Chapter 1

Emma walked home in the rain because her dad forgot to pick her up again. The rain was dripping from her hair and onto her back. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter. Ugh, why did her dad have to come back? Why, why, why? She knew the way home, because this was the sixth time he forgot to pick her up. Two miles from school she had to walk. Walk in the rain. Ugh!

Finally she got home. But her dad wasn’t home. Yet she knew exactly where he was, at Murray’s. Murray’s is the local liquor and bar store on the island of Cortin. Cortin was a small island so Murray’s is one of the only liquor stores on the island.

Emma sighed and went to the fridge. She slide a microwave pizza in the microwave. Then Emma went into the living room and grabbed her laptop and her favorite movie, Sleeping Beauty. She felt that everyone in the sixth grade knew that they were way too old for Disney movies. But Emma loved them, they comforted her. Almost made her feel like her dad, her life, and everything was gone. Ding! The microwave woke her up from her fantasy. She rushed into the kitchen and put her pizza on a paper plate.

In her room Emma popped the DVD into the laptop. She heard the familiar theme music and saw Bugs Bunny. When the prince kissed Sleeping Beauty a tear rolled down her cheek and splashed onto her laptop. Why couldn’t someone save her? Then she started the movie again. Hi Bugs Bunny!

After the second time Emma watched the movie, it was 10 o’clock. She put the movie and computer away. Then she slipped on her PJ’s and brushed her teeth. Emma climbed into bed. Just when she got in she heard the front door open. Oh no, Dad!

No, mom! Yay! Today she came home from her long business trip. Mom is always working, but dad is unemployed.

“Sweetie, are you home?” mom shouts.

“Yes, mommy!” Emma shouted back. Seconds later she poked her head through her bedroom door.

“Where is your dad?” mom questions,

“Murray’s,” Emma sighed. She nodded then sighed too.
“Ok, well guess what?” her mom said. “I have to go away tomorrow at four in the morning to China, so I won’t see you.” Tears brimmed Emma’s eyes. Does she have to go?

“I know it has been hard on you ever since your father came back, but that is life. You are who you are because of him coming back last summer, ” her mom said sadly. She kissed Emma on the cheek where tears have somehow creeped out of Emma’s eyes. They were like little drops of sadness. Falling, falling, falling. Emma’s mom turned off the lights and Emma thought maybe she could see a tear in her mom’s eye.

Chapter 2

The next morning Emma stumbled through her morning routine. Put on clothes, brush hair, brush teeth, eat breakfast, grab bag, go on bus. She felt like a robot going through the same motions over and over and over again.

On the school bus, she sat in an empty seat in the back. Her friend, Charlie, came on the bus. Charlie moved to Cortin just this year. Charlie and Emma had became very good friends.

“Hey Em!” said Charlie, sliding into the seat next to her.

“Hi Char, how’s it going?” Emma replied.

“So did you hear about the plane crash this morning?” Charlie asked excitedly. Charlie’s mom is a news reporter, so she tells Charlie all the news.

“No Char,” Emma said, half-heartedly.

“Well,” she begins, “a plane going to China crashed and everyone on the plane died.” Charlie finishes excitedly.

“Mmm,” Emma said, not really listening. Charlie talks enough for Emma and herself combined, so sometimes when Charlie talked Emma tuned out.

At school in Social Studies they were talking about a plane crash. Emma decided to listen.

“The plane left at four this morning,” Mrs. Kelley told the class, “trying to go to China.” Emma’s heart stopped beating. NO! Emma raised her hand, almost scared to ask the question. Mrs. Kelly’s eyes fell on Emma.

“Yes,” she said.

“Um… could you maybe um, you know, print out a sheet of the um, names of the um, people who um, died,” Emma barely made out the words.

“Of course, Miss Emma Clount. I am so happy that you care about this horrible tragedy that has fallen upon us,” Mrs. Kelley said. Charlie shot me a look as if to say, She is such a drama queen. Usually Emma would laugh, but right now she didn’t care. Emma heard the printer going whir, whir, whir. As though every second was an hour the sheet came out of the printer.

Mrs. Kelley took the paper off the the printer and made her way over to Emma. With shaking hands, Emma took the papers made warm by the printer. Then she scanned the list.

Chapter 3

Emma heart stopped beating. There, her mother’s name. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Emma weakly raised her hand. Mrs. Kelley smiled and called on Emma.

“Uh, I don’t feel well,” Emma said and coughed just to prove it.

“Oh no! Horrible killer cough. Go to the nurse’s office, and here is your hall pass,” Mrs. Kelley said. Charlie made a face as if to say, What? I know you aren’t sick! Emma ignored it.

At the nurse’s office the nurse said that Emma didn’t have a fever, but just in case she would send Emma home. The nurse called Emma’s dad, but he didn’t pick up the phone.

“You will have to lay on the bed in the sick room until the end of school,” the nurse said politely. Emma smiled weakly and turned to the bed. In the room it smelled of moldy cheese and rotten cabbage. Ugh, dad. Sadly, Emma sat on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

The bell rang. Emma snapped awake, she looked at the clock: 3:30 p.m., school was over. Emma sat up and walked back over to the nurse.

“Is there a ride for you, sweetie?” the nurse asked in a honey-coated voice.

“Yeah,” Emma lied, pretty sure her dad wasn’t coming.

“A girl, Charlie, brought you your bag!” said the nurse.

“Thanks,” Emma barely replied. She scooped up her bag and walked out into the rain. Emma went to the circle of parents waiting to pick up kids. In that circle was her dad! Ugh, this was the last person she wanted to see right now.

“Hey Emma!” he shouted. Emma grumbled. Her dad walked over to Emma, beer in hand and the same shirt he has been wearing for the past three days.

“Your mom died,” he said. “But I’m gonna swing by Murray’s, how ’bout that. Woo-hoo!!!” Then Emma got very angry. Murray’s!

“Why do you care that mom died? You know what? Maybe you wanted her to!” Emma screamed. Tears stung her eyes. “Go to Murray’s and never come back!” Emma screamed. Emma turned on her heels, crying, and walked home.

Chapter 4

It has been a month since Emma and her dad got into a fight. He still hasn’t come back. There were stacks of bills piled high on the kitchen table. Emma was starting to get nervous — she didn’t have any money to pay the bills. There was only almonds left for food, and she hadn’t gone to school for a month.

But Emma had taken care of school; she wrote a note saying they had moved. Emma sighed. This was kind of her fault; she had told her dad to go and never come back. But what parent would leave their kid alone for a month? A bad parent, that’s who! Just then, there was a knock on the door. Confused, Emma rushed to open it.

Emma pulled the door open, standing there before her was a very, very, very tall women in a gray pantsuit. The very, very, very tall women looked down at Emma. The very, very, very tall women had gray eyes that matched her pantsuit. Piled on top of her head there was a bun.

“You must be Emma,” said the very, very, very tall women. “I am Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert. Where is your father? At Murray’s, I suppose.” Emma stared at Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert. How did she know all that stuff?

“Yes, he is,” Emma said very, very quietly. Emma looked Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert in her gray eyes and asked, “How did you know that?”

“It’s my job,” Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert said like it didn’t matter.

“Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert, what do you mean it’s your job?” Emma asked very confused.

“Please call me Ellie, Emma,” Mrs. Eleanor P. Humbert said. “I am a spy, Emma, and after a month I have decided to step in and help you.”

“I’m okay, I don’t need help,” Emma said, closing the door. Ellie stuck her foot in the door and kicked it open again.

“You do need help. Your mom is dead and your dad has disappeared. Honestly, you need a world of help,” Ellie said. Emma had to say Ellie had a point.

“How are you going to help me?” Emma asked.

“Join us in spying! Endless possibilities. Time of your life and something you really want to know,” Ellie said in a magical voice. “Plus, if you don’t trust me, then I know someone who you will. She works for me. Charlie, get out of the car!” Out of a black limousine stepped Charlie. Charlie was also wearing a gray pantsuit. On top of her head was a bun.

“Char? Oh my gosh! Sure I’ll join, Ellie!” Emma said excitedly. Ellie clapped her hands together and Charlie brought forth a gray pantsuit.

“Change, and then tie you hair up into a bun on the top of your head,” Ellie said. Emma nodded and changed.

Chapter 5

Emma climbed into the car. The windows were tinted so Emma couldn’t see the outside.

“Hey Char, this is so cool!” Emma exclaimed. Charlie didn’t answer. “Char?” Emma poked Charlie.

“Would you just be quiet, okay? I wasn’t ever your friend,” Charlie said. Hurt, Emma didn’t talk any more.

“Where are we going?” Emma asked Ellie.

“Be quiet, girl,” Ellie said to Emma, then to Charlie, “gag her, Charlie!” Charlie tied a gag over Emma’s mouth so Emma couldn’t speak. It was also pretty hard to breath. What is happening to me?! Emma thought. Then Charlie tied Emma’s hands behind her back.

The limo pulled into a driveway, Emma was trying to scream but no words came out of her mouth. Emma was afraid to move but she tried anyway and successfully sat up. But then Charlie tied Emma’s feet together and Emma couldn’t move anymore.

Ellie pulled the limo into the driveway and got out. Emma was petrified in fear. Emma’s door opened and Ellie grabbed Emma. Ellie slung Emma over her shoulder. Ellie was surprisingly strong for her age. Ellie turned to yell at Charlie about something and Emma got a glimpse of the building. It was a little white cottage with ivy crawling up the walls. Somehow, this building seemed familiar.

Once inside the building, Ellie threw Emma inside a small room. There was very dim lighting but Emma could make out a figure. She looked kind of like her mom. But that would be impossible; a single tear dropped from Emma’s face at the thought of her mom. Then a very familiar voice said,

“Is that you, Emma?” It was mom! Emma tried to reply but the gag stopped her.

“Ghrlb,” was all Emma could make out.

“Oh no, sweetie! Here, let me try to get your gag off,” Emma’s mom said. Emma’s mom’s hands were also tied behind her back so she had to turn around to get the gag off. Emma’s mom also took off Emma’s hand-and-feet-ties too. Once freed, Emma undid her mom too.

“Emma, you can ask me questions later but right now we need to escape.” Out of Emma’s mom’s jean pocket she revealed a flashlight and switched it on. The room flooded with light, as Emma looked around the room memories poured into Emma’s mind.

Emma was little, two, maybe, bouncing up and down on someone’s lap. “Horsie!” Emma shrieked. “Again, again!”

“I’ll give you a boost.” Emma’s mom pointed her flashlight to the window. Emma snapped back to reality.

“Ok,” Emma said. Her mom unlatched the window and pushed it open. The breeze rushed through Emma’s hair. Emma’s mom lifted Emma up and Emma fell through the window. Seconds later her mom came toppling after. Emma stood up and brushed leaves off her. Emma’s mom took her phone out of her pocket. She dialed a number and pressed call.

“Hello? Hi! Could you give us a lift…we are at the cottage…mmmh…thanks!” Emma’s mom put away her phone.

“I never got on the plane,” Emma’s mom whispered. “They took me right before.” Emma smiled. Maybe Ellie did help her, without even knowing it. “We were kidnapped because your father was a spy and they wanted information from us. I will explain everything later.” Just then a black jeep pulled up behind some trees.

“Come on!” Emma’s mom said. She pulled Emma’s arm and they ran into the backseat of the jeep. Inside the jeep a man turned around. He seemed so familiar. He had jet black hair combed perfectly.

“Who is this?” Emma asked her mom.

“This, this is your real father!”

The End