“I have a bike. It’s actually in the carpark.”

“The black one? That’s yours? There were some people from the shop admiring it when we went past. It’s a nice looking bike. Looks very powerful too.”

“Phil! You can’t have it so don’t even think about it." He whirled back to me. "How old are you anyway Willow? You don’t seem old enough to have a license that allows for that bike. I didn’t see a plate either.” And now Dexter was onto me. Just what I needed. I knew I shouldn’t have said I have one. Or at least not that it was here.

“I’m 17." They looked at me expectantly. I might as well just confess. "And I may not have a licence that allows the bike. Or possibly any vehicle.” They all gapped at me. Apparently they didn’t think I was the law-breaking type.

Phillip shook his head. "There's no way that’s true. You probably have never even seen that bike till today. You probably know all that stuff from a family member or off the internet. You have to just be a complete motorbike geek with lots of free time and good research. That can’t be true.” Oh, Phil. Ever the sceptic. How I wish you had the same ability as Dexter.

“Uh, I think she’s telling the truth, Phillip. What do you guys think?”

The others all agreed with Dexter. I’m glad they have the same idea. Makes life so much easier.

“Thank you. And Phil, it is true. I could show you later even. Though since we have finished, midday isn’t getting any further away I think we should get ready.”

Hayden checked his watch. “Shit. We don’t have much longer. It’s already 10.”

“Split up? Two groups of three. We’ll cover more ground and get more people on board. I don’t know how we’ll get everyone in though.” Ava had pulled out a map and was looking over it, tracing lines and muttering numbers.

“I have an idea for that too. But first I’m going to need to go to that motorbike store you mentioned.”

This gave me five surprised and confused stares.

“You’ll see. But we won’t need to split up. Well unless you need to get any provisions for until we can all leave the cave?”

Lacy voiced their questions, “You have a plan? A plan you won’t tell us. A plan that involves going to a motorbike dealership. A plan that will get everyone in the cave and will mean we won’t have to split up? I don’t see how you could have something that can do all of that. I don’t even see how some of it is possible. And seriously, how is a motorcycle dealership relevant?” The others nodded their agreement.

“Look, I know it seems strange but please just trust me. I have something that no one would even believe even exists at my disposal and let's just say it’s pretty useful.” I hoped I was convincing enough. And besides, it was time to enact the plan I had been thinking up.

The friends shared a look and at once they stood up.

“Let's go then, genius” I wasn’t too sure I liked the nickname Phil came up with but I shouldn’t expect much else.

We left the cafe and headed over to the shop. It wasn’t too far, all we had to do was cross the carpark. Luckily the others seemed to have forgotten that my bike was in there and didn’t go looking for it.

The main room of the building was packed with bikes. Almost every type was featured. Most of the motorbikes were foreign. The sign out the front about this being the first place for motorbikes made sense. It wasn’t just the best, but it was also the only place people could get some of these exotic bikes.

There were a few other people wandering around but they were mostly talking about the navy boat and what they will do to avoid notice and hide the bikes. Some were already moving some to the back wall that contained a secret door leading to what must have been a basement.

In the middle of the showrooms floor was a sleek, black motorcycle. My bike. Off to a side were a few people who were clearly speculating about what they could do with it. My new friends gasped when they saw it. Phil and Lacy even looked back to scan the carpark. I ignored them all, striding straight up to the bike and running my hands along its length. I knew they couldn’t do anything to it, no one could, but it always worried me that someone would find a way.

The employees took notice of me when I climbed onto it and the bike purred to life. It didn’t normally make a sound, but I had to make it seem normal to people. At least to start with.

They rushed forward and started talking over each other, trying to get me off. The man who was clearly the owner of the store started over when he saw the commotion.

“This is my bike. Do any of you even know how to start it?” Hayden, Dexter and Phil gaped at me, while Lacy and Ava smirked at the employees.

“Miss you need to get off that bike right now. The cops are on their way. The bike is our property.” The owner had finally made his way over. When he mentioned the cops one of the employees by the back wall pulled out a phone.

I hopped off and the bike’s rumbling cut out. “How long exactly has this bike been in your possession? It’s been about what, half an hour now? Oh, don’t look shocked. I know everything that happens with my stuff. Someone gave this to you didn’t they?”

Everyone was gaping at me now. I guess they never expected me to act like this. After all, I am still a teenager.

“You-How dare you! What are you playing at, girl? Are you one of the people from that ship? Who else has come early? What are you doing here?” The owner was flushed with anger.

“I just want my bike. And I hate that you think I’m from that boat. I don’t know much but from what I do know it sounds like they should be sunk. Besides, I’m helping those guys to protect everyone. For that, I need my bike.” The boat deserved to be blown up really. And I have a way for it to disappear forever.

“You can’t have the bike. There’s no proof that it belongs to you. Plus it was given to us. Even if it was yours, it’s not any more.” He had a smug smile on his face now. Too bad I was about to wipe it off.

“Open at the seat.”

The seat disappeared from the bike, revealing that the bike was completely hollow. Inside was a helmet, some daggers, a change of clothes, some basic food, and a few other things someone on the road might want. A band of metal extended from the sides and was holding down each item.

Everyone gapped, at the seat just disappearing and at what was revealed. There was no way that it was possible. And it wasn’t possible. At least not without a bit of magic.

“Is that proof enough for you? And don’t bother trying whatever command you’re thinking. It only listens to me.” This has got to be enough. The less people know about what I can do, the better.

"Close?" Or you could try anyway.

They waited a few seconds before realising it wasn't going to happen.

“But-this can’t be possible.” The poor man. He was completely baffled. Suddenly his gaze hardened and he stiffened. “You must be a witch! Leave my shop! Take the cursed bike and never come back!”

Well. That was...unexpected. Though it's good enough for me. He won’t stop me now.

I walked out of the building, my new friends trailing behind and a quick, inner command had the bike closing up and following us silently.

As we went through the doors I ordered the bike into a wheeled suitcase and gripped the handle.

After a few blocks, I looked back and noticed that they still hadn’t gotten over their shock.

“I suppose I should have given you some warning.”

“That would have been useless. We wouldn’t have believed you until we saw that.” Ava was shaking her head. “What else can you do with that?”

Straight to the point. “I can use it to notify everyone on the island to go to the boat ramp. And then it can become a big enough boat to take us all but still fit into the cave.” And I could let it do most of that on its own. I’m not even sure how it will be able to do the first part but I know that it can.

“And you’re sure about this? It will work?” Apprehension filled Phil’s voice.

I winced. “I’m not entirely sure. I won’t really be doing anything just telling this what needs to be done and it will work out the best way.”

No one was comforted by my words. But we all just had to trust that it would work. It hasn’t failed me yet and it better not stop now.

We continued on to the mouth of the river. As soon as we stopped a pile of balls came to the top of the suitcase and were spat out with the force of a cannon.

I closed my eyes, searching for the balls and trying to figure out what they had decided to do. The little missiles landed all over the island. As soon as they touched something solid they gripped on and turned into something resembling a speaker. Realisation at what it was planning hit me.

I opened my eyes, finding curious eyes on me. “They have been scattered across the island and turned into speakers.” I touched my hand to the side of the suitcase and when I pulled back I found a microphone in my palm. “One of you can use this to tell everyone to come here with everything they may need to bring with them for when the boat arrives. This will then transmit the message to the speakers and with how they are spaced everyone will hear. When you’re done they will come back and become a boat of some sort.”

Lacy took the microphone, turning it over in her hands. The others nodded to her to go on. She brought it up and held it to her mouth in the perfect position. She spoke clearly into it and layed out the plan enough for everyone to understand but without giving away all the details so we would be found by the men on the navy ship if someone decided to dob.

I closed my eyes when she finished and watched as the speakers turned back into ball-like objects and detached before pushing off the ground and launched back to us. They were sucked straight back into the suitcase as I piled my daggers and jewellery onto the top. When it was all inside all of my equipment that wasn’t part of the magical set was pushed out of the case bound together with thin metal ropes.

The suitcase then rolled to the edge of the walkway and tipped into the water. After a few minutes a large flat boat, almost like a raft appeared at the end of the pier. The metal sides were low and thick with the base not far below the water level. There was no motor or steering equipment. It shouldn’t have even been able to float. But magic was a wonderful thing.

It was a good thing no one was around to see it because judging from my new friends expressions no one here would cope. Even after the previous displays.

“We’re using that to get out there? It doesn’t look very safe.” Hayden looked queasy at the idea of boarding it.

“It’s magic. The rules are different.” Well mostly. But I wasn’t about to tell them that.

I picked up my equipment, with great difficulty, and hauled it over to the raft. It probably could have stayed on but I figured I should look like I need to do something.

“You should all go get anything you need. I’ll wait here and help everyone on and get settled. Make sure your back in time though.”

They hesitated so I started shooing them off before pushing my stuff on and following after it.

"Go on. You won't make it otherwise." That seemed to do the trick and with one backwards glance from Phil they ran off.

Once they were out of sight I settled down, prepared to do nothing for a few hours.

Well I should probably do my homework while I wait. I pulled my laptop out and stared at the blank page that was meant to be my history report. The draft was due in just a few days but I hadn't even started putting it together. I opened up my pages and pages of notes and read through them, trying to figure out where to start.