The Candlestick People

Chapter 2

  "What?!" I asked, amazed. "You got me a candlephone?" I had jumped up and spilled all of my papers on the ground, so I groaned and started picking them up. My Mom came over and knelt down, helping me and chuckling to herself

"Yes! It's the latest edition, top of the line. Do you like it?" My dad asked, grinning. He was not helping me, but I was still happy, so I did not complain, and when we were finished I headed over to look. It was red, with a dragon on the back, wings sweeping back majestically.

"Like it? I love it!" I practically screamed.

"I'll let you use it for a half-hour if you go to bed straight away afterward."

"Okay!" I sprinted upstairs. Once I get there, I turn on my candlephone.

"Hello, Susan. What would you like to do first?" A female voice said. It already knew my name!

"I would like to message Sera. Do you... know her?" I asked, wondering how it even worked.

"Yes. She is your best friend." I smiled gratefully.

It brought me to my messages.

Sera,

I have a candlephone! My Dad got me the latest edition. It's by Anti -Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, the newest candlephone company. If you buy one, they give all the money to those who have pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. Just so you know, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is a disease caused by fine silica dust found in volcanoes and caves.

-Susan

I grin. Won't she be exasperated, having been the one to teach me it in the first place, and having a phone from them? After I messaged Sera, I played on my new candlephone, messaging a few more friends Half an hour later, my Dad told me it was time to go to bed.

"Okay!" I said, and quickly got in my pajamas and hopped in bed. I knew that I would not fall asleep for a while. Not because I was excited, even though I was, but because I can never fall asleep until late at night . I thought about the play. I hope I will be able to work on it, I thought, I need to practice, or else I'll make a fool of myself!

. . .

I finally woke up on time. I thought about what I needed to do that morning. Get dressed, clean room, brush hair, wash face, Bunniesticks, Candogs, Breakfast, read, hop in the candlecar, leave. Okay. I completed my morning routine and then I got to school. I was even a little early!

"Hello, Mister Jack!" I asked.

"Oh, you're early. Good for you!" He said, "Did you practice your part?"

Yikes! I completely forgot! I told him what happened last night.

"Well, the play is on the last day of school. You still have plenty of time to practice. All right, everyone! Today we will be rehearsing to see how we sound!"

We rehearsed from bottom to top. It was overall pretty good for our first rehearsal, but we had some pretty big mistakes. We decided to have a meeting every Saturday to practice our play. I was glad it was on that specific day because I was busy every other day of the week. I was just getting up when I noticed something sticking out of my desk. It was a stick-it note. I put it in my binder. I'll read it at home, I told myself. I pack up and was about to leave when Mister Jack comes over.

"Susan, you are doing splendidly! You're a natural" He said.

"Thanks! I love acting, but I never get to do it," I confessed.

"Well, keep up the good work!" He replied.