The Key To Floating
By Hawk & Quill Short Story Winner, Willa Curl
Murray
Murray Patterson hadn’t expected to find a silver locket caught in the wooden slats of Center Bridge early one Saturday morning. Nor did he expect that same locket to end up being the key to everything, just a few days later. But, as it happened, all of these things were true–even if Murray didn’t know it, yet.
Murray Patterson was ten years old, and the second-youngest of six, with no known living parents or relatives. Clara, the oldest child at eighteen, had assumed the role of “parent,” with the next oldest, Bill, at sixteen, enforcing her rules. Then there was Abigail: Bright, energetic, and imaginative at fifteen. There was mischievous Ellen– nobody could be truly sure where they were, during the day, or what they did. There was Murray, the curious one. Lastly, the youngest child, Charlie, was eight. Charlie was quiet, but not shy–e simply knew the right moments to speak, and when to keep quiet.
It was dinnertime, two days after Murray had found the necklace he now wore, when the Patterson’s door was practically knocked to the ground. Clara went to investigate, and soon found out the source of the sledgehammer-like noise: a large Messenger from the town, pounding a rhythmic beat on the wood. “Can I help you?” Clara asked, looking wearily at the man.
“I’m Messenger Edward,” he said, ignoring her question. “And I was sent to speak with Murray Patterson.”
At the round table in the Patterson kitchen, Clara, Bill, Abigale, Ellen, Murray, Charlie and their guest, Messenger Edward, all sat in silence. Finally, Messenger Edward turned to Murray. “I was in my tower, a couple of days ago, and spotted you on Center Bridge,” he said. In the Floating City, as the land was called, there were five Bridges: West, East, North, South, and Center. Each bridge spanned a gap in the land, and below it, the “Danger Lands” lay, which was what the townsfolk called the lands any living creature would perish on within hours. That’s why the Floating City was called the “Floating City”–it was designed to hover above the dangerous lands below.
“Yes, I was on Center Bridge,” Murray confirmed, confused. It was an unspoken fact that Messengers knew everything that happened in the Floating City, thanks to their tall lookout towers.
The Messenger said, “I happened to be watching the Center Bridge when I saw you, young man, pick something up. May I ask what it was?” Then he added, to sound professional, “It has to do with stolen property, which is why I’m asking.”
Murray pulled at the chain of the locket around his neck. “What, this thing?”
Messenger Edward nodded. “Which part of the Bridge did you find it on?” he asked.
“Um,” said Murray. “Fourth.” Center Bridge, while considered a single bridge, consisted of four separate sections.
The Messenger paused, seeming to contemplate this. Then he stood up. “I’m afraid you’ll have to hand that over,” he said.
Murray just shrugged, reached up, and began unfastening the clasp.
“WAIT!” the messenger cried. “Don’t take it off. Not yet.”
Murray frowned. “Why not?”
Messenger Edward loomed over him, seeming to wrestle with what he should tell the boy. “Because, if you take it off before you get it to the vault, well. . .” he trailed off, but Murray got the feeling whatever the man was going to say wouldn’t be pleasant.
The Key To Floating continues in the attached PDF.