Once In A Lifetime Adventure - Part 4

 

            Annie slowly crept down the passage that flickered with the light from her torch. Prickles ran up her spine, screaming for her to run away, but she kept moving forward. Her friends were counting on her to rescue them from the mummy.

            When she reached the place where she’d last seen them, she stopped and looked around. The only things she saw were the ornate golden door and the stone walls that were the same throughout the pyramid. A confusion of footprints filled the floor, but they didn’t seem to go anywhere. Furrowing her brow, she thought about what she was going to do next.

            Carefully, she put her hand against the door and pushed. To her great surprise, it opened, and she peered inside. Only darkness greeted her.

            Shining her torch inside, she saw a narrow passageway, stretching out in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she started down it as quietly as she could. She tried not to think about the mummy wrapping its hands around her throat as she searched for her friends.

            Reaching a point where the passage split into three different directions, she focused on the faces of Cody, Justin, Daniel, Evie, and Megan. The center way lit up, and she started down it without hesitation. She could feel that she was going the right way. She also felt the malice of this place getting stronger.

            Equal parts of hope and terror poured into her as she spied another door ahead of her. This one was made out of gold as well, but it was also inlaid with countless precious gems. If the mummy’s resting place was anywhere in this pyramid, it had to be behind this door. That thought nearly made Annie turn around and run the other way, but she also felt her friends’ hopes resting on her.

            Gripping her torch tightly, she pushed on the door, and it slowly creaked open. This room was already brightly lit, and the sight of her friends sitting unconscious against the wall made her run over to them. She didn’t notice the mummy standing behind her until the door slammed shut.

            Whipping around, she watched the mummy let out a gravelly growl as he reached for her. The menace pouring off of him hit her like a physical blow.

            Narrowly escaping his grasp, Annie thought of Justin’s gun and how she wished she had it now.

            She suddenly felt cold steel in her hand and was amazed to see the gun in it. Without any further thought, she gripped it tightly and pointed it at the monster, who was still lurching toward her. When the gun fired and bucked in her hand, the recoil pushed her backward and she nearly fell. Recovering quickly, she fired again, but the mummy was still advancing.

            Trying hard not to completely panic, she threw her thoughts toward her friends, willing them to wake up.

            Moans and groans issued from her previously unconscious friends as, one by one, they stood up, dazed and confused.

            Annie shot the gun once more before it gave a hollow click, out of ammunition. Throwing the gun down in frustration, she leaned down and picked up the torch that she had dropped. With concentrated intention, she willed its flame toward the ancient hands wrapped in discolored gauze and cloth.

            A terrible scream sounded from the mummy as he clawed at the flames that had enveloped his head.

            Annie turned to her companions, who were all standing now, gaping at the growing inferno. “Let’s get out of here!” She pointed her torch toward the exit, and flames jumped out of her hand to light the way.

            Glancing back at her in wonder, Cody led them out.

            Annie made sure everyone else had left before she followed them, closing the door on the still-screaming mummy. Without even thinking, she sent flames behind her to burn and guard the door. She did not want to see that mummy again.

            Catching up with the others who were breathing heavily, she looked back into their inquiring faces and said with a triumphant grin, “I know where the treasure is! Let’s get it and get out of here!” She helped Evie, who had sat down against the wall, to her feet. Evie was gingerly holding a hand to a lump on her head.

            With trembling hands, Cody congratulated her. “Well done, Annie. Which way do we go?” His reassuring smile made Annie relax a little as she led them back to the treasure room.

            Not really interested in the treasure, she stood at the entrance while the others stuffed their packs. Daniel noticed her disinterest.

            “Don’t you want to enjoy the fruits of your efforts?” He held up a ruby the size of an egg. “You deserve a share of this.” He tossed the ruby over to Annie, who caught it, surprised by its weight.

            “This isn’t real. I’ve had my adventure, and now I just want to go home.”

            Evie looked inquiringly over at Annie. “Who said this isn’t real?”

            A cold shiver ran down Annie’s spine at the thought of the danger they would all have been in if this hadn’t really been pretend. But, of course, it was just an act, right? She pushed the thought away and put the ruby in her pocket. At least she would have some kind of souvenir from this adventure.

            With their packs bulging with gold and treasure, they were all finally ready to head back out into the sunshine. The only treasure Annie was carrying in her pockets was the ruby and a handful of gold coins that Megan had handed to her as they were leaving. “You might want this for later,” Megan said with a wink.

            The trip back through the pyramid didn’t take long at all. When they reached the entrance, it was no longer blocked, and they stepped out into the searing desert heat. To her relief, Annie saw the door that she’d first come through standing at the top of a sand dune.

            She quickly shook hands with the others as she thanked them for the once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Each of her friends wore a mysterious smile as they told her what a good job she had done with the mummy.

            Finally, she said goodbye and walked up the sand dune toward the door. It opened easily, and she found herself back on the stage she had left, her mother gazing anxiously at her.

            “Well, how did it go?” her mother asked nervously.

            Annie stared at her mother. “That was a very different adventure than I was led to believe it was going to be.”

            “But you defeated the mummy?”

            Annie pulled the ruby from her pocket. “Yep, and I brought back a souvenir.”

            Her mother’s eyes bulged as she saw the size of the ruby. “So, did you use your magic, then?”

            “My magic?”

            “Yes. Our family line is one of the most magic-infused in the world. I’m sorry I had to put you through that experience, but it was the only way for you to discover how to use your magic.”

            Annie’s jaw dropped in shock. Was this really happening?

            Her mother hugged her. “It looks like you’ve done really well for yourself.”

            For the next hour, Annie listened as she learned who she really was. She thought back on her not-so-pretend adventure. A whole new world was opening up before her. She had actually beaten a cursed mummy in a haunted pyramid.

            A smile spread over her face. Maybe this wasn’t so bad. She felt the ruby in her pocket. That was quite the souvenir she’d brought back. Apparently, she was going to have a lot more adventures now. That thought might have terrified her before, but things were different now. She could use magic!

Once In A Lifetime Adventure - Part 3

 

            After coming face-to-face with a cursed mummy once, Annie had no desire to do it again. She was ready to get out of this haunted pyramid. She led the group of actor archaeologists down the long pathway, her torch held high in front of her. Moving quickly, they soon came to a place where the way branched off into three separate directions.

“Which way is the right way?” Although she tried to hide it, worry still seeped into her voice. She turned around to face Cody, Justin, Daniel, Evie, and Megan. Seeing the twinkle in his eye, she knew what Cody was going to say before he spoke.

            “How would we know? We’re all here for the first time together, right?” He gave her a reassuring smile and shrugged his shoulders.

            Annie doubted that he didn’t know which way to go, but it was obvious that no one was going to tell her. She blew out a breath in frustration. “Okay, I guess we’ll just have to pick one or split up.” She looked directly into the faces of those around her. “What do you guys think?”

            “There’s safety in numbers,” Evie said in a quiet voice.

            “I agree,” Justin said as he reloaded his gun. “If we split up, we won’t be able to help each other when the mummy returns.”

            A queasy feeling threatened to overwhelm Annie as she thought about running into the mummy again.

            “All right,” she said as she nodded. She headed toward the passage on the right. “Let’s try this way, I guess.”

            Megan cleared her throat nervously behind Annie. “Don’t you think there’s a better way to choose than just blind guessing?”

            “Do you know which way to go?” Annie asked her, trying not to sound angry that Megan hadn’t volunteered this information earlier.

            Megan looked almost embarrassed. “I couldn’t tell you that, but can’t you feel which way to go?”

            Annie looked at her blankly. What did she mean by that?

            Looking like she might be breaking the rules, Megan gave her a guilty smile. “Remember how you felt your way away from the mummy before?”

            It was obvious that Megan was trying to give her a hint, but Annie couldn’t think what it could be. Then she remembered. “Oh!” she cried in excitement. Brushing her hands along the walls, she searched for anything out of the ordinary. The stone walls were rough, but they were definitely made of stone this time. Perplexed, she dropped her hands and thought what else Megan might have been trying to tell her.

            Closing her eyes in concentration, Annie debated which path to choose. She had no idea. Giving up, she opened her eyes to see something strange. Had that been there before?

            The path on the left shone brilliantly, the light source coming from somewhere farther down the tunnel. Where had it come from? Walking partway down the left path, she knew that this was the right way. She wasn’t sure how, but she knew. “This way!” Confidently now, she led the others down the now brightly lit corridor.

            They came to more intersections where they had to choose which way to go. Each time, Annie would close her eyes and think about the way to the treasure. When she opened her eyes, one of the ways would be brightly lit.

            Now they were deep inside the pyramid. Annie led the group at a near sprint. An ornate golden door stood at the end of their path, and Annie’s heart leapt to her throat. It had to be the treasure room!

 All she had to do was get inside, and then she could go home.

            Hurrying toward the golden door, she put both hands on it and pushed.

            Nothing happened. It was locked. Of course it had to be another locked door. Thankfully, she knew what to do. Closing her eyes tightly, she concentrated on getting inside. A loud clicking noise sounded next to her, and she opened her eyes.

            The big door hadn’t opened, but the mummy had appeared right next to her. She screamed as she jumped backward, nearly knocking over Evie, who had been standing behind her. Daniel was the one who kept them both from falling, but Annie was focused on only one thing—getting herself away from the monster. She ran back the way they had come, not bothering to see what the others were doing. Justin’s gun fired once… twice, and she ran faster.

            A door stood ajar up ahead to her right, and she headed straight toward it. She waited for the others to follow as she stood on the inside of the door, ready to close it. But no one was there. Chancing a look back toward the ornate door, the entire hallway was empty. What had happened? Nothing but silence filled the area.

            She leaned back against the wall, trying to figure out where the others could have gone as she sucked in big gulps of air. What was she going to do? Had they all been captured by the mummy somehow? Thoughts raced through her head before she forced herself to slow down and focus. Once she could finally breathe a little easier, she took several more deep breaths to slow her racing heart.

            When she was finally calm enough to think properly again, she looked around her. The door she had run through led to a large room. She jumped when she realized what this room was. Piles of treasure lay everywhere. Her jaw dropped when she saw mountains of precious gems, golden dishes, and other trinkets. This was the treasure room, not that other place with the beautiful door.

            A laugh escaped through her open mouth. She’d done it! She’d made it to the treasure! She could go home now, right? She spun around, looking for the door that had led her to this adventure in the first place. She scanned the entire room, but it wasn’t there. What was she supposed to do now?

            The answer came to her as she thought about Cody and the others. Where were they? They were just actors and part of this adventure, right? Had they really been kidnapped by the mummy?

            Guilt over not being able to escape the mummy with them made her realize that this adventure wasn’t over yet. She had something else she needed to do before she could go home. She summoned her courage and walked back to the last place where she’d seen her friends. Somehow, she had to go find them and rescue them from the mummy. For the first time in this adventure, she deliberately sought the danger she had been trying to avoid.

Once In A Lifetime Adventure - Part 2

 

            Annie looked up at the massive pyramid in front of her. No picture that she’d seen could ever do justice to its larger-than-life size. She swallowed. Were they really going to go inside this thing?

            Cody stepped next to her and patted her shoulder. “Are you ready to find the treasure?”

            Annie turned to him with raised eyebrows. “What kind of treasure are we looking for again?”

            “Oh, you know. Gold, jewelry, gems. The usual. The hard part will be avoiding the cursed mummy that haunts the pyramid.”

            Annie’s breath hitched slightly in her throat. “Is there really a cursed mummy walking around inside there?”

            A chuckle sounded behind them. Daniel handed an unlit torch to Annie. “Of course there isn’t. The mummy only rises when someone disturbs him. It’s as quiet and still as death in there right now.”

            Swallowing nervously, Annie wasn’t comforted by this. Oh well. This was just all pretend, right? She was part of a voluntary magical adventure. Although, ‘voluntary’ was a pretty strong word. Annie’s mother was the one who had ‘voluntarily’ signed her up for this. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on the torch as the three of them walked to an archway that led directly into the pyramid. Megan, Justin, and Evie waited for them.

            Annie had met the group of professional-looking archaeologists only a few minutes before. Cody, who seemed to be the leader, clapped his hands together excitedly as he surveyed the group before him. “All right, team. Let’s do this!” His torch glowed brightly with orange flames as he dipped it into the small campfire on the ground in front of the entrance.

            Following his example, Annie lit her own torch as she went inside the pyramid. As soon as all six of them had passed under the archway, a resounding boom echoed behind them. The sunlight disappeared and Annie slowly turned around, dread settling in her stomach. The entrance they had just walked through was no longer there. A solid wall stood where there hadn’t been one before.

            “Here we go!” Daniel cried gleefully. “The mummy knows we’re here.”

            With a reassuring smile, Megan turned to Annie, whose panic must have shown on her face. “Don’t worry, Annie. There’s six of us and only one of him.”

            “One mummy sounds like enough to me.” Images from every scary mummy movie she’d seen flashed through Annie’s mind. “I’d rather not run into him, if it’s all the same to you guys.”

            “Let’s get a move on then,” Cody said with confidence. “Lead us to the treasure, Annie.”

            A jolt of surprise made Annie jump. “Me?!”

            Cody’s reassuring smile did little to put Annie at ease. “This is your adventure. What are we going to do?”

            Annie glanced at the long dark hallway in front of them. Finding a form of bravery somewhere inside herself, she stepped forward. “Let’s try to go as quietly as we can.” A horrible thought struck Annie. “Do we have any kind of defense in case we do run into the mummy?”

            Justin’s hand flashed with a pistol. “This should at least slow it down enough for us to get away from it.”

            Annie nodded, but didn’t feel reassured. They walked along in silence as their torchlights reflected off the walls in front of them. The small space magnified their footfalls until they sounded thunderous in her ears. At every corner, she expected to run into the monster, but that wasn’t the case. The darkness drew closer around them as they walked farther into the heart of the pyramid. The path ahead didn’t seem so bad now. Confidence was just starting to return when the unmistakable sound of shuffling feet reached them, coming from somewhere up ahead.

            “Uh, Justin?” Annie asked, no louder than a whisper. “I think we’re going to need your gun.”

            Justin suddenly appeared at her side. The shuffling continued, but didn’t sound any closer. Willing her eyes to penetrate the darkness ahead, there was a brilliant flash of light that illuminated the entire pathway. A figure was slowly moving forward and Annie stepped back. Wrappings trailed behind the figure, and she thought she could smell death.

            Stumbling backward now, she turned and ran.

            She only got a few feet before Cody grabbed her arm and stopped her. “We can’t get out that way, remember?”

            Evie cried, “There’s another passage just up ahead. If we hurry, we’ll reach it before the mummy.”

            Not waiting for anyone else, Annie ran faster than she thought possible, still holding her flaming torch. The passage was off to the left, and she plunged down it, nearly running into a closed wooden door. Footsteps behind her announced the arrival of the rest of the group.

            Frantically, Annie pushed on the door, willing it to move. It didn’t budge. “It must be locked!”

            Daniel came to investigate. There was no sign of a door handle. He and Justin heaved against the door. The shuffling behind them grew louder as the mummy came closer. “Come on!” Daniel’s voice was filled with impatience. “Do something!” he shouted. This was directed at Annie.

            Willing herself to calm down, Annie tried to ignore the fact that the mummy was getting closer. She thought again of the scary movies she’d seen. They were just acting, right? There had to be a way out of here. There was nowhere else to go. She pushed again on the door, but it didn’t budge.

            “He’s coming,” Megan announced.

            Annie didn’t allow herself to look behind her. Beside her, Justin cocked the gun and fired it, nearly deafening her. The mummy staggered back slightly, but continued on. Rage started to replace Annie’s fear. How were they supposed to look for treasure while a magical mummy chased them? She kicked at the door, hard. If this was a play, there had to be a way out of here. She paused as she went to kick the door again. What about magic? This was a magical pyramid, after all. Maybe there was a hidden door or something.

            Frantically, Annie ran her hands along the smooth stone walls. There! To the left of the door, she felt her hand move from stone to wood. She brushed her hand around the area until she felt a metal handle. She pulled on it, and a door appeared. Without waiting for anyone else, she dashed through the now open doorway and shone her light down another long hallway. “Come on! Hurry! We need to shut this door again!”

            Daniel, Justin, Evie, Megan, and Cody quickly followed Annie, who hurriedly shut the door behind them. As soon as it shut, it turned back into stone.

            Annie sank down to the floor in relief. While she tried to catch her breath, Cody nodded in approval. “Well done, Annie. You’ve found the secret passage. Let’s take a minute to rest before we move on.” He handed Annie a metal canteen, which she drank from gratefully.

            She had done it. It had been terrifying, but they were safe. At least for now. Maybe she could do this after all. She stood up with confidence and looked at the faces around her. She’d gotten this far into the adventure, and she knew she could finish it. “I’m ready now. Let’s go.” She started down the dark passageway, flaming torch in hand. She was ready to find the treasure.

Once In A Lifetime Adventure

 

            Annie studied herself in the mirror. She looked ridiculous, but she knew her mother would be happy. It had been her idea to sign Annie up for this experience in the first place. Glancing once more at her leather jacket and fedora hat, she walked out of the dressing room.

            Her mother’s brilliant smile greeted her. “Oh, honey, your costume is amazing!”

            Annie tried hard not to roll her eyes. “Are you sure this is necessary? I feel a little like Indiana Jones. Couldn’t I have just stayed in my shorts and T-shirt?”

            “Of course not. The director says that the costume is part of the experience.” Her mom pulled her in for a hug. “Good luck!” She gave Annie a gentle push toward the director.

            Resigning herself to this ‘once in a lifetime experience,’ she went to stand next to the director, who brightened when he saw that she was now in costume. “Very good. Now remember, you’re an archaeologist looking for the treasure in the cursed mummy’s tomb.”

            “Cursed?” Annie asked in surprise.

            “Yes. You want an adventure, right? Well, we’ve got to make this interesting.”

            “How will I know what to do? Do I have lines to remember or anything?”

            The director shook his head and smiled. “Just go with the flow. We have all our trained actors on the other side of this door.” He pulled a curtain aside to reveal a bright yellow door with a neon green trim. “All you need to do is let yourself become a part of the adventure.” With another smile, he opened the door.

            The only thing Annie could see through the door was blackness. “Um, I can’t see anything.” She would do a lot for her mother, but standing alone in the dark wasn’t one of them.

            The director put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve got to go inside for it to start. As soon as the door closes behind you, everything will become clear.” He gently guided her to the open door.

            Trying hard not to panic, Annie reluctantly drew closer to the darkness. When she reached the door, she hesitated. Could she really do this? She took a small step back, but the director was surprisingly strong. With a shove, she found herself inside the pitch darkness as the door closed behind her with a click. “Hey!” she screamed. “Let me out!”

            She ran back to where she thought the door was, but she couldn’t find it. She threw her hands out in front of her, but she didn’t feel anything. She screamed, “Get me out of here! I can’t see!”

            A blast of hot air washed over Annie. Great. Now she was blind and hot. She had to get out of there before she melted. She turned toward where the air was now blowing from. Was that a light?

            Far away, a small speck of light had appeared in the gloom. As she watched, the small dot of light got bigger. It grew brighter and brighter until she had to cover her eyes. The intensity of the light blinded her almost as much as the darkness had.

            Finally, she opened her eyes and was astounded to find herself in the middle of a blistering desert. Where was the door? She quickly spun around, but there was no sign of it. However, she did see what appeared to be a small campsite with a few tents and camels. Behind them was a massive pyramid. Her jaw dropped. Everything looked so real. Was she actually in Egypt?

            A group of people at the campsite spotted her and one of the figures ran toward her. As he grew closer, she could see that he was dressed similarly to how she was dressed. This must be the start of the adventure, then. How much had her mom paid for this? The amount of detail around her was so incredible, it all felt real. When the man reached her, he held out his hand. “Welcome to Egypt!” he cried cheerfully. “You must be Annie. I’m Cody. Are you ready for a grand adventure?”

            Sweat trickled down the back of Annie’s neck. This was too much. “I-I don’t know if I can do this.” She glanced around her. “I think I want to go back now. Where’s the way out of here?”

            Cody looked at her with compassion. “The only way out is forward, I’m afraid. Didn’t they explain anything to you?”

            Annie shook her head emphatically. “No. No one told me that it would be like this. I expected to be like an actor in a play on a stage. I didn’t agree to somehow travel to Egypt.” She was starting to get angry now. “It’s also like a thousand degrees out here!”

            Cody cleared his throat nervously. “They didn’t tell you that this was a magical adventure?”

            Annie let out her breath in exasperation. “Right, magic.” Did he really expect her to believe in magic? “I’m ready to leave now. If this is a magical adventure, then you can just magic me out of here.” She folded her arms and waited for something to happen, but Cody just watched her.

            “That’s not how it works, I’m afraid. Why don’t you follow me back to camp? Let’s figure out how to get the treasure out of the pyramid, and then you can go home.” He gestured back to the campsite.

            Annie couldn’t believe this was happening. She didn’t move for a minute as she wondered about what she should do. Realizing that she didn’t have any other choice, she took a step across the sands.

            Cody patted her shoulder as he walked next to her. “Don’t worry. This will be fun.” His smile had reappeared.

            He started talking about the expedition, but all Annie could think about was getting out of here. When this was over, she had a few things to say to her mother.

The Troubles of A Tiger

 

            Charlie was tired. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as he continued to climb the endless staircase. How did he get himself into this mess? If only he hadn’t been caught and put in a zoo exhibit. The thought filled him with shame. He hoped Daniel wouldn’t find out about that.

Charlie might look like a tiger, but he had been changed by the wizard Daniel to be a magician’s companion. After undergoing several magical transformations, he was now Daniel’s most faithful companion and had been with him for decades. Unfortunately, they had been separated when they were ambushed by a rival wizard and his minions. Daniel had been whisked away, and Charlie was sent to the zoo.

            Shaking his head to rid himself of the memory, Charlie kept climbing. He could feel that Daniel was in the building, somewhere high above him. All he had to do was reach him, and they could get out of here, away from this horrible place.

            His stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since the day before. The people at the zoo had tried to feed him raw meat, but Charlie had lost his appetite for that kind of thing long ago. He longed for Daniel’s cooking now. He seasoned and roasted all of his meats to perfection. The thought of some tender roasted chicken gave him the energy he needed to keep climbing.

            After climbing several more sets of stairs, Charlie could tell that he was getting closer to Daniel. His magical senses told him that his captors were also close by. He grew quieter as he continued to pad up the stairs. This door is the one he thought as all of his stealth instincts came to the fore.

            Turning himself invisible, he stood next to the closed door, listening. Familiar voices sounded on the other side. The rival wizard and his magical companion were questioning Daniel.

            “Where is it, old man?” The rival wizard shouted the question.

            Daniel only mumbled a reply.

            The rival wizard’s companion, a large Doberman dog, sneered back in a high-pitched voice, “You expect us to believe that? We know you’ve hidden it somewhere.”

            Of course, thought Charlie. They want the ancient spellbook. Several months ago, Daniel and Charlie had come across the book filled with awful spells, most of them incredibly destructive. They had decided it was too dangerous, and had hidden it away, but of course the entire wizarding community knew about it.

            Ever so carefully, Charlie opened the door onto a scene that made his heart sink. There was Daniel, tied to a chair, bruises all over his face. Charlie barely suppressed a growl that threatened to escape and blow his cover. Instead, he eased himself inside and made himself as small as possible. The door behind him clicked shut, and the Doberman’s head snapped toward the sound.

            While he was still invisible, he knew that the dog would catch his scent in a matter of moments. Charlie bounded over to Daniel, where he immediately untied his bonds. Using his own magical powers, he transferred some of his energy over to Daniel so they could escape. Together, they raced for the door at the other end of the room.

            Bursting through it, they saw that they had run into a closet. Daniel slammed the door behind them, and Charlie used his bulk to hold it shut. Fumbling in his robes, Daniel brought out a small pouch filled with traveling dust. He smiled as he said, “Thanks for the rescue, friend.”

Charlie purred as something slammed into the door behind him. “You’re welcome, but we’d better get out of here quickly.”

Without answering, Daniel sprinkled the dust into an area in front of them, where it glowed an electric blue. Together, the two friends stepped into the magical dust and were whisked away. They reappeared a moment later on a deserted beach on a tropical island. A relieved sigh escaped from Charlie. He knew that they would have to deal with the rival wizard again, but for now, they were safe. He soaked in the rays of golden sunshine as his stomach reminded him of something. “So, Daniel, can we get something to eat?”

A Mountain Test

 

            Chloe tripped over a rock and felt herself start to slide back down the path. With her heart in her throat, she grabbed wildly for anything that would anchor her before she fell off the side of the mountain.

            Pain shot up her hand as her fingers successfully grabbed an exposed tree root. Taking a minute to catch her breath, her whole body quivered with panic. Finally daring to open her eyes, she looked behind her.

            Letting out a huge sigh of relief, she saw that she had stopped at least ten feet away from the steep dropoff. Still trembling with fear, she slowly stood up and called out, “Jameson, where are you?”

            Not really expecting an answer, she was still disappointed when only the rustling leaves sounded around her. What was she doing here? Did she really expect her spirit guide to appear before she finished the test? Jameson told her that she had to conquer her fears without him so she could get accepted to the prestigious school of magic, Lionel Academy.

            There was no question that Chloe would be able to handle all the coursework, but each applicant had to prove their bravery without the help of their spirit guides. Closing her eyes, she saw herself receiving her entrance certificate. She was not going to let her fear of heights stop her from getting it.

            Taking one more look at the yawning chasm behind her, she steeled herself and started climbing once again. The way was steep, and she found herself almost on her hands and knees. She didn’t allow herself to think about how far she had come, or how long the drop would be if she fell off the cliff. She was going to show everyone that she wouldn’t let herself be afraid.

            Each step she moved closer to the top was a small victory. She had always been afraid of heights, and even climbing a ladder scared her. She felt her mind getting pulled back to the bone-crushing fall that could happen if she slipped and fell. She started singing “Life Is a Highway” at the top of her lungs to drown out the thoughts of death.

            Two hours later, she finally stepped onto the peak of the mountain where she immediately fell to her knees and struggled to catch her breath. When she could speak, she called out, “Jameson!”

            The sight of her familiar appearing next to her filled her with immense relief. Jameson spread his great wings and landed in front of her. She was excited to see him in his dragon form. “Congratulations, Chloe!” He allowed her to hug him before continuing, “You’ve proven that you can continue moving forward even in the face of fear and danger.” He pulled away and looked her right in the eye. “You deserve your spot at Lionel Academy.”

            Chloe beamed, feeling like she had conquered a mountain, which indeed, she had. The grin that spread across her face seemed to light up her whole body. “Thanks, Jameson. It must have been hard for you to just sit back and watch. But you would have rescued me if I fell, right?”

            Jameson nervously cleared his throat. “Well, are you ready to get off this mountain?”

            Trying not to think about what would have happened if she had fallen, Chloe answered, “Of course!” She reached out to grab Jameson’s wing, and with a loud crack, they were off the mountain and back on familiar ground. After taking several deep breaths, she said, “I’m okay if I never have to do that again.” She looked forward to learning more magic at school and hoped she wouldn’t be required to climb any more mountains.

A Magical Test

 

Jordan looked hopelessly around at the endless expanse of trees and undergrowth. He didn’t want to admit it, but…

“We’re lost, aren’t we?” Johnny, the African parrot on his shoulder, cut into his thoughts.

Jordan tried to keep the fear out of his voice as he said, “Well, maybe. I just don’t recognize this place.”

Johnny clicked his beak. “Weren’t you paying attention?”

Annoyance flashed through Jordan. “What about you? We’re supposed to be doing this together.”

Jordan felt Johnny’s claws tighten on his shoulder. “Come on, you’re the wizard. I’m just your good luck charm.”

Shaking his head, Jordan said, “You know you’re much more than a good luck charm. I wouldn’t be a wizard without you.”

Spreading his wings proudly, Johnny said, “Of course. Thank you for acknowledging my importance.”

Jordan couldn’t stop the smile that crept over his face. “Well then, Mr. Importance, which way do we go?”

Johnny carefully arranged his feathers and thought. “What are we supposed to be looking for again?”

Jordan barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “Just the magical spellbook that will teach us how to be wizards.” This was the first test to prove that they could use their new magic. If they failed, they would go their separate ways and Jordan would go back to his previous boring life. Looking over at his new friend, he felt his resolve harden. They may have only just met, but their friendship was deeper than any other he’d experienced. He was not going to lose that now.

Studying the dark trees around him, he looked for any kind of clue that would lead them where they needed to go. The strange forest let in very little sunlight, and rustling leaves surrounded them. “What do you think, Johnny?”

Cocking his head, Johnny stopped to listen. “Everything looks and sounds the same in here, but there’s got to be something we’re missing.”

An idea popped in Jordan’s head. “Why don’t you fly up into the trees and see if you notice anything different from up there?”

The weight on Jordan’s shoulder disappeared as Johnny launched himself in a burst of feathers. Jordan watched as the gray parrot flew high into the treetops. “See anything?” A shaft of sunlight blinded him temporarily, and he had to look away. He could no longer see Johnny anywhere.

After a few anxious minutes, Johnny’s gray wings finally reappeared and he settled himself back on Jordan’s shoulder. “The only things I could see were miles and miles of the same trees that surround us down here. This is obviously a magical forest, and we won’t get anywhere without cracking some kind of code or something.”

A magical forest? What were they supposed to do? How were they going to find a magical book in an ocean of trees? “Maybe we’ve got to use magic?” Jordan had no idea how to use his new magic, but it seemed the obvious answer to their problem. “You know how it felt when we connected? That felt pretty magical. Let’s try that again.”

“All I know is that you’re the one that drew me to you. Just do that for the book.”

Jordan thought back. How exactly had it happened? He had so desperately wanted to be a wizard. When he finally had a chance to call a companion, he had no idea how to do it. As the minutes passed, he’d grown more and more worried until finally he noticed something different. It was as though an invisible string had been tied to him and someone was pulling on it. Intrigued, he pulled back on the line and was astounded when Johnny came and landed gracefully on his shoulder.

Could he do the same thing again, but with the book? He looked within himself and saw his connection to Johnny. It already seemed stronger than when he’d first felt it. He kept searching and found… nothing.

“Why don’t you try calling out loud for the book?” Johnny’s sudden question made Jordan jump.

“Okay.” Feeling slightly foolish, he called, “I need the magic book!” Absolutely nothing happened.

“You should try that again, but feel for it with your magic this time.” Johnny’s eyes shone and Jordan wondered if he was laughing at him. But no, it was excitement in his eyes, and Jordan felt it too.

“Where is the magic book?” This time, when Jordan called out for the book, he looked within himself and waited for some kind of magical feeling.

At first, he didn’t notice anything different, but then a thought shot right to him… from the woods. Now he knew what to do. “This way.” Confidently, he followed the feeling, and he could tell immediately that he was going in the right direction.

Johnny flapped his wings in excitement, saying, “There we go! I knew I made the right choice when I came to you!”

Continuing to follow the magical pull, the two friends strode deeper and deeper into the woods. The feeling grew stronger as they walked at least a mile. Finally, they reached a small clearing, and Jordan knew this was it. Pulling aside some branches, he looked into a beautiful, grassy area and saw a book, sitting on a tree stump. Without any hesitation, he picked it up and knew it was what they’d been looking for.

The feeling intensified as he opened the book and a beam of light shot straight into the sky. A mighty wind built and grew and he threw up his hand to protect himself from the sudden tornado.

When the wind subsided, he was surprised to see a man standing in the clearing next to him. “Oh, well done Jordan and Johnny!” He shook Jordan’s hand while Jordan just gazed back, dazed.

“You two were the first ones to find your book. Congratulations on recognizing your new magic!”

At these words, Jordan found his voice again. “Thank you!” He grinned from ear to ear and felt the excitement from Johnny, too. They had done it! He was going to become a real wizard!

As he followed the man out of the clearing, Johnny whispered in his ear, “Good job, partner! I’m proud to be on your team!” The bird squeezed his shoulder affectionately.

Still grinning, Jordan reached up to softly stroke Johnny’s gray feathers. “Thank you for your help, friend.” For he knew that he wouldn’t have been able to find the book without Johnny. This was going to be a great friendship.

Witch In Training

 

            When Maybelle woke up that morning, the first thing she did was savor the silence. It was the only peace she would get at home all day. Taking in a deep breath, she relished the fresh air coming in through the open window, completely free of steam and smoke.

            A minute later, she heard her sister, Arielle, stir in her bed on the other side of the room. A muffled, “Good morning,” sounded from the pile of blankets.

            Sighing, Maybelle reluctantly returned the greeting. “Good morning.”

            As the sisters got ready for the day, Maybelle was once again astounded at the level of noise her sister made in everything she did. Dresser drawers slammed while Arielle stomped around, trying to get herself ready. Dressing as fast as she could, Maybelle escaped downstairs.

            Breakfast was a noisy affair as Arielle informed them all of her plans for the day. Maybelle barely suppressed a groan when she heard that Arielle was going to be practicing her potion making again. She had really hoped that she could have a break from the oppressive smoke and fumes.

            She couldn’t wait until she was old enough to start her own magical education. She was sure that she would be able to do things so much quieter and cleaner than her sister. For now, she was more of an assistant who was sent to fetch potion ingredients and to help in whatever else her parents or Arielle needed.

            When she was sent to gather potion ingredients later that morning, Maybelle took as long as she could. She knew she would be able to get most of the ingredients at the local apothecary, so she walked slowly along the path and enjoyed the stillness of the forest. The potion that her sister was supposed to make today was a sleeping draught. While not technically in training yet, Maybelle knew a lot from having to help her sister, and this potion was supposed to be fairly easy. The one ingredient that she wouldn’t find at the apothecary was fox fur. Luckily, she knew the location of a den that was close by.

            When she finally returned home, it was nearing lunchtime. “What took you so long?” Her mother looked at her reproachfully. “Arielle’s been ready for a while. She needs the fox fur right away.”

            Steeling herself, Maybelle headed to the room that served as a laboratory. Just as she feared, steam was pouring out of the room into the hall, as well as the smell of rotten eggs. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she handed the ingredients over to Arielle, who was standing focused over her cauldron. Without taking her eyes from the potion, Arielle said, “Finally. Just leave the stuff on the table.”

            “Is it supposed to smell like that?” Maybelle’s eyes were watering now and she let out a little cough.

            “I’m not sure, but I think I can fix it.” Searching through the bag that Maybelle had brought her, she pulled out some dried lavender. “This should do the trick.” She threw it haphazardly into her cauldron.

            Maybelle’s eyes widened. “Are you sure that’s going to work?”

            For the first time, Arielle focused a scathing gaze on Maybelle. “Of course. I’m the one practicing magic, remember?”

            Rolling her eyes, Maybelle retreated outside to the cooler, clearer air. She knew that while lavender did make potions more aromatic, too much of it could also have adverse results. The potion could easily boil over and become useless, or even…

            An explosion sounded from inside the house, and Maybelle closed her eyes in frustration. Arielle had definitely used too much lavender, and now the laboratory was surely covered with the half-made sleeping draught. She sighed as she waited for her mother to call for her help cleaning up. She knew that the rest of the day would be spent scrubbing walls free of the vile-smelling potion. She wondered if she should just sleep outside tonight. It might be cold, but at least she wouldn’t have to sleep with the smell of rotten eggs in her nose.

            “Maybelle, we’re going to need your help in here!” Her mother’s voice seemed to float over from far away. With a groan, Maybelle headed toward the house and mentally prepared herself to scrub the slimy, smelly potion for the next few hours. She couldn’t wait until it was her turn to start her magical training. Then she could show her sister how to properly make a potion.

Potion Shop

 

            Helga smiled as she leaned over her potion. Mixing up the Sleeping Death always put her in a good mood. The sticky sweet smell of the apples mixed with the cinnamon and nutmeg always made her think of cool fall mornings.

            The spring season had just started, and she’d gotten a surprising amount of requests for the Sleeping Death Potion. Who would have thought that when the Wicked Queen used it on Snow White all those years ago, that it would be so popular today? Nowadays there were women who used the Sleeping Death just to try to get a handsome prince to kiss them.

            Helga nearly laughed out loud. No one had been kissed by a prince, but her potions still flew off the shelves nonetheless.

            The bell above the door tinkled, signaling the arrival of a customer. Straightening up, Helga went over to meet them. Her good mood improved when she saw it was Dana. She came in at least once a week looking for magical cures for all of her problems. “What can I do for you today, Dana?”

            The look on Dana’s face was one of exasperation. After letting out an annoyed huff of air, she said, “I need something to take care of the slugs in my garden.”

            Helga raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Weren’t you having problems with your garden last week?”

            “Well, it was the crickets last week. I used what you gave me, and the crickets have all disappeared, but now I feel like I’m being overrun by slugs.” Dana folded her arms and stared at Helga. “Do you have anything that can help me out?”

            Helga tipped her head back to think. “Yes, I think I’ve got something that will take care of the slugs, but it needs to be sprinkled over your garden under the light of a full moon.”

            Dana’s face brightened. “Perfect! The full moon is tonight! I’ll take some, please.”

            Studying her shelves carefully, Helga found what she needed and brought a bright purple bottle over to the counter. “This should take care of your problem.” She checked the price and wrote it into her big book. “Would you like anything else?”

            Dana eagerly walked up to the counter. “No, thank you.” She paid for her potion and hurriedly left.

            After watching for a few minutes to make sure she wasn’t coming back, Helga let out a hearty laugh. “Yes, that will definitely take care of your slugs, but you’ll be back next week, looking for a way to get rid of your new mice problem.” Still chuckling, she went back to concocting her potion.

            The thing that most people didn’t understand around here was that once you grew dependent on magical cures for everything, you would always need more. It was an addiction that was more powerful than anything else. Helga had definitely made the right choice to set up shop here. There was always work for a witch.

Secret Pet

 

            Joel rose silently from his bed and dressed quickly. The birds were already awake and singing their morning songs even though the sun hadn’t fully risen yet.

            The clock on the dresser said 6:34. Thinking of how hard it had been to get up early during the school year, Joel smiled. If this had been a normal summer’s day, he would still be asleep and wouldn’t stir until at least ten o’clock. But today was different. Unable to stop thinking about what had happened yesterday, he couldn’t wait another second for the day to get started. Tiptoeing downstairs, he slipped on his shoes and was out the door and into the backyard.

            Heart thumping with anticipation, he darted to his hiding place behind the shed. The sight of the makeshift box he had constructed yesterday filled him with relief. It was still here and completely closed. “Hey, I’m back,” he whispered as he gently took the lid off. Peering inside, he was happy to see that his new pet was awake, alert, and waiting for him.

            The fiery golden eyes looked intelligently up at him as he reached inside and brought out the small creature, whose head leaned affectionately into his hand. “I’ve been thinking about you all night. I didn’t tell anyone about you, because who would have believed that I had found a real dragon?”

            The small green dragon cocked its head as though it were listening and could understand what Joel was saying. He settled down on the grass and set the dragon on the ground.

            Feeling like he was talking to a friend, he continued. “Where did you come from anyway? I’m sure dragons don’t just appear in people’s backyards.” He watched as the little dragon stretched out his tiny wings and got comfortable in Joel’s lap.

He thought about the day before when he had come out to mow the lawn. This little guy had been sitting in front of the shed, almost like he was waiting for him. Joel had stopped in his tracks and watched as the small dragon walked toward him and sniffed his shoes. Slowly, not wanting to scare him, he reached down to touch it and was surprised when it hopped right into his outstretched hand. It immediately climbed onto his shoulder and stayed there. He stayed while Joel mowed the lawn, and Joel started to wonder what he was going to do with it.

It was getting late and he enjoyed having the little dragon with him. His parents weren’t pet people, and he wasn’t sure how they would feel about a dragon. So, he had hastily made a small box out of some wood scraps and set the dragon inside, explaining that he would return in the morning.

Looking at the dragon now, he still couldn’t believe it was real. Dragons were only found in fairy tales and old legends, right? The morning grew brighter as he sat with the little green dragon. The creature didn’t seem afraid of Joel at all as he continued to talk to it.

When he heard the sounds of his family stirring inside the house, Joel knew he would have to go back inside soon. Sighing, he picked up the dragon to put him back inside the box. As he did so, he was shocked when the creature spoke. “Well Joel, aren’t you going to give me a name?”

For a moment, all Joel could do was stare. When he found his voice, he said, “You can talk?”

The little head nodded. “Why not? I’m a dragon, aren’t I?” He stared into Joel’s eyes. “Of all the people I’ve ever seen, you are the only one who’s ever been able to see me.”

“No one else can see you?”

“I’ve been around a long time, and no one else has ever noticed me before. I’ve searched around the world for someone who could see magic.”

“Magic?!” Joel couldn’t believe this was happening.

“I’ve been waiting for you to give me a name, but I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. Once you name me, I’ll be able to show you so much more.”

Joel’s disbelief was changing and grew into excitement. A slow smile was spreading across his face. “Okay, I’ll give you a name.” It wasn’t hard to choose and he’d been thinking about it anyway. The dragon’s gleaming green scales made it easier. “How about Jadyn?”

As soon as he said the dragon’s name, the air shimmered around him and Jadyn grew until he was taller than the shed. Joel’s eyes widened as Jadyn shook himself and spread out his now massive wings. “Ah, that’s much better. Thank you, Joel.”

Joel nodded, feeling a little nervous. The dragon that used to fit inside his hand was now too big to go inside his house.

Seemingly unconcerned, Jadyn went on. “You and I are now connected. I will teach you everything, and together, we’ll be able to do great things.”

When Joel went inside later, he tried to act normal, but he couldn’t help looking outside the window every minute to see Jadyn sitting regally on the back lawn. He’d always wanted to do something exciting, and this went beyond his wildest dreams. He couldn’t wait to go back outside and continue the adventure of a lifetime.

Trapdoor

 

            Thunk!

            Lily sat bolt upright in bed as the unfamiliar sound reverberated in the darkness.

            Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

            As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she realized the sound was coming from below. Was someone doing something downstairs? Maybe she should go and get Dad.

            Throwing her covers aside, her feet found the soft carpeted floor, and she walked slowly to the door. Her clock read 2:43 AM and she didn’t want to trip over anything in the blackness.

            Suddenly, the carpet under her feet disappeared and she found herself standing on something hard. Was it a piece of wood or something? She didn’t remember leaving anything like that on her floor. Crouching down, she felt the object she was standing on. She moved back to the carpet when she realized it was indeed wood. She tried to pick it up to move it out of the way, but it wouldn’t budge.

            The thumping sound had stopped, but now she had to figure out what this thing was in the middle of her floor. Her fingers moved around until she found something that felt like a handle. Grabbing it tightly, she pulled.

            Light streamed into her room from the hole that had appeared in her floor. The thing that she had pulled had been a trapdoor. The light was so bright, it was painful after the darkness.

            When she could open her eyes without squinting, she looked down into the hole. Was she dreaming? What was this? A rope ladder stretched down as far as she could see. Bright blue sky was now below her, without any sign of the ground. Feeling a little dizzy, she scooted away from the abyss, trying to figure out what on Earth was happening.

            After closing her eyes and taking several deep breaths, she opened her eyes again, hoping things would just disappear. To her disappointment, nothing had changed. Her room was still flooded with light that was pouring in from the hole in her floor. She stared at it, trying to make it make sense.

            But what was that on the inside of the trapdoor? She scooted a little closer until she saw the note attached to it. As she read the note, she knew she must be dreaming. If the trapdoor hadn’t been enough, this note certainly meant she must still be lying in bed with her eyes closed. It said: “Congratulations! You’ve been chosen to visit the World of Dreams. Climb down the ladder to experience anything your heart desires. Anything you can dream up can be a reality here. All you need to do is state the dream you want to experience, and then climb down the ladder.”

            After staring at the note for a full minute, Lily decided to try it out. If this was all a dream anyway, what would it hurt? Scooting forward until she was poised at the very edge of the hole, she leaned over the space and shouted, “I want to be able to fly around!”

            When she finished shouting, she leaned back and waited for something to happen. Nothing changed, and after a few minutes, she decided to go down and try the ladder. Telling herself that this was all just a dream, she lowered herself to get her feet on the ladder, which was swaying in the breeze. She nearly came right back up, but she kept going down.

            Her hands gripped the top rung of the ladder. She went down another rung, and the rope swung violently. Her body rocked backwards with the ladder, and she lost her footing. With a scream stuck in her throat, the rungs of the ladder slipped out of her grasp and she was falling. Air rushed past her as she reached out for anything to grab onto.

            With her arms flapping like a bird’s, she noticed something. She wasn’t falling anymore. The ladder was just out of her reach, but it wasn’t zooming past her. Hardly daring to believe it, she relaxed slightly and held her arms out like the wings of an airplane. She angled her body to the right, and she glided closer to the ladder. Grinning now, she tried moving in different ways, and was delighted when she was able to move how she wanted. Soon, she was spinning in the air, doing loop-de-loops and having a fantastic time.

            After soaring around for a while, she began to think again about her bed and headed back to the ladder and up through the trapdoor. Once she pulled herself up through the opening, she heaved the trapdoor closed and crawled into bed, smiling. Her last thought before she fell back asleep was, I hope I dream this again. Next time, I’m going to ask for cake and ice cream and eat as much as I want. Then she was lost to sleep.

An Unexpected Bird

 

            “Hey, Bill, wait up!” John ran to catch up to Bill, who was already speeding along the trail. “You’re going to miss things by going so fast. I saw a ring-necked pheasant near here the other day.”

            Bill smirked. “A ring-necked pheasant? That’s small potatoes compared to the birds that I want to see.”

            “What is it that you’re looking for?” John had caught up to his friend and was breathing heavily.

            “Oh, something much more interesting.” With no further explanation, Bill walked at a breakneck pace until they reached a small clearing surrounded by towering oak trees.

            John craned his neck to look up into the treetops with his binoculars. “Is this the place you were looking for?”

            Bill wasn’t listening. Counting trees under his breath, he stopped when he reached seven. “This way.” He strode in between two of the oak giants and John hurried to follow.

            Plunging into darkness, the two young men pushed aside branches as they followed a very faint trail. With all of his attention focused on keeping his face free of scratches, John didn’t notice when Bill stopped and he bumped right into him. Annoyed, he wanted to yell, but he saw the excitement on his friend’s face and he paused.

            In a hushed whisper, Bill said, “Okay, this is it. Got your binoculars ready? I don’t know how close we’ll be able to get.” He slowly moved forward to what John could now see was an opening through the trees to a large clearing.

            Binoculars in hand, John felt his excitement growing. This had to be a truly spectacular bird. What could it be? An owl perhaps? It was certainly dark enough in these woods. He strained his ears to hear the telltale hoot-hoot of an owl, but what he heard instead made him stop dead in his tracks.

            A screeching roar rang out of the stillness ahead. Feeling the blood drain out of his face, John’s voice came out as little more than a whisper. “W-what was that?”

To his surprise, Bill had a triumphant smile on his face. “It’s what we’ve been looking for. Come on! There’s a great spot to watch just up here.”

            With more than a little trepidation, John followed his friend to a small rise which had an unobstructed view of the entire clearing in front of them. He had to rub his eyes several times before he realized what he was seeing. “Are those… dragons?”

            Three giant, lizard-like beasts were lounging in the clearing. All of them were different colors, but they still seemed to manage to match their surroundings. Blue, green, and yellow shades ran together over diamond-hard scales and were only detectable once they moved. The massive creatures seemed to be slowly rousing from a nap. Translucent wings spread out as the dragons stretched, each one of them as big as a house.

            Words left John as his throat grew too dry to swallow.

            Bill, however, was beaming. “Told you this was better than spotting pheasants!” He pulled his own binoculars up to his face. “When they’re on the ground like this, it’s much easier to get a good look at them.”

            A yellow-green dragon displayed all of its lethal-looking teeth as it yawned. Images of getting caught and trapped with those teeth flashed through John’s mind. With effort, he whispered, “Are we safe up here?”

            “Oh, sure. I’ve been here lots of times. Just don’t make any sudden moves.”

            John didn’t think he could move if he tried. He could only stare as fear paralyzed him. After a few minutes, one of the dragons, a blue-green one, gave a few experimental flaps of its wings. The entire clearing was blasted with a wind that nearly knocked the two friends over. Suddenly, the dragon crouched and sprang directly up into the air and started to fly away. More wingbeats followed as the other two dragons took off and flew away as well.

            The sudden stillness in the clearing was deafening. Finally convincing himself to move, John sat down in the dirt with his head in his hands. “How?” was all he said.

            Sitting at ease beside him, Bill answered. “You know we’ve been friends for a long time, right? Well, I thought it was finally time to show you where I came from.”

            John stared hard at his friend. “What are you talking about?”

            With a smile, Bill wrapped his arm around John. “I’ve just brought you to a magical land where legendary creatures from your world actually exist. My family and I were sent to live in your world to see how you live without magic.” Sadness spread across his face for a moment. “It’s like living without color. I wanted to show you how things can really be.”

            John looked into Bill’s face and saw that he was more animated than he’d ever seen him. As his fear started to dissipate, he began to understand what Bill meant. After seeing dragons, he couldn’t imagine anything else looking as majestic and full of life as they had been. He gave a small smile. “You know, you’re right. But maybe you could warn me next time you show me something like that. Those were definitely not birds.”