Julie Kagawa - The Iron King

The Ghost in the Computer

Ten years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.

No, he didnt leave. Leaving would imply suitcases and empty drawers, and late birthday cards with ten-dollar bills stuffed inside. Leaving would imply he was unhappy with Mom and me, or that he found a new love elsewhere. None of that was true. He also did not die, because we wouldve heard about it. There was no car crash, no body, no police mingling about the scene of a brutal murder. It all happened very quietly.

On my sixth birthday, my father took me to the park, one of my favorite places to go at that time. It was a lonely little park in the middle of nowhere, with a running trail and a misty green pond surrounded by pine trees. We were at the edge of the pond, feeding the ducks, when I heard the jingle of an ice cream truck in the parking lot over the hill. When I begged my dad to get me a Creamsicle, he laughed, handed me a few bills, and sent me after the truck.

That was the last time I saw him.

Later, when the police searched the area, they discovered his shoes at the edge of the water, but nothing else. They sent divers into the pond, but it was barely ten feet down, and they found nothing but branches and mud at the bottom. My father had disappeared without a trace.

For months afterward, I had a recurring nightmare about standing at the top of that hill, looking down and seeing my father walk into the pond. As the water closed over his head, I could hear the ice cream truck singing in the background, a slow, eerie song with words I could almost understand. Every time I tried to listen to them, however, Id wake up.

Not long after my fathers disappearance, Mom moved us far away, to a tiny little hick town in the middle of the Louisiana bayou. Mom said she wanted to start over, but I always knew, deep down, that she was running from something.

It would be another ten years before I discovered what.

M Y NAME IS M EGHAN C HASE .

In less than twenty-four hours, Ill be sixteen years old.

Sweet sixteen. It has a magical ring to it. Sixteen is supposed to be the age when girls become princesses and fall in love and go to dances and proms and such. Countless stories, songs, and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine for her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset.

I didnt think it would be that way for me.

The morning before my birthday, I woke up, showered, and rummaged through my dresser for something to wear. Normally, Id just grab whatever clean-ish thing is on the floor, but today was special. Today was the day Scott Waldron would finally notice me. I wanted to look perfect. Of course, my wardrobe is sadly lacking in the popular-attire department. While other girls spend hours in front of their closets crying, What should I wear? my drawers basically hold three things: clothes from Goodwill, hand-me-downs, and overalls.

I wish we werent so poor. I know pig farming isnt the most glamorous of jobs, but youd think Mom could afford to buy me at least one pair of nice jeans. I glared at my scanty wardrobe in disgust. Oh, well, I guess Scott will have to be wowed with my natural grace and charm, if I dont make an idiot of myself in front of him.

I finally slipped into cargo pants, a neutral green T-shirt, and my only pair of ratty sneakers, before dragging a brush through my white-blond hair. My hair is straight and very fine, and was doing that stupid floating thing again, where it looked like Id jammed my finger up an electrical outlet. Yanking it into a ponytail, I went downstairs.

Luke, my stepfather, sat at the table, drinking coffee and leafing through the towns tiny newspaper, which reads more like our high school gossip column than a real news source. Five-legged calf born on Pattersons farm, the front page screamed; you get the idea. Ethan, my four-year-old half brother, sat on his fathers lap, eating a Pop-Tart and getting crumbs all over Lukes overalls. He clutched Floppy, his favorite stuffed rabbit, in one arm and occasionally tried to feed it his breakfast; the rabbits face was full of crumbs and fruit filling.

Ethan is a good kid. He has his fathers curly brown hair, but like me, inherited Moms big blue eyes. Hes the type of kid old ladies stop to coo at, and total strangers smile and wave at him from across the street. Mom and Luke dote on their baby, but it doesnt seem to spoil him, thank goodness.

Wheres Mom? I asked as I entered the kitchen. Opening the cabinet doors, I scoured the boxes of cereal for the one I liked, wondering if Mom remembered to pick it up. Of course she hadnt. Nothing but fiber squares and disgusting marshmallow cereals for Ethan. Was it so hard to remember Cheerios?

Luke ignored me and sipped his coffee. Ethan chewed his Pop-Tart and sneezed on his fathers arm. I slammed the cabinet doors with a satisfying bang.

Wheres Mom? I asked, a bit louder this time. Luke jerked his head up and finally looked at me. His lazy brown eyes, like those of a cow, registered mild surprise.

Oh, hello, Meg, he said calmly. I didnt hear you come in. What did you say?

I sighed and repeated my question for the third time.

She had a meeting with some of the ladies at church, Luke murmured, turning back to his paper. She wont be back for a few hours, so youll have to take the bus.

I always took the bus. I just wanted to remind Mom that she was supposed to take me to get a learners permit this weekend. With Luke, it was hopeless. I could tell him something fourteen different times, and hed forget it the moment I left the room. It wasnt that Luke was mean or malicious, or even stupid. He adored Ethan, and Mom seemed truly happy with him. But, every time I spoke to my stepdad, he would look at me with genuine surprise, as if hed forgotten I lived here, too.

I grabbed a bagel from the top of the fridge and chewed it sullenly, keeping an eye on the clock. Beau, our German shepherd, wandered in and put his big head on my knee. I scratched him behind the ears and he groaned. At least the dog appreciated me.

Luke stood, gently placing Ethan back in his seat. All right, big guy, he said, kissing the top of Ethans head. Dad has to fix the bathroom sink, so you sit there and be good. When Im done, well go feed the pigs, okay?