Luminosity, the Hitchhiking Imp: Meets Piper, Josh, and the Bullies, #1

By Evelyn Cassaday

Luminosity, The Hitchhiking Imp

Meets Piper, Josh and the Bullies

From a tiny undiscovered planet, a hitchhiking Imp trespasses into the lives of Earthling kids and tries to explain about his home where human thoughts are harvested and stored. Electrical storms and impulses jumping out of cell phones? Who would believe them? It is the beginning of friendships, enemies, and battles on both planets. This upper mid-grade chapter book's characters face the emotional challenges of bullying and decision-making with their own kid-inspired strengths and remedies in a story filled with art, science, and adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evelyn Cassaday
• Release date: Nov 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393355670

Evelyn Cassaday

About the Author Wife, Mother of three, grandmother of 4, retired Executive Property Manager, travel agency and boutique owner, and now supposedly grownup, Evelyn lives in Florida where she still can act like a kid at theme parks. College and the Institute of Children’s literature inspired her to write, along with a desire to expand a child’s world through reading. Favorite words of wisdom: “Life is an adventure, make time to enjoy it.

Book preview

1-LIGHTNING STRIKES

LOUD CLAPS OF THUNDER preceded the shadowy gloom that took over the attic. The computer screen glowed brightly in the dimness. The desk lamp flickered as flashes of lightning lit up the room repeatedly.

Wow, the storm is getting closer. Maybe we should wait to do the program another day, Josh. Piper glanced upward as the thunder rumbled and resounded through the rafters of the attic.

Owie! Piper screamed as a lightning bolt cracked ferociously causing her to rip her headphones away.

It burned me! Josh jerked an ear bud from his ear and threw his I-phone onto the table where it sparked and emitted loud static sounds. Whoa. A weird fluorescent green smoke filled the room with an acrid aroma. He scrunched his nose. What’s that smell?

I don’t know. Maybe the house was struck by lightning. I’m okay, are you?

I think so, uh, Piper, PIPER! What is that on my phone?

Amid a cloud of incessant, swirling sparks, the mobile phone vibrated violently and rattled against the table and then went dark.

Was that coming out of my phone? Should I turn it off or something?

No! Piper grabbed Josh’s arm. Don’t touch it, it might be hot. She screamed as another blinding flash rose from the phone.

Yikes! Josh yelled.

Their hands flew to cover their eyes and together they jumped back from the table.

Was that another lightning strike? Look my phone is sparking again.

This is too weird, Piper mumbled, more to herself than to Josh. Do you smell that? It smells sweet now, like cotton candy, burned cotton candy.

Josh took a step toward the table and wiggled his nose to get a better whiff. "That smell is coming from my phone. I think it’s fried."

Probably. Piper whispered as she moved up next to him.

As though it knew they were watching, the now silent phone began to glow from within.

What the, murmured Josh. Look. It’s like 3D!

What is that? Piper said. Is that a cat? No, it’s a rat.

Their mouths gapped open in disbelief as sparks formed an outline of what looked like a giraffe with an elephant’s trunk.

"What is that? Josh’s face scrunched up as he tried to figure out what the strange image was.

Piper yelled out. What is causing those crazy images? This is impossible. What’s going on?

Suddenly, a burst of yellow and blue sparks illuminated the cellphone, and a bright flash grew into a skinny skeleton-like figure.

A timid voice said, Hello.

Josh move back, Piper said as she grabbed his shoulders protectively.

Don’t be afraid, the small voice said.

Are you a game? Josh asked. Where did you come from?

The creature, whatever it was, was quiet while Josh and Piper sent a barrage of questions at him. Finally, the tiny, green, glowing stick-figure began to speak.

I am sorry I frightened you. I know this is a shock. I am a Radio Impulse, Imp for short.

Piper sucked in a big gulp of air, realizing too late how stinky the vapors in the room were, she coughed a little, and then politely asked, more from curiosity than fear, I’m Piper, and this is Josh. Now, what are you again?

My name is Luminosity, but everyone calls me Lumo.

It looks like a tiny human sparkler, Josh whispered to Piper."

They both were mesmerized by the silvery blue pulsing sparks. Like a squiggly hang-man character shaped by electrified z’s, it hovered over the phone. Its arms ended with what seemed to be electrical connectors rather than hands, one a positive shape and the other a negative. Large animated blue eyes dominated a face with no nose and a decidedly tiny mouth. Its eyes flashed with fear as they looked pleadingly from Piper to Josh.

I don’t understand. How did you get here? Why are you here?

Interaction with humans is prohibited. Oh, I am in so much trouble. I’m degenerating... Lumo let out a yelp of genuine terror. I’ll never get back. I failed to gather the information. The Guardian himself will burn me out!

Who is the Guardian?

The Imp responded with blinding bolts of electricity and wild sparks flying in every direction. Josh and Piper cried out in fear the attic would burst into flames.

Whoa, Stop, Lumo! Luminosity!

Lumo flashed, then dimmed to a soft glow.

Thanks, I was freaking out as you would say. A panic attack, I guess. This is my first trial mission. I wanted to impress the Guardian and the others. I have failed, trespassed, and gotten myself trapped.

His flashes dimmed and his arms dropped to his sides. The static quieted. My energy is fizzling. Lumo slumped into a pulsing pile of light.

Can we help you?

Josh looked searchingly at Piper.

Can we hook you up and recharge you or something?

Lumo slowly picked himself up. Little pulses of light glimmered around his body.

Would you? Maybe, if you could ... The light pulses increased as Lumo stretched out his limbs. A message to Sparky. Lumo plotted softly aloud. Sparky might be able to intercept a strong tie...

Sparky? Who is Sparky, and what’s a tie?

Never mind, forget Sparky, what do you want us to do?

Piper hated seeing the little creature in such distress even if she was not sure what it was.

Whatever. We’ll do it—what should we do? Josh looked at Piper with wide eyes.

Lumo struggled to explain. A thought impulse energy surge, known as a tie or a link, is sort of our mode of transportation. Imps hitchhike ... Lumo’s glow started to pulse and dim.

There’s no time for explanations, Lumo, just tell us how to help you, Piper stated firmly.

Lumo shivered. "Okay, and I promise if this works, I’ll get a message to you that I arrived home safely in Diverthia. I will send you a ‘happen’. The Imp’s voice diminished to barely audible; his sentences trailed off unfinished.

A what? His lightning-like limbs quivered and sparked with an intensity that alarmed Piper.

Yeah, whatever, what do we do? Josh yelled at Lumo.

Think. Concentrate. Focus your energy. I need your thoughts. He winced with every word uttered. Close your eyes. Visualize my image. Say my name.

Say your name? How will that help?

Lumo rambled on, altering his speech between indistinguishable slurs and rapid strings of scientific sounding words. He shuddered and shivered again and then, with what seemed to be every bit of energy in his tiny little body, he burst forth with an outpouring of words:

The neurons in your brains must fire constant rapid original thoughts past your synaptic gaps to create neural pathways that become ‘ties’ that connect to Radio waves that will be intercepted by a Diverter. Your thought waves travel a million times faster than the speed of light waves. He jerked violently. The pathetic little imp slumped. His eyes were barely open.

Forget all that, Lumo! What can we do now? Piper screamed at him.

You are right; there is no time to explain. Please think about me...

We can do it. Piper said quickly, thinking about all the times her Aunt Sandy had given her similar illogical instruction. Josh, this is crazy for sure, but take a deep breath and focus.

She grabbed Josh’s hands, and they stared at each other for a second and then closed their eyes and began to chant. Lumo...Lumo...Lumo. They held onto each other, eyes closed, chanting softly and intently.

POP!

Piper opened her eyes to see Josh’s head turn quickly. They stood without moving, without speaking, staring at Josh’s phone where Lumo’s quivering body had been.

Uh, did that really happen? Josh softly asked as he dropped Piper’s hands.

"I don’t know, Josh. Something happened. Maybe we