5 Secret Chamber

"The truth... Is sometimes harder than it seems, querido."

Father bend down and fiddled with the small oak stool I was sitting on. He stood back and counted to three, as the heavy oak-wood cupboard pushed forward, revealing an entrance and a stairway leading down. Jebal- no the boy sauntered in after my Father, as I trotted along. Father turned around to make sure we were all inside before pressing a small crescent moon ornament on the wall, and the cupboard fell back into place leaving us in darkness. Father muttered a couple words and the walls started glowing, and we went downwards, into a small room.

The boy stepped forward and flicked a switch turning the lights on, as if he knew the place well. The small room was filled with shelves on a wall, and a whiteboard full of notes. Another wall had a map of our town pinned on it as well as pictures, pictures of many different children.

"What- What is this?" I stuttered, unable to comprehend the amount of information I was given so quickly. I saw a photo of myself on the shelf, beside Jebal and other kids. It looked like we were taking a group photo in front of an orphanage, one that was supposedly destroyed 7 years ago. I looked happy, as if...

As if I knew them...

But I don't ever recall any of these kids, not even Jebal, or whoever his name is now. I looked at the date in the bottom of the photo on the right-hand corner- stating it was taking in February 2008... When I was eight. But, it felt wrong. I remember the events that transpired when I was an eight-year-old kid, but none of it involved going to an orphanage and meeting all these kids. Moreover, I was really really camera shy- there was absolutely no way I would have taken photos with kids I had met in such a short time.

"It's time," Father- No- the man I lived with, spoke.

"My name is not, Tachibana Asada, and I am indeed, not your Father-"

"But I have memories of you even as a very young child!" I stared at him as he sighed and continued-

"My real name is Aren Frace, and we are not your biological parents, but your adopted ones."

I stared at him blankly, at a loss for words.

"Your mother, Tachibana Hanako is indeed my wife, however, her real name is Hannah Frace. We adopted you to protect you and hide you from your own parents."

"Why? I don't understand what's going on! Who am I?" I stared at them and turned around frantically. "This has to be a dream, one sick dream-" I muttered to myself as Father slapped me and I stared at him, stunned.

"This is real, and this is the reality, Keiko. You will understand if you let me finish my story, and you will understand why the men in suits are after you. Hannah would have died in vain, to protect you, who would even think this as a dream!" Father snapped as I placed a hand on my cheek, my legs failing me as I crumbled to the ground.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered as he turned around and faced the shelf, swallowing back another lump of disappointment, this time directed at myself.

"The men in suits are part of the Ka-" Father stopped as the light bulb began to flicker, and screams echoed out. He turned to the boy, deathly pale. "We... are out of time," he muttered.

"Kelvin, you must keep her safe, promise me!" Father yelled as he took the boy's hands into his, staring at his eyes.

"What's-"

Father whipped his head towards mine. "They will be here soon, follow Kelvin and he will tell you the rest of the things you need to know. He-" He turned to Kelvin after a second of hesitation and grimly nodded.

"Is on our side."

"Kelvin-" I looked at the tall lanky boy as he stepped towards me, placing an arm under my elbow, lifting me up.

"We gotta run."

"Wha-"

Father wrapped me in a crushing embrace as my words choked in my mouth, unable to come out. He pulled away from me gazed at me with a very soft expression before pulling a small leather-bound notebook from his pocket.

"I deeply regret not telling you the truth when you were younger and keeping it all from you. I hope that you survive at least, and bring peace back to our town," Father grinned one last time and kissed the top of my forehead again, before heading out the door.

"Father- No-" I struggled against Jebal/Kelvin, as he pulled me behind another cupboard and led me away- further and further away from there.

-----

"Are you still angry?" Jebal/Kelvin asked as he climbed up my tree and sat on a branch beside me.

"Yea, especially how you told me to call you Jebal-" I turned to glare at him. "Why did you pull me away from him? We could have escaped together!!" I turned away from him once more, staring into the horizon, at the stars in the dark night sky dangling my legs in the air.

"The ones the men are after are you, so he will be fine," he sighed as I folded my arms.

"Okay so why are they after me?"

"It's- It's a long story-"

"And my Father said you would answer any question-"

"I believe the book he gave you was specifically for this purpose-"

"Huh, guess I'll read it now..." I pulled the small leatherbound book out of my bag, and squinted, trying to make the words out in the dark. He chuckled, as I struggled to make out the words in the pale moonlight.

"How about you read it after we get to a safe place?" Kelvin suggested, looking at me struggle.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes closing the book and re-wrapped it, carefully placing it into my bag.

"I'm really sorry for your loss-"

"Just shut it okay?" I snapped at him as he lifted his hands up in surrender.

"Just- Just try and get some sleep," Jebal/Kelvin said as he pulled a sweater out of his bag and wrapped it around me before turning to lean against the tree trunk. Guilt seeped in and I turned towards him.

"Hey," I called.

"What?" I heard him answer.

"What's your real name?"

"Technically both of them are my real names-"

"Huh?" I looked at him suspiciously as he nodded. "My full name is Jebal von Kelvin Cumber. Kelvin's my middle name, and the name everyone knows me by. Jebal, is the name you, call me by." He smiled at me as I stared at him.

"And why exactly do I call you Jebal when everyone calls you Kelvin?"

"You saw my full name once, and that was before we met. When we finally did meet, you called me Jebal and it just stuck I guess," He said shrugging.

"Oh,"

"Good night Keiko,"

"Good night... Jebal."

Wait-

"Wait- we met before?"

"Shhh... Just go sleep Keiko."