“Mickey?” Simon asked.
“She means Speedy Gonzales, and no, I’m not…I just…” Owen took a breath and continued. “My mouth can’t keep up with what I want to say sometimes.” He paused for a moment. “I can speak normally if I want to, but that’s not the point.” He paused again. “The point is, this is our private place.”
“What, are you scared of me or something?” Alysha asked.
“Not you,” Owen said. “But you’ll bring your friends, and soon Marcus and Barry and those guys will come here, too, and then me and Simon won’t have anyplace to go that’ll be safe, and that’s not fair!”
Alysha and Simon both stood silently, sorting out what Owen had said. “I won’t tell anyone anything,” Alysha said. “Especially not Marcus. It’s not their business.” She held up her hands, palms out. “I’m not mean to you; I just hang out with some people who are. There’s a difference, you know.”
Simon frowned. “Not a big difference.”
“I guess you’re right,” Alysha said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Simon sighed. “You swear you don’t want to bring Marcus or any of that group in here?”
Alysha shook her head. “I can do stuff without them, you know. Besides, it’s just a forest.”
“Just a forest?” Simon said. “Are you nuts? Have you ever seen it before?”
Alysha chewed her bottom lip. “Okay, so that was weird. One minute, you guys had disappeared down a dead-end street, and the next…the next, I was in a forest.” She gazed up at the towering trees. “I guess I just never noticed it before.”
“It’s hidden. Wait, how did you get in? Owen never notices it until I bring him in.”
Alysha told them about that hint of wind she’d felt and how she’d tripped.
Simon looked around, breathing in the energy-filled air of the woods. “Wind? That Breeze. It must be that. That’s what called me here, and that’s what let you in, too. The Breeze must be part of the place’s magic.”
Alysha pounced. “Magic? What?”
“It’s the place,” Simon said. “It’s special somehow. Can’t you feel it?”
Alysha took a step back. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
Simon made up his mind. “Okay. Here’s the truth.” He gestured with his backpack. “I found a Book that lets me control the laws of physics.”
Alysha stared at him for a minute, glanced over at Owen (who looked away), then rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”
“It’s true!” Owen shouted. “I’ve seen it!”
“Simon, your games were fun when we were seven, but that’s old now.”
“Do you want me to prove it?” Simon asked.
“Okay, show me what you got,” she said.
Simon nodded. “I looked up a new formula: friction. It’s the resistance between two objects when they rub against each other. It’s what makes things stick together, and without it, things are all slippery. So there’s a lot of friction when you rub against sandpaper but very little when you slide along a freshly waxed floor.”
Alysha faked a yawn. “Okay, so let’s go, Merlin. Dazzle me.”
Simon pulled out the Book and opened it. He said, “Friction,” and smiled proudly at Alysha and Owen as the pages flipped right to the section on friction.
Alysha folded her arms. “Nice gimmick.”
“You’re not a very open-minded person, are you?” Simon asked.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone else about this, fine,” Alysha said. “But if you want me to believe you can do magic, I’ll need to see real proof. To do otherwise”—she looked at Owen—“would be ignorant.”
“It’s not really magic, I don’t think,” Simon said. “It’s science. This Book tells me how science really works, and I can command it. It only looks like magic if you don’t understand.” Seeing her doubt, he nodded. “Just wait.”
“Good, show her what you can do!” Owen said. “You did read carefully and practice, right?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah, yeah, sure,” Simon said. “Don’t worry.” He glanced at Alysha. “These symbols are like a language. I just have to make sure I’m saying the right thing.” He spoke a handful of nonsensical words. “Done.”
Alysha looked around. “Sorry, Science Boy. Nothing’s changed.”
“Oh no?” Simon said. “Walk that way.” He pointed toward the clearing.
Alysha took one step, and her feet slid out from under her as if she’d stepped on the biggest, slipperiest banana peel ever made. She fell on her butt and started sliding forward along the dirt path.
She let out a piercing scream. “Siiiiiiimmmoooooonnn! What did you do?”
“I took away your body’s kinetic friction,” Simon yelled. “Believe me now?”
She was speeding down the trail, her hands clawing uselessly at the dirt. Without any friction, everything was slicker than even the smoothest ice. “Yes! Now make it stop!”
Simon smiled wickedly. “I’ve got a better idea. Oh, Owen?”
Owen was looking at Alysha with a triumphant smile on his face; he turned to Simon and his eyes widened. He only had time to say, “No, wait—”
Simon directed the formula at Owen, who was already starting to move away. As the formula kicked in, he slipped forward, fell onto his stomach, and started belly-sliding in the same direction as Alysha.
“I’m coming, too!” Simon yelled. He used the formula on himself but gave his toes a bit of friction so he could use his feet to push off and pick up speed. While Alysha and Owen were slipping, he could actually dirt-skate. “Yeaahhh! Just like ice-skating!” he yelled.
Simon zoomed after Owen and Alysha as they slid toward the clearing. Owen was moaning loudly, while Alysha was now shouting with delight.
“This is awesome!” she cheered. “Way better than skating!” She streaked along effortlessly, laughing as she zoomed through the clearing. Fortunately, there were no tree stumps in her way.
Owen whimpered as he sped headfirst. He was like a puck whizzing along the ice in a hockey game, only there was no net to catch him.
Simon pumped his feet, speeding forward so he could catch up to Owen. He looked down and waved. “So what do you think?”
“Please-please-please-make-me-stop!”
Alysha’s scream yanked Simon’s attention away. “Simon! Help!” She was past the clearing. Up ahead was the ravine that had formed during the Order’s meeting…and Alysha was seconds away from going over the edge.
CHAPTER 13
GRAVITY IS FOR SUCKERS
“Don’t worry, Owen,” Simon shouted, “I’ll figure this out before you get there.” He sprint-skated toward Alysha, the trees blurring as he rushed by. He was starting to get winded; even without friction, it was tiring to run that hard.
Simon passed Alysha. “I’ll save you, just hold on!” he yelled.
“Hold on to what?” Alysha yelled back.
Although the woods, as Ralfagon had predicted, was slowly fixing the gap on its own, the space was still close to thirty feet across. Simon would have to reverse the friction formula and fast.
In his hurry, Simon bobbled the Book. Since he had canceled friction while holding it, it was as friction-free as he was. It wasn’t slippery to him, but it kept going when it hit the ground, sliding at matching speed. He couldn’t bend over to grab it without falling, and he couldn’t remember the formula’s language to stop.
“Simon! Turn it off!” Alysha screamed from dozens of feet behind him.
Simon groaned. “Stupid, stupid, what are those words?” He was nearing the edge of the ravine. It was about twenty feet deep, and he had no doubt that falling down it would either kill them or at least hurt a whole lot.
He got an idea. It was going to take excellent timing: he’d only have one chance. He sprint-skated even faster so he was ahead of the Book when he reached the gap. Then he spoke his gravity formula.
“Simon, no!” Alysha cried out, but she was too late. Simon sailed over the edge of the
gap. Only he didn’t fall.
Simon had canceled the gravity right over the gap; instead of falling, he launched across it. He spun in midair so his hands were where his feet should have been, and he managed to grab the Book as it went over the edge.
His momentum kept him going; he spun as he soared, weightless, through the air. But Simon knew that Alysha and Owen weren’t used to moving in zero g; they could collide with each other or drift back into the regular gravity zone and fall. He held the Book tightly. “Show me the friction-reversal formula!” he said.
The Book opened to the right page, to the exact words Simon needed to fix things. Simon twisted in midair and saw Alysha coming up to the edge. He waited for the precise moment and multiplied her friction to fifty times more than normal so her momentum wouldn’t carry her into the chasm.
Alysha was jolted to a halt with only her rear end still on the ground. She was literally hanging on to the edge by the seat of her pants.
Simon continued spinning through the air to the other side of the gap. He used his gravity formula to make him light enough to land gently and then used friction to stop. He turned and saw Owen going over headfirst. Simon increased Owen’s friction just in time, so the tips of his sneakers gripped the edge.
Simon burst into laughter. The no-gravity zone over the chasm kept Alysha’s legs and Owen’s body floating above it. Owen was flapping like a towel on a clothesline.
Alysha whooped. “That was…wow! I mean, wow.”
Owen struggled to keep his voice steady as his body billowed. “Simon. Bloom. Let. Me. Down.” This only made Alysha and Simon laugh harder.
Alysha clapped and cheered. “Okay, okay, you win. Magic, science, whatever you want to call it—I’ve never seen anything like it!”
Owen twisted his head around to glare at her, speaking remarkably slowly. “Yeah? No kidding.”
“I’ll be right there,” Simon called out. He wasn’t eager to take another low-gravity jump right then, so instead he changed his friction so his hands and feet would stick and unstick to the chasm wall. He climbed down and then up the other side, like Spider-Man.
Once he was back on the path, Simon dragged Alysha and Owen back from the edge of the gap and returned all gravity and friction to normal.
Owen scrunched his face up into a furious snarl.
“Sorry, Owen,” Simon said, “but you’ve got to admit it was a little fun, right?”
Owen glared at him and smacked away the bits of dirt that had stuck to him while floating over the gap. “I want to go home.”
“Come on,” Simon said, “when you were sliding…I saw you smile.”
Owen grumbled. “That was the wind pushing my lips back.”
“Owen, please!” Alysha said. “That was amazing! It was ten times better than any roller coaster!”
Owen frowned. “Don’t like roller coasters.”
“You honestly hated it?” Simon asked.
Owen tried to hold a glare, but a bit of a smile peeked out. “I guess it was kind of cool.” He paused. “But did you have to make me slide on my stomach like that? She got to sit down!”
Alysha chuckled. “Oh, what’s the difference?”
Owen glanced down at her backside and laughed. “You’re right: at least I still have something covering my underwear!”
Alysha felt the back of her pants and gasped. The abrupt increase of friction had ripped the seat of her jeans to shreds.
“I can’t believe this. I love these jeans!” Alysha screamed. “They’re my do-nothing-relaxing jeans!”
“Now they have built-in air-conditioning,” Owen said with a smirk.
“That’s so not funny,” Alysha said.
Simon stopped short and put a hand to his head. The weariness was back, worse than before. He stumbled, almost falling over. Owen and Alysha both grabbed him.
“Simon!” Alysha shouted.
“Are you okay?” Owen asked.
“Yeah, I guess. I just need to get some rest.”
“Controlling the laws of the universe must take a lot out of you,” Owen said.
“Come on,” Alysha said, “we’ll walk you home. Maybe we can all meet up tomorrow and try some more formulas?” She looked from Simon to Owen hopefully.
Simon gave a tired smile, and Owen nodded. “You’re on,” Simon said.
THIS CHRONICLE KEEPS GETTING BETTER
This was the strangest Chronicle I’d ever narrated. I mean, Outsider children performing stunts in Dunkerhook Woods? I wasn’t used to this type of work.
To be honest, my job had many drawbacks. For one thing, I had to remain cooped up in my apartment, focused on the unfolding history, for hours on end. And let’s face it, observing the Order of Physics could get rather boring.
A colleague of mine assigned to the Math League told me they’re an exciting lot. Granted, they all wear funny hats and thick-framed glasses and either speak in garbled English or Latin. But the League deals with theories and postulations that control the very fabric of existence. Their Keeper, Skyrena McSteiner, guides them in controlling these at least once a month, if not more. Just imagine…one slip and they can unravel the entire universe!
As for Physics, Ralfagon was an affable chap to be sure, but he made everyone in his Order live close by in Lawnville, and he imposed strict regulations against them toying with reality. There were occasional field trips into space when they worked with the Order of Astronomy, but they mostly stayed in town.
To be fair, I found most Physics members colorful, likable folks, but I often longed for something new and interesting in my viewing. Distinction. Drama. Danger. Derring-do. And other things, whether they started with a d or not.
It looked like Simon and his friends were granting my wish.
CHAPTER 14
SCHOOL’S OUT FOR PHYSICS
It was dark inside Ralfagon Wintrofline’s office at Milnes University. The only illumination came from the lamp on his desk, where he sat. He wore his overcoat indoors (he always wore it, rain or shine) and absently rubbed the metallic handle of his wooden cane. The door was again closed and sealed by powerful formulas.
I noticed that Ralfagon appeared even more distracted than he normally did. He gazed around his office and closed his eyes before speaking. “Looks good, doesn’t it? Eldonna straightened up again. But a neat office doesn’t change anything.”
It was so dark I couldn’t see who Ralfagon was speaking to, if anyone at all.
“There’s no way around it now,” he continued. “I have been careful, but I know something’s going to happen. And soon. I can feel it.”
He paused, listening. “Yes, I know,” he said. “Mermon is a threat. Remember, it wasn’t even my choice to let him into the Order. Just because a man gets struck by lightning twelve times and lives, those fool Board members think he might be valuable.” He sighed. “But I’m not worried about Mermon; he couldn’t be masterminding this. He doesn’t have the intelligence.”
He paused and quietly mumbled a few nonsensical words. Then he shrugged. “Who knows who’s helping him? Perhaps others in the Order. That’s why I can’t trust anyone now. I know there was someone else in Dunkerhook Woods during our last meeting. I felt a presence. Surely, it disrupted Robertitus’s formula and caused that crevice. I just don’t know what or how, and without the Council’s help, I can’t find out.”
He absently gestured with his hands and frowned. “Yes, there’s that, too. An odd disturbance in the laws. Someone is using formulas in ways they shouldn’t. There’s a great amount of physics energy somewhere nearby that I can’t explain. I know you’ve sensed it, too. I believe you know more about this than you’re telling me…but it’s often that way, isn’t it? I understand; you have your secrets. As for me, I’m feeling old, my friend. Old and scared. My own Order may be filled with traitors, and even those who are loyal probably think I’m insane.”
He listened again and then chuckled. “No, you’re right; conversations like this don’t help my case.
Nor does my memory. That’s what I get for filling my head with so many laws of physics. At least I don’t dabble in theoretical physics like you! That’s where the real trouble comes from.” He sighed again. “But that’s not important right now. What matters is you.”
He closed his eyes and wiggled his fingers. “I want you to be ready. If something happens to me, I want you to go somewhere safe. Even if it means going far away. Or to another time. Find a place where the enemy, whoever they may be, can’t get at you. Don’t worry about me; this is bigger than me, old friend. This is about the universe. If something happens, don’t try to be a hero. Just go. Promise me.”
Ralfagon listened intently and then nodded. “Good. You’ll do fine, if it comes to that.” He clicked on his lamp, illuminating the whole office.
Looking around, he laughed humorlessly. “So much for a neat office, hmm? That’s my worst habit of all.” While he’d been talking, Ralfagon had unthinkingly mumbled a formula of motion; his casual gestures accidentally turned his clean office into an unholy mess once again.
Ralfagon stood up. “That’s as good a sign as any: time to go home.”
He opened his overcoat and stroked…the Book! There it was, dark blue cover, thick binding, the words Teacher’s Edition of Physics printed in white.
But how? I had seen Simon using it not ten minutes earlier! Could the book be in two places at once? I wondered.
Ralfagon shuffled to his door. “Just don’t forget your promise,” he whispered. “Someplace safe. Or somewhen, if you must.”
Ralfagon limped to the parking lot, leaning heavily on his cane. Oddly enough, he was barefoot.
“Professor Winter! Professor!” The quiet afternoon was disrupted by Eldonna’s insistent shout as she waved a pair of tan construction boots: his. Ralfagon didn’t even slow down. Finally, Eldonna cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered her own formula. Her voice went straight to Ralfagon’s ear, boldly ignoring the fact that they were hundreds of feet apart. “Ralfagon!”
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