A few minutes later I’m in my room with my phone, a blue marker, a pink marker, clear tape, and a printed picture of the black screen. 

I place the  tape over my phone flashlight and colour it blue, then I do the same thing with the pink marker. I turn off my lights and hold my flashlight over the paper. The words that were once practically invisible are now clear as day. I smile in triumph as I grab a notepad to write down the riddle. 

Harvard 

symbols 

Catholic horrors 

Find the snake charmers

Where we illuminate the uncovering 

I stare at  the words again. And again and again until it’s 12am and I'm no closer to finding this drop off point.  Harvard and symbols? Maybe they mean someone who studies symbols at Harvard.  Catholic Horrors? Well I mean it’s no secret that the catholic church did their fair share of horrible things in the old times. But is that still relevant today?  And Illuminate? My eyes wide as it finally pieces these clues together. Snake Charmers you are smart but you forgot one little detail. I’m smarter. 

Among millions of people. Trying and failing to escape from their own existence. I too can comfort in the escapism of a good book. . I’ve perused all the classics, I've dabbled in the autobiographies. But no matter how many books I read, or how many I love. None of them hold a candle to the Robert Langdon series. I don’t know if I could say it’s my favourite series, but it’s really unique. And really obvious, Imean the whole series is about a professor who looks for hidden clues in the catholic church, they’re always unsuspected and in plain sight. Perfect for the Snake charmers. 

“Good afternoon Mrs.Clinton” I say walking into the library. “Good morning dear”. She replies. Mrs. Clinton is the library of Redwood. Her own legacy unto this school. She’s been around longer than anyone. Seen it all. The graduations, the new buildings, the new principles, hirings, firings expulsions. Through all the motions typical of a school. Mrs. Clinton has been through the looking glass, watching, listening. And Rachel Young is no exception. She was there. Most likely the librarian from the tale. However her years and age take a toll. Her mind, although still sharp, has become weary. Small signs of dementia creep up on her. Yet still, She’s the beacon of Redwood nonetheless. 

“I was wondering where I might find the Robert Langdon series”. I ask.    “Of course”. She replies standing up from the desk. My eyes travel to the row of desk booths. Specifically the one that Rachel supposedly was in when she sat in that fateful night. Was it fateful? Where is she? 

“Right this way” Mrs.Clinton calls walking into the non fiction section. What, The Robert Langdon books are fiction they shouldn’t be here, Mrs.Clinton makes mistakes but not about books, never about books. “Right down there” She points, she turns and walks back to her desk. 

I head towards the series. 

“What are we doing here? I thought snake charmers don’t meet up during the day”? Calls a voice I recognise as Maddie ’s 

“Shh you can’t say that here”. Hisses a voice I don't know. 

I peek up from the bookshelf to see. Some year 11 girls I vaguely recognise as Sasha Maxies. A girl in year ten who I think is called Maria, and some girl i’ve never met. They’re talking to Maddie  and by the looks and sound of it they’re not even slightly happy. 

“We heard about that bet you made with that Roxanne girl. The one about Rachel Young”. Says Saha 

Maddie  folds her arms, “Yeah what of it”. 

“Call it off” Maria says 

“Why, The story isn’t real”. Replies Maddie  

“Look if we tell you something, will you promise to call off the bet”. Relies the girl. 

“Hm maybe” considers Maddie . 

Sasha turns to Maria and the other girl, she runs a hand through her long brown hair.

 “Fine, The story is real, all of it. Rachel did stay back and she did go missing, there was a note and a bloody handprint. It's all true, that’s why you need to stop it ok. The Snake charmers pass the secret down to every new member because we need to protect it. Our drug ring is involved in ways you can’t imagine”. 

Maddie  pauses wide eyed. “It’s real”? She whispers. “But I don't get it. How does this affect you?”. 

Maria replies defensively “We aren’t going to tell you the details. Your Friend Roxanne is smart. Even if she can’t find the murderer i’m sure by now she knows that the story is true, maybe even about us, Her mum went to Redwood, she was friends with some of the older girls in our drug ring. If she finds us and reports us we are all so  screwed.” 

A long pause. Then the  girl who’s name I don’t know speaks up. 

“Look you don’t get it, why would you, your parents are rich, you’re white, purebread privilege, We are smart kids who aren’t scholarship material, either we aren’t quite good  enough or we don’t match the schools image. Redwood talks a big game about being a haven for higher learning. But only for those who can pay their bogus fees. Everyone else has to go back to the shits. Being bored and wasting away in schools that won’t cater to smart kids. School’s that turn intelligence into average. We really don’t have much choice, we all do these deals and that’s how we pay our fees. Our supplier does our extra expenses as courtesy but the annual 30 grand comes out of our pocket. We stop dealing, he stops paying, we get caught, we go to jail. Big time.  You may get off easier but it won’t be scotch free, you buy from us, you may get lucky and be granted an appeal in court but the school won’t be so generous, you might feel   be valuable to them now but there are hundreds in line with their kids who will fish the exact same amount out of their pockets. You mean nothing to them. You’re just a tidy sum. Call off the bet and save all of our skins''.  The girl finishes. Silence echoes.
Maddie  sighs and after that whole speech all she can say is   “Fine I'll call it off”. 

My sleuthing did help me with Rachel's case but I did pay the price elsewhere. The rest of the day I was  challenged by hopeless distraction. My mind is consumed and conflicted by the ethical crisis. What cards do I play?  Do I report the Snake charmers? Dealing drugs is wrong but they're doing it for the right reasons? But a judge won’t appeal to that.  That girl was right they won’t be given a very fair trial, Maddie  on the other hand will come off almost fine. If she really thinks that everything will be dealt with fairly then I don’t trust to actually call off the bet. Addie was born into generational wealth. To her money and comfort is the real world and there aren't any two ways about it. She’s one of those girls that abuse their entitlement without realising it. She thinks that the right thing and the law are the same thing. So innocent yet so guilty. The world works for her. It won’t change. She hardly ever studies but somehow she’ll go to Sydney University and get a high paying job for no other reason than she matches that plan. 

“Ma, I need your help” I say over the phone after school.  

“Of course what is it?”. She asks

“Um i found the snake charmers but. Look, do you have the girl's details who ran the ring when you were there”.  Not wanting to commit to the burden of witness just yet. 

“Yeah, here I’ll send them to you,” she says. A few seconds later I received  a message. It was a phone number. 

“Look Rocks before you hang up you need to know something”. 

“Yeah, what is it?”. I press

“Look if it was any other kid I'd leave you to it. And not because you’re my kid but because you're Rocks. Ok you’re smart. You have a really big chance of cracking this. And I mean all of it. But there’s a reason that every new Snake Charmer knows the truth about Rachel Young, there’s a reason that Rachel is viewed as a myth, there is a reason that these secrets are buried, that they stayed buried. You need to tread carefully. There are things that you know that the police were never aware of. Don’t open anything that you can’t shut”. 

My mother showed actual human compassion towards  me. The forigen feeling stilled seemed comforting. 

 “Look Ma  I hear you, I'll be fine”. I tell her with no trace of doubt in my voice yet somehow it feels like a lie. Like I’m making a promise I can’t keep. Maybe even that I have no intention of trying to keep.