Part One
Chapter One- Where I find out that my sister is a lot scarier wearing a lizard hat
Drip. Drip. The water falling on my hand was like a timer. I couldn’t see down. I couldn’t see up. I couldn’t see anything. I was in the middle of nothing, holding on to a pillar by my fingertips. I heard a sound. I looked down and saw a giant monster crawling up the tower. Thump. Thump, thump. The lizard reached out a scaly hand to grab my foot. I screamed. Suddenly, I woke up to bright sunshine and a little face covered with a lizard mask. My heart flipped. I gasped with relief when I saw it was just, Hebe the eight year old terror of a lifetime- sitting on me… and banging two pieces of wood together. Thump, thump. I yelled and sat up.
“Hebe! You - you!” I reached out to grab her. She squealed and ran away yelling to Mom.
“Irene tried to hurt me!” I struggled out of bed and opened the blinds, ignoring the complaints that came from my sisters that slept in the same room as me. I breathed in the fresh autumn air, trying to forget my nightmare. My two brothers, Mentor and Leander, banged on our door on their way downstairs to catch the bus for high school and college. Fauna slammed the door behind her and ran downstairs. I saw Leander and Fauna run out and head on their way to an early class at Maple University where my Dad works. I shook Melanie and Saga awake and told them it was time for school. I shook Xanthe and told her to get ready for preschool. I pulled on some clothes. I ran down the stairs and into the before school turmoil. I grabbed my lunch and back pack. Mom forced her way to me and gave me a piece of toast to eat. I grabbed Melanie and Saga by their bags and dragged them out to the bus. I smiled at the driver, then plopped Saga in the seat behind him, next to all her Kindergarten friends. I sat down, next to my friend Liza Patters. She grinned and said.
“Hey! Did you ask your Mom if you’re able to come to my Party tonight?” I smacked my forehead.
“I completely forgot!” I groaned.
“Irene!” Liza complained.
“I’m sorry! I had the creepiest dream last night. Liza’s eyes softened.
“Was it a monster again?”
“Yeah. I was in a big black area and I was holding on to a pillar and it tried to grab me.” I shuddered.
“Anyway” Liza continued “Can you call your Mom?”
“I’ll need to borrow a phone. You know how my Dad doesn’t like us to have cell phones.”
I asked the girl who sits behind me if I could borrow her phone. I dialed my home number.
“Hello? This is Xanthe the elf. What’s your favorite color?” My mouth twitched into a smile.
“Hey, Xanthe, can you get Mom?” I heard her running upstairs and slamming a door.
“Irene?”
“Liza’s having a party tonight and was wondering if I could go?”
“Sure, hon. Come home first to get your stuff.”
“Okay. Bye” I hung up the phone.
“Can you?” Liza asked.
