by Andrea Engel
Sadie was proud that she remembered her way into the village, and she walked there now, waving and whispering hellos to anyone she saw along the way. She kept her eyes out for Thelo, Barnaby, and Penelope.
Eventually Thelo emerged from a simple blue cottage near the center of the village. He looked as regal and radiant as the moon with its mantle of stars. His gems were brilliant by the sun’s light, and his eyes emanated peace.
Hugs were shared. Then Thelo walked Sadie over to an unusual-looking structure at the heart of the village and the island.
“This is the Atrium, Sadie. It is a special place, and I want you to spend time getting to know it. Its guidance and wisdom will be a compass should you ever need it.”
Sadie’s lips tightened, and without realizing it, she hugged herself. “Are you trying to tell me something, Thelo? Will I be needing ‘a compass’ anytime soon?”
Thelo shrugged. “Who can say? Best to be prepared. This place houses our most precious crystals. You can feel their energy even as you approach.”
“Crystals?”
“Yes, you have three of them already.”
“Oh! You mean those see-through stones with the words inside?”
“Yes…crystals, of the type found only in Mystashan. They are alive. Treat yours well. They can come and go, as you already know.”
“Yes…About that…”
“Let us go in, shall we?” The two walked toward the round building and entered. Columns made of crystal, smoother than marble, continued until they disappeared into the cloffuls. They were a little more than a foot in diameter, with five feet between each one.
From inside, Sadie saw the elaborate construction, whereas from outside the structure appeared simple. Flexible vines wrapped themselves around the columns, from the base to as far up as she could see, then one to another, creating delicate green walls.
Sadie spun as she took in the majesty of the expanse. She strode into the center of the grand space and looked up at the sky. Cloffuls floated up and down lightly, shifting from pink to green to blue and back again.
“When Mystashan was first created, these pillars drew up from the earth. This place is the oldest structure we know of.”
Sadie turned around. “But who built… Thelo, where are you?”
“I am here, of course.” Movement near the door caught Sadie’s attention. Thelo was still standing at the entrance.
“But I can hear you so clearly. It’s like you’re standing right beside me.”
“I can hear you as well. I told you this is a special place. You can stand anywhere inside the Atrium and be heard. It is remarkable, yes?”
Sadie could only nod.
“Come with me,” Thelo invited. “There is much more I wish to show you, starting with the Velluminator.”
Sadie rejoined him, and he led her to the left, where she saw a crystalline archway, allowing entrance to a cave beyond. A waterfall separated the two sides. As they approached, the water parted like a red curtain in a movie theater. Soon a crystal screen revealed itself, and then an image formed on it: Mom was cleaning up from breakfast. When she finished, she sat down at the kitchen table.
A family photo album was open, and she was looking at Sadie’s baby pictures. As each page passed, so did the years. Her mother gently felt each photo as if her fingertips were somehow absorbing what was happening in the pictures.
“This is the Velluminator I mentioned before, Sadie. It can show us what is happening on the earth realm, be it past or present.”
Sadie nodded, but her eyes were transfixed on the screen, on her mother. Her mom flipped through page after page. Year after year. Family vacations. Happy memories. Moments from days long passed. Big smiles on everyone’s faces.
The final picture in the book was of the last time they were all together at one of Aunt Sue’s parties. Mom, Dad, Sadie, and Gramma were so cheerful. They all had such hope in their eyes.
Her mother cried. Sadie saw the tears streaming down and felt her pain. Her mother closed the album, hugged it to her chest, and sobbed. She rocked back and forth. Her tears streamed faster and heavier. Finally, her mom clutched the album even tighter and yelled up to the ceiling, “Help me. Please! Please help me feel love again. I beg you.”
“Poor Mom,” Sadie whispered, and wiped at her own tears.
Thelo patted her shoulder. “You aren’t the only one who is lost, my dear girl.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Twist of the Key
“It is true, old friend.”
“You are right, Thelonious. The cloffuls never lie.”
“Yet they can be tricky to read sometimes.”
“This is not one of those times, though.”
“No. I suppose it is not.”
“I did not foresee this turn of events, but as with all things, they will go the way they will.”
“There is no doubt about that, Banyan. No doubt.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Habnaws
“All right class, we’ll be starting in a few minutes. I’m stepping out for a second to talk with Principal Tennyson. I expect you all to be on your best behavior.”
“Yes, Mr. MacNamara,” they all sang in unison.
A few minutes went by in silence, and then of course Dave started in. “Whoa, who farted? Who let that awful stench out?” He waved a hand exaggeratedly in front of his nose.
More and more of the students were now gagging on what Sadie thought smelled like rotten eggs, sewer sludge, and a garbage truck. It was the stankiest fart she’d ever smelled.
“Yuck, it’s horrible! I can’t breathe. I can actually taste it!” yelled Dave.
“Eww, you just made me vurp, Dave,” Kenny choked out.
“I bet it was Sadie,” accused Dave. “I’ll bet anything it was her.”
“It wasn’t me. I wouldn’t do that. I don’t smell like that. Leave me alone, Dave.”
Dave smirked. “Oh, getting defensive? I’m one hundred percent sure of it now. I can see the green stink cloud coming from your chair. It’s a good thing you wouldn’t dare show up at the dance tomorrow, ’cause I’m sure that cloud would be your only date.”
The whole class laughed hysterically. Soon the entire room followed Dave’s lead, chanting, “Stink Bomb Sadie, Stink Bomb Sadie.”
Sadie groaned and sank into her seat. Each day was getting more unbearable.
When the last bell sounded, she sighed with relief. She’d survived another day of humiliation, though the stink-bomb accusation ranked high today on her top ten list of worst “Dave Days.”
Time to go home—Mystashan home, that is—after a quick stop.
Once she was home, she hurried to her room, tossed her book bag onto the bed, and retrieved her music box. She was halfway down the block and on her way to Banyan in less than ten minutes.
She sat in her spot among his vast roots and waited. Seconds later she stood barefoot on the sweet, soft grass that could only be found in Mystashan.
As Sadie picked her trail through the flowers, she heard “Sweet Sadie” calling to her on the light Mystashan breeze. Soon it became apparent who was singing. Sparks rose up from the flower petals. They were like tiny flecks of hyper-light.
“I recognize you. I thought I was seeing things, but you cheered me up when Dave gave me a mud bath. Thank you for that.”
In response, the sound of tiny bells rang out, and they pronounced their name. The Silars whooshed by her in tight formation, hovering in the air.
Sadie noticed their movements were creating something. “Wow, I didn’t know you guys could do that!”
They were forming pictures in front of her.
The Silars let out high-pitched laughter as they created their works of art. First up was what appeared to be Barnaby, but in his “earth wear.” She recognized him by the iridescent blue that infused the image. The Silars appeared in various colors; their spectrum seemed endless. Their hues changed gradually or all at once.
“Y
ou guys are good.” Sadie couldn’t help but clap as they made several sculptures for her. “How wonderful.”
They swirled through the air, sparkling away. This next piece took longer than the others. A face formed, one that at first looked like her own but then aged into that of her beloved Gramma Rose. Tears ran down Sadie’s face. The Silars kissed her cheek and carried her droplets away.
“Thank you. That was incredible. It’s truly special to see her again.”
For their next masterpiece, the Silars whipped up Thelonious in precise detail. Shining from head to toe, he stood in the treeline before her. They painted the whole scene as a still life, with fruit hanging from the branches here and there for authenticity. Then the entire picture dissipated. Half the Silars went to the left, while the other half zoomed to the right, and in the now-vacant space stood the impressive real-life Thelo only a few meters away.
“Shall we take a walk, Sadie? There are so many places to see.”
“Yes, please. I’d love to see more of Mystashan. I’d like to see all of it. By the way, where’s Penelope? I haven’t seen her in a while, and I need to talk to her.”
“She is not here today, but I am sure you will be seeing her soon.”
Darn it. I miss talking with her! I especially appreciate how nonjudgmental she is—the complete opposite of Mom. I have so much to tell her. Mostly about Sam. Of course I want to hear more about her too. “Maybe next time then.”
As they walked, Sadie told Thelo about her day. “Can you believe Dave did that to me? He’s still on me about taking Kylie’s butterfly pin.” Sadie turned to him. “Thelo? Not again. Thelo! I wonder why he loves doing this to me? He sends me places, and then he disappears all the time. Ugh.”
She stood in a clearing, seeing nothing around her. As her frustration abated, she realized she was in the middle of her favorites: dandelions.
It was interesting that with how different Mystashan was from her world, white dandelions were still the same. True, these were bigger, wider, and fluffier, but they were pretty much the same as on earth.
“Okay. Where am I now?”
“Hello, Sadie.”
“Huh…who said that?”
“I did.”
“Uh, who? Uh, where…where are you?”
“Down here.”
“Down here? Down where?” asked Sadie.
“Here. Right here, Sadie.”
She looked down and around, but all she saw were dandelions. As she watched, they started to move. Swaying and wiggling, and then she realized they were part of something else—something larger.
Clustered in groups were dandelion people! Up out of the ground, with the pacing of a slow-motion camera, rose two residents of Mystashan. The only description Sadie could think of was that they resembled sparkly hedgehogs with full heads of dandelion hair. Hedgehogs that stood and walked like humans.
“Hellooooo. We’re the Habnaws. I’m Mardin, and this here is Trina. We’re responsible for the smooth underground operations of Mystashan, as well as mining crystals.”
“Under Mystashan? I know there’s that saying about learning something new every day, but I’m living it.”
“Of course under Mystashan. There’s a full underground travel system for the rest of the Habnaws,” Mardin explained. “We don’t like to stay in one place for too long, you know.
“Yeah. You get around all right,” snipped Trina.
“What are you on about now?” Mardin cocked his head and squinted his eyes.
“You know, dear. You have wandering feet.” That’s why we call you ‘the Excavator.’” Hands on hips, Trina scowled at Sadie.
Mardin threw up his paws and looked to the sky. “I have feet. I have to wander. It’s my job.”
Turning to Sadie he explained, “We like to get around, and this is the quickest way. We must keep everything in tip-top shape. Well, except that one time when Trina let that tunnel get filled up with dirt.” Crossing his arms, Mardin gave Trina a sidelong glance.
“Me?” Trina glared with an air of offended innocence. “That was your mistake.” She nodded vigorously, sending a wave of movement through her dandelion hair. “Yes. That was definitely your fault. If it weren’t for you forgetting to remind me, I would have done it.”
“Me?” bellowed Mardin. “Why should I have to remind you? You should know when it’s your turn.”
“Humph!” rumbled Trina. “You always remind me, but then you didn’t. Therefore it’s all your fault.”
Mardin’s jaw dropped. He threw up his paws again and muttered, “Ridiculous!” As he walked away from Trina, he motioned Sadie over to the side. Mardin whispered loud enough for Trina to hear, “Hey, you know what, Sadie? I could use a little change after all this nonsense.”
Sadie glanced back at Trina, who had already started wiggling underground. “Change?” asked Sadie. “What do you have in mind?”
“Could you do me a favor and make a wish? I haven’t had a regrowing in a long while.”
“A regrowing?”
“Yes, just blow on the top of my head, as you’d do on earth with your tribe of dandy lions.”
Sadie tried not to laugh at his pronunciation. It brought to mind lions on the Savannah with bow ties and slicked-back hair. She took a deep breath and smiled instead.
“Favor? That’s not a favor. I’d love to, but are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. We Habnaws love us some regrowing, and if Trina wasn’t being a donkey’s behind, I’m sure she would love one too.”
Sadie felt a rumble underfoot, and the ground lifted a few inches next to her feet. She looked down and took a step to the left.
Trina popped up, wearing a three-inch cap of dirt, and grumbled, “Humph!” then lowered out of sight completely.
“Is she going to be all right, Mardin?”
“Yes. She’ll get over it. Ignore her, Sadie, like I do.” Mardin leaned forward.
Sadie, knowing her wish was silly, wished it just the same. She closed her eyes and concentrated, I wish I were a princess. Then she blew on Mardin’s dandelion hair until it was all gone.
Each strand made a popping sound as it lifted up, swirling around one by one. He chuckled. His delight was evident on his face, and he danced in a circle as each new hair grew back almost immediately. “That tickles, but ahhhh…much better. I really needed that, Miss Sadie. Thank you.”
She closed her eyes and said, “You’re welcome” with a slight curtsy, then opened them to see Banyan standing before her. She was back in her world again. Sadie patted Banyan’s trunk and let out a light sigh. “As amazing as the transport is, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”
Banyan rustled in the wind, and Sadie could almost hear the sound of his laughter.
Arriving home, she tried to close the front door with both hands so it wouldn’t give her away, but the hinge creaked at the last second.
“Sadie? Is that you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you clean your bathroom like I asked you to?”
“Uh, not yet, Mom.” Sadie hurried down the hallway to her room. Doesn’t she know all the crap I’ve got on my plate? A reminder now and then wouldn’t hurt, you know.
Her mom continued from the kitchen, “I asked you three days ago to clean it. I shouldn’t have to ask you twice, Sadie.”
“Right, Mom. Because it would kill you to remind me of things once in a while. If you wanted it done so badly, why didn’t you remind me?”
“So now it’s my fault you didn’t do as you were asked?” The anger began to bloom in her mother’s tone.
Whoa. What? This is familiar. Suddenly it hit her. Sadie realized she sounded like Trina. Oh, my goodness. Yuck. I’m Trina.
Sadie headed toward the kitchen. “I’m sorry, Mom. You’re right. I’ll do it right now.”
Mom raised an eyebrow. “Well, that’s better. It’s the exact opposite of what I thought you’d say, but I like it.”
Sadie cleaned her bathroom, and
when she was done, she tackled the closet her Mom had asked her to clean the week before. They’d both forgotten about that, but Sadie realized it was her responsibility to remember and not her mother’s.
A short while later, Mom came to inspect the bathroom.
“Nice work, Sadie.”
“Thanks. I cleaned the closet too, and I’ll try to do better, Mom. I’ll try to be more responsible and do what you ask me to the first time.”
Her mother stared at her in disbelief.
Sadie shrugged and raised her palms. “What? Did I grow a third eye or something?”
“No…” Mom laughed. “I just wasn’t expecting that.” She moved forward and hugged Sadie.
Hesitantly, Sadie gave her a quick squeeze then went to her room to read before helping with dinner. When she entered her room, a new crystal sat in the middle of her bed, catching the light from the afternoon sun and projecting rainbows on the walls of her room.
ACCOUNTABILITY. Yup. That’s appropriate.
Sadie helped with dinner, setting it on the table. She watched the clock, dreading the nightly tension that came with her father’s arrival.
The car door slammed, and she heard her father’s feet on the flagstones. Her entire body stiffened, bracing for what might come next.
He walked through the door.
“Hi, Sadie,” he said with a smile.
Taken aback, she stopped, unsure what to do next. So she just blurted the first thing that came to mind. “How was your day, Dad?”
“Ah, you know. The usual. Come here. I have something for you.”
“Really?” asked Sadie, surprised.
They sat on the couch. Mom watched from the kitchen archway. Dad reached into his jacket pocket. “Here, honey. This is for you. I’ve been so busy, and I know that hasn’t been fair to you or your mother.”
Too shocked for words, Sadie took the black velvet box. The hinge made a small creak before snapping all the way open. Inside was a beautiful necklace with her initial. Gems sparkled all around the S.
“I love it! Thank you, Dad. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome, princess.”