
Samantha’s Day
by Linda S. Barth
âJasmine, are you awake?â Samantha peered across the darkened chamber, waited for a few seconds, then raised her voice. âJasmine?â
âSshh! Be quiet or youâre going to wake everyone up!â
Samantha heard the rustle of blankets and quilts being tossed aside and the rapid tapping of bare feet on the stone floor. She barely had time to scoot out of the way before the other girl bounced onto her bed.
They both burst into giggles, then quickly shushed each other.
âI could hardly sleep at all,â Samantha whispered.
âMe neither!â Jasmineâs dark eyes gleamed in the pale light of a single night candle. âThis is so exciting!â
âI know! Itâs going to be the best day ever!â
âI thought it would never get here!â
âBut it did!â Samantha grinned at her friend. âItâs finally here!â
The girls paused, listening as a brief message echoed along the pipes in the passageway outside their chamber. âWait â donât tell me.â Jasmine concentrated on the twice repeated phrase. âIt said the same thing three times, âseven a.m. and allâs well,â right?â
Samantha nodded approvingly. âYouâre really getting good at the pipe codes, even though youâve only been here a few months.â
Jasmineâs eyes sparkled, and her smiling face, the color of mocha, flushed with obvious pride. âIâve been practicing a lot. You know, I really like it here and I want to fit in.â
âYouâre doing great! Itâs like youâve lived here for years and years, just like me.â Samantha smiled back at her friend. âBut itâs already seven oâclock, so weâd better get moving.â
âRight!â Jasmine jumped to her feet and headed toward her dresser. âWe donât want anything to go wrong with our plans now!â
âDefinitely!â Samantha agreed, scrambling out of bed and hurrying to her wardrobe. âAnd if we donât go today, who knows when weâll get another chance?â
Several minutes later, the two girls had hurriedly washed, brushed their teeth, and dressed in jeans, boots, and layers of warm shirts and sweaters. Each pulled a backpack from under her bed and unzipped the pockets to make a quick last minute check of the contents.
âIâm all set. Are you sure youâve got everything on your list, Jasmine, especially your flashlight?â
âHang on â granola bar, chalk, a towel and a dry shirt just in case â yes, everythingâs here.â Jasmine rezipped the pockets. âI put in some extra batteries for the flashlight, just in case. Mouse said I could have them for emergencies.âÂ
âGood thinking. I packed some matches, too, but we canât depend on finding wall torches all the way along the route, so weâll need those flashlights.â
Jasmine shivered. âThatâs the only thing I donât like here, so much darkness.â
âItâs never really bothered me. Iâve heard other people say that itâs hard to get used to at first, but after a while they do.â Samantha smiled encouragingly. âEven Catherine had some trouble with it.â
âReally?â Jasmineâs eyes grew wide. âI never would have guessed that. She seems so, you know, together.â
Samantha nodded. âShe is â sheâs really great. But I heard her telling Vincent once.â With one outstretched foot, she shoved her pack back into its hiding place under her bed. âThat was a couple of years ago though. Sheâs fine with it now. And I bet after a while you will be, too.â
âI hope youâre right.â Following her friendâs lead, Jasmine pushed her backpack as far under her bed as she could reach.
âI know I am,â Samantha told her, vowing silently to help her friend in whatever way she could. It seemed as if she had been wishing forever for a girl her age to move Below, someone who might become her best friend. Jasmine seemed to be the answer to her prayers.
âWe need to hurry,â Samantha added as she quickly made her bed. âBreakfast starts in a few minutes.â
Jasmine smoothed the covers on her bed and repositioned the pillows. âIâm ready.â
They grinned at each other. âThis is going to be so excellent!â Samantha could barely keep from jumping up and down in excitement, only resisting the urge to do so when she realized how immature it would look.
Jasmine, apparently unconcerned about such things, leaped into the air, pumping her arms as her dark curly hair fluttered wildly. âI canât wait to get started!â
Without another word, the girls ran toward the chamber entrance, then stopped short, barely avoiding a collision with Mary.
The older woman stepped back quickly but then smiled at them. âYou two are up and dressed right on time today. I must say thatâs a nice surprise. Iâm proud of you.â
Unexpectedly at a loss for words, Samantha finally managed, âThanks, Mary, we donât want to be late for a change.â
Mary nodded briskly. âIâm very glad to hear that, and I hope youâll keep up such good behavior. It shows that youâre becoming more mature and responsible.â When the girls only smiled tentatively in response, she continued, âNow go along to breakfast. I have to check on the boys, and make sure theyâre doing as well as you two.â
They were only too happy to do as they were told. âDonât run,â Samantha advised under her breath, âjust walk fast.â
âYeah, I know thatâs one of Fatherâs rules. I think it was the first one I broke.â Jasmine smothered a giggle. Â âAnd I donât want to get yelled at.â
âFather would be mad, I mean angry, if he caught us running, but he doesnât really yell. Heâs not like that.â Samantha shook her head. âHe only wants us to be safe.â
âI know â I just meant we donât have time for that today.â
Jasmineâs pace quickened, but Samanthaâs steps slowed to a halt, and she bit her lip as she looked back in the direction of their chamber.
Jasmine frowned as she came to an abrupt stop. âWhatâs wrong?â
âWe didnât just lie to Mary, did we?â
Jasmine shook her head firmly. âNo, we didnât lie. We really donât want to be late today. Thatâs definitely the truth.â
Samantha hesitated, considering her friendâs words. âOkay, I guess youâre right.â Her face slowly brightened as they continued walking rapidly toward the dining chamber. âAnd that was nice of her to say weâre becoming more mature.â
Jasmine nodded in agreement. âWell, after all, weâre practically eleven. And in only two more years, weâll be teenagers.â
âIsnât it funny that our birthdays are so close together? Weâll be able to celebrate turning thirteen together!â
Jasmine grinned at her friend. âItâs almost like weâre twins!â
âExactly!â
Having reached the spacious communal dining chamber, the girls quickly got in line to receive their breakfast trays, then looked for seats together at one of the long trestle tables.
Jasmine nudged Samanthaâs arm with her elbow and tilted her head toward the far end of the room. âNot over there.â
Samantha looked in the direction Jasmine had indicated and readily agreed. âDefinitely not. Thereâs no way weâre sitting with the boys this morning.â She turned quickly toward the opposite side of the room. âLetâs go over there and sit with Mouse and Jamie.â
âGood idea. We can check in with Jamie and let her know everything is still on for today.â
âBut be careful around Mouse!â Samantha warned, leading the way. âWe canât let him know anything about our plans. Heâs really nice and all, but you never know what heâs going to say next. And if he figures it out and tells anyone, itâll all be ruined!â
Jasmine nodded. âGot it!â
The girls slid onto the bench opposite Jamie and Mouse who were nearly finished with their breakfast. âHi, girls! Nice to see you here on time today,â Jamie said with a grin. âYouâre even kind of early for a change.â
âWe have a lot to do — I mean, itâs going to be a busy day,â Samantha explained. âSo, we wanted to get an early start, you know, so we can get everything doneâŠâ Her voice trailed off as she forced herself to stop talking.
âAlways busy, just like Mouse!â He grinned at the two younger girls. âGot lots of chores today? Lots of classes?â
Jasmineâs eyes flickered in Samanthaâs direction. âNot exactly.â
Mouse shrugged. âThen what? Why so busy?â
Samantha felt her heart race. âWhat I meant is weâre trying to be more responsible, so weâre sticking to a schedule.â
Mouse frowned and shook his head. âSchedules are hard. Something always happens. Something always changes.â
âWell, weâre doing our best,â Samantha protested. She raised her eyebrows in a silent plea for help from Jamie.
Jamie set her crumpled napkin on a tray next to her empty plate and bowl. âMouse, can you please take our things into the kitchen?â
âSure, no problem!â He hopped up, quickly piled everything onto one tray, and headed off toward the utility sinks in one corner of the kitchen.
âThanks, Jamie!â Samantha did her best to look nonchalant as she surveyed the area to make sure no one else would hear their conversation. âThat was a close one!â
âSo, todayâs still the big day?â
The girls nodded vigorously. âEverything is working out perfectly so far,â Samantha said. Â Â
âExcept for the last couple of minutes!â Jasmine retorted with a laugh.
Samantha felt her cheeks redden, but she couldnât suppress a smile. âSometimes I donât know when to stop talking.â
âNo kidding!â Jamie rolled her eyes as she smiled at the younger girl. âWhen are you leaving?â
âRight after breakfast.â Samantha quickly started spooning oatmeal into her mouth.
âWe donât have to be back until book discussion this afternoon,â Jasmine said, âso no one should be looking for us before that.â
Samantha swallowed a large gulp of milky tea, hoping to wash down another heaping spoonful of oatmeal. âThatâs why we told everyone weâre using our day off to help Mr. Smythe at his shop. No one will be looking for us around here, and if the sentries see us on the way, theyâll think thatâs where weâre going.â
Jamie frowned. âWhat are you going to do if someone finds out thatâs not where you went? Have you thought about that?â
Jasmine shrugged. âSort of, but actually, weâre just hoping that doesnât happen.â
âThatâs not much of a plan, girls.â Jamie shook her head. âYouâd better spend some time thinking about that on the way. And you also need to figure out how youâre going to explain why you lied.â
 âWe will, Jamie, we promise.â Samantha set her spoon next to her empty bowl. She took a deep breath, trying her best to sound sure of herself. âAnd besides itâs not really a lie.â
âThatâs right, itâs not a lie,â Jasmine confirmed through a mouthful of jam-laden toast. âReally!â
Jamie gave them a skeptical look. âBecause?â
âBecause we really are going to help Mr. Smythe, but just not today. Weâre going up there next week.â Samantha smiled and reached for the blueberry muffin on her tray.
âYou two are going to need a lot of luck to pull this off, but I guess youâll figure it out for yourselves.â A grin lightened Jamieâs expression. âAnd you already caught a break when your Saturday morning classes were cancelled. With the boys having to take the special class today with Father and Dr. Alcott, youâll be able to get away before they even notice youâre gone.â
Jasmine smirked. âAnd then theyâll be too embarrassed to even look at us afterwards when we get back.â
Samantha glanced toward the boysâ table, noticing that their typical lively chattering had been transformed into subdued near-silence and their usually grinning faces into expressions ranging from nervousness to actual fear.
âI kind of feel sorry for them,â she commented. âItâs going to be embarrassing to have to listen to all that stuff together.â
âThey need to learn how to understand the changes their bodies and emotions are going through now that theyâre getting older, just like you had to,â Jamie replied. âSo, theyâll just have to put up with it. And itâs not like they have a choice.â
âYou know, we were lucky about taking the special class, too,â Samantha said. âI only had to listen to Mary and Olivia all by myself when I turned ten, and then when Jasmine got here, they just made sure she knew everything she had to know. We handled it. Nothing to it!â
Jasmine nodded in agreement. âItâs going to be much worse for the boys because no way theyâre as mature as we are â right, Samantha?â
âAbsolutely right!â She turned to Jamie, eager to leave the boys to their ordeal and move forward with the long-awaited plans. âYouâre still okay with what weâre doing, arenât you, Jamie?â
âWell, Iâm not 100% sure I should be helping you.â Jamie looked from one eager face to the other. âBut I will. You just have to promise me youâll only do what we agreed on, and youâll be back within six hours.â
âWe promise!â
Jamieâs expression grew serious. âReally, girls, I know how much this means to you, but donât try anything reckless. And if something goes wrong, one of you needs to get word to me right away. You remember the pipe code we agreed on?â She waited as the girls nodded quickly. âAnd you have everything you need in case of emergencies?â
âEverythingâs in our backpacks. We hid them under our beds,â Samantha replied, âand weâll get them on the way out.â
Jamie turned toward Jasmine. âAre you sure about this? Thereâs so much right around here that you havenât had a chance to see or do yet. You could spend your day off in other ways.â
âIâm sure! Samantha told me everything. It sounds so cool!â She shot a quick glare toward the boys at their table against the far wall. âPlus, we need to show the boys they were wrong!â
âWe can do it, Jamie,â Samantha said firmly. âWe really can.â
Jamie nodded. âI know you can, and I think itâs great that you set this goal for yourselves. But just be careful. I want you to become strong young women, not stupid young women!â
The girls sat up straighter on the bench and looked determinedly at Jamie, their faces a mirror image of one another. âWe wonât do anything foolish, we promise! Right, Jasmine?â
âDefinitely right!â
Jamie smiled. âOkay, but if I donât hear from the two of you that youâre on your way back at the time we agreed on, Iâm going to come looking for you. And Iâll bring Father with me!â
The girls stared at her in mock horror as they clambered to their feet. âThanks, Jamie!â Samantha said. âWe owe you one!â
âYou owe me more than one this time,â Jamie retorted with a grin. âGo on, Iâll take your trays back for you. And youâd better get out of here before I change my mind.â
As they made their way to the entrance of the dining chamber, the girls struggled to keep from breaking into an excited run.
âAs soon as we get our backpacks, weâll be on our way,â Samantha whispered.
âYes,â Jasmine whispered back, âand nobody will suspect a thing.â
They had not taken more than a few steps into the passageway when a familiar voice froze them in mid-flight. âOne moment, young ladies. There is something I wish to ask you.â
âLetâs pretend we didnât hear him,â Jasmine hissed.
Samantha shook her head. âWe canât do that. Heâll know we heard him.â She pivoted toward the sound of approaching footsteps, grabbing Jasmineâs arm to pull her in the same direction. âGood morning, Father!â Samantha knew her voice sounded unnaturally loud and far too cheerful. âItâs nice to see you this morning! Is there something we can do to help?â
She heard Jasmine huff a warning under her breath, then felt a tentative sense of relief when it was obvious that Father had not noticed anything out of the ordinary. They waited as he reached into the pocket of his tunic and pulled out a small rectangular object wrapped with brown paper and string. âGood morning, Samantha, Jasmine,â he said smiling at them, âI understand you will be spending your free time helping Mr. Smythe at his bookshop.â
âThatâs our plan,â Samantha answered carefully, âbut weâll be back here on time for the book discussion at four oâclock.â
âExcellent.â He nodded approvingly. âThen, I would appreciate it if you two would be so kind as to return this book to Mr. Smythe for me.â
Samantha took the small volume from his outstretched hand. âAll right. Weâll â weâll be very careful with it.â She hesitated for a moment and then continued. âSo, we should be going now.â
Both girls felt a twinge of impatience as instead of waving them on their way, Father turned to Jasmine. âI trust youâre continuing to do well adjusting to life in our community, Jasmine?â
She nodded enthusiastically. âYes, Father. I love it here. Everyone has been really nice to me, especially Samantha.â
Father smiled warmly at the pair. âIâm happy to hear that. We are very glad to have you with us, Jasmine, and Iâm quite proud of you, Samantha, for being so responsible and caring.â
Samantha forced a smile to her lips. âThank you, Father.â
âAnd youâre both setting a very fine example for the other children by using much of your free time today to provide assistance to one of our valued Helpers.â
Samantha wanted nothing more than to escape the rush of guilt caused by his benevolent words and prayed silently that he would just stop talking. From the corner of her eye, she saw Jasmine take a small step backward toward their original destination.
âWell, I can see youâre eager to get on with your volunteer work, young ladies,â Father commented with an indulgent smile, âso I wonât keep you any longer.â As he turned in the direction of the dining chamber, the girls could not resist rushing down the corridor in the opposite direction, this time not stopping even at one last directive from Father. âPlease do not run in the Tunnels!â
Moments later, they scrambled to a halt in their chamber. Â
Samantha drew in a shuddering breath. âThat was close!â
âToo close!â Jasmine agreed. âFor a minute, I thought he figured out our plan somehow.â
âNo, I donât think so. He would have said something right away.â She frowned and squinted her eyes.
âWhatâs the matter now?â Jasmine asked. âAre you worried about his book?â
âSort ofâŠbut we can figure something out about that later. Itâs just thatâŠâ She took a deep breath before the words tumbled from her. âWe already kind of lied to Mary and to Mouse. Jamie pretended sheâs not worried about us, but I know she is. And now Father thinks weâre doing good deeds all morning when weâre really not, so we sort of lied to him, too.â
Jasmine shrugged. âHe only thinks that because itâs what we told everybody. We did lie, and itâs too late to worry about it now.â
Samantha sighed heavily. âI guess youâre right. But we havenât even left yet, and weâre already getting into trouble.â She flopped down onto her bed. âItâs just not going like I thought it would.â
âI know, but once we actually get moving, itâll be fine.â
âMaybe, but what if it isnât?â Samantha could not keep a nervous tremor from her voice. âWhat if we get caught?â
âWe wonât get caught. We just have to be more careful.â Jasmineâs eyes grew wide. âYouâre not gonna let the boys win, are you?!â
âNo!â Samantha shook her head vehemently and swiftly jumped to her feet. âNo way!â She crouched down to pull her backpack from its hiding place, and slid Fatherâs book into the outside pocket. As she rose to her feet, she felt her face settle into an expression of unshakable determination. âLetâs go!â
Jasmine grabbed her pack and swung it onto her back. âYou got it!â
As they emerged into the main passage and headed on their way, Samantha felt her earlier sense of excitement returning. âI canât wait to see the boysâ faces when they find out what weâve done!â
âTheyâre gonna be so mad!â
âWell, if they hadnât told us we couldnât go with them when we found out they were planning their big secret adventure,â Samantha retorted, âwe probably wouldnât have even thought about doing this.â
âI know! I can still hear them saying âNo girls allowed.â Ooo, that makes me so mad!â Jasmineâs eyes flashed fire. âItâll be so great when we tell them we got there before they did!â Â
âTheyâll be so jealous! I bet theyâll start yelling and arguing with us, and then if Mary or Father or one of the other grown-ups hears them, theyâll really be in trouble!â Samantha grinned so widely she felt her cheeks hurt, but that did not bother her at all. âAnd they canât tell on us, âcause then theyâd have to admit they were going to do it, too.â
âExactly!â Jasmine agreed. âNo matter what happens, we win â and they lose!â
âAnd the best part is that this was really all their fault in the first place, so they have no one to blame but themselves.â Samantha nodded in what she felt was a dignified manner.
Jasmine snickered loudly. âYou sound just like Father.â
âI do not!â Samantha glowered at her friend.
âYeah, you really do.â Jasmine raised her eyebrows as she grinned widely.
Samantha blushed but could not help giggling. âI guess youâre right.â
As they reached the area of the classroom chambers, they heard Brooke and Maryâs voices rising above a cacophony of cheerful toddler enthusiasm. Jasmine slowed her pace. âThey sound like theyâre having so much fun in there together.â Â
Samantha nodded in agreement. âMary always makes sure the little kids are happy. She really takes good care of them. I remember from when I was little.â She forced herself to match Jasmineâs slower steps. âSheâs a great teacher, almost like a mom or a grandma, and she was so kind to me right from the start. I never felt scared with her.â
The childrenâs exuberant voices faded away as the two friends moved quickly again, hurrying along the well-lit corridor. âYou said you came here to live when you were four, right?â Jasmine asked. âSo, did you go to school like that with Mary?â
Samantha nodded. âIt was great. I really loved it. Iâve always loved school.â Her smile slowly faded. âSometimes I went to day care back where I used to live. It was so much fun and the teachers were so nice, I wished I could go every day. But I couldnât and then after a while I never went back. And I wanted to so much!â Her voice trailed away as shadowy memories began to fill her heart.
âHow come?â Jasmine asked, and then quickly added, âYou donât have to tell me if you donât want to.â
Samantha shook her head. âItâs okay. I didnât go back because my mother wouldnât take me there anymore.â She forcibly blinked back tears of anger and hurt. âShe knew I loved it, she knew how much I wanted to go, but that didnât matter to her. I think she only cared about what she wanted to do. Nothing else matteredâŠI donât even think I did.â
She hesitated, unsure of what to say next, longing to share some of the secrets she had lived with for so long, yet unwilling to burden her new friend.
Jasmine reached out a hand to pat Samantha on the shoulder. âI know what you mean. Sometimes parents really suck.â
Samanthaâs sorrow turned to shock. âJasmine! Weâre not allowed to use words like that!â
Jasmine grinned. âI know. But itâs true, right?â
Samantha could not help smiling, but she looked warily over her shoulder before replying. âIt really is!â
They continued in silence for a few minutes, their quick footsteps echoing on the stony floors of the brick-lined passageways, until Jasmine stopped abruptly and took a few deep breaths.
âOoo, something smells so good! What is that?â
Samantha pointed to a wide entryway just ahead of them. âThatâs the chandlery.â
Jasmine twisted her head sideways to look at her friend and then back toward the nearby chamber. âThe what-ery?â
âSorry! I forgot you probably havenât been in there yet. The chandlery is the chamber where Rebecca makes all the candles we use, well, most of them anyway. Some candles get donated by Helpers, but she makes a ton of them.â
The girls paused, sniffing the steamy scented air that wafted from the doorway. âIt smells like a flower shop!â Jasmine exclaimed. âHow does she do that?â
âShe must be making some of her special candles that we give to Helpers sometimes, to say thank you for everything they do for us.â Samantha breathed deeply. âUh-huh â I smell roses and lavender. Thatâs her specialty.â
Jasmine darted forward. âI have to get a look at this.â
âNo, wait! We donât have time!â Samantha tried to grab her friendâs arm, but she was too late, and she could only rush after her as Jasmine disappeared through the doorway.
On the far side of the crowded, overheated chamber, they saw Rebecca hanging a pair of pale purple candles on the nearly full drying racks. As she turned toward two large pots of molten wax, the girls waved to her from just inside the entryway.
âSamantha! Jasmine! Iâm so glad to see the two of you!â The candlemaker wiped perspiration from her forehead with the back of her hand. âCan you do me a favor?â
âSure,â Jasmine replied. âWhat do you want us to do?â
âIâm making candles for some of our Helpers, and Iâm running short on the essential oils I need. Taya was supposed to help me this morning, but sheâs not feeling well, so Iâm on my own.â She wiped her hands on a small towel secured to the belt of her apron. âWould you please get a vial of lavender essence for me in the storeroom? I canât leave these pots of wax boiling with no one to watch them, and Iâm almost to the step where the oil must be added, or the candles wonât turn out right.â
âShould we get more than one bottle?â Jasmine asked helpfully.
âNo, just one. I canât store the oils in this chamber because itâs usually so hot in here. They would deteriorate quickly and theyâre not easy to come by.â Rebecca pushed back her blonde curly hair where it stuck to her forehead. âI have enough rose, but I need the lavender right away, so Iâm happy you girls can go and get it for me.â
âWe can do that,â Samantha answered quickly. âWeâll be right back!â
She pulled on Jasmineâs sleeve. âCome on!â
Jasmine ignored her. âCan I come back here sometime and watch you work?â She waved her free arm toward the far reaches of the chamber. âThis looks really cool. And it smells so good in here!â
Rebecca smiled. âOf course, you can. Iâll talk to you about it later and we can arrange for a visit.â
âThanks, Rebecca!â Anything further Jasmine might have said was cut short as she was yanked in the direction of the entryway. Â Pulling her arm free, she demanded, âSamantha, whatâs the matter with you?â
âNothingâs the matter with me! Youâre the one who told Rebecca weâd do this errand for her, and now weâre going to be even later than ever!â Samanthaâs frown matched the tone of her voice.
Seemingly unruffled by her friendâs response, Jasmine countered, âIt wonât take that long. And you know the rules. Arenât we supposed to always accept help and give help to others?â
Samantha surprised herself by bursting into laughter. âNow who sounds just like Father?!â
Jasmine rolled her eyes. âI guess itâs me this time!â Her laughter echoed Samanthaâs as they hurried into the passageway. âSo, whereâs the storage room?â
âItâs nearby, so if we hurry, it really wonât take long. And Iâm sorry I was so snippy. You were right about helping Rebecca.â Samantha shrugged off the straps of her backpack and propped it against the wall outside the chandlery. âLetâs leave our packs here for now.â
Jasmine followed Samanthaâs suggestion and dropped her pack on the stony floor. âGood idea â we can move faster that way.â
Minutes later, the girls were on their way back, with Samantha carefully carrying a precious vial of the essential oil Rebecca had requested. âNow when we get there, weâll just give this to Rebecca and then weâll leave, right?â
âRight! Iâll talk to her some other time about a visit.â
Samantha sighed in relief. âI really didnât mean to be so bossy or anything before. I just donât want us to run out of time.â
âThatâs okay. You were right.â Jasmine grinned, then added, âThis time.â
Samantha smiled as they approached the chandlery. âWell, actually I am right a lot of the time. Vincent says Iâm an excellent student, and â hey! What are you doing?!âÂ
They skittered to a sudden halt, shocked to see a small boy kneeling by their belongings, one hand on the zipper pull of Samanthaâs pack. Scrambling to his feet as the girls rushed toward him, Eric looked as if he intended to race off in the opposite direction; but with an angry older girl standing with hands on hips on either side of him, he never had a chance.
âEric! Were you trying to take something out of my backpack?â Samantha heard her voice echo off the stony walls, gratified as she realized her stern tone sounded exactly like an admonishing adult.
He shook his head. âNo, well, not really,â he began. âI was just â”
âYes, you were!â Jasmine declared, narrowing her eyes at him. âWe saw you!â
âThatâs right â we saw you!â Samanthaâs long hair swung around her shoulders as she shook her head vigorously. âYou know weâre not supposed to do anything like that!â
Eric pushed his glasses farther up his nose, his eyes darting back and forth behind the dusty lenses. âI didnât really do anything wrong, Sam.â
âYou certainly did!â she retorted. âYou were getting something out of my backpack.â Her eyes widened. âThatâs stealing!â
âYouâre gonna be in big trouble,â Jasmine added. âYou know, stealing is against the law.â She turned toward Samantha. âWhat happens to you if you break the law down here? I bet itâs pretty bad.â
Seeing Ericâs lower lip start to quiver, Samantha decided to take pity on him. âLook, if you explain what you were doing, maybe â just maybe — we wonât have to tell Father.â
âI wasnât going to steal anything, Sam, honest! I was following you guys, and I just wanted to see where you were going. So, I thought if I looked in your backpack, Iâd find a clue or a map or something.â
âEveryone knows weâre going to help Mr. Smythe in his bookshop this morning.â Samantha crossed her arms and tapped her foot. âYou shouldnât tell lies on top of everything else.â
âSamanthaâs right,â Jasmine added quickly. âLying is just as bad as stealing.â
Eric suddenly smiled up at them. âWell, youâre lying, too.â
The girls exchanged startled looks. âWhat do you mean by that, Eric?â Samantha forced a calm, unruffled tone to her voice. âWhy would you say weâre lying?â
His grin widened. âBecause this isnât the right way.â He pointed back toward a tunnel that curved off the main passageway. âIf you were going to Mr. Smytheâs shop, you would have gone that way.â
âWe can get there if we go this way, right, Samantha?â Jasmine insisted.
Eric shook his head. âNope. And Iâm gonna tell that youâre going somewhere else. And that you lied!â
As he turned to scamper off, Samantha blocked his flight with quickly outstretched arms. âJust wait a minute,â she said, her voice deceptively calm. âWhat are you doing here anyway? Arenât you supposed to be with the other boys â you know, for the special class?â
The girls watched as Ericâs grin disappeared. âI donât want to go to it!â He looked frantically from one girl to the next, his voice rising with every word. âPlease, Sam, Jasmine â let me go with you! I wonât tell on you â I promise!â
Samantha smiled serenely. âFirst of all, thereâs nothing to tell. We are going to Mr. Smytheâs bookshop. We were just helping Rebecca first.â
Jasmine nodded, her smile mirroring that of her friend. âWe had to go get a bottle of lavender oil for her. See, Samantha has it right here.â
Just as Samantha held the small vial up as proof, Rebecca emerged from the workshop. âOh, girls, Iâm so glad youâre back. Thanks so much for getting the oil for me. Jeremiah just stopped by to bring more wood for the fire, and now I can finish another batch of the scented candles.â She tilted her head toward Eric. âIâm surprised to see you here, Eric. Donât you have that special class with the other boys this morning?â
The two girls clamped their mouths shut as tightly as they could and tried their best not to giggle.
Eric sighed. âYeah, I guess.â
âWell, then shouldnât you be on your way?â Rebecca continued. âYou donât want to be late.â
The expression on Jasmineâs face defined innocence. âThatâs right, you donât want to be late,â she echoed.
Feeling a twinge of sympathy for the obviously flustered boy, Samantha touched him gently on the arm. âItâs really not that bad, Eric.â She noted his look of disbelief and searched her mind for something to convince him. âAnd if you donât go, then all the other boys will know things that you wonât know. You donât want them to tease you about it, do you?â
âOr tell you lies about it,â Jasmine added, raising her eyebrows at him.
He sighed again. âI guess not. Okay, Iâll go.â
The girls immediately looked toward Rebecca and realized she shared their reaction to Ericâs apparent change of heart. Just as he started to edge around them, she rested one hand on his shoulder. âJeremiah is heading back to the hub, so he can walk to Fatherâs chamber with you. Letâs go get him.â As she shepherded Eric toward the entrance to the chandlery, she glanced over her shoulder, sharing a quick smile with her helpers. âThanks again, girls, and, Jasmine, Iâll talk to you at dinner about finding a time to show you how to make candles, ok?â
Jasmineâs face broke into a delighted smile. âThanks, Rebecca!â
As Rebecca and Eric retreated into the candlemakerâs chamber, Samantha leaned down to grab both backpacks from the dusty floor, then thrust Jasmineâs into her outstretched hands. âCome on â letâs get out of here before something else happens!â
âWait a second â did you hear Eric say he was following us? What if someone else is, too?â
They stared back down the passageway, only to find it was deserted. âI donât see anyone else.â Samantha tried to smother a surge of apprehension. âI think Eric must have done this on his own.â
âI guess youâre right, but we better be more careful the rest of the way. This is our plan and no one else is getting in on it.â
âAbsolutely not! We arenât sharing this with anyone!â Delighted to have a kindred spirit to enjoy adventures with, Samantha again felt her concerns evaporate.
After a final glance behind them, the girls took off at a fast jog, heading once more toward their destination. Their rapid footsteps raised little puffs of dust and dirt as they quickly made their way through the dim light in a warren of lesser used tunnels.
âHow come everyoneâs so nice down here?â Jasmine asked abruptly, surprising Samantha with her question.
âWhat do you mean?â
As if by unspoken agreement, the two friends slowed their pace so that they could talk more easily.
âWell, you know, Rebeccaâs going to show me how to make candles, Mary and Brooke spend all day taking care of a bunch of little kids, Williamâs cooking for everybody all the time.â Â She smiled mischievously. âAnd even when we break the rules, Father doesnât actually yell.â
Samantha could not help laughing. âWell, he does get a little loud once in a while, like the time Arthur chewed up some of his maps.â Her voice grew serious. âBut I think the main reason everyoneâs really nice here is because they want it to be a good place to live. This is our home and some â a lot â of us had really bad lives before.â She sighed softy. âItâs much better here and no one wants to mess it up.â
Jasmine nodded in understanding. âI get it. Everybody does the right thing, follows the rules and stuff, so that no one gets kicked out.â
Samantha frowned slightly. âWell, thatâs part of it. We are like a big family and everyone tries to get along and all, but on top of that, we really like each other, too, no matter what.â
âSo, people hardly ever get mad or have fights?â
Samantha heard the trace of hope in her friendâs question. âSometimes they do, but weâre supposed to use words to talk things out and everybody tries really hard to do that.â She glanced at Jasmineâs anxious face. âOf course, the grown-ups are better at it than the kids. But even when they disagree, they find a way to make things work because no matter what, theyâre still friends. You know, itâs like me with some of the boys â even when they make me so mad, I still love them.â
Jasmine barked with laughter. âOoo, which one do you love best?! I bet I can guess!â
Samantha glared at her. âThatâs not what I meant, and you know it!â She stalked along the corridor, her shoulders and back ramrod straight. âTheyâre like my brothers! I donât love love them!â
Jasmine hurried to catch up with her. âI know! Sorry! I didnât mean to tease you. I really hate it when people tease me, so I shouldnât have done it to you.â
Samantha gave her friend a sideways glance and then nodded. âYeah, me, too. I hate teasing.â
They continued along the passageway, talking animatedly, never noticing Jamie and three of her trusted cohorts observing them surreptitiously as they passed their sentry posts.
âYou know who I think is the worst one for teasing?â Jasmine did not wait for an answer. âKipper!â
âAbsolutely! Sometimes he drives me crazy! Thatâs why itâll be so great to see the look on his face when he finds out what we did!â
âHeâll be wild,â Jasmine agreed, âespecially since he claims he found out about the secret chamber before anybody else did.â
Samantha exhaled loudly. âHe did not! Â Itâs probably been there for a zillion years and I bet tons of people have gone there way before he ever said he was going to. And, besides, he only knows about it because Vincent talked about it once when he was telling us stories about some of the things he and Devin did when they were kids.â
âSo, Kipper was just bragging as usual. Too bad heâs not mature like Zach is. Zach doesnât tease us or go around making up stuff just to make us mad.â
Noticing a slight but unmistakable change in Jasmineâs tone of voice, Samantha looked sharply at her. âZach? I didnât know you were such good friends with him already.â She tried to suppress a smile as she noticed a blush suffuse Jasmineâs cheeks. âOf course, he is very nice and all…so Iâm not surprised you like him so much.â
âI didnât say that!â Jasmine protested loudly. âI was just â just making a comparison, you know, like we do in our reading class.â
Samantha rolled her eyes. âOkay, if you say so.â Then her broad grin was frozen by Jasmineâs retort.
âAnd you have a big old crush on Matteo!â
âThatâs not true!â Samantha winced at she heard her shrill voice reverberate off the tunnel walls. âI most certainly donât!â
Jasmineâs eyebrows rose dramatically. âYou most certainly do!â
âNot!!â
Before Samantha could summon a better defense, Jasmine continued, âAnd so what if you do? Heâs really cute and nice and since heâs pretty new here, itâs not like heâs another one of your sort of brothers.â She looked carefully at Samantha. âWeâre best friends, right? We can tell each other things like this and keep it a secret.â
Samantha felt her heart swell at the term âbest friends,â cherishing the reassurance that the wish sheâd held for so long had come true. Her smile beamed. âRight! Thatâs what best friends do!â
Jasmine smiled back. âSo, you wonât tell anybody I like Zach, and I wonât tell anybody you like Matteo. Promise?â
âI promise!â
The girls shared a sigh of relief. The next thirty minutes passed quickly with continued animated chatting but without further interruption as they hurried through tunnel after tunnel. Â Almost before they knew it, they were within reach of their planned destination. Samantha pointed toward a turn-off ahead and to their right. âThis way! Itâs not far now!â
Jasmine slowed to a stop, panting slightly. âCan we take a break? Iâm still not used to running around all the time like this.â
Samantha skidded to a stop. âOkay, but only for a few minutes.â She gestured toward the nearby tunnel. âWe have to go this way, so letâs sit right in here.â
Jasmine followed her friend into the connecting passageway and dropped to the floor to lean carefully against the rough stone wall. âSo, are we almost there?â
âWell, not exactly, but it wonât take too much longer. And it really will be worth it â I promise!â
Jasmine glanced around the narrow tunnel, its ceiling markedly lower than that of the others they had traveled. âIâm getting my flashlight out. Itâs kind of dark in here.â
Samantha nodded understandingly. âThatâs a good idea. Iâll get mine out, too.â She pulled her flashlight from her pack and switched it on. âBut we wonât need them for long because thereâs lots of light up ahead.â
Jasmine sighed in obvious relief as she rummaged in her backpack and soon produced her flashlight. She clicked it on immediately and then reached back into her pack to retrieve a small paper bag. She opened it to reveal two clementines and handed one to Samantha. âHere you go. Iâm going to eat mine now, but you can save yours for later if you want.â
Samantha propped up her flashlight so that its beam gave some illumination to their surroundings Then she frowned slightly as looked at the small piece of orange fruit in her hand. âWhere did you get them?â
âI took them out of the basket on the serving table at dinner last night.â Jasmine started to peel the skin from her orange. âBut donât worry â no one saw me do it.â
Samantha stowed her share of the fruit in a pocket of her backpack. She did not want to hurt her friendâs feelings, but she knew something had to be said. âIt was nice of you to bring a snack for us,â she began, âbut we donât always have a lot of fresh fruit and things like that here. Weâre not supposed to take extra pieces without permission. You could have just asked William if it was okay. He probably would have said yes.â
Jasmine popped a piece of fruit into her mouth. âBut what if he said no?â
âThen, the answer would be no.â Samantha nodded emphatically. âThose are the rules.â
Jasmine hesitated before saying quietly, âI guess youâre right.â She looked down at the small segments of fruit in her hand as their sweet juice dripped from her fingers. âIâm sorry.â
âItâs okay, just this once,â Samantha reassured her. âBut donât do anything like that again, okay?â
âOkay. Itâs just that sometimes I guess itâs hard to break old habits.â Jasmineâs voice trailed away.
âWhat do you mean?â Samanthaâs eyes grew wide. âDid you have to â to take food like that when you lived Above?â
âSometimes,â Jasmine admitted. âI didnât do it a lot, but Granâs food stamps would run out.â She sighed softly. âShe wouldnât take me to the soup kitchen that much âcause she said she didnât like taking charity. But a lot of the time we were really hungry, so I pretended the man at the bodega just gave me fruit and things.â
âDid she believe you?â
Jasmine shook her head. âI donât know. She never askedâŠand I never said anything else about it. Like I said, we were hungry, soâŠâ She shrugged and finished eating the rest of her orange, then wiped her sticky hands on her jeans.
Samantha struggled to keep from crying. âWell, you donât have to worry about that anymore. Sometimes we donât have a lot of food here, but we never have to go hungry. And if thereâs ever an emergency, our Helpers pitch in.â
Jasmine nodded. âI know itâs different here. Iâm just not used to it, I guess. But I promise Iâll try to remember the rules better from now on.â
âYou will! And I can remind you if you want.â She smiled hopefully and watched her friend smile back.
âThanks, Samantha.â
They rose to their feet and retrieved their backpacks. âWe better get moving,â Samantha advised. âItâll still take about fifteen minutes or so to get there.â
Jasmineâs expression grew quizzical. âHow can you tell what time it is? There arenât any clocks around here, and you donât have a watch.â
Samantha grinned and held out her left arm, pulling up the cuff of her sweater an inch or two. âJamie borrowed a watch from Mouse and let me take it today. I donât know where he got it, but heâs really good at finding useful things.â
âYeah, like this flashlight. Iâm really glad he let me bring it.â Jasmineâs voice trembled slightly as she stared into the darkness ahead of them. âLetâs keep them on, okay?â
âSure,â Samantha answered quickly. âAnd since we both have one, Iâll go first and shine mine toward the floor so we wonât trip or anything, and you stay right behind me and shine yours up ahead so we can see where weâre going.â
Jasmine looked doubtful but after a quick demonstration, she exclaimed, âThat works great! How did you know how to do that?â
Samantha smiled, happy to help her friend continue to overcome her one fear of life Below. âVincent showed us. The first time he took all the kids on a hike in some of the darker tunnels, he taught us how to walk in the buddy system and use our lights like this. Now we do it all the time whenever he takes us on hikes.â
âOh, I want to go on hikes, too!â Jasmine exclaimed as they walked farther along the tunnel, adjusting their pace as the rocky floor sloped gradually upward. âDoes he take you guys exploring a lot?â
Samantha giggled. âWell, he used to, but now itâs him and Catherine who take us, usually every couple of weeks or so. Theyâre really nice to us, and I think they have a good time, too, but I kind of think they also do it so they can spend more time together.â
Jasmine grinned. âI think youâre right! Those two are really in looooove!â
Samanthaâs smile widened. âThey really are! And Iâve seen them going off on walks by themselves loads of time. Geoffrey always wants to go with them, but they usually find something else for him to do instead.â
âI hope he doesnât get his feelings hurt,â Jasmine commented. âHeâs really sweet, for a little kid, I mean.â
âHeâs fine with it,â Samantha reassured her. âVincent and Catherine are very fair. They always make sure they spend some time with all of us.â
As they reached a curve in the tunnel, Samantha indicated that they should pause. âThe tunnel gets narrower here for just a little way. But itâs not bad. Weâll get through it quickly and then weâll be there!â
âI donât know about this.â Jasmineâs voice shuddered. âHow long is it going to take?â
âNot long at all,â Samantha answered, turning to pat her friend on the arm. âOnly about three or four minutes.â
âAre you really sure?â
Samantha raised her flashlight so that its gleam bounced off the low ceiling of the tunnel, allowing the friends to see each otherâs faces more clearly in the dim light. âIâm sure,â she said with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. âIâve been down this tunnel a hundred times.â
Jasmine tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. âA hundred times?â
âWell, maybe not a hundred, but enough to know what Iâm doing. Come on, just stick to the buddy system with the flashlights, and youâll be fine.â Seeing the remnants of doubt lingering on Jasmineâs face, she added, âReally! I promise!â
Jasmine sighed. âOkay â letâs go. But if we get stuck in here, theyâre gonna hear me screaming all the way back in Fatherâs study.â
Eager to help her friend focus on something other than her fear, Samantha asked, âWhat did you bring to leave in the secret chamber?â
âWe were supposed to bring something?â
âJasmine, you know we have to leave something in the chamber so we can prove to everyone that we were there! Donât tell me you forgot!â
Jasmine giggled. âIâm only kidding. I brought something, but itâs too hard to describe. Iâll have to show you when we get there.â
Samantha breathed a sigh of relief. âOkay, Iâll show you what I brought then, too.â
They moved as quickly as possible through the final stretches of the tunnel and soon could hear a rumbling roar that rapidly grew louder with every step closer. The sound spurred them on, and they nearly tumbled out of the tunnel into the vast reaches of the chamber that housed their final destination.
Anxious that Jasmineâs reaction would be all that she had imagined and hoped for, Samantha ignored the wondrous sight before them and instead focused on her friendâs face.Â
Jasmineâs eyes widened. âWhere are we?â she whispered. âIâve never seen anything like this before.â
âItâs called the Chamber of the Great Falls.â Samantha felt a wave of relief as Jasmine, clearly awestruck, continued to gaze at the spectacular vista in front of them. âWeâre about halfway to the top of the waterfall, and thereâs a river down at the bottom.â
Jasmine dashed forward, only to be stopped in an instant by Samanthaâs warning. âBe careful! Donât go too close — sometimes the rocks are slippery and you might fall!â
Together they inched closer to the edge and gazed down at the sparkling water of the river and the foaming force of the falls cascading into it. Then Jasmine looked up toward the top of the falls. âWhere does the light come from?â
Samantha tilted her head upward. âI donât know, maybe from some openings in the rocks way up at the top.â She looked back at the falls. âI havenât been much farther than this.â
âThe whole thing is so amazing!â Jasmineâs eyes darted left and right, as if to take in everything at once. âI canât believe what Iâm seeing, and we havenât even gotten to the secret chamber yet!â
Samantha pointed toward the torrents of rushing water. âThereâs another cave in there, behind the falls, and the secret chamber is right behind that.â She started to lead the way and then stopped abruptly when she saw that Jasmine had not moved.
âCan we just stay here for a few more minutes?â
âSure,â Samantha answered. âWe can sit farther down the path, but not too close to the edge, okay?â They walked several yards closer to the falls and then stopped at a flat place on the wide ledge. âWait a second â the ground is kind of damp, but I have something we can sit on.â She pulled a piece of tarpaulin from her pack and spread it out. They settled themselves on it, sitting cross-legged and facing toward the falls.
âIâm so glad you like it here,â Samantha said. âI was kind of worried youâd be disappointed.â
âNo way! Itâs really cool!â
Samantha breathed a sigh of relief. âEven though Iâve been here before, itâs still kind of a surprise when I see it again. Do you know what I mean?â
âSure! Itâs kind of magical, like something in a movie or on tv or maybe in a storybook.â Jasmineâs eyes sparkled with wonder, then abruptly dimmed. âI wish my granny couldâve seen this place. She wouldnât have believed her eyes.â
Samantha was unsure of what to say, then a memory of Brian describing how his father had begun taking him to visit the beach and museums flickered through her mind. âDid your granny take you to special places sometimes?â
Jasmine shook her head. âNo. But I think she wanted to. Sometimes sheâd tell me stories about when she was a little girl. She even went to a cabin in some mountains once. But when she got older, she never left Harlem again.â She turned her head away. âI donât think she wanted to go away from where my dad livedâŠeven though he was never coming back.â
When Jasmine hung her head and fell silent, Samantha said softly, âWe can talk about it if you want. Sometimes that helps.â
Long moments passed, and when Jasmine spoke again, her voice was so low that at first Samantha had to strain to hear her above the sound of the falls.
âI donât remember much about my dad, just that he always smelled nice, like soap, and he would hug me and twirl me around and call me Jazzy and say I was his pretty baby.â Her voice trailed away again.
Samantha searched for the right words. âHe sounds really nice. You must miss him a lot.â
Jasmine sniffed back a tear. âYeah, I guess I do.â She gazed out at the falls again. âBut sometimes I get really mad at him and my mom and my granny, too â for leaving me.â
âWhat happened to them?â Samantha asked softly, then quickly added, âIâm sorry, Jasmine. You donât have to tell me if you donât want to.â
Jasmineâs voice was flat with resignation. âThey died. They all died. My dad was in a gang and he got shot. I was almost five. My mom told me he was dead and then she left me, too.â She took a shuddering breath. âShe stuck me with my granny and thenâŠthen she killed herself.â
Samanthaâs heart ached for her friendâs pain and anger. âBut your granny didnât leave you on purpose. You told me before that she got really sick. She wanted to stay with you â I know she did.â
Jasmineâs expression hardened. âYeah, well, she didnât, did she?â She wiped her tears away with the back of her fisted hand. âShe let them take her away to the hospital. I guess she thought the neighbors would take care of me until she got back…but she didnât come back.â She shook her head slowly. âIf that lady from the soup kitchen hadnât come looking for me, maybe I would have died, too.â
Samantha gasped in shock. âDonât say things like that, Jasmine!â
Her friend looked at her with eyes dulled by long-held pain. âWhy not? Itâs true.â
Samanthaâs eyes filled with tears as she reached out a trembling hand to pat her friend gently on the shoulder. âIâm really sorry all that happened to you,â she began, âbut Iâm really glad that lady was a Helper and brought you here to live with us.â She waited and watched carefully until Jasmine nodded slightly. âNow weâre your family and you wonât ever have to be alone again.â
Jasmine smiled through her tears and took a deep shuddering breath. âI know that after everything that happened, things will be better now.â
Samantha nodded solemnly. âThatâs how it is for most of us here. Itâs like getting a second chance.â
The girls rose to their feet, and Samantha rolled up the tarp and stuffed it back into her pack. âAre you ready?â
âAbsolutely!â
With Samantha in the lead, they hurried toward the cave hidden behind the waterfall, quickly but carefully clambering over and around several small boulders that partially blocked their way. As they neared the falls, Samantha put out a hand to keep her friend from rushing forward. âJust be really careful here. Weâre probably going to get a little bit wet anyway, but you donât want to fall in!â
âHmmm, I donât know.â Jasmineâs voice was calm and serene. âI learned how to swim in the pool at the Y. I could probably dive right down to the river.â
Samantha did not fall for her friendâs sense of humor this time. âIâll meet you back at home later then. Iâm going to the secret chamber!â
Jasmine laughed loudly. âOh, no â youâre not going there without me!â
With small, careful steps, the girls proceeded along the wet narrow ledge and emerged into a shadowy cave, their progress illuminated only by faint light seeping in from the outer chamber. Walls worn smooth from swiftly falling water eons earlier formed three of the caveâs sides, and a cascading curtain of water hid its entrance from anyone who did not know of its existence. Jasmine quickly fumbled for her flashlight and switched it on. She cast its rays in wobbly arcs, watching the light catch and sparkle as it reflected off the damp walls. âItâs bigger in here than I thought it would be, but itâs still pretty dark.â
Samantha retrieved her flashlight as well. âI was only in here once. I didnât know about the secret chamber then, but I think the entrance is over there.â She pointed the beam of her flashlight toward the far back wall of the cave. Its light revealed a pile of fallen rocks about four feet high, just to the right of an unusually bumpy, uneven section of the cavern wall. âLetâs leave our stuff here.â
They stowed their belongings near the rock pile, then edged around it toward the jagged crevice splintered into the wall, its eighteen-inch opening hinting at greater depths within. âIs that it?!â Jasmineâs voice rose in shock. âThatâs how weâre getting to the secret chamber?!â
Samantha bit her lip. âIt does look kind of small, doesnât it?â She quickly scanned the area. âBut I donât see any other way to get there.â She directed the beam of her flashlight into the opening. âIt goes farther back. And Iâm pretty sure we can fit.â
She looked at Jasmine who had begun backing away slowly. âNo way Iâm going in there.â She shook her head firmly. âNot happening!â
Even though she harbored doubts of her own, Samantha was determined they would forge ahead to reach their goal. âItâs okay, Jasmine. Itâll be fine.â When the other girlâs expression of disbelief did not waver, she continued, âIâll go first and you can follow me. And if it gets bad or we get scared, weâll just stop and come back out, all right?â
Jasmine took a deep breath. âYeah, I guess so.â
Samantha smiled, hoping she looked much more confident than she felt. Turning sideways, she wriggled a few inches into the tight opening, clutching her flashlight so hard that her fingers began to cramp. âItâs not too bad. We can make it.â
Jasmine began following her friendâs lead, only to scuttle backwards as Samantha stopped suddenly to retreat into the cave. âWait! We need to get our things!â She scrambled past Jasmine, grabbed their packs, and moved closer to the shimmer of falling water so that they would be able to see more clearly. Each girl quickly removed a small object from her pack.
âSo, what did you bring?â Jasmine asked. âIâm dying to find out!â
Samantha opened her hand to let a length of pink satin ribbon unfurl in her grasp
âThatâs so pretty! Is it a hair ribbon?â
Samantha shook her head. âItâs a tie for a ballet shoe. Lisa gave it to me when she visited us last month.â
Jasmineâs expression clearly reflected her exasperation. âYou have two feet! What did she think you were going to do with only one ribbon?â
âIâm not sure,â Samantha admitted, raising her arm higher to let the ribbon flutter in the cool breeze that gusted through the cave. âBut she told me to keep it until she came back again to give us ballet lessons.â
Jasmine snorted loudly. âSheâs not coming back.â
âYes, she is! She promised she would. She wouldnât break her promise!â
Jasmine shook her head. âSure, she would. She didnât look to me like the kind of person who cares about promises. More like she only cares about herself.â
Samantha felt her heart drop when she heard words so like those she had uttered earlier that day. âHow can you tell?â
âShe reminds me of some people I knew before â you know, up there.â Jasmine gestured toward the hidden reaches of the city far above them. âAlways out for themselves. And besides, I know one when I see one.â
Samantha felt confused. âOne what?â
Jasmineâs mouth twisted in a wry grin. âOne of those other words weâre not supposed to say around here.â
âThen you better not say it!â Samantha forced herself to smile, as if in new-found agreement with her trusted friendâs assessment of the ballerina, but she could not entirely stifle a flickering of hope in her heart.
âWhat did you bring?â she continued, eager to move past the lingering disappointment. Â
âI brought this.â Jasmine held up a small drawstring pouch made of colorful striped fabric. âSee, it has my name on it. My granny embroidered it.â She handed it to Samantha. âYou can hold it if you want.â
Samantha cradled the cloth bag in the palm of her hand. âJasmine, this is so beautiful. It must be very special to you.â She carefully traced the delicately stitched letters with one finger, then gave her friend a look of concern. âI donât think you should leave it here. What if we canât get it back again?â
Jasmineâs gaze was drawn to her grandmotherâs gift. âI didnât know what else to pick,â she said softly. âI didnât have a lot of things to bring with me when I moved here, and I needed something that everyone could tell belongs to me. SoâŠâ
Samantha handed the precious keepsake back to her friend. âYou need to keep this. Put it back in your pack.â As Jasmine did so, Samantha smoothed tiny wrinkles from the pink satin ribbon still clutched in her hand. âWe can leave this for both of us.â
Jasmine hesitated. âBut weâre both supposed to leave something to prove we were here. Thatâs your ribbon, not mine.â
âWait! I have an idea!â Samantha rummaged through the main compartment of her backpack, then held up a felt-tip pen. âWe can write our names on the ribbon, and then everyone will know itâs from both of us.â
Jasmine shook her head. âThatâll ruin the ribbon. The ink will never come out even if we wash it a bunch of times.â
Samantha shook her head. âItâs all right. I donât mind.â She pressed the ribbon flat against the smoothest section she could find on the pile of fallen rocks, then uncapped the pen and firmly wrote her name in careful cursive letters on the ribbonâs glossy surface. âHere, now you write your name, and weâll have our proof.â
Jasmine took the pen and followed her friendâs directions. âThanks, Samantha. That was a really nice thing to do.â She handed back the pen. âWhat made you think to bring a pen?â
âIt goes with my journal. I always bring it in case I think of something I want to write about.â Samantha stowed the pen back in her pack. âI might be a writer when I grow up.â
Jasmine gave her a puzzled look. âI thought you said you wanted to be an artist.â
Samantha grinned. âMaybe both!â
Together, they turned back toward the narrow entryway to the secret chamber. âAre you ready?â Samantha asked as she tucked the coiled ribbon into her pocket.
âNow I am,â Jasmine vowed firmly. âLetâs do it!â
Once again, Samantha took the lead as one by one the girls entered the crevice, carefully squirming their way a few feet into the constricted passageway. They inched along, trying not to snag their hair or clothing on the rough walls as they struggled to hold their flashlights aloft.
Samantha heard Jasmineâs breath start to quicken. âItâs all right. I bet weâre almost there!â Then she stopped abruptly as the beam of her flashlight revealed a sight that sent jolts of horror through both girls.
âOh, no,â Samantha gasped. She shook her head and blinked hard as if to alter the vision before them. âI donât believe it!â
Jasmineâs voice rose to a near shriek. âItâs impossible!â
For several seconds, the girls could do nothing but stare straight ahead, their hearts beating rapidly as they struggled to make sense of what they saw. Then Samantha directed her flashlightâs beam in every possible direction within the small, cramped space, hoping they would spot a miracle. But to their horror, the light revealed nothing but a solid rock wall, impenetrable and absolute.
They knew there was nothing more to do, and in shocked silence, they returned to the cave, quickly gathered their belongings, and made their way back to their earlier resting place above the river. Together they slumped to the rocky floor and shared a tearful look of disappointment and disbelief.
âThis was supposed to be the best day ever!â Samanthaâs voice rose in a wobbling quiver.
âI know! But itâs more like the worst!â Jasmineâs voice was an echo of her friendâs. âWhat happened to the secret chamber? Why wasnât it there?â Â Â
Samantha felt a surge of guilt and embarrassment. âI donât know. I was sure it was there and weâd be able to find it, just like Vincent and Devin didâŠbut maybe I was wrong.â
Jasmine shook her head. âI donât believe that. We went exactly where the boys said they were going to go.â Her eyes took on a sudden glitter. âYou donât think they knew it wasnât really there and they were just trying to fool us, do you?!â
Samanthaâs eyes narrowed. âThey better not have been!â She could feel her temper flaring alarmingly. âAfter everything we went through to get here! If they lied to us, theyâre gonna be in so much trouble!!â
âA world of trouble!â Jasmine sighed heavily. âBut whatâll we do now?â She glanced around the area and then answered her own question. âWhy donât we eat our lunch and then maybe we can find some other place to explore?â
Samantha shook her head. âWe donât have a lot of time left. We can probably have lunch, but then we need to go back.â Her voice quivered again. âThis is really bad.â
âMaybe if we eat fast, we can still do something else on the way,â Jasmine suggested hopefully. âWhat time is it anyway?â She reached out and pushed Samanthaâs sleeve farther up her arm over the borrowed watch, then pulled back abruptly and stared at her friendâs skin. âWhatâs that on your arm? Are those bruises? Did you hurt yourself back there?â
Samantha turned her head away, unable to look at the marks splattered across her flesh. The once charred red blotches had faded somewhat with time, but the memory of their pain had been seared into her heart.
âTheyâre not bruises,â she said softly. âTheyâre burns.â
 âDid you accidentally splash boiling water on yourself? That happened to my granny once when she was making tea. She said it hurt like the devil!â
Samanthaâs voice was barely a whisper. âNoâŠmy mother did it. And it wasnât an accidentâŠshe did it on purpose.â
Jasmineâs eyes grew wide with shock as she stared at her friend. âWhy would she do something like that?â
âShe did it to punish meâŠwhen I was badâŠâ
Jasmine gasped. âYou were just a little kid!â
Samantha closed her eyes as tightly as she could, determined not to cry. She had shed far too many tears over devastating memories and wanted nothing more than to leave them behind forever. But just as she had told Jasmine earlier, sometimes it might help to talk about the bad times, and with that thought, she took a deep breath, stared out over the falls, and began.
âI donât remember a lot about back then. I know we â my mom and me â lived in a big house with a lot of other people, but it wasnât like living here. It was mostly girls, but some boys, too, and I didnât understand it then, but now I know they were all in college. And everyone was usually pretty nice, but not alwaysâŠespecially not my momâŠâ
âWhat about your dad?â Jasmine prompted gently. âDid he live there, too?â
Samantha shook her head. âI donât have a dad. Well, of course, I had one once, but I never saw him. One time I asked my mom where he was and she just laughed and told me to look around and pick whoever I wanted and he could be my dadâŠbut I didnât want to do that. I wanted my real dad.â Her bottom lip quivered. âSometimes I used to wish heâd come and find me, and we could go live somewhere else where no one would hurt meâŠbut he never did.â
Samantha continued to gaze into the distance, as if searching for images and phrases that would make sense of her fragmented, painful memories.
She took another deep breath and then found her words cascading from her. âI was too little to know that part of the reason my mom did the things she did was because she took a lot of bad drugs. They all did. Dr. Alcott told me about that later â heâs the one who brought me Below to live â but I didnât know it then and I always thought she punished me because I was bad.â
âBut you couldnât have been!â Jasmine protested. âYou never could!â
Samantha sighed. âI know that now, but thatâs what my mom said, and I believed her. One time she cut off most of my hair because she said I took her money.â She shook her head, feeling a disoriented sense of disbelief. âI didnât even know what money was then, but I never thought my mom would lie to me. So, I thought I must have done itâŠLike when she said she couldnât sleep at night because I was crying too much and bothering her. Thatâs whenâŠwhen she burned my arm.â
Jasmineâs dark eyes filled with tears. âOh, Samantha, I hate to say it since sheâs your mom and all, but sheâs the one whoâs bad, not you.â
Samantha tried to smile to show how much those words meant to her but found she could not. She brushed away a tear that had managed to escape. âShe never did things like that when anyone else was around. I guess she didnât want them to know she was like that.â
âWas she ever nice to you, even once in a while?â
âOnce she bought me ice cream in the park.â Samanthaâs voice softened as she recalled rare happy memories of her life Above. âAnd sometimes sheâd read me a story. I liked fairy tales best, but she said they were stupid.â She sighed again. âSo, her friend Jessica would read them to me. She told me that âhappily ever afterâ wasnât stupid, maybe it could be real.â
âIâm glad someone was nice to you,â Jasmine said softly.
Samantha nodded. âBut then something really bad must have happened. I donât know what it was, but they told her she couldnât live with them anymore. I remember they tried to make her let me stay with them, but she wouldnât.â
Jasmine shook her head. âWhere did you go?â
âFirst we went to this place â a homeless shelter â but my mom said she didnât like it there because there were too many rules. So thenâŠthen we had to live on the street. We slept in the park near the library at night. It wasnât nice like the park where we go to play sometimes.â She turned toward Jasmine, her eyes glassy with remembered fear. âSometimes she left me there all alone when she went off with one of her boyfriends. I was so scaredâŠbut sometimes I wished she wouldnât come back and maybe someone nice would find me and give me a new home where I could be safe.â
âDid she have a lot of boyfriends?â Jasmineâs voice was somber.
Samantha nodded. âI think so. And theyâd give her money. Sometimes she bought me food, but most of the time she just bought more drugs for herself. She told me it was medicine, but now I know it wasnât.â
Jasmineâs voice was edged with anger. âSo, did Dr. Alcott finally find you in the park?â
Samantha shook her head. âNo one ever found me. It started to get really cold, I guess it was winter. We didnât have warm clothes. I remember I asked my mom if we could go back to the house and live with her friends again, but she just laughed at me like I was making a joke.â She felt her hands clench into fists in her lap. âThen she got really sick. She was coughing all the time and she would just lie on one of the benches, all wrapped up in our blanket. I wanted to help her, but I didnât know what to do! Then a lady came along and said we should go to a clinic and it wouldnât cost any money. My mom didnât want to go, but the lady helped her and we got there.â
She paused for breath and then rushed onward, anxious to end her story. âI remember it was my momâs turn to see the doctor, but she didnât go when the nurse called her. She told me she had to go to the bathroom and sheâd be right back. But then she kissed me on the cheek â it was strange because she never did that anymore â and said âBye, Sam, be a good girl for a change.â And then she leftâŠand I never saw her again.â
Tears rolled down Jasmineâs face. âWhat happened to her â and what happened to you?â
Samantha sighed. âI donât remember much after that, just that she didnât come back, and I started crying and the nurse called the doctor over to talk to me. The next thing I knew, I woke up in a bed in the nursery down hereâŠand Iâve been here ever since.â She took in Jasmineâs understandably confused expression. âDr. Alcott explained some of it later and heâs told me more as Iâve gotten older. He was a volunteer at that clinic, and I was really lucky he was there that day. My mom got as far as the street and then she collapsedâŠand then she died. I was really sick, too, with a fever, so since I was all alone, he brought me down here to Father. They tried to see if there were any family members to take me, but they couldnât find any, so they let me stay.â
Jasmine let out a deep sigh. âDr. Alcott rescued you. He saved your life!â
Samantha nodded. âHe really did. And from then on, everything has been much better.â A ghost of a smile eased some of the unforgotten pain from her face. âIâm really grateful he brought me here and that Father said I could stay.â
âOtherwise, you would have gone into foster care.â Jasmine shuddered. âI know kids who went in the system â and it wasnât good for them.â
Samantha nodded. âThatâs what happened to Eric and Ellie before Catherine saved them.â Her eyes clouded again for a moment. âAnd even though Ellie wasnât here very long, at least she was safe and happy for a while.â
Jasmine nodded emphatically. âJust like us â only weâre going to be safe and happy for a long time, right?!â
Samantha managed a genuine smile as the girls jumped to their feet and hugged one another. âRight!â
Jasmineâs stomach gurgled and she grinned at the sound. âSo, do we still have time to eat lunch?â
âOkay but it has to be fast.â
The girls knelt on the stony ground and quickly unwrapped their parcels, sharing chunks of granola bars and a precious piece of chocolate they had hoarded for this special occasion. Jasmine slurped water from her canteen as she watched Samantha use a pocketknife to carefully cut an apple into slices.
âWhere did you get a knife from? My granny would have killed me if she caught me with one. She said knives are really dangerous.â
Samantha tried not to look surprised at yet another view of a world she had known so briefly. âMost of the kids here have one. We get taught how to use them correctly, you know, for emergencies or for things like this.â She handed half the apple slices to Jasmine. âCullen taught some of us how to do little wood carvings â I made a rabbit but it didnât really come out that good â and Vincent showed us how to use the blade and flint to start campfires, that kind of thing.â
âWow, thatâs really neat,â Jasmine commented. âDo you think I could get one and learn those things, too?â
âYou have to get permission from Father, but Iâm sure heâd say yes. We can ask him when we get back. And Vincent will show you how to use it and tell you about the rules.â
âVincent is so cool. I was kind of surprised when I first met him, you know âcause of the way he looks and all, but now I donât even think about that.â
Samantha smiled approvingly. âVincentâs the best.â Her smile widened. âIf I tell you something, promise not to tell anyone else?â
Jasmine held out one hand. âPinky promise!â
Samantha looked puzzled. âWhat kind of promise?â
âPinky promise.â Jasmine reached for Samanthaâs hand and crooked their smallest fingers together. âNow just say pinky promise and that means we swear never to tell another soul whatever it is.â
Samantha giggled. âI never heard of that before, but okay!â
The pledging of pinky promises and the music of tinkling laughter drifted out above the falls. âSo, what am I promising not to tell anyone?â Jasmine asked.
Samantha whispered even though she knew no one else could hear them. âWhen I was little, when I just got here, I thought Vincent was from a fairy tale â you know, like an enchanted prince.â
âI can see that.â Jasmine nodded in affirmation. âHe does have that look.â
âBut thatâs not all.â Samantha felt a blush warm her cheeks. âEven though Iâm getting older, sometimes I wish Vincent and Catherine were my parents.â She paused and looked cautiously at her friend. âPretty silly, right?â
Jasmine shook her head. âI donât think itâs silly at all. Theyâd be amazing parents. You know, maybe Iâll wish for that, too.â
âAnd if our wish comes true, then weâd really be sisters!â
The girls shared a happy grin, then swiftly packed away the crumbs and wrappings from their lunch, careful to leave the area just as they had found it. Jasmine cast one last look back at the falls. âEven though we didnât find the secret chamber, I think coming here was pretty great anyway.â
âMe, too. But now weâre really going to have to hurry to get back in time.â
âNo problem â we can do it!â
The girls walked quickly along the path, then skittered down the slight slope, rounding the curve toward the connecting passageway. With Jasmine slightly ahead of her, Samantha found herself nearly careening into her friend who had frozen unexpectedly only a few feet from the tunnel entrance. One quick look ahead provided all the explanation she needed.
âVincent! Catherine!â Samantha was mortified to hear the shrill squeak of her voice. âWhat are you doing here?â
Vincent tilted his head at her. âWe might ask you the same question.â
Knowing it was pointless to try to come up with some plausible explanation, Samantha quickly opted for the truth. âWe wanted to go on an adventure,â she began, âall by ourselves.â
âAnd I had never been here before, so this is where we went,â Jasmine continued with a hopeful smile.
Vincent kept his expression even as he looked from one girl to the other. âI understand that you wanted to go exploring, but this was not the best decision. You both know youâre not supposed to go this far from the home chambers without an adult.â
When the girls remained silent, he continued. âI know the idea seemed like fun, but if you think more about it, youâll realize that what you did was potentially very dangerous. And Iâm afraid there will have to be consequences for your behavior.â
The girls quickly looked to Catherine, hoping for the chance of a reprieve.
She shook her head gently. âVincentâs right. What if one of you had gotten hurt? No one would have known where to find you.â
âJamie knew where we were going!â Samantha blurted, then quickly pressed her lips together, chagrined at having revealed her friendâs role in a situation of which Vincent and Catherine very clearly disapproved. She heard Jasmine murmur, âOh, no,â under her breath, which only made things worse.
But when Samantha saw Vincent and Catherine exchange a quick look, a sudden suspicion took shape in her mind. âDid Jamie tell you where we went? Is that why youâre here?â Vincent nodded, and then, much to her complete embarrassment, the young girl burst into tears of frustration and disappointment. Mere moments later, Jasmine joined her, their escalating sobs vying with the distant roar of the falls.
Catherine and Vincent immediately gathered the girls into their arms, holding them gently until their tears subsided. Samantha felt a large hand stroke her hair, smoothing it back from her tear-stained face, and she looked up into Vincentâs eyes.
âDo you want to talk about it?â he asked softly. âIt might help.â
She looked toward Jasmine, still cradled in Catherineâs arms, and waited until her friend nodded in agreement. âYes, I think so.â
A few minutes later, once again seated on the ledge high above the river, the girls told Vincent and Catherine about their thwarted plans, their voices paired in counterpoint as their words tumbled out in a somewhat coherent retelling of the main events of their day.
âWe were going to do this all on our own, and we thought it was going to be the best day ever.â Samantha sighed heavily as they concluded their tumultuous tale. âThen when we found out the secret cavern wasnât even there, it turned out to be the worst.â
Jasmine shook her head. âItâs even worse now because we got caught and you guys are mad at us.â
âWeâre not angry,â Vincent said firmly, âbut we were worried about you, and somewhat disappointed.â He turned to Samantha. âItâs not like you to make foolish decisions like this.â
Samantha found it difficult to look at the expression on Vincentâs face, but forced herself to do so. âI knowâŠitâs just that the boys made us so mad with all their teasing, and we really wanted to do something by ourselves. We didnât think enough about breaking the rules. We just wanted to have an adventure.â
She steeled herself for his response but was surprised when Catherine spoke first. âVincent, that sounds kind of familiar.â The girls watched as Catherine tilted her head in Vincentâs direction, clearly not attempting to hide a growing smile. âDidnât you tell me how you and Devin went off on adventures on your own when you were around the girlsâ age?â
The girls turned to Vincent and observed with rapidly growing interest a faint blush darkening the golden tones of his face. âAnd if Iâm remembering it accurately,â Catherine continued, âdidnât some of your adventures take place right here by the Great Falls?â
Samantha held her breath, knowing Jasmine would do the same, as she awaited Vincentâs response. It was not long in coming.
A slow smile quirked his unique mouth and slowly grew to a full-fledged grin. âYes, Catherine, youâre remembering it accurately â maybe too accurately.â His laughter was warm and reassuring as he turned back to the young adventurers who were eagerly waiting to see what would happen next. âDevin and I did come here on our own when we wanted to explore and have adventures that we wouldnât share with anyone else.â He gazed out over the falls for a few moments. âThat was a wonderful part of my childhood, and Iâll always treasure those memories.â
Samantha took a deep breath. âThen, youâre not upset with us anymore?â
Vincent shook his head. âIâm still concerned â we both are â that you might have put yourselves in danger, along with anyone who would have been called upon to rescue you. But no, Iâm not upset with you.â He smiled down at both of them. âHow can I be when you were only doing the same things I did when I was a boy?â
âDid you get away with it?â Jasmine asked eagerly.
Vincent laughed again. âSometimes, but other times we were found out and then we were punished.â
The girlsâ eyes widened. âWhat was the punishment?â Samantha asked, her voice subdued and solemn.
âThere was always a lecture from Father. We often were given extra chores, sometimes we were confined to our chamber for a day or two, and then other times ââ
âHow often did you guys get in trouble?!â A mixture of amazement and awe colored Jasmineâs voice.
Catherine laughed appreciatively. âEvidently, quite often!â She glanced up at Vincent. âIt sounds like there are lots of stories the girls and I havenât heard yet.â
Vincent nodded. âBut weâll save those for another time.â He looked down into the childrenâs upturned faces. âSamantha, Jasmine, we canât approve of what you did, including lying to some of the members of our family, and there has to be a penalty for your behavior.â
Samantha felt her heart beat faster. âAre you going to tell Father?â
Vincent looked toward Catherine, then back to the girls. âNo, we wonât tell Father.â He paused as the girls exhaled huge sighs of relief. âBut I want you to take on extra chores for the next two weeks, and you must promise never to do something foolish like this again.â
Their voices were a duet of happiness and relief. âWe promise!â
âAnd also, girls,â Catherine added, âwe know you still want to take off on adventures like this, but until youâre a little older, ask an adult to go with you.â She grinned as she tilted her head in Vincentâs direction. âI think I know at least two adults who will always say yes.â
Samantha felt happier than she had in a long time, at least since breakfast that morning. âThank you â thank you so much! You two are the best!â
Jasmine echoed her friendâs thanks and added, âSamantha told me you guys take the kids on hikes and things. Can I go next time?â
âOf course, you can,â Vincent reassured her. âWe wonât go without you. And now we need to head back to the home chambers. But first thereâs one question I have for you.â The girls waited expectantly. âWhy did you come this way if you wanted to find the secret chamber?â
Samantha felt a prickling of apprehension as she noted the quizzical look on Vincentâs face. âBecause the boys said this is where it is and, like we explained, we wanted to get here before they did.â
Vincent pointed to a place on the far side of the Great Falls, clearly inaccessible from their present location. âThe entrance to the secret chamber is over there.â
In tandem, the girlsâ heads swiveled from Vincentâs face to the falls and back again. For a rare few moments, neither could think of a word to say.
âThen why did they say this was the right way to go?!â Samantha asked, her voice full of hurt and anger. âWhy would they do that?â
âI bet they were lying to us!â Jasmineâs eyes narrowed. âWeâll never trust them again!â
âI never thought theyâd do something sneaky and mean like this,â Samantha declared. âNot to their friends.â
âWait a minute, girls, youâre not sure about any of this.â Catherineâs voice was calm and firm. âTrue, they might have deliberately lied to you, but, on the other hand, they might have been telling the truth. Maybe they do think this is the right location for the secret chamber. You should find a way to talk with them about it later.â
When the girls remained quiet, Vincent added, âAnd werenât you doing something âsneaky and meanâ to your friends as well?â
Being intelligent little girls, Samantha and Jasmine knew when to quit. Samanthaâs gaze flickered from one adultâs face to the other. âI guess youâre right,â she said with a small sigh.
âI have an idea,â Catherine offered. âWhy donât we plan a hike to the secret chamber sometime soon? We can all go â including the boys.â
Samantha and Jasmine looked at one another, quickly coming to a silent decision of accord. âThat would be so great!â Samantha replied, as Jasmine echoed her words.
âThen, thatâs what weâll do,â Vincent affirmed, âpossibly in a week or two. And in the meantime, Iâll have a talk with the boys and make sure they promise to wait.â
Samantha felt her last doubts disappear, knowing the boys would never break a promise to Vincent, a fact she would share with Jasmine later so that she would be reassured as well.
âAnd now we really need to start back,â Vincent added, leading the little group away from the falls.
Samantha carefully slid back the cuff of her sweater and gasped as she noted the time on her borrowed watch. âOh, no! The book discussion starts in twenty minutes. Weâll never make it!â
âFather postponed the discussion until tomorrow afternoon,â Vincent told them, âbut make sure youâre not late for it then.â
Catherine cast an amused look in the girlsâ direction as they switched on their flashlights and entered the connecting passageway. In an exaggerated whisper, she added, âFather said he needed to rest this afternoon. Something about a very stressful morning teaching a certain class with some of the boys, followed by a severe headache not even a cup of tea could cure.â The girls giggled knowingly as they scampered ahead down the narrow tunnel with Vincent and Catherine not far behind.
When they finally arrived at the main tunnel leading back to the home chambers, Samantha pulled Jasmine to a halt. âWe need to let Jamie know weâre back so she wonât worry.â She reached for a short metal bar hanging by a piece of rope from a nearby hook. âWe can send her a message on the pipes.â She offered the bar to Jasmine. âIf I help you, do you want to try?â
Jasmine reached for it eagerly. âSure!â
With Samanthaâs painstaking assistance, Jasmine tapped out the message and they soon received a reply. âIt says Jamie is in her chamber and we should go there now to tell her what happened,â Samantha translated.
She looked up at Catherine and Vincent who had been waiting patiently, affectionate smiles lighting their faces. Their expressions warmed the young girlâs heart, reminding her of how loved and protected she was in this wondrous community.
âThank you,â she began and then simply said, âfor â for everything!â
Vincent nodded. âI â we â want you to remember that even though what you did was wrong, we know you did it for the right reasons, and weâre proud of you for being brave and resourceful.â
âWe also know,â Catherine said, âthat youâll be sure to make better decisions next time, right?â She waited while the girls nodded rapidly in agreement. âAnd donât be upset with Jamie. She only told us where you were because she was worried about you.â
âThatâs right,â Vincent added. âItâs not that she doubted your abilities, but she knows how easily unexpected things happen, even with the best intentions. She was just looking out for you. Thatâs what adults do when they care about you.â
Samantha blinked her eyes rapidly, feeling alarmingly close to tears once again. Jasmine looked at her friend and then answered for both of them. âLike Samantha said, thank you â thanks a lot.â
The girls hurried away, only to turn and race back toward Vincent and Catherine. âWe just remembered! We were supposed to give a book to Mr. Smythe for Father.â Samantha pulled the wrapped parcel from her backpack. âWe need to run up there right now!â
Catherine reached for the book. âI can do that for you. Even if you leave right away, his shop will be closed by the time you get there. Iâll drop it off in the morning⊠And I donât think we have to mention this to Father.â
The girls threw themselves at the adults for quick but fervent hugs before rushing away once again.
Hours later, after a happily uneventful dinner and reading hour before bedtime, Samantha and Jasmine were tucked into their beds, chatting quietly long after âlights out.â
âSo, you donât think they heard what I said?â Samantha could not suppress an undercurrent of concern from her voice.
Jasmine sighed dramatically. âNo, for the zillionth time. And even if they did, what you said about them was nice.â
âBut I donât want them to think Iâm a big baby, wishing for them to be my parents and all.â
âWell, if they heard you â which they didnât â then they heard me, too, and I donât care.â
Samantha leaned her head on her arm and peered across the dimly lit chamber. âWhy not?â
âBecause it was a nice thing to say. And besides, maybe they hope theyâll have two amazing daughters just like us someday!â
âJasmine!â Samantha giggled loudly. âTheyâre not even married yet! Oh, maybe theyâll let us be in their wedding, like flower girls or bridesmaids. I read about that in a book.â
Jasmine yawned dramatically. âThat would be pretty cool.â She snuggled back down into her covers. âAnd now Iâm going to sleep.â
Samantha settled back with her head against her pillow, but she found she could not close her eyes. She waited a few minutes and then whispered, âJasmine, are you still awake?â There was no answer from across the chamber, so she whispered louder, âJasmine?â
The eventual response was muffled, as if Jasmine had buried her face in her pillow. âNo, Iâm asleep.â But the giggling that followed gave her away. âWhat?â
âI was just thinking. Even though things didnât work out like we planned, I had a really good time today.â
âMe, too.â Jasmine sat up and stared across at her friend in the faint light of a flickering night candle. âAnd I sort of donât even care that we didnât find the secret chamber.â
âMe either,â Samantha agreed, âand weâll get to go there anyway on the hike with Vincent and Catherine.â She watched Jasmine tilt her head as an increasingly familiar expression transformed her friendâs sleepy face. âWhat?â
âI was just wondering. We probably arenât going on that hike for a couple of weeks, right?â
Samantha propped herself up on her elbows. âRight.â
âSo that means we have plenty of time to ââ
âDonât even think about it!â Samantha collapsed back onto her bed and drew a quilt over her head. âGood night, Jasmine!â
She heard her best friend giggle and call out, âGood night, Samantha!â Then, with her fist clutching the pink satin ribbon that she had placed under her pillow, she fell asleep, dreaming of new friends, true families, and amazing adventures yet to be.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~Â
email the author: Linda
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What a day! I was transported back to my own eleventh year when the confidences between best friends were magical. Having a partner in adventure and mis-adventure is so bonding.
I love the voices you gave Samantha and Jasmine, loved their consciences shining through their deliveries of half-truths , the balance of rebelliousness, however mild, and belonging. I believed in this day so strongly I had a motherly moment or two reading it, wanting to wring their necks (nobody would know where to find you if you didn’t come back!) and wanting to help them along on the q-t (with secret sentries positioned to watch after them or something.) Good on Jamie, I thought, for telling on them! Really a great story, well told!!
Carole
Thank you so much for your supportive feedback and for enjoying the story! You found in it exactly what I intended, and I am so grateful for that.
It was a challenge and lot of fun to put myself in the mindset of a young girl, and Iâm very glad (and relieved) you feel that it works.
Wow! What a day!
I fully believe the exuberance and confidence of the pre-teen girl could power the Eastern Seaboard. They are a force of nature! I remember having an adventure with my best-friend in Downtown Pittsburgh at the same age that her mother nearly had kittens over. đ
I love how you had them explain what they are doing to prove how much they know. That is such a kid thing to do.
I really wish Jasmine had been a character on the show. I would have loved her as I love her in your story.
Thank you for writing this!
Karen (Crowmama)
Karen, thank you so much for your comments! It means more than I can say to know that you feel the story works and that the way I presented the girls is realistic. I drew on my experience of working with children of that age for many years, and my greatest hope for the story was that Samantha and Jasmine were believable individuals. You really have helped put my mind at ease. And to say that you wish Jasmine had been a character on the show — well, I still can’t stop smiling as I read that comment again (and again)!
That gives me so much confidence to keep writing — thank you!!
Linda