Filled 4

Scott went outside and checked the car, which was just fine, then trotted over to his own house and went inside. His sister was sitting at the table and looked surprised to see him come in.

“Where have you been?” she asked. “I thought you were sleeping in. Mom did, too. She went out yard sailing.”

Their mother went to every yard sale in the city, every Saturday, as far back as they both could remember. Sometimes one of the other of the kids went with her.

“I went to breakfast with Tiana at Jordan’s this morning. She came over to my window and woke me up. That’s why you didn’t see her.”

“To your window, huh?” Chrissy grinned. “Wish I could get a boy to come to my window.”

“Careful what you wish for, squirt.” he said back. “I have a lot of friends that would do it on less than a dare.”

“Pfff.” she snorted. “None of your friends have enough balls to trespass onto the lawn, let alone survive what I’d do to him once he was in my room.”

“Happy Birthday, sis.” he smiled slyly at her. “What are your plans for the day? You only turn sixteen once, you know.”

“I’m well aware of that, big brother.” she grinned back. “Tiana turned sixteen today, too. What kind of ‘present’ did you give HER in your room this morning?”

“Breakfast.” he answered with a grin.

“Well, you can buy me breakfast, too.” she retorted. “I like going out, and it’s MY birthday, too. How come you didn’t bring me?”

“Well, technically, she got FED her breakfast before we went to Jordan’s.” Scott told his sister, winking.

Chrissy’s eyes got big when she caught his meaning. “Really?” she asked, her voice as soft as it could go. She looked at her brother again and narrowed her eyes.

“You better NOT send one of your geeky friends to my window.” she warned. “I’m not THAT kind of girl!”

“Neither is Tiana!” Scott said defensively. “Don’t you dare talk bad about her!”

“Jeez, sorry Scott.” she said. “Is she your girlfriend now? That would be weird. You two have been best friends since, well, forever, really.”

“It’s not weird at all.” Scott said. “And she’s not my only girlfriend, either. I’m going to be having bunches of them. You wait and see.”

“Yeah, right, my brother, the harem master!” she laughed, and brought her empty cereal bowl over to the dishwasher. When she turned around, Scott had disappeared into his room.

He quickly emptied his day pack of his schoolbooks, then stuffed some jeans and T-shirts into it, filling it the rest of the way up with socks. When he had it full, he dropped it onto his bed, collapsing next to it and holding his head as everything started to go black. A giant rushing sound filled his ears, and his whole head throbbed in time with his heartbeats. It felt like dying.

Just as he was fading out, he saw his sister come to his side, bending down with a look of concern on her face. “Scott? Sco-”

He woke up in the Grove, and Onthamar was just finishing the Song that had called him out of Sononia.

“Whoa.” he said, sitting up and shaking his head. “That was REALLY weird!”

“Come.” Onthamar said, standing up. “I have much to show you.”

Scott got to his feet and looked up at the much taller Kalastiel. He held out his hand to shake again, and Onthamar looked down at it, a long time, then finally took it.

“I return your gesture of trust and frienship, Scott Blaker of Flagstaff.” he said solemnly. “Come. There is much you must see and learn of this place.”

Onthamar led them out of the Grove, and up the hill. They climbed a long time, and the sun was hot as it shined straight down on them. They went uphill for what seemed to be miles, and there was not a tree or shrub in sight. The only vegetation was the short grass that covered every inch of the ground.

“Where are we?” Scott asked the Kalastiel.

“It is not known.” Onthamar finally answered, stopping to catch his breath. He turned around and bid Scott look behind them.

At the base of this hill, the plains ran endlessly into the horizon in all directions. In the other direction, there was only the mountain, slanting sharply uphill. Everywhere, the grass covered all.

“Come. We have far to go, and we must be off the Mountain before the sun sets.” Onthamar told him, then began trotting upward again. Scott dashed to keep up.

“How about a guess?” Scott asked. “I mean, obviously, we’re not on Earth. My planet.” he said. “And we’re not on YOUR planet, either, because you said it was ‘unknown’.” Scott was trotting to keep up with the other’s long legged stride.

“And I don’t think this is the Movert’s home planet, either.” he said, puffing. “I mean, why should it be? We wake up here, with these tree things, why shouldn’t the Moverts wake up here and have tree things, too. Right?”

Onthamar stopped and looked at Scott in a new light. “Who has told you of this?” he demanded.

“Nobody TOLD me of it.” Scott said. “I’m just guessing.”

“Well, you guess correctly, Scott Blaker of Flagstaff.” Onthamar replied. “The Moverts have a Grove at the peak of this Mountain. If we can reach it, we may be able to uproot some of their Tree.”

“What happens if we can KILL their Tree?” Scott asked. “We could win the War, right? What happens to the Moverts if that happens?” He looked at Onthamar in earnest. “I’m not sure I can be a party to a whole genocide, even at the expense of my own species.”

Onthamar looked at Scott for a long time, thoughtfully.