DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters created by Alexander Key and
owned by Walt Disney Pictures. This is fan fiction, and not endorsed by
Mr. Key, his estate, or the Walt Disney Company. No copyright infringement
is intended, and no money is being made from this story. It is based on
plot elements used in the books Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from
Witch Mountain, as well as the movies of the same name, although the books
and the movies differ extensively. Please direct all queries, comments,
etc. to kevinpkhaynes@yahoo.com. It is my sincere desire that you enjoy
the story as the pure entertainment it was intended to be. Your feedback
is welcome as well!
LIFE ON WITCH MOUNTAIN
By Kevin Haynes
CHAPTER 17
Tony had to work hard to keep from crying. This whole thing was almost too much. He said, his voice shaky, "Trina, I have to tell you my story. No matter how bizarre it gets, please listen to the end, OK?"
Trina looked at him as if she trusted him and said, "OK."
Tony began to tell her about how he and his sister found themselves in an orphanage after their foster parents died. They had never known their real parents, and now they were really orphans. Without giving too many details of their "special" abilities away, he told them about how they first met Lucas Deranian, and then Mr. Bolt. He said that Mr. Bolt wanted to keep them because they were "special" kids and had certain abilities. He didn't add more than that.
Then he told about running away and being chased. He said his sister had a case like Trina's, and that they called it a star case. He told about finding a map hidden inside that led them toward Stony Creek, Misty Valley, and eventually to Witch Mountain.
He talked about a kind stranger that helped them. He was a loner, but believed their story and took great risks to help them get to the location on the map. As they approached Witch Mountain, the whole story came together. The mystery of their people became clear.
Tony paused. The next part was so fantastic, so much beyond most people's belief, that he was afraid to say it. But he had to.
"Trina, when we got to the mountain, a man came out of the trees. We recognized him - he was our uncle. We thought he had died, but found out he was unharmed. He took us back through the clump of trees with him, but the kind man who helped us waited by the road with those who were chasing us.
We were shocked, when we made it through the trees, to find an actual spaceship there! It was about 50 feet across, and had enough room inside for 20 or 30 people. But it was just the three of us. Trina, we discovered that we were actually from another planet. It once orbited a double star, two suns, and was heading toward one of the stars. Our people had to find a place to settle, and earth was it. But not all of the spaceships - or lifeboats, as we call them - made it. Some crashed. My sister and I survived a crash on one. You survived on another.
"And Trina - there's one more thing you have to know. The kind stranger who helped us so much . who saved our lives . his name was Jason O'Day."
At that, Trina gasped. Then she started to cry. It wasn't just tears rolling down her face - her body shook with her sobs. Tony guessed that it was years of not knowing, years of wondering, things she had suppressed for so long, now coming to the surface. He didn't know if touching her would send the wrong signal, but he didn't care. He moved closer to her, put his arm around her shoulder, and let her cry.
Time passed. Neither seemed to be in a hurry. This moment was too important - too life-changing - to make it move any faster. Tony didn't know how long she cried, but he didn't care. She needed to do this, and probably couldn't do it if Ty was around.
As she finally calmed down, he said, "I know this is all a lot of information. Do you have any questions for me?"
She almost laughed and said, "Oh yeah! But it would take you days to answer them all! There are two things I want to know right now. First, where are we from? And second, what are these 'special' abilities you were talking about?"
Tony dove right in. "The place we're from has a name in an alien language that I never learned. The closest word for it in English is 'Home.' So we say that we are from Home, we call ourselves Homedwellers, and our new settlement is now called New Home.
"As for the abilities, they really vary. My sister Tia can communicate with animals, unlock locked doors, levitate things, sense when people are telling the truth, know if something is going to happen, and other things. I can only do some of those - I can levitate things, or even move them, and all of us can communicate with each other silently. Some call it telepathy, some say it's an ultrasonic speech - whatever it is, it's pretty handy. Here, let me try something. Watch my face."
She watched him. He didn't move his lips, but used his silent voice and said, "Can you hear this?" Her eyes got wide, and she said out loud, "Are you a ventriloquist? How did you do that?"
He laughed and said inaudibly, "It's not a trick. You can hear me because we are from the same place. Try to reply without using your voice. Just aim what you want to say at me, but don't open your mouth."
She shook her head, but tried to concentrate. Her eyes were closed, and her lips shut tight, and Tony heard her say, "Like . this?" Her eyes flew open to look at him, and he grinned. He replied "Like that!" And they both laughed.
Suddenly they heard Ty call from the bedroom, "Why are you guys talking so loud? I'm trying to sleep!" Trina and Tony looked at each other, and his eyebrows arched. Ty had heard them?
LIFE ON WITCH MOUNTAIN
By Kevin Haynes
CHAPTER 17
Tony had to work hard to keep from crying. This whole thing was almost too much. He said, his voice shaky, "Trina, I have to tell you my story. No matter how bizarre it gets, please listen to the end, OK?"
Trina looked at him as if she trusted him and said, "OK."
Tony began to tell her about how he and his sister found themselves in an orphanage after their foster parents died. They had never known their real parents, and now they were really orphans. Without giving too many details of their "special" abilities away, he told them about how they first met Lucas Deranian, and then Mr. Bolt. He said that Mr. Bolt wanted to keep them because they were "special" kids and had certain abilities. He didn't add more than that.
Then he told about running away and being chased. He said his sister had a case like Trina's, and that they called it a star case. He told about finding a map hidden inside that led them toward Stony Creek, Misty Valley, and eventually to Witch Mountain.
He talked about a kind stranger that helped them. He was a loner, but believed their story and took great risks to help them get to the location on the map. As they approached Witch Mountain, the whole story came together. The mystery of their people became clear.
Tony paused. The next part was so fantastic, so much beyond most people's belief, that he was afraid to say it. But he had to.
"Trina, when we got to the mountain, a man came out of the trees. We recognized him - he was our uncle. We thought he had died, but found out he was unharmed. He took us back through the clump of trees with him, but the kind man who helped us waited by the road with those who were chasing us.
We were shocked, when we made it through the trees, to find an actual spaceship there! It was about 50 feet across, and had enough room inside for 20 or 30 people. But it was just the three of us. Trina, we discovered that we were actually from another planet. It once orbited a double star, two suns, and was heading toward one of the stars. Our people had to find a place to settle, and earth was it. But not all of the spaceships - or lifeboats, as we call them - made it. Some crashed. My sister and I survived a crash on one. You survived on another.
"And Trina - there's one more thing you have to know. The kind stranger who helped us so much . who saved our lives . his name was Jason O'Day."
At that, Trina gasped. Then she started to cry. It wasn't just tears rolling down her face - her body shook with her sobs. Tony guessed that it was years of not knowing, years of wondering, things she had suppressed for so long, now coming to the surface. He didn't know if touching her would send the wrong signal, but he didn't care. He moved closer to her, put his arm around her shoulder, and let her cry.
Time passed. Neither seemed to be in a hurry. This moment was too important - too life-changing - to make it move any faster. Tony didn't know how long she cried, but he didn't care. She needed to do this, and probably couldn't do it if Ty was around.
As she finally calmed down, he said, "I know this is all a lot of information. Do you have any questions for me?"
She almost laughed and said, "Oh yeah! But it would take you days to answer them all! There are two things I want to know right now. First, where are we from? And second, what are these 'special' abilities you were talking about?"
Tony dove right in. "The place we're from has a name in an alien language that I never learned. The closest word for it in English is 'Home.' So we say that we are from Home, we call ourselves Homedwellers, and our new settlement is now called New Home.
"As for the abilities, they really vary. My sister Tia can communicate with animals, unlock locked doors, levitate things, sense when people are telling the truth, know if something is going to happen, and other things. I can only do some of those - I can levitate things, or even move them, and all of us can communicate with each other silently. Some call it telepathy, some say it's an ultrasonic speech - whatever it is, it's pretty handy. Here, let me try something. Watch my face."
She watched him. He didn't move his lips, but used his silent voice and said, "Can you hear this?" Her eyes got wide, and she said out loud, "Are you a ventriloquist? How did you do that?"
He laughed and said inaudibly, "It's not a trick. You can hear me because we are from the same place. Try to reply without using your voice. Just aim what you want to say at me, but don't open your mouth."
She shook her head, but tried to concentrate. Her eyes were closed, and her lips shut tight, and Tony heard her say, "Like . this?" Her eyes flew open to look at him, and he grinned. He replied "Like that!" And they both laughed.
Suddenly they heard Ty call from the bedroom, "Why are you guys talking so loud? I'm trying to sleep!" Trina and Tony looked at each other, and his eyebrows arched. Ty had heard them?