The Lost Continent

Prologue

Seven years ago, on this day, my father disappeared.

I remember the day very clearly, and although I tried, there was nothing I could do to ameliorate the painful memory. April 17th, it was a stormy day; the cold rain threw itself angrily upon the classroom windows. I looked out the window and saw that the once blue sky was now painted with the color of muted silver. Thunder shook the ground, and I swore I could see the tall, emerald trees quiver as each clap of thunder exploded from the sky. I remember coming out of the school that day, walking along side my two twin older brothers, we were all wearing raincoats, with the hoods pulled over our brown hair.

We stood out there for an hour, the rain never ceased. I suppose it looked like a scene from a depressing movie or something, three kids waiting in a torrential downpour for their father who was never going to show up.

Mrs. Presso, my old Second Grade Teacher, walked out of the building, her pink umbrella in hand. "Why Talos, Talon and Tallis Kawasaki," she said in her unusually and obnoxiously high-pitched voice, "What are you three still doing here?"

"Waiting for our father," Talos told her, with his voiced laced with no emotion and his face expressionless. She looked down through her black rimmed glasses at the watch that occupied her wrist.

"It's like 4:15, here you two come inside and we'll give him a call."

Three times she tried calling him, each one ending with more disparity. We tried our mother and she answered the phone. Mrs. Presso and her had a conversation and within minutes she was there at the door.

"Talos, Talon, Tallis I'm so sorry about this, thank you Mrs. Presso," our mother said, her Italian accent coming through as she spoke.

Mrs. Presso smiled and nodded her head and my mother took us both by the hand and led us to her car. She looked at Talos and Talon, "so, no word from your dad?"

"No, we tried calling him three times." You could see the look of worry that crossed her face. By the time we got home, my mother was already barking orders at us. "Tallis check the office, Talos check the basement, Talon check the attic and I'll check the other two floors."

I ran to the "office" (a.k.a. the garage), my rain boots splashing through the puddles. When I got to the door it was looked. "Dad!" I screamed loudly trying to wiggle the door handle. It wouldn't budge. I walked back about three yards and ran full speed at the door. To my amazement the brown mahogany door came crashing to the ground…to my demise…I went with it. I did two summersaults before I stopped rolling because I tumbled into the metal bench. I felt something scratch at my hand and I looked down and saw a nice bloody gash that completely circled around my now dripping wrist.

I held back any tears, and took off my raincoat and hung it up on a hook. I grabbed a paper towel and put it over my wrist. I surveyed the office. A calm mist circled the room, with every one of my dad's experiments lay either on the cement floor or hanging upon the ash covered walls. The only thing that was missing…my father.

My eyes caught something white that contrasted will all the dark and gloomy things that this office beheld. I ran over to it and grabbed it and saw that it was my dad's lab coat. The white coat was disrupted with large gashes singed with black around the edges. I laid it out on the ground, searching for a clue, a sign or anything. When I smoothed it out my hand caught something as it ran over the pocket. I pulled out what appeared to be three keys. They were something of the past. They were made of metal with a highly vintage look about them. I flipped them over and saw that they were engraved. One said TALOS, the other TALON, and the other TALLIS.

I heard footsteps splashing through puddles outside the desolate garage and quickly placed the cold keys into the pocket of my jeans. Talon burst open the door and I handed him the destroyed coat with one hand while I cradled the other. Talon took a look at the lab coat and then his eyes ventured around the office. I'll never forget that look on his face. His bright green eyes filled with so much sorrow yet his face did not show any pain. He extended his arm out and I took his hand with the one that wasn't bloody.

We walked into the house and my mother was on the phone with the police filing a missing persons report. Talon took me up to the bathroom and he removed the paper towel to reveal a gash that was so deep you could almost see the white bone. I saw Talos walk in and that was the last thing I remember before I blacked out.

The next thing I remember was lying upon a bed. I glanced around the room to be greeted with a man's face. The next thing I caught sight of was Talos and Talon; their green eyes were covered by their brown hair and they were sitting in the corner with my mother. I looked up at the man and he was putting a bandage around my wrist. I realized then that I was in the hospital. The man looked at me.

"Ah well look who's awake," the man said, "we got this all cleaned up for you." He went over and began talking to my mother and he handed her multiple papers. Talos came up to me and put his arm over my shoulders. Talon loomed behind him.

"How ya feeling kid?" he asked me.

"My wrist hurts," I muttered quietly. Talos understood that I didn't want to talk so he just sort of held me there until it was time to leave.

When we got home we all three went up to my room. Talon wearily glanced around the room. "Where do you think he is?"

I smiled sadly, "it's our father and he could be anywhere. For all we know we are sitting here curious of his disappearance and he's out there having lunch with the Dinosaurs."

Talos smiled at my statement. "We will find him guys, I promise, but remember whatever happens we're a family and I love you guys."

Three years ago, on this day, my brothers disappeared. Both gone in an instant. I was 14 and nearing the end of my middle school years. But when I got home that day, I was alone. I hopped off the bus and walked toward my house, surprised to find that the door was locked. When I managed to get the spare key and unlock the door, I was greeted by an eerie silence. They weren't there no one was. I ran to my room and ripped open a drawer that was attached to my nightstand. I flipped through it and was shocked when I pulled out a key…only one key. I had never given the keys to my brothers, the power that seemed to be held in them was incredible, and they always seemed to be leading me somewhere. To be honest, I was afraid, for good reason I presume.

They were 15 on that day. I had never been so upset in my life. My mother's reaction has been way worse. She has gone into denial now. She mutters to herself quietly all the time. Her once beautiful golden-blonde hair is now cut short and mangled all the time. I have tried to talk to her but she dismisses me as though I'm not there. As much as I hate to admit it, I have given up on her. She still supplies for me, when it comes to money, mainly off of an inheritance that we received from her grandfather, besides that, food and everything else is up to me. She hasn't left this stony crypt in three years. But it is what it is.

I haven't given up on the search for my family. I long to see either of their faces, my father had the happiest smile, the most perfect smile, which he passed on to Talos and Talon, their green eyes came from my mother's side of the family. My mother had always said I was just like my father, dark brown hair, with piercing blue eyes.

So today is the day I hate to think about, April 17th, the day that took my father and my brothers away from me. Today, the day I dread the absolute most, well today is my birthday.