Webisode 1: The McCrery Key, Part 1

The key. Everything revolved around the key. Stupid piece of metal. Willa McCrery stared at the shimmering silver scrap in her palm. It looked like a coin. The front had a tree imprinted on it; the back the McCrery family crest. According to Grammy's old tales, the crest was proof. The McCrery's were meant to guard the key.

Children’s stories. She’d believed them as a toddler, but it was time to grow up. She could hear her friends laughing behind her, mimicking her grandmother’s husky voice, her serious tone, telling the stories Grammy told. Her best friend Maddy wheezed, “The keys form a sword - one day, a knight will unite them all. Until then, we must guard this key. It is our destiny to do so!” She rose her hands up as Grammy always did, to emphasize the importance of her words. Everyone laughed.

“Stop it.” Willa snapped, crushing the coin in her first. She could feel the metal dig into her palm.

“We’re just having fun.” Maddy said, wrapping her arm around Willa’s shoulders. She smiled, prying open Willa’s fingers, to reveal the coin. “Lay off. It’s crazy and you know it. She’s wacked. I’m surprised they haven’t carted her off somewhere.”

Willa threw off Maddy’s arm. She picked up the beer bottle by her friend’s hip. “Drinking make’s you a bitch.” Throwing the bottle in a trash bin, she stalked out of Maddy’s house, making sure to slam the door real good.

The lights in Maddy’s parents’ bedroom turned on. Willa grinned. Seconds later, she heard yelling. A couple of other kids stormed out of the house. Willa watched them race down the street. Served the ingrates right. She hoped Mrs. Walters had gotten a good look at everyone’s faces.

Wind tugged at the trees as Willa walked. She pulled her coat tighter. It was late. Her grandmother would know something was wrong when she showed up – she was supposed to be sleeping over Maddy’s.

As she passed the cliffs, Willa stopped. Black water bashed against the rocks, sending foam into the air. The stars glittered overhead, just like the coin. When she was mad, or happy, the coin glowed like that. Willa opened her palm. It was doing it again. Glowing.

“It’s all lies.” Willa snapped. “I don’t know what you are. But you’re not special, and you’re ruining my life.”

Great. Willa thought. And now I’m talking to a coin. Perfect way to end the night.

Scowling, she pulled her arm back. “I’M SICK OF THIS!” She opened her hand. The coin flew out. Willa watched it arc, sailing over the cliff’s edge. Soon it was gone, into the sea.

“I’m free.” She whispered to the wind.

She’d tell Grammy she lost it. Or that Maddy stole it. Yeah, she’d tell her that – get Maddy in more trouble. Grinning, Willa pictured the headlines: “FIFTEEN YEAR OLD GETS DRUNK, STEALS PRICELESS FAMILY HEIRLOOM FROM BEST FRIEND.”

When she got home, her grandmother was in her study, smoking a cigar. She didn’t have any lights on. Instead, she’d brought in at least a hundred candles and lit them all.

“That’s got to be a fire hazard.” Willa said, leaning against the doorframe.

“Willy.” Grammy squinted, putting on her monocle. “What’re you doing here, darling?”

“The party got crazy. So I decided not to spend the night.” Willa said, going to sit on the study’s couch. “Booze. I didn’t have any.” That at least, was true. Probably the only honest thing she’d tell her grandmother.

“Good you came home, then.” Grammy put down the monocle. She gave the cigar one more puff, before putting it out. She didn’t like to smoke when Willa was around. “I ruined my lungs already,” She’d say, “But yours’ve still got a chance at a happy, healthy life. Like to keep it that way.”

Grammy leaned back in her cushy chair. “Something else happen?” There was a light in her eyes that Willa didn’t recognize. “Because I’ve got news.”

“No. Nothing happened.” Willa lied. She could tell her grandmother wanted to talk, and she wished she could wait until morning, but she needed to get this over with, “Well, no. Something did happen. I think Maddy may have…stolen the key. I had it when I went over, but I don’t have it now. She’s always teasing me about it. She was really hammered.”

Grammy paled. She pressed her hand to her heart, and immediately lit another cigar. “Special circumstances.” She said to Willa, pulling open a window. Cold sea-air blew in. “This is just awful. We have to go over there and get it back. Now.”

Willa opened her mouth, but didn’t say anything. It would probably be better to confront Maddy drunk, rather than sober, anyway. She’d say something stupid and convince Grammy of her guilt. Willa stood, brushing flower petals off her rump. Her grandmother liked to press flowers, the petals and leaves she didn’t deem worthy enough to save she’d just throw everywhere. Willa had gotten used to it.

In the hallway, Grammy turned to the kitchen, and then looked at the door. “We should tell him. It’s the best thing, being honest.”

“Tell who?” Willa asked, pulling at her split ends. She needed a trip to a salon, bad.

“The knight.”

Willa rolled her eyes. “I’m sure by the time he comes, we’ll have found it.” Yeah right, like he’d ever show up, her grandmother really was – “Who’s that?”

The kitchen door had opened. There was a guy standing across from them.

“That’s my news, dear.” Grammy grabbed Willa’s shoulders, squeezing them. “He’s here. The knight has come.”

Willa’s eyes widened. Huh. So, either Grammy had reached a whole new level of nuts and invited a random teenager into the house, or Willa had just made the biggest mistake of her life.