Chapter 1: Strange Happenings in Store
"Mom, I did all my chores! Can we go to the bookstore now, please!? Come on, Mommy, pretty please?" Cathryn the Cat, (that's me) the literature whiz, hopped up and down in front of my mother's computer desk, my frizzy, tangle brown curls hitting my back with every landing. I furiously pushed aside strands of hair that hung down over my forehead. Slightly chunky, with a large bust, I wasn't the type of girl who should be hopping up and down, since it induced juggling in my upper anatomy. But I didn't care. I loved to hop. "Okay, alright, put your shoes and socks on," my mother began, "and go brush your hair!" This little thirteen-year-old bounded off up the stairs to find my conditioner and big-toothed comb. Spraying the stray locks, I combed them quickly, ignoring the painful tugs. Redoing my puffy ponytail, I walked slowly down the stairs, scanning the front room for my socks. I noticed my little, long, fat cat with something in her mouth. Two somethings: my once clean, now furry, and slobbered on pair of socks. "Hand 'em over, Ms. Fuzz-wuzzy Ball!" Yanking the socks out of the little kitten's mouth, I stuffed my large, elegantly shaped feet into them, and slipped on my black leather moccasins. I dug a soda out of the fridge, my wallet out of my backpack, and a plum out of the fruit bowl. Thus equipped, I headed for the garage, slipping into the car and fastening my seatbelt. The drive was relatively short, and after scanning the street in front of the Barnes & Noble, I charged in, rushing through the door straight to the young adult section. Sitting on the floor reading were my three friends, BC, Colter, and Ashley. They were all reading a book called "So You Want To Be A Wizard" by Diane Duane. I had heard of the book. I had thought it sounded interesting, and read about half of it. So, I picked up a copy and sat down, starting where I left off. Six kids came over, people I recognized from school. As soon as they were seated, the room began to swim in front of my eyes. Ashley cried out, "Whoa!" BC squealed, and Colter gave a strangled fake scream. One of the girls, Erin, shrieked, "Oh my God!" I heard a curse, and Martin, my boyfriend, wrapped his arms around me when I moaned. The store began dropping away, and we all sat there, frightened, ten 8th graders almost freaked to hysterics. As the dust settled, we all muttered something akin to, "Whoa." I looked around, surprised, then looked up. I immediately bit my tongue to keep from hurling and snapped my head down. I had seen the Earth in the sky! I felt slightly sick. I grasped Martin's hand and pressed it to my cheek. I looked around, realizing where we were: Mare Frigidorus, the sea of ice. It was a little chilly here, I noticed. Wait, I thought, I'm on the moon. Of course it's chilly here! What am I thinking? "Guys," I whispered softly, still somehow catching their attention, "we're on the moon. Look up in the sky." Martin must've have seen the Earth, because I felt his chin land on my forehead, harder than normal but not too hard, and he hugged me tight. "Whatever." Ashley whispered, pushing back lank, strawberry locks. Her tan skin and brown freckles stood out in the clear, crisp air. or what little air there was. Colter, only ten, gasped out a question we all had: "How the heck did we get here?" "The question is not how," I began, pausing dramatically, "but why. And, how are we surviving on the moon with not enough air? Are we dead?" "Not quite, little ducks." A tall woman with reddish-brown hair and cerulean blue eyes walked out of the shadows. "You ten young people are Wizards. We need you." "You mean like in the books by Diane Duane?" Colter grabbed onto BC and me, and Martin patted his head. "Exactly. This means you understand what is at stake. What is your choice?" Does she mean- "Do you expect us to choose now? We're on the moon, okay. Proof enough, I think. But, to risk our lives." Her look silenced me. "You would risk your lives to save billions more, children. That is a great thing. The Powers have gifted you. A team of wizards, as young and numerous as you, is a rare, if not extinct phenomenon." "I want. I've noticed death in a lot of things, entropy, I guess. I want to stop it. I'm in." BC gazed steadily at us. "For ourselves, our families and friends, our world, and universe. Come on, guys." "I'm with my best friend any day." I lift my head. "I'll follow her anywhere." "And I'm a-with my sister!" Colter cried, hugging BC. "We're with them, right Nate? Martin?" Erin, one of three kids, pushed back her short brown hair. "I don't know.." Matt, and old friend, looked doubtful. I glared at him, and smacked him hard on the back. "Ow!" "Ouch is right, you big girl!" "You big chicken!" His little sister Christine cried. "We're in too, right Kathleen? We're gonna save the world!" Kathleen, Matt's sixteen-year-old sister, nodded. "Only if I get the speech. OK, Cathryn? I want the speech." Nate gazed at me with what was actually interest, but looked like boredom. "You got it, bucko." Martin piped up. "Jeez, that was fast." I laughed. Everyone smiled. "Whatever." Nate and Ashley muttered laughingly. "We are the Ten Wizards." Martin cried. "Ummm. just me, maybe, but we could be the Ten Wizards of something." Christine pushed her straight brown hair out of her face. "It could be just 'cause I'm nine and all, but-" "No, we're the Ten Wizards of New. The New Generation, like the 'wizards of old.' Haha." "Yeah, the Wizards of New." BC said. "Whatever." "Peachy keen!" Erin murmured, shrugging. "That is so gay." Colter muttered, and gave me a thumbs up. "Okay, sure." Kathleen shrugged in an uncommitted way. "Okey-dokey." Christine bounced once. "Sounds good to me, Cat." "Jelly roles!" Everyone stared at Matt. "That means yes, you guys. Ignore it. So, where do we get our manuals?" Everyone looked for the woman we'd seen, but we couldn't find her. "Are we stuck here?" Colter looked about ready to cry. Christie didn't seem much better. "No, Mia sent us here to find you guys. You're from Tucson, right? We'll get you back. Step on in." A trio of kids, one tall girl with reddish-black hair, a boy who looked relatively the same, and a little girl of ten with bright copper hair all stood inside a glowing circle. Colter recognized the gray turtle looking creature behind the ten-year-old. "Oh my gosh! You are Dairine Callahan! You're real." Colter stared at her. "Colty, don't stare, it's rude! So, I'm thinking this is Kit and Nita, then, huh?" I tapped Colter's mouth shut, which had been hanging open while I'd been talking. Then I offered my hand. Juanita Callahan, or Nita, shook it, and so did Christopher Rodriguez, or Kit. "Nice to meet you all. This is Colter, and his sister Belicia." "Hey, handsome." Dairine said, and blew a kiss at Colter. His mouth dropped open again. " This is my boyfriend Martin. This is my friend Matt, and his two sisters Kathleen and-" "Christine." Christine glared at Dairine. "Careful, Beanie, your face might get stuck like that." She looks at me, and I shoot her a questioning look. I had noticed she's protective of Colter, but I knew she didn't really like him that way, since she had a crush on Nate, who was only just now twelve. "O-kay.. So, hop on in!" Kit said. As soon as everyone was inside the little circle, I am hit with a stomach cramp and everything turns black. I can't breath, oh my God! When the darkness lifts, everyone but Nita, Kit, and Dairine are gasping. "Ouch. ow!!" Something hit me over the head, and I pitch forward, my arms windmilling as I smack into the grass, crying, "Oh, my neck is broken! Owowowowowowowowowowow!!!! My NECK IS BROKEN!" I sit up, and everyone stares at me as if I'm crazy. "What? Never seen a drama queen before?" I shrug and smile, rubbing the back of my neck. "Are you finished?" Matt asks sweetly. I jump up, pick up a good-sized rock, and throw it. It hits him in the stomach. I glare at him, hissing like a vampire. "That actually hurt, Matt. That probably hurt too." I hissed menacingly, nudging the rock with my foot. Then, my body relaxes and I hold out my hand. Matt is used to my mood swings. "You want pancakes? My treat." I smile at him. He smiles, grabs my hand, and then pulls me onto the ground, sitting on my shins. "Oh my GOD! Matt, please get off, that hurts, ouch! Get off." I shriek, and he scrambles off. Christine hits him. "That's being 'abrusive!'" She glares at him. I look down at what hit me, and I give a squeal. "Hey, kids, our manuals arrived. Ah-ha!" I held mine up, thicker than a full set of Encyclopedia Britannica books, and grin.
"Mom, I did all my chores! Can we go to the bookstore now, please!? Come on, Mommy, pretty please?" Cathryn the Cat, (that's me) the literature whiz, hopped up and down in front of my mother's computer desk, my frizzy, tangle brown curls hitting my back with every landing. I furiously pushed aside strands of hair that hung down over my forehead. Slightly chunky, with a large bust, I wasn't the type of girl who should be hopping up and down, since it induced juggling in my upper anatomy. But I didn't care. I loved to hop. "Okay, alright, put your shoes and socks on," my mother began, "and go brush your hair!" This little thirteen-year-old bounded off up the stairs to find my conditioner and big-toothed comb. Spraying the stray locks, I combed them quickly, ignoring the painful tugs. Redoing my puffy ponytail, I walked slowly down the stairs, scanning the front room for my socks. I noticed my little, long, fat cat with something in her mouth. Two somethings: my once clean, now furry, and slobbered on pair of socks. "Hand 'em over, Ms. Fuzz-wuzzy Ball!" Yanking the socks out of the little kitten's mouth, I stuffed my large, elegantly shaped feet into them, and slipped on my black leather moccasins. I dug a soda out of the fridge, my wallet out of my backpack, and a plum out of the fruit bowl. Thus equipped, I headed for the garage, slipping into the car and fastening my seatbelt. The drive was relatively short, and after scanning the street in front of the Barnes & Noble, I charged in, rushing through the door straight to the young adult section. Sitting on the floor reading were my three friends, BC, Colter, and Ashley. They were all reading a book called "So You Want To Be A Wizard" by Diane Duane. I had heard of the book. I had thought it sounded interesting, and read about half of it. So, I picked up a copy and sat down, starting where I left off. Six kids came over, people I recognized from school. As soon as they were seated, the room began to swim in front of my eyes. Ashley cried out, "Whoa!" BC squealed, and Colter gave a strangled fake scream. One of the girls, Erin, shrieked, "Oh my God!" I heard a curse, and Martin, my boyfriend, wrapped his arms around me when I moaned. The store began dropping away, and we all sat there, frightened, ten 8th graders almost freaked to hysterics. As the dust settled, we all muttered something akin to, "Whoa." I looked around, surprised, then looked up. I immediately bit my tongue to keep from hurling and snapped my head down. I had seen the Earth in the sky! I felt slightly sick. I grasped Martin's hand and pressed it to my cheek. I looked around, realizing where we were: Mare Frigidorus, the sea of ice. It was a little chilly here, I noticed. Wait, I thought, I'm on the moon. Of course it's chilly here! What am I thinking? "Guys," I whispered softly, still somehow catching their attention, "we're on the moon. Look up in the sky." Martin must've have seen the Earth, because I felt his chin land on my forehead, harder than normal but not too hard, and he hugged me tight. "Whatever." Ashley whispered, pushing back lank, strawberry locks. Her tan skin and brown freckles stood out in the clear, crisp air. or what little air there was. Colter, only ten, gasped out a question we all had: "How the heck did we get here?" "The question is not how," I began, pausing dramatically, "but why. And, how are we surviving on the moon with not enough air? Are we dead?" "Not quite, little ducks." A tall woman with reddish-brown hair and cerulean blue eyes walked out of the shadows. "You ten young people are Wizards. We need you." "You mean like in the books by Diane Duane?" Colter grabbed onto BC and me, and Martin patted his head. "Exactly. This means you understand what is at stake. What is your choice?" Does she mean- "Do you expect us to choose now? We're on the moon, okay. Proof enough, I think. But, to risk our lives." Her look silenced me. "You would risk your lives to save billions more, children. That is a great thing. The Powers have gifted you. A team of wizards, as young and numerous as you, is a rare, if not extinct phenomenon." "I want. I've noticed death in a lot of things, entropy, I guess. I want to stop it. I'm in." BC gazed steadily at us. "For ourselves, our families and friends, our world, and universe. Come on, guys." "I'm with my best friend any day." I lift my head. "I'll follow her anywhere." "And I'm a-with my sister!" Colter cried, hugging BC. "We're with them, right Nate? Martin?" Erin, one of three kids, pushed back her short brown hair. "I don't know.." Matt, and old friend, looked doubtful. I glared at him, and smacked him hard on the back. "Ow!" "Ouch is right, you big girl!" "You big chicken!" His little sister Christine cried. "We're in too, right Kathleen? We're gonna save the world!" Kathleen, Matt's sixteen-year-old sister, nodded. "Only if I get the speech. OK, Cathryn? I want the speech." Nate gazed at me with what was actually interest, but looked like boredom. "You got it, bucko." Martin piped up. "Jeez, that was fast." I laughed. Everyone smiled. "Whatever." Nate and Ashley muttered laughingly. "We are the Ten Wizards." Martin cried. "Ummm. just me, maybe, but we could be the Ten Wizards of something." Christine pushed her straight brown hair out of her face. "It could be just 'cause I'm nine and all, but-" "No, we're the Ten Wizards of New. The New Generation, like the 'wizards of old.' Haha." "Yeah, the Wizards of New." BC said. "Whatever." "Peachy keen!" Erin murmured, shrugging. "That is so gay." Colter muttered, and gave me a thumbs up. "Okay, sure." Kathleen shrugged in an uncommitted way. "Okey-dokey." Christine bounced once. "Sounds good to me, Cat." "Jelly roles!" Everyone stared at Matt. "That means yes, you guys. Ignore it. So, where do we get our manuals?" Everyone looked for the woman we'd seen, but we couldn't find her. "Are we stuck here?" Colter looked about ready to cry. Christie didn't seem much better. "No, Mia sent us here to find you guys. You're from Tucson, right? We'll get you back. Step on in." A trio of kids, one tall girl with reddish-black hair, a boy who looked relatively the same, and a little girl of ten with bright copper hair all stood inside a glowing circle. Colter recognized the gray turtle looking creature behind the ten-year-old. "Oh my gosh! You are Dairine Callahan! You're real." Colter stared at her. "Colty, don't stare, it's rude! So, I'm thinking this is Kit and Nita, then, huh?" I tapped Colter's mouth shut, which had been hanging open while I'd been talking. Then I offered my hand. Juanita Callahan, or Nita, shook it, and so did Christopher Rodriguez, or Kit. "Nice to meet you all. This is Colter, and his sister Belicia." "Hey, handsome." Dairine said, and blew a kiss at Colter. His mouth dropped open again. " This is my boyfriend Martin. This is my friend Matt, and his two sisters Kathleen and-" "Christine." Christine glared at Dairine. "Careful, Beanie, your face might get stuck like that." She looks at me, and I shoot her a questioning look. I had noticed she's protective of Colter, but I knew she didn't really like him that way, since she had a crush on Nate, who was only just now twelve. "O-kay.. So, hop on in!" Kit said. As soon as everyone was inside the little circle, I am hit with a stomach cramp and everything turns black. I can't breath, oh my God! When the darkness lifts, everyone but Nita, Kit, and Dairine are gasping. "Ouch. ow!!" Something hit me over the head, and I pitch forward, my arms windmilling as I smack into the grass, crying, "Oh, my neck is broken! Owowowowowowowowowowow!!!! My NECK IS BROKEN!" I sit up, and everyone stares at me as if I'm crazy. "What? Never seen a drama queen before?" I shrug and smile, rubbing the back of my neck. "Are you finished?" Matt asks sweetly. I jump up, pick up a good-sized rock, and throw it. It hits him in the stomach. I glare at him, hissing like a vampire. "That actually hurt, Matt. That probably hurt too." I hissed menacingly, nudging the rock with my foot. Then, my body relaxes and I hold out my hand. Matt is used to my mood swings. "You want pancakes? My treat." I smile at him. He smiles, grabs my hand, and then pulls me onto the ground, sitting on my shins. "Oh my GOD! Matt, please get off, that hurts, ouch! Get off." I shriek, and he scrambles off. Christine hits him. "That's being 'abrusive!'" She glares at him. I look down at what hit me, and I give a squeal. "Hey, kids, our manuals arrived. Ah-ha!" I held mine up, thicker than a full set of Encyclopedia Britannica books, and grin.