My NaNo story!

Chatterbox: Inkwell

My NaNo story!

My NaNo story!

This is my first time doing NaNo, so if you guys have I feedback, I really want to hear it!  

Okey-doke, I'm going to post segments of my NaNo story here every Wednesday. Or when ever I have one done. But probably on Wednesday. Anyhoo, I hope you like the story!

~~~

Chapter One

Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring....

Sasha winced. Even over the chatter that filled the lunchroom, the school's insistent bell rang and rang. It was necessary, sure, but why did it have to be so loud?

"There's the bell!" chirped Sasha's best friend, Dawn. She tossed her dark brown hair over her shoulder, scooped her sandwiches into her lunchbox (none to neatly, but that was typical for Dawn), and started walking towards the trash cans. "You don't want to be late for science, do you? Mrs. Merivale will be SO mad."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Sasha said over the shrill ringing of the bell. Seriously, why didn't it just shut up already? She tucked her foil-wrapped leftovers into her lunchbox (much more carefully than Dawn had) and joined her best friend at the lunchroom doors.

As they entered the halls of their middle school, Stafford School for Intelligent Youth, Dawn began to chatter about the homework quiz they'd done the night before. "I mean, usually history is easy, but Mr. Preston threw us, like, TEN trick questions. I mean, come ON. Number four was NOT fair. How should WE know who Levi P. Morton was vice president to?! We've been studying the PRESIDENTS, not the VICE presidents. And number 8..." Dawn kept up a steady stream of chatter all the way to science class. Used to the constant talking of her best friend, Sasha walked alongside, only half-listening. 

She was thinking about the other homework she'd done last night, which was, incidentally, for science. Its questions had been as tricky as the ones for history. So tricky, in fact, that she was pretty sure that it had been given to her by mistake, and was meant for someone two grades older than her. She'd done what she could, of course, but it mentioned things that her older sister, Geneva, had talked about learning, and she was in high school! Sasha just hoped that Mrs. Merivale would be lenient, as she had a reputation for being the strictest teacher at their school. 

Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the second bell, which was even shriller than the first. "Eep!" Dawn yelped. "We'd better get going!" The pair quickened their pace, hurrying through the hallways.

When they reached the science lab, about half the class was already there. Dawn slid into her seat as Sasha approached the teacher desk. "Mrs. Merivale?" 

"Hmmm?" Mrs. Merivale was scanning some papers on her desk, most likely homework she'd already received. 

Sasha took a deep breath. "I think you gave me the wrong homework."

Mrs. Merivale looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Sasha could feel her cheeks beginning to flush. She barreled on, pulling the quiz out of her bag. "See, the questions are asking about things that you've never taught us. Like question 10 talks about things my sister has mentioned learning, and she's in high school, so this might be the wrong quiz or something..." She trailed off. Mrs. Merivale was looking over her homework with an unreadable expression. Had she said something wrong? Or was it the right quiz after all, and she just hadn't been paying attention?

"This is the wrong quiz," Mrs. Merivale mused, and Sasha breathed a sigh of relief. "This is intended for 9th graders." She reached into her desk, shuffled through some papers, and finally pulled out a quiz. "Here you are. It's still due tomorrow, I'm afraid. I can't extend the deadline."

"That's all right," Sasha replied, relieved she hadn't gotten in trouble. She hurried back to her seat, pulled out her textbook, and waited for class to start.

By the time the third bell rang, everyone was in their seats, most people chatting aimlessly. Mrs. Merivale took attendance, then clapped to get everyone's attention. "Textbooks away, if you please," she instructed. 

Dawn and Sasha exchanged a puzzled look. This wasn't exactly normal. Usually, Mrs. Merivale started class by reviewing some piece of information or the last page or so of the textbook. Sasha tucked away her textbook with the rest of class, and wondered what Mrs. Merivale had planned. A pop quiz? She sincerely hoped not.

"Stand up!" She directed. This was even less normal. Chairs scraped against the floor as the slightly confused class stood up. Dawn shot Sasha a "what's happening?" look. Sasha shrugged and made a "how should I know?" face in return. 

"Now, we are going to do a little exercise. Form into pairs." Dawn and Sasha made a beeline for each other as the rest of the class dutifully shuffled around. "Now, one of you find three things that are alive, and the other should find three things that aren't. You have ten minutes. Go." All the teams scrambled off to find the items requested, most still shooting the occasional curious look towards Mrs. Merivale. 

"I'll look for the living stuff?" Dawn offered. Sasha agreed, and they split up. Sasha gathered her items, and within minutes, the entire class was seated again.  Dawn glanced over at Sasha's desk, then frowned, whispering, "You were supposed to find the not-living stuff!" Sasha's forehead wrinkled. "I know," she whispered back. "Then why-" Dawn started, but Mrs. Merivale cut her off.

"No talking in class, young ladies." Sasha and Dawn both blushed, but Mrs. Merivale was already talking again. "Now, take your items up to my desk, keeping it in separate piles, living things on the left, non-living things on the right." She waited until the class was settled again. "Now. In the living pile, we have a lot of different things. Flowers, leaves, a few test tubes full of mold... Seems that everyone's done a good job here. And in the non-living pile, there are rocks, fossils, more rocks, a dried flower or two..." Mrs. Merivale paused, picking up a leaf with a curious expression on her face. "Why is there a leaf in the non-living pile?" 

"That was me, Mrs. Merivale." The words were out of Sasha's mouth before she could stop them. Immediately, she wished she could take them back. The entire class turned in their seats to face her, their expressions ranging from huh to she's a weirdo. Mrs. Merivale raised an eyebrow. "Explain your reasoning, please."

Sasha squirmed under the weight of so many eyes upon her. "Um, I..." She took a deep breath. "A leaf isn't technically alive. It's part of something alive, but not alive itself. To say a leaf would be alive is kind of like saying someone's arm is alive. Which an arm isn't. Just to clear. Because the person's alive, but not the arm. Not that the arm is dead, it just isn't alive." Stop babbling! Just shut your mouth and get on with it! 

Mrs. Merivale nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose that makes sense." Her eyes were nearly unreadable. Curious, a bit surprised, but there's something else, too. Suspicion? Interest? Sasha couldn't quite place it. And there's something about the way she was staring at her. Some edge to it that Sasha couldn't shake off. 

That gaze stayed with her through the rest of the day. All through Math and Social Studies, Sasha felt the echoes of that gaze on her. Whatever it was that she couldn't place lurked in the back of her mind. Even at home, petting her cat and eating dinner, she felt slightly unsettled, and she had no idea why. It was only once she was lying in bed, listening to her cat's rumbling purrs, that she realized what else was in that stare. She'd seen it whenever Mrs. Merivale had a new specimen to show the class, or a new chart to display. Fascination. Mrs. Merivale was fascinated by Sasha's answer. The last thought she had before drifting off to sleep was Why?

submitted by Snazzycakes, Eternalia
(November 4, 2020 - 7:02 pm)

Ooh, this is good! I like the aspect of mystery. Are you on the CB classroom on YWP? I am, and I'm _Honeybee_

Anyway, this looks great! I can't quite tell the direction the story's going in...realistic fiction? Mystery? Fantasy? Keep up the good work! 

submitted by Honeybee
(November 4, 2020 - 11:22 pm)
submitted by Top!
(November 5, 2020 - 1:49 pm)

Thank you! It'll definetely go in the fantasy direction in either Chapter 2 or 3. We'll see. And no, I'm not on YWP's classrooms. My parents want me to stick with the CB. 

submitted by Snazzycakes, Eternalia
(November 5, 2020 - 4:27 pm)

Wow! This is really good. I love the story so far and am interested in where this is going. I saw in your comment that it will be a fansty book, so I'm wondering how that will come into play. I'm super excited to see the next chapter of this book! 

submitted by Mango (AgentMango), age 11
(November 7, 2020 - 5:35 pm)

Thank you! I'm so glad you like it. The fantasy elements will be magic, witches, and dragons. Well, just the one dragon. But still. ;)

submitted by Snazzycakes, Eternalia
(November 8, 2020 - 11:34 am)

There was some trouble with my NaNoWriMo account, so the next chapter might be later than I thought. Sorry! :(

submitted by Snazzycakes, Eternalia
(November 9, 2020 - 4:56 pm)
submitted by toppity top!, age tothetop!, top top
(November 14, 2020 - 8:56 am)

OK, I'm really sorry about the delay. I've sort of been neglecting NaNo because homework. And school. And life. Anyway I'm really sorry. I have most of a chapter done, so I'll post what I have! I'm thinking from now on, on Mondays and/or Saturdays I'll post what I've written so far. So instead of whole chapters every couple weeks, it'll be parts of chapters once or twice a week. Sound good?

On that note, here's some/most of the next chapter!

~~~

The next day, Sasha was late to school. It wasn't her fault. Mostly her cat's, who had clawed her jeans, slept in front of several doorways she needed to get through, and had been about to eat her math homework before she had distracted him with a piece of string. By the time she had managed to scramble out the door, the bus was already gone. She had had to get her dad to drop her off on his way to work. As the car pulled up to the curb, she practically leapt outside and flew into the building and through the halls. She was lucky science was her first class. Mrs. Merivale was usually lenient and kind, only marking you as late if you weren't there when she began to teach. She slid into her desk just as Mrs. Merivale was about to move on and mark her as late. 

"Wait! I'm here! I'm here!" she gasped, plopping her backpack onto the floor. "Not late! Totally here!" 

A smile flickered across Mrs. Merivale's face. "Very well, Sasha." She marked her as present and pulled out a sheaf of papers from her desk. "In fact, you're just in time for the quiz!" 

Right on cue, a multitude of sighs, groans, and moans issued from the class. Mrs. Merivale wagged a finger. "Now, now, it won't be that bad." She put a certain emphasis on "that" that made her statement not that reassuring. "This isn't your typical quiz. It's actually to see if you would qualify for a special science program going on with a nearby middle school. Here, I'll explain if someone would be so kind as to pass these papers out."

A hand shot up from the back row. "Thank you, Devante," Mrs. Merivale said, handing him the papers. "Now. This program is intended to pair up like-minded scientific individuals in order to further introduce you to all the ways there are to view science. This middle school, Jermont Academy, is an institution..."

As Mrs. Merivale continued to explain, Sasha accepted her paper and scanned the questions. Mrs. Merivale was right. This was not a normal science quiz. The questions were all "What scientific study did you have the most fun practicing?" and "If your lab partner was wrong, would you point it out or keep quiet? Explain." and "What aspects of science do you dislike and/or abhor?" 

"Begin!" Mrs. Merivale announced. "You have 15 minutes." Sasha's head snapped up. "Uh, what?" she asked, but the rest of the class was already writing. Sasha winced. Too late now, she thought.

Ducking her head, she stared at the first question. Is dissection ethical? Explain. Sasha thought, tapping her pencil against the edge of her desk. It depends, she finally wrote. If you kill an animal simply for the purpose of dissection, that is not ethical. "Scientific research" is no reason to kill. On the other hand, if the specimen was already dead, it would be fine to dissect it. You are not taking anything from the creature or its ecosystem, and you are gaining knowledge in the process. Sasha stared at her answer. The question seemed odd. Was she misreading it? Was her answer the type of answer that Mrs. Merivale would be looking for. Should she change it?

"Two minutes gone, everybody," Mrs. Merivale announced. "Two minutes gone." But on the other hand, Sasha really needed to focus and finish. Deciding to keep her answer, she jotted down her answers for the other questions. She ended up being mostly finished by the time Devante came around again to collect their finished quizzes. 

The rest of the class was mostly uneventful. They were assigned another textbook chapter to read, discussed the meaning of the word "herpetology", and memorized another section of the periodic table.

By the time the bell rang, Sasha was totally ready for study hall. She was only mildly bored out of her mind by the endless repetition of "Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus, Sulfur..." of the entire class. As soon as the bell rang for study hall, she stuffed her textbook into her bag, swung it over her shoulder, and walked over to the door with Dawn.

"Sasha? Will you come here for a moment?" Mrs. Merivale called.

"Uh oh," Dawn joked, sighing dramatically, "What did you do now?" Sasha swatted her friend lightly on the arm and turned towards the teacher desk. "Go ahead to study hall without me," she said over her shoulder. "All right," Dawn called back. "Meet you there!"

As Sasha approached Mrs. Merivale's desk, the teacher was sorting the quizzes into piles. She held up Sasha's. "I like your answers," she told her. "I would have said much of the same thing." 

Sasha nodded, but stayed silent. She knew this couldn't be just about the quiz. 

Mrs. Merivale continued sorting papers. "And you did quite well memorizing the section of the periodic table."

Again, Sasha nodded, waiting for the real reason she was here.

Mrs. Merivale kept sorting papers. Left pile, right pile, left pile, left pile, right pile, right pile...

Finally, Sasha couldn't stand it. She blurted, "Is this because I was late? It was a one-time thing, I promise. It won't happen again. It's just that my cat was being really distracting, and then I missed the bus, and then there was traffic on the road out of my neighborhood..."

"Oh, not at all!" Mrs. Merivale said, surprised. "You were on time enough. Distracting cats can happen to anybody." She continued sorting. Was Sasha imagining it, or was that apprehension on Mrs. Merivale's face?

"Then... what is it?" Sasha asked, unsure why she was here. 

Mrs. Merivale sighed. She set down the papers and turned sideways in her chair so she was facing Sasha. "There's no easy way to tell you this," she began. "But-"

"Am I in trouble?" Sasha interrupted. "Sorry. But... am I?"

To her surprise, Mrs. Merivale waved the question off like a pesky fly. "No, no, of course not! Quite the opposite, in fact." She cleared her throat. Sasha wasn't imagining it this time - Mrs. Merivale was definitely apprehensive. But surely it couldn't be that bad. Could it? 

"Sasha." Mrs. Merivale took a deep breath. "You're not going to believe me, but there's no other way to say it. You have the talent to become a witch like me."

For a count of thirty, there was complete and utter silence. Then Sasha burst out, "You can't possibly be serious."

"I'm deadly serious."

Sasha studied her teacher's face. Mrs. Merivale wasn't the type to play pranks, but what else could this be?

"Is this a joke?" She finally asked. "If so, it's not all that funny."

Mrs. Merivale sighed. "I didn't think you'd believe me if I just told you. But I can show you."

Sasha shrugged. "Sure." What was Mrs. Merivale going to do, wave around a wand? Mumble something and try to turn a student into a toad?

Mrs. Merivale checked her watch. "Study hall lasts for about an hour. That'll be plenty of time. To everyone else, I'll just be helping you with a question you had. Or something."

"Wait a minute," Sasha began, but Mrs. Merivale was already out the door. "This way!" she called.

Sasha hurried out the door and caught up to her teacher. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"Somewhere you'll believe what I told you."

"I mean," Sasha amended, walking quickly to keep pace with Mrs. Merivale's long strides, "Where exactly are we going? To another classroom?"

"I suppose it could be considered a classroom, yes," Mrs. Merivale mused. "Oh, and keep up, dear."

Sasha decided to try a different angle. "Is it one of the unused classrooms? Or maybe one of the storage sheds?"

Mrs. Merivale laughed. "You'll see soon enough."

Sasha gave up. Clearly, Mrs. Merivale wasn't going to tell her anything. And besides, it wasn't like she was a stranger. It was safe to go with her. Right?

Soon they reached the edge of the campus, and Sasha slowed. "We aren't leaving the campus, are we?"

Mrs. Merivale didn't seem to hear her, striding towards a scraggly patch of trees near a parking lot. Sasha followed uneasily. This was seeming less and less safe by the minute, but she couldn't back out now.

Mrs. Merivale slipped into the patch of trees, graceful and elegant. Sasha followed, much less gracefully and not at all elegantly, managing to get poked what felt like a hundred times. But she pushed through to the center of the patch and found herself in empty space. What had seemed like a cluster of trees was actually a ring, and at the center of it kneeled Mrs. Merivale, next to a small, blue-flecked glass orb on a metallic stand.

Sasha was officially considering the prospect of Mrs. Merivale turning out to be crazy when she was beckoned forward. 

"Be very still and don't distract me." Mrs. Merivale murmured, concentrating very hard on the orb. There was something about her voice that made Sasha lean closer. It was the voice of a storyteller, like smoke and embers. It made her feel safe and protected... That is, until Mrs Merivale added, "This could be fatal if my concentration was broken."

Sasha's eyes went wide, but before she could ask what the heck was happening or what exactly did she mean by fatal or whether Sasha could possibly take the not dying option or any other question she really felt like she should ask, Mrs. Merivale placed her hand on the globe. 

Immediately, the world around them snapped out of sight, as quickly and instantly as a snuffed candle. There was no darkness, but no light either. Sasha couldn't see, couldn't feel, couldn't hear. Her heart wasn't beating, and her brain's neurons weren't communicating. But had they ever? Did she have a body or a mind at all? It didn't feel like it. She had no memories, no soul. She was nothing, not even a thought. She was nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Noth-

And then it was over. The world was back, blue sky and golden sun, beating heart and thinking mind. Collapsed on a patch of lush green grass, Sasha took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes. She didn't trust herself to speak, not yet. Her mind was spinning and spinning around one thought. What the heck just happened?

She must have spoken it aloud, because Mrs. Merivale knelt beside her. "We Vanished," she said simply, "And were Conjured again. I forgot how disorienting it is your first time. I suppose I've gotten used to it."

"First time?"Sasha asked, still on the ground. "I'm pretty sure I'm never doing that again."

Mrs. Merivale smiled, but her eyes were rueful. "We'll see. Can you stand?"

"I - I think so." Sasha gingerly stood up, closing her eyes and swaying a little as she got a vicious head rush. Her mind was still swirling, but she was unhurt. She steadied herself on Mrs. Merivale's arm and opened her eyes. And for the first time, she noticed the scenery around her. 

~~~

Soooo not really a cliffhanger, but sorta. Ish. Anyway, the next part will be out soon! 

P.S. I changed Mrs. Merivale's character a bit/a lot, so if she's kinda different, that's why. 

submitted by Snazzycakes, age NEW PART!!, Dancing in the rain
(November 16, 2020 - 5:34 pm)

Top please!!!

submitted by SnazzyTOP, Topping in the TOP!
(November 18, 2020 - 8:51 pm)

@CBers, I really want your feedback. Please comment if you're reading this!

submitted by SnazzyTOP, age TipTopTip!, Topping in the rain!
(November 25, 2020 - 9:35 pm)

Here's the rest of the second chapter!

~~~

They were standing in a large, grassy clearing dusted with wildflowers. A cedar tree forest surrounded in on all sides, the short trees clumped together. Near the far edge, a small cottage stood, stone walls and a oak roof. The front door was a cheerful blue, matching the window shutters that were swinging open in the breeze. Morning glory vines rooted in window boxes swept across the walls and framed the door.  Every inch of it sang Welcome home, I've missed you

"Mrs. Merivale, is this... your cottage?" Sasha asked, not entirely able to believe that her science teacher, of all people, lived in such a beautiful place. 

"It is, dear." Mrs. Merivale said over her shoulder as she walked towards the cottage. "And please, call me Zetrina."

"Zetrina Merivale," Sasha murmured, testing out the name. 

Mrs. Merivale - Zetrina - winked. "Witchy, isn't it?"

Sasha blushed. "So you're really serious about the whole witch thing?"

Zetrina's forehead creased. "You still don't believe me? Even after I used magic to get us here?"

"I-" Sasha began, then her brain caught up to what Zetrina had just said. "Magic?"

"Of course!" Zetrina smiled. "In that orb was Vanishing magic. It took us out of reality, and I used my magic, Conjuring magic, to take us back into it, at this location."

"Out of reality?" Sasha head was spinning.

"Yes, dear. The exact logistics of it are long and over-complicated, but the basics are that Vanishing magic snaps things out of the world, and Conjuring magic snaps things into it. If you use both in conjunction, you basically teleport. Sasha, are you all right? You don't look so good."

Sasha didn't feel so good, either. Her brain was trying desperately to piece together what Mrs. Merivale - Zetrina, she reminded herself - was telling her about magic and what she knew of science into the same universe. 

"Come inside, dear," Zetrina said, with some concern, "And let me fix you some tea."

Sasha's mind was still thinking in confused circles as she followed Zetrina into the cottage.

She plopped down in an armchair that was just barely overstuffed. As Zetrina hummed her way into another room, presumably the kitchen, Sasha let her gaze wander around the cottage. 

The inside of the cottage was as cozy as the outside. The front door led directly into the living room, which was filled with cozy chairs and small tables with vases of flowers and bowls of mints. At the center was a large low table made of a light colored wood that bore a beautiful green table runner with a leaf filigree. A simple vase stood on its surface, filled with a bunch of marigolds. A fireplace adorned the far wall, logs already stacked inside, just waiting for a match and a flame.

A nearby door opened to a dining room, the table inside elegant and dark. It was small, with only four chairs, but it still took up most of the room. The sounds of mugs clinking together came from just beyond it, and Sasha guessed that that was where the kitchen was. 

Daylight streamed in through windows that were wide open, letting the breeze fill the room. Green and blue curtains were pulled back from the window, tied carefully with ribbon. Sasha could guess that Zetrina had spent a long time here, probably alone. There was no sign of anyone else having ever been here.

"Here you are," Zetrina said warmly, carrying a tray with two mugs on it into the living room. "I know I said tea, but I think I've run out, so I made hot cocoa instead."

Sasha picked up her mug and looked at the marshmallow-topped contents warily. "This isn't bewitched or something, is it? To make me fall asleep, or something?"

Zetrina smiled. "No. Just chocolate."

Sasha took a tentative sip and her eyes widened. It was so chocolatey and luscious, warming her from the inside out. Among the rich, sweet chocolate and the creamy marshmallows, there was a hint of cinnamon, vanilla, and... Was that nutmeg?

"Are you sure this isn't enchanted?' She asked, taking another sip. "It sure tastes like magic."

Zetrina laughed, a sound like bells chiming. "Not magic, just years of experience and a passion for the kitchen."

Sasha smiled. They sat together for a few minutes, enjoying their chocolate. 

Finally, Zetrina set down her mug and turned to Sasha. "I brought you here for a reason, you know."

Sasha reluctantly set her mug down as well. "So that you could prove magic was real?"

Zetrina tipped her head to the side, considering. "Yes, that's part of it. And... do you? Believe in magic, I mean?"

"Well..." Sasha hesitated. "I didn't at first. But with the teleporting, and this cottage - " She waved a hand at their surroundings " - I guess I have to. It's not like there's any other explanation, I mean." She toyed with the hem of her shirt, twisting it back and forth.

Zetrina studied her. "All right," She eventually said. "That's a start. Now, the other reason I brought you here was to show you something, something I can't show you on the school grounds." She closed her eyes.

Sasha waited, confused.

Zetrina raised her head, eyes still closed, then she transformed. In the span of two heartbeats, her legs became talons, her arms became wings, and her eyes became beady and dark. It was silent and instant. 

Sitting on the armchair across from Sasha, in Zetrina's place, was an eagle. It squawked once, as if to say, Hello, then flapped to the table, landing beside to the vase of marigolds. Then, unbelievably, it reached out with one talon and plucked a flower from the vase.

Sasha eyes were wide. What was it doing? Why? Where had Zetrina gone? Was it magic?

The eagle curled a talon around the flower, winked at Sasha - winked! Eagles can't wink! - and then, just like that, it was gone. Zetrina sat in its place, holding a marigold in one hand. Smiling, she tucked the flower behind her ear, hopped off the table, and took a sip of her cocoa as if nothing had happened.

Sasha was stunned. Her brain was trying to make sense of what it had just seen, but to no avail. "You - the eagle - the flower - you - what?"

Zetrina's face crinkled into a smile. "That, my dear, was magic."

"But... how? Like, how does magic work? Can you do just anything? Do you have to cast spells? Is there magic wands or cauldrons or a magical chant?" The questions spilled out of Sasha like water bubbling out of a pot. "Are there a lot of witches? Where are they? What are they like? Why do you think I could be one? Could I be one? What kind of witches? Warty-nosed ones in a chicken-legged hut? Ones with crystal balls and healing herbs? Or ones at a magical school with pointy hats and broomsticks? Are all witches one kind? Do all kinds exist?" At this point, Sasha ran out of breath, and had to take a gulp of her hot chocolate to recover.

Zetrina raised one eyebrow with a little smile. "You're quite curious, aren't you? Well, I'll be able to answer all those questions, but right now -" She checked her watch. "- we should be getting back to school. Study hall's about over by now."

"Study hall." Sasha repeated. "School." The words felt strange and foreign after talking about witches and magic, sitting across from someone who had just turned into an eagle and back again. 

"Yes, dear." Zetrina gave a small sigh. "It is disappointing to go back to such a normal life, isn't it?"

Sasha nodded. "I'll most definitely not be able to focus on the trade routes of Southwest Asia after this."

Zetrina laughed. "There is one more thing, though. Something I need to ask. Sasha... Will you become a witchling? Will you become my apprentice, and I, your witchguide? You have a strong talent, as well as an affinity for magical thinking. That kind of talent should not be squandered, and this opportunity may not come again. Just... think about it, all right?"

"No," Sasha blurted.

Zetrina looked startled and a bit... was that sadness? "No, as in, I won't be a witch?"

"No," Sasha corrected herself. "No, as in, I don't have to think about it. I want to become a witch. I really, really do. I mean, after seeing the things you've shown me... I can't exactly go back to a normal life, can I?"

Zetrina studied her intently. "All right then. If you're sure. But you should know that the life of a witch can be hard. You have to hide this from everyone. Your parents, friends, classmates, teachers (besides me, of course), everyone. It can be frustrating. Things don't always go the right way, and the extra work can be overwhelming. Are you sure you're up for that?"

"I can do it," Sasha said, sitting up a little taller. "Trust me."

"I do," Zetrina replied. "And I hope that you trust me."

Somehow, even though Sasha didn't really know Zetrina or what she she had just gotten herself into, she trusted her new witchguide (whatever that meant) through and through.

"When do we start?" She asked, smiling with anticipation.

Zetrina returned her smile. "Tomorrow, as soon as the final bell rings, meet me at the patch of trees that has the orb. Because tomorrow, we'll have our first lesson."

~~~

As always, let me know if you have any (ANY) feedback or recommendations! (Also, @Admins, sorry this is so long!)

submitted by Snazzycakes, age NEW PART!!, Dancing in the rain
(November 26, 2020 - 7:19 pm)
submitted by Top!
(November 27, 2020 - 8:47 am)

Here's the next chapter! Also, @Admins, if no one is commenting, is it okay for me to keep posting this (in case someone's reading it and just isn't posting anything), or will it take up too much space in the CB or something.

~~~

The next day, as the final bell rang, Sasha let out a relieved breath. School was finally over. She hadn't slept well the night before, her dreams (or had they been nightmares?) full of cauldrons and pointy hats and cackling old witches, all snapping back and forth out of nothingness. She had woken up in a cold sweat at 6 am, and decided that sleep was overrated. 

The fact that she had a lecture in history the same day had made it nearly impossible to stay awake. Not to mention, every time her teacher said something like, "The development of the Silk Road network across early Asia in large part led to the remarkable evolution of the country as a whole," she couldn't help thinking, Yeah, but magic exists! How about that for some "remarkable evolution"?

So Sasha was glad to leave school and homework behind in favor of the cozy interior of Zetrina's cottage. As she shoved all her books into her bag, swung it over her shoulder, and made towards the door, Dawn called after her. "Sasha! Want to come over for dinner? My mom's making tortilla soup."

Sasha winced, and turned to face her best friend. "I'm sorry, but I can't. Ze- Mrs. Merivale wanted to go over some of my answers on the homework I turned in today." It was the same lie she'd given her parents, who were mildly concerned that her teacher wanted to discuss her homework, but decided that it must be a normal occurrence. Which, of course, Sasha's first witch lesson was anything but.

Dawn frowned, looking disappointed. "Dang it. Maybe tomorrow? I think I'll be available then..."

"Maybe," Sasha agreed. "I hope I can come!"

"Ok!" Dawn smiled. "I can't wait."

Sasha returned her smile. "Me neither." She checked her watch, and her eyes widened. "I'd better get going! Bye!"

She turned and raced down the hallways, hardly waiting for Dawn's "Bye, Sasha!" She did have to get going, after all. Zetrina hadn't exactly set a time, but she did NOT want to be late to her first magic lesson. Ooh... even the words "magic lesson" were exciting. As she speed-walked through the halls, she turned over in her mind the events of the previous day. 

The teleportation hadn't been fun, but it had seemed like it was the only way to the cottage, based on Zetrina's comments about getting used to it. That was the one part of magic lessons Sasha was pretty sure she would not enjoy.

The cottage had been beautiful and cozy, and if the hot chocolate was any indication to how her magic lessons were going to go, Sasha was most certainly not going to regret her decision to become a witchling. 

Zetrina's transformation into an eagle had been puzzling, to say the least. All Sasha knew was that it had been done by magic, but the details were mysteries. What exactly did magic do? How did you wield it? She recalled Zetrina explaining the orb's magic, saying that the spell used Vanishing magic to "snap us out of reality" and Conjuring magic to "snap us back into it." So maybe there were different kinds of magic. Sasha wondered how many there were. Zetrina's turning into an eagle was definitely another one. Transforming magic, maybe?

Sasha was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the person about to walk in front of her until they had already collided with full force. 

Books and papers tumbled everywhere as Sasha stumbled backward, regaining her footing. "So sorry!" yelped the person she'd run into. "Are you all right? Oh, hello there, Sasha!"

Sasha smiled, bending down to collect the scattered papers. "Hi, Zetrina! I'm afraid I wasn't looking where I was going. Sorry I bumped into you."

"Quite all right," Zetrina answered, gathering up the books. "I was actually looking for you. I wanted to tell you something. Walk with me?"

"Sure," Sasha answered, falling into step beside her new witchguide. "What is it?"

"At our last meeting, I forgot to tell you something. You must always wait for me beside the orb. Under no circumstances are you to use it yourself. Remember what I said about it being fatal if my concentration was broken? If you mess up while using it, even the smallest bit, you might never..." She swallowed. "You might never come back. You might stay in nothingness forever. Either that, or you'll only partially come back. And I don't mean just physically. Your body may be intact, but coming back with only half your memories, or with all your neural pathways mixed up, isn't something I'd wish on my worst enemy."

Goosebumps erupted all over Sasha's arms. "And you're sure this is safe?"

"Safe is a relative term," Zetrina answered, which did not help Sasha's anxiety. Upon seeing the nervousness on Sasha's face, she relented. "All right, it is safe, as long as you have the utmost concentration. That's why you must leave it to me to use the Teleportal."

"The Tele-what now?"

"That's what the orb is called," Zetrina explained as they neared the cluster of trees. "It's like a combination between "teleport" and "portal". The inventors must have thought themselves terribly clever."

"I'm sure, " Sasha muttered as they slipped between the trees. 

Zetrina crouched beside the orb, hand hovering a few inches above its surface. She took a few deep breaths, seeming to center herself before asking, "Ready?'

Sasha gave a hesitant smile. "Ready as I'll ever be." 

Zetrina placed her hand on the globe and the world vanished. Sasha was nowhere and nothing. She didn't exist. She never had. She never would again. She was nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Noth-

And just like that, it was over. Again, she collapsed, but her head felt just the tiniest bit clearer than it had the day before. She took a deep breath. And another. And another.

Zetrina knelt beside her. "Are you all right?"

Sasha slowly rose so she was on her knees, still dizzy. "Just... give me a minute. Or two. Or eight."

"Whatever you need." Zetrina placed a hand on her shoulder. "I promise, you really do get used to it."

"Exactly how long does that take?" Sasha asked, letting the sun warm her face. 

Zetrina thought for a second. "I'd say about a month."

Sasha groaned. 

"But," Zetrina added quickly, "It gets a bit easier every time. Wasn't it a bit better today?"

"Not by much," Sasha grumbled, but it was true. She didn't feel quite as horrible. And it was clearing up. She sat for a minute or so longer, taking deep breaths to banish the last of the dizziness, before standing up. "I think I'm good now. Thanks."

"No problem." Standing up, Zetrina brushed the loose grass off her leggings. "Ready for your first witchery lesson?"

Sasha tilted her head. "Witchery? Is that what witches call magic?"

"No, not exactly," Zetrina replied. "Think of witchery as another word for witchcraft. Except, witchcraft is an outdated term. No one's used it since the Salem witch trials, I think." She gave a little shudder. "Of course, that's probably why no one uses it."  

~~~

Okay, so that isn't even a stopping point, but that's the most I've written so far. Till next time, folks! 

Yes, Snazzycakes, it's OK for you to keep submitting as much as you wish. From what I've heard, space on Chatterbox is infinite.

Admin

submitted by Snazzycakes, age CHAPTER 3!, Dancing in the rain
(November 30, 2020 - 9:40 pm)

Awesome, thanks!

submitted by Snazzycakes, Dancing in the rain
(December 1, 2020 - 8:27 pm)

Snazzycakes, this is awesome so far! I haven't read the whole thing yet but I got up to the part where Mrs. Merivale Vanishes them and it's so good! The writing is so smooth and coherent, and the story is really intriguing! I shall bookmark this page so I can read more later, but right now I have to go do English homework :P

submitted by Lupine, Platform 9 and 3/4
(December 1, 2020 - 9:48 pm)