The Watcher of the Kingdom

Alana is my favourite babysitter. She’s not like the other babysitters who talk down to me and want me to sit quietly and watch a movie. She actually plays with me. And she is so much fun! I think it’s because she’s an only child, like me. When you’re alone all the time, you get really good at using your imagination, and it’s really exciting when you finally have someone to play with.

She’s pretty too. She’s not allowed to wear makeup or do her hair, but you can tell she’s pretty anyway. She has long, thick, black hair that she taught me how to braid. Her eyes are the colour of melted chocolate and her skin glows like copper. She doesn’t smile a lot in front of adults, but she smiles a lot when she’s with me. Whenever I picture her in my head, she’s wearing her favourite blue sweater. I think it’s her favourite because it has sparkly buttons and her parents won’t let her wear jewelry. She’s always checking it to make sure the buttons aren’t coming loose and she’s already had to sew a couple holes shut. I worry she’s going to grow out of it soon because even I can tell she’s getting taller and curvier. She’s only lived next door to us for about a year. I’m not sure where her family is from originally. I only hear her parents speak English when they talk to my parents. Otherwise, they’re screamin’ and yellin’ in a different language. I hear them from my playroom almost every day. I never hear Alana yell though.

I think she likes getting away from her parents and playing with me instead. When the weather is bad, we play board games, build forts, or she’ll read me stories in funny voices. It’s way more fun when the weather is nice though, and we can play in the park across the street.

The park is our Kingdom and our street loops around it like a solid, black moat. There’s a playground in the middle that serves as our Castle, where we rule. An angry ghost wanders the halls and we have to warn each other when we see it so we can get out of it’s way. The Castle has one tall and one short tower, joined by a bouncy, wooden bridge. From the tallest tower, we can oversee our entire Kingdom. Pretty much everything beyond the sand pit where our Castle stands is water. All kinds of things are hidden in that water; sharks, merpeople, monsters, so if we are going from one end of the park to the other, we have to be fast.

When we want to sail the high seas, the swings become our ships. The bigger the waves, the higher you sail. A stormy sea has us swinging in all directions and crashing into each other, but we are very good sailors and we have never lost a ship. The merry-go-round that sits beside the swings is the Whirlpool Monster. When it wakes, it tries to fling us off, but if we hang on long enough, we can eventually soothe it back to sleep. There are a few picnic tables on the other side of our Kingdom. They’re close enough to our Castle and to each other that we can hop from one to another, like Islands, and stay out of the water. There are trees throughout our Kingdom too, but there are three by the Islands that cannot be trusted. I don’t know what kind of trees they are but they bend and turn in creepy ways so we call them the Twisted Sisters. Their roots look like they’re trying to pull themselves out of the ground. I worry one day I’ll wake up and one of them will be gone.

Our Kingdom has many dangers but Alana and I know how to manage it. I wish she got to babysit me more often but my parents don’t like asking her parents if she can come over, and my mom worries that if there’s an emergency, she wouldn’t be able to drive me to the hospital. I think she’ll be old enough to get her license soon, if her parents let her. My dad argues that her parents are home if something happens. He knows she’s my favourite and that I want to spend as much time with her as I can before she gets too old and cool to play with me.

******

A terrifying noise wakes me up in the middle of the night. A shrieking scream I have never heard before, like someone’s in pain. At first, I’m not sure if I’m dreaming, but the sound comes again, making me wince. With my heart beating fast, I slip out of bed, tip toe to the other side of the room and peek out my open window.

My room is at the front of the house and the light from the streetlamps allows me to see most of our Kingdom, although some places are still deep in shadow. I try to figure out what might have made the noise but nothing seems to be moving. The Castle is empty except for the ghost keeping watch. The sea is quiet and the ships are still. The Whirlpool Monster is deep in sleep. A small movement catches my eye. A man and a woman sit across from each other at one of the Islands. I didn’t see them earlier; they’re sitting in the shadow of the Twisted Sisters.

When I squint, I realize I recognize the long, dark hair. It’s Alana sitting with a strange boy in the middle of the night. At least he doesn’t look familiar, but his back is to me. He looks tall even though he’s sitting. Alana is smiling and seems happy as they talk, although she keeps glancing at her house through the arms of the Twisted Sisters. Her parents would be really mad if they caught her alone with a boy in the park. I wonder if their windows are open.

The screeching sound bursts from the tree outside my window, making me jump. Alana and the boy do not seem concerned and remain focused on each other. I risk raising myself up so I can search the tree and spot something white and brown moving along a branch. It’s an owl. The eyes are creepy when it turns it’s head to stare at me and the beak looks mean, but it doesn’t seem dangerous. It's just loud.

I drag my gaze away from the owl and crouch down to watch Alana. The boy reaches across the table and gently places his hand on top of hers. I can almost see her blushing and my own cheeks feel warm. She shifts a little as if she might pull away but then she bites her bottom lip and smiles. He takes that as a good sign and holds her hand properly. I smother a giggle and sink a little lower to make sure they don’t see me. They talk a little longer but then Alana nods towards her house and clearly feels like she should go home. They both stand with their hands in their pockets, looking awkward. I wonder if they’re about to kiss, but then Alana gives a quick wave and scurries back to her house. He walks in the other direction and is blocked from my view by the tree.

The owl is still shrieking but there’s nothing I can do about it. I close my window, hop back into bed and snuggle under the covers. I wonder if Alana is back in her bed yet. The thought makes me snicker again and I close my eyes.

******

I’m sitting at the table the next morning having breakfast as my parents move around the kitchen. My chin rests in one hand as I use my spoon to hunt the raisins in my cereal.

“What’s the matter with you this morning? Did you sleep well?” my dad asks, ruffling my hair as he walks by.

I sigh and put my spoon down.

“It’s a wonder anyone was able to sleep last night with that barn owl shrieking,” my mom says as she fills her coffee cup and then my dad’s.

“Is that what that was?” I ask.

My dad leans against the kitchen counter and nods as he raises his mug to his lips.

“I thought owls hooted,” I frown at the table.

“Some owls do. Unfortunately, barn owls do not,” he says. “It must be hunting some mice or voles in the park,” he says to my mom.

“Did you pick up the gift?” she asks and they carry on talking without me.

I pick my spoon back up and start swirling it in my bowl. The barn owl seems evil. The shrieking cry, the hunting at night, the eating of small animals; I don’t want it in my Kingdom.

“Alana’s going to watch you tomorrow while we’re at the wedding,” my dad interrupts my thoughts.

“Okay!” I grin and take another bite.

My mom is looking in the fridge when she says, “I don’t have enough fish to cook tonight for both lunch and dinner tomorrow.”

“Alana can order take out or cook that chicken. She’s a great cook,” my dad approves.

“That’s because cooking and cleaning is all her parents let her do,” my mom mutters as she closes the door.

My shoulders slump and my stomach is suddenly too full of sadness to eat more cereal. In fairy tales it’s okay when princesses have evil family members that make them slave away because they eventually live happily ever after, but it’s sad that there are real people that actually live like that. I silently promise that we will play whatever games Alana wants to play tomorrow.

“Which reminds me,” my mom is pointing at me, “You promised you would clean your room before the end of the week.”

“I will,” I promise again.

“Always do what you say you’re going to do, kiddo,” my dad ruffles my hair again as he leaves the room to get ready for work.

******

We stand at opposite ends of the wooden bridge and take turns jumping. If you land hard enough, the planks move like a wave and you can bounce the other person up into the air. It’s much easier for Alana to bounce me since I’m so much smaller. Sometimes she flails her arms and acts as if I bounced her really hard. It makes me laugh even though I know she’s pretending.

She looks over my shoulder and gasps.

“The ghost is coming!” she hisses.

We both scramble up and over the rails that run along the bridge to get out of the way of the ghost. We stand on the lower rail while hanging onto the higher rail and hold our breath. She turns her head as she watches the ghost walk by. When the ghost has passed and she decides it’s safe, she lets out her breath, gives me a nod and we climb back onto the bridge.

“I thought I heard a dragon a couple nights ago,” I tell her.

“Oh no!” she exclaims while fiddling with a button on her favourite sweater. “That’s the last thing our Kingdom needs. I don’t know how to fight a dragon.”

“You shoot them with a bow and arrow,” I say matter-of-factly as I walk back and forth along the bridge.

She leans against the rail and looks out at our Kingdom while she says slowly, “Maybe we need a knight in shining armor to save us.”

I scoff, “No! Where’s the fun in that?”

She shrugs and gives a small smile. I stop to stare at her, confused.

“Do you know how to make a bow and arrow?” I ask her excitedly.

She shakes her head and looks out at the park again. She seems quiet and sad all of the sudden. I’m not sure what she’s looking at or how to make her happy again.

“Maybe, if we find some sharp sticks, we can kill it with a spear!” I suggest.

She drags her gaze back towards me.

“Sure,” she gives a small smile and a laugh, then climbs down from the Castle to help me look for spears.

******

A couple nights later, the shriek of the barn owl jerks me awake and I sit straight up in my bed. It was hot earlier in the day and I forgot to close my window. I throw back the covers and walk over to the window. A quick scan and I find the barn owl sitting on a branch close to the center of the tree. I’m about to slam the window shut in the owl’s face, when I see Alana and the boy standing in the shadow of the Twisted Sisters again. My heart flutters and I duck down before they can see me. They are standing much closer together this time and the top of her head only reaches his shoulder. She’s hugging herself, head tilted to one side as she looks up at him, weight shifting from one foot to the other while she listens. He’s doing all the talking and he gestures at her house every once and awhile. She smiles at him but frowns at her home.

He must have said something sweet because eventually she uncrosses her arms and leans forward while he slowly bends his head down to press his lips against hers. He holds them there for a couple seconds. When he pulls back, I think I see her bite her lip and give a small smile. I cover my mouth with my hands but a snort of laughter escapes. She wraps her arms around herself again and starts to walk back to her house, looking a bit dazed. He watches her go from the shadows. He must hate having to meet in secret. I feel sorry for them.

Once she’s inside, he steps out onto the sidewalk into the full light of a streetlamp. It’s the first time I see his face and he’s definitely handsome. He’s tall but thin, with light skin and brown hair. Despite a full beard, I can see sharp cheekbones like a model. I wonder if those whiskers tickled or scratched when they kissed. He made sure to dress nice for their date. He wore a jacket, like a businessman, with jeans, and those leather shoes with the square toes. He pulls out some keys as he walks up the street and reaches a fancy car. He climbs in gracefully and once the door is shut, all I can see is his shadow through the tinted windows. He drives away.

I continue to stare at the empty park, wondering what else I might have missed while I was sleeping. Wondering what Alana is going to do about her parents. The shriek of the barn owl makes me flinch. I shut my window, angry at its’ intrusion, and climb back into bed.

******

I steer my ship high into the sky, easily navigating the stormy sea. When I look down beside me, Alana is sitting quietly on her swing, staring at the ground without really seeing it. I thought she would be bursting to tell me about her secret boyfriend and that I would get to ask her a million questions, but her lips have been pinched tight all day. She doesn’t look happy at all. Maybe she thinks I’m too young to talk to about boyfriends? I can prove that I’m mature enough though. I stick my feet out and drag them along the ground to bring myself to a stop.

“What did you do last night?” I ask, giving her one last chance to finally tell me on her own.

“Nothing,” she sighs, raising her eyes from the ground to the trees but she still does not look at me.

“Oh yeah? You didn’t meet up with a boooooooy?” I sing and flutter my eyelashes at her.

Her head whips around to look at me. Her eyes get big and the colour drains from her face. I immediately regret teasing her.

“What are you talking about?” she asks slowly while staring at me.

I become very serious.

“I saw you with a man in the park. A couple of times,” I tell her, making it clear that what I saw wasn’t a mistake.

I can tell she’s thinking as she continues to stare at me.

“I wasn’t spying,” I say quickly, “That stupid owl keeps waking me up.”

I can’t tell if she’s mad at me. She’s never been mad at me before. Finally, she takes a deep breath and looks at me sternly.

“You have to promise not to tell anyone,” Her voice is low but urgent.

“I won’t,” I laugh, somewhat hurt that she thinks I would betray her.

“This is serious!” Now she looks angry, “My parents will lock me up forever if you do. Promise!”

What she says scares me because I know it’s probably true. I’ve been thinking it since the first night I saw them together. So many princesses had been locked up for less.

“I promise,” I say solemnly.

She still looks worried but she knows there’s nothing else she can do.

“How old is he?” I ask.

“It doesn’t matter,” she says dismissively and starts to swing.

“Does he go to school with you?”

“No,” she says simply.

She looks back and sees me frowning.

“People tell me I’m very mature for my age,” she says reassuringly.

“Who does?” I demand.

“People,” she says vaguely with a shrug and keeps swinging while I sit there.

“One day, I’ll run away from here. Where they can’t control me.” She’s looking in the direction of her house as she says this and then turns to look at me with a big grin, “And I’ll live happily ever after!”

I smile back but the smile slips when she turns away. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard her complain about her parents. I don’t want her to leave me, but I don’t want her to spend the rest of her life being yelled at either. It was happening. She was getting older. There were more important things than playing games. And I do want her to live happily ever after.

I don’t want to make her mad by asking more questions, so I start swinging.

******

Even though the window is closed, I can still hear the scream of the owl. I try to ignore it but eventually get out of bed to see if I can shoo it away. I press my face against the cool glass, searching for the owl but there’s no white among the green leaves. I see them instead.

The fancy car is parked across the street right in front of my house. It’s partially hidden by branches but there is no mistaking it. The car is rocking. At first, I see one big shadow moving around inside but every once in a while, it separates and I realize the smaller shadow is Alana.

The owl isn’t shrieking anymore and it doesn’t feel right to keep watching. I know this is something meant for people much older than me. I climb back into bed but I can’t sleep.

******

Even though it’s gloomy the next morning, something sparkly catches my eye as I cross the street to enter our Kingdom. I snatch it up when I realize it’s one of the buttons from Alana’s favourite sweater. I brush off the dirt and put it deep in my pocket knowing she would be devastated if it got lost. I can’t wait to see her face when I give it back to her.

Several days go by though and I don’t see her. I see cops. They go up and down our street asking questions. All of the neighbors are in their front yards whispering to each other but not loud enough so I can hear. Eventually, my parents sit me down and tell me they can’t find Alana. I’m shocked. I knew she was going to leave; I just didn’t think it would be so soon. And I thought she would say goodbye.

My parents keep telling me it’s okay to talk about it but I’m afraid if I do, I might give something away. I start to worry that the police will question me too. I know I shouldn’t lie but I don’t want to break my promise to Alana either. Thankfully, when they try to talk to me, I act shy and my parents answer all of their questions for me. I glare at the officer when he isn’t looking. He doesn’t understand that Alana had to leave. I just want them to give up and leave it alone.

They didn’t give up though. Not for a long time. They searched her house. They searched the park. They searched the whole neighborhood. She didn’t leave a note, she didn’t even take any extra clothes. Just the clothes on her back, her favourite blue sweater. I’m glad I found the button before they did so I would have something to remember her by.

Eventually, the police stopped coming. People went back into their houses. The silence at Alana’s house was satisfying. She wasn’t there for her parents to yell at anymore. Sometimes, at night, I wake up and stare out the window at our Kingdom. I would have to rule it alone from now on. The princess was free. I hope they never find her.