"Akirys" 6th Grade
Epilogue
"No, no, May Belle, not like that!"
May Belle sighed and picked a purple flower out of her hair, the June sun making it shine. "Queen training is too hard!" she whined. She was trying to learn to talk like a queen, so she and Jess wouldn't spoil the imaginative adventures.
When will she learn? Jess thought exasperatedly .It's supposed to be hard.
He flopped over on the springy green grass. The weather was so perfect it was like a dream. They were in Terabithia, three weeks after May Belle became queen-in-training. The sky was glittering blue, but a cool breeze was blowing, eliminating the heat of the sun. It had drizzled recently, not too much, but enough to turn the creek into a beautiful cerulean stream.
That would be great to swim in, Jess thought drowsily. If Leslie were here, she'd-
Leslie.
The thought stopped him cold, and there it was again. That squinching, lonely feeling in the pit of his stomach. A cloud rolled across the sun, and suddenly the day wasn't so gorgeous anymore. "Come on, May Belle," Jess managed, sitting up and heading toward the bridge, his head already feeling like lead. "I'm tired. Let's go home."
Jess had his nightmare again, for something like the seventh time since Leslie had you-know-whatted. May Belle was falling because the bridge he made had collapsed, which was his fault for not making it sturdier. The water was a monster trying to swallow her, but every time he tried to help, Miss Edmunds would grab his shoulder and yank him back. Wait, Jesse. Stay with me. He'd wake up feeling depressed and unable to eat. It worried his parents and May Belle(although Ellie and Brenda could hardly care less), but he couldn't help it. What could he do?
"Jess, wake up!" May Belle pleaded one of those Saturday mornings. "Time to go… uh…." She knew she wasn't supposed to say Terabithia out loud, so she winked exaggeratingly. Jess agreed somewhat reluctantly, but made May Belle hold his hand all the way over the bridge.
When Jess and May Belle returned from Terabithia, cheeks flushed from the excitement, they found everyone at the table, waiting for them. There was tension in the air, as if they'd just finished an argument. Jess gulped nervously. The last time everyone was sitting together like that Leslie had, well…died. He grimaced. More nightmares tonight. "Jess," his father said slowly, "there's a surprise for you in the barn. Go get it." Jess frowned, confused-he didn't remember any special occasion. He flashed them an uncertain grin and darted out, May Belle close behind.
When he got there, he could hear Miss Bessie, the cow, mooing and stamping her hooves frantically. She hadn't acted like that since the Burkes' dog, P.T., had lived in Lark Creek. Wait…could it be…?
He flung the doors and in an instant a brown-and-white bundle of energy leaped on him. Jess yelped and staggered backward, and May Belle jumped up and down and screamed, "It's a dog! It's a dog!" which was kind of obvious. Jess calmed Miss Bessie down and shut the doors, guiding the little Jack Russel terrier out. The dog-female, Jess noted-pranced around, wagging her feathery tail at top speed. Then she stretched out her front legs and put her head down, her tail in the air. "Hey, she's bowing!" May Belle said with delight.
"No, she's not. She just wants to play," Jess argued. May Belle didn't listen.
"I'm not gonna let a dog beat me at royalty!" she said defiantly, clearing her throat. "Ummm… Hail, thy royal dog! Is that right?" She looked expectantly at Jess.
He grinned. "Yep. Nice job, May Belle. You're learning."
"So what're you gonna name her, Jess?" she asked eagerly. The terrier licked her hand.
Jess thought. He glanced at the energetic little dog, looking back up at him with bright shiny eyes. She was so cheerful and fun…just like a certain friend he used to know. He was sure he wouldn't have any more nightmares, with a dog like this to take comfort in. Jess smiled and spoke.
"Leslie."