by L. C. Miller
“Done with your homework?”
“I hope so,” Abby said, stuffing the papers in an envelope and sealing it. “Ready to go?” I’ve got to get to the house.” Rainy nodded and slung her red bag over her shoulder. Abby placed the envelope into a small hole in the wall, and it disappeared with a burst of light.
“What is Marcella going to say when you come home with no firewood?”
Rainy smiled. “I got some earlier and hid it behind the tent.”
Using Abby’s wand as a light again, the duo made their way outside. “Heard from Esther lately?” Rainy asked.
Abby thought of the older woman and gentleman who had helped her the day her mother had died. Paul, Esther’s partner, often made her laugh, as he always asked her to change her hair to bizarre colors and styles. They were two of the four people who knew who and what she was. “Yeah, I did. She sent me a message right after my midterms and said she was glad I passed them and that Mr. Spinner agreed to teach me. Oh, and she said Paul says hello and to try for a fuchsia color next time I see him.”
“Did they give him a choice though?” Rainy wondered.
“Who? Paul?” Abby asked, confused.
“No, Mr. Spinner. I heard they pretty much kidnapped him one day.”
Abby shook her head. “According to Mr. Spinner, he was studying harpies in Hawaii when Esther asked him about teaching me. I’m not sure what excited him more, to be teaching again, or the chance to study Mystics. Either way, he’s a good teacher … but man he likes giving homework!”
They hugged each other bye, and Abby started toward the house. On the way, she changed her hair back to the dull, dark color. Peeking in one of the windows, she saw Ms. Rable and the visitors sitting down eating dinner.
She made it to the door and opened it softly, not wanting to draw anyone’s attention. Looking down at the snake on her arm, she whispered, “You better be good this time, or you’re gonna have to stay outside.” Bombers flicked his tongue out, licking her hand.
About to sneak upstairs, Abby stopped when she heard Ms. Rable speaking. “—woman came to the house one day. Talked for a while about the helpless orphan children and how the town’s orphanage was terribly overcrowded. Convinced me to go there and get a little girl, she did. The next thing I know, I’m bringing Abby home that very afternoon. Strange lady, too; she had all these roses in her hair.”
Abby shook her head and grinned. Ms. Rable wasn’t the first to call Madam of the Dancers strange. Abby made it to her room, put Bombers on her bed, and looked around. It was still messy from her hasty search earlier. Picking up the broken glass, she dumped it all into the little trash can. Next she grabbed the small red candle from the floor, and laid it back on top of her dresser; then shoved the dusty boxes back under her bed. The plate on her window seat caught her attention. The smell of chicken, rice, and broccoli made her mouth water.
After clearing her plate, Abby started reading the dance steps from the scroll. “This one looks like fun, Bombers. It’s supposed to help plants grow quicker.”
When she was done practicing some of the moves, Abby opened her top dresser drawer and ruffled some shirts around. “Here you go, Bombers. Your new home.” She picked him up and placed him on a pile of shirts. “Sweet dreams.” Turning off her bedside lamp, Abby went to bed.
~*~
The next day, Abby realized Ethan and Aaron were not morning people. They barely greeted her as they shuffled into the dining room for breakfast, still in their pajamas. Aaron’s shaggy blond hair was standing on end, and Ethan had seemed to fall back asleep in his seat until the smell of bacon woke him up.
A piece of paper was placed next to Abby, causing her to look up as Ms. Rable walked by. Reading over it, she saw her chore list for the day. “Those flower beds are especially important. They’re looking droopy,” Ms. Rable said when Abby eyed her.
Ethan and Aaron followed Abby upstairs once they were finished eating. “Hey,” Ethan said, “can we see Bombers?”
Stopping mid-step, Abby turned to face them. “What do you know about Bombers?” she asked, looking over their shoulders to make sure no one had overheard.
“That’s what you called the snake when Aunt Eleanor was freaking out. We like snakes. Don’t worry, we won’t tell her you have him,” Ethan promised.
“Please?” Aaron asked. “We swear we won’t say anything!”
“Oh, um … Okay then, but only for a minute, all right?” Abby quickly agreed as footsteps sounded down the hall.
She opened the door and went to the bed, where Bombers was curled up. “Bombers,” she called as she lifted him up. “This is Aaron, and this is Ethan.” Bombers raised his head and looked at each of them when she introduced him.
“Totally epic!” Ethan said excitedly.
“He knows how to shake too,” Abby said proudly. “See, watch; shake their hands, Bombers.” Each boy held out his hand and looked amazed as the snake lifted the end of his tail and wrapped it around each of the boys’ hands.
“How did you teach him that?” Aaron asked, astonished. “Does he know any other tricks?”
“Oh, he knows plenty,” Abby replied, thinking about what else to show them.
“Abby,” Ms. Rable called from downstairs, “don’t forget, the flower beds need weeding. You also need to finish the laundry and clean the kitchen!”
“Ugh,” Abby groaned.
“How does she not know you have him?” Aaron whispered as she ushered them out of her room.
Shrugging, Abby replied, “He normally stays in my room, and since Ms. Rable doesn’t ever go in there, she never knows he’s here.”
“How many tricks does he know?” Ethan asked.
“He knows a lot of tricks. I can show you more once I’m done with my chores. It should only take a few hours,” Abby offered before she left them to go outside.
The hot air welcomed her as she started to pull weeds. “Hello, ladies,” Abby greeted the flowers. They turned their faces to her voice, seemingly brightening. She spent most of the morning clearing the flower beds. When she was done, she stood and surveyed the area. The flowers looked especially bright and springy to her.
Dragging her feet into the house, she stopped in the kitchen doorway. The kitchen was spotless. She walked into the laundry room and found it the same way. “We would’ve helped with the weeds, too, but you seemed to know what you were doing,” Ethan said, grinning at her. “Can we play with the snake?”
~*~
On their third day of visiting, Abby woke with the sun shining through her oval window. She looked at Bombers, who was crawling up her bedpost. “Now remember, no leaving the room, okay?” Bombers nodded at her daily reminder and settled on her pillow as she finished getting dressed and went downstairs for breakfast.
“Well, I needed an excuse to go into the woods, so I mentioned a picnic,” she heard Mrs. Herrin say from inside one of the bedrooms next to the staircase. The yellow room as Abby called it, since the walls were a bright, cheery yellow. “I couldn’t very well tell her I was looking for Mystics.” Abby froze. Mystics? Had she heard that right?
A bedroom door opened down the hall, causing Abby to run down the last of the stairs as quietly as she could. Going into the living room, Abby saw Ms. Rable sitting in her La-Z-Boy chair with a cup of coffee.
“There you are, girl. Go prepare more coffee and bring out some muffins. We need to talk about your tasks today, too. You’ve been lacking in them lately, and we can’t have that.”
Nodding, Abby went back through the kitchen door and turned the coffee pot on. She started to eat a muffin as she waited for the coffee to finish.
“Hello, Abby, I thought I heard you come down.” Mrs. Herrin entered the kitchen.
Abby nearly choked on her muffin. Did she see me on the steps? she wondered. “Um, h— … Hello, Mrs. Herrin,” Abby stammered. She shot a quick glance at Mrs. Herrin to see the woman watching her intently.
“Where’s the coffee, girl?” Ms. Rable
demanded from the living room.
“It’s coming right out,” Abby called. She grabbed the half-full coffee pot and ran into the living room, ignoring the hissing sound as coffee landed on the burner.
Mrs. Herrin followed and took a seat on the uncomfortable couch. “Oh, I’m sorry, but I don’t drink coffee. Thank you though.” She smiled at Abby, still watching her.
“Well,” said Ms. Rable, “I would like another cup.” She handed her empty cup to Abby.
“Good news,” Mrs. Herrin started, “I just got off the phone with Jackson. He and Brannon could be here as early as tomorrow night.”
“What is your James doing nowadays, anyway?” Ms. Rable asked. Abby saw Mrs. Herrin take a deep breath.
“Jackson has been working the past few summers,” she explained. Then she turned to Abby. “He teaches at our local schools.” Ethan and Aaron soon joined them, and Mrs. Herrin ushered everyone into the dining room to eat.
Chapter Three
Abby was getting ready for bed when she remembered the conversation of Mrs. Herrin’s she’d overheard. Listening to the sounds of the creaking house, Abby waited until nearly midnight before jumping through one of the tunnels hidden in the linen closet in an upstairs bathrooms.
Though she didn’t know how they got there, or why Ms. Rable didn’t seem to know about them, Abby loved the hidden tunnels that were placed throughout the house. She only wished one was in her attic bedroom. Jumping feet first, she landed with a soft thud next to the car. Staying crouched, she jogged to the trees as quietly as she could, using her wand’s glowing green stone as a light.
Abby ran through the fork instead of turning off from it. As the great white oak tree came into view, she slowed down. She stopped once she reached its base.
Bending over and taking several deep breaths, she took a moment to look around. It was quiet throughout the woods.
Tucking her wand into her jacket pocket, Abby touched the tree’s trunk and stood back as the woods around her came to life. She heard the singing and laughter before the shadows emerged. The shield spell was a common one among Mystics. Because of it, every camp was hidden from outsiders. Each shield spell had its own password, but Abby merely needed to touch the oak tree and the camp would become visible.
People were appearing all around the tree, singing and dancing. There were many small fires burning, and the Mystics were celebrating.
Rainy was sitting near one of the campfires, talking to her brother, Rollen. Their brown skin glistened from the firelight as Rollen swept his hand through it. Abby marched straight to Rainy and grabbed her arm. It became quiet when people started to notice Abby. She saw their fearful and worried expressions as she passed them.
“Abby! What are you—”
Abby cut her off. “I need to speak to Madam Winters. It’s important. Where is she?”
“I don’t know,” replied Rainy, seeming worried. “What’s wrong?”
“I can take you to her,” Rollen stated, rising. “Stay here, Rainy.” He looked pointedly at his sister.
As they reached the far end of the camp, Rollen stopped. “What’s wrong, Abby? Are you okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine. Healthy as a harpy,” Abby said, not quite meeting his eyes.
They reached Madam Winters’s tent just as the flap flew open. Abby, used to the Mystic’s clothing, wasn’t surprised by the flowing pink and silver dress the Madam was wearing. Nor was she shocked by the bright blue roses in her salt-and-pepper hair. Everything seemed to fit her short, stocky build.
“I was about to see what caused all the excitement to stop,” Madam Winters said, eyes twinkling as she looked down into Abby’s anxious eyes. “What brings you out here at this time of night, my dear? Is she lecturing you again?”
Abby shook her head. “No. Well, yes, but it’s not that. It’s just … People are looking for you again,” she blurted out.
Madam Winters quickly ushered Abby into the tent. Rollen followed them. “What’s this, dear?” she asked Abby. “Who’s looking for us?”
Abby told the Madam and Rollen what she had overheard Mrs. Herrin talking about in her room. “I couldn’t stay long because someone was coming down the hall, and I didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping,” she finished.
The Madam glanced at Rollen. “That explains some things. Do you know when they’re set to leave?” she asked Abby.
“In a few days, I believe. They’re waiting on her husband, Jackson, and one of her sons to get here.”
“Their names are unfamiliar to me, so we will take extra precautions until they leave,” the Madam said as she searched her tent. Abby watched as she flipped open a small box and took out a tiny brown rock tied to a gold chain. “I want you to wear this around your neck. If you feel you are threatened or in danger, break this and throw the powder into the air. It’ll summon us immediately to you.”
“That’s a summoning powder!” Rollen exclaimed, surprised. “Won’t that summon every Mystic near us?”
The Madam shook her head. “I checked everyone’s location during the last meeting. There aren’t any Mystics near us.” She slipped the necklace over Abby’s head.
Putting her hands on Abby’s shoulders, she leaned toward her. “Do not let them think you know anything about us.” She waited until Abby promised before continuing. “You are safe, okay? Use the necklace only if necessary. Now, I want Rollen to accompany you home, and if Rainy wants, and I’m sure she will, she can go, too. I have to tell our people what’s happened. You must be very careful, Abby,” she finished, hesitantly patting the girl’s shoulder. The roses in her hair had gone a dark yellow, a hint she was worried.
~*~
Mr. Herrin and their son, Brannon, arrived the next morning during a downpour. The rain flew into the house as the duo made their way inside. Mr. Herrin towered over his wife as he hugged her, his thick black hair pulled back into a small ponytail. He grinned down at Abby when Mrs. Herrin introduced her, and he introduced seventeen-year-old Brannon, who looked the most like his mother. They had the same brown hair and eyes. Though, his seemed a little more direct, like those of a cat.
“Have you had any luck?” Mr. Herrin asked his wife as the two of them walked into the living room. Abby couldn’t make out Mrs. Herrin’s response because Brannon spoke to her.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Nice to finally meet you,” he said, taking off his soaked raincoat. Abby didn’t know what to make of that, but smiled anyway. She followed him into the living room, barely managing to catch the towel thrown at her.
“Abby, go check the basement for flooding!” Ms. Rable said, taking her seat on the La-Z-Boy. Sighing, Abby did as she was told, only to find the basement had indeed started flooding. It didn’t surprise her to see Ethan and Aaron come down shortly after, but she was surprised to see Brannon. He carried a laundry basket full of towels.
“Does it always rain this hard?” Brannon asked, trying to dry a corner.
“You never know here,” replied Abby. “It could last for weeks, or rain hard for a day or two and then stop suddenly. It wasn’t even supposed to rain today. I think the weatherman draws the day’s weather out of a hat and just goes with it.”
“I bet the lake is fun to swim in when it’s warm here,” said Brannon, getting up to get another dry towel. “It’s like a giant pool.”
“Yeah, but with a lot of things that try and bite you,” broke in Abby.
“Like snakes!” said Ethan, glancing at Brannon.
“Speaking of snakes,” Brannon began as Abby shot a look at Ethan, “I heard you have one that knows how to shake. Can I see it sometime?”
“You like snakes?” she asked, turning away from the cracks to look at him.
“Yes, I do. I like a lot of animals. But I have to admit I’ve never seen a girl who likes snakes … or any other reptiles, as a matter of fact.”
“I like all kinds of animals. There are a bunch of salamanders where the old barn used to be,” replied Abby.
&nb
sp; “What old barn?” Aaron asked. “I don’t remember seeing one.”
“You can’t see it from any of the roads. Plus, most of it burned down ages ago. The only thing left now is part of the roof and some rotting wood.” They worked in silence for a while.
Abby, content with the help and the company, worked quietly. “Can you show us the barn when it stops raining?” asked Brannon.
“Sure! It’s not far from the lake.” They finished up with all the leaks and were able to dry the floor pretty good by the time Mrs. Herrin called down and said lunch was ready. Abby was the last to go up the stairs. Mrs. Herrin motioned for her to take a seat at the table, where soup and sandwiches were waiting.
Mrs. Herrin made sure they all had a bowlful before leaving the dining room. Abby was nearly halfway through her soup when a piece of bread went flying across the table. Brannon caught it, raised a brow at Ethan, and ate it. “So, Abby… How are the lectures going?”
Abby laughed as Ethan and Aaron groaned at the mention of Ms. Rable. “Are you kidding me?” Ethan started. “She’s crazy. I mean, she lectured me about how to use a footrest she got from Prague. How to use a footrest!”
“I can top that!” Aaron interrupted. “I had to sit there listening when she explained the origins of the colors of the fabric in that ugly blanket she has in the living room.”
“You think that’s bad?” Abby asked him. “Try mentioning checking the mail!”
Brannon laughed. “I remember that one—the do’s and don’ts of mail checking. Oh man, it was horrible!”
“Two hours!” Abby stressed to Ethan and Aaron. “A two-hour lecture!”
Mrs. Herrin stepped back into the dining room with the four of them laughing.
“Hey, Mom, the newspeople said it wasn’t supposed to rain tomorrow. Can we go on a picnic?” Brannon asked.
“I don’t see why not,” she replied. “Would you like to come?” she asked, looking down at Abby.
Abby, who had never been on a picnic, much less invited to one, just stared as Ethan and Aaron told her she was coming with them.
Before she could answer, Ms. Rable yelled from the kitchen, “Abby, get in here now!” Shoulders hunched, Abby rose from the table. She grabbed the empty plates on her way in. “What is this?” demanded Ms. Rable. She pointed into the trash can. “What is this?”
