Understanding Secrets - Prologue

“Kevin, can I PLEASE play a game when we get back?” Amber begged.

“Hmm, I’ll think about it,” Kevin teased, concentrating hard on the Game Boy’s screen. His brown eyes burned with concentration. His fingers flew furiously from button to button. “AW! DARN IT!”

“What’s the matter, honey?” their mom asked, barely looking up from the road map.

“Bowser keeps killing me; I’ll never make it past this level!” Kevin complained.

“Maybe you should let Amber try,” their dad suggested, briefly moving his eyes from the road to smile at the kids. “At least until we get to Aunt Mary’s house.”

“Yeah, Kev let me try!” Amber urged, fixing her silky black hair into a ponytail.

“Well, okay, but I’m warning you: It’s pretty tough!” Kevin cautioned, handing over the game.

Amber’s eyes focused on the screen. Her golden eyes burned with a secret fire as she played through the level.

Kevin leaned over her, to watch her. The faintest trace of a smirk hovered on his lips. She didn’t stand a chance.

“I got it!” Ambercheered. She looked up at Kevin, her amber eyes shining brightly.

Kevin’s mouth dropped open. He looked at the screen, dumbfounded. She had done it, and with all the most possible points, too!

“Ah, ah…” Kevin’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Amber was only seven. Kevin was twice as old as that. And she could play better than him!

Kevin’s cheeks flushed dark.

“Mom, can you pass back the eye drops?” Kevin sighed. “My contacts are bugging me.”

“Sure thing, sweetie,” she reached down to grab the tiny bottle. When she sat back up, she moved her hand to shield her eyes. “Ooh,” she moaned.

“I see it,” the father groaned, “This guy’s not paying attention to his high-beams. We’ll just wait for him to pass.”

Kevin looked out the window as the car passed. His headlights were way too bright.

“Now that that’s done-“

“WATCH OUT!” the mother screamed.

There was a man in the middle of the road! He wore a dark suit with the coat tails fluttering in the wind, a tie, and shiny black dress shoes. Kevin couldn’t make out any of his facial features.

The car swerved hard to the right. The car was going too fast. The front of the car crashed into the road railing, and the car tumbled down a steep cliff.

Kevin reached to the side to grab his little sister. He squeezed her tightly.

“Hold on, Ambie!” he hollered.

The car made one last bump, and all the windows shattered, throwing glass everywhere. The car was upside down and teetering on the edge of the cliff.

“Is everyone all right?” their dad asked, panicked. “Honey, are you all right?”

“My nose is hurt,” she answered. “Kevin, Amber, are you okay?”

“We’re fine, mom. I’m a little cut on the arm, but it’s just a little cut,” Kevin answered. His sweater sleeve was tattered, and his arm was bleeding.

The car began to tip over a little.

“Amber, Kevin, you need to get out of the car. Crawl out through the back window. That’s it.” Their dad guided them.

Kevin and Amber unbuckled and crawled out from the broken backside of the car. As soon as Kevin had helped Raychel out of the car, Kevin ran over to his dad’s door.

“You have to get out of there!”

“We can’t move, Kevin,” the mom answered. “Our legs are stuck under the dashboard.”

“Please, at least try!” Kevin begged. Kevin opened the door and grabbed his dad’s arm. “Pull, dad, pull!”

He tried hard to pull his legs out from under the dashboard. So did she. It was no use.

“Kevin, we can’t move,” the father said.

The car began to tip over more.

“You’re gonna have to try!” Kevin hollered, pulling harder.

Amber, who was over to the side, quickly ran over and latched to the trunk of the car. She was able to hold it down a little, but not before it began to lift up more, raising her into the air.

“NO! HELP ME!” Amber screamed.

Kevin looked back. “AMBIE!”

“Go help your little sister,” the mom sniffed.

“Mom, no!” tears began to drip from Kevin’s eyes.

“You need to take care of her for us,” the dad said firmly.

“Dad, please!” Kevin sobbed.

“MOM! DAD! KEV! GET OUT OF THERE!” Amber was crying now.

“Kevin,” he looked at Kevin, in that “Proud Papa” sort of way dads look upon their sons. “Son. Please. Let go.”

Kevin looked long and hard at his father, then his mother. Squeezing his eyes shut, he reluctantly let go.

Kevin ran around to the trunk and picked Amber up off the trunk. At that moment, the car went tumbling down, front-first, into the cold mouth of the cliff below.

Kevin completely broke down and started sobbing, holding onto Raychel Amber and burying his face into her shoulder.

Amber herself was silent. She was crying, but it was silent crying. The tears were running down her cheeks, but she wasn’t making a sound.

Kevin looked up, still sobbing. He knew he had to get help.

He peered up at the edge of the road above, to see if anyone had noticed the large gap in the road rail. The man that was standing in the road peered back down at Kevin, silent. Slowly, the man raised a finger to point at Kevin.

Then he was gone.