Raeven and Makenna Delling spent a giant chunk of Thursday in Freshfields, getting Makenna ready for the dance. They went into a jewelry shop, Peyton Williams Jewelry, and checked out the different necklaces and bracelets. Makenna had performed the Sunset Delay spell, so she was back in her human form. Raeven hid in her hair, and he shook his head every time Makenna came across something he didn’t like.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpM0tPNmUy
At one point, Makenna found a really cute bracelet, and she reached for it, but Raeven shook his head no and flew down to her hand, biting it. “OW!” Makenna yelped, and she quickly pulled her hand away from the bracelet. People in the store stared confusingly at her. Noticing them, Makenna chuckled nervously.
The young fairy quickly left the store and pulled him out of her shirt. Holding Raeven in her hands, she asked him,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHewwuyfe0
“What was the meaning of that?! That was unnecessary!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDG9mW2BhVG
“I didn’t like what you were choosing from,” Raeven explained, “so therefore I, BAM, BAM,” He acted out a few punches, “attacked! I am a very nice bat, Makenna. I just crawl here, here, and here, all over your body! That’s how us bats show affection toward other bats. We BAM, BAM, attack, and then we…”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoICikVJrT
“Shut up!” Makenna shouted at him, “I understand what you’re saying, Raeven, but we have to come up with another plan that doesn’t involve you biting me with your little bat teeth! I’m not another bat! I’m a person. Hm.” Makenna tapped her chin, “Maybe Mom can help. She works with animals. She’s a veterinarian. Yeah okay, I’ll do that.” The Metamorphic Fairy turned on her heel and started to jog toward Freshfields’s exit.
Raeven hurried after her, and soon flying next to her, he said,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1HctXuKtL
“Whew, you sure are one desperate big bug. Just where do you think you’re going?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rGIlgjQ4m
“Home.” Makenna replied, and she continued to run.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInJgruCy5B
“Home?” asked Raeven. He almost crashed into another building but avoided it at the last second. “Wait up!” he called to Makenna, and soon, he was flying next to her again, “Sorry, Makenna, my ears have cotton balls in them. Did you just say that you were going home?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIu5msh3sGy
“I did.” Makenna continued to jog.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhfWA0iQJH
“But there are humans at your house!” Raeven yelled after her. For some reason, he suddenly looked very frightened, as if he had done something wrong.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE51GTLZVGy
“I know,” said Makenna, “I am well aware of that, Raeven, but my mom’s a vet, so I’m sure she can help us out.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtGipsZ2yh
“I personally don’t find vets all that wonderful.” Raeven admitted, “They’re loud, scary, and don’t even get me started on their personal hygiene. Why don’t we stay here?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Vt18zGNzB
“Oh, Raeven,” chuckled Makenna, “Why do you seem so frightened just to talk to a vet? We’re only going to ask her for ideas about how we can succeed in this mission.”
“AHH!!” a woman suddenly yelled behind them, “IT’S A BAT!!” Makenna and Raeven twisted their heads and looked over their shoulders, gasping.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUNZyWY0hQ
A shoe box flew right toward Raeven! “Yipe!” he yelled, “Oh, sweet mamma!” and he quickly moved out of the way of the box.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse6rygaqOz
“A bat!” another woman suddenly shouted, and another box went flying by him. Raeven, having enough of this, finally stopped and turned to the two women who had thrown boxes at him.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImtBvBCVEN
Now hovering, he lifted his claw and said, “Threaten me again, and I won’t be so nice.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdLLhxOxn9
“AHH!!” yelled the women at the same time, “IT TALKS!!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lTEzoS8Dj
“Put up your dukes.” Raeven told them next, and clenching his feet, he held them up to them, “Sweet llama-ma-god, you humans are insane.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tSmPVuIWq
“Raeven!” Makenna shouted at him. Quickly, she turned, wrapped her hands around his body, and jerked him out of the sky. “Sorry,” she added, “My ventriloquism got out of hands.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxcnt3Lmfl
“Ventriloquism?” questioned one of the ladies, “Wait a minute, you’re a ventriloquist?” Makenna shivered. Uh oh.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtb11U8Nelo
Her and her big mouth. “I-I am,” Makenna lied, and she held Raeven in front of her, “Thi-This is Raeven.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7R82g45qL4
“Oh wow!” yelled one of the women, and her eyes sparkled. She clapped her hands together, “A ventriloquist! Young lady, do it again! Make that bat speak! You made it sound like it really was speaking last time! You even changed your voice! Do it again!” Makenna froze. “Now you’ve done it,” she whispered to Raeven.
The woman who had requested her to perform another ventriloquism trick turned to a few other people wandering Freshfields and called to them, “Check it out, amigos! We’ve got ourselves a ventriloquist here!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJ6B5oF8NM
“Ventriloquist?” asked the roaming people.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyc6t3TrRdo
They quickly approached Makenna and Raeven, and before long, a group of people surrounded them. “Speak, speak!” they chanted, “Make that bat speak!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKff9fn4EYC
“O-Of course.” Makenna nervously spoke. She was beyond worried. People thought she really was a ventriloquist, and it was all because of Raeven, that loudmouth, good for nothing bat! Makenna quickly whispered to him, “Say something!” but Raeven didn’t speak. He huffed, closed his eyes, and turned his head away from her. Peering into the crowd surrounding her, Makenna nervously chuckled, “Sorry, he’s a little shy.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bLT3LGuBt
“Make it say something!” shouted a little, blonde-headed girl who was holding a stuffed dolphin under her arm, “Please.” Curiosity was in her eyes.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAYyXnI245
Makenna sighed and cleared her throat, “Raeven.” She turned to Raeven and held him like a dummy, “Did you hear that wonderful theory that if you help a certain someone, he/she will give you a giant pile of fruit after you assist them?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqjv5wBaLl
“Fruit?” Raeven asked.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwlRFIpBUh
“Yes, yes!” Makenna quickly spoke, “Some bat species, like you, my friend, are fruit-eating bats. They’re known as Megabats. You really do not want to let your partner down, right? Think about that giant pile of fruit. Think about the wonders of its taste. Mmm.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoxl5VGI0L
“Mmm.” Raeven repeated after her. Drool dripped from his mouth, and he licked his lips. “Fruit,” he said.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhTTnL03uG
The people surrounding them watched intrigued. “Yes,” said Makenna. She nodded, “And all you have to do to earn that special fruit platter is to say just a few words.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndvbVj5Au5
“Very well.” Raeven told her through telepathy, “You better be right about this though.” He cleared his throat. Raeven next turned toward the audience; Makenna made it look like she was the one who had turned him, and in English, he asked them, “What’s the password? What’s the password to get by me, Raeven the Megabat, if you want to see where I come from? Come on, come on. Throw out some guesses.” The audience smiled, and they immediately started to play along.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDUa9KnVeE
Another young woman raised her hand and asked, “Copperhead, as in the Copperhead Snake?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFHycQRPuo
“Oof,” said Raeven. He shuddered, “No, no, let’s try again.” He spoke that in an Australian accent.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VLtyamk2I
“Clue, clue!” yelled a few children.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNzy5f5hlM
“Clue?” Raeven asked, “As you wish.” He again cleared his throat. Then, he reached for his eyes and yelled, “I’m blind! I’m blind! My eyes are fried!” He gasped and took his claws away from his eyes, “Wait a minute! No, I’m not! It’s a miracle! This should be known as Miracle in Freshfields! I’m going to make the front page!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3eKHKI2cs
“Blind?” asked the little, blonde-headed girl, and she pulled her toy close to her cheek, “Is ‘blind’ the password?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1IFvJFXsL
Raeven turned blue. “Dang it,” he said, and releasing himself from Makenna, he let himself drop to the ground and land on the yard’s grass. He played dummy and stayed as still as possible. The audience, including Makenna, peered down on him, and they blinked. After a bit, all of them looked up and met each other’s eyes.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTlwcT8yt1
Makenna chuckled nervously and said, “Ta daa.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvdq3pbhMu
Suddenly, all around her, the audience cheered and started clapping. “Bravo! Bravo!” they announced.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW54rBdHNqO
Makenna sighed and relaxed her muscles. “Thank you,” she spoke in a low voice.
She peered down on Raeven again, but suddenly, she gasped and fell to her knees. Makenna felt drained of energy. It was her magic. She had not yet given her act of true metamorphosis, and she was running out of time. While she rested on the ground, she took deep breaths.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHbvqd3orm
The audience stopped clapping and asked her, “Hey, are you okay?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDPPTLJqR8
Makenna forced a smile, “Yeah,” and she picked up Raeven, standing back up, “Sorry, I just felt really tired all of a sudden. But I’m fine.” Looking at Raeven, she noticed that he actually had a worried expression on his face. Makenna winked at him and mouthed, “I’m all right. Promise.” Raeven smiled and winked back. Then, he continued to play dummy.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyreTdycLC
“Can I have my picture taken with you?” the little, blonde-headed girl asked Makenna, and she held up a camera.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyBmx3tfof
Makenna stared. “Uh, sure,” she stammered.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPuWROwAee
“You are a very skilled ventriloquist,” complimented a man in the audience.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVfeNyAc0c
“Thank you,” said Makenna. She smiled feebly, “Do you think you can take our picture?”
Raeven and Makenna returned to Makenna’s house five minutes before her mother, father, and Caleb did. Makenna held Raeven in her hands, and she carefully opened the front door and poked her head inside. She searched her empty house.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAgxXj21t0
She then said, “Clear,” and she slipped inside. Makenna shuffled over to the kitchen, and entering it, she gently set Raeven down. He watched, with his wings pulled up close, as she next hopped all over the kitchen and picked up numerous fruits including apples, bananas, and pears. Once her hands were full with fruits, she sauntered over to Raeven and said, “There you go.” She plopped the fruits down in front of him, “You’ve done your share. Here’s your reward.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qsqmQmzJ5
Raeven’s eyes brightened, “Oh, sweet mama,” and his jaw watered, “Thank you, Makenna.” Instantly, he dove into the fruit and started to eat. Makenna chuckled.
As Raeven ate, she next sauntered into the living room to pick up a magazine for her to read until her parents and Caleb got home, but just before she could pick up the magazine she wanted, the rays of the sun slipped through the curtains and landed on her hand.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVmTKN8Hum
“What?” Makenna asked. She took her hand away from the magazine and approached the window. Makenna pulled the curtains apart and peered outside. She sighed. The sun was setting. It was sunset. Letting the curtains go, the Metamorphic Fairy left the window and next went over to a mirror that stood in the corner of the living room. She examined her reflection and waited.
From the kitchen, Raeven, who had already finished his pile of fruit, turned to her, with a bulged belly, and asked, “What’s up, Makenna?” Makenna didn’t answer. She watched as sudden, blue sparkles circled her from head to toe, and when they left, she was back in her Level 2 fairy form. Makenna sighed at the sight of it. She felt like she was the Swan Princess. However, this time, it was flipped, and she was a fairy at night and human during the day, for as the Swan Princess was a swan during the day and a human at night. Makenna was getting really tired of always repeating the Sunset Delay spell. She no longer liked her Level 2 appearance. With every passing minute, it got paler and paler. Makenna knew she was being drained of magic, but she was too shy to admit it. “That’s your transformation?” Raeven asked her from the kitchen, “Hm, I remember it being a little more colorful.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQe2FIjcuW
“Shut up, Raeven.” Makenna spoke, “Don’t you see?” She clenched her fists, “I’m dying; that’s why my transformation is growing pale, and it’s all because of my foolish mistakes. Shut up. I don’t need your condescending.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ih2Ma9wK7
“Have you ever heard of something called the Confidence of the Megabat?” Raeven asked her, “It says that if you give me more fruit, then you will regain some of your confidence and hopefully help you understand that yes, you are meant to wear this circlet.” Makenna’s Level 2 crystal circlet was resting next to him. Raeven placed his foot on it.
Makenna turned toward the kitchen and entered it, approaching him.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3Pc02ozVP
“You are impossible,” she told him, and she reached for an apple resting in a fruit basket that sat up on the countertop, but just before she could pick it up, suddenly, from the kitchen’s exit, in the garage, she heard car doors slamming shut. Makenna gasped. Her family! Her family was back! Oh snap.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa109uVfUMt
From the garage, Makenna next heard the voice of Caleb, “Mother, it was the most incredible thing! Today at school, during lunch, I spoke the words to the Paintus Completeness spell, and it actually worked! It totally messed up Fiona’s headdress!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi28VNTbADr
“Oh no!” Makenna whispered from the kitchen.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJSWZI32Jz
“Who’s that?” Raeven asked her.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKtg4ZKAeK
“Shh!” Makenna whispered. She grabbed Raeven by the wing and carried him over to the cupboard. Opening it, she threw him inside and yelled, “Stay there! And don’t ya try anything stupid!” Makenna slammed the cupboard shut and quickly turned toward the door that led out to the garage.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD1yP1Wpf7
In the cupboard, Raeven knocked on it and scoffed. “Well,” he spoke, and he crossed his wings, sinking onto his butt, “I guess I don’t get any second helping of fruit!”
Makenna approached the door that led to the garage, and she brushed herself down. Her wings fell limply behind her back, and Makenna actually found it a little hard to lift them. She gulped. However, she continued to pretend that nothing was wrong with her. Makenna took a deep breath. Once she was ready, she reached for the knob of the door, but suddenly, it opened and smacked her in the nose!229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO40g9hWlrQ
Makenna was pushed up against the wall, and with her face squashed between the door and wall, she mumbled, “Excuse you.”
Mrs. Delling, Caleb, and Mr. Delling entered the kitchen, and Mr. Delling, who was facing Caleb, told him,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpN5VoiUdT9
“Oh, Caleb, that must’ve been amazing! It’s almost as if you too are becoming a fairy!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqFhpJHTdE
“You know,” Caleb spoke, “you’re absolutely right, Father!” He pointed at Mr. Delling, “Amazing! Before long, Makenna and I will be fairies together!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡik1T5N5vX0
“Speaking of Makenna,” voiced Mrs. Delling. She placed her bag down on the kitchen countertop, “Where is she? I knew she’d be gone for a while, but I didn’t think she’d be gone this long! Oh.” She brought her hands to her heart, “I hope she’s okay. Makenna. Makenna, where are you?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcPfPSK97k
“I’m right here.” Makenna grumbled from where she was trapped.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdHXSKmzU6
“Huh?” asked Mrs. Delling. She turned her head toward the door.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8k8W5eGBK
“Huh?” Mr. Delling and Caleb repeated after her. They too turned toward the door. There was silence.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8utzAbX3Aa
Mrs. Delling broke it after a little bit though by saying, “Oh jelly beans I’ve gone insane. I thought I just heard Makenna’s voice from coming behind that door.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWUQBcLkDl
“You did.” Makenna grumbled. She pressed her palms up against the door.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvqVpjxD9U
This time, Caleb, Andy, and Michelle together asked, “Huh?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70NsfRYf7M
“I’m here,” said Makenna, “Can you please get this door off me?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1Q29QqgWM
“Makenna!” Michelle yelled, “Jelly beans! Oh no!” She hurried toward the door, and behind, Caleb and Mr. Delling stood side by side and confusingly watched her. Michelle soon reached the door, and she pulled it off her daughter and slammed it shut. “Makenna!” she repeated.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHBnHyZFTO
Makenna was rubbing her nose. “Mom,” she asked, “do you know a plastic surgeon around here? I think my face needs to be replaced.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUce6OznNc
“You’re back!” yelled Michelle. She pulled Makenna into a hug, “You’ve made it back! We were starting to worry about you! Oh, look at your transformation.” She scanned Makenna’s fairy form up and down, “It’s so pale. Why is it so pale?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlJZT2PBoi
“Oh,” Makenna stammered, “you see, funny story, Mom. Apparently, I’m being drained of magic.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMuxQvQNsm
“Drained of magic?!” Michelle yelped, “Why?! It’s not going to kill you, though right?!” Makenna lost her words very fast.
Raeven, who was still trapped in the cupboard, had his ear pressed up to it, and he asked,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxCxJhqkgW
“Who are these other voices? Are they prowlers, burglars; hippies? I must protect Makenna!” He prepared to push open the cupboard, but just before he did, his nostrils suddenly picked up the scent of something. Raeven sniffed the area. “It smells like…,” He turned away from the door and continued to sniff. After a bit, Raeven seemed to smile, “fruit!” He had picked up the scent of a Fruit Loops box that rested right up against the cupboard’s door. At the sight of it, Raeven started to drool. “Ooohh,” he spoke. He made his way toward the cereal box, licking his lips, and he held out his claws, saying, “Come here, baby. Come here.”
Outside the cupboard, Mrs. Delling pointed at Makenna and snapped,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzsIfp8Sfv
“You have some explaining to do, young lady! You are in so much trouble! First, you didn’t leave a note, and second, how come that during dinner last night, before the storm, some lad named Peter Nelson rang the doorbell and told us that he had taken you out to go shopping and that he’s your date to the Spirit Week Dance?!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoRYK3jY0e
Makenna gulped. “What?” she asked, “You mean, he actually came here?!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtj0M09eWJ
“So, you do know about this boy!” Mrs. Delling snapped at her, “He’s the one you’ve been sneaking out to see lately, right?!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV14wwpJKQI
“Sneaking out?” sarcastically questioned Makenna. She scoffed and held her pale hands in front of her, “Now why would I do that? Peter Nelson? I’ve never heard of him before.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMcOc48NP5
“You’re a liar!” Mrs. Delling yelled, “I’m so sick and tired of your lying, Makenna! Tell the truth! Who is this boy?! Talk!” Makenna Delling didn’t. She sealed her lips shut and threw away the key. Mr. Delling was also glaring at her, but Caleb wasn’t.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJn9gkrKyxo
Instead, he said, “Ugh,” and did a face palm, “Don’t mind me, I’m just going to get a bowl of cereal.” Caleb shuffled over to the cupboard and reached for it.
“Makenna Angelia Delling!” Mr. Delling yelled at Miss Makenna, “Silence is not an answer! You have some serious explaining to do! We’ll wait here for a thousand years if we have to, but we are not leaving until you talk! So, I suggest you do!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5XqzZyyWX
“Hm,” said Makenna. She rubbed her chin, “But where should I start, Daddy? Should I start with the fact that Tracey’s wings are broken or with the fact that he’ll never be able to fly again?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBJ6BRDFxz
“I don’t want to hear about Tracey!” Mr. Delling barked, “I want to hear about Peter Nelson!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uUToclN3B
“But I don’t even know who he is.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hszdCvaMv
“You’re lying!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8XSXfBWHy
“Maybe, but I thought you would want to hear more about Ninja Boy than my imaginary boyfriend. He’s from Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. His name is Bloo.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3tI8J2yMk
“You’re lying!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbbhZrYcr4
“Oh, no I’m not, Daddy. Yeah, Bloo and I are a couple, but we’re only a couple in our minds. Trust me, I have a much better story that revolves around Tracey. His wings are broken. Boo hoo, who cares, but I just wanted to let you know. Now if you’ll excuse me. Bloo and I have a date with Forrest Gump.”
Makenna started walking away, but Mrs. Delling blocked her path.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHp2BkBAEF
“All right, that’s it,” she snapped. She held her index finger up to Makenna’s chin, “From this point on, you’re grounded, missy! You’re forbidden to leave this house for two whole weeks! That means no going to the pep rally and Spirit Week Dance, no visiting Freshfields, and no surfing and ballet! And once your punishment is over, Makenna Angelia Delling, you will never see that Peter Nelson or Tracey ever again!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHY4iBDhSn7
Michelle got Makenna here. “What?” she asked. The fourteen-year-old’s eyes widened, “You can’t take my surfing and ballet away, Mom!” She raised her voice, “I have to go to the dance! It’s the only way how I’m going to earn my third transformation! Mom, you don’t understand! None of you do! Please, you can take Peter Nelson away from me, I don’t mind, but not Tracey! Not Tracey! He’s sick! His wings are broken, seriously broken! He needs me! I’m sorry.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5xepsYGEE
“Sorry won’t cut it!” Michelle snapped, and both she and Andy leaned in toward Makenna, “You will never see Tracey and Peter again! I don’t even trust Tracey! I’m sure he’s making all this fairy nonsense and Merlin’s Island nonsense up, so you will think he’s your friend!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFR42nZkyZK
“He is!” Makenna shouted, “Tracey is my friend, Mom! He would never do that to me! You weren’t there when he broke his wings! I will not let you take him away from me! After the dance, after I earn my third transformation, mark my words, I am going to return to Merlin’s Island, and I am going to stay with him until he recovers, and you can’t stop me!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3KVQuQ1eV
“Why do you have to go to that stupid dance in the first place?!” questioned Andy Delling. He crossed his arms.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemoXvx4oK2
“Because Raeven told me to!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfLHXysWzG
“Raeven? Who’s Raeven?”
Caleb was trying his best to ignore the argument. Pretending not to care, he opened the door to the cupboard and reached inside. He grabbed hold of the box of Fruit Loops. However, he gasped when suddenly, Raeven popped out from inside the box, and he was stuffing Fruit Loops in his mouth.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiN0fc9jBbo
At the sight of Caleb, he jumped and chuckled nervously, “Hi.” Raeven waved. He stuffed more Fruit Loops into his mouth, “These are very good.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTqfT9ocGj
“AHHH!!” Caleb screamed, and he quickly dropped the box which it crashed down on the countertop, “BAT!!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvxElaiefP
“Caleb!” yelled the voice of Mrs. Delling. She, Makenna, and Andy turned toward him, and Michelle added with, “What in the name of pickles is going on?!” Hers and Andy’s eyes landed on Raeven who was crawling out of the box, wearing Fruit Loop rings over his claws, and they too screamed.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5Jc52j2Ac
At the same time, they shouted, “BAT!!” and immediately, they grabbed pots and pans and started throwing them at Raeven. He yelled and flapped his wings, quickly moving out of the way.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MJ929UzeA
“STOP!!” Makenna shouted. She grabbed her parents by each of their elbows, “Don’t hurt him!” but they ripped their arms free and continued to throw stuff at the Megabat.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqWA1ySHcU
They knocked Caleb to the ground, and he landed on his front, saying, “Ooof!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETrPwk0SPl
Makenna tried to lift her wings, but she couldn’t. “STOP!!” she again shouted. Raeven had been chased into the living room. He fell onto the floor, and Makenna’s parents held pans up to him, but before they could strike, Makenna appeared between them, and she held out her arms, yelling, “CUT IT OUT!!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzLJGneM8d
“Move out of the way, Makenna!” yelled Mr. Delling, and he tried to push by her, “We will not have a bat in this household!” Both he and Michelle attempted to push by Makenna, but she grabbed them and stopped them.
A wrestling match began between her and her parents. It went on for a couple minutes, but just before Makenna could give her parents a good hit of the Paintus Completeness spell, suddenly, the doorbell rang! Everybody became quiet, and all heads turned toward the door. Makenna picked up Raeven and hugged him to her chest.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfoDpYqqFy
Mrs. Delling soon pushed her toward the bathroom, and she shoved Makenna inside, yelling, “Keep quiet!” She slammed the door shut and locked it from the outside.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTwjLiEeH7
From the other end of the door, Makenna banged on it and yelled, “Mom!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwOMIsiaMM
“Shush!” she shouted. Mr. Delling quickly picked up pots and pans, and he dragged Caleb to his feet. He fell against the countertop, and his eyes were wide with fear.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCLCGfsXz3
Mrs. Delling turned on a casual act, and approaching the front door, she fluffed her hair and opened it. “Peter Nelson!” she shouted. Indeed, it was Peter Nelson she was looking at!229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyORfYLMjL
He stood in the rays of the setting sun with his own parents, Liana and Cody, on either side of him, and he told Mrs. Delling, “Sorry, Mrs. Delling, am I interrupting anything?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFj46WV9PuG
“Oh no, no, no!” quickly but casually spoke Mrs. Delling, “We were just putting together dinner.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoRCkn4zOK
“Is Makenna here?” Peter asked her, “I thought you would want to meet my parents before you let me take Makenna to the dance.”
Inside the Delling household, in the bathroom, Makenna was trying to unlock the window, but Raeven was hovering next to the door, and he was listening to the conversation at the front door.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Vn2lCFUxa
“Makenna,” he spoke, “Quiet. Come here.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwcJMHyxsz
“Come here?” Makenna asked him, “You’re the reason why I’m stuck in this mess in the first place, chief!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cgVogqAM8
She continued to prowl around the window. “Makenna, wait!” said Raeven. He flew to her and bit down on a strand of her hair. Then, he pulled her to the door and added, “I think they’re talking to Peter Nelson!”
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson had just finished introducing themselves to Mrs. Delling, and Peter asked her,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYC6yiLvP34
“Do you think I could pick her up tomorrow around five? The dance starts at six. I mean, that’s as if you’re okay with it. She did tell you she was going to the dance with me, right?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJOoOHBExk
“Sure, sure!” quickly spoke Mrs. Delling, “Of course, Peter Nelson! Of course!” She sighed. She just wanted them to get out of there. Michelle continued with, “You can pick her up tomorrow, but make sure you bring her home by ten!” Where Mr. Delling was hanging out, he groaned and smacked his palm to his face.
In the bathroom, Makenna and Raeven were smiling; they were eavesdropping, and they peered into each other’s eyes. Then, they both pressed their ear up against the door and continued to listen.
“Is Makenna here?” Peter again asked Mrs. Delling.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WoSbvlVMI
She quickly shook her head no, “No, no.” She made a huge mistake with her next sentence, “She’s visiting her friend in the hospital. You know, Tracey?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMJEBkKlh1
“Visiting?” asked Liana, and a question mark appeared above her head, “You mean, you just left her? She can’t even drive yet! How did she get there?!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zn52GRblk
“Well uh-uh.” Mrs. Delling stammered, “Ma-Maybe she fl-flew?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZhwIVXHcO
“Flew?” wondered Liana. She placed her hands on her hips, “What are you talking about, Mrs. Delling?” Mrs. Delling started to sweat. All of Peter’s family members were giving her a suspicious look.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTcwet4QMj
Peter soon nudged his father, who still holding a pair of binoculars in his hand, and he nodded. “Mrs. Delling,” he said, and he stood in front of his son and wife so he could meet Mrs. Delling’s eyes, “Tell me, do you know anything about fairies?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTr6pPaniAX
“Fairies?” nervously asked Michelle, “Uh, no. Well, maybe a little bit, but I have time to talk to you about them! I-I have to get Makenna ready for the dance! Goodbye!” She shooed Peter’s family members away. They were still looking at her in a strange way.
Where Makenna and Raeven were, in the bathroom, Raeven said,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2RplYbma0
“Yep, that woman’s crazy,” and Makenna’s entire face turned blue.
“I’ll see you tomorrow when you pick her up to take her to the dance.” Mrs. Delling told the Nelson family members, “Makenna’s really looking forward to it. For now, though, bye. Thank you for dropping in.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCRbSPcUYw
“But,” started Peter. However, Mrs. Delling slammed the door on their faces and locked it. When she was sure Peter and his parents had made it to the base of their staircase, she sighed and passed Mr. Delling and Caleb, heading toward the bathroom. Once Michelle reached it, she unlocked it and threw open the door. She gasped.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZdlG46xMh
Makenna was standing right in front of her, with Raeven hiding behind her shoulder, and she looked annoyed. “Oh, Mom.” Makenna said after a bit, “Why?”
Peter Nelson and his parents, Liana and Cody, were sauntering down Jenkins Point, toward their own house, and they were crossing the bridge.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZO40AHpnk5
Mr. Nelson and Peter had their thinking caps on, but Mrs. Nelson was just admiring the beautiful sunset scenery. “Check out that heron!” she announced. She pointed into the marsh, in the direction of a heron who was flying away, but Mr. Nelson and Peter didn’t see it because they were too busy thinking. They were standing side by side, and their fingers were at their chins.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CPLWKG1Vk
Mrs. Nelson finally turned to them and asked, “Hello? I’m going to throw myself off the bridge.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBQSNBsBRA
“Dad.” Peter spoke, totally ignoring her, “It’s obvious that Makenna’s parents know Tracey’s a fairy.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKKO8fwuyT
“It’s almost too obvious,” said Mr. Nelson.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODRcBsM0hY
“Yoo-hoo!” Mrs. Nelson called to them, “I’m getting closer to jumping off the bridge!” They still ignored her. Peter Nelson and Cody together lifted their heads, and they peered into each other’s eyes. “It sounds to me,” said Peter, “that Makenna may be a fairy too.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrr6Moj4jQ
“What?!” Mr. Nelson yelped, “Why?!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1LkSvIUhP
“Think about it,” explained Peter, “Every time I’m with her, she always has to leave at sunset. I never see her at sunset. Her mother also sounded pretty freaked out when you asked her if she knew anything about fairies. Besides, yesterday, when I met up with her to take her to Freshfields, I heard her saying to the Gator Pond that she and Tracey are very alike. Don’t even get me started on how much she likes him. Ooohh!” Peter clenched his fists, “It makes me so jealous just to think about it!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4L5otOFccV
“Oh!” suddenly yelled Mrs. Nelson. She waved her hand at her son and wife, “The heat! The heat is too much for me to take!” She pretended to faint. She let herself sink to the ground and fall onto her side in the road. Mrs. Nelson closed her eyes. Peter and Mr. Nelson were still ignoring her. “Double prizes!” Cody smirked, and he reached into his pocket, pulling out the crumpled-up piece of paper of Tracey’s wings again, “Two fairies! Two real fairies! If we work together to catch Makenna tomorrow at the dance, then we’ll be able to learn from her where Tracey is!”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDHPm4MXUG
“Commence operation Catch the Fairies.” Peter spoke, “I like that idea, Dad.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxTPW386mM
“However, how will we convince Makenna to tell us the location of Tracey?” questioned Mr. Nelson, and he scratched his chin. Peter smiled very evilly again. “Don’t worry, Dad,” he said, and he reached into a leather bag he wore over his shoulder, “I have the perfect weapon to get Makenna to talk.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05PcIu6L1c
“Ooh. Let’s see it then.”
Mrs. Nelson finally just gave up.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAUJVPZqPp
She sat up on the road and crossed her arms. “Men,” she grumbled. Standing up, she turned on her heel, “Goodbye!” and left Peter and Mr. Nelson. She headed toward her house, and they stayed behind. They didn’t see her leaving, of course. Peter Nelson was much more interested in showing his dad his “ultimate” weapon rather than making sure his mother really did jump off the bridge. Smiling, he said, “Dad,” and he grabbed hold of something inside his bag, “I present to you, my ultimate weapon!” Mr. Nelson watched intrigued. He was jumping up and down with excitement, and he was grinning. However, his grin quickly died when Peter announced, “Here it is!” and from his bag, he pulled out a piece of cake, wrapped chocolate cake. Peter grinned when he saw it. However, his dad had completely lost his. There was a long, awkward silence. The crickets started to chirp.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKhIVzMvSF
Finally, Mr. Nelson asked his son, “Cake? That’s your ultimate weapon? A piece of cake?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJg9Y4Emly
“Yeah.” Peter whimpered, and he started to very slowly unwrap the cake.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gQA7nbRyy
“Uh,” asked Mr. Nelson, “exactly how is it going to help us?”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpuwCArY77
“Oh, it will, Dad.” Peter evilly told him, “Trust me. It will.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDvas211JC
“Okay,” sighed Mr. Nelson, and he pushed by his son, starting to leave him, “Whatever you say, Pete, but don’t come running to me when we catch the Cookie Monster instead of Makenna. When we get home, we have to sit down and put together the plan for tomorrow. Are you coming?” Mr. Nelson stopped and turned back toward his son.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Zbzl7Cafg
“I am, Dad,” he answered, “In just a sec. I need to do something first. You head on home. I’m right behind.”229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHmDswoKzc
“Okay,” again said Mr. Nelson. He turned on his heel and crossed the bridge, jogging after his wife, “Liana!” He waved at her. Peter was left behind.
He waited for a minute or two until his parents disappeared, and then, he peered down on the piece of cake he held. He reached his hand into his bag again and moved out of the way as a car crossed the bridge and passed him.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xpEFPmTkr
While he was rummaging around, Peter told himself, “I’ll show, Dad. I’ll show him why this piece of cake is going to be my ultimate weapon.” Smiling evilly, from his bag, he pulled out a bag of nuts! They were nuts he got at Freshfields that morning before he went off to school. With the bag of nuts in one hand and piece of cake in the other, Peter sank to his knees and sat on his heels in the road. He finished unwrapping the piece of cake, and he placed the bag of nuts down on top of the tinfoil so it wouldn’t blow away. Next, he opened the bag of nuts and pulled out an almond. Peter broke it into smaller pieces, and then, leaning to the chocolate cake, he carefully pushed the almond pieces into it, deep into the cake, and made sure they were well hidden. After finishing with the almond, Peter again reached into the bag and pulled out a few more nuts. With them, he did the same thing. He broke them up into smaller pieces and hid them in the cake. He used a total of four nuts: almond, cashew, peanut, and hazelnut. Once Peter finished burying the nuts in the cake, he wrapped it back up and held it in front of his face, saying, “Hee, hee, hee, this is going to be a show. You might as well try all you can to get Makenna to the hospital, paramedics, but I’m not going to let you. Tomorrow night, her life is going to end, and you will never find her body, unless you decide to drive the ambulance to the bottom of the Ashley River. Hee, hee.” Peter picked up the bag of nuts and chucked them into the marsh. Immediately, a flock of herons and egrets approached it and started to fight over it. “Tomorrow night,” Peter continued with as he made his way back over the bridge, “Tracey is going to be ours. Before Makenna dies, she’s going to talk. Dad and I will be considered the greatest celebrities in all of history!” With one last evil laugh, seventeen-year-old Peter Nelson stepped off the bridge and made his way toward home, with an evil plot squashed in his brain.
