Weaving Moonlight

Cammie's Candy Coloured Hair

Lux

        Cammie’s Candy Coloured Hair

The battle for the bathroom began that Monday at 8am as Lux banged on the door. Her little sister, Zelda, had had an argument with her for oversleeping and yet had then decided to take her time washing her hair. With only half an hour until school started, things were not looking optimistic. Zelda, of course, was completely oblivious to this fact as she continued to sing an Adele song in the shower. When the Queen of the Bathroom at last emerged after Lux had furiously banged on the door, she walked languidly towards her bedroom with no sense of urgency. Lux rolled her eyes and finally entered the bathroom. Had the mirror not been fogged up from steam, she would have seen what she deemed an unremarkable looking dark skinned, brown eyed girl. She was also positive that her unmanageable African hair was spiked out in several directions. Sighing, she got to work on it as a thunderous knock came at the door. She knew it was her dad even before he started shouting at her. Opening the door, she found all four feet of him, his face clearly showing his impatience. Still, height was the least of his problems. He was stuck in the eleven year old body of his former self. Unable to reverse the curse, it was possible that he might remain that way forever. The only thing clear was its permanence. Curses could not be reversed after the first full moon it was cast. Lux knew that most of all.

 “We have to leave immediately” her dad stated. Their cover story was that he was a distant cousin. They had false documents and her father, Aaron, was forced to re-attend high school. It had been to give him something to do, and so that he could watch over her as her powers progressed. It was definitely not an experience anyone wanted to relive, particularly a powerful warlock such as himself, for those who originate from the land of Terrahgonia are all creatures of magic. ‘Too bad it’s not the sort of thing you could brag about at show and tell or put on your CV.’ Lux laughed inwardly, knowing that secrecy was important. Zelda seemed to be outdoing herself. Whilst everyone was ready, she had not even made an appearance to grab even a slice of toast. Of course it was up to the big sister to go to her room and fetch her. After knocking for a while, there was still no response. When at last she entered her sister’s bedroom, there was no one in sight. The room was as tidy as usual. Zelda firmly believed that everything was to always be in its correct place. The floor was clear and her bed was made. There was nothing in it to suggest anything unusual. With no choice, they were forced to rush to school despite everyone’s worry for Zelda. And when Lux worried, she talked a lot so she could not help making a list of all the potential things that might have befallen upon her sibling. They just about got to school on time, and then parted ways. Lux’s mum was teaching the saxophone at their school today so she drove them there.

Lux often wondered how her mother had just accepted this world of magic her dad had introduced her to. Though the mortal realm world knew nothing of Terrahgonia- for all records of its existence had long ago been destroyed- Terrahgonians often visited the mortal realm. For example, faeries brought the seasons of the year. But recently, more and more Terrahgonians were wondering the earth. Some appeared lost and stared despairingly out into space on the streets. Others walked among mortals, well camouflaged. The only thing that gave them away was their powerful ka- otherwise known as the life force or aura. Sometimes they would catch Lux’s glance and she would find herself immersed in their grief and sadness. Her dad knew that something bad had to be happening in Terrahgonia for so many to decide to live here. But their paranoid expressions gave her the impression that they were hiding from someone... or something.

It was a surprise when Lux walked into her form room, the food technology room, for morning registration and she saw her sister seated on her usual table by the other year nine students. Zelda smiled at her cunningly and began to write something out in her notebook whilst the teacher called out for registration. They had their usual thought of the day discussion but all Lux could think about was how her sister could have arrived to school so quickly. Having not gained any powers from their father, a Terrahgonian descendant, it should have been physically impossible for to have accomplished something like that. When the bell rang, everyone headed to class and Zelda approached her elder sister, note in hand. She gave it to her and stalked off without so much as a backward glance. The note had Zelda’s usual careful handwriting and simply read: