Marigold Star

by Elise Primavera

  “It is?” Marigold was astounded.

  “Sure.” He stepped outside. “It’s practically the whole reason why they invented sidekicks.”

  It was a beautiful night with a full moon. Lenny walked next to Marigold down the street. “As we set off on our quest, I have just one question, sir: who’s Winnie?”

  “Winnie is the most unfriendly girl in her town,” Marigold replied. “In fact, she doesn’t have a single friend—can you imagine?”

  “Yeah— I mean, no. That’s crazy, not having even a single friend.” Lenny laughed nervously.

  “It’s so easy to make friends. I can’t imagine not having even a single one!” Marigold exclaimed.

  “Yeah, me either.” Lenny mumbled, “Except maybe if a kid moved to, like, a new neighborhood. They might not have a single friend. . . .”

  Marigold shrugged. “But then all they’d have to do is make new friends!”

  “New friends—exactly.” Lenny nodded. “But why do you need to find Winnie?”

  Marigold explained, “I was trying to learn how to become invisible, and I did this spell called the Invis-O-Friend Spell and somehow ended up in Winnie’s room, then—”

  Lenny interrupted, “When was the last time you saw Winnie, sir?”

  “About half an hour ago—and you don’t have to call me ‘sir,’” Marigold said.

  “Okay, Captain.” Lenny made a little salute.

  “You don’t have to call me ‘Captain’ either.” Marigold didn’t want to hurt Lenny’s feelings, but she had to convince him that she wasn’t a superhero!

  “How about boss?” he asked.

  “How about just calling me Marigold?” She smiled and continued. “So, Winnie had my magic wand—”

  “Hold it. Back up.” Lenny put his hands on top of his head, as if it might explode otherwise. “Don’t you know that you’re never supposed to give your magic wand to someone else?”

  “How do you know that?” Marigold had heard that magic wands didn’t exist in the Human World.

  Lenny stared at the ground, his eyes wide with the obviousness of the answer. “It’s practically superhero rule number one!”

  Marigold gave him a sidelong glance. “Well, to make matters worse, actually, Super Scary Shadow Boy has it now, and—”

  Lenny stopped dead in his tracks. “Super Scary Shadow Boy? Are you kidding me? I love Super Scary Shadow Boy!” He instantly produced a comic book from his back pocket to show her. “That’s what I was just reading before you appeared! Look!”

  A queasy feeling rose in Marigold’s stomach. On the cover of Lenny’s comic book, it practically screamed: “IN A NEVER-ENDING BATTLE, SUPER SCARY SHADOW BOY DEFENDS GHOSTS THE WORLD OVER!” There was a picture of a small shadowy figure with claws and fangs and a pointy tail cast onto the rocky wall of a cave. She flipped through the pages to see that the comic was identical to the story she had told the ghost children. The words from Granny’s spell book instantly came to mind: “Seepage: When characters, places, and/or objects spontaneously appear in a world other than their own.”

  Lenny bobbed up and down with nervous energy. “We have to find Super Scary Shadow Boy right away! We have to get your magic wand back! I mean, he’s Super Scary Shadow Boy! What if he uses it to make an army of super ghosts? What if they wage a ruthless war against all mankind? What if they destroy the world?” Lenny hurried off, talking to himself. “That would be so awesome.”

  “You don’t know the full story, Lenny!” Marigold ran after the boy. “If I don’t find Winnie and make friends with her before midnight and if I don’t find my wand by then, Bramblycrumbly will crumble and turn to brambles.”

  “Well, that would be awful,” Lenny said. “But also kind of cool.”

  Marigold gave him a harsh look.

  Lenny softened. “Look, it’s going to be all right, Marigold. All we have to do is find Super Scary Shadow Boy, get your wand back, and wish for Winnie to appear. Simple. Super Scary Shadow Boy is probably in Spookety Forest playing Candy Land in his creepy dark cave this very minute—he loves Candy Land.”

  Lenny took off at a run.

  “Wait!” Marigold called. “Where are you going?”

  “To find Spookety Forest!” he called over his shoulder. “It’s not safe, Marigold—but danger is what superheroes thrive on!”

  “But I’m not a superhero!” Marigold yelled. She chased after the boy for several blocks. The houses on each street became shabbier. Roofs sagged, weeds grew high in yards, and windows were boarded up. She didn’t want to lose Lenny too and ran to catch up. Just up ahead, he came to a halt.

  “There!” Lenny pointed at a wrought iron gate surrounded by brambles. Marigold recognized the familiar landmark. Once again here was Spookety Forest.

  9

  Trials and Ordeals

  Lenny zipped through the gate.

  Marigold followed. They ran under the canopy of trees into the moonlit world that she had come to know so well. Lenny walked alongside her, trying to be helpful. “All we have to do is find the ghosts, and they’ll know exactly where Super Scary Shadow Boy is. And Spookety Forest is loaded with them. Watch this!” He dipped into his pocket and pulled out a handful of jelly beans. “Here, ghosts! Come and get it, guys!”

  Sure enough, a moment later several ghosts floated quickly toward them.

  “Hello, ghosts. I’m Lenny, and—”

  They knocked the jelly beans out of Lenny’s hand and swarmed around Marigold. “Help, Marigold Star!” they cried.

  “Where have you been?” said one.

  “We’ve been looking all over for you!” said another.

  “Where is Winnie?” Marigold asked urgently.

  “Super Scary Shadow Boy has her,” said a third ghost. “He’ll never let her go!”

  The ghosts started to moan, and Marigold tried to console them. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he won’t harm Winnie.”

  They flew wildly about, and their voices echoed up into the trees. “We don’t care about her!”

  “What, then?” Marigold asked.

  “He says he’s going to make us invisible if we’re not his friends,” one ghost said.

  “He makes us play Candy Land with him—in his super scary dark cave!” said another.

  “He thinks he’s a superhero!” They all chimed in.

  “He is!” Lenny said, and they thumped him on the head. “Stop that!” Lenny shouted, but they paid no attention.

  “Marigold Star! He’s too scary! We don’t want to be friends with a shadow boy! You have to come and tell him to stop making us play Candy Land. We hate Candy Land. But we’re too afraid not to play, because if we don’t, he’ll make us invisible!” The ghosts flew away. “Come with us, Marigold Star!” they implored.

  “To where?” she shouted. “Where is Super Scary Shadow Boy?”

  “Spookety Cave!” They flew off through the trees into the dark forest.

  “But you know I can’t fly! Send the ghost train!” Marigold watched with dismay as they disappeared.

  Lenny’s eyes glittered with excitement. “What’s the ghost train?”

  “It’s the only fast way to Spookety Cave, but you never know when one will arrive, and the ghosts are so upset, I’m not sure they’ll be able to get one to come now.” Marigold’s shoulders sagged. Even the petals on her head drooped. She pushed them out of her eyes, but they fell right back. “Spookety Cave is way on the other side of the forest. It’ll be well past midnight by the time we walk there. What am I going to do? I just feel like giving up, Lenny!” Marigold started to cry; it seemed like everything was conspiring against her.

  Lenny shook his head. “You can’t give up now—are you kidding? This is the best part.”

  “What do you mean, ‘the best part’?” Marigold sniffed.

  “Trials and ordeals, Marigold.” Lenny spoke in a low, mysterious voice. “You can’t be a superhero without them.

  “Lenny, how many times do I have to tell you I’m no
t a superhero!” Marigold cried with frustration.

  “Look, it’s only through overcoming trials and ordeals that the ordinary person becomes strong enough to become a superhero. Without them you’ll never know the power you possess!”

  Marigold hoped that what Lenny had just said didn’t apply to powers obtained through the Invis-O-Friend Spell—she was terrible at trials and ordeals! Like Spelling Test Day at school, when everyone had to pick three spells and learn them by the end of the day. Marigold had failed her first one so miserably and had come to dread Spelling Test Day so much that she had started to feign illness. But now she had to get her wand back and find Winnie before the girl turned nine and make friends with her. All of Bramblycrumbly depended on it—she couldn’t pretend she had a stomachache! “If only I could fly!” Marigold crouched and said the Flying Spell: “Spoket! Spoket! Magic poket! Fly!” At the same time, she flung her arms and leaped.

  Thud. She landed in the dirt. “I’m hopeless,” she moaned.

  Lenny helped her up. “No, you’re not—your timing is just off.”

  “My timing?” She was doubtful.

  “Yes, it’s all about timing,” Lenny replied. “I know exactly what you’re doing wrong. Right as you say the word ‘fly,’ you need to spring in the air.”

  Marigold had no idea what he was talking about.

  “You’re waiting too long . . . you’re leaping too late . . . you’re not following through . . . you’re stopping yourself.”

  “How?” Marigold was interested to know.

  “After you say ‘poket,’ you need to take a deep breath, exhale hard, fling your arms in the air, and leap on the word ‘fly.’”

  “It sounds complicated,” Marigold said.

  “It’s really not—it’s just a matter of timing.”

  “But I’m afraid,” Marigold said.

  “Of what?”

  “It’s so high up in the air and dangerous.” She shuddered.

  “But it’s so fun! I wish I could fly!” Lenny held out his arms and ran in a circle. “Soaring through the clouds—think of all the places you could get to quickly . . . um, like now.”

  Marigold gritted her teeth and tried again. “Spoket! Spoket! Magic poket! Fly!”

  Thud! She landed in the dirt again. She sat there not moving, trying to think of how she was going to get to Spookety Cave. It certainly wouldn’t be by flying.

  “What time is it now, Lenny?” she asked.

  “Nine thirty-five,” he answered way too cheerfully.

  Lenny had such unwavering belief in her, but as far as Marigold could tell, her options were fading fast. “I’m going to have to call Big Flying Bird,” she muttered, thinking at least Seepage was good for something.

  “See? I knew you’d come up with an idea!” Lenny exclaimed.

  “Don’t get too excited,” Marigold said. “He’s very sensitive and gets mad at the least little thing. He’s mad at me right now because my dragon said he was as big as an elephant.”

  “Is he?” Lenny asked.

  “Yes, but he wishes he were only the size of a parrot—like all his brothers and sisters.” Marigold stood, readying herself to say the spell. She had to get it right for once. “Stand back,” she warned. “And whatever you do—don’t call him ‘big.’” She took a deep breath and said: “Twinkle, twinkle, Big Flying Bird. Come to me with these few words, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the bird I wish tonight!”

  Much to her shock and amazement, she got it right. Before them stood the magnificent bird. His golden legs and pointy beak gleamed in the half-light. His inky-black and snow-white feathers were perfectly groomed. The majestic plume on the top of his head looked more regal than ever. He was still as big as an elephant.

  Lenny stared, unable to speak for a moment.

  “Who’s that?” The bird eyed the boy suspiciously.

  “This is my friend Lenny,” Marigold replied.

  “Humph.” He narrowed his eyes. “All I can say is that you have terrible taste in friends. First that awful excuse for a dragon, now this oddly human-looking Lenny.” Before Marigold could answer, the bird cocked his head. “Does this plume make me look big?”

  “N-No—not at all,” Marigold stammered.

  The bird ruffled his feathers. “So, what’s with the blinking star still—I thought you were going to Granny’s to fix that?”

  Marigold raised her eyes to see, and sure enough, the bird was right. “Not again!” She groaned.

  “Cool!” Lenny exclaimed. “I’ll bet it means your archenemy is near.”

  Marigold gave the boy a withering look.

  “I told you, I’m very sensitive to light—make it stop!” The bird stamped his foot.

  “I can’t make it stop,” Marigold wailed.

  The bird’s cheeks turned bright red. “I’m very sorry, but I can’t work under these conditions.” He flapped his wings, and feathers filled the air. “No one said anything about a blinking star—and don’t tell me I’m too sensitive!”

  “Sensitive? We would never say that.” Marigold smoothed his feathers with her hand. “Right, Lenny?”

  “Sensitive? You? Never!” Lenny tried to sound convincing. “And might I say that you are looking especially small today.”

  “Really?” the bird said with delighted surprise.

  Lenny nodded. “Almost as small as a parrot.”

  “Do you really think so?” the bird asked hopefully.

  “I really think so,” Lenny replied with a straight face.

  The bird was all smiles. “Well, thank you,” he said, pleased.

  Marigold and Lenny exchanged relieved glances.

  “Where to?” the bird asked politely.

  “Could you take us to Spookety Cave?” Marigold asked.

  The bird lowered himself, and Lenny climbed onto his back, where two little seats had been strapped on. As soon as they were seated, Big Flying Bird took off at a run, his strides growing larger with each step until he pushed off the ground with a grunt and they were airborne.

  “Boy, he really is sensitive,” Lenny said in a low voice.

  Marigold nodded. “We’re going to have to be careful about what we say.”

  Lenny covered his mouth with his hand. “This bird sure isn’t very fast.” It was true.

  They put-putted along at about the speed of a flying turtle.

  “We’ll never get to Winnie at this rate,” Marigold fretted. “What time is it now, Lenny?”

  “Nine fifty,” he reported.

  “Two hours and ten minutes! Oh!” Marigold wrung her hands. “Please hurry, bird,” she murmured, though she didn’t dare say it too loud for fear of hurting his feelings. How was she ever going to find Winnie and make friends with the most unfriendly girl in town in such a short amount of time? She glanced at Lenny to see he had a huge grin plastered across his face, like he was enjoying himself immensely. “You don’t seem very worried,” Marigold remarked.

  “Because I know you’ll eventually find Winnie, make friends, and save Bramblycrumbly,” Lenny replied.

  Marigold furrowed her brow. Her heart thudded uncontrollably in her chest. So many things had gone wrong—how could Lenny still be so unconcerned? “I’m glad you have so much faith in me, Lenny—but I’m not so sure.”

  “I am!” Lenny said confidently. “In fact, I know for certain you’re even going to learn to fly before this night is up.”

  Marigold was doubtful.

  Lenny explained, “For example, what if right now Big Flying Bird suddenly vanished? You’d know that I was going to be squashed on the ground, and out of a selfless desire to save my life, you would totally forget that you can’t fly. Your superhero super-abilities would take over—because of course you’ve been able to fly all along, you just didn’t know it, and voila, you’re flying!”

  “That’s crazy, Lenny!” Marigold exclaimed. “I don’t have any superhero super-abilities, and—I can’t fly!”

  Lenny suddenly had a funny look
on his face. “Tell the truth, Marigold.” He spoke in a loud voice. “That plume on Big Flying Bird really does make him look big.”

  The bird slowed. “What?”

  “I said,” Lenny answered, “Big Flying Bird looks big.”

  “No—he didn’t mean it!” Marigold cried.

  “Yes, I did,” Lenny said. “It’s plain to see he’s as big as an elephant.”

  “A-as big as an e-elephant?” the bird sputtered.

  “Yeah, and I think you’re too sensitive,” Lenny added.

  “Then fly yourself around, kid!” the bird said.

  Poof! He vanished.

  Marigold and Lenny locked eyes as they hovered in the air for a split second. Then they were falling like two bags of cement. Lenny took Marigold’s hand. “Fly, Marigold! Don’t be afraid!”

  “Spoket! Spoket! Magic poket!” Marigold said. But they kept right on falling. “Fly!” she repeated. “Fly! Fly! Fly!” she screamed. The wind whistled in her ears as they continued to fall.

  Oh, if only she were back in Bramblycrumbly with Lightning or with Granny Cabbage! If only she and Lenny were anywhere but here right now, about to be squashed on the ground! In fact, she’d never needed to be somewhere else more than she did right now. The ground came roaring at Marigold with tremendous speed. Marigold squeezed Lenny’s hand with all her might. The spell had sent her somewhere else twice tonight—maybe it would do it again now. . . . “Izzable dizzable, make me invisible to all but one. Send me to the most friendless of friends—unless I’ve never been a friend before.” She braced herself . . . she clenched her teeth . . . she closed her eyes.

  BAM!

  10

  Priscilla

  “It stopped,” Lenny said.

  Marigold opened her eyes to see him kneeling over her. She was lying beside a large fir tree, and all around her was an open grassy area.

  “Your star—it stopped blinking,” Lenny repeated. “And we didn’t both get squashed on the ground either. We’re alive!”

  “Yay,” Marigold said weakly. There was little to be cheerful about. She was further away than ever from finding Winnie and completing the Invis-O-Friend Spell or from getting her magic wand back, for that matter. Marigold rose onto her elbows and looked around.