Excerpt

Woof. Woof.

“You go and follow Jack and he’ll show you where they are,” said Gussie in her thick Swedish accent.

Jack took off running down the aisle and sat in front of the microscopes the lady in the red coat was looking for.  Jack was a very intelligent dog, for you see he had a special gift.  Even though Jack was a dog, he could understand English as well as any human.  Of course Jack couldn’t speak English; everyone knows a dog’s vocal cords aren’t designed for speaking.  But he could understand it, even with Mr. Guss and Ms. Gussie’s thick Swedish accents.

Jack belonged to Esbjorn and Lovisa Gustoff who immigrated to America from Sweden in 1958.  Because their first names were so unusual to the people in the little town of Muscatine, folks started calling him Gus and her Gussie, and the names stuck.  The Gustoffs owned a toy store in Muscatine and Jack, the very intelligent golden retriever, was one of their biggest draws.  So was Henry, the Gustoff’s other dog and he was just the opposite of Jack.  All Henry, a lazy basset hound wanted to do, was lay around and eat.  Kids loved coming to the toy store not only for the toys, but to see Jack and Henry as well.

Gus and Gussie had the toy store for about eighteen years.  When they first came and settled in the small community on the Mississippi River Gus worked for Home-O-Nize, an office furniture maker.  After a few years he and his friend Tom Davidson opened their own cabinet making shop and did custom woodworking.  They became very successful.  As a hobby Gus started making wooden trains, as he was very good at woodworking.  Even today Gussie runs the toy store and Gus is usually downstairs making something out of wood.  The toy store doesn’t carry only Gus’ hand-made toys, but all kinds of toys, for kids of all ages. They have wooden toys and stuffed animals, both large and small.  They carry dolls and die-cast cars, race sets and even dollhouses.  Lots of science stuff like microscopes, bubble-making kits, spy kits and even weather stations.  And of course trains.  What toy store would be complete without trains? It was a really fun place to visit.

Everyday after school Russell would come down to the store and do some chores for Gus and Gussie.  Russell was Tom Davidson’s grandson.  Gus and Gussie have known Russell since he was born.  He was like one of their own grandchildren.  Russell would bag up all the trash and set it out; he would break up boxes and clean up the sawdust mess Gus would make during the day.  Russell also loved demonstrating stuff at the toy store.  Gus and Gussy loved having him come down and do it.  He was really good at showing how to use a lot of the toys; after all who is better qualified to demonstrate toys to a kid than a kid is?  Sales always seemed to go up when Russell was showing off the merchandise.  He was a great little salesman.  He was very polite when moms or dads would ask questions and took his time teaching the kids.

His favorite chore was taking Jack for a walk.  He and Jack were the best of buddies.  Henry would sometimes go on the walks too but he always just lagged behind and lay in the grass as Jack and Russell would play.  Russell couldn’t love Jack anymore even if he were his own dog.  Jack loved Russell too.  They would go for long walks along the riverfront, and romp and play at Riverside Park.  Jack’s favorite thing was the Frisbee.  He loved chasing after it and catching it in his mouth.  He would always bring it right back to Russell.  Sometimes Russell would tell Jack to sit, throw the Frisbee and tell Henry to fetch it.  Henry would walk about ten feet; plop down in the grass, and bark, “I’ve had my exercise for the day.  If you want me to bring it back, don’t throw it so far.”  More than once Russell got into trouble with his mom for missing supper because he and Jack just lost track of time playing on the riverfront.

Whenever Gus and Gussie would go on a trip, Jack would stay at Russell’s house because they were the best of friends. Henry would always go and stay with the Gustoff’s granddaughter, April, who would come to the toy store and help out whenever she could.  She knew her grandparents were getting much too old to be running the store by themselves.  So April would help out as much as her 17 year old, teenage schedule would allow.  After all there was cheerleading, the yearbook club, and chorus.  Yes, boys too.   Even though Russell was five years younger he and April were best of friends.  She would help Russell with his homework and sometimes she would drive him places he needed to go.  “Hey any excuse getting to use the car,” she would say.  They were almost like brother and sister and would tease each other like it too.

. . .

Read more about Jack and Russell LUCKY FIND and Jeffrey Boldt HERE.

Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Boldt. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Excerpt

“! tuo hctaW. (Watch out!),” cried Backwards Bob. It was too late; the firework exploded a foot or so behind the group.

Backwards Bob, who saw the firework coming, dove to his right, Perfect Jen and The Answer followed him. Backwards Bob fell on Perfect Jen who fell on The Answer making a Perfect Jen sandwich. The Answer and Backwards Bob were the bread and Perfect Jen was the filling.  KT fell forward tripping over The Answer’s out stretched foot before catching her balance.

And Ruthie B. Goose. Ruthie B. Goose nearly jumped right out of her feathers. She leaped in the air, flapped her wings as hard as she could and that little girl took off in flight!!!!

“Ruthie! You’re flying! You’re really flying!” cried KT.

“Well, what do you know Penguin? You are flying,” screamed Perfect Jen in disbelief.

“You did it. You did it. You finally did it,” said The Answer.

“Up and away you go!” Evan said in his Incredible Hawk voice.

“ylF!!! ylF!!! lrig oG (Fly! Fly! Go girl!),” said Backwards Bob from the bottom of the Perfect Jen sandwich.

“Well, what do you know?  I am flying,” Ruthie said to herself as she rose a few feet off the ground. “I knew I could,” she called out to her friends calmly. Inside she could hardly contain her excitement.

Read more about Ruthie B. Goose – Birth of the Legend and Jeffrey Baker HERE.

Copyright 2010 Jeffrey Baker. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Excerpt

Early one bright, summer day, when Auntie Suzie was a little girl, just about your size, her daddy said, “Auntie Suzie, we’re going to get us a turkey!”

“A turkey?” She said. This is going to be fun. So, off they went to the local feed store. That’s where they sell all kinds of food for all kinds of critters. They sell dog food and cat food, chicken food and duck food, cow food and horse food and of course, turkey food.

They sell fluffy, fuzzy baby chickens, soft and yellow baby ducks and guess what else, baby turkeys.

“Mr. Feed Store Man,” said Auntie Suzie’s daddy, “how much do you want for one of those baby turkeys?” Mr. Feed Store Man looked at him and said, “Well, since you’re Auntie Suzie’s daddy, I guess I can take a dollar for it.”

Auntie Suzie was so excited. They put the baby turkey in a small box and the Feed Store Man handed him right to her.

Now, you know, baby turkeys have to be taken care of really well so they can grow up big and strong, and Daddy told Auntie Suzie it would be her job to take care of the turkey. “You have to keep him warm, keep him clean and make sure he has plenty of food to eat,” said the Feed Store Man.

Well, they took Tom home, Auntie Suzie named him Tom because she just knew he was a boy turkey and what else would you call a boy turkey but Tom?

Read more about Auntie Suzie Raises a Turkey and Susan Kaplan-Williams HERE.

Copyright 2009 Susan Kaplan-Williams. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Excerpt

Prologue:
Poor Insulation

I shook my head as I slammed the apartment door open and turned to take the stairs three at a time. I was breaking the cardinal rule as a habitual hermit, but knew that I just wouldn’t be able to stand it if I didn’t make sure that what I was imagining had just occurred upstairs – was wrong. Something about the noises that had come from the apartment above had made it impossible to dissuade myself that it had been anything other than a piece of furniture falling on top of a person. A girl.

I swear I even heard her whispered, “Please.” That part I could have imagined. Probably imagined; I don’t know if I could really hear something like that through all the insulation there had to be between the two apartments. I’d never heard any noise from the apartment upstairs before. I didn’t even know who lived there. One result of being a hermit, I guess. You don’t get to know the neighbors. I pushed the hair out of my eyes and turned to go back to my apartment. What was I doing?

Before I’d taken one step back down towards the door I’d left open, I turned and set off back up the stairs again. For some reason, I just had to make sure. I knew I must be wrong, but I had to check it out. I couldn’t stop muttering bitterly to myself. This was insane. I knocked on the door. At this point, I didn’t believe my own theories and was positive that I was just knocking on the neighbor’s door to embarrass myself.

My frustration at having missed the final scene of Law & Order may have been behind the fact that my knock was a little more aggressive than it would have been otherwise. Alright, I was pounding. Just when I was about to stalk back down the stairs, (hopefully I could still see the lying, scheming kid’s jury verdict,) the door swung back so suddenly that I stumbled through the doorway on the momentum of my pounding fist that failed to make contact with the hard surface of the door.

There was not a thought in my head. I couldn’t even describe to myself afterwards what the apartment looked like. I could feel the thickness of the carpet under my bare feet as they sank in and oddly registered that it was expensive and clean and not the type of carpet you’d expect to have the body of a girl strewn across who, apparently, had just had an entertainment center pulled off of her.

She was practically crumpled on the floor in front of it. It was obvious that she had lain underneath the unit as it came crashing down on top of her. The TV was smashed and lay beside the DVD player and random pieces of stereo equipment that would have usually occupied the spaces that were now empty, gaping holes with wires stretching out and down to the scattered equipment on the floor.

I didn’t realize I had been staring at her in silence until she turned her face away and huddled into the massive piece of furniture that had minutes previously been crushing her to the floor. Her hair hung over her face and her shoulders shook. She was probably in shock. I couldn’t believe she was okay.

I didn’t even know I was moving until a large, beefy hand slammed into my chest. “What do you want?” The belligerent voice matched the face it had come out of perfectly. I felt like I was in a really bad sci-fi movie or a foreign film with inaccurate subtitles. I hadn’t seen the guy’s mouth move. Had he asked me a question? Yup, he had. This realization came as the face became even angrier and repeated said question a second time.

“Is she okay?” I gestured vaguely to the girl on the floor. She still hadn’t moved, unless you counted the sporadic shaking of her shoulders.

“What’s it to you? Who are you? I thought you were somebody else. Get out.” I dragged my eyes from the disturbing figure of the girl on the floor and actually looked at the face that the words were coming from. Light hair, blue eyes, no taller than me, but probably 20 pounds heavier; focusing in, I had a vague sense of recognition, but couldn’t place the features enough to connect them with a time or place.

The once over wasn’t appreciated because the big, beefy hand that I hadn’t even realized had been holding me back now began pushing me (forcefully) back out the door. I shoved the hand off my chest automatically, and then turned to walk out, but a muffled sob made me think that the girl had been a little more aware of the situation than I had thought. I somehow felt more responsible for my actions because of it. Turning back, I said, “Do you live here?”
For the first time, the belligerent look fell from the face of Beef Man, as I was beginning to think of him, and I couldn’t place the odd look that replaced it. Beef man waved nonchalantly behind him in the direction of the girl and said, “She does.”

“Well . . . then – are your parents home?” The question was obviously directed at the girl since she lived there. How I got the balls to say it I don’t know, since Beef Man’s jaw was about to shatter from the effort he was putting into grinding his teeth as he walked toward me with clenched fists. Standing my ground, the thought crossed my mind that not only had I decided to end my hermit lifestyle tonight, but I had now crossed over into the territory of actual loss of life in general.

My head was screaming, ˜Forget it! Get out,’ but my feet were now apparently glued to the carpet. My eyes felt like they were going to pop right out of my head and I hadn’t looked at the girl at all since I’d asked for her parents. Beef Man must have thought I meant to stay and push the issue because he stopped mid-stride like his scare method wasn’t working and turned to glare at the girl. Little did he know he had just scared me motionless.

And since he didn’t know that…he had obviously thought better of his plan to rough me up, which I’m sure had been his intention for a full 15 seconds (they were the scariest 15 seconds of my life up until that point). He turned instead toward the girl now sitting on the floor. He took several steps toward her and I was horrified to find myself shadowing his footsteps. I had a morbid sense of doom at this point, but somehow couldn’t come to grips with the method of my own salvation (running) without knowing what was going on first.

“Liz.” The name did not come out sounding like an endearment. The guy was scary. I wondered how old she was. The girl apparently didn’t hear him. “Liz.” I was a little nervous about what might happen if she ignored him again. What the hell was I doing? Beef Man leaned over really slowly and flicked the girl’s forehead with his middle sausage finger hard enough to make her head fall back. Neither of them took notice of my surprise because they were obviously involved in their own little, morbid, psycho world that I didn’t understand. The girl glared for a full second, but her glare wasn’t near as effective as Beef Man’s because tears were leaking out the sides of her eyes in a steady stream.

“My parents aren’t home.” Liz, as Beef Man called her, recited a mantra that she seemed to be receiving by osmosis from Beef Man who was now leaning so close to her face that their eyelashes were probably touching. That could possibly be the point at which the trade of information was occurring, I wasn’t sure, but I was sure that the words coming out of her mouth weren’t hers. A few seconds of silence provided her with further info and she related it in a hollow voice, “I’m fine. I was messing around and I knocked over the entertainment center.”

I don’t know where the snort came from, I swear. Yes, she was obviously lying, but you’d think I would have thought more of my physical health than whether or not these strangers thought I was idiot enough to believe their crap. In any event, both of them immediately swung around to look at me.

“Really…I. . .” It must have shocked the girl to actually look at me because she couldn’t seem to get her futile words out. There was no way her story could wash. I had heard the entire scenario. Granted, I’d been watching Law & Order in the background, but I don’t really have that active of an imagination. I don’t portray TV shows into my everyday life. At least I never had before.

“I live in the apartment below. I heard.” At this point, Beef Man’s threatening motions alone were all the encouragement I needed to leap off the balcony, but the girl interrupted my dramatic exit and demise.

“Really…please…really…” She was crying again and shaking her head and I knew that this time it was me that made her cry. What was I supposed to do? I’m not all-knowing. I’m only seventeen. I left. Through the front door.

Chapter One:
Some Necessary Introductions

Winter break is over. It hardly felt like winter break, anyway. I got the traditional pile of clothes, movies, gift certificates and other holiday crap left on the couch in the living room. I’m so glad Santa made it. I got Dad a tie. Mailed it to his personal assistant. I made sure it was one he would absolutely hate. It was bright orange with the words I’M A SERIAL KILLER written obnoxious and huge across the front in red block letters. Merry Christmas, Dad.

Even if he did come home for Christmas and we got a tree and all the normal crap, it still wouldn’t feel like Christmas here. Arizona; you’d think I’d be used to it since I grew up here, but it never snows. It hardly even gets cold enough to require a jacket. I might get to see my breath once or twice in a year. And that’s just sad.

I guess I’ve seen the old, cheesy, but traditional Christmas movies one too many times. You know the movies that provide you with a standard Christmas to which you can compare your’s and find it absolutely lacking? “Christmas Story” and “It’s Christmas Time, Charlie Brown”; those are the two I always end up watching over and over every winter break. At least it feels like it. They’re on TV constantly. I think they start on Thanksgiving Day.

I guess I need to start watching less TV. I should get a gym membership, or something. But that would be a bit idiotic. My apartment building has a small gym and I’ve never used it, so I guess that means I’m not really into working out. No use wasting my allowance, right?

Winter break was lame, but heading back to school wasn’t any better. The parking lot was filled with chatter and squeals. You’d think these people were long lost cousins that had been searching for each other for years, or something. It had only been a couple of weeks. They couldn’t have missed each other that much. I wasn’t excited to get back to school, and I definitely wasn’t excited to get back to class (I’ve never been described as a dedicated student), but it was good to start the Spring semester if only because I knew it was the last semester of school I would ever attend.

Dad would be ecstatic if I went to college, so I wasn’t going to. One thing I was going to do was get out of Arizona. Who lived here by choice? Yeah, the winters were technically nice, but didn’t anyone ever wish for cold and snow? The utter mildness of the winters was almost wrong to me. What was the use of calling it Winter, if there was no difference from Fall? We should just rename the winters in the Valley, Fall II or Post Fall or something. And then we jumped straight from Early Spring to Utter Hell. Summer vacation was all but wasted every year because who can find the energy to do anything when to step outside your front door means existing within an endless sauna with a minimum temperature of 110 degrees?
I once walked to the pool without my flip flops on when I was 13 or 14. I know, old enough to know better, but I couldn’t find them and I thought I could tough it out. I got halfway there and that was only by desperately jumping into any and all bushes that lined the sidewalks sporadically. And these aren’t sweet flowery bushes. (I think “bushes” in Arizona landscaping might be translated into “weeds” or “killer thorn bushes” anywhere else.) Think of what non-plant would thrive in 110 degree weather, and that’s what you get in the Valley.

So, needless to say, it wasn’t pleasant when I ended up sitting down in one of the bushes for a few minutes to let my feet cool off. I ran as fast as I could all the way back to my apartment. I had blisters for a month. Not just uncomfortable, I wore new shoes without socks blisters, but pussy, swollen, red, tender to the touch, third degree burn type blisters. That may have been when I decided that I would not be living here after graduation.

I saw Randall getting out of his car down the row and smiled when he immediately and dramatically rolled his eyes at the small crowds and groups randomly dispersed throughout the parking lot. I thought he might yell out, “GET TO CLASS OR GO HOME, IDIOTS!” Because that would be like him, but instead he came running around the back end of his car, dropped his books, threw his hands in the air and cried out in a sickening, falsetto voice, “Cy! My life meant nothing without you. I haven’t seen you for what seems like weeks, months, years, decades…no CENTURIES!”

By the end of his dramatic performance he was draped across me and hanging from my neck. I was fumbling to get my arm out from the strap of by backpack where it was trapped while he continued to carry on and fake sob until the parking lot had become noticeably quieter.

He finally, and abruptly, threw himself away from me, got a disgusted look on his face and finished off his own personal soap opera with a dramatic, “You TRICKED me. It’s only been a couple weeks; basically several days and besides that…I hardly KNOW you! Get away from me. Don’t touch me! That’s it! I can’t take it anymore. I’ve got to get out of here.”

In a whisper for me alone he muttered, “Want to come?” with a quick wiggle of his eyebrows. I was bugged enough to go to class rather than participate in whatever new scheme Randall had come up with to replace classes for the day so I said no. I’d never been one for dramatic scenes; although you wouldn’t guess it from the getup I strutted around in.

He immediately turned to ram his books into a sloppy pile on the ground next to where he had thrown them earlier and then tossed them through the back window of his 4 door car. (I hadn’t yet been able to classify it further than “car.” I couldn’t tell what make or model it was and the color was more an opinion than fact). I shook my head as he backed out of the spot. Randall blithely ignored the others who were just now realizing that he had been making fun of them for their exuberance upon returning to school.

I waited until Randall had safely maneuvered his way out of the school parking lot, and then allowed myself to wish for just a couple seconds that I had gone ahead and left with him instead of purposefully ditching him. Then I took that first step that meant I was going to head in to my first class of the day.

The senior year should only be one semester. Looking around, I could only count about 6 people in my history class that were taking notes. Of those not taking notes, only 4 were pretending to take notes. The rest of us were blatantly disregarding the fact that any of the material in today’s class could appear on our exam.

Even the teacher seemed a bit complacent about it all. He was reading a lot: from the textbook, from the overhead, from his notes. He usually didn’t appear to be reading at all. But maybe he always did and I didn’t notice because I was taking notes, I don’t know. But it was obvious that hardly anyone was willing to give the last semester a go. Everyone was finished and, sadly, we still had several months to go. It was only January. Graduation wasn’t until May. The stretch seemed too long.

I don’t remember what day it was that first week back when I actually recognized the characters in my botched attempt at search and rescue. I think, somehow, I knew from the beginning. Beef Man I had immediately, if subconsciously, recognized as the ultimate asshole of Midline High. (Midline had to be the most screwed up high school in the very screwed up town of Scottsdale, Arizona). He would have been the idiot of the school if he hadn’t been good at everything, outrageously popular with the ladies, and ridiculously rich.

To top it off, he drove my dream car. He had a Spyder with the most beautiful custom paint job I had ever laid eyes on, and that’s counting magazine pictures in case you were downplaying the status of my claim. I don’t blame you, his is the only actual Spyder I’ve ever seen in person, but I’m telling you, this car was off the charts hot. It was like an abnormally fast, gorgeous cat laid low to the ground, but just raising its back end to pounce on its prey. I absolutely hated that it was his. It pissed me off just to see him walk towards it.

Knowing that, you’ll understand my utter shock the day I realized that the idiot of Midline High was actually Beef Man and the girl he had just deposited into the passenger seat was “the girl.”

“The girl” was Eliza; apparently “Liz” to her close friends. That gave me a shiver just because she obviously counted Beef Man among them. (From that point on, the idiot of Midline High became Beef Man in my head, the name just seemed more appropriate somehow.)

Eliza was . . . everything. I mean, she was what other girls seemed to wish they could be; or at least be like. She had long dark hair that almost reached her waist when she wore it down. She was short and small and always seemed to be “ready”. Not the type to appear at school with yesterday’s hairdo and only half her makeup because she woke up late. She was perfect at all times: the Princess of Midline High. Her entire life was apparently dedicated to being popular. And she was good at it. She was so popular that I had never spoken one word to her (except the night I mistakenly witnessed the psycho scene she was a major part of).

My name is Cy McIntyre. I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that I’m an absolute freak. By choice, actually, but we’ll get to that a little later. Anyways, I’m such a freak that there was no way Beef Man or Eliza would ever recognize me as the guy they saw that night. You see, I had just taken a shower and washed off my “freak” disguise.

Before you decide that I’m totally crazy, let me tell you about my Dad. He is practically non-existent. The only thing I’ve ever done to be able to get his attention for more than .5 seconds is totally embarrass the jerk. My mom died when I was really little. I don’t even know what she looked like. We don’t talk about it. I stopped asking questions about her when I was probably six years old. Even a six year old will get the hint if every question they ever ask even remotely related to a certain person is answered with, “I don’t know” or a vacant expression and the swift departure of the person being questioned.

That was my Dad. He somehow felt no need for communication. He works for a huge law firm that specializes in patents and spends a lot of time zooming around the country visiting current and prospective clients. Who knew there were that many inventors in the world, right? Well, I can attest that there are bucket loads. My dad is never home for more than 3 hours at a time, and that includes sleeping.

You’d think that I’d just give up and ignore him back. I mean, he takes care of all the necessities. I’ve got my own household account complete with weekly deposits and bonuses if I blow through it outrageously. My own car (although a Honda just doesn’t cut it when you really want a Spyder), and anything else I want…I get. As long it doesn’t involve him personally.

His personal assistant is the closest I’ve ever come to having a parent and that just strikes me as frightening because she’s the literal embodiment of the witch in Hansel and Gretel. I’m serious. If we had a working stove in our apartment, I wouldn’t step foot near it when she was in the room for fear she might toss me in with a cackle.

Anyway, the current plan of action regarding this problem with my Dad, (and this current POA has been ongoing for several years now,) is to embarrass him by being a total freak. I’m not exaggerating, that’s even what they call me at school. I don’t blame them. That is the disguise I wear. I wake up practically before the sun just so that I’ll have time to put the grease in my hair to make it all sick and dread-locky before I leave for school at 7:15. You’d think that wasn’t a big deal, but I’ve got it down to an artform.

There hasn’t been one person who’s seen me in my disguise for 3 years who has doubted that I don’t wash my hair . . . ever. On top of the sick hair bit I wear knee high black boots with black nylon pants tucked in (I’ve got a few pairs and a pair of black jeans that I wear if the need arises). I also wear what I think might be an old chauffeur jacket. It buttons all up the front, with like a million buttons, all the way up to the neck and has long, kind of tight sleeves. It’s hot. But then it’s so hot here that nobody expects you to hang around outside for long and the buildings are kept near seventy degrees. So I’m usually fairly comfortable.

If you ever want to be accepted as a total freak I give you permission to emulate my wardrobe because there is evidence that it is absolutely effective. I don’t think I could remove myself from freak status now if I tried.

You might think that seeing me turn into a total freak would make my Dad up and deny his claim to me considering the bond was fairly loose to begin with, but my Dad’s nothing if not entirely successful at everything he does. (He’s like Beef Man in this aspect . . . sick). He can’t admit defeat. So, by continuing my existence as a complete and utter freak, I continue to receive a minuscule amount of my father’s thought due to the fact that he has to figure out how in the hell he is going to make a success out of me.

Notice I didn’t say make me a success . . . it’s definitely make a success out of me. He wouldn’t do it in order to make me happy or guarantee that I’ll do well in life, or anything like that. It’s like he has to succeed in his minimal “being a father” efforts and then he can leave me to my own devices.

So, I’m making sure to drag out the effects of freakdom until it is totally obvious that it’s a ploy. I’m beginning to wonder if I can hold out, though. It’s massively annoying to play the part when you don’t feel it. Luckily, part of my Dad’s plan to make a success out of me includes having his personal assistant sneak in while I’m gone (this is the only way in which she can have done it, I’ve thought about it long and hard) and check my clothes for current sizes. One day when I got home my closet was filled with normal clothes that fit me. So at least I have blue jeans and T-shirts to lie around the house in.

So, long story short, Beef Man and Eliza saw me that night, but they didn’t see me.

Copyright 2008 SarahBeth Carter. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Excerpt

WIZARD OF WINDSOR ISLAND: GIOVANNI’S MISSING BOAT

Buy The Complete Version of This Book at Booklocker.com

“An adventure about magic set in modern times on a fictional island in the United States of America.”

“This is a positive story talking about teens, friendship, family and community always working together.”

“Ben, the Wizard of Windsor Island, is a teenage boy with recently discovered magical powers. This book is the beginning of a series of stories which will inspire your kids to read.”

“A festive summer weekend filled with fun and surprises. The last day turns dangerous. When a possible tragedy happens to some friends, the entire community will rally to save the day.”

Copyright © 2007 Richard A. Berry and John M. Kraus

ISBN 978-1-60145-498-0

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Printed in the United States of America.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, places, or events are coincidental and not intended by the author.

Booklocker.com, Inc. 2008

WIZARD OF WINDSOR ISLAND:
GIOVANNI’S MISSING BOAT
Richard A. Berry and John M. Kraus

Table of Contents

Chapter One: The Secret of Magic
Chapter Two: An Unexpected Magical Moment
Chapter Three: The Island and the Neighbor
Chapter Four: A Town Fair in the Sun
Chapter Five: Relaxing on the Water
Chapter Six: Searching for Treasure
Chapter Seven: Storm Trouble
Chapter Eight: Missing Boat
Chapter Nine: Working Together
Chapter Ten: An Escape
Chapter Eleven: Safe Return
Chapter Twelve: The Truth about Magic

Chapter One: The Secret of Magic

A WISE FRIEND once said, “If it is adventure you seek, you need not travel far.” That’s exactly where our story begins today. This is an adventure that starts no farther than home. Now, my young friends, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Windsor Island and Peachtree Lane. Please let me entertain and enlighten you with a story that includes magic.
Please be warned! The magic learned in this story should not be tried at home by amateurs. If your name is William Benjamin Smith, affectionately referred to as Ben and you live at 4 Peachtree Lane on Windsor Island, then you will learn to safely use this magic. Otherwise, I beg you. I implore you. I beg again! Do not try any of this at home! Leave the magic to Ben. Please don’t even think about casting any spells!
With that said, both young and old will enjoy hearing about my magical friend Ben, the “Wizard of Windsor Island”. Parents may be skeptical. Adults may have lots of doubt. Children may be making funny faces. However, I swear this story happened just like I tell it, give or take a few exaggerations.
Let’s begin this magical story, together. Let’s see. What are the facts? What really took place? How do I explain just how it all happened? Where are my notes? Oh darn! The dog ate my notes. Nah! I am just kidding about the dog. I don’t have a dog. I did have a rabbit once. I haven’t seen that darn rabbit in a long time. Hope to see her again one day. I’ll have to tell you that story another time. Well, give me a minute to find those notes. I don’t want to leave out any important details.
Dear! Oh Dear! Have you seen my notes? My wife shouted back, “Always hunting for things! How many times have I told you to put things where they belong! You’re turning me into an old nag!” Probably a true statement but that wasn’t a very nice thing to say dear! “Look in the den under that stack of papers on the right side of the desk,” she said. Ah Yes! Here they are! My notes! Why don’t I just start talking! Please be quiet! Listen and you will learn something I guarantee you never heard before. Now, turn off the television, the video game, the cell phone, and shut the door so we don”˜t get interrupted. It’s very important in life to pay attention when someone is trying to tell you something. Especially something as interesting as my story will reveal. Here we go, sit back and enjoy.
My friend Ben is seventeen years old. He is a handsome lad. He is the only child of Samuel Chase Smith and Jessica Windsor Smith. In case you’re wondering, they all live together in a beautiful home at 4 Peachtree Lane on Windsor Island, Maryland in the United States of America. Yes, I repeat our hero Ben, the “Wizard of Windsor Island” lives at that address with good old, dear old, mom and dad. Their home is filled with warmth and with love. Family and friends, alike, are always welcome.
Ben’s great, great grandfather, Frances Windsor, settled on Windsor Island in the late 1800′s. Frances’ family owned the Island. When he was twenty one years of age, Frances was given the Island as a wedding gift. Frances renamed the Island, Windsor Island, immediately as a matter of pride.
Ben’s mother was born and raised on Windsor Island. His mother carries a lot of pride in her family name. She has passed that pride along to Ben. Ben, an only child, worked hard in school, in the community, and at home. He is a very pleasant young man who gets along with both family and friends. In fact, Ben is a charmer. He easily makes friends with new people that he meets. He is a very popular and diplomatic person. He is, for the most part, happy and smiling while getting through the day. You will rarely see Ben with a frown on his face. Usually, he is singing or humming a tune while laughing, joking, and generally carrying on.
It’s important to know that there is a reason Ben does a lot of humming. He simply loves music. He lives for music. And he is very good at it!
Also, you should understand that Ben didn’t need to work too hard in school. I will just say it. Ben is a child prodigy. He is a young genius. At seventeen years of age, he graduated from high school. Currently, he’s studying music in his first year of college.
To understand Ben’s love of music, you have to hear him play a piano or watch him conduct a band. Oh Yes! He can conduct a band! As a matter of fact, his nickname is “The Maestro”. He was gifted early on. A great uncle sent him a beautiful conductor’s wand when he was only three years of age. Ben carries that wand with him wherever he goes. Sometimes he just stops whatever he is doing, pulls out that wand, and moves the wand like he is conducting an orchestra. I am certain that he feels the music being played in his mind.
Ben’s mom led a humble life as the daughter of a fairly well to do middle class family on Windsor Island. The family owns and operates the island’s local newspaper. It’s not a major newspaper but the family made a good living. Jessica did well in school. She worked at the newspaper during her summer vacation. After college, she started in the administrative office of the family business. That’s where she met Ben’s father Samuel. Now, she is Chief Executive Officer (CEO), President, operations manager and overall boss of “The Islander” newspaper.
Samuel, Ben’s father, was born on Windsor Island. Both Samuel’s mother and father were in the United States Army. They moved around a lot. Samuel managed to get through high school. He was a charmer, apparently a trait he passed down to Ben, and was very bright but a little lazy when it came to school work. Maybe that is where Ben got part of his smarts and personality. Samuel continued to charm his way through life a little longer. He barely had good enough grades to graduate from college but Samuel did learn a valuable lesson. Had he studied more, worked harder, listened more, asked more, read more, and planned more, he would probably be better prepared for life after college. He was shocked that his charm didn’t work on everybody. He actually had to try harder to get things done. He had no real skill. He had very few long time friends. He had no job. Samuel was a good person but he hadn’t thought about life after schooling. He did consider joining the military.
As luck would have it, Samuel decided to rent a place on Windsor Island. He had accepted a summer job in the sales department of “The Islander”. Samuel met Jessica on his first day of work. Almost immediately, they were smitten with love for each other!
Jessica asked Samuel out on a date. Well! She sort of asked him to go out. It was lunch time on a windy, rainy, cool day. Jessica wanted to be safe so she decided to stay close to work. There was a small deli near the newspaper office building. The deli made great sandwiches and pretty good drinks such as lemonade, ice tea, and coffee. Jessica saw Samuel standing in the doorway of the office building. She asked him to join her for lunch. After that lunch, they were always together outside of work. They truly had fallen in love.
On a dreary rainy day about six months later, Samuel asked Jessica to meet him at the deli for dinner. When Jessica walked into the deli, Samuel was waiting at a table. He walked over to her, got down on one knee, and asked for her hand in marriage.
Jessica paused for a moment. She hadn’t expected the proposal after only several months of dating. She did love Samuel. She told him she was in love. However, she always felt that both spouses should not work at the same company. It wasn’t against the law or against company policy. She just felt that it could create tension in a marriage. Marriage is tough enough.
Just as she finished explaining her feelings to Samuel, Miss Theresa and Mister Tony came over to the couple smiling. Theresa and Tony, an elderly couple, had owned and operated the deli for forty years. Samuel spoke up. He told Jessica that he felt the same way. He explained that is why he thinks that he should quit his job at the newspaper. Samuel went on to say that he had decided to buy the deli. He had plans to turn it into a coffee shop with great deli sandwiches. Jessica loved the idea. She said, “Okay! Yes I will marry you Samuel Chase Smith if you can tell me how our new family can survive. How can you quit your job, buy a local business, find a family home, and pay all the bills.”
Just then, surprise, surprise, Jessica’s mother and father stepped out from the back room. Samuel had let Jessica’s parents know that he loved Jessica. He planned to ask for her hand in marriage. He had already asked for their permission to marry her. You don’t see that happen too much now days! Together, Samuel and her parents created a plan.
Jessica’s parents would give her half ownership of the newspaper business. She would become the daily operations manager immediately. Turns out, they had wanted to retire to Florida where the weather is warmer year round. The time seemed perfect when Samuel made his feelings for their daughter known.
Even better! Jessica’s parents would provide a ten year interest free loan that Samuel could use to buy the local deli. As a wedding gift, Samuel and Jessica could live at her parent’s house on 4 Peachtree for free.
You guessed it, Jessica and Samuel were married. Her parents moved to a home in Florida. Jessica and Samuel moved into a beautiful home where Benjamin was born into a happy family. Jessica took over the newspaper as senior management retired and Samuel turned the deli into a successful coffee shop. Samuel proceeded to pay off the loan and they eventually bought the house from Jessica’s parents. This is the same house in which Ben was raised on Peachtree Lane.
The house is really perfect for Ben’s family. It is a long and wide brick rancher. It was built with some special features to withstand powerful storms or possible hurricanes. The house sat on a hill overlooking the water which borders Windsor Island. It has two floors. The first floor sits above ground.
Upon entering the front door, there is a good sized hallway with a closet and half bathroom. High ceilings and large windows allow for lots of light. Going forward into the house and to your left, you see a cozy den and a long hallway leading to the bedrooms. The master bedroom, at the end of the hallway, contains a full bathroom. Two bedrooms and another full bathroom are situated directly off the main hallway. A pull down step system located in the ceiling of the long hallway leads to a large attic area.. The attic is finished off well enough to provide extra storage space. Straight in front of you, there is a large kitchen with a cooking island in the middle. A full size bay window in the kitchen provides a panoramic view of the water in the back of the home. To the right of the kitchen is a doorway into a large fully equipped family room. A stairway neatly tucked off to the side of the family room leads to the basement.
The basement is underground but the basement windows are above ground to allow lots of sunlight during the day. The basement has two exits to the outside. One basement exit is located in the back of the house. The other basement exit is located on the right side of the house. There is a large family room on the left side of the basement. Three bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a good size laundry room finish off the rest of the basement.
On the outside of the house, the Smith’s have a two car garage located to the left. A paved driveway about eighty feet long leads from the road way to a multi vehicle parking pad in the front of the garage. There is a 20 feet by 20 feet fabricated wood deck on the back of the house. At the front of the house, there is a covered porch, six feet wide by forty feet long. The front porch has two sets of steps. There are steps leading up to the front door and steps on the right side which lead to the ten feet by ten feet covered patio. Not too close to the house, there is plenty of tree coverage on both sides of the property.
Ben lived in an upstairs bedroom as a child. Every couple of years, Ben would switch bedrooms until he became a teenager. A piano was kept in the den. Ben took music lessons from Mrs. Agnes who lived two houses to the right. Mrs. Agnes has a piano in her den. She gave lessons both in her home and Ben’s house. She has a beautiful home which is very similar to Ben’s house. Some people find Mrs. Agnes to have a sharp tongue but I think she is a very special and pleasant person once you get to know her. However, I admit Mrs. Agnes can be firm with her remarks because I believe she tries to make you think. She won’t let you get lazy with either your mind or body. She sure made Ben do his best at learning music. She is a special friend to Ben and his family.
As Ben grew into a teen, he decided to move into a basement bedroom. At first, Ben was a little afraid to move into the downstairs. Moving into the downstairs by your self, even a beautiful club basement, can be scary. You feel alone and isolated. When the house gets quiet, you always hear all the noises both inside and outside. Your mind starts to imagine things when you hear noises or see shadows. Even adults can find it creepy to live in a basement. With that said, Ben got used to the downstairs. Ben’s mom and dad would check on him often. Ben still would venture upstairs frequently for meals or to socialize with his parents. Of course, the piano was moved downstairs into the family room where Ben has always found comfort in his music.
Now, here is where the magical part of the story finally starts to happen. Mrs. Agnes and her husband, Phineas Jones, got the neighbors to collect items to sell at a fund raiser. It was determined that Windsor Island needed a new medical center. The business community organized a local fair that was to be held on the weekend of August 5th – 6th 2007. The fair had a group of tables set aside to support a “yard sale” which raised money by selling off donated items. The profit from the sales was added to the monetary fund used to build the new medical center.
All the neighborhoods on the island were included. The island’s Catholic Church and Protestant church worked together to get the community behind the project. Mrs. Agnes and Mr. Phineas volunteered to collect items in Ben’s neighborhood. They recruited their young neighbor Natalie Carroll to assist. Natalie motivated a bunch of her young friends to lend a hand. Ben planned to do his part by playing music, getting the high school band to perform for a few hours. Normally, the performance would be enough for Ben.
However, it should be revealed to our readers that Ben has a crush on Natalie. They like each other. Natalie asked Ben to look for some items to auction. Ben talked to his mother for help. This was the moment it happened. Ben’s mom said those wonderful words which started this adventure. She said, “You’re welcome to go up in the attic. Be careful! You will find a few boxes of old books. There are lots of old but useful toys packed away. Look around for the toys. You can try to sell the few pieces of old furniture sitting in the back of the attic. However, don’t touch the old bedroom set and cedar chest near the front of the attic. Ask your dad if any of his stuff can go?”
A truck, provided by the Catholic Church, was coming by on Friday evening, August 4th, at 5 PM. The truck would pick up collected items from 2 Peachtree Lane to 40 Peachtree Lane.
The collection process took a while. A few young friends of Ben and Natalie’s were working on the truck. Johnny World, age 17, and his younger brother Geoff, age 15, worked in the back of the truck. David Carroll joined them in the truck when it arrived at 2 Peachtree Lane. Sister Ashley Carson was driving the vehicle. Father Stewart was a passenger.
Ben went up in the attic on that Friday afternoon hours before the truck arrived on his street. The plan was that Ben would identify the items to be donated to charity. He would call David and Natalie to help him get the items out of the attic and down to the area in front of the garage for pick up. The plan worked fine except for one unexpected magical moment.
Before continuing with that magical moment, which I assure you is about to happen, let me say a few words to our readers about Ben’s next door neighbors. This will be brief and add a much needed perspective to our story.
At 2 Peachtree Lane, we have the Miller family. Jonathon Miller, age 47, is the mayor of Windsor Island. His wife, Rita at age 45, is both a criminal and civil lawyer. They have a 16 year old son named Scott. Scott is a young genius much like Ben. Scott’s sister, Natasha, is 17 years old. Natasha is bright and beautiful.
At 4 Peachtree Lane, we have Ben’s family. I have already told you plenty about his family and their wonderful home.
At 6 Peachtree Lane, we have the Carroll family. Alice Carroll, age 45, is a very popular school teacher. Roger Carroll, age 44, owns an Arts and Craft Shop located in the business district on Windsor Island. Natalie Carroll is their daughter, age 16. Natalie’s brother, David, is 17 years old.
At 8 Peachtree Lane, we have Mr. Phineas Jones and his wife Agnes. Mr. Phineas is 65 years old. Mrs. Agnes is 65 years of age. Mr. Phineas is a retired college chemistry professor. He is a very loving and nurturing fellow. He is somewhat humorous but serious enough and always helpful. Mrs. Agnes is a retired travel agent. Besides for being a talented pianist and private music teacher, she has lots of worldly knowledge. She knows world history, world geography, world cultures, world politics and lots about people in general. I guess that is why she was an excellent travel agent. Mrs. Agnes is also very loving and nurturing. At age 65, Mrs. Agnes is still a very attractive woman with a nice figure. She is still active and exercises everyday. Both seem to be a very good match. Mrs. Agnes and Mr. Phineas have a home almost identical to Ben’s. All the homes in this neighborhood are remarkably similar in design and layout.
Now, let us continue with the part about “an unexpected magical moment”

Chapter Two: An Unexpected Magical Moment

BEN FOUND THE items just as his mom had described. Also, he found a few items his dad said he could donate. He decided to use all of the items as they appeared to be in excellent to good condition.
However, Ben got a funny feeling that he should look over the box of books before he gave them away. I know the feeling. I’ve had those funny feelings before in my lifetime. Have you ever had those feelings? You get butterflies in your stomach that tells you to be careful or to do one more thing before you go. Some people call it intuition. Intuition is usually good to follow but sometimes it may not turn out as simple as you plan. So, always be extra careful when you follow your feelings.
Ben dragged the boxes of books over near the steps. The books were heavy. He figured if he got them out of the way and over to the steps then the books could be moved first while everyone had more energy. Moving things can be a tiring experience. Not everyone likes to move things, especially Ben’s friend Johnny World. Ben opened the first box of books. He found children’s books, some early math, and some United States history books.
Before opening the second box of books, Ben went down to the kitchen for a cool glass of iced tea. As he looked out the kitchen window, Ben saw Natalie and Natasha walking along the area near the water’s edge. Actually, at this spot, they couldn’t get too close to the water’s edge. There is a safety fence along much of the residential properties on Peachtree lane. These homes sit on a hill. It is at least ten feet down to the water in most locations. Ben was slightly distracted because these young ladies are very attractive teenagers. Any boy would notice either one of them walking anywhere. Two of them walking in such a scenic setting were very pleasing to the eye. Ben was about to go out to join them for their walk when the telephone rang. Ben’s dad called to remind Ben to get the items out of the attic before the collection truck arrived.
Ben said to his dad, “Thanks for the phone call but I am proud to say that I did remember that the collection truck was coming. I was already up in the attic.” Ben’s dad responded, “I was confident you would remember the chore. I had a feeling that you might get distracted.” Ben laughed. His dad laughed. “How did you know that would happen?” asked Ben. “I was a teenager once,” replied his dad. Ben told his dad that he was in the kitchen to get a drink and that he was slightly distracted. Ben thanked him and said he would see him later.
Ben went back up in the attic to open the second set of books. Almost all the books here were old high school and college text books on subjects like chemistry, English, history, and poetry. All at once, one unusually old looking book caught Ben’s attention. It was fairly thick in size. Ben used both hands to pick it up. He saw what looked like the edge of an old envelope hanging out of the side. He slid the envelope out of the book! Flipping over the book, he saw the title. The book cover read, “Gabriel’s Book of Magic”. Ben thought, “Who is Gabriel? What is in the envelope? What are my parents doing with a book on magic?” And he was particularly curious about the thought of magic. He was too smart to consider that magic could be real but what magical secrets or amusement could possibly be inside. The only answer was to look in the envelope.
Ben decided to open the envelope before the book. Inside the envelope, he found a most puzzling note. The note said:

Dear Jessica;
Please don’t ever give this book away. I would keep it but something tells me that it is time to pass it on to your son Benjamin. As we discussed, the book should be given to Ben on his 16th birthday. My father gave it to me. I want Benjamin to have it. It is a very valuable family treasure. It is a very enjoyable topic for teenage boys. I assure you that it will be a harmless gift and bring great pleasure to whomever possesses it; (That”˜s why I want Ben to have it.). I know you will do the right thing!
Yours Truly; Phineas Jones

Ben thought, “Now! Why would Mr. Phineas be giving a book, a family treasure, to my mom for me as I reached sixteen years old? Is there significance in being sixteen? Was this merely a coincidence?” Suddenly, Ben’s reflection was interrupted by the matter at hand and though Ben was confused, time was running out for the truck pick-up. He needed to get the items down to the garage area soon. He instantly decided that the note and the magic book would have to wait. It’s usually important to stay focused on the task at hand. Sometimes curiosity must be put on hold. He was supposed to call David and Natalie to get the task done. Just then he put the note back in the envelope, grabbed the magic book, and raced downstairs to put the book in his room for later research.
As he went down the steps to the attic, he opened the book to glance at the first few pages. Well! Ben wasn’t being careful. He slipped about halfway down the steps. Ben let out a shriek of some kind. Luckily he landed very softly and very okay to his own surprise. Ben could have really hurt himself badly. He could have broken an arm or a leg. You probably can imagine but, I guarantee, that the visits to the hospital and the doctor along with the treatment at home could be a frustrating and painful experience. Slow down whenever time allows, for haste makes waste. Please be careful around the house. Most accidents occur around the house and when you are in a hurry.
Okay! As Ben picked himself off the hallway floor, he noticed an object had fallen out of the book. It looked like some type of wand. It looked almost identical to his conductor’s wand which he carries everywhere. How did this wand fit in this book? The book was thick with pages but where was this wand hiding. Puzzled by this event, he picked up the wand. But as soon as he reached for the book, he saw another amazing thing. There was a rabbit rolling around on the bathroom floor by the bathroom door just where the book had landed.
Yes! Ben was surprised. He was so surprised that he rubbed his head in disbelief. He looked around for blood but saw none. He ran into the bathroom to look in the mirror. He didn’t have any cuts or bruises on his head, face, or any where else on his body. Ben was still seeing the rabbit. He must have suffered some injury and be dreaming or imaging this rabbit. He splashed cold water on his face several times but the rabbit was still there in the bathroom.
Suddenly things got worse depending on whose perspective you considered (Ben”˜s or the rabbit”˜s). Ben heard the rabbit laughing and laughing out loud. The rabbit kept laughing and rolling on the floor. The rabbit kept repeating “Rollo is free!” She just couldn’t stop repeating those words, “Rollo is free!”
All at once, there was a knock at the door. Ben gathered up the wand and the book. He placed them in a location where he would remember to take them downstairs, later. He went to the door to see who was knocking. It was David and Natalie. Ben invited them inside. Ben was still rubbing his head. David asked if everything was all right. Ben told them he slipped on the steps but there didn’t appear to be any injury. Ben didn’t mention the book or the wand to either of them. David said he wanted to go in the attic to start moving items if Ben was ready. Natalie asked to use the bathroom. Ben was startled. It quickly occurred to him that maybe he was crazy, or maybe not, but he had to check out the rabbit in the bathroom before he let Natalie use it.
Ben told David to go scope out the attic. They had discussed what things to move. David seemed eager to get the chore done. Ben escorted Natalie to the bathroom door where he peeked inside. The rabbit looked up at Ben and said, “Hello! My name is Rollo. Thanks for letting me out.” The rabbit stepped out into the hallway at the bottom of the steps. Ben was startled again by the rabbit. How was he going to explain a talking rabbit to David and Natalie? He looked back to see if David or Natalie saw the rabbit. David looked right at the spot where Rollo was standing. David went right up the steps into the attic without saying a word. Ben looked at Natalie. Natalie almost stepped on Rollo as she entered the bathroom. Ben shouted to both of them, I have to take one thing downstairs and I’ll be right back. Ben grabbed the wand and the book in the family room, took it downstairs to put in his closet, and returned upstairs into the attic. He felt fine. Rollo was gone for the mo
ment.
David, Natalie, and Ben took about an hour and a half moving items from the attic to the area in front of the garage. Ben kept glancing at Natalie whenever the moment allowed. David didn’t even notice Ben looking but Natalie saw him glance on several occasions. Natalie was very smart because neither Ben nor David saw her checking out Ben. After they moved all the items outside, Ben thanked them over and over again. Ben offered them a small snack and some iced tea. David and Natalie both ate the snacks and drank some tea. David excused himself because he had to go meet the truck at the beginning of the street.
As soon as David left, Natalie asked Ben a question. Natalie asked, “Will you take me to the fair on Sunday?” She knew Ben was playing music Saturday but she was hoping Sunday was available for fun. Ben excitedly said, “Yes! I would love to take you to the fair.” Ben asked if this was a date. It would be his first official date with Natalie. She said that it was a date. Ben asked her why she asked now and so suddenly. Natalie took a deep breath. She told him how it took all the courage that she could summon to ask him out. She had liked him for a long time but her best friend Natasha had also liked him. Natalie didn’t want to interfere with her best friend’s feelings. Ben told Natalie that he has always liked her but never had the courage to ask her out. Ben said, “I’m glad one of us finally made the move. You are beautiful and I always thought you had lots of boys interested in being your boyfriend.” She just smiled! She was so happy to know that Ben liked
her. No other boys mattered to her. She had liked Ben since first grade. She explained that Natasha has a new boyfriend. Natasha is now interested in Johnny World. Natasha told her that “Johnny World is a stud”. When she, Natasha, told Natalie about her feelings for Johnny World she saw Natalie’s face light up with joy. Natasha guessed it was because that made Ben available to Natalie. Natasha had never realized that her friend had such a big crush on Ben. So it was Natasha who told Natalie that she should tell Ben her feelings and ask Ben to the fair. Ben walked slowly over to Natalie. Natalie moved towards Ben. When they got very close to each other they kissed very softly on the lips. It was a youthful, innocent, wonderful kiss. Ben and Natalie were about to hug and kiss some more when the front door opened. It was Ben’s mom.
Ben and Natalie moved away from each other and let go of each others hands. Ben’s mom entered the kitchen. She could see the joy in Natalie and Ben’s face. Jessica knew they liked each other for years but she had been waiting for nature to take its course. Jessica smiled. Natalie said hello to Jessica then excused herself to go home. Ben walked Natalie to the front porch where he could watch her walk home. He would have walked her all the way home but he could see her parents out near the street so he knew she was safe. When Natalie was safely home, he returned to the kitchen to talk to his mom.
Jessica asked him if everything was okay. Ben told her that Natalie had asked him for a date on Sunday. Jessica exploded with joy. She told Ben that she loved Natalie. She said that she knew he also liked her for a long time. She also said that she felt that Natalie had a mutual admiration for him. She told Ben that the news was wonderful. Jessica asked if he needed anything like money or her car. Ben said he would work on the details of their date later.
Jessica then told him that she noticed the boxes outside for collection. She had been looking for a book inside one of the boxes but it wasn’t there. Ben said he found a book called “Gabriel’s Book of Magic”. He said he hadn’t had time to open it but took it downstairs to look at later. Jessica was actually pleased. Jessica explained it was a special gift from Mr. Phineas. She had stored it away in the attic. She thought about it once in awhile but knew it was safe in the attic. She was very glad that he had found it because she intentionally came home early to retrieve it before the collection truck arrived. Jessica went to her room to change out of her work clothes. Ben went out to greet the collection truck and his friends. Everything went perfectly as planned along with Ben’s magical surprise. The day turned out to be a great day.
As Jessica prepared dinner in the kitchen that night, Ben went downstairs to check out the wand and the book. As he picked up the wand, he waved it in the air as if he was playing music. Rollo suddenly appeared. “Rollo, the magical rabbit, is at your service! Rollo is your friend!” said the rabbit. Ben jumped back in amazement. Rollo explained, “Oh, don’t be surprised by Rollo. Every time you wave the wand and think of me, I will appear. You are not imaging me Ben. You are not crazy. When I was returned to the book for a long rest, I knew that one day you would come and rescue me. One day soon, you will also learn more about this story. For now, you have to understand that I do exist when you want me to be here. As I said, I am a magical rabbit. I can talk. I can explain how to use the wand. I can do magic tricks. I will always be here to protect you. No harm can ever come to you, your family, girl friend, or wife while I’m around. When safety is needed, I will app
ear whether you summon me or not. Consider me your guardian angel!” Rollo began to laugh and roll around on the floor. Rollo said, “I’m a guardian angel Rollo is special.” Rollo was a she. She went on to explain that only Ben could hear or see her with a few exceptions. Rollo and Ben could agree that someone else could see and hear her for brief periods of time if needed. Ben couldn’t make this decision alone. They had to agree on the matter, together. They had to form a consensus if you will.
Ben was sitting in his basement talking to a somewhat invisible rabbit. He figured he had either taken a big blow to his head and his imagination was running wild or maybe this was real and decided that he might as well play along for a little while longer. Ben asked Rollo to explain how the wand worked, what Rollo can do, and how to use the book. Rollo said he would gladly do that after Ben ate dinner. Ben’s dad yelled down the stairway for Ben to come up for dinner. Ben’s curiosity peaked for how did Rollo know dinner was ready? Ben did proceed to the kitchen for dinner. He was hungry from both the work and the excitement of the day
At dinner, Ben told his parents how much he liked Natalie. Ben acknowledged his youth but he also expressed his desire to handle any future relationship with Natalie carefully. Ben said, “Sometimes you only get one chance to do a particular thing in life.” They agreed. His parents thought simultaneously that Ben’s wisdom on this matter was amazing for someone his age. Certainly there are those people twice as old as he with far less sense. Ben asked his mom and dad for advice on how to move forward with their friendship. Ben’s mom told him to take each day and each date one step at a time. Be honest and communicate your feelings without getting too personal too soon. It takes time to open up your life and your heart to someone else. It takes time for “real love” to mature. Ben’s dad was in agreement with his wife, and he basically said to be yourself and help the other person feel relaxed around you. If it’s real, things will probably go fairly smooth, with m
aybe a few bumps in the road from time to time. My son, love is like a fine wine. Enjoy it one sip at a time, savor it. Don’t gulp it in one fell swoop. Above all, don’t be afraid to talk things over with each other, your friends and your parents. People can always listen or help more than you think. Ben said, “Thanks mom and dad! I’ll try to remember your sage advice.” Ben felt good about the conversation. He went downstairs after dinner.
Ben picked up his magic wand. Rollo appeared. Rollo explained, “For now, Rollo can tell you things you need to know to get started with magic. As you do more, then you can learn more. Rollo doesn’t choose who gets the magic. The magic knows who gets the magic next. With that said, you can guess that there have been others before you that had the magic and there will be others after you. Rollo will meet the heir to Ben’s magic someday.”
Ben asked who came before him. Ben wanted to know if she or he were still alive. Since, Mr. Phineas gave the book to Ben’s mother; Ben thought Mr. Phineas might be his predecessor. Rollo answered Ben. “Rollo can not say more on the subject at this time but I can say your predecessor is still alive and that you will meet someday. Always remember that the magic can be passed along through the book by whoever has been given the book. However, just because one has the book, it doesn’t guarantee that they get the magic.” Rollo explained that Ben’s child could get the magic or maybe his child will pass the book to someone else.
“Okay! I want you to practice using the wand. First, the wand will never leave your side. Try throwing the wand away,” exclaimed Rollo. Ben opened a window and tossed the wand outside. When Ben looked down at his hand, the magic wand was there. The number one rule, “The wand will never leave you! Of course, when you’re sleeping or taking care of personal needs the wand will remain in the vicinity. You need just utter the word “˜stay’,” said Rollo.
Rollo said, “The number two rule. You can just think what you want the wand to do! Tell the wand to make Rollo go away.” Ben made Rollo disappear and reappear. Ben was impressed. Rollo explained the magic wands’ best powers are as follows:

“The wand can glow from a dim light to a blinding light at Ben’s command,
The wand can melt items without making them hot,
The wand can start a fire,
The wand can sting people and animals,
The wands’ owner can summon unusual strength. Just enough to get a task done,
The wands’ owner can summon heightened senses (smell, vision, hearing, etc.) which can be raised or lowered as needed.”
Ben practiced a few tricks. He lifted the pool table. He turned off all the lights. Ben made the wand glow like a bright candle. Ben wanted to hear what was on television in the family room. Suddenly, Ben heard the television as if it was right next to him. Ben thought this is going to be fun. Rollo could read his mind. So Rollo said, “The magic is not for fun all the time. A little fun now and then is okay. However, you must respect its powers. You must be a good shepherd of the magic. You have been given the magic to help others without revealing yourself to them. This must be our secret. The secret is that William Benjamin Smith is now officially “˜The Wizard of Windsor Island’. You are neither the first wizard nor the last wizard. Your powers are yours until your 40th birthday. Good luck my friend. Get used to Rollo because Rollo is free! For now, put the old wand in the book. You will need it one day. Your new magic wand will serve you now. On your 40th birthday, y
ou will pull out the old wand from the book, place the magical wand back in the book, know who will receive the book, and say goodbye to Rollo. You will have some time to turn the book over to the next person. Remember, the magic will protect you and those around you even after you pass the book along.”
Rollo said, “Rollo needs to explain two more items but for now you need your rest. We will pick up where we left off in the morning. Sleep well tonight. Rollo is here. Rollo is near. Rollo and the magic will always protect you.” Ben was exhausted. He told his parents “Good Night!” Rollo disappeared. Ben was wandering if he would wake up the next day and find out it was all a dream. I assure you it was not a dream. Rollo was there the next morning.
After a Saturday morning hot breakfast, Ben went straight downstairs. He pulled out his wand. Rollo appeared. Rollo started laughing and rolling on the floor. “Rollo is happy to see his friend Ben,” said the rabbit. She wanted to tell Ben about casting spells and reading the magic book. “Castings spells can be fun and easy. Using the book to perform more advanced magic takes days, weeks, and even months.” So Rollo told Ben about casting spells. “You can cast a magic spell on anyone, including yourself, at anytime. You don’t have to pull out the wand. You just need to think of a short verse to make a spell happen. It helps to have a nice rhyme with the words. Try thinking of a verse something like the following; “˜Ben’s shoes are near that seat but I sure wish they were on my feet’.” Ben tried to think of that phrase but he was thinking of a tune at the same time. Rollo said to Ben, “You must concentrate for just a few seconds to cast a spell. Don’t be
distracted or it will not work. You just need a few seconds.” Ben tried again. This time the shoes were gone. Ben looked down at his feet. Of course, Rollo was correct. The shoes were on Ben’s feet.
Ben tried a spell of his own. “Natalie isn’t here for me to talk but I just would like to watch her walk.” Ben looked out of the basement window. To his surprise, Natalie was walking across his backyard on the way to Natasha’s house. Ben thought, “I’m going to like casting spells.” Rollo explained the spells must be short, sweet, and have a simple beneficial purpose. “You can’t cast any spell that would bring harm to another. You can make someone trip to prevent them from hitting someone but the trip will result in no harm. The spell may cause minor embarrassment to the other person but it can’t break their arm or leg.” Ben understood.
As for the book, Rollo explained it would take time. “You should read a few pages of the book everyday. Not too much reading and not too little reading. After reading a few pages, you should ponder the meaning for a while and then discuss it with me.” Rollo assured Ben that he would get the hang of it.
I hope you, our reader, enjoyed the part about Ben getting his magical powers. Keep on reading and imagining your own thoughts because Ben is about to find out that he will use his newly found powers sooner than he ever realized, to help others.
Meanwhile, Ben couldn’t wait to start the day. He was looking forward to the fair. He was looking forward to seeing his friends. He was looking forward to talking with Natalie.

Read more about WIZARD OF WINDSOR ISLAND: GIOVANNI’S MISSING BOAT and Richard Berry HERE.

Copyright 2008 Richard Berry. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

From the large, fenced pen set back from one of the goal posts, two Pinto mascots eyed the crowd gathering for Dos Pinto High School’s bid to win New Mexico’s AAA championship. Keeping his focus on the teenagers meandering near him, one Pinto gnawed at a string which held a banner: “Mustangs Rock”. Until now Dos Pintos’ only claim to fame had been the old Indian legend from which the town got its name. The story went that two children of a family of early settlers came down with an illness from which they did not recover. From a herd of mustangs which remained wild and never allowed any kind of contact with humans, two younger members of the herd unexplainably came down and remained near the family’s meager farm. The Mescalero Apache Indians believed that the spirits of the children had gone to rest in the two paint horses who deserted their herd to remain close to the family. Visiting Spanish soldiers dubbed the small ranch “Dos Pintos” and as the town grew, the name remained.

The bleachers on both sides of the football field were rapidly filling with excited, local parents, faculty, and townspeople. Wrapped up for the crisp, clear Autumn night and hyped because their team was finally a powerhouse, the adults began to think that maybe the small high school could win two championships once the basketball team took its place in the spotlight.

Being a huge basketball supporter, George Eagle of Apache Fishing & Hiking Supplies, readily joined in. “There’s a real basketball star, Michael Kirkpatrick. See him? Next to his brother, the short guy that looks like football’s in his future? How can you miss Michael? He’s taller than all the kids. Look. Right next to the snack stand.”

At 6’5″, Michael did tower over everyone, including his 5’10″ brother, Teddy, but Teddy bested the basketball player’s weight by about 15 pounds. Finishing off hotdogs and sodas as they walked to the sidelines, Michael tried to spot the arrival of his long-tiome friend and now girlfriend of two years, Kelly Lambert

Teddy checked out the band forming up on the far end of the field, ignoring the cheerleaders loudly trying to get chants out of the cluless adults in the stands, and hoped to see the team emerge any second from the locker rooms nearby. A muffled neigh floated down from the mountain beyond. Teddy jerked his head around, trying to find the horse that called.

“Did Dad like football, Michael?”

Michael had heard the distant neighing, too, and knowing his younger brother as he did, Michael could read the off-the-wall thought going through Teddy’s mind. “Teddy, that was not Dad you heard.”

“I know, Michael.” But Teddy did not sound truly convinced of that. “But did he like football? Will he watch my games from heaven when I play?’

Michael just shook his head. How in the world should he answer? Teddy loved the legend of Dos Pintos. To a boy of limited mental capabilities with concentration problems that made even special education classes a chore, imagining his father watching over him made life a big easier for Teddy. Losing their father to a heart attack when they were young had been devastating for both boys and their mother. Michael imagined that Teddy kept his father nearby extending the Dos Pintos legend to include a great stallion housing his father’s spirit.

“Did you hear me. Michael?” Teddy’s words broke into Michael’s thoughts. “There’s Kelly over there.”

Kelly grinned at seeing Teddy waving eagerly. Her honey blond hair bounced in its usual ponytail as she weaved through the milling crowd of teenagers.

“Did you eat anything?” Michael asked as he took her hand.

“I didn’t want to miss any of this. The whole town must be here.”

“Come on, let’s get you something from the snack stand.” They began walking toward the stand. When Michael looked back he saw that Teddy wasn’t following. “You too, Bud.”

“I wanna see the team come out.”

“Hey, Teddy,” called Raymond Garcia as he ran up. Teddy gave an answering grin to the only friend he had outside his special classes.

For once Michael relaxed his vigilance. “Hiya, Raymond. Okay, Teddy, we’ll be right back. You stay right here, okay? Just wait right here for us.”

Teddy nodded in agreement.

Raymond drew Teddy’s attention with, “I came with my brother and sister like you did.” He realized what he had said and added, “I mean with your brother. You don’t have a sister.”

When Teddy realized Raymond’s mistake, he gave his friend a jab to the arm and laughed, too.

After a few minutes, during which Teddy saw Michael waving to him from the snack stand, Raymond announced suddenly, “I have to go find my brother and sister now.” And with that, Raymond ran off, leaving Teddy alone.

Teddy once again turned to watch the gym’s doors. Nothing. As high school kids filled the sidelines near him, the noise level seemed to rise. Teddy didn’t know any of the people near him. He couldn’t see Michael now. “I have to find Michael,” Teddy thought, and he quickly started toward the snack stand.

“Hey, there, kid.” An older boy blocked Teddy’s way. “How ya doin’?”

“I’m okay. What’s your name?”

“I’ve got something for you,” the boy continued, ignoring Teddy’s question. He placed a small plastic bag in Teddy’s hand and closed Teddy’s fingers around it. “You wanna buy it?”

“I don’t have any money,” Teddy responded while trying to give the packet back. “My brother, Michael, told me not to take anything from strangers.”

“Michael? You don’t mean Michael Kirkpatrick.” He patted himself on the back for picking out Michael’s brother for this. “So you’re Michael’s brother. Tell him Leo says ‘hi’.”

“I don’t want this,” Teddy shoved the bag into Leo’s hand and moved away quickly.

Halfway to Michael, a hand suddenly caught Teddy’s arm and pulled him from the crowd, away from the snack stand. Realizing it was an adult, Teddy didn’t struggle until his internal alarm bell rose to panic.

“What’s the matter? Where are you taking me? You’re a stranger.”

Assistant Principal Martinez kept walking. “Just come with me.”

“Michael!” Teddy yelled.

Michael glimpsed Teddy disappearing behind the bleachers, He ran as fast as possible through the crowd and stopped short when he saw Teddy being held by Mr. Martinez.

“What are you doing to my brother?” Michael yelled as he pulled Teddy to him. Holding Teddy tightly, Michael glared at the vice principal.

“This is your brother?” Mr. Martinez knew Michael and had heard about Michael’s mentally-challenged brother. “I’m sorry, Michael, but I just saw him hand off a plastic bag to an older boy. I was just going to ask your brother about it. That’s all. I’m sorry if I scared you, son,” he added directly to Teddy.

Mr. Martinez’s apology seemed sincere to Michael, but it still sounded as though Teddy were in some kind of trouble. “What are you accusing Teddy of?” Michael asked through tight lips.

“You know we have to check out suspicious things like this.”

Michael turned to Teddy. “What about it, Bud? Did you give something suspicious to someone?” Suddenly Michael realized that something was not quite right about the situation. “Wait a minute…” Michael turned back to Mr. Martinez. “Where is this other person? Who was it?”

“It was Leo,” Teddy broke in. “He said he knew you, Michael. He told me to tell you ‘hi’.”

“If it’s the guy I think it is, I’ve heard of him. Teddy, you are never to have anything to do with him. Understand?”

“Yes, Michael. Are you mad at me?”

“No. Just tell Mr. Martinez what happened.”

After Teddy finished relating the events, Michael was more than satisfied that Teddy had proven himself innocent of any wrongdoing.

Looking pained, Mr. Martinez said, “Turn your pockets inside out, Teddy.”

Of course, Teddy had no drugs or any incriminating residue. But Mr. Martinez explained that no matter how innocent and inadvertent Teddy’s actions had been, he had handled the plastic bag and the school had no choice but to place Teddy on OCS – on campus suspension – for two weeks.

“What? That’s not fair!” Michael was so incensed he bellowed his remarks at the vice principal, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. “This Leo guy doesn’t get in trouble but Teddy is on OCS? He can’t even wait for me when basketball practice starts? I’m not going to tell Coach I’ll miss practice because Teddy can’t stay home alone – YOU tell him.”

Mr. Martinez’s mouth dropped as Michael led Teddy away. The school wasn’t going to like this. The basketball coach wasn’t going to like it. But rules are rules…aren’t they?

* * *

From this beginning Michael soon finds himself plunged into the world of drugs among teenagers and finds he must either find some way to stop them or risk seeing Teddy unwittingly drawn into that world.

Copyright 2008 J. A. Fulkerson. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Gnaphalium

Life Everlasting

Bethan, Maine October 1987

The women resemble schoolgirls with gangly limbs, ruddy cheeks, plaited flaxen hair; they walk holding hands. Yet the older of the two is pregnant; her unborn baby rides high and round. And the younger woman’s left foot scratches a path through the leaves. She seems comfortable with her limp, accustomed to it.

A child darts before them, chasing leaves that swirl at her feet. Her dark hair, tied back in a scant tail, whips behind her. She stumbles, catches herself. “Mor!” she calls out. “Mommy!” Then she points at a bird perched high on a leafless branch, its plump breast berry-like against the low sky.

The older woman hesitates before she recalls the bird’s name. “A robin. The bird is a robin. Soon it will fly south for the winter. It is too cold here in Maine.”

“Men det er ikke koldt. But it is not cold.” The child’s words are malformed; she is not yet three.

“Ikke for Danmark,” the woman says. “Not for Denmark. And certainly not for you, but you are not a robin.”

The robin jerks its head to the side, then back, before it takes flight.

“The robin was looking at you,” the child says to the woman with the limp, not her mother. “He wanted to know your name.”

“I’m Moster Maren, little Sanne. Aunt Maren. Have you already forgotten?”

“Yes!” The child laughs and sprints forward; her laugh is discordant, but the wind carries the sound away, and the woman, Maren, is grateful.

“Sanne reminds me of you when you were small,” the child’s mother says to Maren. “Do you recall what Fader called you? Gnaphalium, remember? That plant known at home as “˜life everlasting.’ You were so full of life.”

Maren stops walking.

“What is it, Maren?”

“Don’t go back to Denmark, Sara. Stay here with me. Please. Your marriage is ending” ”you know that. And with Moder’s death, there’s little keeping you. And I can help you. We’ll help each other.”

Sara frees her hand from Maren’s grip. “Fader is still in Denmark. And I told you before, I don’t need your help.”

“Yes, Fader,” Maren says. She reaches toward a plant and runs her index finger along a scar on the fleshy rhizome of the plant. “Solomon’s seal. This plant’s name is Solomon’s seal. See, the mark here. It resembles the seal of King Solomon, the Star of David” ”the symbol Solomon used to cast away demons, summon angels.”

Sara lifts Maren’s hand from the stalk and turns Maren toward her. “Tell me what’s wrong,” Sara says. “This isn’t about me. Why did you ask us to come? You said you were leaving Denmark to start a new life, but now you want to bring your life in Denmark with you here?”

“I want you here. And Sanne. And your new baby,” Maren says.

“But why? What is wrong? Is it something about Fader?”

“Don’t tell Fader.”

“Don’t tell Fader what, Maren?”

“I’m pregnant, too.”

“Mor!” the little girl calls out. “Løb efter mig, Mor!” Sanne runs down the path; trampled leaves cling to her scarf and hair. “Chase after me, Mommy!”

“You are pregnant?” Sara says, but she looks at her daughter and the gray sky and the leaves.

“Don’t be angry with me””” Maren says.

But Sara interrupts. “I didn’t even know you knew about such things.” She is fondling her own hands as her eyes search Sanne’s hands, but Sanne’s hands are a blur. “You’re so young, Maren. Maybe you’re mistaken.”

“I’m a robin.” Sanne’s arms stretch wide. “I can fly!”

“I’m almost sixteen,” Maren says. “I’m not that young.”

“But you’ve been in the States for less than two months. How could this happen in such a short time?”

“I’m four months pregnant,” Maren says. “Three months less than you. I was pregnant before I arrived.”

“Mor,” Sanne says. “I’m flying away. I’m flying south.”

Sara wraps her arms around herself and begins walking again, toward Sanne. She can see Sanne’s hands better now: her fingers splayed, and those two webbed fingers not splayed. And she wonders. And then she says, “Before you arrived? But how can that be? I didn’t even know you had a lover. I’ve been like a mother to you since Moder died. How could you have not told me?”

“I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know I was pregnant. I found out the day I asked you to come.”

“But you knew you’d been with someone. You had a lover, Maren. And you didn’t tell me.”

“I’ve flown away, Mor.” Sanne has reached the end of the path. “I’m gone forever.”

“But I didn’t have a lover,” Maren says. “I’ve never had a lover.”

Solomon’s Seal

2007

”Please state your name for the record.”

”Aslaug.”

”And your last name?”

”I don’t know.”

”You don’t know your last name?”

”No.”

”Your mother’s name was Maren Hellig, was it not?”

”Yes.”

”You are Aslaug Hellig?”

”Mother called me Aslaug Datter.”

”So your last name is Datter?”

”No. I mean, I don’t know. Datter means “daughter” in Danish. I’m not sure it’s my name.”

”What was your father’s name?”

”I don’t have a father.”

”You don’t know who your father is?”

”I don’t have a father, other than the one we share.”

”You mean God in heaven?”

”I never said God is in heaven.”

”But you mean God, am I right?”

”Yes.”

”Well, I’m referring to your biological father. You don’t know who he is?”

“I don’t have a biological father.”

”Your Honor, the witness is being nonresponsive. She’s being tried here for one count of attempted murder and two counts of murder in the first degree, and she’s playing games”

”Do you have a birth certificate for the witness, Counsel? It seems that document may clarify this matter.”

”She has no birth certificate, Your Honor. At least none we’ve found.”

Copyright 2008 Jenny Madden. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.