Friendship of a Blue Jay

Chapter 15: The Task

As she climbed out of Johnna's bed she could tell it was going to be a bad day.

"Here" Her sister stuffed something, possibly make-up inside her hand and said: "Put in on under your eyes and stuff. I already put some on."

"Why?"

"So it doesn't look like we were crying all night. You know I heard you, right?"

"Yeah, well, I heard you too!" Mia let out defensively, regretting it after only a minute.

Johnna pursed her lips and shrugged.

Maybe I should pick up this new wise attitude. We need each other enough to stop fighting.

"Sorry." She whispered and they sat in silence as Johnna applied the weird powder to Mia's face.

"Where did you get his stuff, anyway?" Mia questioned, just to make sure her sister wasn't secretly cracking under pressure and had taken up shop lifting as a new hobby.

"Oh, it's Mom's. She leaves in the bathroom so I decided we should use a little."

Thank gosh.

Eventually the duo headed down stairs and a familiar scent of no breakfast or good times wrecked.

Ms. Smith sat at the table staring at nothing in particular, she looked deep in thought. She also looked absolutely terrible. Bags stretched under her wide, innocent-looking eyes. Hair dropped in an ugly flat fashion around her eyes. Her mouth was in a thin line when she sad:

"Excuse me kids. I gotta go call work. Tell 'em I'm calling in sick today."

Then there were three.

Mr. Smith looked as if he dare not talk. His head hung low, his long body was awkwardly sprawled on the couch. Unlike his future ex-wife, he was frowning.

"Um, dad, want some coffee?" Johnna asked trying not to reveal that they knew everything.

"That would be nice, thanks kiddo." He answered trying to sound enthusiastic, but it ended up sounding like a sick person's voice. Scratchy and unappealing.

"Dad you’re not, er, sick or something, are you?" Mia investigated this time.

"Naw, I'm okay. I'm really more worried about you kids."

"Huh?" The sisters said at the same time. Turns out they aren't too bad of actresses.

"Never-mind. Uh, can you guys go wake Tommy up? I want all five of us to talk."

"Sure, dad."

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The three children sat on the couch, waiting for the upcoming talk. Thomas, completely oblivious to what was happening, sat there picking on his stuffed bear.

"Kids, I don't know who to put this, but your mom and I are getting a divorce."

At least he didn't beat around the bush.

"What a dworce?" Requested Thomas in a kid-ish voice.

"Okay" Mr. Smith said with a prolonged sigh. "You know how your mother and I are married? Well now are going to be un-married."

"Did you guys get into a fight?" Thomas asked, sounding more like Mia then him.

"Uh, kind of. Things just aren't working. You know how if you stick a twig in a man's foot he won't be able to walk? That's what’s going on."

"Daddy did somebody put a stick in your foot?" He sounded quiet interesting in this story as a leaned over ready to enjoy the story, he obviously was not getting it.

"No."

"Did a crab pinch your foot?"

"No, Thomas."

"Look kids!" Screamed their mother, not pleased with how her past-spouse was explaining this. "Mommy and Daddy got in a fight. Now, we aren't happy. So are not going to live together anymore. Got it?"

"Like when Daddy is on the ship, but always?" Thomas asked, suddenly understanding what was happening.

"Yeah, sorry buddy."

Abruptly Thomas began to cry and whine. Ms. Smith took her spot at the dining room table, massaging her temples.

Mr. Smith sat the boy on his lap and murmured to him that "everything was going to be okay". But it wasn't, not for Mia. Not for Thomas, apparently, either. Oh, and Johnna, this must be hurting her so much right now, but she was learning everything from Mia. Don't let out your feelings through sarcastic remarks, but keep it inside.

Running to her room Mia jumped into her bed and commenced crying. The powder-y makeup Johnna made her wear became got all swishy on her face.

As she looked around her room she thought of the one thing she still had. The Underworld... Maybe she should just bring her Dad, Johnna, and Thomas. Leaving behind her mother because she did it all. She was the reason for everything wrong with her life. Oh, her mother would pay one day for doing this. For ruining Mia's life, ruining Oliver's childhood.

Now all that was left to do was carry on with her tasks and hopefully get somewhere with that.

She opened up the Book of Tasks. Opening it to a random page she watched to beauty of all of the words magically being written in thin air. It was miraculous that the ink just suddenly appeared there like that.

Dear Mia,

You have made it your last task! I am over joyed! Now for the task itself:

In the woods of the labyrinth there is a fairy ring. You must pick three of the mushrooms from the ring. Once you have gotten those, you must take them immediately to Okon and he will take care of it from there. This may seem like a simple task but be aware; fairies are very tricky. Do not trust them.

Mia smiled, how simple could this possibly get? She was sure she wouldn't even have to deal with the fairies. Just take the fungus and run for the labyrinth's tree.