Boxed Set: Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood: [The 12 book 1st adventure + the series prequel]

by Robert Iannone

  When they had seen that Egg . . . it was hard not to use her nickname . . . had made a new friend, they were upset. They had been her best friends – her sisters – how dare she make another friend. And do it so quickly.

  One of the girls from Screech knew Claire and told the four girls the nasty nickname that just made the young girl so mad that she sometimes cried. Well, now seemed like a great time to find out if it still bothered her.

  “Hey” yelled Melody “is that really you. Why yes, it is. It’s Crispy Bacon. And she has a new friend. Egg and Crispy Bacon – why that’s what I had for breakfast.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Everyone, but Claire and Egg.

  Egg got up, and started to walk over to Melody. She had never hit anyone in her whole life . . . until now.

  But she didn’t get the chance. Claire grabbed her arm and said “Egg, don’t. It doesn’t matter.”

  Egg glared at the four girls. Sylvia had the good grace to look embarrassed. The other three had satisfied smirks on their faces. Before it could go any further, a counselor came over and separated everyone. Egg asked if she could go back to her cabin and was given permission.

  Claire ran after her holding the snake ring.

  *****

  “I think she wants to be your friend again.”

  “What? Are you kidding?”

  “I’m not kidding. I can just tell.”

  “Claire, I wish you were right, but you’re not. Didn’t you hear them . . . they were making fun of you because you’re my friend.”

  “She didn’t. Only the other ones.”

  “You couldn’t be more wrong. Just forget it, please.”

  “I’m not wrong. Anyway, thank you for standing up for me. But do you know what’s really strange?”

  “What?”

  “I liked it . . . when she said Crispy Bacon and Egg. It made me feel close to you.”

  Egg looked hard at the other girl, and then smiled. “I liked it too. Besides, I would much rather have crispy bacon instead of raw bacon.”

  “Oh, yuk . . . that’s pretty disgusting.” And they both laughed.

  *****

  After dinner, everyone was back in the crafts tent because the weather hadn’t changed . . . except now there was lightning. Oh, and very loud thunder which made the girls jump every time it exploded.

  There was a giant TV and everyone – well, most everyone – was watching MTV. Fandango Sally was supposed to release another song and the girls were excited to hear it.

  “Do you like them?” asked Claire.

  “No” said Egg “I absolutely, positively adore them. I have every one of their albums.”

  “What’s your favorite song?”

  “Umm . . . there’s so many . . . I guess it would have to be Don’t Mess with My Sister, Mister. How about you?”

  “I love Girls Love to Shop. I think they wrote it for me.”

  But before they could continue, the announcer came on and said “And here’s the new song from Fandango Sally called Best Friends…”

  The girls went nuts.

  Of course, if the band had sung the national anthem they would still have reacted the same way.

  Claire turned to her friend and said, “Wow, was that just too awesome?” But to the young girl’s surprise, Egg had tears in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m sorry. I need to get some air.” She got up to go and Claire started to follow her. “No, don’t. Thanks anyway, but I need to be alone.” And she slipped out into the rainy night without the counselors seeing her.

  Well, she had had enough . . . Claire that is. She looked around and spotted the person she was looking for. “Excuse me.”

  Sylvia turned around saw the young girl. “Oh, it’s you. Listen, I’m sorry for what my friend said. That was mean of her.”

  “That’s not why I’m here. I need to tell you something. Can we go over there and talk?”

  “Okay.”

  They went over to a sofa in the corner and sat down. “Egg is very sad that you two aren’t friends anymore.”

  Sylvia wasn’t sure if she was happy or angry to hear this from a total stranger. “Did she ask you to tell me that?”

  “Absolutely not. I’m doing it because she’s my friend.”

  Now that statement made Sylvia a little jealous. “We had a fight and she refuses to apologize. That’s all she ever had to do.”

  “But she did. She sent you an email the other night but you didn’t answer it.”

  “Oh my gosh” she said in a phrase borrowed from her ex-best friend. “I wasn’t home. The other three girls and I were already at camp. It was such a last minute thing and . . . oh, it’s not important. Do you know what the email said?”

  “She said she was very sorry and hoped you two could be friends again. Maybe best friends.”

  Sylvia’s eyes began to water. “Where is she?”

  “When she heard that new song . . . she ran outside.”

  “Thank you, oh thank you” and Sylvia hugged the other girl.

  Sylvia ran outside . . . but it was so dark that she couldn’t find her friend. Then there was a giant fork of lightning that lit up the whole sky . . .

  . . . and there was Egg just standing there, hugging herself, drenched to the bone and shivering.

  “EGG”.

  The girl turned around and saw her best friend. They ran to each other and hugged and cried . . . though with all the rain, it was hard to tell.

  “Sylvia, I’m so stupid . . . I’m so sorry. Please, please, please forgive me.”

  “We’re both so dumb. We can make each other angry but we can’t stop being best friends. Nothing in this world can do that.

  “. . . that song . . . it said just what I feel.”

  “Me, too.”

  “And, I’m sorry there’s no more Hameggattic Sisterhood.”

  “Of course there’s a Hameggattic Sisterhood. Do you think I want to belong to a club named after Munchkins . . . they give me the creeps.”

  *****

  They went back inside and there was Josie waiting for them.

  “Oops” said Egg.

  “Ladies . . . going outside in this weather is not very bright. Look at you two . . . you’re soaking wet. I’ll take you back to your cabin so you can change.”

  “Umm . . . we’re in different cabins,” corrected Sylvia.

  “No. There’s been a change. Claire has begged me to transfer her to Screech cabin . . . and I feel obliged to let her. So, I’m transferring you to Snowy.

  *****

  Friday Night…

  When Melody, Angela and Presley found out that Sylvia was moving over to Snowy, they were furious.

  “How could you do this? It’s against the rules of the Lollipop Guild.”

  “Yes, we took a vote, and it was 3 to 1. We just assumed you’d vote the wrong way.”

  “So, come back to Screech.”

  Sylvia listened to each of them politely then said, “I resign from your Lollipoopers Club. I’m a Hameggattic Sister and I’ll always be one.”

  “You can’t,” they cried in unison.

  “I can . . . I did . . . and now . . . I’m gone” and she turned her back and walked away.

  Then she turned around and came back. “Oh, if you do anything to bother Claire . . . and I mean anything . . . Egg and I will be very, very, very unhappy.”

  *****

  Saturday …

  It was the last competition between Snowy and Screech. Snowy had won the kickball game that morning. Now it was archery. The winner of this contest would win the very first camp trophy . . . a wooden owl.

  Every girl was to shoot three arrows and their scores would be added up.

  Each ring of the target was worth different points . . .

  Screech went first and had a total score of one hundred and twenty-one points. To the delight of Egg and Ham, Claire scored the most points for her team.

  Then each girl on Snowy took her turn. Egg
was next to last and her score brought them very close to Screech’s total. Now it was up to Sylvia.

  Her first arrow was a bull’s eye.

  Her second arrow was just off . . . and landed in the next ring.

  If she could get her last arrow in any of the three center rings, Snowy would win. And Egg knew her friend was very, very good.

  Sylvia notched her last arrow.

  She aimed.

  She fired and the arrow flew towards the target.

  It landed in the fourth ring.

  Snowy didn’t win.

  They had tied with Screech.

  It was the least Sylvia could do for Claire.

  *****

  Sunday morning…

  Egg hugged Claire. Then Sylvia hugged her.

  “You are absolutely the second bestest friend I have.”

  “That goes for me, too” added Sylvia.

  “And, Claire, if you ever need help for any reason . . . I want you to promise to call me.”

  “I promise. And Egg, thank you for making this camp so wonderful.” Claire hugged them again and ran to her mom. It was time to go home and see Yoshi.

  When she was gone, Egg said, “Did you know her best friend is a boy?”

  “No way. Does she kiss him?”

  “Yuk . . . he’s her best friend, not her boyfriend.”

  “Oh.”

  *****

  Chapter 5 – …and Toto too

  They drove home together on Sunday morning. Sylvia had called her mother the night before and told her she was going home with her best friend. Mrs. Hampton couldn’t have been happier.

  As they drove the hour or so back home, Ham and Egg sat in the rear seat and talked and talked about mostly nothing. It was wonderful.

  “Oh, I almost forgot. I made you something.” Egg searched her backpack and found the ring. “Hope it fits.”

  “Egg, it’s beautiful.” She slipped it on but it was too small. “Oh, no. Maybe my dad came make it bigger.”

  “Let me try” and Egg took the ring and slipped it back on to Sylvia’s finger. This time it fit. “Oh my gosh.”

  “How did you do that?”

  Egg couldn’t answer that. She had felt the ring expand as she went to slip it on, and then shrink to fit snuggly. Just like her jewelry. “Umm . . . I used a little magic.”

  Sylvia giggled thinking her friend was kidding.

  “I can’t wait to get home and talk to Dazzle,” Egg said to herself. “That was too weird.”

  *****

  Egg helped Sylvia carry her stuff to the front door and then hugged her. “I’ll call you later.”

  “Great. And thank you for the ring. I’ll never take it off.”

  Egg skipped back to the car and got in the front seat with her mom. She was so happy, she almost sparkled.

  “So . . . tell me everything.” And the young girl told her mother the whole wonderful story.

  *****

  After spending time with her family, Egg went to her room to unpack. She told her parents that when she finished, she was going to take a little nap. Of course, what she really intended to do was go fly. It had been a week since she was last airborne.

  So she unpacked, tossed her dirty clothes into her hamper, and then took out her flying suit and jewelry. She changed; walked to the balcony and leapt skyward . . . and Flying Girl went flying.

  She had planned to do a quick fly over the town just in case someone needed help . . . which was doubtful . . . then fly somewhere exotic. Maybe she’d fly to Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, and stand at the tippy top. Then she could tell everyone that she was on top of the world . . . which was exactly how she felt.

  But as usual . . . at least for Egg this summer . . . it didn’t quite work out that way. When she flew over the park, she saw two kids climbing up the fence that surrounded the baseball diamond. And, at their feet was the meanest dog she had ever seen.

  Without thinking, she flew down and landed right behind the growling four-legged devil. The boys saw her land but instead of being surprised and asking her the usual questions, they yelled, “Get out of there. That dog’s a killer. Run . . . hurry.”

  Egg was pleasantly surprised. Instead of thinking of themselves, these boys . . . yes, boys . . . were worried about her safety. That was something to think about.

  “Hey, doggy” she yelled.

  The startled dog turned around then started to growl at her.

  “Stop that.”

  The dog’s ears went straight up and in mid-growl, he stopped and whimpered as if he realized he was being scolded.

  “That’s better. Now, go home Toto and don’t you dare bother anyone again. Go.” (Toto, of course, was Dorothy’s dog in the Wizard of Oz).

  And it did. Head down, tail between its leg, it trotted off, occasionally looking back at Egg.

  The two boys climbed down looking a little embarrassed. “Hey, how did you do that?”

  “And how come you were flying?”

  That was better . . . she could handle boys being rude. “The answer to both questions is magic. I’m Fly . . .” she stopped then said, “I’m the Wicked Witch of the West. Have a nice day.” She blew them a kiss and flew away.

  The two boys watched until she disappeared. Then they ran home.

  *****

  Egg flew back home. There just wasn’t enough time to visit the big mountain. But that was okay. Good deeds were always more rewarding. She landed on her balcony, walked in and changed her clothes. As she was putting the two-headed snake (or was it a serpent?) bracelet away, she stopped.

  “OH MY GOSH.”

  She finally realized what the other magic in the bracelet was.

  *****

  Egg went to bed early . . . she just had to talk to Dazzle. But she was so excited that she couldn’t fall asleep. “Great. Just great.”

  Well, if she couldn’t fall asleep, then she should at least update her diary. She went to her desk and pulled it out . . .

  It took her a good half hour to document everything that happened in the last seven days . . . including sending Toto home. And now she was tired. So she jumped into bed, turned out the light and fell asleep.

  “Dazzle.”

  “I am here, Egg.”

  “I figured out what the bracelet does besides heal.”

  “I know you did. But, you may tell me if you wish.”

  “It makes animals listen to me. That’s why Jynx the monkey ran to my arms and why Toto stopped growling and went home.”

  “That is so.”

  “But why?

  Ignoring the question, the Princess said “Egg, you have done what no other human has done. In more than a thousand of your years, you are the only one to unleash the magic of the jewelry. You are the One.”

  “Dazzle . . . I’m the one what?”

  “You are the One I have waited so long to appear. And now I may answer all of your questions.”

  Egg had at least one for each of those thousand years . . . and in no particular order, she started to ask them. “Are those snakes or serpents on the bracelet?”

  “A snake and a serpent. You were correct; the snake is a very old symbol for healing.”

  “What does the serpent mean?”

  “On my world, the serpent is the most intelligent of all beings.”

  “So why do I need to control wild animals? Is that how you control Storm?”

  For the first time in a millennium, the Princess laughed. “He would be most displeased to be considered a wild animal.”

  “He’s not your pet?”

  “No, he was . . . is . . . my best friend.”

  “Wow. You have a dragon for a best friend. That’s amazing. So why do I need the power to control animals?”

  “I can only say that it may be the difference between victory and defeat.”

  “If you say so. You once said that you have known me for a thousand years. What did that mean?”

  “I will answer . . . but th
at must wait for the rest of the story.”

  “Dazzle, I made a ring for my best friend. When she tried it on, it didn’t fit her. But when I tried, the ring grew then shrunk to fit . . . just like my jewelry. How can that be? What does it mean?”

  “It is the power of the subconscious mind of Flying Girl. You must retrieve the ring.”

  “You mean take it back? I can’t do that . . . it was a gift.”

  “Do you wish her to be your Feminion?”

  “My what?”

  “Feminion.”

  “What’s that?”

  “On my world a Feminion is a person you choose as a trusted advisor. She may accompany you on your Quest. She will share your danger and your glory should you succeed. Is that your wish?”

  “Dazzle, I’m very sorry. But I have no idea what you’re talking about. What quest?”

  “I, too, am sorry, Egg. I should not have allowed you to ask questions until I told you my story.”

  “Okay, tell me.”

  “This is not the time. But soon - perhaps tomorrow night.”

  “Can you answer just a few more questions?”

  “I will try.”

  “You said we were sisters? What did you mean by that?”

  “I must tell you my story before I may answer.”

  “Okay, then how come you keep talking about your world? Are you like a Martian or something?’

  “I am not of Earth. I am from the planet Aerianna. It circles the star Alcyone in the constellation Pleiades . . . also known as the Seven Sisters.”

  “Dazzle . . . are you really real, or are you just my imagination?”

  “I am real, but unlike you. Egg, I must leave for now. Until I return, I ask that you sleep with your magic. Good night.”

  “Now what does that mean?” but Dazzle was gone.

  *****

  The next morning Egg had to talk to her grandmother and tell her what Dazzle had said. But her mom said that Grammy and Grazy had gone away for a few days. Apparently, Grazy’s house had sold and she would be moving in just a few weeks. So the two old friends wanted to spend as much time together as they could. They had fifty years of catching up to do.