Kyle Riley and The Secret of the Golden Bracelet

Kyle Riley and 

The Secret of the Golden Bracelet 

Kyle Riley wasn't surprised when mean-old Mr.Grant returned his history test with an ugly red F circled obnoxiously on the page. Kyle had studied his butt off for the test. He'd memorized the names of each Roman Emperor and the period that they ruled. Of course, Kyle had forgotten that only a quarter of the exam would be on Rome. He hadn't studied the Ancient Greeks or Phoenicians at all.

Failure was nothing new to Kyle. After all, he had worse luck than anyone he knew. Misfortune followed him wherever he went. For instance, he was a middle child and the least popular of his siblings. Kyle's sister, Clara, was two years older than him. If she was a loser like Kyle, it wouldn't be so bad, but she was one of the most popular girls in the school. In fact, the only time older boys were nice to Kyle was when they thought it would earn them points with Clara. It never took long for them to realize that she didn't care what he thought. He was pretty sure that she didn't want people to know they were related. Of course, Clara adored their younger brother, baby Tommy. He just turned three last month, and he was the focal point of Clara's Instagram. 

Kyle loved Tommy, even though he hogged all the attention. He liked that Tommy looked at him lovingly, and laughed at his corny jokes. Kyle wished kids his own age were as easy to get along with as Tommy. 

The high-pitched bell sent waves of joy through Mr.Grant's class, as students stuffed their papers into their bags, and fled. "Don't forget to read the chapter on serfdom." Mr.Grant sounded like a captain reminding everyone abandoning ship to do their chores.

Unlike the other students, Kyle took his time packing. His next class was a short walk across Hall C. He exited the classroom with caution, clutching the strings on his backpack tightly. 

Not today, please not today. 

"Well if it isn't little Kyle Rile!" The crackly voice belonged to Dustin Walker, the greasy-haired, 11th grader, who had developed a passion for picking on Kyle.

Dustin always started his day in the classroom that Kyle went to second, meaning they crossed paths every morning. Dustin was flanked by his goon squad, Kyle didn't know their names but he called them Big Ugly and Bigger Ugly. They circled him, like sharks surrounding a defenseless seal. Students darted passed them, paying Kyle and his tormentors no mind. The hallway was sandwiched by rows of rusty-red lockers, and the floor looked like it was white at one point, but was now the color of overly buttered popcorn.

Dustin said, "Time to pay the hall tax." This was apparently hysterical to the Uglies

Kyle pleaded, "I don't have any money today ... please just let me through." He felt the space around him shrinking. 

"Aw he don't have any mwoney today," Dustin said in a babyish voice, "should we let ittle bwaby Kyle off the hwook?" His henchmen shook their heads and cackled. Dropping the baby voice, Dustin said, "No. If we do that he has no motivation to have the tax tomorrow."

Suddenly, Dustin dug his hands under Kyle's armpits and lifted him off the ground. The pain made Kyle's eyes swell with tears, which he desperately tried to keep at bay. Dustin smelt like the inside of a can of Axe Body Spray, Kyle began to choke on the scent, coughing violently into Dustin's white shirt.

Dustin shouted, "Ew! I don't want your germs on me!" 

Like a parent pushing a child on a swing, Dustin pulled Kyle backward, then hurled him across the hall. Kyle landed on his stomach and slid until his momentum was stopped by a row of lockers. Dustin and crew, strutted away, high-fiving and laughing. 

Kyle had a perfect view of the space between the lockers and the ground. The bell rang, indicating that the second period had begun, but Kyle didn't move. He wanted to make sure he was alone in the hall before getting to his feet. He found himself staring beneath the lockers, at a colony of filth, gum, and crumpled papers. He wondered how long all that junk had been there? 

Suddenly, a glimmer caught his eye. Behind a pencil with bite marks, Kyle could see a gold bracelet. Instinctively, he reached for it, doing his best to avoid any rouge pieces of chewing gum, he carefully maneuvered his small hand behind the pencil and joined his ring and index fingers together like tweezers to pluck the object off the ground. 

Kyle stood and gazed at the bracelet. It was shiner than anything he'd seen in his life and it was surprisingly heavy. It looked like a gold halo, with tiny specs of sapphire spread neatly along the inner circle. He knew nothing about jewelry, but he could tell it was valuable. He couldn't understand why it had been left under a locker. Surely, somebody was missing it?

Or maybe my luck is finally turning around.

He decided it was time to go to class, if he arrived after the second bell rang, he would be in serious trouble. He slipped the bracelet onto his wrist and dashed down the hall... 

He nearly fell over trying to avoid a collision with the person standing behind him. "Sorry..." Kyle started to say but his words clung dryly to the back of his throat. Floating before him was not a person but the most bizarre creature he had ever seen. Its body looked like a stretched-out football, only it was bright blue, like the sky on a summer day. It had two paper-thin white wings, which featured a series of golden polka dots. The creature's head sat atop its body, like a bulbously blue Jack-O-Lantern. Its eyes looked like bulging black saucers, its mouth was cartoonishly large, and it had no nose. Its mouth opened shockingly wide and it said, 

"Congrats to you who have found, 

My special treasure on the ground.

I am Bow-Bow, 

I know you're thinking Wow! Wow!"

Kyle yanked the bracelet off his wrist, there was a wheezing sound like a deflating balloon, and the creature vanished. He tucked the gold bracelet into his pant pocket and ran to class. 

He arrived a moment before the second bell rang. He was breathing heavily, Lily Wineman, with the strawberry-blonde hair, glanced at him and then giggled at Lexa Daugherty. Kyle felt his hurt fluttering in his chest, he wondered if they knew what had happened? He had a dreadful realization, could they think he had been talking to himself? Even worse, could he have been? 

Then it occurred to him that he had been tossed across the hall before that thing appeared, was it possible that he had hit his head? He ran his hand across his skull, checking for bumps, and was disappointed not to find any. Much to his relief, Mrs.Thomas began class, although that didn't stop several students from eyeing him suspiciously. Kyle wished he had crawled under the locker instead of pulling the treasure out. 

Twenty minutes into the lesson, Mrs.Thomas told the students to partner up for a lab involving owl pellets. While the other students paired off, Kyle sheepishly approached his teacher, "Um... Mrs.Thomas, I'm not feeling too well." She raised a bushy eyebrow at him. This was not the first time he'd asked to leave the room when it was time to work in pairs. 

A few minutes later, he was in the school's private bathroom, the only one he ever used. He took a deep breath, and slid the bracelet back on, 

"Congrats to you who have found , 

My special treasure on the ground."

It was the exact same creature, Kyle realized that it looked like a giant butterfly. It was nearly as tall as Kyle (who was a little over five-foot) but its body was segmented into a chunky center and a slender bottom. Upon seeing Kyle, It stopped its rhyme. Kyle wondered if the creature was mad that he cut it off before, 

"Oh joy! 

You good boy. 

You came back for Bow-Bow!

Now-Now, 

I must insist. 

That you keep me on your wrist.

Otherwise, I have no place,

Bow-Bow goes erase!"

A million thoughts ran through Kyle's head, he wasn't sure what to do but at least the creature seemed friendly. Kyle found his voice, "I'm sorry, but what exactly are you?"

Bow-Bow spun around like a dreidel in mid-air, the spots on his wings changed from gold to bright pink, and they seemed to be dancing, 

"I am happy to tell me tale,

See that bracelet is like my jail 

Bound to it is Bow-Bow 

Nobody wear it, then no Bow-Bow"

Kyle was half listening and half trying to figure out if he could have accidentally swallowed any drugs. He realized that Bow-Bow had stopped talking, and was politely waiting for him to respond, "So you're saying that you're only alive when somebody wears this bracelet?" He pointed to his wrist.

Bow-Bow nodded twice. Kyle couldn't help but feel bad for him, but he didn't think he could be any help to the creature. "Look Bow-Bow, I'm sorry that you're trapped, but I really can't have you following me around everywhere ..." 

For a moment, Bow-Bow's wings sagged and his polka dots shriveled and became lavender, then he flipped in the air, and the dots regained their pink coloring, 

"Never fear! 

For nobody will see that I'm here.

Only the one with the brace, 

Can see my handsome face!"

Once again Bow-Bow went silent, waiting for Kyle to answer, "So you're invisible to everyone else?" Bow-Bow nodded twice. "Well I don't want you to be erased... so I'll keep it on for now. But is there any way that you can be set free?" 

Bow-Bow bounced around wildly, ricocheting off the walls like a ping-pong ball. Finally, he exclaimed, 

"Wahoooo! Bow-Bow is delighted! 

And your choice will be proven righted! 

I am loyal beyond compare, 

Defend you to the ends of this dimension, I swear!"

Bow-Bow flipped around two more times, then started again, 

"Yes, Bow-Bow can be set free,

But it's impossible, please believe me.

For in order to do so you see, 

You must convince someone that I am with thee."

Now Bow-Bow froze, and Kyle could tell that it was his turn to speak, "So you're saying that for you to be released, I have to convince somebody who can't see you that you exist?" Bow-Bow nodded twice. 

Kyle decided to keep Bow-Bow, at least for a few days. He returned to class and was happy to find that nobody could see Bow-Bow. The creature floated happily behind him, not making a single sound.Oddly enough, the rest of Kyle's day was normal. He went to Math, then ELA, and he ate his lunch in the computer lab. During all of this, Bow-Bow silently shadowed him, Kyle had to admit, that he liked the company.

The last period of the day was Gym, Kyle's least favorite class. To make matters worse, it was dodgeball day. Gym was taught by Coach Jackson, a sweaty bald man, who reminded Kyle of Donkey Kong. Coach split the class into two teams, who went to opposite sides of the basketball court. Much to Kyle's dismay, Dustin and his henchmen were on the opposing team. Dustin eyed Kyle like a piece of meat, licking his lips and pointing at him menacingly. Coach blew the whistle, and students either ran to the center to retrieve a ball or stayed as far back as possible, Kyle was in the latter category. He watched in horror as Dustin and his minions each secured a ball, and prepared to fire it at him like they throwing a javelin. He braced for the impact, shielding his face with his arms, and that's when he spotted Bow-Bow. The creature had jetted across the court, putting himself between the Dodgeballs and Kyle, his wings fanned the balls back at the bullies, striking each in the face. Coach blew his whistle, "Dustin, O'Brian, Lawerence, you three are out!" Confused and embarrassed, they went to the bench. Bow-Bow was hovering over Dustin, sticking out his absurdly large tongue and singing, 

"Big and mean!

Ugly and unclean! 

Don't know how to math, 

You equals need a bath!"

Bow-Bow was laughing hysterically as he mocked them, then he zipped across the room back to Kyle. He almost thanked Bow-Bow, but stopped himself, knowing he would look crazy.

After gym, Matt Zucker and Aiden Cole, who Kyle had been friends with in elementary school, congratulated him on getting Dustin and his friends out. Kyle didn't know what to say, so he just said, "Thank you, it really wasn't a big deal." 

"Not a big deal huh?" Kyle realized he'd made a huge mistake. 

Dustin lumbered towards him, putting a beefy finger in his face, "I don't know how you did that, but you're going to pay. Tomorrow, you're a dead man." He spat on Kyle's shoes and stormed away. Every boy in the locker room saw the encounter, they watched with the judgmental eyes that Kyle knew too well. But this time, he got the feeling that they weren't judging him. 

He headed to the parking lot to meet Clara, who had been driving them to school for the past three months in a used maroon sedan, that smelled like old cigarettes. Despite Dustin's threat, Kyle was feeling upbeat. It was hard to feel scared when he had an invisible guardian. 

Usually, Clara and Kyle drove in silence, so Kyle was surprised when she asked, "What happened with Dustin?" 

"What do you mean?" He decided to play dumb. 

"I just overheard him saying he's going to beat you senseless tomorrow." 

"Oh. He kinda does that every day." He hoped she would drop it. 

She said, "Ugh. I'm sorry Kyle." 

"Why are you sorry?" 

"I just mean ... Nobody should treat you like that." Quickly wanting to seem less kind she added, "or anyone for that matter." 

Even with the modification, it was the nicest thing she'd ever said to him. He always thought that she wanted nothing to do with him, but could he have been wrong about that?Kyle ran straight to his room and locked the door. "Thank you for earlier!" Bow-Bow zipped around his room, and started bouncing on his twin bed, 

"Meanies make Bow-Bow oh so mad,

Tomorrow we send them crying home to Dad! 

Kyle laughed, "Bow-Bow, why does everything you say rhyme?" He sighed cartoonishly and said,

"It's part of my curse

But things could always be worse!"

Kyle just remembered that Bow-Bow wasn't here voluntarily. He felt a twinge of guilt, but the strange creature still seemed happy. 

A voice called out from under Kyle's bed, "Who talking to Ky?" Tommy had a habit of hiding in Kyle's room. 

"Nobody Tommy." He said, but then he had an idea, "Actually Tommy, can you keep a secret?" 

"Secret! Secret!" Tommy said while bobbing his head up and down. 

"I have a special friend here named Bow-Bow, he kind of looks like a butterfly but he's giant and only I can see him." 

Tommy's eyes had grown wide, and he said, "I want to see! I want to see! I want friends with Bow-Bow!" 

There was a popping sound, like an exploding balloon, suddenly the bracelet on Kyle's wrist felt much lighter and Bow-Bow was gone. 

"Where Bow-Bow?" Tommy whined. 

"He's free," Kyle said with a smile. 

The next day, Kyle thought about staying home but decided he would face Dustin by himself. Although Bow-Bow had only been his for a day, he had given Kyle a feeling of confidence that he'd never had before. When first period ended, Kyle didn't stall for time, he left the room with everyone else. Dustin and his goons were already waiting for him. Dustin was wearing a tight black shirt, that made his muscles look larger than they were. The bullies pounded their fists together, as they encircled Kyle. Unlike before, Kyle could tell that students were stopping to see what would happen. 

"You're not even getting a chance to pay the hall tax today! You're dead..." 

A voice cut across the hall, "Hey!" It was Clara. She marched towards Dustin, and pushed herself in front of Kyle, "Do you really think picking on my brother is going to make me like you? Or what? Do you think you won't be the laughingstock of our grade if you keep bullying freshmen?" 

Dustin's face reminded Kyle of the pink polka dots on Bow-Bows wings. For a moment, Kyle worried that he was going to hit Clara, but he simply said, "Sorry..." And scurried away.

She turned to him and said, "What are you looking at? Don't you have class?" She walked away, but Kyle noticed a faint smile cross her face. 

The rest of Kyle's day was great, he even had lunch with Aiden and Matt, and they said he could eat with them anytime. When he got in the car, Clara looked at him, and he thought she was going to yell at him for embarrassing her, but she said, "Cool bracelet." 

He wanted to tell her it was his good luck charm, but instead, he said, "Thanks, I'm trying a new look."