Josh Sparkins stretched as he sat on the edge of his bed. Getting back into a morning routine on the first day of his sophomore year proved harder than he thought it would be. A backpack, notebooks, pens and assorted folders covered the top of his Gramps’ antique desk, along with a new IPad. He was grateful his parents finally realized he needed to get into the electronic age.

   &...

        Josh retrieved the Ancient Magic book from its hiding place on the shelf in his closet.  Josh’s grandfather had passed away shortly after he had moved in with them when they made their move to Tulsa. It was after that that Josh discovered his ability to stop time and the secrets in the Ancient Magic book. 

        After shutting his door qu...

        Josh sat motionless. He was thinking about calling Albert or Marty, his two best friends, to discuss this with them. Instead, he got up slowly and put the book back in its hiding place. Walking through the hallway, Josh continued to think about what he had just read. Who were these Fellini girls? He never heard his Gramps talk about them. He never heard much about his ancestors. Before...

    Bushes and trees hindered their progress as Annabelle and Josh moved upward along a narrowing path. Sounds of birds escalated as they moved away from the water. Annabelle explained that they were hearing gulls, razorbills, gannets and puffins. “I think there’s a marsh somewhere on this island and a good variety of birds.”

        Josh lost his footing and Annabelle glanced back to see if he was alright....

       The part of the cave they were in was cold and musty smelling. They could hear water dripping throughout the cave. Annabelle pulled a tunic from her bag and pulled it over her head. Josh zipped up his jacket and pulled his sleeves down to cover the upper part of his hands.

       “Do you always carry so much around with you?”

       Annabel...

The torch sizzled as Annabelle tossed it into a nearby pool of water. Darkness filled the cave. Josh had never experienced such total gloom.  

The voices moved closer. Annabelle put her hand over Josh’s mouth. They didn’t move. Josh was afraid to blink. The minutes passed until finally the sounds moved in the opposite direction.

Annabelle whispered, “They’re heading back to the mouth of the cave.&rdqu...

         The duo made their way down the bluff. They advanced slowly on the uneven pathway strewn with pebbles, weeds and small branches. The slight moon, together with the growing number of stars, provided a silvery, eerie light. Gusts of wind moved tree branches and bushes, shifting the scene before them. Ghostly figures moved in the distance.

The path ended in a thicket of small trees. Annabelle pulled ...