Within The Essence: The Division, #1

By Connie L. Smith

As the demons near, the Essences rise…

AJ had never been particularly athletic or coordinated, so waking up to realize she suddenly has super-human strength is a massive, mind-shaking shock. Finding that she’s gained a stalker overnight is another mark in the unusual category, and when she discovers she’s always had the essence of a werewolf in her blood, her world all but shifts beneath her.

Demons, she’s told, are looming in the world’s future, and the only hope humanity has of surviving their arrival is if she and teenagers like her surrender their humanity to dive into their mythical essences. Fairies, dragons, dwarves, mermaids… The remnants of seventeen different fantasy species must come to life to save the lives of everyone.

Someway, an army of supernatural teenagers must prepare to meet the demons escaping from their dimensional banishment, or everything ends. Can these teens succeed and save the world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
• Release date: Nov 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781945910029

Book preview

Chapter One

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In the whole of the universe, nothing sounds so intrusive—so monumentally awful—as a working alarm clock, especially one that keeps blaring. Burrowed deep in a cocoon of blankets, AJ could think of nothing she hated more than that blasted contraption. She felt cold and tired, and not in the least bit interested in waking up at six o’clock in the morning.

Unfortunately for a sixteen-year-old girl, high school awaited her and was completely unwilling to postpone itself until noon. But maybe she could steal a few more minutes of sleep before having to wake up. Sneaking one hand from the covers, she felt blindly on her nightstand for the clock, pressed the snooze button, and rushed back into the warmth of her bed. My hair’s not that dirty, she silently decided. It doesn’t need to be washed.

Nine minutes go by swiftly when you’re sleeping, and in what seemed like a second, the clock sounded again. Cold still tinged the air, tiredness still laced her body, and the alarm still grated on her every nerve. Sadly, her departure time neared, and she’d already surrendered clean hair. The white flag would have to be waved.

She moved one hand from the blob of blankets to search once more for the screaming object. This time miscalculating her movements, she brushed her hand against its side and only succeeded in pushing the clock farther across the nightstand. She kept flailing, attempting to find the off button, and dancing circles around the one spot she needed to reach to silence the continuous, heinous noise. Frustration abounded, and the cold, exhaustion, and noise boiled her aggravation to its limit. Still, she couldn’t find the button.

The battle continued, hand versus alarm clock, and the inanimate foe closed in on victory. And it just. Kept. Buzzing. Annoyed and sleep deprived, AJ finally ignored the cold to throw her blankets back with one arm and glare at the clock. Now uncovered, she could see the off switch plainly, and could make it—

SHUT UP!!! As she yelled, she brought her open-palmed hand to crash down on the alarm directly on the intended button.

And the clock fell to pieces. 

As did the nightstand.

Everything placed on the piece of furniture flew in different directions, falling broken to the floor like odd confetti decorating her living quarters. Wide-eyed, AJ gazed around her bedroom at the wreckage.

Well, that’s new. She sat in shock for a few minutes before remembering she needed to get out of bed. That was a fluke, she said as she stood. Adrenaline. A really, really badly made nightstand. And clock. Recalling the alarm, she scowled at its mangled remains, barely believing that this started with something so trivial. This is all your fault. She then turned away to head for the bathroom.

I’m scolding non-living objects, she thought. Maybe I’m crazy. Peeking through her doorway to the weirdest mess she had ever seen, she sincerely hoped the answer rested in insanity. Momentary madness trumped slapping nightstands to pieces any day.

Normal thoughts, she mentally encouraged herself. Like, school. I need to go to school today. I should get to the bathroom before—

Ha! Beat you! her sister, Roxie, declared as she darted into the bathroom.

No, no, no! Wait, wait, wait! Persuasion had never been AJ’s strongpoint, and she reached the door in time to hear the lock turn. Too late. I hate you!

What’s that? Roxie called. I can’t hear you over the shower running!

Hilarious, AJ mumbled while trudging to the steps in search of caffeine. If she could succeed in taming this oddity of a day, she’d definitely need loads of it. Halfway there, she heard the sweet serenade of Roxie screeching the latest Britney Spears tune. I really do hate her.

****

An hour later, AJ drove her ’95 sedan to Garden City Middle School with the intention of following her daily pattern by dropping off her annoying kid sister. Since the bizarre alarm clock episode, she pressed through her morning schedule by showering, changing (into clothes she’d found in the dryer—if she avoided her room, she could almost pretend she dreamed the whole thing), and ingesting sufficient caffeine to deal with her sister’s nonstop chatter. And the smell of strawberries. Why would she smell strawberries in her car?

I think he might like her, Roxie babbled from the passenger seat. "Like, like her..."

Oh, the issues of the thirteen-year-old mind, AJ thought. Roxie wouldn’t know what to do if something serious happened to her. Say, for instance, room explosions from turning off alarm clocks. Come on, AJ. You’re not wearing dryer-wrinkled clothes to obsess over this.

We were wearing the same pair of jeans, Roxie continued to ramble. Uh!

Then again, AJ’s internal commentary continued, thinking about the nightstand could be an improvement. But it wasn’t an improvement, she knew, because at least Roxie’s comments were normal chatter, unlike what happened in AJ’s room earlier that morning. That wasn’t normal at all, but surely there was a reason for it—one that was weird, but in a what-are-the-odds way instead of a when-did-alarm-clocks-bring-out-the-Superwoman-in-me way.

Why do we have to go to the stupid assembly anyway? Roxie grumbled on. Are you listening to me?

AJ grunted. My headache suggests yes.

Then why aren’t you answering?

After thirteen years of big-sisterhood, AJ realized that silence had officially become a lost cause. Answering what?

Why do we have to go to the assembly? Roxie asked in the well-duh tone AJ had grown to despise.

Flippantly, AJ wondered if she’d been this obnoxious three years ago, but ultimately decided that dealing with this twice would have made her parents suicidal. I don’t know, Roxie. The school just says you have to.

But it’s so dumb. I’m not in high school yet, and they want to talk to me about college? One batch of misery at a time, please.

Don’t be so dramatic. Besides, it pays to think ahead.

Roxie smirked, which was never a good sign. Aaaand you’re going to college... Where?

AJ shook her head and grunted another time. Well played.

Roxie grinned in pure triumph. Maybe I’ll skip it. It’d be a great time to since after Mom and Dad see the wreck you made of your room, you’ll get at least half their wrath.

You were in my room? AJ asked.

Yeeeeah.

Oh, good, AJ mentally griped. The well-duh tone again. Why were you in my room?

Roxie shrugged. I was snooping.

Judging from the delivery of her confession, Roxie thought the reason obvious, and AJ had to admit that she should have automatically known the motive. The blatant truthfulness still gave her a stunned moment of pause.

How disgustingly honest of you, AJ snapped. Seriously. Stay out of my room.

No problem, Roxie said after a snort. It’s a current danger zone. What did you do in there anyway?

Thankfully, Garden City Middle School had come in view, and AJ concentrated on navigating instead of talking. She put the car in park before shifting to see Roxie leave and head toward the building. Except Roxie hadn’t moved. She just sat in the passenger seat, staring at AJ intently.

I got mad at an alarm clock, AJ relented. I guess the nightstand was on its last legs.

The focused look on her sister’s face morphed into suspicion that AJ could understand. She’d been there and hardly believed it. But she’d told her sister the truth, and the only sensible answer available. I’m serious, Roxie. That’s it.

Roxie nodded, though her arched brow showed she wasn’t convinced. She gathered her things, then made her way around the car in the direction of the school, but she stopped short at the driver’s side window. Stooping down, she locked eyes with AJ. If something’s going on, you can tell me. I won’t even tell Mom or Dad.

I promise, kid, AJ claimed through a beginning smile. Nothing’s going on.

Roxie stared a few seconds more, nodded again, and left. AJ watched, amazed to realize her tiny sister was growing up. The pesky little girl who had babbled about jeans and middle school crushes showed hints of the adult she slowly became.

As AJ continued to watch, Roxie stopped to talk to a friend and reached a hand into her backpack. When she retrieved that hand, though once empty, it held a spoon and a cup of yogurt. Strawberry yogurt. Strawberry, like the phantom scent from earlier.

Nothing’s going on, AJ told herself with the same words she’d used to reassure her sister. I did not smell strawberries in a container in her backpack on the other side of the car. It was probably her shampoo. Even if she uses coconut scented. And I’m talking to myself again. This time, in public.

She glanced around and took comfort that no one noticed her sudden signs of lunacy, then put the car in drive and headed to her high school.

****

Though not unpopular, AJ hadn’t been crowned a trendsetting high school queen either. She had her fair share of friends and dates, but she existed as a medium fish in the ocean of her school. In some things, she excelled. Art, for instance. When it came to art, most students envied her talent. Painting, sketching, sculpting—pastels, charcoal, clay. She’d failed at no medium or artistic technique she’d tried, and she intensely involved herself in the school’s art club.

Truthfully, her art probably kept her at medium-fish level more than any other factor in her high school existence. Art itself demanded large quantities of time and operated like its own time warp. She couldn’t count the instances she’d sat at an easel for what seemed like minutes, only to find she’d spent her entire afternoon on one piece. Add in the club, which had a showcase coming up, and her leisure hours lessened, particularly when striving for honor roll in pre-college curriculum. She balanced it all though and performed well in nearly every portion of her educational life. Academically, artistically, and socially, she excelled.

Athletically? Not so much.

She’d always been the last person picked in team divisions, and while the situation was embarrassing, she couldn’t blame the captains who only by process of elimination relented to let her on their teams. Every game challenged her by highlighting her lack of coordination, inability to catch, snail’s pace at running, non-existent aim, and extreme case of out-of-shape for everyone to ridicule. The entire student body recognized gym class as her place of ultimate failure, and in sixteen years of life, she’d given them no reason to second-guess that notion.

Until that day when she unexpectedly prevailed in every aspect of the class. Given her previously noted failures at everything athletic, her random abilities did not go unnoticed. She ran faster, breathed easier, and experienced strength and endurance that she had before only desired. It amazed her, but after the morning she’d had, she needed nothing less than more weirdness piling on her. Luckily, gym concluded her day, and she could flee the scene quickly.

Only, not quickly enough.

Hey, AJ! Brad, the most sought after bachelor of Garden City High and captain of the football team, hurried toward her. Wavy blond hair and emerald green eyes only added to his appeal. He stood tall and muscular in a lean way, perfect dimples framing perfect lips.

And he’d never spoken to AJ unless he needed a pen or an answer for a class. It figured that her newfound athletic prowess would catch his attention. Had it been a normal day, she might have blushed brightly, thrilled to have an actual conversation with him. But if this day lacked one quality, it was normalcy, and she wanted to run from all evidence of the unexplainable things that kept popping up. Having Football-Captain-Brad chase her down accomplished the exact opposite.

That was so great in gym, he told her after he caught up. Where have you been hiding that?

Oh, you know, she said. Didn’t want to show off or anything. She walked a bit faster to get to her locker where her best friends, Rachel and Holly, waited—hoping the conversation would at least end once she got there—but kept her pace in check so she wouldn’t draw the attention of bystanders. Truthfully, the slower pace seemed ridiculous since she knew that she was capable of going much faster, even if she didn’t understand why the athleticism was randomly there. Who cared about gym class? This would’ve been the ideal time to use her newly discovered speed.

Are you kidding me? That was amazing! You could’ve been owning all of us out there instead of... Apparently, the school’s king of athletics realized how very wrong that sentence would end, and after a moment of embarrassment, he tried again. It was impressive. I didn’t expect that from you.

Me neither, she mumbled when her locker was a few yards away.

Maybe you should think about trying out for something. You know. Volleyball, track, basketball... It’d be a real shame to waste that kind of talent.

Maybe this part of her day shouldn’t throw her off after all. Considering how well she’d performed in gym, Brad trying to recruit her to some sport seemed logical, downright boring. That day, she embraced boring.  

Yeah, she offered. I’ll think about it. Of course, she wouldn’t.

Okay, cool. I’ll see you around sometime. He smiled brightly, seemingly proud of himself for his forethought on the matter, and meandered through the crowd to his own locker.

When AJ finally reached hers, she found two very confused, very excited people waiting for her.

What. Was. That? Rachel asked.

Rachel and Holly embodied the phrase polar opposites in almost everything, including appearance. Rachel stood tall with long blonde hair and elegance that most Garden City students envied. Lively and approachable, she always managed to cope through chaos with little hassle and loads of tact.

Holly, on the other hand, stood a bit on the short side with cropped red hair and a bluntness that could drive a person crazy. Her flaw didn’t reside in not caring about others, but she had little concern for censoring her thoughts and favored brutal honesty above cushioned truths.

The three had been friends since grade school, and the differing qualities at times created points of tension. At others, they functioned together flawlessly, each one handling the situations more suited to their own ways of thinking. Basically, it made sense that Rachel broached the topic first. For the subject to be handled calmly, it practically had to be Rachel.

Regardless, AJ had no desire to talk about it. Nothing, she answered. I had a good day in gym. That’s all. Ignoring what she knew would be doubtful expressions, AJ concentrated on her locker combination.

A good day in gym? Holly wondered, entering the conversation and coloring it with her particular flair. What does that mean? You didn’t trip or get a basketball in the face?

Yeah, something like that. AJ’s books now rested in her hand and were on their way to her backpack. She could nearly taste freedom from the confusion and chaos that the day had supplied. Brad was asking me if I wanted to join a sports team.

When her backpack and locker were both closed, AJ faced her friends before she intended to head for the exit once and for all. But judging by the shock on their expressions, her plan would have to wait a few more minutes.

Was he being sarcastic? Holly pressed.

AJ rolled her eyes at her friend’s typical lack of delicacy. No. Like I said, it was a good day in gym, but we all know it had to be a fluke, right? And when I go back to being Miss Uncoordinated, you know, tomorrow, I’m sure he’ll never mention it again.

"You? He asked you to join a sports team?" Evidently, Holly couldn’t wrap her mind around that piece of the story.

But neither could AJ.

Is that all he asked? Rachel asked, causing the other two girls to end their stare down and look her way.

Yeah, of course, AJ replied, then chuckled. What? You thought Captain Brad was lowering himself to ask an art geek out?

"You are not a geek. Rachel never could tolerate that label, even though the geek herself felt fine with the title. You’ve got more talent than the whole football team put together."

Yeah, well. That was all. It’ll be forgotten tomorrow, and things can go back to normal. I hope, AJ added silently. Ideally, tomorrow would come with a restructured nightstand, lots of dropped gym passes, and an extra helping of ordinary. Hey, I gotta head out. I have some stuff I need to get done, with the art showcase coming up. Not that she was planning on doing anything for the showcase that day, but if it got her out of the building, she was willing to use the excuse.

Rachel pushed her backpack higher on her shoulder while she smiled at her friend. Yeah, sure. We’ll see you tomorrow in English.

Yeah, see ya, sport, Holly joked. Try not to trip on your way home.

AJ laughed, taking no offense. Shut up.

She pushed Holly lightly on the shoulder, or at least she thought she shoved her easily. The way Holly staggered back nearly a foot, eyebrows elevated, hinted otherwise.

Did I push you hard? AJ asked. I’m sorry! I only meant to—

Baffled, Holly shrugged it off. It’s okay. I was probably standing off-balance. Either that, or your sports wonders have spread from gym class to friend abuse.

Holly had ended her comment with a smirk that let AJ know their friendship remained on firm ground, but her words lacked the soothing effect she’d intended. If anything, they heightened the unease growing within AJ that had multiplied as the day passed. She had to get out of there.

Yeah, totally, AJ hurriedly agreed. See you guys. She turned, sprinted toward the exit, and basked in the approaching conclusion of the school day.

When she reached the door though, she overheard Holly’s whispers to Rachel while they headed in the opposite direction for their own lockers. Did you see how hard she pushed me?

On instinct, AJ wanted to turn around, go to her friend, and insist to her once again that she hadn’t meant to push her so hard and to cause her to stumble back the way she had, but an abrupt thought stopped her cold. She’d heard Holly whisper to Rachel. From at least one hundred feet away.

I will not freak out. I will not freak out. I will not freak out. AJ repeated the mantra in her head over and over as she made her way to her car. This was, without question, the strangest day of her life, but there had to be an explanation for all the abnormalities. Surely after a day or two, things would return to normal, and she could blissfully live the remainder of her life with the knowledge that her alarm clock had driven her to a temporary bout of insanity.

What had she blamed her nightstand issue on this morning? Adrenaline? Yeah, that sounded good. She had way too much adrenaline, and combinations of poor characteristics from everything and everyone else kept making things seem more impressive than they would’ve otherwise been. She’d done so well in gym because everyone else had an off-day. Holly staggered because her balance hadn’t been right, and she hadn’t been whispering quietly enough to Rachel if AJ could hear it from so far away. When all of that was added to the adrenaline, the mix begged for weird things to happen.

By now, she was close to her car and fishing for her keys in her backpack. It’s adrenaline.

No, it’s not, a male voice insisted.

Please be normal, AJ mentally wished, slowly shifting from her car’s direction toward the speaker. Wow, she thought when she saw him.

He was handsome, with dark hair, a chiseled face, and full lips. He didn’t seem overly tall, though taller than AJ’s 5’6" frame by about five inches, trim and fit in an obvious way even through his black suit and blue dress shirt. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but if she had to guess, they had to be dark. If so, in her opinion, the most beautiful man in existence stood in front of her.

Still, he waited in a nearly empty parking lot—evidently, she’d spent longer chatting with her friends than she’d thought—watching her and interjecting himself into her conversations with herself. Attractive or not, this guy made her uneasy. Luckily, she had her car keys in hand, and her vehicle was parked to her left.

All right, then. Bye. Squeaky voice trailing off, she hurried closer to her sedan.

It’s not adrenaline. He seemed unconcerned with her attempts to flee. If anything, in fact, he sounded amused. You’re changing, and you’ll continue to change. She could sense him advancing, one easy step at a time.

She’d already unlocked and opened her car door, so very close to putting this school and this guy out of her sight, when his hand on her shoulder startled her with a gentle amount of pressure. Though she’d felt his approach, she hadn’t realized how quickly he was moving.

Shaking, she faced him. Look, I don’t know you, and you’re freaking me out. I need to go home.

His sunglasses kept her from being sure, but she seemed to read sympathy on his features. She definitely heard it in his tone.

I’m not the only thing that’s freaked you out today, he told her. I can’t imagine what all has happened, but I know you’ve experienced some unusual things.

Since she hadn’t told him any details of her day, AJ figured she must’ve been giving off some sort of vibe or some facial expression that made her fear and stress visible to complete strangers in virtually abandoned parking lots. Okay, she said. Whatever you say. I’m freaked. Lots of weirdness. Unicorns running in the halls, and fairies flying over my head during science class. Very freaked. But I’m gonna go now, so...

The mystery man’s sympathy changed to irritation.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said unicorns, she thought belatedly. Best not to anger the creepy, stalker guy keeping you from getting into your car. She really needed to work on her survival instincts.

No, no unicorns, he grumbled in response, though after another moment, he smiled. But maybe fairies.

Now sure he was crazy, AJ laughed uncomfortably. Absolutely! Bye! She tried to get into her car, but the pressure on her shoulder increased so that she couldn’t budge.

I’m not here to hurt you. He proceeded to draw closer on measured steps, almost as if approaching a wild animal ready to bolt, without moving his hand. And I won’t. I’m here to help you understand what’s going on and what needs to be done. I don’t know what you encountered before you left that building, but I know one thing for sure. He came forward and leaned closer. You knew I was walking toward you. You heard it. You sensed it. Even with your panicked attempts with your keys and your pointless hysterics.

It was adren—

It wasn’t adrenaline, he interrupted her. It’s you. This is who you are now. You’ve awakened to what’s inside you.

Uh huh. From the corner of her eye, she saw a teacher leaving the school, too far away to be useful. If her sort-of captor noticed him, said captor might shove her in her car and drive off. From this distance, the teacher probably wouldn’t see him well enough to give police a good description. If this maniac kept rambling though, she could scream and get her potential help’s attention once he drew closer. Maybe the man in front of her would run away. Even if he didn’t and he intended to kidnap or harm her, at least she could manipulate the circumstances to have a witness. A witness had to be better than nothing.

Her nuisance continued to blather. The Division has grown, and the evil is spilling over. You’ve been awakened—you and others like you—to fight it. To save the world.

Absolutely.

I’m serious, he griped. Evil will come through the portal, and without those Essenced, the world will be overcome.

Totally, she mumbled, noticing out of the corner of her eye that the teacher was almost within hearing distance.

This isn’t—

Help, Mr. Roberts! This guy won’t let me leave!

Mr. Roberts looked up, noticed the situation, and came running.

Mystery man glared at him, growled at AJ, tossed her arm from his hand, and disappeared. Just vanished. She hurriedly scanned the parking lot to see if he’d fled—maybe he ran fast and she’d been too scared to process it—but she only saw Mr. Roberts clearing the back end of a delivery truck in his sprint toward her.

The teacher stopped short when he noticed AJ was now standing alone beside her car. Where did he go?

He vanished, she thought, though she knew she couldn’t say that. No sane person would accept that response. He ran off when he saw you coming. You must’ve been behind the truck and couldn’t see.

He accepted the explanation with a nod. Are you all right?

Tears building in her eyes, AJ lied. I’m fine.

Chapter Two

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The ride home proved blissfully predictable. AJ drove the same streets, picked Roxie up at the same spot, and got caught by the same red light. The enduring residue of insanity, for the moment, had been forced into the recesses of her mind, allowing her a pause of normalcy in the midst of such an unusual day. The memories persisted, but she enjoyed the refuge provided by a commonplace journey home. She even welcomed Roxie’s relentless chattering, though if pressed, she couldn’t remember a word of it. Years of zoning her younger sister out created tendencies difficult to overcome, no matter how helpful the distraction.

And, in all honesty, her thoughts lingered in the parking lot with the unidentified pseudo-stalker. How had he known she’d experienced so many bizarre things that day? Why did she experience so many?

You’re changing, and you’ll continue to change.

His words floated through her mind and tainted her peaceful drive. At least, if nothing else, the man’s apparent mental instability could grant her a bit of comfort. Fairies and essences, evil and battles. The world would end, and no better fighter could be found to war in its favor? If so, the planet might as well forfeit. She painted and sculpted. Physical superiority definitely wasn’t her forte.

Or it hadn’t been until gym that day. But suddenly running fast and combating to preserve mankind existed in slightly different realms—one unlikely and one impossible. No matter how weird the day had been, AJ had to believe that the parking lot guy was still crazy.

Her mom’s SUV waited in their driveway as AJ pulled in, unsurprisingly since Anna—their mother—only had to work until noon that day. She sat in the kitchen, having coffee and browsing a magazine, when her daughters entered the house, and AJ relished the average, everyday suburbia. The children were officially schooled, the mother had returned from work and was sipping coffee with useless reading, and the dad—Wayne—was due home from his job in a few hours. If she could, AJ would’ve breathed in the simplicity of the situation. Instead, she headed to the kitchen for a snack with Roxie rambling and following suit.

How was school? Anna asked without moving her gaze from the magazine.

Roxie’s face lit up at the attention. Fantastic!

Typically, Roxie’s quick reaction would’ve annoyed AJ. Regardless of what had gone on in AJ’s day, the events played second fiddle every day to Roxie in their afternoon chats, but not because their parents preferred one daughter over the other. Roxie just always spoke first and claimed her territory before AJ could think very far beyond her post-school nourishment.

This time, AJ welcomed her antics. How was school, that day, was a loaded question she had no intention of discussing with her mother, or anyone for that matter, except potentially a professional psychologist. Blatantly ignoring those thoughts, AJ reached for a bag of chips and a can of Coca-Cola.

By the time her mind drifted back to the conversation, her sister had already sped halfway through her report.

But it turns out he totally bombed the exam, too, Roxie babbled, and we talked for, like, twenty minutes about it.

So you’re happy you failed an exam? her mom pressed through a frown.

"Aren’t you listening? Roxie sounded as if their mother had missed the very last (and very clear) ingredient to cure cancer. Mark and I talked for twenty minutes!"

Over a failed test, Anna reminded her.

Roxie shrugged. Well, yeah, but we hadn’t really talked before, and—

And I’m happy to hear your crush is talking to you, Anna griped in an unhappy tone, but that’s no reason to fail an exam.

I didn’t do it on purpose! Roxie argued. It was hard!

And you’re not upset that you did. Study harder, and find other things to talk to him about, Anna insisted, then pointed her index finger at her youngest daughter. No more failed exams, okay?

Roxie rolled her eyes, but nodded. All right, fine. Anyway, she continued in a brighter tone, we talked all through lunch, and we’re gonna sit together tomorrow! Isn’t that great?

It’s a good ending to an otherwise disappointing story, her mother commented, then focused on AJ. Don’t think I don’t see you trying to get away with eating chips and guzzling Coke. You’re gonna fill up on junk and have no room for a superb, healthy dinner.

Eyes widened in fake innocence, AJ locked gazes with her mother. It’s not for a couple hours. You can’t expect me to plunge into homework on an empty stomach.

Nutrition.

One word let AJ know this particular debate could only end in the daughter’s surrender, much like Roxie’s caving from a few moments ago. Still, her chips looked too delightful to push aside, so she smirked and picked up a banana. There! Nutritious!

Shaking her head, her mother smiled. I admire your sense of a healthy diet, but you’re eating dinner.

Of course. AJ kissed her mom on the top of her head as she passed on her way to her bedroom. But I need fuel to burn to get through my load of homework. She internally sighed at the ease of the conversation—joking about chips and bananas instead of mentioning any bizarre part of her day prior to walking through the front door—but her relief melted when she was just feet shy of the staircase.

How was your day, AJ? her mother suddenly wondered.

So close, AJ thought. It was all right.

AJ didn’t want to lie, but handing over details served no promising purpose whatsoever. If her mother didn’t get enough information though, she could dig for facts until whatever child being interrogated squirmed in her seat. To escape said inquisition, AJ would have to relinquish a detail, even if only a vague one.

I’ve been getting things ready for the art showcase, she offered.

Anna smiled at the reminder. Oh, good! That’s next weekend, right?

Yeah, Saturday. We’re working on a lot of the pieces at school. Actually, I’m staying afterward tomorrow to work on a few things, if that’s all right.

Sure, sure, Anna agreed, bouncing her hand up and down in a nodding fashion before taking a drink of her coffee. I’ll pick Roxie up. 

Good. I should get to my homework, AJ said, though she felt the conversation was nearing a huge, gaping hole angled right underneath her. With that feeling pushing her along, she picked up her pace in the direction of the stairs. Once she’d lifted her foot to take the first step, the gaping hole officially started pulling her in.

AJ, is there anything you’d like to tell me? Anna asked in a tone that let AJ know the right answer was yes, and something needed to be discussed.

At that point, AJ couldn’t tell which absurd portion of her day her mother had in mind or how she knew about the weird happenings at school to ask about them.

About your room? Anna clarified.

When a person legitimately forgets she single-handedly destroyed her nightstand in a moment of alarm clock rage, she obviously had a stressful day. But with her wondrous gym performance and uncomfortable encounter in the parking lot, the furniture incident had legitimately slipped AJ’s mind. I got mad at the alarm clock and hit it. I guess the nightstand wasn’t in good shape anymore.

Anna arched an eyebrow at her daughter, like Roxie had when AJ gave her the same explanation.

I’ll clean it up, AJ assured her. "I promise. I didn’t have time this