Wish by Moonstone

by Vanessa Haberkorn

  As Samantha began reading, Joby closed his eyes. While she changed her voice for each character's quotes and even attempted a foreign man's accent at one point, Joby found himself focusing more on the sound of her voice and less on the actual words.

  He couldn't imagine even a massage being any more soothing to him than the sound of her voice. And the way she lowered it more and more the longer she read, as if aware of his drifting off.

  He had always liked her voice, ever since they first had a class together at the age of thirteen. There was a certain scratch to it that reminded him a bit of a prepubescent boy. It was unusual and gave her a childlike charm.

  She still had it now, nearly eight years later, but it seemed less noticeable to him. Was it just her tone, or was she losing the scratch? It shouldn't have bothered him, but it did for some reason. It was like she was losing her innocence. She didn't sound so much like a kid, but more like a woman.

  Was he harping on it too much? Possibly.

  Maybe it was just her hushed tone. Either way, it really shouldn't be bothering him so much. She was his friend, not his little sister or daughter. So what if she suddenly sounded more mature?

  But it still gave him a cold, almost sad feeling in his chest. He wished he could turn back time sometimes.

  Joby opened his eyes to the crackle of thunder. Blinking and looking around, he realized the lights were out and the room was hidden in darkness, with just the occasional flicker of lightning. He could now hear the rain coming down hard outside the hotel walls. He hoped Evan had found a place to spend the night.

  Once his eyes finished adjusting, Joby was surprised to realize he was not alone. While the second bed was empty, he could make out the curled form of Samantha asleep next to him. After she had been so quick to request a two-bed room too. Maybe she did trust him, after all?

  Joby sat up on his side to watch her. Her hair fell lightly across her pillow and over her shoulders, where he could see a bra strap poking out. Her chest moved as she breathed. She was the very picture of serenity. He wished he could paint her like this and put her somewhere more beautiful and isolated than a boring white bed. Maybe under the cover of a tree on a moonlit night?

  Enough with the pictures, he told himself. Every time he thought she looked beautiful, he wanted to paint her. It was getting almost obsessive.

  Maybe it was time to stop dreaming and start making things more of a reality. Reality could also be beautiful.

  Gazing at her face, he reached out and caressed her cheek.

  Maybe instead of painting her somewhere beautiful, he could take her somewhere beautiful. And instead of her being alone in a mystical forest, he could be there with her.

  The thought made his heart beat with longing. Maybe he could...?

  If she'd let him.

  He leaned over her, just waiting for her to open her eyes and ask him what the hell he was doing. But she didn't.

  Instead of living alone with a stupid job he didn't care about, he could see the world with her. They could go on adventures all the time and be free.

  Free birds, leaving behind only gold and copper feathers.

  If she didn't pluck his feathers out first, that is.

  Hesitating, he stared down at her.

  What if he wasn't good enough for her? What if she wanted a man who was smart and hardworking, not a boy she needed to mother all the time?

  With a sigh, he laid back down. Maybe he was being too pushy.

  Maybe they could see the world together as friends. She didn't seem interested in him in any other way. Why push until what they had was ruined? He didn't want to make things awkward between them.

  It would be best to wait...for now.

  Chapter 12

  Come morning, Evan found himself standing outside a hospital, soaked and grumpy. Even now, the sun was not allowed to shine; the rain continued to come down in a drizzle, as it had most of the night before. Evan had no idea how he even made it here, but somehow he did. Besides being cold, wet, and irritated, he was also hungry. In his mad rush to get the medicine for Joby, he had had all his meals in a hurry.

  As he walked to the reception counter, his shoes squeaked and swished, leaving a generous mud trail in his wake. The receptionist heard him long before she saw him.

  "Can I help you?" Eyeing him, she probably thought he was a homeless guy.

  "Yes, ma'am. My friend was poisoned. By a Tranlude. So I need some Kenaip stuff..."

  The receptionist, who was a Tranlude herself, raised an eyebrow. "Kenaip concoction? Haven't had this problem in some time. Please, wait here a minute." She turned around and disappeared through a back door.

  The Kenaip were another dominant and influential species on their planet Areth. Unlike the humans and Tranludes, the Kenaip were a peaceful tribe of giant wolves with supernatural powers. Their howls were to worship the moon gods, twins Geominee and Aquiana and their friend the sun god Solidus. However, the howl of the Kenaip also had the ability to weaken the Tranludes of their shape-shifting powers. On top of this, their saliva was the only known antidote to Tranlude poisoning. The Kenaip were truly man's best defense against the Tranludes.

  Evan had seen a Kenaip only once before, and in brief passing. But Samantha had gotten to know one quite well two years ago. This same Kenaip was also the one who had cured her poisoning. The Kenaip were powerful, but preferred to avoid getting involved in conflicts.

  After waiting for a few minutes, Evan saw the receptionist returning. She handed him a cloth bag.

  "Inside is a small tube of Kenaip concoction," she said. "Have your friend take it all in a single dose."

  "Okay. Thank you." Evan turned to leave.

  "Hey! You haven't paid for that yet."

  He sighed. How could he forget?

  When Evan stepped back outside, the sky was finally beginning to clear up. A few white clouds were taking the place of the foreboding gray ones, and he even saw the sun peek around the corner for a second.

  And now for the walk back, he thought to himself. Sulking, he started down the sidewalk, enviously watching every vehicle that drove past.

  He missed his snazzy car waiting back at Fayville.

  His and Samantha's car had been bought used, but was still a newer model. The apple green Whiplash Comet was a stylish car, for sure. It didn't matter who was driving: when it was Evan, girls goggled and pointed, and when it was Samantha, guys missed red lights. For the twins, who were used to being viewed as geeks, this never got old. Their parents may have sucked as parents, but at least they had money and good taste.

  Yes, if only his Whiplash Comet were here... He'd be back at the hotel in only an hour or two, depending on if he could make sense of the map again or not. He could imagine the plush feel of the seats, the nice heating and cooling system, the rush of the wind through the open windows...

  The occasional stuffed animal that Samantha was so annoyingly fond of sneaking in the back window. So many times had he noticed only after the trip that a beady-eyed cat, dragon, or even horseshoe crab was sitting in the window, smiling at every car behind him. Humiliating. The pains of sharing a car with a sister...

  He was always tempted to leave something masculine and crude for her, but could never think of anything bad enough to match her childish critters. Maybe a knife, skull, or some deer antlers? Those probably wouldn't thrill her, but would they humiliate her...? Perhaps a girly magazine and a condom, but then he'd have to worry about what his parents and friends would think if they saw it. Decisions, decisions.

  He was still lamenting his car ― and trying to think of a way to get his sister back for tricking him into walking in the rain all day ― when he suddenly heard a voice.

  "Wow... Looks like someone could use a hug."

  Evan looked around, then noticed a woman. She was next to a parked motorcycle and clad in a red leather jacket and some leather pants. She wasn't his type of girl at all, but she was undeniably attractive at the same time.

  "Uh, me
?" Evan glanced over his shoulders.

  "Yes, you! The little redhead!" She laughed. "So soaked and droopy... You look like you don't have a friend in the world."

  Evan thought she might've been exaggerating it a bit, but he shrugged. "I have to take this medicine to my friend. And he's a town over."

  "Oh, and you got caught in the rain? Is that it?"

  "Yeah..." His eyes fell on the motorcycle, lingered. "I don't have a ride."

  "And no taxis are stopping for you?"

  "Uh, no." He knew better than to admit that he rather walk the way than try to wave down a taxi driver. His shyness was frustrating.

  "Poor thing! Damn those taxi drivers!" The woman pounded a foot. Then she smiled at him. "Where you headed? I might be able to drop you off."

  Evan couldn't believe his luck. This would spare him a whole day's worth of walking! "I need to get here." He showed her on the map.

  "Oh, that's nothing. I have a few friends who live there." She swung a long leg over the side of her motorcycle. "All aboard."

  "Uh, you can drive with both of us?" He'd been hoping they'd take a car.

  But the lady laughed him off. "I can handle passengers on this baby. Now, get on!"

  Evan hesitated. The thought of riding a motorcycle unnerved him just as much as the thought of sitting so close to such a pretty lady.

  "C'mon! I don't have all day!" She yanked him over.

  "Oh, er..." He stumbled on behind her, painfully aware of her tight pants.

  "You'd better hold on tight." Flicking the engine to life, she took off, unresponsive to Evan's scream.

  Finally they arrived outside the hotel. By then, Evan was air-dried and disoriented. He half-wondered if this was what it felt like to lose one's virginity. That breathless rush that left him wanting to scurry under a rock after the fact. He couldn't hurry to the hotel room fast enough.

  Stopping outside the door, he knocked.

  After a few seconds, the door opened and he saw his sister standing there. Her hair up in a ponytail, dressed in a baggy shirt and jeans, she seemed the perfect image of relaxation. Evan wanted to strangle her.

  "I got the stupid medicine," he said in way of a greeting.

  But she was too busy staring at him to catch this. "Evan... What the hell?" She burst out laughing. "Oh my gosh! What happened to your hair?" She fell over against the wall, shaking from laughter.

  "What?" Evan rushed inside the room. Finding the nearest reflective surface, the metal kitchen faucet, he looked at himself. His hair was standing up and sticking straight back. Then he remembered the long ride.

  "You look like Joby!"

  "Okay, okay! It's not that funny!" Evan tousled his hair, then tried to comb it straight with his fingers. "You got nothing better to do..."

  "I'm sorry, but it was just so Joby-like! And then Joby's hair has been so wavy lately..."

  "I got his medicine."

  "Okay. I think he's up...?" She glanced towards the bathroom. "Probably still in the shower."

  "Some watcher you've been."

  "Hey, I was making lunch! Thought you'd appreciate it." She motioned at the frying pan, where chunks of beef were sizzling away.

  "Hamburgers?" Evan guessed.

  "Yep."

  "Fine. Take back everything I just said. I love you."

  Now Evan could smell the delicious grease. The only thing better than hamburgers were cheeseburgers, and the only thing better than those were bacon cheeseburgers. He knew he was destined to die of heart disease, but at least he'd go happily when the time came.

  "Joby hasn't been eating much." Samantha went back to the stove to begin flipping the burgers. "I was hoping this would be a nice change for him, instead of frozen food and takeout."

  "Can't do much better than a hamburger. If he doesn't eat his, I will."

  "I've already got two for you, pig-o."

  "Is that going to be enough? I need my hundred percent of saturated fat for the day."

  "Eat yourself then. I'm amazed you aren't overweight yet."

  Just then, the bathroom door opened and Joby strolled out. His hair was gelled this time which seemed promising, but he still looked off a bit in the face. He brightened up when he saw Evan. "Hey, buddy. Ya got the goods?"

  "Yeah." Evan took the bag out from his pocket. "Cost a pretty penny." He handed it to his friend. "She said to take the whole thing."

  "You should start to feel better by tomorrow," Samantha said. "It works fast."

  Joby took out the small bottle. "I know ya just put whiskey in this." He downed it in one gulp. "Whew! Tastes weird!"

  "What'd you expect? It's dog drool," Evan said.

  A knock at the door made them all jump.

  "Gah, I'm trying to cook here..." Samantha went to the door and opened it. "Can I help you?"

  Evan peered over her shoulder and saw the same biker lady from before.

  "Oh, there he is!" The lady beamed at Evan. "I wanted to make sure you found your friend alright before I left."

  Joby moved forward, his eyes saucers.

  "Uh, you know each other?" Samantha looked equally flabbergasted.

  "Um, yeah," Evan said. "She, uh, dropped me off here." He turned back to the lady. "Thanks, everything's fine."

  The lady nodded. "Well then, I'll be on my way." She marched back down the stairway.

  Samantha and Joby about ran Evan over in their rush to the doorway to watch.

  The lady swung a long leg over the side of her motorcycle and nodded in their direction. The engine crackled to life, then she zoomed away.

  Samantha and Joby's mouths about hit the floor.

  "So, uh...yeah. She helped me get here," Evan said.

  "How the..." Joby struggled with his words. "How'd such a shy, geeky guy end up with such a total babe?"

  Samantha slapped his shoulder. "Rude! Watch what you say!"

  Evan felt his face flush. "Listen, can we just work on finding Isis and the professor? We've wasted enough time on you, Joby."

  "Yeah, Joby!" Samantha added.

  Their friend sulked in shame.

  After a lunch of burnt hamburgers, the twins went out to wander the town and search for Professor Lemmings and Isis, leaving Joby to rest more. For the first hour, they weren't having any luck.

  But then, walking past a phone booth, they saw a long coattail hanging out. The opaque door was shut on it.

  "Who would wear a coat that long in April?" Samantha asked.

  "Only one person I know. But...is that really him?" Evan eyed the coattail. It was certainly brown like the professor's.

  "Well, I guess we should check. Worse comes to worse, we'll get chewed out for walking in on someone." Samantha knocked on the outside of the door. "Excuse me?"

  The door opened and who was standing there but Isis. With her, with his face buried in a phonebook, was Roger Lemmings.

  "It's you two!" Isis smiled. "We were beginning to think something happened."

  The professor finally looked up. "Hm? Oh! Evan! Samantha! Ha ha, I was wondering where you two went! Tell me, have you seen Joby yet?"

  "Yes, sir," Evan said.

  "But he's sorta sick." Samantha laughed sheepishly.

  "What happened?" Isis asked.

  After the twins finished explaining about Joby's run-in with a resentful Tranlude and his poisoning, it was Professor Lemmings' turn to catch them up.

  "Isis and I have been looking for a few days now," he said. "And with classes starting so soon, I was getting worried. I was about to try calling the police to form a search party. Good thing you got here before I could find the blasted number!" He laughed.

  "Classes are starting soon?" Samantha asked.

  "Yes. It's already Friday..."

  Evan felt a tightening in his chest. "In two days? We need to find a portal back."

  "I think I've already got that figured out," Isis said. "There's one here that leads to a portal square. There are a lot there, so we should be able to get back to the college usin
g one of those."

  "Makes sense," Samantha said.

  The professor fiddled with his coat buttons. "I'm sorry about taking up your spring break for this. I thought we would only be here for two or three days, but then all this happens..."

  "It's okay." Evan shrugged. "Things like this are always happening to us."

  "Bad luck magnets, huh?" Isis grinned. "Sounds like my ex. He eventually ended up a criminal."

  Evan made a face. "Well, that sucks..."

  "He always was a bit bad though. I don't get that vibe about you guys. You seem more like goody-two-shoes. Except for Joby. He seems like he'd talk the talk, but not walk the walk."

  "Sounds about right." Samantha smiled. "He hates rules, but he'd never hurt anyone."

  The professor put back the phonebook. "Let's round him up and find our way back."

  Chapter 13

  Once they were back to their apartment and class schedule, life returned to normal for Evan, Samantha, and Joby. Oliver too came back from his mountain getaway with Beatrice. The four soon forgot about the Tranludes and the mysterious moonstones, with only Samantha occasionally making attempts at using hers, to no avail.

  Whether the rocks were special at all was even up to debate, as the roommates themselves were divided over what to believe. While Evan and Oliver were sure Zibetta had been off her rocker, Samantha and Joby were equally convinced that they just hadn't figured out how to use the stone properly yet.

  It was a relatively normal morning at first for Evan. He got up, changed, combed his hair, and had breakfast.

  He and Oliver had an 8:30 psychology class, so they both were often the first ones up on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both boys hated the early hours, but skipping a psychology class for a semester would've felt like a mistake. It was their major, after all. So now they were stuck with the annoying time and one of the least competent professors in the department.

  "What if she gives us a quiz today?" Oliver tossed his bowl into the kitchen sink with a clatter. "I haven't had time to study. Since, you know, I have four other classes? Gaaaah!"