twin bed was not empty.
“This is it,” I whispered to him. “How can I open the window?”
“No worries, Caterpillar,” my father said. “I have gathered many skills while
I was gone. One of which is lock picking, among other stealthy activities.”
My father pulled out a long flat screwdriver and inserted it into the top of the
windowpane. Then, he slowly began to lift the window. Stopping, he placed a drop of the potion on the sill and waited to see if we would alert anyone.
“All clear,” he said, handing me the vial, and then hugging me tightly. “We'll
meet you at the tree where we found the guard. I'll be watching for you, in case
you need me.”
“Thank you,” I said, pushing back my fear and climbing through the
window.
When I entered the room, I realized it wasn’t Meg sleeping in the bed. The small
lump tucked under the dark green comforter was my brother, Miles.
I glanced around the dull room. The space was filled with heavy, dark
furniture. It seemed more like an old man's room than a child's. There were no
toys, pictures, or clues that a young boy lived here. Once again, a coldness filled
me. I didn't feel any joy or happiness in this place.
Kneeling down beside my brother, I stared at him for a few minutes, just
watching him sleep. He looked so much like Meg. I instantly felt protective of him. I found myself stroking his dark brown hair away from his eyes. I wasn’t
sure how to wake him without frightening him. As I sat, pondering the best approach, he slowly opened his big, green eyes and smiled.
“She promised me you would come for us, Mara.” Miles threw his arms
around my neck.
Surprised by his reaction, I could only hug him back. Reluctantly, I let go of
him. “Miles, we'll have so much time to get to know each other,” I promised,
“but we need to get you to safety first. Is Meg's room close?”
“She’s in a room down the hall.” Miles slipped out of his covers. “I know a
secret way we can go. You must be quiet, though. Grandmother Blanche is a light sleeper.”
“Dress quickly, and you can show me the way. Be sure to put on warm, dark
clothes.”
While my little brother dressed, I arranged his bed covers to look like he was
still there. Does someone check on him in the middle of the night to make sure
he’s warm enough? I wondered.
“Come this way.” Miles grabbed a small box from his dresser. Then, he
grabbed my hand, led me into his closet, and shut the door behind us. “Stay here.”
Miles carefully rearranged items in the tiny space. When he found a small
flashlight, he handed it to me. “Shine this here.”
I followed his instructions and watched as my brother slowly popped off a
panel of the wood that led to an opening in the wall.
“Ok, come in here, but we need to turn the light off.” Miles motioned for me
