seem
like a good sign. But I knew what I was going to do. I looked at
Faith and Olivia, then put my hand on the table. Slowly, first one
then the other placed their hands on mine. It was Faith who said,
grudgingly, “Fine. All for one and one for all.”
Ronny put her hand on top
of ours briefly. I was embarrassed to see
tears in her eyes.
Note to self — Don’t make
Ronny grateful in public!
She cleared her throat, but
her voice sounded thick and hoarse. “I do not know how to thank
you!” She turned to Faith and assured her, “I would not ask you to
go if you would be in danger.”
She continued quickly,
“There are things you must remember. You are not magick users and
cannot create your own spells. But be very careful what you wish
for in Chimera! You may have enough magick to activate simple
spells that already exist there.”
Ronny tapped her forehead,
as if coaxing out an elusive thought. “I can think of just one more
thing. Do not forget to watch the time. Just ask the first person
you meet about my mother, then return.”
“ Are you going to the
cemetery with us?”
“ I do not know how long
you will be, and I am afraid if I wait inside, it will attract too
much attention. I would prefer not to do that if
possible.”
“ Okay, we’ll call you when
we get back.”
She had to clear her throat
again before she could continue, “I will be at home with Chris.
Thank you all for your help.” She jumped to her feet and hurried
out before I could think of anything to say.
Faith sounded stunned.
“What did we just agree to?”
We all jumped when Doug
Geller’s head popped above the partition on the other side of our
table. He said, “You’re going to show me how you got into Chimera,
and we’re all going to look for Ronny’s mom.”
Chapter 11
See You On The Other
Side…
Faith jumped at Doug’s
sudden appearance, knocking over her soda. As she scrambled to
clean it up, Olivia frowned at him and complained, “You were
listening to a private conversation. No one invited
you!”
“ Just a minute,” he
ordered.
Typical!
He sprang out of his seat
and rounded the end of the aisle, heading for our table.
When he took the seat Ronny
vacated, Olivia continued belligerently, “Look at the mess you
made.” She pointed to the orange soda making a puddle on the floor
and to where Faith was still wiping at the orange stain on the
knees of her jeans.
“ Hey, don’t blame me. I’m
not the one klutzy enough to knock over my soda,” Doug countered,
laughing.
While Faith bared her teeth
in a snarl, I sighed, resigned to the argument about to erupt.
After growing up two houses apart, with parents who were best
friends, I’d spent a lot of time with Doug. I knew him better then
my own brother.
I watched him square his
shoulders and shove his dark brown hair out of his eyes.
Yep, he’s ready for a
fight.
He was totally stubborn and
competitive. Even though he was shorter than most guys on the
basketball team, he was one of the best players. He couldn’t stand
to lose. I’d seen him intimidate guys a foot taller. He could
freeze most people with one glare from his dark blue
eyes.
I’m glad that doesn’t work
on me!
Even so, I knew there was
no way we’d discourage him now. Just to be contrary, I asked, “What
makes you think you’d be able to get in?”
He snorted. “You’re
kidding, right? I was born here the same year you were. You got in.
Why wouldn’t I?”
“ Fine,” I said. Darn! I
sounded like I was pouting. Hopefully I
didn’t look like
it. “You can go with us.”
I ignored Faith and
Olivia’s protests, knowing it made more sense to have him go on our
terms. “Just don’t forget, we’re the ones Ronny asked to solve
this. And we get
to decide what to do. Understand?”
“ I agree. Unless you start
to do something stupid.”
I rolled my eyes, but
turned to Faith and Olivia. “That’s the best we can do. He’ll just
follow us or tell someone if we don’t let
like a good sign. But I knew what I was going to do. I looked at
Faith and Olivia, then put my hand on the table. Slowly, first one
then the other placed their hands on mine. It was Faith who said,
grudgingly, “Fine. All for one and one for all.”
Ronny put her hand on top
of ours briefly. I was embarrassed to see
tears in her eyes.
Note to self — Don’t make
Ronny grateful in public!
She cleared her throat, but
her voice sounded thick and hoarse. “I do not know how to thank
you!” She turned to Faith and assured her, “I would not ask you to
go if you would be in danger.”
She continued quickly,
“There are things you must remember. You are not magick users and
cannot create your own spells. But be very careful what you wish
for in Chimera! You may have enough magick to activate simple
spells that already exist there.”
Ronny tapped her forehead,
as if coaxing out an elusive thought. “I can think of just one more
thing. Do not forget to watch the time. Just ask the first person
you meet about my mother, then return.”
“ Are you going to the
cemetery with us?”
“ I do not know how long
you will be, and I am afraid if I wait inside, it will attract too
much attention. I would prefer not to do that if
possible.”
“ Okay, we’ll call you when
we get back.”
She had to clear her throat
again before she could continue, “I will be at home with Chris.
Thank you all for your help.” She jumped to her feet and hurried
out before I could think of anything to say.
Faith sounded stunned.
“What did we just agree to?”
We all jumped when Doug
Geller’s head popped above the partition on the other side of our
table. He said, “You’re going to show me how you got into Chimera,
and we’re all going to look for Ronny’s mom.”
Chapter 11
See You On The Other
Side…
Faith jumped at Doug’s
sudden appearance, knocking over her soda. As she scrambled to
clean it up, Olivia frowned at him and complained, “You were
listening to a private conversation. No one invited
you!”
“ Just a minute,” he
ordered.
Typical!
He sprang out of his seat
and rounded the end of the aisle, heading for our table.
When he took the seat Ronny
vacated, Olivia continued belligerently, “Look at the mess you
made.” She pointed to the orange soda making a puddle on the floor
and to where Faith was still wiping at the orange stain on the
knees of her jeans.
“ Hey, don’t blame me. I’m
not the one klutzy enough to knock over my soda,” Doug countered,
laughing.
While Faith bared her teeth
in a snarl, I sighed, resigned to the argument about to erupt.
After growing up two houses apart, with parents who were best
friends, I’d spent a lot of time with Doug. I knew him better then
my own brother.
I watched him square his
shoulders and shove his dark brown hair out of his eyes.
Yep, he’s ready for a
fight.
He was totally stubborn and
competitive. Even though he was shorter than most guys on the
basketball team, he was one of the best players. He couldn’t stand
to lose. I’d seen him intimidate guys a foot taller. He could
freeze most people with one glare from his dark blue
eyes.
I’m glad that doesn’t work
on me!
Even so, I knew there was
no way we’d discourage him now. Just to be contrary, I asked, “What
makes you think you’d be able to get in?”
He snorted. “You’re
kidding, right? I was born here the same year you were. You got in.
Why wouldn’t I?”
“ Fine,” I said. Darn! I
sounded like I was pouting. Hopefully I
didn’t look like
it. “You can go with us.”
I ignored Faith and
Olivia’s protests, knowing it made more sense to have him go on our
terms. “Just don’t forget, we’re the ones Ronny asked to solve
this. And we get
to decide what to do. Understand?”
“ I agree. Unless you start
to do something stupid.”
I rolled my eyes, but
turned to Faith and Olivia. “That’s the best we can do. He’ll just
follow us or tell someone if we don’t let
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