Chapter Four Moon Magic Young Adult Fiction Novel Online
Here's chapter four of my online Young Adult Fiction Novel, Moon Magic. If you haven't read the other chapters, start here: Moon Magic starts here. In Chapter Three, Aurora began to write in her diary. We also got a little taste of how she and her mother get along. It's time for her outing with Lucas, find out how it went in Chapter Four of Moon Magic. Enjoy!
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Moon Magic: Unfulfilled Wishes
By Lora Langston
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The following is copyrighted material. It is not in the public domain. It exists on this website for personal use only. Do not copy or reproduce it in any way.
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I can use your editing and grammar tips. Leave a comment if you spot typos, grammar issues, or anything else of concern.
As I get further into the writing, it needs more editing. So, each post takes longer. You are my eyes- my beta readers. I think the section that is all dialogue may need more description. Let me know!
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Copyright 2017
Moon Magic: Chapter Four
Aurora’s eyes were closed but the sun snuck through anyhow. She closed them tighter, but the rays relentlessly poked past her eyelids. “Fine, I’m awake but I’m not getting out of bed! I won’t!” she groaned.
She refused to make herself get out of bed. Drowsy, she let her eyelids slide closed- like little mini-blinds keeping morning at bay. Last night’s events had her head spinning like the end of a figure skater’s short program.
What had happened? She felt like she’d taken one too many Benadryl. Everything was fuzzy. Her head felt funny. Did she remember her mother and Lucas’s mother holding hands wearing long, white rayon dresses and chanting something? Was that a dream?
No. It couldn’t be. It felt too real. She remembered Lucas jumping into the middle of the circle. He had looked up toward the Harvest Moon and like a robotic lifted his arms to the Heavens as if he were directing an orchestra. It had looked surreal, like some kind of Wicca ritual straight out of a movie. She also remembered a crashing boom of thunder, a lightning strike, and then- nothing.
Nothing at all.
Aurora rolled over, shut her eyes and tried to concentrate through her third eye. Her mother was always telling her to try to focus and see though the Ajna Chakra, the special point of mental awareness that only the most persistent, disciplined people were able to find. Whenever she attempted it, her mind would go off on a tangent. Aurora was definitely not well disciplined. The Shaman ancestors would be ashamed. Still, it was worth a try. Practice makes perfect, right?
After shaking away all of the bats fluttering about in her head, she began to remember having a dream or maybe it was a dream sequence. A bolt of lightning had entered her left shoulder and then just as quickly as it had entered it had shot out through her left pointer finger. In the vision, she looked like Hermione casting a spell.
Aurora rubbed her arm. Pain. Why was there pain? Her arm burned. It was too heavy to lift. She was still too groggy to turn her head, but her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a white bandage wrapped around the entire length of her arm. It was so tight it felt like it had cut off her circulation. Aurora couldn’t feel her arm. Maybe it had cut off the circulation to her brain too. Where was she anyway? She must be dreaming. People don’t get struck by lightning and survive- do they?
Scooting up in the bed, Aurora squinted at the light coming through the door. A dark shadowy figure blocked the doorway. Was it a phantom or was she finally seeing through her third eye? She didn't have much time to ponder the question.
“Well, Hello!” A sugary, sweet, southern drawl boasted from the shadow. When she opened her eyes, Aurora saw a ruby redhead smiling down at her. She was framed by a solid putrid, peach background.
“And you are?” snarled Aurora.
“You first- who are you?” said the redhead.
“What? You walk into my room and you expect me to tell you who I am?” Aurora snapped back. Then, she rubbed her eyes with her fists. Why was her room that awful color?
“Do you know where you are, Sugar?” the woman said, ignoring Aurora’s attitude.
“I believe I just answered that question, didn’t? I’m in my room.” Aurora spewed.
“True to a point but not like you think. You are in the hospital, Hun. Do you remember anything?” The woman walked over and pulled thick, dark orange curtains back from the window revealing the lovely view of a parking lot.
Aurora promptly pulled the corner of a scratchy, beige blanket over her face with her free hand. “I don’t know. What should I remember?” asked Aurora.
“Aww… take your time. Start with your name, Sweetie.” the silly woman whispered.
Aurora groaned and then snapped, “Well, I know my name isn’t Sweetie, Sugar, Hun or any other term of endearment you might be able to muster.”
“Mhmm. Can you remember if you’ve always been this sociable or is that a side effect too?” snapped the redhead.
She had spunk, Aurora liked that. “Nope, I have always been super personable. Tell the doctors something has gone haywire.” she chided.
“Well, I see you haven’t lost your sense of humor. That’s good. You’ll need it here. Now, can you tell me your name?” insisted the redhead.
“My name. My name is on the tip of my tongue. I can almost hear it. My name is Lucas, Luke- Luke Skywalker? I’m just so tired. Did you see Darth Vader looking in the window. Darth Vader keeps flashing before my eyes. Is my name Lucas?” wondered Aurora.
“Hun, you are heavily sedated. It’s cute! No I haven’t seen Darth Vader.” the silly woman chuckled.
Somehow, Aurora knew that wasn’t her name. However, it was the only name that came to mind.
The redheaded lady smiled. “Lucas? Do you want to see Lucas? He’s been here all night waiting for you, Shoog.”
“So, at least I am right about one thing; Lucas isn't my name." Think, Auri, think. Wait. Auri? Aurora! "My name is Aurora!” she shouted.
“That’s right Aurora! Great job, Shoog. Can you tell me what else you remember?” asked the redhead as she grabbed the chart at the foot of the bed and looked expectantly at Aurora, anxious and hopeful.
“I don’t know- what I remember... it seems more like a dream. It can’t be real.” Aurora whispered.
“Go ahead, take your time. Tell me your last name.” chimed the redhead.
Aurora scanned the stark, putrid peach walls for an answer. First, she studied the shiny metal instrument on the bedside table, then the navy blue, wooden recliner next to the window, and finally the open bathroom door. That’s it. The bathroom sink had jogged her memory. She whispered again, “Aurora Waters?”
The redhead banged a fist against her chest and then pointed in Aurora’s direction. “Bingo, Shoog! I’m Nurse Joanie. So, how is that shoulder feeling?” she chimed way too happily.
Closing her eyes, Aurora took a couple of seconds to consider it. “I don’t really feel anything. She patted at her arm. “Do I even have a shoulder?” She dropped her good arm, closed her eyes again, and whispered, “Fine- I guess, but I feel like I got struck by a bolt of lightning.”
Joanie clapped her hands together. “Good girl! You do remember!”
The sun continued to twinkle through the blinds as an ambulance siren bleated outside the window. Aurora pinched herself. This was really happening. She was really lying in a hospital bed. Despite her unorthodox attitude, Joanie was a registered nurse. She was much too shiny and happy to be a nurse. Aurora hated happy people. She tilted her head to the side in dismay, “I don’t remember. I’ve just accepted what you said.” Aurora said flatly.
The nurse patted Aurora on the leg and went to close the annoying blinds. “I know it’s difficult to imagine. You’re probably still in a state of shock.” she snapped.
Aurora tugged at the bandages. “From what? Am I going to lose my arm? Let me see!” she shouted.
Nurse Joanie shook her head from side to side. “No; Hun, relax! You have some third degree burns. Those will be painful for awhile, maybe not so pretty– you might even need some skin grafts, but there is always cosmetic surgery.” she cooed.
“Cosmetic surgery? I can’t have cosmetic surgery! I’d rather be a Phantom.” Aurora flopped back onto the sterile hospital issue pillow. “Happy Birthday to me, Frankenstein’s Monster at sweet sixteen.”
Joanie leaned over the bed. “Aww, Sweetie, It’ll be alright. You are a very lucky girl. You escaped with your life!” she said.
Sheepishly Aurora looked up at her nurse. When you looked past the ruby hair and the bright lipstick and into her eyes, you could see Joanie was a very sweet soul. Aurora decided to tone down the sarcasm. “Lucky? I’m not dead, hooray for me.”
Joanie patted Aurora’s leg and looked toward the door. “You need some cheering up, Hun. Let me go get that cute little boy, Lucas.” She clapped her hands again. “He’ll be so ecstatic to see you!” she squealed.
Tilting her head to relax it on the pillow, Aurora started to drift to sleep. Her eyelids fell shut, but then she darted awake. Lucas. Luke Skywalker. Darth Vader. LUCAS! “Are you crazy lady?” she shouted.
Aurora yanked the iv from her arm, tried to stand, but was too groggy and fell to the floor. Joanie jumped to her aide and helped her back to the cold, metal hospital bed. Aurora fell back and closed her eyes again. She wanted to see Lucas. She didn’t want Lucas to see her.
Joanie got the message. “I’m sorry, Honey. I’ll just keep telling him you're sleeping until visiting hours have passed.”
Was that compassion? Aurora studied Ruby Red’s face- wrinkles and all. Her age showed. The red hair was only a cry for help. An effort to avoid the inevitable. The painted pink Dr. Scholl’s and paisley scrubs covered her like a cartoon frozen in time. Her striking appearance was that of a younger woman, but with closer consideration Aurora could see the sand running rapidly in the other direction. Cracking a smile, she shut her eyes, tilted her head to the side of her pillow, and fell fast asleep.
* * *
Nov. 2
Thank goodness, I’m am a righty or I’d would be going crazy. My left arm is in some kind of contraption hanging from the ceiling. It makes eating and writing tons of fun. Somebody please get me a mobile phone so I can dictate my diary to the voice recorder. Password protected, of course. Seriously!!!
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It was just another day in the hole they called a hospital room. Aurora’s faithful companion, Nurse Red, was right on schedule. Apparently, it was sponge bath time.
Red gently lifted the diary off of Aurora’s lap and carried it to the windowsill. Crud adorned the bedside table: a green glass vase full of purple, orange, and pink Gerber daisies, a teddy bear wearing sunglasses, a book about teenage vampires, and a bottle of lukewarm Dr. Pepper. She shoved the book out of the way to lay the diary on the table leaving it open to Aurora’s page. Joanie couldn’t help but sneak a peek. “I’m sorry, Sweetie, I can get you a recording device, if you’d like.”
Aurora tried to get the diary back. With one arm connected to the ceiling, she was trapped like a dog chained to his house. “What! Why would you offer that Unless… Are you reading my diary?”
Joanie's face flushed appropriately, the same red as her hair. “I’m so sorry, Shoog. It’s just that your handwriting is so shaky, it caught my eye. I didn’t mean to read it. It just happened. That was so inappropriate. Please forgive me.”
Aurora’s anger was building. “Is there somewhere in this hole I could go for a little privacy? Does the bathroom have a surveillance camera?” The pain meds had been keeping it at bay. She had begun to remember little bits of things that had happened before the lightning strike. She had questions that needed answers.
Joanie never let Aurora get to her. At least not on the outside. “Oh, Shoog, isn’t teenage sarcasm fun? Do you want a tape recorder or not?”
“Sure, but it isn’t the dark ages anymore. Just get me my cell phone,” Aurora snapped.
Unshaken, Joanie pulled the curtain's back and tugged open the blinds. “Let’s get a little light in here, Sunshine. You’re not a vampire are you?”
“I wish. At least, I’d have some excitement in my life,” Aurora slammed her head against the headboard and slung her good arm over her face banishing the light from her eyes. “Vampires are cool. Too bad they aren’t real.” And with that, she fell right back to sleep.
When she awoke, a tiny recording device lay on top of of her vampire stories. The curtains had been closed and the moon sparkled through the crack where they met. A new batch of flowers replaced yesterday’s daisies. A baby-blue card peeked out from behind a big, bright pink Peony. Still groggy, she tried to read the inscription but couldn’t. Out of frustration, she spoke to the putrid walls. “I bet if I was a
vampire I could read that. Vampires have great eyesight, right?”
“Right,” the wall answered back flatly, “But only in the dark.”
It was Lucas. If anyone in the 21st century were a vampire, it’d be Lucas. Without missing a beat Aurora said, “Please don’t tell me you believe that you’re a vampire. Those people are psycho with their fangs, black hair, and piercings. You know, certifiable. They drink blood and even worse than that- they allow their blood to be sucked up by other nut-boxes!”
“Pluh,” Lucas grunted while still standing in the doorway.
“Pluh? That’s all you’ve got?” she goaded.
“Nut-boxes? That’s all you’ve got?” he snapped.
Aurora laughed, “Well… are you?”
“Am I what?” he smirked.
“A nut-box?” she laughed again.
“Do I have to be a vampire to be a nut-box?” said Lucas.
Aurora tried to shake her head, but it hurt. “Not at all.” she mumbled.
“Okay, I accept the title, if you do- deal?”
A slow smile spread across her face, “Deal.” For a minute, she forgot all about her predicament.
Lucas sauntered over to the window, pulled the curtain closed, glanced at her open journal, and took a seat in the reclining chair. His eyes focused on the voice recorder. Aurora watched as his eyes fell shut and he immediately started to snore. “Tired much?” she whispered not wanting to disturb him. Had he been here the whole time? She rested her eyes for just a second. Flashes of Halloween night appeared right in the middle of her forehead, just where the brows meet.
What had her mother been doing in the woods at such an ungodly hour with a woman she’d just met? And, why was she chanting like a ninny? Thank God Lucas was the one who found them. What if it had been another kid from school?
Aurora pulled up the blankets to keep warm. Thinking about it made her shiver. The lightning strike had affected her brain. She could barely remember anything. Good thing her third eye was beginning to work.
Aurora had walked into the woods with Lucas. Fearing the worst, she had prayed that he was respectable like her Mother had warned. She had noticed two women dancing in the rain wearing solid white dresses. Had they called each other? How did they coordinate that? This is how she lost track of her Chakra. Talking to herself. She shook her head and tried to focus. She could see herself frozen in place holding her breath as Lucas walked right into the center of their outstretched arms. They had obviously known he was coming. He must have planned some sort of spooky surprise for Halloween night or maybe her mother had planned a birthday surprise?
In her mind's eye, she could see the Harvest Moon shining through low-lying clouds like a lantern lighting the way. Then, Aurora remembered hearing a loud boom and the next thing she knew, she had awoken in this stupid hole feeling as if she had just finished the Boston Marathon.
“Auri?” Her mother’s voice interrupted the memory.
“Well, if it isn’t little Miss Mystery. Can’t you see I am trying to sleep?” Aurora snapped,“Where have you been anyway?”
“I’ve been here with you the whole time, Auri. I’ll never leave you.” Serenity cooed.
Rolling her eyes, Aurora spat, “Did you just go out for coffee with Todd or off to make some magical potion or to puff on a peace pipe with your new friend?”
“Oh, Aurora, I knew the day would come when I’d have to share the past with you.” Serenity whispered.
Aurora blew raspberries out of her upper lip and then shouted at her mother. “Blah, blah, blah and Creek Indian Crap too! We can’t be the only people around with Native American heritage. Why do you have to be so dramatic and mystical about all of this crap? Something tells me Lucas and his mother have a secret too!”
Lucas squinted one eye open and yawned, “Aurora? Who are you talking to?”
“Open your eyes! My lovely mother has finally decided to pay me a visit. How many days has it been anyway?” Aurora seethed.
Lucas jumped out of his chair and scanned every inch of the room with his hair flapping this way and that, mocking him. “You’re dreaming, Aurora. Your mother isn’t in here. It’s not possible.”
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Moon Magic Chapter Three Online
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