The Curse of Arkady by Emily Drake

nodded in satisfaction. “I’m glad it worked out. I want it used sensibly, though. No late hours. Don’t do anything to make me have to ground you.”
    â€œNo, sir, I won’t.” He started out of the kitchen, paused and turned. He looked at them. “I really mean it . . . thank you!”
    â€œWe’re pleased,” Joanna said, smiling. She held her arms out, and he hugged her, and the Dozer slapped him on the back with his great, callused hand. The moment passed, and he tugged away. His heart was filled with warmth, but it was quickly emptied by the faint sound of Joanna’s voice as he retreated.
    â€œDo you think that’s wise?”
    â€œWise?”
    â€œThere’s so much on the Net he could be exposed to . . .”
    â€œAh.” William McIntire grunted. “My dear, if he wanted it that badly, he’d find it anywhere. I once had a friend who underlined every dirty word in the Bible. Took so much work he lost interest.”
    His face red, Jason returned upstairs to collect all the empty boxes and clean his room up for dinner. She’d be watching him, he knew. She worried a lot about being a good mother. Sometimes it was a real pain. Sometimes it produced a real pain, like Alicia. With a sigh, he began to put his room in order. He’d have to be careful. Very careful.

6
    DIRTY DEEDS
    T HE lid of the trash bin clattered down resoundingly, its BOOM echoing around them. Sam muttered, “This is getting old.”
    Papers and assorted trash crinkled around Jason as he got to his feet and listened for silence outside. He nudged Sam. “Yeah, but this time, it’s our teammates who did it. It’s an initiation!”
    â€œBah.” Sam leaped to his feet and grunted as he tried to budge the lid over their heads. “I hate the smell. I hate being shut in!” He pounded his fists on their cell. “I hate the dark!” He pounded harder in growing panic.
    Every movement drummed through the old metal bin and sent a thick, foul odor rippling through the stuffy air. Jason heard nothing further outside and put his arms up, determined to get them out before school officials noticed their being canned. “Take it easy,” he said. He cupped his crystal in his hand, but the rock stayed cold instead of answering his focus. Baffled, Jason carefully pulled it partway out of his pocket. It wouldn’t do to drop and lose it in all the trash around his feet!
    He rubbed his fingers over it. Lantern light or maybe even a bit of levitation, he thought. The hard, faceted surface of his crystal met his fingers. The welcome flare of a bonded crystal acknowledging his touch did not happen. Jason bit his lip. Arkady’s curse at work? Shoving the rock back into the deep recesses of his pocket, he decided he’d have to rely on hard work. “Help me shove,” he said, as he braced himself to push.
    The two of them pushed and heaved, with sweat running down their faces before they finally got the lid banged open and could clamber out. Suddenly his crystal flared out, with a bright sunlit ray, but Sam had turned away and did not see it. A golden aura settled around them as Jason choked in surprise. Quickly, he brushed his hand over it, squelching it. The warm rock settled back into its inert coolness while he stretched in relief. Welcome fresh air washed over them, and as they did a little victory dance, a cough sounded. They turned around slowly. Jason felt his face go warm.
    Vice Principal Murphy stood waiting, arms crossed over his chest. “Again?”
    Jason shrugged. “It happens.”
    â€œAny particular reason? Did you see who did it?”
    Both boys shook their heads. Murphy sighed. He pointed a finger at Sam. “You can go, son, but you—” He pointed a finger at Jason. “You need to stay. You seem to attract trouble, Adrian. Weren’t you the boy who had his clock cleaned by Canby last spring? Wound up