Woodlington

Chapter 4 - Jessie

As Alex had known she would, Jessie led them to the crumbling wall overlooking the graveyard.

They scrambled up, Alex casting a wary glance behind, and leapt off, landing amidst the grasses and wildflowers.

"What's that?"

Jessie was pointing at the back of Alex's shorts. Confused, Alex felt around, then froze as her searching fingers discovered the wand she'd brought.

"It's nothing," she muttered, feeling herself turn red. She quickly stood up and yanked her tee-shirt as low as she could.

But Jessie wasn't put off.

"Come on," she grinned. "What is it?"

Reluctantly, Alex retrieved the wand and handed it over.

"Is this a wand?"

Now staring at the ground, Alex nodded.

"Yeah, you know... for doing magic with."

"You can do magic?"

"Well no, I'm just practising. But I will one day."

Alex wanted the earth to open up and swallow her. She'd not even spent five minutes with the girl, and already her chances of making a friend were zero.

Jessie however, didn't laugh. Nor, when Alex looked up, did she smile falsely, look at her gone out, or even pretend the conversation hadn't happened. Instead, she studied the wand with interest.

"So, how does it work?"

She sounded as if she actually wanted to know.

"Well," said Alex, wondering how much to share. "A wand kind of adds the energy of the tree it came from. You know, like dipping a lollipop into sherbet."

Now Jessie did laugh, but in a nice way.

"Sounds weird when you put it like that."

"Yeah, but it sort of makes sense. The lollipop doesn't change, but the sherbet gives it a different flavour."

"I guess. So, what tree's this from?" She handed the wand back to Alex.

"Willow. It's supposed to make your magic more creative."

"Cool."

And to Alex's relief, that was it.

Jessie turned to Gypsy, took a tennis ball from her pocket, and threw it. He raced off, tongue hanging out and tail wagging madly.

In the distance, though now noticeably fainter, came the voice of Mrs Dowling.

"Aaaaaleeeex."

"Come on," said Jessie. "Follow me."

Alex returned the wand to her pocket and hurried to catch up.

"Aren't you hot?" she asked, eyes glued on the flapping coat in front of her.

"Hot?"

"Yeah, wearing all those clothes."

Under Jessie's coat, which was at least hanging open, she wore a lumberjack shirt, the string of conkers around her neck disappearing inside.

Like its loops, the coat's pockets contained all sorts: daisies, twigs, roots, rolled up leaves, and all manner of other natural things.

For the first time Alex wondered if Jessie might not have a few screws loose.

Below the black leggings she was wearing (which were decorated with several ragged patches) were a pair of scuffed boots. They looked too big for her and were caked in mud. From the sides of each sprouted long feathers, some even reaching her knees.