If you ever saw something that you were sure you imagined or heard a sound that no one else did - then you know what it's like to attend a show starring the Novaks.
"A magical act so spectacular, it had to be real."
An oh so common statement after...
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June rubbed her finger across the dragon and phoenix medallion in her hand. She enjoyed how all of its little ridges and dents felt. Something about touching and holding it made her feel closer to Meatball. His blue corpse all alone in the woods nested in her mind like a bird in a tree.
Now she was stuck riding alongside the woman with the tightly pulled-back hair. She had come to find out that she went by the name Cherry. It was easy for June to figure out how the very round Meatball got his name, but she couldn't figure out why The Chain gave her the codename Cherry. The only Chery she knew was a friend of her grandpa when they had a stay in Atlantic City, and June was pretty sure that Cherry was a stripper.
She's not sweet, June thought. Maybe it's short for sour cherry. She sure is tart.
Cherry turned up the radio, which had been exclusively on talk radio the whole trip. It made June miss the jazz Meatball would play when they rode together. They had recently crossed into California and were not too far from their final destination, San Diego. Even the glowing sun, large hills and palm trees of the golden state couldn't quite pull June out of her sorrow.
June would switch from sorrow to anger and back to sorrow often during her long car rides with Cherry. She hated that Cherry made her leave Meatball's body in the woods. She felt like he deserved a proper burial. June would bring up Meatball often because she knew it annoyed Cherry.
"I sure am hungry. Meatball would stop all the time for a nice meal or some fresh snacks."
Cherry rolled her eyes. "I told you that there are sandwiches in the cooler behind you. This is not a vacation. My job is to get you to the library."
"How are we even gonna find this library?" June asked. "I know we are going to an underground ocean tunnel that'll take us to Oahu and the library is somewhere at the Pali Twin Falls, but I'm assuming there isn't a sign that says Ancient Magic Library? Meatball seemed confident we'd find it."
"It will not be a problem. I have been there."
June perked up with curiosity. "Yeah?"
"There are plenty of old books and information. You will find some type of answer."
"So she was right," June muttered.
"Who?" Cherry asked.
"My friend Kora. The library was her idea."
"The witch?" Cherry rubbed her hand down her tightly pulled-back hair and yanked on her ponytail. "She is the reason all that insanity went down back in Kansas. It is obvious from your attitude that you blame me. But it is her fault Meatball is dead."
"How?" June asked.
"They... The Badge... They were looking for Kora. They thought Meatball was moving her. She is the one on the run."
"We are all on the run from them," June replied.
"The Badge does not have the manpower to target everyone. Even if you are not in the system, as long as you stay out of trouble and avoid alerting the unknowing, they will not come after you hard. But after that show in Kansas, you will need to be extra careful."
