TWT Chapter - 3

- The Legend of the Stars -

"Long ago, when the universe was new, earth had no moon of it's own. The brightest star known as Love looked upon the wars between the people of fire (Thermo), earth (Clay), and sea (Flux) and the devastation deeply saddened her. Love searched the stars to find others to help her stop these wars, and finally found six friends to aid her in this quest. For many years they watched as the Fluxians plotted the takeover of fire and earth. "One day we shall rule this planet entirely!" their leader had shouted. The Fluxians started battle with Thermo, cutting off their food supply. Because of this, Thermic people began destroying crops of the people of Clay. This forced them to seek food from the sea, and the Fluxians struck back as the Clayish fed on the creatures of the waters. The three groups fought violently against one another as they tried to stop the people of the sea from wiping them out completely. "This must end before they destroy the planet" Love told the other stars. The seven stars of Love, Courage, Creativity, Leadership, Fear, Gloom, and Strength agreed to help and combined their powers of light, and the Moon was born. Its lunar pull kept the sea people of Flux secluded to the waters and weakened their powers. The Thermic and Clayish put aside their differences for a time. No amends were made, but they agreed to keep away from one another for the sake of peace.

Following the eclipse, the star of Fear overheard the Fluxians plotting an attack for the Moon and quickly informed the other Stars. The group of Stars decided to form their own citizens to protect the Moon, but they argued about which star these Moonlings should be modeled after. Finally the star of Creativity had a clever idea, and suggested that the Moonlings represent traits of all 7 stars. Each star took their traits and placed them together. When the next eclipse came the Moonlings were born, but to the stars surprise they didn't carry one specific trait. Some of them were born of one, while some born with two or three traits. The Moonlings took residence upon the Moon itself. They were intelligent beings, and soon formed villages that housed the people of the different traits. Some of the Moonlings were uncertain which trait was their dominant and so the stars placed a large statue in the town center with a plaque that read :

Star Traits 

"Do you know who you are?"

LOVE : Peace & Kindness

                                      LEADERSHIP :  Stoicism & Knowledge                                
 COURAGE : Bravery & Protection

  CREATIVITY : Helpfulness & Perspective 

FEAR : Prepared & Cautious

   GLOOM : Empathic & Gravity Control
STRENGTH : Willfulness & Power

Time passed and all seemed to be well, but the star of Strength was soon driven mad by the threats of the Fluxians, and broke away from the other Stars. The Moon soon had a battle of its own and giant craters were formed from the firing of explosives. In the end Strength was defeated and he fled far into the shadows of the universe. The gravitational pull of the Moon was only slightly weakened by Strength's absence, but there was talk that some of the Fluxians had began seeping out of their watery home. The Stars, seeking to put a stop to this, gathered Moonlings of purely one trait. These were named  the Mascon, after the dense core of the Moon. They chose one Mascon of each full star trait and sent them to earth. However when the Masconese entered the earth's stratosphere they disintegrated in it's unfamiliar substance. The Stars and residents of the Moon wept for their lost citizens. 

Those of the Creative star began working on a new idea, and after several attempts, they came up with a plan. They searched the earth for a strong, pure human, one of innocence and love. One that could stop these wars among the planet and bring peace to its people. Again the Stars chose 7 Masconese and they channeled their energy together. A beam of light erupted from them, and they sent it down to earth. As it was however, they could not find a human being that possessed the qualities necessary, and so many years went by as they continued their search. One of the elders of the star of Gloom was struck with a foretelling vision of the human being. She shared this with the Stars, and they displayed it safely in the capital of the Moon. 

Vision of Gloom

When found she'll have us shine so bright;

Staining her eyes to blue; hair to white.

Brought here by us to live and learn;

Raised as Moonling then returned.

Scars of earth she will mend;

One day this war she'll finally end.  

Abbott Winterdale stood in absolute shock as Dovie finished reading the excerpt from the book. Brietta looked worried but dare not speak, while Dovie stared at the page in disbelief. "Do you think this is true?" Bo finally asked. "I don't know...If I would have read this last week, I would have said it's pure nonsense. But, after what we saw in the meadow, I can't help feeling like maybe it could be real" Dovie said flatly. Abbott thought for a few moments, and furrowed his brow. "It's Arista, it's got to be! It's the only thing that explains where she's been" Bo says frantically. Brietta and Dovie glanced at each other uncertainly, but Brietta asked, "W-What should we do?" "Well first things first, we've got to get back to Mom. She's gonna be getting worried and looking for us" Dovie pointed out. They agreed to head back to the library, but discussed what to do about the book. Mr. Carrigan could be heard shuffling around nearby, and came around the corner with a smile. "Did you kids find something ya like?" he asked. "Well, uh this book-" Dovie started, but Mr. Carrigan cut her off. He waved his hand and shook his head, "I've never seen that book in my life." Brietta piped up, "I-It was hidden in that painting. Shouldn't we p-pay you for it?" But Renwo Carrigan laughed, "Books hidden in paintings! Whoever heard of such a thing? As for that book, well I can't charge ya for something that I've never seen. Now you kids run along if you're not purchasing any antiques." The three of them thanked him, wrapped Dovie's book cover over the book, and quickly left the shop to meet up with Giana. 

Back at home they hid the book in Dovie's room, knowing that in that mess, it wouldn't be easy for someone else to find it. "I think we should leave tonight to go find Arista" Bo told the girls as they gathered in Dovie's room. "But we don't even know where to start looking for her. Plus if the story is true, she could still be with those Moon people" Dovie explained. "T-That's it! This is getting out of control!" Brietta said angrily. The others looked at her in surprise, for Brietta never raised her voice like that. She rose from her place on the bed, and stormed out of the room. Dovie and Bo jumped up to follow her, and caught her in the hall. "What are you doing?" Dovie said hastily. "Mother needs to know what's going on!" Brietta snapped. "Brietta please don't! She won't believe us, she'll never let us go look for my sister" Bo huffed. "I-I think you're wrong. I think she can help us. Plus, I don't think we s-should go wandering off like that. I'm the oldest, and it's my job to look after you two" Brietta explained. "Ok listen, I didn't tell you two yet, but I'm being sent away in a few days. Sent to visit my grandparents on the other side of the country. I have a feeling though, that it won't be just a visit, and they'll make me stay. If that happens, I'll never get to look for Arista" he told them downheartedly. "What? I can't believe they are sending you away! Grandma and Grandpa Caprice are supposed to be visiting soon! I know they will want to see you!" Dovie said in a grouchy tone. Abbott frowned, "I can't do anything about it. It's all been decided for me." The floorboards gave a creak, and they noticed Denver climbing the stairs. "I see you've gotten around to telling your cousins about your vacation" he pointed out. "I think we both know it won't just be a vacation" Bo thought to himself. "Yes, Papa. He's just told us" Dovie answered. "I see. Well that's just it. I've come to find you, and tell you to begin your packing. I'm afraid Gentry has moved up her dates and wants you on your way tomorrow. There's some convention scheduled for the original leave date, and it just didn't work for them. I'm sorry bud" Mr. Caprice informed him as he gave his nephew a few pats on the shoulder. "P-Papa, can we talk to you a minute?" Brietta started, but Bo shot her a look that stopped her abruptly. Dovie noticed and jumped in quickly, "Yea! Why's he have to go anyhow?" Her father told Bo to get along and pack, and that his aunt would do any washing he needed. Bo sighed angrily and marched off towards his room. As he did so, he could hear his uncle explaining the situation to his cousins.

In his room he paced back and forth wondering what to do. He thought maybe he should just run away, but where would he go? He didn't have the first clue where to start searching for his sister. All he knew was that if what the book said was real, he was sure it was talking about Arista. Dovie could probably be talked into coming, but he knew Brietta would never be convinced. If Brietta didn't go, surely Dovie wouldn't leave her, so he knew he would have to go alone. "I'll sneak out after everyone has gone to sleep" he decided. He packed his belongings, and wandered downstairs to tell his aunt and uncle goodnight. Back in his room he sat propped in his bed reading a book, waiting for the house to fall asleep. Halfway through Chapter 6 of 'Look Out! Dinosaur's!" he noticed a strange sound coming from the other side of the room. When he got up to investigate, it seemed as though the sound was coming from the fish tank.

Abbott leaned down eye level with the fish tank, and strained his ears to hear the sound. He concentrated hard, and soon the water began to bubble in the tank. He drew in his breath in surprise, as he heard the sound again. Now he could make out a voice. It almost sounded like words, and he concentrated even harder to make out what the voice was saying. The voice was deep, and every time it spoke the water in the tank rippled. Abbott first pressed his hand against the tank, then dipped a hand into the water. The fish began swimming around the tank quickly, hiding under rocks and between the fake seaweed plants. This time when the voice spoke, Bo understood every word as clear as a bell. "Well good evening young man. I knew a smart fellow like yourself would figure out how to listen to me" the voice told him. "Who...are you?" Bo asked nervously. "My people call me Mizuko" he answered proudly. "I see, and how are you talking to me right now? Where are you? Where do you come from? Why are you he-" Bo tried to ask. "Enough questions! They told me you would have many. You will learn all of this in time. For now, just listen. I do believe I can help you" Mizuko explained.  Not sure if he should ask how Mizuko could help him, Bo simply waited for him to continue. "Good lad. Always were one to follow instructions well. So, let's just say someone's lookin' out for ya...sent you a friend. One that can help you find your sister..." he continued. 

Without thinking Bo blurted out, "Tell me where my sister is!" Mizuko laughed, "Listen kid I don't have coordinates on her or something. I just know who you can talk to, maybe they can help." Abbott nodded eagerly, "Ok well at least that's a start. But, surely you can give me more details about how this is all happening. I mean you don't expect me to just go along with all of this do you?" "Listen kid, for all you know this could be a dream. The way I see it, you've got two choices. One, you can ask me a bunch of questions, and think this is all nonsense. Go live with your Grandparents, and forget about your sister forever. Or two, we can quit playing twenty questions, and you can leave right now and at least attempt to find her" he explained. "No, I have to find her. I have to at least try. What do I need to do?" Bo asked quickly. "Go to Quinston, and find a woman by the name of Laraya. She will have some information for you about where to start looking. You should meet with her soon though. She's an old woman, and her health is fading quickly" Mizuko mentioned. "Ok thank you, I'll leave right away!" Bo said excitedly. "You should kno-" Mizuko began, but Bo had already started to pull his hand from the water, and could no longer hear him. Realizing what happened, he quickly shoved his hand back into the bowl, but Mizuko's voice was gone. "Rats..." Bo whispered to himself. "H-Having another dream?" Brietta's voice called from the doorway. Abbott whipped around quickly, "No..not quite." 

The next few minutes were spent filling Brietta in on what had just happened. After he was finished, she sat quietly thinking. When she finally spoke she did so slowly as though she wasn't sure what to say exactly. "Well..I tried to talk to my parents. Don't worry, I didn't tell them anything. I-I kind of just asked about some things in general. They didn't seem to know anything. T-Told me it sounded like something from a good fairy tale" Brietta commented. Abbott huffed, "I still can't believe you would mention anything to them about this stuff." "T-The reason that I am telling you this is that I think we're on our own with this. I-If you want to go find Arista, I'll join you" she continued. At this he sprung off the bed with excitement. "You mean it!? That's awesome news! I'm leaving tonight...already got my stuff packed" he said excitedly. "M-Me too. We just need to get Dovie packed up. We can leave soon, a-and head off to Quinston" Brietta added.


An hour later the three of them were packed up, and their backpacks strapped to them securely. None of them knew exactly what was in store for them on this journey, but they knew it was better than sitting at home while Bo was shipped off, to be molded into one of those money hungry businessmen his grandparents hung around with. It was worth a try to at least attempt to find Arista, and if what this book said was true, maybe they had a chance. As they traveled down the road single file, a note for Mr. & Mrs. Caprice lay on the kitchen table back home. It read :


   "Dear Mother and Father, We all love you so. We couldn't let Bo be shipped off to live with his grandparents forever. We've gone to look for Arista. Please don't worry. We will be careful, and contact you soon.


                                                                With all our love,

                                                                  Brietta, Dovie, & Bo


The crisp morning air surrounded them, and Bo pulled his jacket around him a little tighter. This time of morning was very quiet, even the air was still. The deep darkness of the night sky was now a lighter blue. A thin fog hung in the air and the scenery was decorated with little dew drops. The book was safely tucked in Brietta's pack. There was no way they were letting Dovie keep it with her things. The book would be covered in all kinds of a mess. The two had argued about it briefly, and compromised by letting Dovie tote some of the snacks. ...The individually wrapped snacks, that is. Brietta brought along a worn looking bag about the size of a pencil pouch. It was filled to the brim with cash. "M-My apartment fund. It's a worthy cause to use it for" she had explained to the others. They protested but she explained that it was her money to use as she wished, and this is what she wanted to do. Abbott brought along a map of the local area, a compass, and flashlight with plenty of batteries. Each of them brought as much as they could that would be useful to their journey. Unfortunately without being able to travel by car, they brought only what they could carry on their backs. "Just bring three outfits, and an extra pair of shoes. We need the rest of the space to bring things we'll need on the trip, like food and supplies" Dovie had suggested while packing. The pavement beneath their feet turned to gravel, and soon to dirt as they made their way through the dense forest. The sun peaked through the tree's every now and then but because of the thick canopy of branches and leaves, it remained quite shady on the forest floor. "It feels like we've been traveling for hours, but at the same time it feels as though we've just begun. I think what we need is a snack" Dovie suggested. The other two laughed and dug out a few granola bars from her pack. "Actually we've been traveling for about 3 and a half hours now" Bo informed her.


More and more time passed as the forest became meadows, and open fields. The children remarked about the beauty of it all, and when mid-afternoon arrived they stopped for a picnic under the shade of a lone tree. The field was large with millions of tiny purple flowers stretching as far as the eye could see. In the distance huge mountains lined the horizon, and Abbott pointed towards them between bites of peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Any idea where we're headed now?" Dovie asked as she dug through the bag to find the map. "Well the maps don't give a whole lot of info on these parts, just major towns and such. I think we should continue heading east, it's just a hunch but it's better than nothing" Abbott pointed out. Dovie searched the book for any information on Laraya, or Quinston but had no luck. Brietta sat quietly listening to the two go back and forth over this information, and when she had heard enough she decided to speak up. "L-Listen you guys, I don't know if this is such a good idea. I mean it would be different if we had a solid plan, or clear d-direction of where to go. Maybe we should go back..." Abbott whipped around quickly, "I'm not gonna argue with you the whole way Bri! After all this time, we finally have at least some kind of lead on where my sister could be. Now you wanna just turn back? Turn back to what? A life where I'm shipped off to be trained as a shady businessman? If you don't want to be here then you are welcome to turn back! But, as for me, I'll never stop until I find out what happened to my sister!" With that he shoved his belongings into his pack and took off towards the woods at a run. "Bo, wait!" Dovie said getting to her feet. She started after him, but Brietta caught her by the arm, "Just let him go, he won't go far." 

Brietta knew that what Abbott needed most when he was upset, was some time to process things; clear his mind. Chasing after him right now would only drive him further away. But, Davita yanked her arm from her sister's loose hold. "What exactly is your problem Brietta? I mean like he said, we finally have something to go on. Sure it might not be full proof, but it's something." Brietta huffed angrily, "I think he just needs a few minutes to cool off.." Dovie folded her arms, "So you're just going to let him march off into that huge forest in a strange place all alone? You know what I think? I think you're scared! I think maybe you don't care at all about finding Arista! You always try to do the right thing, but maybe the right thing is going after her! Bo's right, you should just go back!" Brietta scowled at her sister, with hurt and anger flooding her veins. The truth of the matter was that Dovie was right, Brietta was terrified. 

Of course she cared about finding Arista! Abbott was like a brother to her, and she couldn't bare the thought that they may never find Arista. "It would crush him" she had told herself. As hard as it was for the younger ones to accept, there was a very good possibility that Arista was dead. She simply wanted to keep Abbott and Davita safe. "How d-dare you! I can't believe you would sa-" Brietta started, but she was interrupted by a scream from Davita. The wind had picked up in the meadow, boy had it picked up. Dirt and dust flew through the air, swirling and twirling more rapidly with each second. The lone tree began to whip back and forth violently as the wind spun faster and faster. The girls flung themselves to the ground as a tornado like wind rushed around them. Picnic things flew past them, and they covered their heads with their arms. Then, quick as it came, the wind had settled. The meadow was quiet once more, with only the chirping of the birds in the distance. 

"I do apologize. My arrival is not one of delicacy" a calm voice said breaking the silence. The two girls rose, and stared at the woman before them. Her sandy blonde hair stretched down to her ankles and her sea-green eyes peered back at them happily. "I mean no harm to you. Only a warning to be sent" she spoke again. "W-What's your name?" Brietta inquired. "I am called, Raisia. I come here to warn you. The boy that accompanies you is being mislead. The Fluxians wish him to join in their plans for destruction. You must not let that happen" she explained. "How are we supposed to stop this?" Dovie asked abruptly. "W-Where did you come from?" Brietta added. "We have to find his sister! Do you know where she is? Dovie interrupted. Brietta nodded and said, "Y-Yes! Do you know where to find her? Where are the Fluxian people? H-How do-" "SILENCE!" Raisia said sternly, she then returned to her calm demeanor and continued, "All of these questions. You do have the book do you not?" The girls answered with a nod, and Dovie dared to speak again. "Um...yes may we ask you some questions?" she asked timidly. 

The woman answered, "You may ask but three." Davita and Brietta exchanged surprised looks, and Brietta repeated, "Three?" Raisia frowned slightly, "Yes girl, three. I haven't all day to answer questions. I have important matters elsewhere." At this Brietta grew quiet, and it was Dovie who asked the first question, "Where do you come from?" Raisia laughed softly, "What a strange question to ask in this dilemma. I come from the land of Clay. I, like you, am of the earth. Our dwelling is a gathering at the base of a canyon. It's quite beautiful there actually. The castle is most unique! The King had it carved from the side of the canyon so that part of it extends out over the town."  "Oh your Clayish?" Dovie asked. "Yes, and for your final question?" Raisia inquired. "Wait, we've only asked one q-question" Brietta spoke up. "Mmm...I think not dear. You sister has now asked two" the woman pointed out. Brietta glanced at her sister in frustration. "Well, we are trying to find a woman named Laraya. Mizuko said she-" Brietta started. But, Raisia cut her off quickly. "MIZUKO?! That deviant!" Raisia yelled. At that dirt shot up from the ground forcefully, and the wind spun even more violently than before. The girls were flung to the ground, but the woman stood perfectly still in it's power. Her hair swirled above her head like a tornado and she spoke over the rushing wind. "STOP THE BOY!" she wailed. Then, once more quick as she came, she vanished. The girls stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then Davita joked, "Well, she was pleasant." Brietta didn't laugh, and no trace of a smile came to her lips. She simply stated, "We can't turn back. Let's go find Bo." 

Bo had long entered the forest by this time, and he had no intention of turning back for the others. "I'm not stopping till I find her.." he said to himself as he left the tall straw-colored grass of the meadow. The sounds of his cousins were lost in the envelope of the woods, and his anger drove him. He moved quickly through the forest, stepping over roots and ducking beneath low hanging branches. The forest grew quite thick as he continued, and the sun was all but lost beneath the dense forest canopy. He had come across a hollow log that served as a good thinking spot. He sat stewing as he picked up a stick, and absentmindedly pulled it back and forth through a nearby puddle. The water rippled, and the puddles size grew larger. It morphed into a warped shape now, and it's definition grew sharp until finally it wasn't a puddle at all. In front of him now stood two figures. A tiny woman and a tall slender man. Both wore the same style uniform as the man Bo and his cousins saw at the river. Both wore the same water badge pinned to their outfit, and both stood silently before him. "You disturb the waters sir" the woman spoke. Her voice was soft and smooth, like the melody of some lullaby. "Uh...I'm sorry?" Bo stated uncertainly. "Apologies are not required sir. We are Yaritza and Cashel of Flux. I implore you, a message need you hear" the man called Cashel began. His voice had a youthful tone but he was a man surely in his thirties or more. "You seek one, Laraya for your sister's location?" Yaritza asked. Abbott nodded in agreement, and dropped the stick in his hand. "You will find her down this path. East at the fork" she informed him. "Thank you. Um, can I ask why you're here?" Bo asked carefully. At this the two of them shared a smile. "Mizuko said you would have questions" Cashel grinned. "Mizuko!? You know him? He's the one that told me about Laraya!" Bo said excitedly. "Friends...with Mizuko? Oh, sir what an honor that would be! Sadly, no. Mizuko is one of the head advisors to the High Rule. We are but low level informants, but we know of hearsay around the kingdom" Yaritza explained in a flustered state.

"Oh, I was just wondering. He told me to find Laraya, and that she has info about my sister's whereabouts. Why do you keep calling me sir?" Abbott asked with chuckle. "It is for the reason we were seeking you sir. We Fluxians are under rule of a grand sea creature called Eleck. He is a powerful and fierce leader, but his grand advisors have been misguiding him. He means for you and your sister to join him as his new grand advisors and help put a stop to all of this war between us, the people of Thermo and Clay" Cashel tells him.

"The book said that your people were causing destruction to those people, and that you wanted to over take the earth" Abbott said without thinking. Yaritza extended her hand quickly in a claw like position and said angrily, "How dare you!" Cashel grabbed her arm, and quickly lowered it to her side. He spun round in front of her so that Abbott couldn't see their faces. "It's ok Yaritza. He is just repeating what he's read in the book." He ran his hand gently across her cheek to sooth her, and she nodded. "I'm...I'm sorry about that. That silly book isn't entirely correct. Our people have been trying to divide the earth up equally between Fluxian, Thermic, and Clayish for years. The ancestor's only fought to bring peace to the lands. Please find your sister and join us. Eleck hopes to bring fair division to these groups" she explained further. "You want us? I mean we're just kids...I mean I'd love to help, but I don't know what I can offer to your leader" Bo said insecurely. "Your talents and skill are desirable for leadership influence. You may be more than you know" Cashel stated. "Ok...well anything to help I guess. First things first though, I need to find Arista" he responded. "Then seek Laraya. Find your sister, and journey to the city of Flux" Yaritza instructed. Then, it was if the two of them liquified into water, and fell into the puddle before Abbott. He stood there, perplexed at this for a moment before taking off through the forest again.

TWT Chapter - 2

9 years later . . .
 

Brietta Caprice crept slowly through the forest, peeking around each tree and under each bush. The summer sky was cloudless and the hot sun warmed her bare shoulders where her tank top straps didn’t cover. She wiped the sweat from her brow, re-adjusted her ponytail and sighed. There were better things a 16 year old could be doing aside from goofing around in the forest with her sister and cousin. Though she would never admit it, she secretly enjoyed it. The kids at school were sometimes unkind to her, as she never quite broke free from her childhood stutter. But, it didn’t hold her back; she was an excellent student, and first chair clarinet in band class. Placing her hands on her hips, she cried out, “Ok! I give! Where are you guys?” A giggle came from a nearby hollow log, and out crawled 13 year old Dovie. “Hah! I w-would have never thought to l-look for you there!” Brietta laughed. Dovie grinned and brushing herself off she asked, “Where’s Bo? Bet you didn’t find him! You knew wouldn’t, cause I know where he hid.” Brietta shrugged as Dovie took off running to the large tree Abbott had climbed minutes before. “Ok you little stinker, time to come down!” Dovie called from the bottom of the tree. No leaves rustled, and no branches shook to indicate that he was climbing down. “Where has he run off to?” she huffed. “Looks like we’re b-both seekers now” Brietta said in a snarky tone. Dovie shot her a look, and the two went searching for their cousin. 

Abbott Winterdale was affectionately known as “Bo” by his family and friends, and had grown into a tall skinny boy of nine who now sported his auburn hair in a shaggy style. He spent his days tinkering with lego’s and building small models. “What a great architect you will make someday” his Aunt Giana often told him. Mostly he was a happy boy, but always felt a space in his heart for his lost sister. After 3 years of searching, hoping, and waiting, his poor mother couldn’t handle the sorrow of her daughter any longer and fell into a heavy depression. Rarely leaving the bedroom, a nurse was brought in to care for her. With Lance working the farm single-handed, there wasn’t much time to raise little Abbott, and so he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle. Gentry Talbot threw a fit when learning this, and suggested that the boy come to live with them. Lance knew Mira would hate the idea of him being brought up in that lifestyle and refused his mother’s offer. There was also suggestion of hiring a nanny, but Lance refused this as well, for he didn’t want a total stranger raising his son. His family also offered to give him money so that he could stay home and raise Abbott. All he had to do was help Preston cover up some legal documents that he may or may not have lied about. “I will not be a part of your illegal scandals!” he had shouted the moment the horrible idea was mentioned. So it was that little Abbott was sent to northern California to live with Denver and Giana Caprice. Of course he saw his parents often throughout the year, all of the holidays, birthdays and school breaks. It broke his heart to see them though, tired and careworn. He remembered his promise to find his sister and he read many books that were close to the circumstances with her disappearance, hoping to find anything to help him find Arista.

“There you are! You’re not even hiding, and you left the game area we talked about!” Dovie shouted playfully. Bo simply stood stiff as a board at the edge of the forest staring. Brietta shrugged and exchanged confused looks with Dovie as the two made their way over to him. The forest looked out onto a small meadow, and across the way by the river stood two figures. “W-what are you doing?” Brietta whispered to Abbott. As he snapped out of his stare he replied, “I think I just saw…Let’s get closer.” He turned on his heel and walked around the meadow, taking care to stay hidden in the envelope of the thick forest tree’s. Dovie and Brietta followed quickly behind him as he hopped from stone to fallen tree branch, and over roots in the ground. Finally slowing down, the group carefully peered around the trunk of a huge tree. Bo pulled them out of sight and softly said, “There were three of them before. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but something strange happened to one of them, and then he fell to the ground.” Davita shrugged, “They were probably just playing around.” Bo frowned, “No Dovie…I think they died or something.” Brietta ruffled his hair and he ducked from her reach. “Hey! D-don’t worry little cuz. If it makes you f-feel better we can stay and c-check it out.” Dovie thought for a moment, then agreed, and Bo gave her a nod. 

They inched over to another tree, closer to the unknown couple. Once within earshot they could make out a guy and girl, both appeared to be in their early 20’s and were clearly having some type of disagreement. “Will you not heed the warning, and end up like Pearson? How sad that she sends such weak messenger’s!” the guy scoffed. His slim frame wore some strange type of business suit and he was dressed all in blue with a small raindrop emblem on the chest pocket. He stared at the girl, waiting for her response, but she scowled at him, and the two seemed to stare at one another for several moments. Her long brown hair hung past her waist, and she too wore a strange outfit; a deep maroon jacket with large pointed shoulders paired with black pants. On her jacket there was a flame-like patch, and she placed her hand over it, closing her eyes before she answered. “You should know that her first instinct was to ignore your requests. She however felt it to be helpful to at least learn how and why you are able to rally on land now, and what plans there are on your side. Presenting your request, and then slaughtering one of my kind is not the smartest way to get your point across” she said with her head held high. She glanced down at a man lying on the ground, he wore the same uniform as her, and was dead as a door nail. 

The man in blue thought for a moment, then spoke again, “My apologies Veeda, your higher up made the wise decision to have you meet me here. All Eleck wants is to form a legion between us; Fluxian and Thermic. Though I can’t fully disclose the details, if the people of Thermo join forces with us I can guarantee our leader will discuss granting you all immunity.” Veeda frowned angrily and folded her arms before grunting out, “How dare the people of Flux insult us with this proposal after our ancestors violent history! No, Arlo! I won’t even dare mention this to the leaders of Thermo, or anyone else for that matter!” She now placed her hands on her hips in a no nonsense sort of way. “Then, I’m afraid you will end up like our friend Pearson…” Arlo snarled as he pointed to the dead man on the ground. He then extended his arm out and made a scooping motion toward the river. As he did this a sphere of water shot at Veeda, and upon hitting her flesh it stretched and completely surrounded her. She was suspended inside the water bubble, and appeared to be drowning. Her eyes grew wide with fear as her lungs filled with water, and a black smoke billowed in the water. The smoke, it seemed was coming from her hair and fingernails; as if they would be on fire if not submerged in water. She clutched her throat in panic, then placed both palms against the edge of the water bubble. With her last bit of air she screamed, “STOOOP!” Arlo rolled his eyes and thrust his pointer finger into the air, as though popping a bubble. In this motion the water bubble burst, shooting water every direction. Veeda collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air, and whispered, “Ok…I’ll do it. I’ll give her the message.” Arlo smiled a twisted smile and snidely replied, “There’s a good girl.” He brushed off his shoulders, and started to walk toward the river calling out over his shoulder, “We’ll set up a time to hear her decision.” As he reached the river’s edge he walked straight in, and disappeared.

Finally catching her breath, Veeda stood sopping wet where Arlo had left her. She huffed angrily and mumbled something to herself. All of the sudden the ends of her hair and fingernails indeed caught on fire and she spun in a slow circle. When she had finished it was clear that she was totally dry once again, and she walked over and gazed down at Pearson. The flames now left her, all but her pointer fingernail and she crouched down to the man. “Dear friend and fellow messenger, you will be missed”, she said softly. Then pressing her flaming nail against his heart, his whole body was immersed in flames, and he vanished into a little puff of black smoke. Quickly Veeda caught the smoke in a little vile and tied it around her neck, “Great! Just great! Wait til Sloane Winterdale hears about this!” With that a smokey circle appeared, she stepped through it as it closed behind her, and she was gone.

The three of them stood perfectly still, unable to even speak. Dovie tried to finally talk, but it came out in merely a whisper, “What…just happened?” Brietta thought for a moment, then made a guess, “M-Maybe it was a magician?” Dovie raised her eyebrows and scoffed in disbelief, “A magician?…Really? Did that look like a magician to you?” She gazed at her sister in disbelief, and Brietta shrugged her shoulders. “It w-was just a guess.. I have n-no idea what that was” she answered. Dovie nodded, “Yea I know…at least you had a guess. Sorry for snapping at you, I just…” “You were scared” Bo cut in. Dovie looked sheepishly at Bo, she was almost never scared of anything! But, this…this strange other world stuff, yea it scared her a bit. “What? I’m not scared!” she lied. “It’s ok to be scared, honestly I’m quite worried as well. I’ve read about something like this, but I don’t remember much about it. Whatever it is, I don’t think we should mention it to your mom and dad just yet. The thing that concerns me oddly enough, is that my Aunt Sloane is somehow involved” Bo stated. “W-why not? They s-should know about this!” Brietta exclaimed. “I think he’s right. They have enough to worry about, and if his other aunt is involved who knows what’s going on” Dovie added. “Are you suggesting that Mom and Dad are p-part of this!?” Brietta said in a shocked voice. “Of course not, but we have no clue what this is about and I think we should just be careful” said Bo. Brietta sighed, “Ok, but I d-don’t think it’s a good idea!” Brietta thought being the oldest she should have the final say, but she hated conflict and decided that the others were right, and they should wait to talk about it with any one else. 

As they walked back home, they talked fervently about what they saw. Wondering what the man Arlo was talking about, how Sloane Winterdale was somehow part of this, and of course about the mysterious power over the water. “He said about working together, F-Flexus and something…” Brietta mentioned. “Yea! Only that wasn’t the name. What was it?” Dovie chimed in. “Fluxian and Thermic” Bo answered. “What does that mean?” Dovie asked. She was sure whatever it was, wasn’t good. “I’m not sure…but we’re going to find out! I just remembered where I read about this kind of thing. There’s a book in the town that had something similar” He replied. “W-well let’s go there! C’mon, let’s see if M-Mom will give us a ride!” Brietta told them. “Ah, yet another perfect example of why you should’ve gotten your driver’s license by now” Dovie taunted playfully. “Hey! I’m working on it!” Brietta laughed slightly. “Race ya!” Bo shouted and they took off running towards the house.

The sun was still shining brightly by the time they reached home, and a positively lovely smell was floating through the air as they entered. Giana had been baking some tasty treats and was singing in the kitchen. Her tone was way off and her awkward singing danced through the front hall to where the children stood. They exchanged pained looks before making their way to the kitchen to silence the dying bird. “Well, my ears are bleeding, but at least she’s in a good mood” Dovie whispered, and Brietta clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. Upon entering the kitchen, they found Giana hovering over some delicious looking cupcakes with sparkly blue icing and topped with little yellow sprinkles. “I knew you were home! I could smell you when you came in!” she joked, “You kids want some cupcakes? I just finished them.” They all nodded and reached for a treat, but Giana popped them each on the hand, “My word! It’s like I’ve raised heathens! Go wash up first, did you forget?” She fussed at them to “Wash them good!”, and took the basket of blackberries the kids picked earlier. 

“Ya know, I was thinking why do we have to go all the way to the library to look in some old book? Why don’t we just try to look it up here at home?” Dovie questioned. “Trust me I’ve tried. Every time I do research on it I just get referred to that book” Bo replied as he washed his hands. He stared at the water as it continuously ran across his hands, and Brietta gently turned the tap off. “I think they’re clean buddy” she said offering him the hand towel. Bo was always intrigued by the water; the way it flowed, the way it felt as it trickled across his skin. Such an interesting element water was to him. One minute it could be like a mirror, still and smooth. Another minute it could be strong and sharp, crashing its way through. Other times it was steady, soft and gentle, easing itself along. His mind shot back to the unexplainable happenings from earlier, then to the book they were supposed to be studying. His family was used to him sort of zoning out like that sometimes when he was using water, and they tried to get him to snap out of it. They chalked it up to being some kind of traumatic moment due to his current situation with his parents and twin. “C-Come on! I want one of those cupcakes!” Brietta smiled. Noticing Dovie had already left the bathroom, Bo grinned. He knew she would already be on her second cupcake by the time he and Brietta returned to the kitchen.

Sure enough, upon entering the kitchen, the two found Dovie laughing happily as she slid her finger across the icing of her second cake. Giana reached over and collected the first cupcakes wrapper and shook her head, “Honestly Davita what will I do with you?” she asked playfully. Abbott and Brietta took their seats as Giana offered them glasses of milk. “Those are some great looking blackberries.  I was thinking of making a meatloaf for dinner, and following it with a delicious blackberry cobbler!” she smiled at them. “Mmm….with vanilla ice cream?” Dovie asked hungrily before sucking the icing from her pointer finger. Giana raised a brow, “No ice cream this time…and I think, missy that you’ve had enough sugar for one day!” Dovie frowned and shrugged then looked at her Mother eagerly. “Now what?” Giana said with a laugh. Brietta caught Davita’s eye and Giana looked back and forth at them curiously. “M-Mom we were wondering if you might drive us into town. We’re wanting t-to visit the library” Brietta stammered. “There’s a lot of great books we want to take a look at” Bo piped up as he finished his treat. Giana’s face lit up in surprise, “Wow! Now that IS a request! Not a lot of kids want to spend their time hanging out at the library nowadays. I’ll be glad to take you…” “Yes!” the children cheered in response. “Tomorrow afternoon we can all take a trip to the library. You never know, I might find something I like as well” Giana continued as she began preparing the cobbler.

That night after dinner, the children got their showers and into their pajamas. Bo went to Brietta’s room to discuss how they would look up what they needed without her mother noticing. He gently knocked on the door and heard her welcome him in. Brietta’s room was the largest of the three children’s rooms, it was always neat and tidy, and had a large bay window. When he entered the room, he found her pulling back the fluffy purple comforter of her canopy bed and she asked him what was going on. “I was just thinking…how are we going to research this weird stuff with your Mom right there? I mean, what if we wanna check the book out?” he wondered. Brietta thought for a moment, “S-Should we just tell her?” Seeing the look on Bo’s face though, she quickly offered an alternative idea. “D-Did you ask Dovie? Maybe she has a good idea.” Bo shook his head but suggested that they go ask her. 

Down the hall in Dovie’s room they found her hunched over a large piece of brown paper in the middle of the floor. It was a wonder she had found a space to work in all that mess. Davita was interested in art, and like most artists her room was a complete disaster zone. An easel was situated by the big window and art supplies were scattered from wall to wall, well except the space she had cleared on the floor. “I know why you’re here, and don’t worry, I have a plan. I’ll mention to Mom that the library has a lot of great cookbooks she can take a look at. That will keep her busy, meanwhile we go grab the book and check it out. Then, we’ll take this book cover I’ve made, and slide it over it. Problem solved” she smiled. “Yea, that will work great! Good thinking cousin!” Bo excitedly added. Brietta felt strange in her gut about this whole business, but knew the other two wouldn’t listen. Maybe she should just tell her parents anyways, after all what were two little kids gonna do about it. On the other hand, she wasn’t the type of girl who liked to get mixed up in matters like this and so she simply instructed them that it was time for bed. 

Once in his bedroom, Abbott’s mind was filled with thoughts and questions about the strange people they saw earlier. “How could my aunt be involved with such things” he asked himself. The dark green walls of his room were covered with posters of space and glow in the dark solar systems that shown brightly in the darkness of the night. As he lay in bed the moon shone down on him through his bedroom window, his thoughts turned to his sister, and he wondered if these peculiar events had something to do with her. “I know you’re out there somewhere Arista…” he whispered softly before he dozed off to sleep.

Bo opened his eyes, and sat upright in his bed. He glanced at his bedside clock that read 4:02am. Something was wrong, he never woke up in the night like this. What he didn’t know however was that on occasion he would sleep walk around the house. Most of the time his Uncle Denver would hear him, and gently guide him back to bed. But, sometimes Abbott would do strange things before wandering back to his room, like the time he left the bathroom sink running. Water had seeped all the way into the hall before Brietta had awoken for a restroom break, and saw the mess. This sleepwalking had only happened a handful of times, and such as it’s not uncommon, no one thought anything of it.

Strange it was though that he should awake tonight. Something caught his eye in the mirror, but when he turned to see what was creating the reflection, nothing was there. Suddenly he realized that he was drenched from head to toe, completely soaked with water. “Ugh…” he mumbled in half asleep confusion.  As he dried himself, and changed into some new pajama’s he tried to think of what could have happened. “Surely you didn’t wet yourself” he thought he heard someone say. He spun around quickly, but there was no one there. “Great now I’m hearing things” he thought to himself before crawling back into bed.

The next time he opened his eyes, it was to his cousin shaking him awake. “C’mon get up Mom’s ready to go! She said she needs to talk to you about something. Get up sleepy bones!” Dovie said shaking his shoulders. “Ok, ok I’m up” Bo said rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Dovie popped out of his room, and he threw on some clothes. Once everyone was ready to leave, Giana pulled Abbott to the side and told him that they needed to have a quick talk. Denver was already waiting for them when they entered the study. Bo never went in his uncles office, none of the children did, only his uncles building clients were allowed. Sometimes very important people would come by to discuss work for large buildings. “Can’t have you guys underfoot when I’ve got business to take care of” Denver would often tell Abbott and the girls. So, when Giana brought him in there Bo might have guessed it was something important..

Denver’s expression was serious as he gazed out the window through the maroon curtains. “Yes Uncle?” Bo asked curiously. Denver’s gaze broke and he turned to the boy. He stood up tall and got right to the point, “It appears that your grandparent’s want you to come live with them. Your aunt and I refused but, they pressed us and said they never get to see you. With your parents permission, we’ve reached a compromise. We’ve all decided that you can go out for a visit to your grandparents place, but will be returning here a short time after. How do ya like that?” Abbott thought for a moment, “But I like it here…and there is no one to play with there. Do I have to go?” Giana stared at the floor quietly, and subtly wiped a few tears from her eyes. Denver pressed his lips together and he wore a frown. It was clear that his aunt and uncle were unhappy with this news, and after a moment, Denver respond to his nephew. “Well Bo, sometimes life gives us new experiences, and new adventures to be part of. Sometimes it’s tough when you’re a kid, most of these decisions are made for you. But, just know that the people that care about you always have your best interests in mind. Of course, we love having you here, but this is how it must be for now” Denver replied downheartedly. The thought of living with his grandparents made Abbott’s heart sink. He barely knew these people, and had only spent time with them a few hours here and there for holidays when visiting his parents. Cold, strict and status driven he knew the type of life that awaited him, and he shuddered at the thought. “There now, it won’t be so bad dear, and you will be returning soon after. Your father talked as though it was just for the summer” Giana added in an attempt to comfort the boy. “Yea? Well I know how father feels about them, and I know mother wouldn’t have it! What says she about this?” Abbott snapped before he could stop himself. 

His eyes stung as he fought back the tears that were trying to break free. “How could they do this? First he lost his sister, then he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle, and now he’s being shipped off to his grandparents? What next!?” he angrily thought. “Your father felt that in her fragile condition, perhaps it best if your mother isn’t bothered by these events” his uncle explained. Bo could feel the blood being pumped forcefully through his veins. He dare not speak, for fear of what he might say. Giana gently stroked his hair lovingly, “You will leave in a few days. I thought while we’re in town today I could pick out some nice clothes for your visit. Won’t that be nice?” his aunt asked him. Abbott gave an apathetic shrug, and rose heading toward the door. Denver grabbed his arm and pulled him into a tight hug, “We’ll get ya back boy, don’t you worry.” Giana kissed his forehead and wrapped her arms around the both of them. “We love you nephew, love you like we would our own son” she whispered. 

Abbott decided he wouldn’t mention his going away just yet. He wanted to enjoy the day and occupy his mind with finding out more about the mysterious people in the meadow. Too soon his days would be filled with lessons on how to be a proper gentlemen, and a successful businessman. He knew they would never let him leave, with his being the only grandson of the family. Denver kissed Giana goodbye, and left to make his way to a job site. “Ok everyone, let’s go” Giana called as she rounded up the kids. On the way into town Bo stared out the window and gazed at the ripples on the lake as they were passing. The sun reflected brightly on it’s shining surface. He thought how great a swim would be right now, diving into the crisp clear water, gliding through the water weightlessly as it carried him. “OW!” he cried as a pain erupted in his side. “I said what’s going on with you?” Dovie repeated. “Oh nothing, I’m just tired is all” Bo lied. “Well get focused! We need your help today” she whispered. “What are you two whispering about back there? Trying to decide on a song for me to play?” Giana playfully guessed. Davita rolled her eyes and whined, “Moooom!” Brietta laughed from the front seat, “C-Come on it will be fun!” She reached over and switched on the radio, and turned up the volume. As soon as the first beat sounded, Giana gasped. “Oh my! I love this song!” she cheered before singing along loudly. 

The car sped along and soon they had reached town. Quailsburg was an average sized town, perfect for day to day activities. Every so often the family would take a trip to the big city an hour or so away. Those trips were always fun because they would stop at Neilson McDoogals. It was the best comic book store in the tri-county, and Abbott loved it there. He sat day dreaming about it’s rows and rows of comic adventure, and wished they were going there As Mrs. Caprice pulled the car up to the library, Abbott’s thoughts left the comic book store. The group of them climbed the stone steps to the front of the library, and entered the large wooden doors. The library had two floors with books filling every shelf, and right down the middle there was a grand staircase. “Look at all of these books!” Giana smiled. “They even have a whole section just for cooking, did you know?” Dovie explained enthusiastically. “Ooo! How wonderful! I bet I can find a ton of recipes… Ok you kids have fun! Meet me at the front desk in 2 hours” she whispered as she took off for the cookbooks. 

The children made a plan to split up and search the library for anything even slightly related to what they saw in the meadow. They agreed that Brietta and Abbott would go to the non-fiction and history section upstairs. “What about you?” Brietta asked her sister. “Fairytales, that’s a good place to start. Surely there is something in one of those books that is similar to what happened” Dovie explained before she made her way to the fiction department. 

Upstairs Abbott cracked open a book called, “H2O: Water Powered Mills”. Brietta dove into a few promising looking books about creatures of the ocean. But almost an hour later they were no closer to finding out any information. Dovie had joined them upstairs and shared her findings. “Heh, not a lot of people up here. I guess it’s not as popular as downstairs. Anyhow, I know it’s a stretch but I found some old storybook that talked about mermaids and people of Atlantis; an underwater community” she told them. “Hmm t-that is a stretch, but something in history must have happened t-to make someone think there might be mermaids and such”  Brietta mentioned. “That doesn’t really talk about water control though…” Bo added.

 “Sounds like you need to visit Carrigan’s” a man’s voice whispered. All three of them jumped from the unexpected arrival of someone else. The man was old and balding, he was frail and his face weathered but his eyes were kind. “The antique shop? What’s there?” Dovie asked. The three of them were baffled by this man. They wondered what he could possibly know about the strange effects they witnessed. “Saw somethin’ strange with water, didn’t ya? Yep, that’s why you need to go to the antique shop. There’s a book there called “The Legend of the Stars”, well that is, if it’s still there. Read that, it’ll have your answers” the man explained. With that he turned and walked around the corner to the next aisle of books. “Hey, wait! That was pretty vague! Tell us what you know!” Dovie called after him as she darted around the corner. 

“That was weird…” Brietta said under her breath. “C’mon” Bo said grabbing her arm. A few aisles down they found Dovie standing dumbfounded, and she threw her hands into the air. “Surely the old man didn’t go too far..” she said in confusion. As they stood wondering, Abbott went over things in his mind. Finally he said, “Let’s go to the shop!” The girls spun around and gazed at him as if he had lost his marbles. “Don’t look at me like that! It’s just down the street and we still have a little over an hour before we have to meet your mom. I have to know more about this. It’s not natural, and…” Bo trailed off. “…And?” Dovie said to encourage him to finish his sentence. “…And, I have an odd feeling that it might have to do with my sister” he finished. Brietta glanced at the ground, and Dovie tried her best to hold her tongue. “Bo, your sister has been gone a very long time. It’s best to live for the future, and leave the past in the past. Everyone has stopped looking for her by now, and tried to move on the best they can” Davita gently explained. Abbott clenched his fists together tightly, “Well I haven’t!”, he said through gritted teeth. He turned on his heel and stormed off quickly. “N-Now you’ve done it! Sometimes you’re too honest with him, he’s j-just a little kid” Brietta snapped. “I didn’t mean it to sound so harsh, you know I mean well. Just, sometimes the words come out before I have time to really think about them” Dovie said downheartedly. “Well c’mon on then, let’s go find him” Brietta huffed as she tugged her sister by the hand. 

The girls knew exactly where to look for their cousin first. Carrigan’s was the only antique shop in their little town, but it had much to offer. The front of the shop was a modest size, but as one ventured towards the back, it grew wider and one almost felt as if they were in a huge warehouse. Renwo Carrigan was a kind middle-aged man who took over the antique shop when his father passed away a few years back. Organization however, was not his forte, and the shop remained intriguing, but disorganized. Everything was sort of placed where ever there was space for it, and sometimes you really had to do some digging if you were looking for something specific. Large windows allowed the sunlight to pour in, and it gave the illusion that the merchandise was a shimmering golden hue. “Welcome! Carrigan’s welcomes you!” Renwo greeted them as the girls entered the shop. They waved and asked if a young boy had been through. Mr. Carrigan raised his bushy brown eyebrows, and stroked his beard as he replied, “Little red-headed guy? Yea, he came in a few minutes ago asking about some old book. I told him most of that sort of thing is kept in the back corner of the shop.” 

They thanked him, and wandered towards the back end of the store. Dovie wondered why they didn’t go there more often, as she gazed at beautiful paintings, and crystal animal figures. Brietta even spotted some antique jewelry that was glittering in a glass case. After getting a little side tracked, they found Bo rummaging through some old chests, in search of the book. “Bo…” Dovie carefully called to him. He turned to face her but then frowned and continued looking through an old toy chest. “You found me I see” he mumbled. Dovie continued “Look, I’m sorry about what I said earlier. It didn’t come out right. I-” “Yea, no kidding! You know if Brietta was gone you would never stop looking for her! Am I the only one that even cares about Arista? Everyone else has given up! Well, not me! I know she’s out there somewhere, and I’ll never stop looking for her, ever!” he said as his voice shook. “Aw, Bo! You’re right, and of course we care! We’ll help you find her” Davita said softly. Then she wrapped her arms around her cousin and held him tightly as Brietta joined in on the hug. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw a tear slip out of Abbott’s eye, and she kissed him on the head. “We are here for you b-buddy! Brietta added.

The three broke out of the hug and Abbott turned away from them, continuing to sort through a stack of old books. Brietta turned her attention to a desk a few feet away, and Davita wandered down the aisle even further. A very large, very interesting painting had caught her eye. The paint was smeared thickly across it’s rugged canvas, and a dark bronze frame displayed it beautifully. Wicker furniture was placed nearby, and a tall lamp with fake vines twisted around it stood just in front of the painting. Carefully Dovie moved the lamp so she could get a better look. The range of purple hues displayed on the painting made her eyes light up. She absentmindedly ran her fingertips along the hand-carved frame as she gazed at the paintings brush strokes. “Ouch” she suddenly said in a hushed voice. She held her pointer finger up and noticed it had been pierced by something sharp. Gazing around the side of the frame she noticed how quite deep this frame was; more like a box. A small latch seemed to be holding it together, and she reached out to open it. “That’s what I must’ve pricked my finger on” she thought to herself. 

Slowly she lifted the latch, and the front of the painting opened slightly. Dovie raised her eyebrows in surprise. She opened the frame quickly, eager to see what she might find. But, something heavy fell out and landed on her foot. “Ouch!” she muttered for the second time in five minutes. What ever fell onto her foot was the only thing that seemed to be behind the frame, and she bent down to pick it up. She stared at it a moment, and slowly called out, “Um, guys…I think you need to see this.” Abbott and Brietta rushed over to her, eyes wide with interest. Dovie told them about the painting, and showed them what she had found. “No way…” Abbott breathed. “I d-don’t believe it!” Brietta chimed in. For in Davita’s hand was a very old looking book titled, “The Legend of the Stars”.