Today’s entry is yet another follow up to my ongoing venture into fictional writing. In a few more chapters, I’ll be wrapping this story up, which will end up being Book 1 of hopefully an ongoing series. For those who may not already know this about me, one of my hobbies besides writing the spiritual content I do for this blog, is to write young adult fiction. Many years ago, I actually completed a novel that was set up to be the first in a series, but unfortunately, my addictions got in the way and that series fell to the wayside. That’s why I decided about a year ago that the only way I was going to get back into this hobby again was to commit to writing at least a chapter a month. So I chose to start over and begin this fantasy series, about a 12-year old boy who gains magical abilities far beyond anything he could ever have imagined for himself. If you haven’t read any of the prior chapters, don’t worry, it’s not too late to catch up, as I always include a link to a PDF file for all the prior chapters at the beginning of each of these chapters. Thus it’s my hope that more of you may join in on this ongoing adventure, as I’m sure you won’t be disappointed if you do…
Click here for the PDF file of Chapters 1 to 39.
Andy and The Zodiac Crystal – Chapter 40
“Phew, I’m not sure if I’d ever get used to all that dizziness!” my Grandmother said once we were safely back in her kitchen.
“I know what you mean Gran, but that was friggin’ awesome!” I said a little too loudly. “I can’t wait to do it again!”
“Sshh! You don’t want to wake everyone now do you?” She said with a grin.
“Too late!”, my father said, suddenly walking into the kitchen. “So Andy, what was so friggin’ awesome anyway?”
“Oh, nothing Dad, I was just talking about how amazing Granny’s oatmeal and popovers are…”
I hated to lie, but what else could I say?
“Well I sure hope you saved some for me!”
Soon my sister and my mother emerged into the kitchen as well, each helping themselves to some breakfast. As they ate, I continued to ponder my morning time-travel experiences and was so grateful to have witnessed one of my Grandmother’s fondest memories alongside her. I could tell the experience had really bonded us even closer together.
After everyone was done with breakfast, I spent the rest of the morning with my sister watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade while the adults began the several hour-long processes of preparing the turkey and all its trimmings. Unfortunately, even my sister was coerced into helping with those preparations when the parade eventually ended, leaving me to find something else to occupy my time with. Most of it was spent talking with Chris on the phone where I told him all about my time travel adventures. Of course, he had to remind me that it was a good thing I didn’t get stuck in the past and to not try any new signs until we did our next training together. But all in all, he was really happy for me that I had learned how to use a new sign completely on my own. What was rather ironic though was the fact that Aquarius was actually going to be the next sign he planned on training me in, given that he already knew what it was supposed to do ever since his recent visit to the Council of the Zodiac. Nevertheless, when our conversation ended, I was immediately tasked with vacuuming, setting the table, and helping out with a few miscellaneous things that needed to get done prior to our holiday feast.
By the time the food was ready, it was well past 4pm and I was incredibly starving. Every year I found it so funny to see how long it took to prepare this huge meal and how quickly it got devoured once it was placed on the table. This year was no different seeing that in the blink of an eye we had all had our fill and were done eating. Once the dishes were cleared, I decided to hold off on dessert until later only because I had eaten way too many helpings of turkey and cranberry relish. My belly was aching slightly at the moment and the thought of putting anything more into it didn’t feel so good, which is why I decided a walk might help alleviate some of it. After asking my parents for permission to do so, they suggested my sister tag along, of which she happily agreed.
An hour later we returned, but only after I had spent the entire walk explaining to her everything that had happened with my time-traveling explorations. She did try to convince me several times during our outdoor exercise to use the sign again, except this time with her. She wanted to see if we could actually travel into the future when using the zodiac sign. I decisively opted against it, not wanting to push my luck any further for the day, much to her disappointment. But I was glad that she understood and had become a great resource for friendship and support when I needed it.
The rest of Thanksgiving Day was spent eating homemade pecan and pumpkin pie with whipped cream and playing some more games with my family. When my head finally hit the pillow by the end of the evening, I was out like a light, probably because all that turkey was still sitting within me. When the next day arrived, I wasn’t looking forward to it at all. Every year I tried to hang back at the house on the day after Thanksgiving with my Grandmother, except I was never allowed to. Instead, I consistently was forced to go shopping with my family while they looked for those Black Friday deals. The thought of having to be amongst all those crowds at the mall once again with all the pushing and shoving and bumping into each other was certainly not my idea of fun. But thankfully my father decided to do something different this year, as he chose to take my Grandmother and I to the movies and lunch while my mother and sister spent the day bargain hunting. We ended up seeing a very funny Christmas-themed movie and ate at a local kosher deli that had the hugest sandwiches and the best homemade dill pickles around.
Unfortunately, there was one place my father had to always go to on Black Friday, no matter what. It was this extremely flashy jewelry store, as they had this contest where you could reach into a bowl of what appeared to be tons of diamonds. And there in that bowl were several real diamonds worth a bunch of money, while the rest were fakes. I had no use for diamonds but it was something that made my father happy each time we waited in line for our one chance to win. And after an hour long wait there this year, like it was for us every year, we went home empty-handed, except for having three brand new, totally worthless nuggets of cubic zirconia!
I felt pretty grateful to return back to my Grandmother’s house where there were no crazy shoppers nor impossible contests to win and was able to breathe a total sigh of relief once we had fully pulled into her driveway. We all spent the rest of the evening enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers and playing a few more games of ping-pong and cards before turning in. Sadly, my time with Granny came to an end the next morning as it was time to head home. I was feeling pretty blue about it, but she urged me with a wink to come and see her anytime I wanted, obviously hinting that she knew I could teleport to her anytime.
Several hours later we were back at home, pulling into our own driveway and I couldn’t believe how fast the Thanksgiving holiday had gone by. I noticed how cold it had turned after getting out of the car and my parents had said on the way home that the weather was calling for some significant snowfall later that evening. I wondered if Chris and I would be able to go sledding for the first time together tomorrow. My spirits lifted slightly with the thought while I quickly pulled the first suitcase out of the trunk. Suddenly I felt someone tap my right shoulder, yet when I turned to look, thinking it was my sister playing a trick on me from my other side, I saw that no one was there. I shrugged it off and then headed towards the garage, which had apparently stopped opening and was now frozen in a position that was about halfway up.
“Dad, I think the garage is stuck!” I said pointing to it.
The rest of my family were all still sitting in the car, which I found rather odd. Just as much as I suddenly observed that the wind wasn’t blowing that cold breeze anymore either.
“I bet you don’t miss time being frozen like this do you Andy?”
The sinister-sounding voice came from behind me. I didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was. It was Carl Dillard.
“What the hell do you want? Get the heck off my property!”
“Well, well, well…Andy learns a few tricks with his crystal that stops me in my tracks once or twice and now he’s think he’s Mr. Tough Guy…”
“I’m not afraid of you anymore Dillard!”
“You should be…” He said a little too deviously.
“And why is that?”
“Because if you want to see time unfrozen and be with your family and friends ever again, you’re going to have to give me your crystal…”
“You wouldn’t do that to me…because that means you would have to remain in this state as well…”
“I have all the time in the world Andy and have gone for far longer than you ever have with time being frozen…how’s a few years like this sound?”
“You wouldn’t…You haven’t!” I said dumb-founded.
“I have and then some…”
“Why can’t you just leave me alone? You don’t need my crystal as you already have a very powerful one of your own!”
“Because it’s my destiny to be the only one holding both and it’s time to end this little charade that you think you’re going to somehow prevent that from ever happening!”
“I hate you!” I said with tears forming around my eyes. It sounded like such a stupid thing to say, but nothing else came out.
“I’m sure you do Andy, but I think I’m going to give you a little time to sit with this. How’s a few more weeks of eating chips for meals and not being able to take showers again sound?”
“You can’t do this…!”
“Oh, but I must…because I’ve already given you plenty of chances to give up your crystal, yet you stubbornly have refused me every single time! So, when you’re ready to finally turn your crystal over, just say my name three times aloud and I will appear. Until then, adios!”
“No…..Wait!!!” I said hoping somehow I could still talk him out of it, except it was too late.
He had swiftly disappeared into thin air, leaving time in a frozen state, along with me wondering how he used multiple zodiac abilities at once and questioning if this truly would be the end of my time as a Keeper once and for all.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
