Chapter one

The Stona kids were the biggest family in the class. There was nine of them, and there was three of them in each eight grade class. None of them were related,and they all were odd, saying things about summoning weapons,and dying their hair (they say they don't but I have never seen anyone with naturally green hair). The three that were in our class were by far the youngest, by about two months. Their names were Jadeite, Cinnabar,and Carnelian.

Carnelian was my friend. He was kinda shy and I was pretty outgoing but nonetheless we made a great team. Cinnabar was cautious and wary, like he had something to hide. Jadeite usually stayed to herself or with Cinnabar, and she has talked so little in the last three years that I forgot what her voice sounded like.

I think there is something weird with their whole family.

I've talked with my friends in other classes and they said that the Stona's in their class act the same way. So naturally, when Jadeite and Cinnabar disappeared to the schools attic one day, I followed them. And you wouldn't believe what I found.

As I tiptoed around the huge stacks of weathered textbooks and broken desks, I heard voices, one to be exact. I peered through a hole in a desk, carved out years ago by my brother, and saw some sort of communication hub, like the kind that they use in Star Wars. The one speaking was none other than Jadeite. Her voice was so soft and fluid it drifted into my ears and sounded so sweet I could easily have imagined it was honey. The one she was talking to was her foster mother.

Her foster mother was named Connie. She had married her husband Steven years ago but decided to take in other less fortunate kids instead of having her own. She had stayed in Beach City while Steven went to Lorraine for business.

I strained my ears to hear what Jadeite was saying. All I could make out was the words "or I'll be shattered " before I fell into some sort of trance. Jadeite was singing, why I did not know. I felt like I should have left already but I couldn't I was rooted to my spot with no hope of getting up. As I slid out of consciousness I could hear Jadeite and Cinnabar talking.

"We have a visitor, Cinnabar."

"I'll make sure he doesn't come back sis."

"No." said Jadeite."He shouldn't have been here in the first place. You know very well what I expect of you when I am speaking to mother."

"But Jade-" started Cinnabar. But before he could finish his sentence I heard a deafening thwack.

" NO EXCUSES" screamed Jadeite. This time her voice sounded like a million crows and horseshoes in a dryer. It was not pleasant. "Now get the human out of here"

And with those words I slid into the blanket of sleep.