“Wow,” breathed out Meghan. “This is… a lot to take in.”
“It’s a lot, even for me,” added Colin. “I have always hoped real magic existed, but never dreamt it actually did.”
“Welcome to the real world,” Jae sighed. “It is not a pretty one, but yes, it is very much real.”
Colin peered down at his book, many questions forming for Jasper Thorndike.
“Oh crap!” Meghan suddenly let out. “Colin, do you realize what time it is?”
“You don’t think Uncle Arnon is up yet, do you?”
“No, but we had better not take any chances. If he wakes up and finds out we’re not in bed…”
“We are grounded for the rest of our lives!” Colin finished, already getting up to depart.
“Look. It is kind of our fault that you’re stuck here, Jae. Whatever you need, we will do our best to help, until the second moon,” insisted Meghan.
“Absolutely,” agreed Colin. “Will you be safe here, in the wagon alone?”
“I’m fine here. Once you two leave, I will make the wagon vanish again. No one from the camp will even know I’m still here. It’s just one month. As long as the Scratchers stay away, I’m golden.” He smiled, wistfully.
“We will come back and check on you tomorrow then,” advised Meghan as they departed the wagon. Colin waved goodbye and when they stepped onto the ground, the wagon dissolved into nothing, vanishing before their weary eyes.
The twins tiptoed their way home. Thankfully, Uncle Arnon’s snoring told them he had not awakened during their absence. They covered up the secret escape hatch on the floor. Colin put the Magicante on the bookshelf and the twins climbed into bed. Both were exhausted, and yet found they could not sleep.
Giving up, Colin sat up, leaning on his elbows. “Sis,” he sent wearily, sensing she was also still awake.
“Yeah, Col.”
“If I had to wager, I would bet that these last few days did not actually happen.”
“I thought we had already figured that out, when you pinched me and I punched you, and we were both wide awake.”
“I know, I know… but magic. I can’t believe it’s real. Even crazier, is that I got this book today,” he said, stroking the cover as it sat on the shelf. “Maybe I was meant to buy it, so we could help Jae?”
“I am not sure we helped anything. We got him stuck here,” argued Meghan.
“Jae didn’t seem overly concerned. His family must be.”
The twins lay back down, sleep finally claiming them. Visions of dark shadows and bright lights filled their dreams.
Colin awoke three different times, believing for sure that he had heard Scratchers in the distance. Meghan reassured him that this time, she thought for certain it was just an owl and begged him to go back to sleep. After the third time she yelled into his mind, “We have to get up soon enough as it is, Col, go back to sleep already!”
‘Soon enough’ did come too early for the twins. In the blink of an eye, the smell of brewing coffee infiltrated the trailer. The twins, as tired as they may have been, were eager to see Jae.
“How are we going to work out the Sebastien factor?” asked Colin. “Can we tell him? I hate the idea of lying to him.”
Meghan had not thought about Sebastien. So much had occurred since they had seen him the evening before.
“I guess we will have to feel it out, plus, I don’t think it’s our decision to make, it’s Jae’s.”
“I suppose you’re right. We should come up with a story as to why Jae is here. Adults are bound to be suspicious…”
“And ask questions,” Meghan finished his thought. “And he cannot stay hidden in the wagon for the entire month.” She peered sternly at Colin. “You better not blow this. Make something up! Lie! We cannot tell Uncle Arnon, or Sebastien, at least not for now.”
“Why do you always think I will be the one to ruin everything?” he spat back.
“Because Colin Jacoby, you have never successfully told a lie in your entire life! You always give yourself away.”
“I can’t help it. I’m not a professional liar like you.”
Meghan gasped, and exhaled despondently. Yes, she told a few fibs here and there, but it had saved her hide along with Colin’s on numerous occasions. She hid her thoughts from him, embarrassed that she felt mortified by what he had said.
I only lie when I have no other choice. Don’t I?
Meghan decided to ignore him and sauntered into the kitchen to make breakfast. They hurried to eat and get dressed. Colin even helped Meghan clean up, without her ordering him to. They rushed to finish and just as they were ready to leave the trailer, Arnon called out, “Wait just a minute.” His gaze never lifted from the newspaper he read while sitting at the kitchen table. “Hope you two had a good time last night. You realize you’re both grounded, right?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
To the twins’ bewilderment, Uncle Arnon did not question where they had been the previous night. He did, however, find ways to keep them annoyingly busy over the next few days, and did not allow them out of his sight. They desperately wanted to visit Jae and whenever they could, stole glances next door, in hopes he would give them a sign, indicating he was still safe.
Of course, with all the trees dividing the sites, they had to sneak onto the road and they were not allowed to leave Arnon’s sight. So actually making contact was impossible. And Jae gave them no sign. Colin mentioned uneasily, at least ten times during their punishment, that at least there had been no sign of the Scratchers.
Sebastien visited daily, under strict guidelines. They had to be either in the trailer or within sight of the trailer, and always, within Uncle Arnon’s view. When their friend found out that the twins had been grounded, he was at first hurt, as they had gone on some crazy adventure without him. Meghan was quick to point out that then he, too, would be in trouble if he’d joined them. This smoothed things over, for now.
He did try, repeatedly, to get the twins to explain why they had snuck out. Their luck held though, and they never found the need to come up with a false story as their uncle continually had himself within earshot. Sebastien knew they would not talk about it in front of him.
During the evening on the fourth day of their torturous punishment, Sebastien arrived toting goody bags full of sugary treats. He emptied it out on the kitchen table and all their faces hungrily drooled over the pile. There were whoopie pies, crème horns, devil dogs, maple sugar candy, bismarks, and three different kinds of fudge.
After gorging themselves into sickness, Uncle Arnon, chuckling lightly, announced they were no longer grounded. Meghan and Colin assumed that their sickly faces, green from the over abundance of junk food, combined with all the work he had made them do, was finally sufficient.
It could also have had to do with the fact that someone needed Uncle Arnon, the handyman, on the other side of the camp… or he was just sick of being stuck at the trailer watching the grounded twins.
Regardless, in just minutes, the twins could finally check on Jae Mochrie.
“Only one problem,” sent Colin to his sister.
“I can’t ask Sebastien to leave. Maybe one of us could go and the other stay here?” she suggested.
“Okay, but which of us does what? And how will the other make an excuse to leave?” They did not mind allowing this problem to stew for a while longer, being that their sugar-filled, rumbling bellies greatly discouraged them from moving.
Sebastien solved their dilemma by stretching and yawning, over-dramatically.
“I think I’ll go now. Maybe hit the hay early tonight. Now that you’re not grounded anymore, we can hang tomorrow. Away from here.”
“Are you sure?” Meghan questioned their easy luck. “It’s still early Sebastien.”
Colin’s thoughts shouted into her mind. “Are you nuts, we want him to leave, don’t we?”
“That does not mean we should act like it,” she returned silently.
Sebastien’s eye
s darted between them, realizing they had been speaking without him being able to hear, again. He frowned. “Why don’t you guys tell me what’s going on?” He stood with his arms folded, waiting.
“Say something,” urged Colin silently.
“Why me? What should I say? Can I just tell him about Jae?”
Sebastien shook his head and left the trailer.
“Wait,” shouted Meghan, running after him.
“I realize being grounded and stuck close to your uncle, you couldn’t tell me what’s going on,” Sebastien charged. “However, your uncle is gone, and you still don’t want to tell me. And then you sit there and have your private conversations with each other, forgetting that I’m even here.” He turned to leave but Meghan grasped his arm, stopping him.
“Wait a second!” she pleaded. She had never seen Sebastien so upset. He stopped, waiting for her to speak. Meghan stumbled for the right thing to say.
“I. Well. I mean. We are not talking about you. You understand that, right?”
“I didn’t actually think you were,” he said dryly. “But that’s not the point.”
“What is the point, then?” asked Colin.
“The point is, you are always doing it, even when you think no one is paying attention. You leave everyone out of your conversations.” People who will notice and wonder… he kept to himself. It was also just annoying.
The twins finally realized that he felt left out.
“What if we promise to try really hard not to do it?” squeaked Meghan. Sebastien was their oldest friend; they certainly did not want to jeopardize that.
“Usually, it’s not so bad. This summer though, seems you two have a lot going on up there. And even though it’s a bit annoying at times, more than that… you need to be careful. Not everyone that might guess what you guys can do is going to be your friend.”
Meghan scrunched her eyes. He was being protective. It was sweet, and at the same time far too similar to when they’d been walking to the Blue Moon Festival and Sebastien was acting way too grown up. Or maybe it was something else. She couldn’t put her finger on it.
Regardless of his concerns over their ability, the twins were stuck. Did they out Jae, to keep their friend? Or lie, and hope Sebastien forgave them if he found out the truth?
“Lying is starting to get too complicated,” Meghan quickly sent to Colin. “Maybe we should just tell him?” She did her best to pretend she was paying attention to Sebastien as she said it.
“I don’t see how we are going to get through the next month without telling him,” Colin shot back.
Meghan took lead.
“Sebastien, there is a good explanation. If you would just…” she paused, her eyes grazing Jae’s hidden camp. “I think the best way to explain is to follow us actually.”
Colin cringed in uncertainty. What if Jae was not home, or did not answer? Sebastien would think they had gone mad. Moreover, they were just as unsure about how upset Jae would be, since they had not visited for days, after promising to help him.
Instead of going out to the road, they made their way through the trees separating the two camps.
“Where are we going?” asked Sebastien.
“You’ll see,” answered Meghan as they came into the deserted looking site. “It’s around here, somewhere.” Meghan felt the air for the wagon. Colin followed her lead.
“Have you gone crazy? There’s nothing here,” Sebastien grimaced.
“It’s very close, I think.” Meghan hoped she was right.
Why could they not find it? Had Jae moved? Worse, had he left and not told them?
“What do we do now?” asked Meghan.
“Maybe he can hear us if we yell.”
“I don’t think we can look any crazier,” she mumbled.
“Jae, where are you?” they called out in unison.
Sebastien took a few steps back, not wanting to be so close to two people yelling into nothing.
“Why are you guys yelling for Jae? The camp is empty. They all pulled out a few days ago.”
The twins did not answer. The gypsy wagon, which was indeed right in front of them, materialized. The ornate wooden door flew open and Jae popped into the entrance, smiling.
“We hope this is all right, Jae,” said Meghan, biting her lip and pointing to Sebastien. Who in turn gaped at the wagon and Jae. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. Meghan pulled him up the stairs, coaxing him inside.
“I had a feeling I might see you again, Sebastien. Welcome to my home away from home,” said Jae. The twins were relieved to see him.
Sebastien walked in with the same awe on his face that the twins had shown when they first entered the wagon.
Colin explained their absence, anxious that Jae might be angry they had not visited.
“We got caught for being out the other night. Uncle Arnon had us working our butts off! Sorry we couldn’t get over here sooner.”
“I guessed as much,” said Jae. “I’ve been grounded enough to know. And I was watching you from my window. It was entertaining, actually, watching the two of you working.”
“Glad we could be of assistance,” said Meghan crossly. “Um… wait… what window? I’ve never seen any.”
Jae grinned. “You can’t, from the outside.”
“Oh. Okay.” She turned to Sebastien. “I’m not even sure where to start. Obviously, you remember Jae.”
“Yes, of course, how… are you?” Sebastien asked awkwardly.
The twins sat him down at the long table close to the stone fireplace and retold the tale of first, following the gypsies into the woods after the festival and encountering the Scratchers, then escaping via the aid of the Magicante. Throughout the retelling, all Sebastien mustered out were exclamations of, “No way,” and “For real,” to… “I know I’m sitting here, but I don’t believe it!”
They finished with explaining the reason they had snuck out and been grounded, and how Jae came to be accidentally left behind, unable to rejoin his caravan for nearly a month. Once their tale was complete, they allowed Sebastien the first word, once he was ready to speak.
“Okay, if I have this correct, magic is real, and Jae is stuck here and being hunted by some kind of flying monster that I hope never to encounter?”
“I think you’re getting the picture,” Colin replied, patting him on the back.
“I am not stuck here permanently though. When the second moon rises, the door can reopen. I would bet my life my dad will come for me,” Jae said knowingly. Sebastien nodded that he understood, although his face said otherwise.
“Our job is to make sure he gets there on time, and in one piece,” explained Meghan. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, Sebastien. We just didn’t think it was our secret to tell. Plus it was a bit much to explain and Uncle Arnon just never gave us any space.”
“I get it now. I totally get it. Well, I’m not sure I really get it get it… I think you know what I mean.” He shook his head and shrugged.
The twins laughed. It was exactly how they’d felt too.
Jae showed Sebastien around the rest of the wagon and even though the twins had seen it before, it was still captivating. He showed them the window. It was a large one considering it could not be seen from the outside. And he showed them how if they looked just right, they could catch a glimpse through the woods into their uncle’s campsite.
After a bit, they made themselves comfortable around the fireplace in Jae’s room. A minute later, Meghan got up and moved away from the fire. Its heat scorched her, leaving her overheated. But even farther away, she could not seem to cool down. She felt her forehead, and then her arm. Her skin was hot to the touch again. So weird… she shook it off. But it was hard to shake off the deep ache that was threatening to return. She thought she had successfully fought off whatever illness was trying to make her sick. More OJ I guess…
“Are you managing okay over here?” Colin asked Jae.
“To be honest, I am bored out of my mind. De
finitely ready for an excursion outside the wagon.”
“Is it safe for you to leave the wagon, with the Scratchers still out there?” Meghan wanted to know.
“I don’t think we will see them again. If we do, it will be when the door reopens in the pine tree, but if they do show up, I’m rested and ready to fight,” he proclaimed. There was a vigor about him they hadn’t seen before.
“I can’t imagine fighting those things,” shuddered Colin. Meghan agreed.
“If it becomes necessary, I can do it. It’s weird, I’m not sure I could have said that a week ago. But being stuck here on my own has been… well it’s just… it’s hard to explain actually. I miss my family, but I have to admit I like being…” he trailed off with an apprehensive frown.
“You like not having parents to boss you around…” whispered Sebastien with a grin.
Jae nodded, although there was a bit of shame behind it. “Yeah. It’s pretty much like that. I do miss them. Really, I do. But I’ve never been on my own before. My world is so much different from this. You’re never alone. I guess I just like the space. Not having someone in my face all the time.”
“I don’t think you should feel bad about that,” said Meghan. “Heck, it’s probably a good thing. It’s certainly better than hating it.”
Jae let out a low chuckle. “I suppose you’re right.”
“It’s kind of like you’re on your own adventure,” said Colin, excitement on his tongue. “Like in all the books I read. And we are your trusty friends to get you through the journey and safely back home.”
“You are such a geek!” Meghan blasted.
“Maybe. But it’s true.”
“Yeah, but in all those books doesn’t one of those trusty friends normally die trying to save the day?” noted Sebastien. Colin had talked about his favorite fantasy adventure books for years.
Awaken (The Witches, The Spell Book, and The Magic Tree) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 1) Page 10
