Taste of Danger Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Annoying Clues and Meeting Places

I KNEW IT! I knew he would pull something like that…I realize I’ve only known the guy for like a day so far but... I have very firm opinions of stranger people who mess with your life, get you in danger, Hide very important facts in cryptic poetry form, and even after they’ve realized they did all this to you, the wrong person…they don’t try to fix it!

Honestly I think I’m entitled to my behavior!

I’m sure you’re all wondering as much as I am what Mr. so and so (Mr. Harding) was up to, what could he possibly have that made the other guy (HIM?) want to find him? What was going on and where did This Garcia or rather I come into the picture? Well perhaps we’ll find out in this chapter.

I pull open my front door of my home and slam it shut ignoring the huge mess that had shall we say “appeared” in my absence. (You wouldn’t expect a ransacked house to look pleasant, cozy, and clean would you?) I rush over to the hidden panel that leads up to the attic throw it open and climb in. (The hadn’t discovered it thank goodness…I mean I wouldn’t have totally minded it if they had found the book because it probably would have meant that they’d then leave me alone but…that would leave me in the dark and believe me when you’re life is as boring as mine and you have a mystery weighing on your thoughts it’s hard to just let it slide…I of course would give the book to them (to spite what’s his face) but only after I’d read it first and figured it out…and maybe done a little investigating…WHAT I said my life was boring didn’t I! No that does not mean I’m thankful to what’s his face! What’s that you say? Am I going to keep calling Mr. Harding, What’s his face? Yes, yes I am. Huh, you think this is the longest monologue you’ve ever read and you want me to move on with the story? Well fine, have it your way, I’ll just keep quiet for a very, very long TIME!)

…..a VERY long time later…..

I hum as I find the book, slap it on the ground, and turn to page one.

I begin to read…

“In the mix

You’ve found some tricks

The ones you see

Two the others decree.”

I look to page two…

“Rabbit trails get you into trouble

Best be away on the double!”

More confused I turn to page three…

“(1)Hide my heart away.

(1)I cannot stay.

<3>I cannot fly.

<3>I cannot lie.

(1)Danger follows me.

{2}By the name of HIM or HE.

<3>Down deep, dusty, tired.

{2}Check the phone it’s probably wired.

<3> Nothing, nothing, black.

(1)Eternal danger I lack.

<3>Noteworthy adventures…

{2}Books are best left hidden in plain sight but be wary.

(1)Tomorrow I leave, never tarry.

<3>Secrets hide the most revealed.

(1)Hurts are something healed.

<3>Freedom is the price I pay.

{2}Don’t loose this book I say!

(1)Eat sparingly, speak plenty.

(1)Trust me!

(1)Really you must see.

<3>Rain has to fall.

{2}It’s important she’s never discovered.

(1)Use my words as you deem them.

{2}But I might mix you two up.

{2}Sorry if I have!

(1)Truly I’ve left off rhyming!

<3>Shame, shame terrible timing.

(1)Hopeless I am, why did you insist on poetry Gracia!

{2}Look at page 4…”

I knew that there was something in the one’s and the two’s somewhere in here but…the sentences themselves just seemed like gibberish and I didn’t understand which stuff I should take Stock in I mean it was obvious some of it was rabbit trails as mentioned in the poem before but…ack this was too confusing!

 Turn to page four…

“For advice seek 2’s

For instructions look to 1’s

I knew you’d soon see the sense in the fact

That this book is mostly just a waste of time

So if you want some more answers meet me in the park

On Tuesday at 3:00 pm, June 25’th.

Don’t be late!

Oh, and don’t loose the book I may have just mostly wasted your time and I’d say there’s no real loss to loose this book except…yeah this meeting place…it’s kind of something we don’t want to compromise because of…secrets….whatever I’ve been gentleman long enough just show up please Gracia.

Bring the book.”

Mr. Thomas Harding

 Well...sure looks like I’m going to have to meet with what’s his face again…goody, goody, joy is resonating from me…I just hope this is worth it.

Taste of Danger Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Work, Danger, Mr. Harding

Okay the only thing for it was to go to work….yes I know that was the exact opposite of what that guy had told me…but because I was so crazy scared I couldn’t think straight and all I wanted was for things to return to normal so for some reason my estranged mind told me my best chance for that was to go to work…and also BECAUSE I WANTED TO REBEL AGAINST THIS GUY WHO WAS A PERFECT STANGER AND HE HAD NO RIGHT TO BUT INTO MY NICE QUIET LIFE LIKE THAT!!!...Okay, okay calm down Korin it’s too late for that now, let’s just get into present tense mode so they know how that went for ya.

I shiver all over as I make my way to my desk and pull out a calculator staring at the buttons trying to forget everything that had just transpired…but to no avail I glance up at the clock it reads 8:30 am sharp I look down again at my hands and notice how sweaty my palms are suddenly it’s like that’s all that matters and I stare and stare at them rubbing away the moisture spreading it more…I return to my thoughts and again start wondering about Mr. Thomas Harding when I hear a loud *slap* as papers are thrust onto my desk. I look at them blankly then up at my boss Mr. Howard who frowns disapprovingly noticing how wet my hands are making his precious sums.

“Korin…is something wrong.” He says as he pries them from my fingers.

“NONSENSE!” I yell and then begin again in a quieter tone, “I’m perfectly fine.”

“Perhaps you should go home? You don’t seem well.”

“That’s what he wants me to do…only I mustn’t I don’t want any part of this, I’m not in any way apart of this thing! He can’t make me!”

“Ms. Lesley…are you sure you’re all right? Capable of working I mean?

“I can manage.” I say meekly trying to regain my composure.

“All right than as long as you can function.” He hands the papers back to me. “I need these finished by lunch and if you feel at all unwell please go home.” I nod and grab a pencil and soon I am to busy to think about my problems….but in moments I realize…I was stupid to come into work today.

A gun pokes into my back words simply cannot put together the terror of this moment…My mind fills with an intense feeling of dread and horror as he leans over and whispers for me to get up  and move towards the door…can this day get any worse! Somebody crashes through the office window…apparently it can…That GUY dashes forward from the remains of shattered glass all my co-workers scream in terror running all about and I see somebody grab a phone (I hope to call the police) He frowns, I close my eyes and the next thing I know I’m free of the guy with the gun and running for my life next to What’s his face (Mr. Harding) I’m not really glad to see him nor am I angry…well “very” angry but I follow him anyways eager to get away. As we fly through the office doors he says, “I thought I made it clear in my note that you shouldn’t come here!”  I roll my eyes.

“You aren’t my boss…How was I to know that this would happen!”

“I told you for your own sake don’t go to work!”

“Yeah well I’m not good at decoding poetry riddles.”

“IT WAS HARDLY A RIDDLE!” He yells. “Where’s the book is it safe?”

“Sure…why not I left it at home.”

“YOU LEFT IT AT HOME! THEY’VE PROBABLY ALREADY RANSACKED THE PLACE!”

“Weeeellllll, you never mentioned that in your warnings even once.”

He cries out in frustration. “I’d have thought you’d have be smarter than that, even if you aren’t really Gracia Winters!”

“I’ll thank you not to yell.” I reply.

“NOT YELL? NOT YELL…THE STUFF IN THAT BOOK COULD CAUSE ALL KINDS OF CAOS IF THEY FIND THE CLUES!”

“Well then, you should have been more careful to make sure I was actually your contact.”

“I’m sorry if I was to busy trying to escape for life that I didn’t have time to sort out all the details besides the fact that I asked you if you were her!”

“hmph…thanks for throwing my life to the wolves.”

“Argh!”

“The books safe guy; stop loosing yourself.”

“Safe, how can you know that?”

“I put it in my secret attic.”

“Oh, well in that case…..” and ending on that note he takes off away from me.

“Where are you going!’ I yell after him.

“Keep the book safe…you’ll find the clues in it…first ones than twos haha.”

“Is this some kind of joke I told you I don’t do well with poetic riddles!”

“FIGURE IT OUT, SEE YA!”

And with that…he was…gone…again…HOW COULD HE!

Taste of Danger Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Notes  

Perchance we meet

At Sunrises seat

All danger is lost to you.

~

Lest I not appear

Keep book in spite of fear

And in it find the clues you seek.

~

Best of luck to you

May your skies be blue

And bright hope in darkest peak.

P.S. Beware of HIM

I’d read that note several times that night and had only gotten a few hours of sleep for my effort while I could see that whatever the issue this all pointed to danger I couldn’t make heads or tails what danger…surely whatever the circumstances I wasn’t in danger I mean I wasn’t involved in it…whatever this guy was involved in I didn’t want anything to do with it, I would simply go to work as normal and pretend none of this ever happened; which is exactly what I did…more or less.

~T~

My silliness was the only reason I ended up keeping the book, choosing instead to put it in the back of my hidden attic and forget about it. I left promptly for the bus station and before long I had forgotten about the book and was going over some sums in my head (I was an accountant) when I sat down on my regular seat on the bus (you know the one)

I heard the driver call me up I sighed and leaving my bag on the seat I made my way forward suddenly a noise behind me caused me to turn round where I saw…

“HEY!” A man was rifling through my bag he snarled at me as he grabbed the bag and rushed out of the bus I groaned; not again and not while I was about to leave for work oh, why me. I jumped out after him and would have gained on I’m too if he hadn’t of had the advantage of a head start and longer legs. Angrily I stumbled forward hoping, praying that the man ahead of me would run into something very hard. The man looked back at me and flashed a cruel grin only to find that when he looked forward again the bag was gone…it had flown from his hands and landed right between us, we both paused momentarily and then…rushed forward madly, I was able to make it there first I grabbed my bag and took off towards a crowd where I lost him.

When I reach the next stop for my bus I re-board and sit down…and looking out the window I notice…the sun is just almost halfway into the sky and suddenly I remember… I visibly shiver when I see the familiar black coat and fedora disappearing from the bus…I gasp my hands clutch into fists as I jump up but that bus starts again as is the way of my life. I look out my window and stare at him he turns around and tips his fedora to me, points to his wristwatch and shrugs before walking away. I just stare off as him even as the bus speeds up and I stumble and fall to my knees and see…another note on my seat.  

Couldn’t wait, couldn’t stay

Danger could not be kept at bay

It followed me here

I’m sorry my dear.

~

Couldn’t be helped, Cannot be controlled

Look in the book, be ever so bold

Seek out the clues

First one’s than two’s.

~

I’m sure you’re confused, I’m sure you’re perplexed

Maybe even slightly vexed

I did not know you were not her

I failed to note your sarcastics I’m sure.

~

In future don’t lead me on, don’t assume I’ll know

For your own sake you must not to work go

I’ll help whenever I may

But for now, be on your way.

Mr. Thomas. Harding

Okay…now I was really upset!

Taste of Danger Chapter 1

Me: This book features Korin (Kara from Saved by Grace's sister)
as the main character because I was rather short handed on stories to put her in so therefore she has become the heroine of this one :D oh yeah and Korin was the second place winner of the Art contest :) this was what she picked.

I could feel my heart beating several hundred beats too fast while I raced along the countryside my legs whirling so fast they might have stumbled and sent me sprawling if I hadn’t been so set upon getting away from my pursuer…only a little while ago I’d just been a normal girl in her early twenty’s but that was before I met Mr. Thomas Harding a guy with a taste for danger, who unknowingly placed me in danger by making one small slip up on a bus.

Now here I was, my life in peril…you might ask what Harding could have possibly done to endanger me so, well to answer that I’d have to rewind back two days ago. 

Chapter 1

 I took my usual seat at the back of the bus, heading home on a chilly Thursday evening with my bag on my lap I quietly closed my eyes after the final boarding call was made and laid back as the bus started to move but before I could get too comfortable a man called out and the bus screeched to a halt I clutched my bag tightly as I flew forward…couldn’t he have stopped a little smoother? The man boarded and shoved all the way to the back and sat down next to me I tried to ignore him…he didn’t seem to want to be ignored.

“Hello darling, did you miss me.”

“Excuse me?”

“Please darling, I know I’m late but I couldn’t help it.” And than in a whisper, “He has escaped…I couldn’t shake him he’s looking for me.”

“What?!”

“Wait…are you not…” He leans over and whispers again, “Gracia Winters?”

I give him a look. “Yes of course I’m ‘her’ I was just trying to look casual.” I whisper back my voice dripping in sarcastic tones.

He nods’. “I thought so…here.” He hands me a book. “I’ll be around…you will hear from me again.” Without further ado he gets up and I finally realize the bus has stopped before I can get up and correct the guy he leaves and the bus starts up again.

“Wait!” I shout and the driver stops and opens the door. I rush out hurriedly tucking the book in my purse. I see the black of his coat disappearing around a corner and I rush ahead towards it but when I get there he is nowhere to be found. Confused and very far from my destination I turn around make my way back towards the bus stop and sit down.

My bag hits me with a thump as I try to get comfortable and I remember the book I pull it out and open it inside is a note and a name,

MR. THOMAS HARDING 

oh and by the way the names...Lesley, Korin Lesley