A Claim to Magic

The Book

    CHAPTER FOUR

After a while, Corrie decided that she would go and pick up Betsy's uniform and books, if she knew Betsy like she thought she knew Betsy she would not be at the bookstore. Now Corrie had to find the bookstore. She checked her backpack for her map. It was not an Anwansi map, rather, it was a completely normal map that Corrie had picked up at the airport. She found plenty of large stores, but the one that sold the uniform, stiches and silk, must have been either new, or unimportant, for it was not on the map. The bookstore, however, was, Corrie decided that she would go there first.

A half an hour later, Corrie was standing at the entrance to the largest bookstore she had ever seen. It was amazing, it had shelves upon shelves of books, some of which were interesting, others were there for schooling, it was huge, there were separate rooms for each separate type of book, the biggest of which had huge glowing letters over the top forming the word FANTASY. Corrie headed through the doorway, she saw hundreds of books, all fantasy, she recognized some she had read, Harry Potter, Five kingdoms, the inheritance series, and so many more, she also saw many that she had never read, she recognized one of them, she had seen it in the shop, the old woman who had run the shop had been holding it, on the front there was the same dragon with the sword protruding from its chest. Corrie tried to pick it up, it wouldn't budge. She pulled harder, the cover ripped off. Corrie gasped, picked up the book, which, for some reason, was now movable, and went to find an employee.

"Well I suppose you'll have to pay for the damage, I'll take you to the manager," the employee sighed, "come along." He was a rather irritable man.

Corrie looked down at the book in her hands, the cover completely torn off, and began to think. Why couldn't the book move? Why had the cover come off so easily? There were plenty of simple answers to these questions, none of which Corrie thought likely, the book could have been on display, but, if that were correct, why did they put it with the books that people were supposed to buy? It could have been a tacky book, but then why would it be so expensive? The book was one hundred dollars! Not the usual price for a fragile book.

By the time that they reached the store manager's office, Corrie had thought of all the reasons for her questions, and had rejected most of them, so that she had no idea what had happened. The employee led Corrie into the manager's office, told her to sit down, and left the office.

Corrie was waiting for the bookstore manager, a broken book in her hands, and a time-limit that was about to be hit. The door opened, the manager walked in, she was smiling. Corrie had not realized that she was holding her breath. She let it out.

"So, I was told you ripped a book," the manager began, "may I see the damage, please?" Corrie handed her the copy of fable maker she had ripped.

"ma'am?" The manager was staring, open mouthed at the book, when Corrie spoke she jumped and seemed to come back to earth, shutting her mouth and looking at Corrie again, "you know, this is a very valuable book."

"I know ma'am."

"I am an Ojoo." Corrie gasped and jumped up, knocking her chair over as she did so. The woman chuckled, "it's alright, I was just seeing what you'd do, you're an Anwansi, are you?"

"Yes," Corrie answered, embarrassed, "it's my first year."

"I see, I see, well you better hurry away, now, you'll have to keep the book, I suppose. No charge. Hurry up or you'll be late for your flight."

"Um, I don't actually have my school books yet."

"Oh, yes, of course. Come along." She led Corrie to an extra door that branched out of the main room labeled MUTA. Corrie followed the manager through the door, hurrying in order to keep up.

"Here you are," the manager started piling books into Corrie's outstretched arms, "books for your first year."

"I'm so sorry, may I have two sets of books? I'm picking up my sister's as well."

"well, of course you may, here you are, now is your sister picking up your uniforms or is she making you do everything?"

"Well, I am getting the out fits, but she is not making-"

"I see," the manager cut her off, "well you had better be off then, and hey," she caught Corrie by the arm, "read that book every day."

Corrie remembered something, "May you please tell me where stiches and silk is located?" she asked.

"go straight for a quarter mile and it's on the right." She seemed very used to giving these instructions, Corrie guessed she got a lot of Anwansi costumers.

Corrie thanked the manager, and then left for Stiches and Silk.

A half an hour later, Corrie was standing in stiches and silk, waiting in line to buy her uniform. She had followed her directions, and had found the store almost immediately.

"Muta?" Corrie had not seen the employee until that moment.

"yes, two please, both medium packages." The employee left, coming back minutes later holding two bundles. The uniform was simple, it was a navy blue T-Shirt with the muta crest on it and a sweatshirt with the same design, packed into a Muta backpack. Corrie was glad she'd brought extra clothes, she'd have had to pay extra if she didn't have jeans, because the package didn't come with any.

By the time the fitting was finally over the sun was setting, Corrie was supposed to be at the airport at eight, only an hour away. She scooped up her bags and set off.

"Corrie!" Corrie jumped, nearly dropping half of the bags she was holding. "Sorry, I was looking for you," Elizabeth was taking Corrie's bags and shouldering them, making it much easier for Corrie to walk quickly, "I'm so sorry about earlier," Elizabeth explained, "It's just, so many people have heard me speaking Igbo and decided that they shouldn't talk to me, that or they make fun of me for it, I took what Betsy said the wrong way, I knew that really, I just didn't want you to start believing I was part of the Ojoo, I mean, it wouldn't be such a great start to a friendship, would it?" Corrie shook her head.

"I suppose not, you're forgiven." Corrie hugged Elizabeth, "let's go find Betsy.