Hi! I have to laugh at myself on this one...Not Really, I neglected one site from which I usually check to find out exactly who R. J. Halbert was! It was recommended to me on Facebook--couldn't find the original notification, sigh) So, of course, I went looking on Facebook! Even as I noticed that this book had special inserts for music, I didn't find it... Now after many have already come to visit on this latest wonderful book, I find that this is a writing duo...and also, professionally and musically connected with the Kelly Clarkson Show...! But, I'm still curious about the music inserts... If I find out anything more, I'll be back!
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Stop it, Lyana … Today is not the day. Lyana shook the intrusive thoughts away and refocused on her surroundings. The further they travelled away from downtown, the more serene the surroundings felt. The streets were lined with historic homes, perfectly manicured lawns, and lush, tree-filled rolling foothills in the background. Three miles … two miles … one mile.
Right on cue, Boston’s “More than a Feeling” came on the radio. Lyana looked back just in time to see Ariel and Zach sharing a sibling moment, rolling their eyes as she and Ian mimed the iconic opening guitar riff. They sang along in full voice.
{listen}
I looked out this morning and the sun was gone Turned on some music to start the day
I lost myself in a familiar song I closed my eyes and I slipped away
The music continued as they made their way towards the house.
It’s more than a feeling {More than a feeling} When I hear that old song they used to play {More than a feeling} I begin dreaming {More than a feeling}
“Re-routing,” the voice from the GPS chimed in. They had missed the turn while basking in their musical glory days. Ian turned around and headed back the way they’d come. Within minutes, the GPS left them baffled once again. “Re-routing. Please make a U-turn ahead.” “I don’t understand. It says it should be right here, Lyana,” said Ian. “You must not have been paying attention. Turn around and I’ll look to the right. You look left.” “Re-routing. Please make a U-turn ahead.” “Argh! This is the same stretch we just did. See there’s nothi—” They turned around one more time, before finally spotting the nearly hidden driveway that was numerically out of order and barely marked.
They turned down the driveway and entered what looked like a gateway into another world. Bushes were thick on each side, leaving just enough room for the car to pass. Only a few brave rays of sunlight broke through the shadowy trees that lined the narrow path. Ian drove for what seemed like miles. “Where is the house?” asked Zach. His voice was almost a whisper. The sky grew dark and low-hanging fog marched toward them, making it difficult to see in the distance. It was mid-morning, but it might as well have been dusk. An uneasy hush settled throughout the car.
The change in scenery from the quaint downtown they had just experienced was stark; this was the opposite of what she had hoped to find. Lyana needed this to be so much more than a new beginning, or a fresh start. Trying to make sense of it all, tears began to gather in Lyana’s eyes. The sudden shift in the car from hopeful expectation to uncertainty triggered painful memories of the devastation and heartbreak she felt after the loss of her mother earlier that year. On top of living through the unthinkable only a few years earlier, the heartbreak of losing her mother nearly pushed her over the edge. Even though their relationship was strained, in her culture family was everything. Each generation was deeply connected to the next and losing her mom felt like a vast piece of her was gone forever.
Lyana had been an outsider in her small Irish community with her long dark hair, olive complexion, and brown eyes. Her family moved to the area in pursuit of the American Dream and had lived there for years, several generations calling it home. She was the first one to leave. From the very beginning she and Ian knew it wouldn’t be an easy road for two small-town kids looking to pave their own way and leave life in that small town behind, breaking free from the generational expectations attached to them within the confines of a twenty-mile radius. They were so young and naïve—they believed just walking away from where it all began would give them a chance to fix the brokenness within. That belief crumbled in the months leading up to the night Lyana had taken the kids and left. Ian had come too close to repeating the mistakes of his father. It was the darkest season of life they had known. Once again, she was the first one to leave...
“No, I didn’t know that. But … speaking of fog …” began Ian. “Is this going to be one of those lame dad jokes?” Zach interrupted. “No, no. Not this time.” Ian stopped walking and Zach nearly ran into him. “I was just going to say that my brain has been a little foggy ever since I got back from the last conference.
I got something for you, as always.” Ian paused, watching Zach’s expression morph from confusion to curiosity, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a woven leather bracelet with a stone attached to it. Zach held out his hand and Ian dropped it into his eager fingers. Zach turned the bracelet over in his hands and looked closely at the stone. “This is so cool!” he said, slipping the bracelet on his wrist. It was a little big, but Zach didn’t seem to mind. “What’s this symbol?” he asked, pointing to the image carved into the stone. “That’s called an ouroboros,” said Ian. “It looks like a snake eating its tail.” Zach traced the intricate circular image with his right index finger. “That’s exactly what an ouroboros is,” said Ian. “It’s like infinity,” said Zach, mesmerized by the gift. “I love it.” They started walking again. Ian was pleased by how much Zach liked the gift. He always brought gifts to the kids after his trips. He welcomed the challenge of finding something unique to surprise them with every time. After a rare moment of silence, Zach began posing questions about infinity. They both loved talking about impossible things and Zach was an expert at asking big questions. Just as Ian was about to respond to Zach, he tripped over something, lost his balance, and fell to the ground. “I’m fine,” he said before Zach could express his concern.
But Zach wasn’t looking at him. He was looking at the ground in front of him. Ian stood up and brushed the dirt from his knees and followed Zach’s gaze. “Dad what is that?” Zach asked. The two began to remove the brush and leaves that had gathered on what, upon closer inspection, appeared to be a door. A door in the dirt. It was a door, framed by crumbling concrete, but to what? A cellar? A shelter? Ian was fascinated by the oversized, rusting hinges that were decorated with what looked like a Celtic symbol. No, much earlier. Different culture. Maybe Sumerian? He leaned in to explore further. “Dad, help me with this.” Ian looked at Zach, who was tugging at the door’s old iron handle. He stepped over and helped Zach pull on it. At first, the door didn’t budge, and Ian thought it might be sealed shut. But then it moved. They pulled harder and the door moved even more. It was heavy—much heavier than Ian would have guessed. With each attempt, Ian’s imagination ran wild with ideas of what might lurk beyond.
“Well, hello,” a voice said from behind them. Startled, Ian and Zach dropped the door with a loud bang and turned in surprise. Ian studied the man. He appeared to be in his fifties and stood about five feet, nine inches tall. The years had been kind to the stranger. He was neither overweight nor frail—probably an athlete in his younger days, thought Ian. His dark hair had begun to recede, and the greys showed ever so slightly through the remaining hair on his head and the unshaven scruff on his chin and jawline. He was unassuming, dressed in workman’s overalls and steel toe boots. His dark eyes, however, had a gripping intensity—they instantly pierced into Ian’s thoughts. Looking into them was like seeing the experiences of his life reflecting back at you. And yet there was a quiet confidence in his demeanor that eased Ian’s quickening heart. “I’m Marshall,” the man said. Ian was trying to recall the name. “The Caretaker,” he added.
“That’s right. I completely forgot.” Ian had wondered, when they closed on the house, when they might run into the caretaker, but then had nearly forgotten about him in the time since. Zach was squinting, carefully studying Marshall. “I’m Ian Keene. And this is my son, Zach.” Zach continued to stare at the man, not unkindly, but wearing a curious expression. Marshall nodded. “Are you fellas a bit lost?” Ian shook his head. “We were just out getting a feel for the property. This is an amazing place.” Zach interrupted his dad with a list of burning questions. “Have you been here long? What is this door all about? Did you know the previous family that lived here? Do you have any kids? Have you …” “Whoa, bud, slow down!” Marshall’s expression didn’t change. Ian couldn’t tell if he was bothered or tickled by Zach’s curiosity. “I’ve been here as long as I can remember,” he replied. He didn’t bother to answer the other questions. The light of day was starting to fade as the three stood at the mysterious door. Ian was about to press for more information about the door when Zach spoke up.
“Uh … Dad, we should get back.” Ian recognized Zach’s tone. It wasn’t one of fearfulness—Marshall seemed like a harmless enough man—but one of slowly building anxiety. The sky was darkening, after all. Their explorations had simply left them without a concept of time. Marshall nodded, looked over at Zach. “You two really should hurry along before …” He froze. It was almost as if he’d seen a ghost. The sudden change in Marshall’s demeanor unnerved Ian, but it was short-lived. Marshall continued, “Before it gets too dark. You wouldn’t want to get lost in this forest.” Marshall had positioned himself in front of the cellar door, a subtle signal that their explorations had come to an end for the day. “I’ll be happy to show you around the property another time.” “We just might take you up on that,” said Ian. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Marshall. Come on, Zach.” Zach stared a beat longer at Marshall, then focused back the way they’d come.
As the two of them walked away, Zach glanced back toward Marshall. “He’s already gone,” said Zach. Ian turned to see that Zach was right. Marshall had left just as quickly as he had appeared. Zach turned his focus back to his father. “Well, that was weird.” “Yeah, you think?” The two of them talked about meeting Marshall and laughed about how they had completely forgotten someone else lived on the property. They couldn’t believe how quickly time had passed during their adventures. As they approached the house, Zach ran on ahead, clearly eager to share their adventure with his mother and show her his new bracelet. Ian walked in as Zach was excitedly talking about the door in the dirt.
Lyana stood up and swiped at her face, brushing the hair back from her eyes and smearing paint near her eyebrow. Her face and hands had more than a few splotches of paint now. She’d clearly been hard at work while they were away. Ariel came running down the stairs to see what all the commotion was about. “You found what?” asked Lyana. “Dad and I found an old cellar door in the woods, and then we met Marshall.” “Marshall?” The look on Lyana’s face told Ian that she had forgotten as well. He laughed and said with a smile, “The Caretaker!” “Oh, of course! I’d forgotten about him.”
Lyana’s face suddenly went white. She looked over at the stove, then the refrigerator. “I’m sorry, I totally lost track of time. I don’t have a dinner plan.” Ian already had his phone out. “No worries. I just found a pizza place that looks promising,” he said. Later, their appetites sated, Ian took in the scene before him at the kitchen table. Their stories had painted the house with joy. It practically glowed from the roars of laughter, the energy of its new residents bringing it to life again. Still, two stray thoughts threatened to distract him from that joy. What had spooked Marshall? And why did the man seem familiar? Ian shook the thoughts from his head. Surely it was nothing. • • •
Marshall slipped amongst the trees to watch Ian and Zach head back to the house. When young Zach turned around to look for him, Marshall shook his head. This is an unexpected twist, he thought. When the two finally disappeared into the distance, a sudden breeze picked up and swirled the leaves into a ground tornado, conveniently covering the cellar door once again. Marshall glanced up into the trees and shook his head again, allowing a half-smile creeping onto his face. A few moments later,a puzzled Marshall walked through the front door of his rustic cabin, closing the creaking door behind him. The late evening sun trickled in through the singular window, painting the wooden floor in patches of fading amber light. Marshall went to the bookshelf and scanned it, making sure everything was in its place. It was, and that confounded Marshall even more. He stepped over to his table and scraped a match against the textured surface, then lit the antique lantern that sat there. The smell of kerosene filled the small room. It was a reassuring smell for Marshall. A comforting smell. He desperately needed something comforting in that moment. He sat and picked up a half-finished carving of a ram. He turned it around in his hand, briefly admiring his own craftsmanship, then set it back down on the table. He glanced around the room as he had done so many times before, entranced by the dancing shadows. He was familiar with shadowy places, having spent so much time in them. Like in the wings of an auditorium. Marshall’s eyes grew heavy. He scooted the chair back, stood, pulled the curtain across the window, then shuffled over to his bed and lay down. The flame from the lamp continued to flicker as he lay there, exhausted.
~~~
Ian and Lyana had been friends since children. Both had felt that they never quite fit in no matter where they might have lived. It was only natural for them to take off together...
Still Ian had been quite successful in his career, considering what might be his next major event... It was Lyana who had always been on the hunt for a home. Out of the city in a place where they would be able to smell fresh air of the country... And reconnect as a family... Both of them had been in family situations which were not, to say the least, ideal, so that when she stumbled on an advertisement online, she had proceeded to make an appointment with the realtor, even though Ian had not yet returned from overseas...
Driving into what seemed a quaint, older town where children played outside, people were stopping to talk to their neighbors, Liana became even more enthused. It took a little time to actually find the place, but when they did, it was hard to believe that it was available! Ariel and Zach were their children and they, too, felt the draw of the town, their new home... Actually, it was...Amazing!
And yet...even as they were moving toward the home, there were people coming out who looked like they couldn't wait to get out of the house. Later, the realtor confirmed that he'd had trouble finding somebody who wanted to stay, even once they had moved in...
Even Ariel had asked in wonder, "Are We In Narnia?"
What could be wrong with those other people who had wanted to leave? Lyana whispered to herself, It's Perfect!
It was so perfect, that Lyana immediately began to bring the pantry into use so they could begin to bring in what was needed to begin cooking...and more... She was almost done and decided to put the mirror that had been in the room, back where it had once been... It was then she stood looking at her image, only to be distracted by a small girl moving behind her--who was she? But when she turned around, there wasn't anybody there... But Lyana would often stare into the mirror, only realizing later that she had lost so much time. What was happening?
Then when Ian had gone off to explore the house, only rushing back later to talk about the fantastic room he had been in, knowing he wanted it for his office... Only when he went back with Lyana, they couldn't find the room, even though he had been describing it to her as they searched...
Halbert leads his readers in and out of situations and then leaves us wondering--tantalized--quite in the web of mystery about this house in which many had refused to even live in. But, now, there was so much about the place and the town that made them happy to be there... But Lyana soon began to show signs of forgetfulness, of gazing off into somewhere where there was nothing there. Her health began to decline more and more...
It was Zach, who had once been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome who began to work to put things together of what could be happening... Early after they had moved in, Zach had found a door built into the ground. The Caretaker had approached them that day for the first time and, as it was getting dark, had suggested he would show them around the grounds at another time. But Zach had never forgotten that mystery and talked his sister into going to find it and see what it was... That day, they did get in and Ariel quickly saw a bracelet that belonged to Zach!
When Zach had first arrived in the house, he wanted to pick out his room, went towards the steps and started counting... 13... It was one of the things that calmed Zach and so each trip upstairs would be counted... until the day that when he counted, he counted 13...14...15... Zach was now even more determined to discover what hidden secret this house had!
And I can guarantee that readers will have the same heighten curiosity! The book keeps readers in suspense right from the beginning on through to nearly the end... Highly recommended! Unique, creative, and delightfully entertaining...
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