel that looked like it would hurt. A moment later his head bobbed up again, a huge grin on his face. “That was awesome!”

  Staring at the trees, seeing more and more kids climb them, sail through the air and then dive into the lake from high above, Gabriel promised himself that before the summer was out he would do it too.

  His eyes returned to the display and, trying to concentrate, he carefully read through the riddle line by line. After all, that had worked before.

  Since the I in the last riddle had not referred to a person but instead a tree, Gabriel went out on a limb and assumed this was the case here too. Not necessarily a tree, but something else. Anything but a real person.

  “I am never in one place alone,” he read, his eyebrows drawn together. “Something moving, something that goes from one place to another,” Gabriel concluded, his eyes shifting down a line. “In summer I work the mill,” he continued. “Mmh, this seems to go with the next one, In winter I am perfectly still. A contrast. Something that moves in summer, but is still in winter.”

  Gabriel looked up, eyes following the others as they splashed around in the lake. Cat mostly kept to the shore, only now and then taking a few hesitant steps into the water before racing back.

  “You can break me with but a stone,” he mumbled. “Yet you can do me no harm.”

  “Any ideas yet?” Jack asked, standing a few feet to his left.

  At his question, Gabriel looked up with a start.

  Water dripping off him, Jack rested one foot on a tree stump, leaning forward, and looked down at him. His eyes, a deep brown, felt cold as they swept over him, and Gabriel shivered.

  “Not really.”

  Jack’s watchful eyes never left Gabriel as he straightened himself up, then sat down on the tree stump. He picked up a pebble by his feet, turning it over in his hands. “You have never been here before,” Jack said. It wasn’t a question.

  Gabriel shook his head, trying to keep his eyes from looking down as Jack’s stare drilled a hole in his head. More than anything he wanted to disappear.

  “Why are you here now?” Jack threw the pebble into the air and caught it as it came back down, his stare never faltering.

  Gabriel felt his fingers tighten. As they curled, his nails dug into his thighs. “Because my parents don’t want me at home over the summer,” he said. The moment the words left his lips, he felt himself breathe in deeply. His fingers loosened a little, easing the strain on his muscles.

  “Why not?”

  Gabriel shrugged. “They argue a lot, and I’m in the way.”

  “And your grandparents?”

  “I think they don’t mind me being here,” Gabriel said. As he looked down, he felt his hair slide out from behind his ears and fall in his face.

  “You should talk to Eddie,” Jack said. “His parents got divorced last year. He seems to be fine now.”

  Casting a glance at the lake where the others splashed in the water, Gabriel nodded. “Thanks.”

  Jack looked at the pebble in his hand then he got to his feet, his eyes shifting to the lake. He drew his arm back and in the next instant sent the stone flying through the air. It hit the water three times before disappearing under the surface.

  As he turned back around, the cold had left his eyes. “Maybe it’s a good thing you are here now.”

  Gabriel looked up, his hair swinging back, and a weak smile came to his face. A moment later it disappeared and his eyes went wide. “Water,” he breathed.

  “What?” A frown showed on Jack’s face as he took a step forward.

  “The riddle,” Gabriel exclaimed, turning his attention back to the display in his hands. “The lines read You can break me with but a stone, Yet you can do me no harm. It’s water.”

  Jack came to sit beside him, eyes sweeping over the riddle.

  “In winter I am perfectly still,” Gabriel continued. “Ice. In winter, water turns to ice. And in summer…”

  “But what about the mill?” Jack wondered, and his eyes became distant. Then he suddenly blinked. “Running water! A mill’s wheel is driven by water, but it has to be running water. So, it’s not a lake.” He looked up at his friends splashing and swimming. “A river, or creek maybe.”

  Gabriel nodded, feeling his fingers tingle. “How many rivers are there around here?”

  Jack shrugged. “Not sure. But even if we knew which one, their banks are miles long. How would we know where to look?”

  Again they turned their eyes to the lines in front of them. “By the home of mother bee, Below the great ash tree, Reach ou
t with your arm,” Gabriel read. “This must be a clue telling us at what point of the river we have to look. The great ash tree. I don’t really know what an ash tree is, but is there a tree around here that somehow stands out?”

  Again Jack shrugged. “I’ve no idea.” His eyes swept across the trees growing on the lake’s shores. “It’s not like we have a tree shortage here.”

  “Okay, then let’s take it from the top,” Gabriel suggested. “It’s only the last three lines we don’t understand.”

  “Yet,” Jack threw in, and they shared a quick smile.

  “We should start with the first one,” Gabriel went on. “Maybe if we figure that one out, it’ll be more clear which tree is meant.”

  “By the home of mother bee,” Jack read. “Mother bee? Are we talking flowers? Or…?”

  Gabriel shook his head. “No, it says home. Home of mother bee. And where do bees live?”

  “A bee hive,” Jack said, grinning. Then he suddenly slapped a hand to his forehead. “A honey farm,” he exclaimed. “There is one down by Stone Creek, about a mile from here.” All of a sudden he started laughing. “And there is a fallen tree running across it like a bridge.”

  Gabriel joined in his laughter, brushing his hair behind his ears.

  “We should move out immediately,” Jack said, springing to his feet. “I’ll get the others.”

  ***

  “Found the tree,” Eddie called out from up ahead.

  Picking their way through the underbrush, they rushed to catch up with him. He stood waiting beside a huge tree, at least three feet in diameter, which lay uprooted on the side, bridging the small creek. In the distance, they could hear the faint buzzing of thousands of bees living on Mrs. Steven’s honey farm.

  “What now?” Liam asked, setting a foot on the trunk. “Shall we go across?”

  Gabriel looked down at the phone in his hands. “The last two lines read, Below the great ash tree, Reach out with your arm.”

  “Below,” Jordan repeated, carefully picking her way down to the water.

  Walking onto the tree, Liam stopped in the middle and knelt down, his eyes scanning the surface of the creek. “Do you think it’s underwater?”

  “Don’t see where else it could possibly be,” Jordan called, already wading knee-deep through the creek. Jack and Eddie joined her while Gabriel carefully stepped onto the tree. All eyes were cast down onto the glistening surface, straining to see what lay hidden.