Carry On Cath

Chapter One

Summer

Cath could not believe it was over. Her first year of college, done. Yet this was not the ending that bothered her most. She should have been bothered by Levi heading back to Arnold, or having to say goodbye to Reagan for the summer. (Reagan will spend the summer in California for an internship) But all Cath could really think about was Simon and Baz.

It's Done. Finished.

Simon and Baz had been part of her life since she and Wren were eight years old. And now, will they live on? The books were done. Carry On Simon was almost done. Wren had finished beta reading it. Wren had held the story hostage when Cath was still insistent that Baz had to die. The fighting between the two became so unbearable that Jandro, Levi, and their dad had to stage an intervention.

"But she can't kill off Baz." Wren insisted. "It's bad enough what GTL did to him in the cannon, and you still have a chance to right a wrong."

Cath was starting to lose it. "Right a wrong? Wren, do you understand what you're saying? How dare you accuse GTL of--" Cath and Wren stood up from their seats, but before either of them could take a step towards the other, Jandro and Levi were quick to hold them back.

Their dad looked at them both with his hand pressed against his chin. "This is more serious than I thought." He put down the sharpie and piece of cardstock he was using to take notes, or draw pictures--nobody was quite sure what he was doing. "Alright, nobody is leaving this room until some kind of compromise is reached."

"Alright, Baz can live, but only if he has to spend the rest of his life in the Forest of Dreams." Cath gave Wren a firm look and folded her arms over her chest.

"No, not the Forest of Dreams, because if Baz was caught in the Forest of Dreams, Simon would only be able to visit him on nights when there's a full moon."

Cath took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, then spoke. "Okay, Baz can remain in the world proper, but only if he has the curse of the fallen mage."

"But then Simon won't be able to touch Baz!"

Cath gave Wren a deep stare.

"Fine, if that's what it takes."

A silent cheer was felt throughout the room. Levi let go a big smile. Jandro pumped both fists in the air. Their dad grabbed his sharpie and started drawing again on the cardstock.

"I think it's time for some burritos. I'm going to find a taco truck." As their dad was starting to collect his things, Levi could not stop glowing. He was so excited that he didn't even think before he spoke. "So, now we can all focus on bigger things, like Magicon."

"Levi, no!" Their dad squeezed the car keys tightly in his left hand.

"But if I go as Simon, then you have to go as Baz."

"No, I'm going as Penelope, and you're going as Agatha."

"Sorry I forgot about the costumes." Levi, his smile gone, was very apologetic to their dad. 

Their dad rolled his eyes.

"Cath did you just see that? Dad rolled his eyes at us." He quickly stepped through the door before any arguing resumed.

With their differences worked out, Cath had Wren's approval to publish the conclusion of Carry On Simon, but something made pushing the submit button rather difficult for Cath. Perhaps it was the feeling that putting it off meant holding on to Simon just a little bit longer. Or maybe it meant not having to think about the future and what she would write next. There were also other things to think about. Levi was back home working on his family's ranch. Cath hasn't yet visited him, still afraid of his mother. And then there was the one who's name we cannot mention. Why does it seem like most of her problems are mother related?

Cath stared at the Simon Snow posters in her and Wren's room. It was like time froze. "Living in the time frozen dream forest wouldn't be so bad." Cath thought to herself. Wren was moving on. She got a summer job bussing at a restaurant in downtown Omaha. Cath didn't want to get a job, but she had to. It was the only way she could afford the trip to Magicon. She had managed to get a job at one of the local Barnes & Nobles. Her first shift started in three days. Days that couldn't be long enough away.

For now, Cath sat on her bed. Her laptop was in front of her lying flat on the bed. She would reach for it now and then, until she remembered there were no more words to write.

At least none she wanted to write.