The Inner Kingdom: Quest One (Dragon Quest Book 1) (2 page)

The Manifestation

Location: School Gym

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Apri
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After hearing the first period warning bell, I realized I would be late if I did not hurry.

I entered the girl’s locker room in record time, making sure that I was alone before I changed into my winter gym uniform; an orange sweatpants set with white stripes.

The uniform made me feel as if I was in prison instead of an educational facility. I thought as I tied my unruly red hair quickly in a bun.

Catching my reflection in the locker room’s mirror, I could see that the red mark was no longer around my wrist.

Keep it together, April. Now is not a good time to lose your sanity.

I tried silently to find a seat in the back of gym class without anyone noticing.

With my eyes focused on my coveted place in the right corner beside the bleachers, I did not notice the dainty brunette who suddenly appeared in my way until I crashed into her, sending both of us to the ground.

"Hey! You need to watch where you are going!” Miranda hissed as her airhead followers were already helping her to her feet. "That's why I can't stand losers; they are always trying to pull others down with them.”

Standing on opposite sides of the gym, my two sisters watched this display with a neutral expression on their faces.

Thinking about the treatment I have received from her since we moved to this town our freshman year, I found myself boiling over inside with anger.

"With your grades, the least of your problems is a loser like me pulling you down,” I muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, feeling a little reckless as I helped myself up.

The gym became instantly silent as tension filled the air. Miranda’s face turned violent as she spun around and stalked toward me. I was calm and confident on the outside as I faced the angry storm coming my way, but inside I was a nervous wreck. I am not sure what I would have done if Coach had not interrupted her with a blow from his whistle.

"Anderson! Churchill! Save your drama for after school and off campus." Coach Morrison shouted as he blew his whistle two more times, which was a sign for everyone to line up.

I knew it was not over as I received strange looks from Miranda, her followers, and her brother Brandon. Lining up as Coach directed, my day became even worse as he announced that we were to be playing dodge ball.

I could see my doom in the Churchill twin’s eyes as they nodded at each other. Slowly, I raised my hand to ask if I could sit out of the game.

“No one will be exempt from this game,” Coach announced, causing me to lower my hand back toward my sides. “If you are breathing, I will be grading you on participation.”

Coach made sure that he caught everyone’s eyes to make sure that we understood his meaning loud and clear.

I’m missing summer already.

During the days before summer break, we were free to do whatever we wanted for the rest of class after running, or walking a mile, which I mostly did the later. Unfortunately, today was a snow day, and we were all stuck in the gym, forced to take part in games Coach likes to call, "Fun and energizing."

“Okay, now, I am going to be separating everyone into two teams today. First, I will need two volunteers to be captains.”

“I’ll do it,” Miranda volunteered using her sickening sweet voice as she went to stand next to coach.

“Thank you, Miss Churchill,” Coach responded, just as surprised as everyone else in the gym, since Miranda has had every sickness in medical history every time an activity in class called her to be physically active. “Anyone else would like to lead?”

“I don’t mind,” my heart fell as I realized Brandon was the one who had spoken up.

“It looks as if the Churchill twins woke up on the right side of the bed this morning,” Coach laughed as he placed Brandon and Miranda on opposite sides of a dodge ball in the center of the gym.

No longer feeling the confidence I felt earlier, I stood with my head down while coach named off everyone in class to stand by Brandon or Miranda’s side.

It didn’t matter which team I would be placed on, I knew I was in trouble.

“April Anderson. I am placing you on team one,” Coach called out right before he located Angie and Ashley on team one as well.

While he continued to check names off of his list, the coach did not notice the sweat running down the side of my face.

Moving toward my team, my eyes met Angie’s, and instead of turning away she gave me a small smile. Her smile helped me feel a little bit better since I was afraid I wouldn’t have anyone on my side during the game.

Avoiding my direction, Ashley continued ignoring me, choosing to focus all of her attention on her boyfriend as if noticing my existence in school would put her popularity in danger. 

I tried not to let Ashley bother me as much as the troubling grins and stares coming from Brandon and Miranda did.  At the sound of Coach’s whistle, team one started the game.

The game was intense with the removal of two team members from each team within the first sixty seconds. We started out with 18 people. After five minutes, there were eight remaining, four of them belonging to team two. Unfortunately that also included Brandon. The remaining people on team one consisted of; Miranda, Angie, Ashley, and myself.

Everyone was beyond relieved when coach appeared, sounding his whistle for the remaining players to take a water break.

“Nice dodges out there,” Angie whispered as she walked up to me, offering me a towel and a bottle of water.

“Thanks,” I replied a little surprised that she would acknowledge me openly in school.

“What do you two think you are doing?” Ashley whispered, while pretending she was tying her shoes. “Are you trying to break our agreement?”

Even though I could barely see her face behind her thick curtain of hair, her tone told me all I needed to know.

“Sorry, Ash-”I began until Angie interrupted me.

“Do not apologize to her. I think we need to consider revising our deal,” Angie said while scowling down at Ashley with her hands on her hips.

This made Ashley drop her charade of tying her shoes as she challenged Angie’s glare.

“Hey! Watch out!” Brandon shouted, pulling our attention toward him.

There was hardly any time to react as I saw a big dodge ball heading straight toward me. 

Angie and Ashley both reached out to me, but I knew their aid would be too late. With nowhere to go, I closed my eyes hoping the ball would pass me by.

Almost immediately after closing my eyes, I realized that I could no longer hear anything. Terrified of what I might find when I opened my eyes once again, I gradually pried them open only to come face-to-face with the dodge ball suspended in midair about an inch away from my nose.

Slowly backing away from the floating ball, I was trembling all over.

This cannot be happening.

The only ones unaffected were my sisters and I.

It is going to be hard to forget the motionless frightened faces of the coach and most of the students in the gym. The grins on Miranda’s and Brandon’s faces were the only things that seemed out of place as they watched the now unmoving levitating ball move toward me.

“What just happened?” Ashley asked in a trembling voice

Her words barely registered in my head, when I caught movement in my peripheral view. Turning around, I saw the ghost boy standing against the bleachers, and for the first time ever I saw him smile as his form became transparent and he disappeared.

That was the last thing I saw before my world went black.

The Teleportation

Location: School

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Angi
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“We need to talk,” was all I said, as I grabbed Ashley by the shoulders and steered her into the girl’s bathroom.

“What is your problem?” Ashley asked, as she pulled away from me, still in her last period uniform since we did not have time to change before taking April to the infirmary.

“That’s what I want to ask you. Our sister is now in the nurse’s office because your boyfriend is such a jerk.”

Ashley just shrugged her shoulders, peering inside the stalls to make sure no one was listening in on our conversation.

“How can you be so nonchalant about this?” I asked, trying not to let Ashley get to me. 

Oddly enough, we shared the same zodiac sign, despite our different personalities, and that is because we also share the same birthday.

The Anderson’s brought us together as sisters after adopting us into their family when we were two.

“Fine, be that way. I did not drag you in here to fight,” I finally stated after a few minutes of silence. “We need to figure out what happened back there with the dodge ball.”

This comment made Ashley turn around with a puzzled expression on her face.  “You saw that, too? I thought I was going crazy since it happened so fast.”

“Well, you are crazy, but unless your craziness it contagious. It really did happen.” I answered Ashley teasingly. “What I really want to know is how come no one remembers being frozen?”

“I don’t know. This is just too weird,” Ashley replied, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

Our differences are why we thought the agreement would be easy to pull off; with my mocha dark complexion and brown eyes, Ashley’s platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, and April’s freckled face and dark red hair, no one would expect a thing.

We were right. I mean, three new kids transferring at the same time with the same last name, and not one person has figured out that we live in the same house. 

Even though we have our differences, they have never stopped us from standing up for one another… until now.

“I believe we need to rethink our agreement,” I blurted out.

“Are you insane?” Ashley asked with a look of betrayal. “You know, I’m beginning to think you were the one who was hit with the ball.”

“Just listen, you don’t have to tell everyone if you don’t want to. It wouldn’t hurt if April and I were around each other more.”

“How long do you think it will take until someone figures it out?”

“You’re genius boyfriend hasn’t figured it out yet. I would give it at least, until his sophomore year in college until he does.”

“You know this is not all about Brandon. You have to remember the nasty comments the kids would say about us because we were adopted,” Ashley exclaimed as if that justified her choosing popularity over her sisters.

“Just to give you a heads up, I don’t care what you do. I am going to be there for April, no matter what. If Brandon finds out, who cares!” I yelled, feeling my anger rise. “This agreement was a terrible idea; the decision we made was supposed to make our lives better.”

“You wouldn’t feel that way if you were the one that became popular. I believe that you are just jealous, and are trying to ruin what I have,” Ashley accused smugly as if she had figured everything out. 

“Jealous? Of what! I do not want your phony friends or corny boyfriend. I am content being who I am, without constant approval from others,” I shouted before leaving Ashley behind in the restroom. Soon after, I heard the bell ring, signaling the end of first period.

As I tried to lose Ashley in the crowd, I remembered that we also had second period together, but she would not dare talk to me if anyone else was around.

Rushing into my second period math class, I went straight to my seat in the back of the room where I found an out of breath Ashley waiting beside my desk. Her appearance would have been funny if I wasn’t so mad at her.

“You can’t just say what you want and then leave,” Ashley stated, trying to smooth her hair back into place.

“Well, I was done talking.”

“I wasn’t.” Ashley said right before Miranda sauntered into the room interrupting us.

“There you are Ashley. Brandon was searching all over for you.” Miranda's smile disappeared as soon as she saw me. “You weren’t just talking to her were you?”

“No, we were just having a lip moving contest,” I said sarcastically.

“I don’t have time for you today,” Miranda commented, looking me up and down, seemingly not satisfied with my appearance. “Eww. Why do you still have on that tacky gym uniform?”

“I didn’t have time to change back into my clothes,” Ashley responded quickly.

I was getting more and more upset as Ashley tried to explain herself to Miranda, as if she was her parole officer.

“What took you so long that you didn’t have time to change?”

“We were just discussing about what happened in gym after we took April to the nurse’s office,” Ashley said while avoiding my eyes, continuing her charade. 

“So, why do you care?” Miranda questioned with a smirk on her face. “It serves that crazy girl right for not knowing her place.”

“What did you just say?” I asked, stepping toward Miranda, making her take a step back.

“Excuse me ladies, class is now in session.” Our math teacher, Mr. Stuart, announced “If you want to continue chatting, you can do it on your way to the principal’s office.

“You are so lucky. I am going to let this go…for now,” I muttered so low that only Ashley and Miranda could hear.

Classes seemed to take forever to end as I sat in my science class, watching the arms of the clock slowly tick.  April and I both have this class scheduled as our last class of the day, but today April’s desk was empty, making me wonder if she was seriously injured.

When I went to visit her during lunch, after changing back into my regular clothes, the nurse, claiming that April needed to rest a little more, sent me away.

Immediately, following the bell I was already out the door heading toward the nurse’s office; almost crashing into the nurse as she was leaving her station.

“Is April Anderson still here?” I asked, while glancing behind her, only to find the office empty.

“Oh, I’m sorry she was released to go to her last period. She said she was feeling a lot better.”

“Thank you,” I replied, turning around before the nurse could say anything else.

Checking April’s favorite places to hide at school, I found out no one had seen her; it was as if she had vanished. I began to worry a little as I retraced my steps, which led me right into Ashley and Brandon. I pretended I did not see them as I walked by, determined to find April.

“Excuse Me?” Asked a tall, gangly girl with thick glasses and pigtails, I instantly recognized the chess club president from the flyers posted all around the school.

“I’m sorry; I can’t talk right now. Actually, I am trying to find April Anderson. Have you seen her by any chance?”

“Yes, I heard you were. I saw her heading towards the woods in the back of the school, about five minutes ago.”

“Thank you,” I replied already heading toward the exit down the hall. Before I could get to it, Ashley moved in front of the door blocking my way.

“Did you find April?” Ashley whispered with what sounded like concern in her voice.

“Why would you care about that dork?”  Brandon asked as he walked toward us.

“I don’t have time for this,” I exclaimed as I looked directly at Ashley. “I am going to find my sister; if you want to join me, I will be in the back of the school by the woods.”

As I was leaving, I could hear Ashley trying to explain herself to her dumb boyfriend.

The winter air hit me hard as I opened the door leading to the back of the school grounds.
April, you better have an awesome explanation for going out in this weather,
I thought as I begin to pull my heavy coat out my book bag.

Pulling the hood up on my fur-lined winter coat, and tightening the straps on my backpack, I mentally prepared myself for the cold snow as I headed toward the trees.

“April! Where are you?” I screamed as the snowstorm appeared to have increased since I stepped into the woods.

The howling of the wind was all I heard in reply as I stood listening for anything that might sound like April. 

In hearing something coming up behind me, I turned to find Ashley slowly trailing after me with her jacket zipped up so far, it looked impossible for her to see where she was going.

“What are you doing?” I asked as I went to help her as she stumbled through the snow.

“I am here to find our sister,” Ashley replied as she righted herself.

“Oh, so what happened with your boyfriend? Are you ready to tell everyone the truth?” I questioned her as she looked anywhere but at me.

“I thought we came out here to find April,” Ashley pointed out dodging my questions.

“You win this time, but after we find April, there will be a discussion.”

After walking in about two feet of snow for ten minutes, I was beginning to fear the worst, until I saw something twinkling off in the distance.

“Do you see that light up ahead?” I asked.

“Yes, April may be up there.”

We started running as fast as we could through the snow until I finally saw April standing in front of a tree.

“April!” We called out in unison once we became closer to where she was. She was standing silently still in one spot, focusing on something I could not see underneath a tree ahead of her.

Concentrating on the spot April was fixated with, my jaw dropped when I saw the most beautiful bird I had ever seen. It looked similar to a peacock, but it was gold and silver with outstretched wings like an eagle. 

Out of nowhere, it began to squawk loudly as we got closer. It was so loud, I had to cover my ears as it flew off.

“It wants us to follow it,” April muttered as she ran in the direction of the bird.

“April, where are you going? We have to return to the school!” Ashley yelled after her, as we struggled to catch up to her. 

“It's nice you want to be bird whisperer and all, but we need to go back! We have already gone too far!” I explained as we finally caught up to April, who was now gawking at something I do not think science could even explain.

Not that far off in the distance, there was a tall wall of swirling liquid casting off a silvery light upon the snowy scenery as if it was made of mercury.

“We need to go back now!” Ashley shouted snapping me out of my trance.

“Let’s get out of here before something bad happens!” I yelled to April as she kept walking closer to the strange moving wall.

Before we could turn around, the swirling liquid started to spin faster, transforming into a vacuum. The snow did not make it is easy for us to run, which no longer mattered, as the pull became stronger, dragging us all in.