Onward: Wilbur

It's From Dad

A short while later, while I was still sulking, Ian came into my room.

Ian: Wilbur.

My ears shot up.

Wilbur: Hmm?

Ian: Mom said she has something to show us.

Wilbur: Now?

Ian: Yeah. She says it's from Dad.

Now I was really interested. While we on our way to Ian's room, Mom was pulling something in a parcel from the attic.

Barley: What do you mean it's from Dad?

Ian: I don't know. Mom said it was for all three of us.

Mom: He just said to give you this when all three of you are 16. I have no idea what it is.

A present for all three of us? From Dad? And why when we were 16? Those were the questions that rattled around in my mind as we carried the parcel into Ian's room. As soon as we set it down, we unwrapped the cloth to reveal...

A wood star with a twisted spiral at one end. Barley's eyes went abeam.

Barley: (gasp) No way. It's a wizard staff. Dad was a wizard!

Ian: What?

Wilbur: No way.

I said in unbelief.

Mom: Hold on, your dad was an accountant. I mean, he got interested in a lot of strange things when he got sick, but...

Now I was interested.

Wilbur: Wait, what kind of strange things?

Mom: Well...

Ian: There's a letter.

He interrupted us as he pulled out a note from the parcel sheet.

Ian: (reading) Dear Ian, Barley and Wilbur, long ago, the world was full of wonder. It was adventurous, exciting, and best of all, there was magic. And that magic helped all in need. But it wasn't easy to master. So the world found a simpler way to get by.

I saw a ghost of a smile creep on Barley's face. I knew, at this moment, he felt pride in himself. But Mom's face looked a little uncertain.

Ian: Over time, magic faded away, but I hope there's a little magic left in you. And so I wrote this spell, so I could see for myself who my boys grew up to be.

Wilbur: What does he mean by that?

Ian: Hold on, there's another one.

He flipped out a new one and it showed us the...

Ian: Visitation Spell.

A picture with those words above a drawing of the staff, with a gem on top, bringing a person back to life.

Barley took it and got excited.

Barley: I don't believe this. This spell brings him back. For one whole day, DAD WILL BE BACK!

Mom: What?

Wilbur: No way, we'll get to see him again?

Ian: Back? Like back to life? That's not possible.

Barley: It is with this.

He said while holding up the staff.

Wilbur: And with magic.

Ian: (smiling) I'm gonna meet Dad?

Mom: Oh, Will, you wonderful nut. What is this?

She says with worry in her voice as she takes the papers.

Wilbur: So how does this work?

Barley: Now, a spell this powerful needs an assist element. And, I mean, for this to work, Dad would've had to find A PHOENIX GEM!

He says with excitement as he dug through the cloth and found a gem from the same drawing.

Barley: (softly) Wow. There's only few of these left.

Wilbur: Wait, how did Dad find one, then? And when?

Barley: Who cares how he got it? The point is we got it.

Mom: Hold on. Is this dangerous?

Wilbur: Possibly.

Barley: We're about to find out.

Wilbur: So you might wanna step back.

I tell Mom and Ian while backing them up.

Barley set the gem in the top and gripped the handle when...

Barley: Ah!

All of us: What?

Barley: Splinter.

We all rolled our eyes.

Wilbur: Do you want me to do this?

Barley: Don't worry about it.

He sucked on his finger and recited the spell.

Barley: Only once is all we get, grant me this rebirth. Till tomorrow's sun has set, one day to walk the earth.

At the end, he slammed the end on the floor and Blazey ran off under Ian's desk. But nothing happened.

We all got confused.

Wilbur: Is it going?

Barley: Hold on. I was just grippin' it wrong.

Barley then recited the words again but nothing happened. Then he tried again. And again. And again. So many times. But it didn't work. We were all tired.

Mom: Barley.

Wilbur: I'm sorry, dude, but it's time to quit.

Barley looked at her in sadness and just walked over to sit on the bed.

Mom: I'm sorry you guys don't have your dad here, but this shows how much he wanted to see you both. So much that he'd try anything. That's still a pretty special gift.

Ian: Yeah.

He said, half heartedly.

Barley just sighed and walked to his room.

Wilbur: Even then, it's still not the same without him, here.

I said while walking to my room.