by Ian Schrauth
“This field trip is to visit the courthouse next week on the 18th and you will see for yourself — in real action – what a court system does on Saturn. If you’re going on that broom field trip with Doctor Fruno, you go to her and say that you’re excused from the field trip. This field trip will be on an A day, so you report to the front of the school. The field trip is free and we will be taking notes today. Get out your laptops.”
As they brought out their laptops and Mr. Snookie was going to start, he got a call. From Huxvey!
“Hello?” he asked. I could hear what Huxvey was saying on the other end.
“Can you send Selena Dixon down to the office with her stuff?” She asked.
“Sure,” Mr. Snookie replied and hung up. “Selena, you need to go down to the office.
Now, what did I do now? Oh yeah… THAT DETENTION! I grabbed all my stuff and headed down to Huxvey’s office. “Yes?”
“Hi. Doctor Fruno gave you three detentions, and that is equivalent to a work detention.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Where you work until they janitor says so,” She replied. “Now, Mr. Jun will take you to the janitor’s office, and direct you to what you need to clean.”
I turned around and noticed that the janitor was standing right behind me with a broom. “You will be sweeping all floors of the building.”
“Well, your time to shine,” Huxvey said.
I got up from my seat and followed the janitor to his office. The office was a complete mess! It had trash all over the floor and the dirt. Oh my gosh! The dirt. It was EVERYWHERE! It was…Ugg…
“Now, put on this uniform and sweep the floors,” He said and handed me a uniform.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because the students will know that you are in trouble. To humiliate you.”
Wait, aren’t they supposed to NOT humiliate you in front of the school!
“Wait, am I not supposed to be humiliated? I asked.
“The fourth floor is closed for the last two hours.”
Oh.
“Now, go change!” He demanded. What a jerk!
I headed out of the janitor’s office and went to the girl’s locker room to change.
* * *
When I walked back into the janitor’s office, the outfit was a little too big. “This looks a little too big,” I said.
“So? You’re going to be in it for the rest of the day, so I would live with it.
Oh wow! That was rude! Why wouldn’t they just give me a smaller outfit? What jerks!
“Now, where do I need to go?” I asked.
“You need to go to the fourth floor, and sweep from room 401 to the end of the hall,” He demanded.
“That would take like half the day!” I complained. OK, it wouldn’t take half the day, but it would take the most. That hallway is BIG!
“Who cares what you say. You are going to do the fourth, and after that, you will come back here and do the third,” He sassed. “OK?”
What the heck?!
“I don’t want any sass! OK?”
“Whatever,” I said and walked out.
Luckily the students were in their next class, so the fourth floor was empty for the rest of the day.
21
The week had gone by fast, and it was the day of the field trip! I was ready to go to the courthouse to learn how the court systems differ on Earth to Saturn. When I got up that morning,[I52] I felt excited not only to go but not to go on the field trip that Doctor Fruno assigned us to go on. Even better, I didn’t have to write her a story for her to publish. She won’t ever get any of my precious ideas!
When I arrived at the front of the school, everyone was waiting with their brooms. Mr. Snookie counted everyone, and said, “OK, let’s go!”
We all hopped on our brooms, and we were off to the courthouse.
When we arrived at the courthouse about fifteen minutes after we left Tumspuv Genimis, we entered and sat down in a court case of a man that killed someone’s daughter.
“Guards, bring in the fighters,” The Duxdusui (pronounced Does-dus-oooeee) demanded. The Duxdusui is basically the judge.
The lady whose daughter was killed came in and sat down with a traditional Sathinish outfit on.
“Will the killer come in,” the Duxdusui said.
The guards brought the guy in, and he looked like Nuxsums.[I53]
He sat down, and Duxdusui said, “The killer and the defender rise and raise your right hand!”
They both rose and lifted their right hand.
“Now, repeat after me. I will say all the truth, and nothing but the truth, or so help me live.”
“I will say all the truth, and nothing but the truth, or so help me live,” They repeated.
“Now, will the defender explain the story to me?” The Duxdusui demanded.
“Well, when I was in my car with my daughter, eating Fumhemia Fertha, this thing next to me knocks on my window and bust right through it with the end of his wand. When he does, he blasts my daughter in the head with a spell, and I took a picture of him before he ran off. I called the police[I54], and they came and arrested him. That’s where we are now,” She explained.
“I heard about this woman before,” Megan whispered, “I was watching the Saturn News at 10:00 in my dorm and they said that this guy was on the loose.”
“Now, will the killer please tell his story?” asked the Duxdusui.
“Well, you have the wrong person Duxdusui. You have me mistaken with my brother, Nuxsums.[I55]”
“You will not use that name ever in this court system! He is a killer wizard and he has many strikes for the death penalty!”
“Well—”
“Enough!” Yelled the Duxdusui, “We will not discuss your brother! We’re discussing your mistakes!”
It was basically arguments for the next fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, it got funny.
“I understand you have stalked her your whole life,” Said the Duxdusui, “And you keep pictures of her in your basement, police say.”
The woman’s mouth dropped.
Then it got creepy…
* * *
“Has the case made a decision?” Asked the Duxdusui.
“Yes, we have found Oymz Nuxsums…Guilty,” said the case maid.
“It’s settled. buhrub, take him away,” Demanded the Duxdusui.
The buhrub handcuffed Oymz and took him away. While they were walking, He looked at me with an evil grin.
“You’ll pay!” He said.[I56]
“Shut up and keep moving!” the buhrub demanded and took him out.
Mr. Snookie rushed us out of the courtroom, and we watched the buhrub drive him away in their car. Once he was out of sight from our view, Mr. Snookie said, “Well, good job today students! You will go to your last class for the last fifteen minutes of class. Now, on your broom and away we go!”
We all hopped on our brooms and flew back to Tumspuv Genimis.
When we arrived, the school day was already over, so we went to our dorms, and I Feletethed my mom.
Mom!
We visited the courthouse today in Saturn government! The best part was, we saw a case between a woman and Nuxsums’ brother! Can you believe that? But the bad part was, He looked at me, and said that I would pay.
Selena.
I sent the letter and got a panic response.
SELENA RUBY DIXON!
Not good!
You are now in even more danger! I thought I told you not to leave the campus? Did I not?
Wait, she never said that!
You are in BIG trouble! I’m letting this be in your own hands! If you get hurt, that’s your fault![I57]
Mom.
Great, now my own mother is out of my side. If I get hurt, it’s on me. I decided just to forget about it, and go to detention.
* * *
While I was sleeping, I had an encounter with Nuxsums.[I58]
He was sitting on a floating throne, and I was
standing on Titan, one of Saturn’s moons.
The throne landed on the ground, Nuxsums got up from it, and said, “You and I tomorrow!”
I then woke up and remembered nothing.
* * *
I continued on with my day, and when the broom-flying class came up, Doctor Fruno announced “OK, today is our field trip! I postponed it because of the Saturn Government field trip. Get your notebooks, and we will teleport to the museum!”
We all got our notebooks, and she teleported us out of the school.
But not to the museum. We looked around, and we were on some other planet!
“Where are we?” I asked.
“Welcome Selena Dixon!” said a voice that lowered to the ground, “Welcome to Titan!”
22
Floating down from Titan’s atmosphere was nobody other than Nuxsums himself. [I59]
Author of death.
Ruler of the invaders.
Mayor of the cannibals in the solar system.
And most of all, my dark, grave enemy.
“Selena Dixon, You will die today!” Nuxsums yelled.
“Ah, Master Nuxsums,” Doctor Fruno said and stood next to Nuxsums, “Kids, if you’re going to battle Nuxsums, you’re battling me too!”
“Escape!” yelled one kid and the kids flew away back to Saturn.
Not me. I stayed to end this madness.
I raised my hands, and ice circled like a tornado.
Nuxsums lifted his hand up, and sprayed water on me!
I froze solid and the surroundings returned to normal temperature.
“Now, to finish you off for good Selena Dixon,” Doctor Fruno said and headed over to the ice and a sword of fire appeared in her hand.
“SELENA!” someone yelled, “YAAAH!”
Out of the face of nowhere, Blake[I60] came crashing down with his broom on the moon’s surface. The minute he got up, he brought out his wand, shot radio waves in the air, and absorbed them.
“Blake?” I asked once I thawed out, “How did you find out?”
“Two words…Stand back!” He demanded.
I stood back, and he shot out the radio waves at Doctor Fruno, sending her flying about fifty football fields from where we were standing! Wow!
“Rumxhu Juxusvuhio!” I yelled and fire shot out at Nuxsums, setting him on fire. How I learned that spell that quickly, it’s still a mystery.
He absorbed the fire and blew it out! Now, what type of wizard blows out fire?! Maybe if he was half-dragon, but not a full wizard!
The fire hit Blake, and he absorbed it as well.
“If you both absorbed fire, it’s no use,” I explained “My turn! Aisumb-sup-o-hu!”
Doctor Fruno faded in!
“Not a good spell!” I said, “Expana!”
When I cursed that, radio waves flew out of my wand and hit Nuxsums!
I closed my eyes, opened them back up, and it turned ice cold again.
“That’s it!” Nuxsums yelled as he dropped his wand, “Drop your wands; we’re fighting!”
Blake and I dropped our wands, ran up to Nuxsums, and we both slammed him in the face.
He dropped down and got back up with a bloody nose. He wiped off the blood, ran up to me, and kicked me in her leg so hard that it broke! I fell down in pain, begging for mercy.
“You will not hurt my friend!” Blake [I61]yelled and charged to Nuxsums like a cannon firing a ball with fists of fire.
He punched Nuxsums, but the fire combined with Nuxsums’ electric power to form an explosion! It was then that we heard a siren and police[I62] cars came.
It was then I passed out from all the pressure going on.
23
My eyes opened to bright, white light. I was in an unfamiliar room, a white room. The walls beside me were covered with long vertical blinds; over my head, the glaring lights blinded me. I got up on my elbows and looked around.
“Am I alive?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Megan?” I turned my head slightly and saw Megan, Blake, and Huxvey.
“Everything's all right now,” Megan said.
“What happened?” I couldn't remember clearly, and my mind pounded with the pain while I tried so hard to think.
“We were almost too late. You could have died,” Huxvey said, her voice sad.
“Do they have him?” I asked.
“Yes… read this.” Megan said and handed me a newspaper.
Nuxsums has escaped from prison, his roommate’s blood.
“Your mom will come in soon,” Blake said as he strolled his finger to put my hair behind my ear.
“She's here?” I asked and sat up in pain.
“She'll be back soon,” he promised.
“Good!”
“What did you tell her?” I panicked.
The door then opened. “Mom!” I yelled my voice full of love and relief.
She looked at everyone and rushed over to me to give me a hug. I whined in pain.
“Sorry?” she apologized.
“Mom, I'm so glad to see you!”
“I'm just glad to finally see your eyes open,” She sat on the edge of my bed. “I thought I lost you for good!” I suddenly realized I didn't have any idea when it was. “How long have I been out?”
“It’s two weeks before school ends. You've been out for a while.”
“WHAT?!” I was shocked. I tried to remember what day it had been… but I didn't want to think about that. I didn’t want to think at all.
“You're lucky that Blake was there with you. He's such a nice boy… very young, though. And he looks more like a thirteen-year-old than a teenage boy…”
“Hey! I’m right here!”
She glanced over her shoulder at Blake, staring at mom. “Wasn’t trying to be rude.”
“Oh.”
I then felt a pain in my head, and I groaned.
“What hurts?” She asked in panic.
“My head, but I’m alright,” I informed. “How are Mason, Dad, and Grandma Jessie doing?”
“Oh, Selena! You'll never guess!” Mom said.
“Not good.”
“Grandma died?” I guessed.
“WRONG!” I heard a voice call from behind the door.
Grandma Jessie!
“GRANDMA!” I yelled. The yelling hurt my lungs, and I groaned in more pain.
“You just rest. I just checked to see how you’re doing,” Grandma said and walked out.
“Selena, we are ‘gonna have to take you out for the rest of the year,” Mom said.
“Mom, what are you talking about? I'm not leaving Saturn! I love it here.”
“But you’re too weak.”
“Mom. I want to stay here. I have good grades, and I have a boyfriend.” — she glanced toward Blake[I63]— “and I need this place.”
Mom then got a call on her phone. “Excuse me.”
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, Selena,” she said and walked out.
The nurse then came in and looked at me. “Are you feeling better?”
“I'm fine.”
“I'll let you talk to your friends. Blake, your second broom is still outside,” She said and walked out.
As soon as she closed the door, Blake was at my side.
“You stole a BROOM?” I raised my eyebrows.
He smiled, unrepentant. “I needed it to carry you.”
“Oh, so now I’m fat?” I asked.
“No,” His eyes narrowed. “You’re perfect.”[I64]
“Thank you.”
He put his thumb and four fingers on my chin, pulled his face closer to mine, and his warm lips touched mine. Peaceful.
One of the happiness was done. I stared at him and blushed like a twelve-year-old. “Ummmmm.... Thank you.”
He almost smiled, but not quite. And then he looked behind him. Megan’s mouth was dropped, and Huxvey was gone.
“What?” He asked.
Megan looked at him, and then at me, then at Blake ag
ain, and said, “You lucky girl! I wish I would kiss someone I like.”
“Who?” I asked.
She pretended to zip her lips and then chuckled a little.
Blake didn't say anything; he turned around, watched my face, and smiled.
The nurse then came in, pushed Blake out of the way, and said, “Time for more pain meds.”
“No, no,” I mumbled, trying to keep the pain out of my voice. “I don't need anything,” I didn’t want to close my eyes to what happened just now.
“No, you need to rest,” She waited, but I just shook my head.
“Okay,” she sighed. “Call me in when you're ready.”
She gave Blake a dirty look and threw one more anxious glance at the machinery before leaving. When she left, he got up and was right by my side. His cold, dry hands were on my face; I smiled with my lips pressed together.
“I love you.”
“Did he just say he LOVED ME?!” I thought.
“Um…”
“Just relax before I call the nurse back to put you to sleep,” I could feel my heart pumping the pain in my chest, and I groaned.
“Calm down girl!”
But I couldn’t.
“Fine,” He said and called the nurse.
“Yes?”
“Selena wanted me to say she’s ready for her medicine.”
“OK,” The nurse said and grabbed the bottle. She fed me the medication, and I felt drowsy.
“OK, all done,” She said and walked out. Once the door was closed, I said, “Blake.”
“Yeah?”
“Will I go home?”
“You have to. You have to go home and heal.” He said and kissed me once more.
I then fell into a deep sleep. A peaceful sleep.
* * *
“Goodbye!” I yelled. It was a weekday, and I was going home. I couldn’t believe that I had been at a school on a different planet! Well, things happen…‘ya know?[I65]
