Here is a

Chatterbox: Inkwell

Here is a

Here is a Fan-fic I'm writing... I hope you like it... please give constructive criticism, but don't be mean. (This is only the first chapter! I'll be posting it as it gets done. Though, I may not finish it. so don't get to atatched)

Blubird Valentine crossed her arms and scowled. She didn’t want to leave her New York City apartment. She didn’t want to leave her friends. She didn’t want to leave her cat, Sombra, behind. And she didn’t want to move to the sleepy town called Mineral Wells.

Blubird’s mother had decided to move the family to Mineral Wells after Grand Oak Resort had offered her a job. Mrs. Valentine said it was a miracle, because she had been searching for a new job for months. Blubird knew, though, that her mother had simply contacted the owner of the resort, who was an old family friend.

“Blu, just look at this!” Mrs. Valentine said, pointing at a brochere, “Horseback riding lessons! Oh, and a magic shop right outside of town, Vernon’s Magic Mansion. Sounds like you.”

Blu stopped scowling, if only for a moment. She had to admit it, a magic shop of any kind sounded fun. She wondered if she could find some books about how to do magic, or tarot cards (which she always wanted to try). Perhaps she could meet fellow magicians there.

“Yeah,” Blu muttered, “maybe I’ll go there sometime.” she paused, then added, “And it’s Blubird, please,”

Mrs. Valentine turned her head to look at Blubird, “We’re going to go around town after we get situated at the Grand Oak.” she handed Blu the brochure, “Why don’t you find some places to go?”

Blubird groaned, then nodded reluctantly. The brochure’s cover was a picturesque map of Mineral Wells, complete with labels about the mayor’s office, Grand Oak Resort, the town center, and more. It wasn’t very exciting, save for the town green, which was very large and looked like a good place to run around. 

She circled the town green with her marker, then flipped open the brochere. Blubird marked down the magic shop, horseback riding, a comedy routine at the resort and a pet store. She also chose singing lessons, hoping her mother would be okay with that.

“Almost there,” Her father said, “we’re just heading up the hill.” his hands gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Mrs. Valentine gasped, “Oh, just look out the window! So pretty! Much better than New York. Blu, look!”

Blubird turned and looked out the window. The summer flowers were starting to bloom, the dandelions sending little puffs of white, like clouds, floating through the air. A few people were walking toward the hiking trails, carrying bags full of whatever they needed.

“We did have dandelions in New York, mom.” Blubird noted, “In the sidewalks.”

“Well, yes,” said Mrs. Valentine, “I suppose we did. But this is so much more charming, right, Noah?” she turned to her husband.

Mr. Valentine nodded, not wanting to take his eyes off the road. Blubird had gotten all the visual clues she needed.

“Dad doesn’t agree with you. He thinks this hill isn’t safe.” Blubird informed her mother.

Mrs. Valentine frowned, but said nothing, instead distracting herself by telling everyone the plan for the day, “We’ll settle ourselves first, then we’ll see if we can catch a bit of that comedy routine. After that, we’ll head down to the town and grab some lunch. Then, Blu, I’ll drop you off at that magic shop, while me and your father organize our jobs and such. I’ll pick you up an hour later…”

Mrs. Valentine droned on, while Blubird’s mind thought about other things. She thought about the manager of the Grand Oak - Mr. Arnold - and how rude he seemed. She wondered if she’d make friends. She worried that no one in this town would like her. She thought about her friends back in New York - Ahren and Lucy and Marlee and Kriss. She thought about the gift Lucy gave her.

“Hold onto it tight,” Lucy had said, “open it when you miss us. Only when you miss us so much you might burst.” she had given Blubird a little box, made of wood and painted teal. It had the words “There for you” engraved in cursive on it.

Blubird wanted to open the box, but it was tucked away in any one of the 20 bags Mrs. Valentine had stuffed the car with. For all Blubird knew, it could be packed in a cooler.

Mrs. Valentine wrapped up her talk, “... and then we’ll go to sleep. Any objections?”

Blubird glanced to Mr. Valentine in the rear-view mirror. She could tell that neither had been listening. They muttered no objections.

“Great!” Mrs. Valentine said, clapping her hands together, “Oh, park there, Noah… Blu, get your bag and you can head inside.”

Blubird grabbed the brochure and her books, placed them in her bag, then unbuckled, once they parked. She hopped out of the car, and ran quickly into the resort.

Inside, the main hall of the resort was filled with guests, staff and the like. Blubird puttered around the room, noting little quirks about everyone. Eventually, she got bored. She noticed a small stage was set up in the middle of the room, a sign on it proclaimed;

The Golden Twins! 4 PM! Dancing, laughs, and MORE laughs!

Below, a simple drawing of a girl and a boy in matching tuxedos labeled the twins Izzy and Olly Golden. The simple picture depicted them smiling and doing what looked like a tap-dance.

Blubird checked her watch. It was only three thirty-four. That ment Blubird had almost half an hour to kill before she could be relieved of the reminiscent awkwardness from that four-hour drive. She went over to sit in a soft armchair, which looked like a good place to figure who would make a good friend and who to avoid.

After a while, Blubird noticed a boy around her age shuffling a deck of cards on the other side of the hall. He wore a white shirt and black pants, which, Blubird noticed, had pockets filled with what appeared to be shortbread cookies. The boy’s blonde hair was flopped to one side, and he was constantly blowing out of his face. His hands flipped through the cards like an expert, doing false cuts and making the cards flip from one hand to the other. Blubird wondered if he knew any magic tricks, and if he could teach her.

The boy caught her gaze, then waved. Blubird felt as her face grew warm with embarrassment as she waved back. The boy stood up, then started to walk over, still shuffling the cards. Blubird sunk into her chair as he made his way over.

“Want to see a magic trick?” he asked when he stood in front of Blubird.

She perked up. “Sure,” She answered. “I love magic.”

The boy smiled and quickly looked at the bottom of the deck, then said, “Follow me,” he led Blubird to a small table, where he sat down and spread the cards out. “Choose a card, and memorise it, please. Don’t show me.”

Blubird nodded, then picked up the card right in the middle of the deck, which was the ace of diamonds. The boy separated the deck into two piles.

“Put your card on top of the first pile.” Blubird did as she was told. He put the second pile on top of the first, “Could you cut these for me?” he handed her the cards, “That means to-”

“Shuffle the cards by separating the deck into two piles and putting the top pile on the bottom,” Blubird finished for him, as she demonstrated, “Or the bottom on the top.”

The boy nodded, impressed. Blubird handed him back the deck. The boy spread the cards out again, face up this time. He thought for a moment, tapped his chin, then pointed at the ace of diamonds.

“Wow!” Blubird cried, then clapped. The boy bowed. “How’d you do that?”

“A magician never reveals his secrets,” he said, as he winked. “I’m Carter, by the way.”

“I’m Blubird.” She responded. They shook hands.

“I’ve never seen you in Mineral Wells before… Are you a tourist?” Carter asked.

“I might as well be.” Blubird confessed, “My mom just moved my family all the way from New York City, and she’s treating it like this is one big vacation!” She dropped her head in her hands, “Sometimes it seems like she always gets her way.”

Carter nodded knowingly, though he didn’t say a thing. He shuffled the cards, doing fancy flourishes like it was nothing. Blubird sat, almost mesmerised.

“Amazing.” She whispered, “I wish I could do that.”

“You could,” Carter responded, setting the cards down, “You just need to practice.” He demonstrated a simple shuffle, “Easy, really. I just add fancy movements so it looks hard. And,” he whispered this next part, “Sometimes it is.”

Blubird laughed. She started to ask, “Do you want to go to the magic shop later?” but her mother yelled across the room and interrupted her.

“Blu! Come on, we have to hurry, now! We’re running late!” Mrs. Valentine was holding several bags, including a suitcase she rolled behind her.

Blubird blushed, embarrassed again. “Sorry, I have to go,” she apologized to Carter.

“No worries!” Carter assured her, waving it off, “I’ll see you later?”

“Maybe…” she muttered, picking up her bag, “Bye, Carter.” She walked away and waved. He waved back.

Blubird smiled. At least she had one friend- and that friend knew magic!

submitted by Writing_in_the_dark, age 11, NY but not NYC
(February 18, 2021 - 4:29 pm)

I like it!

submitted by MoonKitten
(February 21, 2021 - 2:57 pm)