The Secret Keeper

Mankind has a Secret. A deadly Secret.

What is it, you ask? Well, I can’t tell you. That’s my job: protecting the Secret. I live for The Secret. I die for The Secret.

And if I told you The Secret, well, that would ruin everything, now wouldn’t it?

Regardless, I will tell you my story. Now, pay attention, because I’m not telling you the Secret. Can you figure it out for yourself?

-[-]-

It was a cold, dark night. A woman ran fast, through the dark alley, clutching a bundle of blankets to her breast. Her eyes darted this way and that, searching for some sign of movement in the interminable darkness.

The baby in the bundle squirmed in her grasp. The woman looked down at her with a warm expression. This little girl had a hard life ahead of her, she was sure of it. It was her destiny. She was a Secret Keeper.

The woman saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. When she glanced over, nothing was there. She knew better than to simply dismiss it as an animal.

“Who’s there?” she demanded in the bravest voice she could muster.

She heard a sinister chuckle come from the darkness. “Relax, Ivy. It’s just me.” Arkarian stepped out of the darkness, carrying an identical bundle to hers in his arms. She let out a breath of relief.

“Arkarian, you scared me,” she said breathlessly. He had that ability to sneak up on her.

He chuckled again. “Well, obviously.” His gaze traveled to the bundle in Ivy’s arms. “Is that the girl?” he asked, in a much softer tone.

She nodded. “Yes, this is she.” With that, she pulled the blankets away just enough to see the birthmark of a skull on the child’s collarbone.

A smile spread on her companion’s face. He, too, pulled the blankets on his bundle away just enough to see the skull-shaped birthmark on the child’s neck. The realization hit her full-force.

They’d finally done it. They’d finally located the new Secret Keepers.

Ivy’s only hope was that the two of them would get along. Lord knows, she would’ve been miserable if she hadn’t come to love her partner, Arkarian.

He cleared his throat. “Good. Now that the two have been located, what shall we do now?”

Ivy thought for a moment before responding. “We should probably place them in separate foster homes. But make sure that they will meet.”

“Yes,” Arkarian said, nodding in agreement, “That sounds like a good plan.”

As they walked together, Ivy thought about the little boy and girl that were now under their possession. They were so innocent, and yet, born to a fate that would ultimately mean their doom. It didn’t seem fair.

When she repeated her concern to he partner, he shrugged. “There is nothing we can do about it now, Ivy. It is not in our power to decide.”

She sighed. Arkarian was right, of course. It wasn’t their position to decide what was fair and what wasn’t.

As they approached the house meant for the girl, Ivy placed the bundle on the doorstep and tucked a folded peace of paper inside one of the folds. She gazed at the child lovingly one last time, and walked away, with Arkarian’s arm around her shoulders.

As the wind whipped the little nose of the baby girl, it seemed to whisper, “Evangeline.”