Ammon News - AMMONNEWS- My name is Abdullah Elqadri I am a Jordanian and came from America 5 years ago when I was only 13. I am now 18 and I wrote a book about a year ago and Ammon news was kind enough to allow me to publish my book two chapters weekly on their website.


Circle of Secrets by: Abdullah Sharaf Elqadri

Chapter Three

I might have slept when I was writing in my “diary,” and what woke me up at twelve in the afternoon was a big crash emerging from downstairs. I was too tired to go downstairs, but I had to figure out what in the world it was so I could stop it and go back to bed. I put on my robe and walked down the stairs slowly and yawning, I was too tired to any emotions, because if I wasn’t I would have been really pissed at their broken huge window.

“Well Victoria is going to be very pissed,” I said as I looked at the broken glass that lay around Victoria’s door.

I didn’t notice Victoria was behind me until she spoke and startled me, “What the hell is wrong with you Jack, of course I don’t like this one bit, what is going on, where are all the guards?” she said, coming at of nowhere making me jump.
I should have never opened my mouth but I did anyways. “Well, I am sorry to say your guards are nowhere to be found and that your window is broken, and all the glass are scattered around throughout your living room.”

I felt a slap on my forehead, it was Sam. “Don’t be dumb Jack; I think she already knew that.”
Victoria sighed, and turned to Sam. “What do you think little sis, who do you think did this?” I couldn’t hear her answer because I was too busy looking for a clue, and as I played detective, I did find a note.
“Hey guys, I found a note,” I said rushing into a pile of glass acting like a hero, I was massively cut on my left hand. I got out of the pile and went straight to them; luckily Sam saw me bleed and brought me a towel for my cut.
“I think we need to take him to the hospital,” Sam insisted.
“Thank you for caring Sam,” I said, then exchanging smiles with her.
Impatiently, Victoria took the note and read it out loud ignoring Sam’s request. As she started reading I pushed on my wound.
“It’ll be alright Jack,” Sam reassured me.

“Just let me read this out loud for you; it’s typed,” Victoria said and began to read: “Jack, I don’t think you listen, didn’t I tell you not to trust anyone, but luckily for you, I have decided to arrange a meeting with you. Meet me at your restaurant, yes the one you and Victoria went to, at noon, don’t be late.”
I couldn’t feel any emotion at this time, because I felt I was going to faint, but I did notice the fear in Sam and Victoria’s eyes. I was losing my consciousness, but I was still able to hear Sam’s and Victoria’s fight.
“Victoria you must tell him everything.”
“No, it’s too risky.”
“He is one of us!” Sam pleaded.
“Still, we can’t take any risks,” Victoria said, looking straight at me as I fell to the ground, and the last thing I heard was her dialing 911.

When I woke up, I was surprised I was in a hospital bed, I thought it was only a cut. I noticed a doctor coming closer to me, before he came any closer I took a quick look at my hand, and I noticed the cut was gone.
“Ah, I see you have awoken,” the doctor said.
“Yeah thanks Doc, am I okay?”
“Yes, you’re going to be fine, you just needed a few stitches, luckily you weren’t cut at the wrist, you would have been a goner. Next time be careful.”
“Thanks Doc, I will, may I leave now?”
“Yes you may, your friends are waiting outside, just get dressed and you can be on your way.” The doctor said kindly.
I got dressed and went out to my good friends, Sam and Victoria, with a big smile because I was just glad I was still alive to find out who I truly am. I found Sam and Victoria arguing in the waiting room area. I whistled and Sam was the one who ran up to hug me, but Victoria walked slowly with a smile.
“Why aren’t you friendly?” I teased.

“Here is your bill,” The doctor said, “Please pay at the front counter.”
“Oh shit, how will I be able to pay for this?” I said, worrying, then out of nowhere Sam snatched my bill away and whispered to Victoria, all I saw was a nod.
“No worries we’ll pay your bill,” Sam offered.

“I owe you guys so much, thank you!”
Later on I got home and I was advised to sleep by the sisters, but I refused, so they both sat on my bed as I lay down.

“You know you need to go tomorrow,” Sam blurted out to me.
“Oh my God Sam, we don’t need to talk about this.” Victoria argued.
` “Look if you guys are hiding something from me then maybe I should find someone else to tell me what’s going on,” I said, making them both sigh. “What was that all about?”
“What was what?” they both asked at the same time, turning to each other and back to me.

“Your sighs, what do they mean?” I questioned.
“Nothing Jack you know that we only—”
“Care about you,” Sam said continuing Victoria’s sentence.
“Can you please not to do that?” Victoria complained.
“Do what?”

“Complete my sentences,” Victoria demanded.
As the sisters started fighting with each other, I escaped to the world of my thoughts, but this time my thoughts revolved around this mysterious person that wanted to meet me tomorrow night. I snapped out of my world and back to reality.
“Why does that bother you?” Sam said to Victoria.
“Well I think it’s cute,” I said, interrupting.
“Shut up Jack!” they both yelled at me. I honestly couldn’t take their arguing anymore. I pretended I was sleeping; I am guessing they fell for it because they left.

After an hour, I woke up hearing myself yelling, which made Sam rush in and ask if I was okay.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Sam asked, and then slapped me helping me back into reality.

“Ouch and thanks.” Since I was very confused, I didn’t mind her slapping me, but that didn’t really matter because my dream was awkward as if it was a memory of my past. Just like the flashbacks I had, apparently my memories can come back through my dreams.

“Were you dreaming about something?” Sam asked, sitting right next to me.
“Yeah, how did you possibly know that?” I asked.
“You kind of yelled… and I had to slap you to get your attention,” she explained.

“Right, now that you have my attention, I think my dream was a memory.”
“Really, that’s great, what was it?”
“It was something about my ex-girlfriend.”
“Who’s your ex?”
“I am guessing it’s Catherine.”
“Catherine, the girl you used to date?”
“Yes her, how did you know?” I asked.
“I just do, but what’s wrong?” she said putting her hand on my lap. I reached for her hand.

“I think I am a bad person, am I a bad person?” I honestly didn’t want to talk about my dream because it was weird, something that shouldn’t be repeated out loud. In my head I had already decided to go and visit this secret admirer of mine.
“No you’re not, whatever it was, it was only a dream.”
I squeezed her hand, and smiled at her. “You’re amazing you know that?” I smiled at her. “I am going to meet my secret admirer.”
“I don’t think you ever will have one of those Jack.” she teased.
“Aren’t you funny?”

“Very. Anyways I am going to take a nap.” Sam got up and kissed me on my cheek, and left, leaving me with a smile. Even though I couldn’t share my dreams, I thought writing about them in my notebook would be the best way to go.

Date: 2012 January 5th, Saturday night

Today was a painful and confusing day, I honestly don’t know what I am doing, or what I am going to do, my dream was horrible, but mostly confusing. Catherine was there, we were arguing, but I don’t know about what, but I saw her giving me a wedding ring. I don’t know who it was for; it might have been for me, but still weird. If I was married why hasn’t anyone informed me of it? I have a feeling I do have to be careful who I trust even if it’s Sam and Victoria. I hope I didn’t hurt anyone in the past. My life is really irritating, I still have so many questions, but I hope by tomorrow it will change, because tomorrow I am going to find out who keeps writing me those letters warning me about who to trust.

I heard footsteps, so I quickly put away my notebook so no one would realize it’s like a diary, which wouldn’t be manly at all. After I hid my notebook, I saw Sam and Victoria walk in to sit. Before they sat I held out my hand to stop them, “Wait, if you’re going to sit, no arguing.” I said.
“Don’t worry Jack.” Sam laughed turning to Victoria. I noticed Sam’s excitement through her eyes; on the other hand I noticed Victoria’s regret for what she was about to say. Victoria smiled and opened her mouth then closed it, she did this twice.
“Spit it out Victoria, please!” I asked impatiently.
“Well Jack,” Victoria started softly, and then sighed. “I have decided you can go.”

“Great, but I didn’t ask you, I already decided I wanted to go.”
“Jack, trust me, I want to tell you what happened to you, but Victoria won’t let me tell you,” Sam said.

“It’s not that I don’t want you to know, it’s because no one knows what happened to you,” Victoria explained.

“But why does it seem like you’re hiding something?” I asked. Thinking back, I have noticed Sam saying the words “Just tell him.”
“Jack, look at me.” Victoria came closer to me and looked me straight in the eyes. “That’s a whole different subject so just forget about it, basically you vanished, we couldn’t find you.”

“What, I did?” I said confused. I vanished, but how can anyone on earth just vanish?

“Yes, the last time we knew where you were was like what…”
“Two years ago?” Sam finished Victoria’s sentence, making Victoria glare at her. At this moment I was thinking of my dream, if I vanished could it be after that dream, or before. If my dream showed me a memory then I am guessing I hurt Catherine.

“But did you guys try to look for me?” I asked curiously.
“You’re kidding me right?” Sam laughed. “We had the best people look all over New York for you, because this is where you were last.”
“Well, I was washed up on the shores of California!” I yelled.
“We didn’t know then,” Sam started.
“We are really sorry Jack, but we tried.” Victoria finished their combined sentence.
“It’s alright; I am going to bed guys, long day tomorrow.”

I had been sleeping a lot lately because of my wound; I remembered the doctor saying that I might get tired because I lost a good amount of blood. The only reason I was awake now is because today was a big day for me, and another thing, Sam jumped on my bed, thinking that was the best way to wake me up.
“Wake up Jack,” Sam said.

“I am trying.” I said, as I tried to go back to sleep.
“It’s almost noon! You sleep too much,” she teased.
“Just five more minutes, it won’t hurt,” I said, trying to convince her.
“Jack, your five minutes will last an hour, don’t make me force you to get off this bed, like I used to a long time ago.”
“Yeah, Yeah,” I said, turning my face to hers. She was lying right next to me, looking very cute in her pajamas.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked with a smile.
“I was thinking how harmless you are,” I said with a smile.
“Really Jack, I am not that harmless.” I had to learn the hard way; she wasn’t harmless at all, because of what I said I ended up on the ground. Surprisingly she had strength, because she put one foot on my face and the other on my stomach and pushed me off the bed.

“Ouch, what was that for?” I asked as I looked up at her from the ground.
“For not getting up on time, let’s go,” Sam said looking over me now. “I thought you wanted to know about your past and find who you truly are,” she said as she put out a hand to help me up.

Only reason I was able to get out of drowsiness was because of her motivating words: it was all true, I wanted to find answers. I let Sam pull me up, but we kept holding hands, and without thinking, I turned to Sam’s blue eyes and I leaned to kiss her. Unfortunately Victoria walked in saying, “Come on Jack you’re late,” making Sam and I our hands and move away from each other, even though Victoria only said four words, she left, making things awkward between me and Sam.
“Um, I better get dressed now,” I said hesitantly.

“Yeah, of course,” Sam said, I noticed she was giving a small smile as she walked out. Great, now I was stuck with living with no memories, and a new memory I could have made with Sam, a girl I might like. I honestly had no idea how I would be able to think about my love life at this time. I was supposed to be looking for my past, my true identity. Only thing I might know for sure is I was married, or engaged, I didn’t exactly understand my dream. As I thought about my “interesting” life I have been living, I was suiting up for this mysterious person, or secret admirer, lucky me.

When I was ready, I walked down the stairs to see Sam and Victoria waiting impatiently for me, but I didn’t realize they were going to stare at me for not having a tie, I started to look at them with the same surprised faces they were giving me; that sure did not fix anything.

“Why aren’t you wearing a tie?” Victoria asked.
“Uh, why does it matter?” I answered.

“I don’t think it does.” Sam said joining our ridiculous argument.
Victoria turned to glare at Sam. “Just because you were about to kiss Jack, doesn’t mean you have to side with him,” Victoria harshly said.
“Just because I got a guy doesn’t mean you have to be so jealous that I can find someone and you can’t, that’s why you interrupted us when we were about to kiss,” Sam snapped back.

“Would you guys please relax?” throwing in those five little words in their fight just made it worse for me, so I decided to slip out the front door as they fought. I honestly didn’t want to bring them with me they would just argue, nevertheless, I was very nervous because this wasn’t a date or anything; it was a person who threw threats at me, literally.




to be continued next Saturday



*the Novel's cover photo