Sophie and the Magic Seeds

By Gabriele Ewerts

When Sophie's foster mother unwittingly sows the magical seeds that Sophie had hidden in the garden shed, Sophie must return to Nugateris to save the life of a mysterious Flora girl that grew from the seeds.
Battling demons and harsh elements, Sophie and her friends embark on a perilous journey to find answers in the Ante Mountains. Will Sophie endure the dangers and uncover the secrets to protect the girl's life? Find out in Sophie and the Magic Seeds, the thrilling sequel to her earlier adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabriele Ewerts
• Release date: Nov 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781734468229

Gabriele Ewerts

Gabriele Ewerts loves trees, spending time in Nature, and hiking along mountain lakes and streams through the Colorado Rockies. She photographs majestic peaks, wildflowers, and the many wonderful critters she sees on her hikes. She also loves to create drawings of the rocks, leaves, and feathers she brings home from her adventures. This celebration of Nature, along with her enjoyment of gardening, permeates the settings of her stories.Animals have always been an important part of Gabriele’s life, and her affection for them is evident in her novels. Her pets, past and present, make appearances in her stories, as did her quirky cat Peppy who inspired the character of Pelifeles.In addition to writing, she illustrates medical educational materials and literary book covers.Gabriele lives Colorado with her furry family.

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Gabriele Ewerts

This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity or resemblance to real persons, living or dead, events, and places is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Illustrations and Text © 2020 by Gabriele Ewerts

Book Jacket Design: Christine DiGuiseppi

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ISBN: 978-1-7344682-2-9

Discover other titles by Gabriele Ewerts:

Sophie and the Magic Flower

Dedication

For Papa

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Connect with Gabriele

Chapter 1

Sophie Gardener hunched her shoulders and pushed the old lawnmower, grinding her teeth. The pain in her shoulders and arms told her to stop, but she ignored it. Mr. Hubbard’s lawn needed to be finished in the next few minutes before the thunderstorm hit full force. The mower matched her stubbornness, not wanting to move and seeming to work against her. One more push to the end of the lawn and she would be done.

Charcoal clouds streaked across the sky and pulled their dark veil over the faces of fluffy white ones. Lightning flashed. Sophie flinched as thunder cracked through the air. With renewed effort, she leaned into the mower, swung it around at the lawn’s edge, and switched it off.

Mr. Hubbard shuffled onto the porch and waved to her. He tottered down the porch steps, gripping the railing with his veined hands. The loose waistband of his baggy pants reached almost to his armpits, and suspenders made sure it would stay up there. White and wavy hair reached the collar of his plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His face was mottled, blue veins showing through the dry translucent skin.

Sophie pushed the mower into the garage.

You’d better get going, kiddo, Mr. Hubbard called.

Sophie closed the garage door and ran up to the porch.

How much to be done with this business of paying your friend Dianne’s mom back? he asked.

I still need forty dollars. Sophie wiped her face sideways on her t-shirt sleeves.

Here. Mr. Hubbard handed her two twenties. He held up one hand when Sophie opened her mouth to object. I know. It’s double your pay, but I think you’ve done enough.

Wow! Thanks, Mr. Hubbard. You’re the best. Sophie blinked and swallowed. Gazing at her feet, she rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans before taking the bills and stuffing them into her jeans pocket.

You also won’t have to go on helping that Fieldings woman anymore, Mr. Hubbard said. From now on, you can keep some money for yourself if you want to. His cornflower-blue eyes twinkled.

And just maybe, she could hang out with Dianne again after she gave the money back to her mom. Mr. Hubbard couldn’t afford to hire a yard maintenance company, but he paid Sophie twenty dollars to help him once a week with the yard and housework. For all those reasons, it was a good thing to wrestle with that old mower. Sophie sighed, wishing she had a grandpa like Mr. Hubbard.

Run along now, kiddo. He waved her off when she attempted to hug him. You might still make it home before it starts raining.

And you’d better get inside. Sophie grabbed his arm to help him back onto the porch and opened the screen door for him. Thanks again, Mr. Hubbard. When she gave him a quick hug anyway, the twinkle in his eyes became a bit watery.

See you next week, she called over her shoulder and ran out to the street.

She’d better get home fast and not just because of the storm, but because she wanted to help Trudy with spring cleaning and not disappoint her by being late. It was just a few more weeks now until June 17, the court date to finalize the adoption when she would become Trudy’s real daughter. She would be safe then and could breathe again. Sometimes it was like holding her breath and swimming under water, struggling to reach her home with Trudy. Maybe she was dreaming. Maybe she would wake up any minute in one of those foster homes where she never got enough to eat, got a slap in the face when asking for more food, and had to share a room with several other kids who were just a bit antagonistic.

Sophie shivered. She loved Trudy now, and Trudy loved her, but at first, she had disliked her immensely. Trudy was the best besides, of course, Mom and Dad, but Mom and Dad were gone—and so was Tommy.

The first fat raindrop hit her forehead. The cooler temperature refreshed her sweaty skin, but that was no reason to get soaked. Sophie dashed up Walnut Street and cut across the lawn at the corner of Gunnison Avenue when it started pouring. Fortunately, the old part of Woodland Park had many old pines and firs that stretched their branches over the road and sheltered her as she sprinted down Gunnison. She rounded the corner to Fairview Street, and leapt onto the covered porch of her home. A neighbor’s cat huddled in a corner out of the rain.

Don’t let Trudy catch you. Sophie scratched the cat’s ear. I’d love to take you inside, but Trudy won’t hear of it. Sorry, no cat or dog fur allowed in the house.

Even if Mr. Hubbard hadn’t given her the extra money, yard work for Mrs. Fieldings across the street wouldn’t happen in this weather. Sophie grinned. Anything not to spend time with that Fieldings woman—Mr. Hubbard’s words, of course.

Sophie wiped her wet arms to rid herself of raindrops. Inside the front door, she kicked off her shoes on the mat that covered the light carpet and hurried to the laundry room on socked feet to strip off her wet and dirty clothes.

On the washer lay two stained and crumpled garments, one dark gray and the other indigo blue. She lifted them and gasped. Master Eigil’s clothes.

Sophie? Is that you? Trudy called down the hall.

Trudy must have found the garments in the shed.

Sophie?

Be right there.

Sophie shook out cloak and tunic, turned them inside out, upside down and around, but nothing fell out. Where were the seeds?

What should she say if Trudy asked about the clothes? She had lied quite a bit to cover last year’s adventure and had promised not to do it anymore. But how could she tell Trudy the truth? She couldn’t because the truth was too fantastic. Trudy would never believe it.

With a last glance at Master Eigil’s clothes, she tiptoed down the carpeted hall to her room and pulled on one of her favorite pink t-shirts that clashed with her curly carrot-red hair, in Trudy’s opinion. She slipped into a soft, faded pair of jeans and walked across the hall.

A flowery scent wafted from freshly washed sheets in Trudy’s room where Trudy was stretching a fitted sheet over the king-size mattress on her big four-poster. Her wet graying-brown hair, set in big pink curlers, had a shiny black look.

Why did Trudy keep that big old thing instead of buying a smaller, more modern bed? Sophie hurried into the room to help Trudy pull the sheet from the opposite end.

"Thank you, kind."

Trudy always called her the German word for child when she was pleased with her; when she was not, it was Sophie.

The bed seems a little too big now. Trudy straightened with her right hand pressed into the back of her full figure. Her left hand pushed off from the bed, reading glasses on a silver chain dangled from her neck.

I was thinking that too. Sophie grinned.

Trudy sighed. "I cannot part with it. Mein Otto would never forgive me. We had it since our wedding day. She caressed the sheet, then wrinkled her forehead and came around the bed to give Sophie a hug. How is Mr. Hubbard?"

Sophie snuggled into the hug, enjoying Trudy’s comforting plump arms wrapped around her.

Fine. Sophie pulled out the twenty-dollar bills and held them up to Trudy. Look, he gave me forty bucks. Now I’ve got the $380 to pay back Dianne’s mom. Then she frowned.

Last fall, Dianne Berger had been Sophie’s friend until Sophie had stolen money from Dianne’s mom to run away with her little brother Tommy. Mom and Dad had been already dead for three years. When Tommy died from an asthma attack in November, Sophie had blamed Trudy for not saving him, even though Trudy had done her best. Out of anger and pain, Sophie had hit Trudy with a stone during an argument. Because Sophie had stolen money and had hurt Trudy, Dianne and other kids were no longer allowed to hang out with Sophie. Dianne’s mom had dropped the charges but only after Trudy had pleaded and promised that Sophie would pay back the money.

Trudy took the twenty-dollar bills. "Are you okay, kind?"

Sophie nodded and gave a lopsided smile.

That was generous of Mr. Hubbard, Trudy said. "Before we make dinner, we will place it with the other saved money, ja?"

Sophie hugged and held Trudy tightly, smiling at her funny German words.

Lightning flashed through the darkened afternoon. A thunder’s deep rumble followed.

Trudy nudged her away. There’s something I want to show you. She walked to the dark mahogany dresser, which was as old and clunky as the bed. "Komm." She picked up something off the dresser, turned around and held out her palm with three mottled brown and green sunflower-size seeds, just rounder.

I found these wrapped in old clothes in the garden shed.

Sophie stepped closer. Those are seeds, aren’t they?

Yes, but what kind of seeds? Do you know how they came to be in the shed?

Sophie raised her shoulders and took a deep breath. What was she going to say?

I might sow them in the back corner of the yard. Trudy didn’t wait for an answer. I’m curious what they are and if they will grow at all.

Do you think that’s a good idea? Sophie’s chest tightened. They could be weeds, you know. You don’t want those in the yard.

Oh, I will sow them away from the other plants. It’ll be fine.

Lightning lit the sky followed by a window-shaking thunder’s clap. Trudy flinched and dropped the seeds into her apron pocket.

Sophie couldn’t let Trudy sow those seeds. They were Flora seeds, but something seemed wrong with them. They had been smooth and green when she received them from the Mother Flora, but now they had all these brown spots. She would have to get them as soon as Trudy hung the apron in the usual spot by the kitchen pantry. Would they even grow here in Colorado at almost nine thousand feet? And what if they sprouted and turned into Flora babies? She had to stop this from happening because nobody but the Flora were allowed to sow these seeds.

Lightning flashed again. Rain and hail pounded the windows and roof like some monster hammering to get in. The phone rang in the kitchen, and Trudy hurried from the room to answer it.

"Hallo! Gertrude Hansen, here. A pause. Ach, Hannelore, du bis’ das."

Trudy’s sister was calling from Germany.

Sophie walked over to her own room.

"Ach, du lieber Himmel! Trudy gasped in the kitchen. She always said, Dear heavens," when she was upset. Had something happened to Hannelore?

Sophie listened for a moment but only a few isolated German words stood out, which she had learned during the time spent with Trudy. With a sigh, she opened her laptop and started homework.

"Oh, mein Gott." Trudy’s face was as white as the sheets on her bed when she came from the kitchen a little while later. Her hazel eyes brimmed with tears, and her fists clenched a huge, ironed handkerchief.

What happened? Sophie asked and hugged her.

Trudy rested her chin on Sophie’s head.

"Hannelore has cancer. Breast cancer, kind."

Oh no! That’s terrible. I’m so sorry, Trudy. Sophie tightened her hug.

Trudy pulled away, dabbed her eyes with the hanky and noisily blew her nose. I will need to go to Germany. She sniffed. Hannelore needs me. She has to have surgery. Chemo and radiation after that. Trudy talked fast, almost to herself.

When are we leaving?

I will be leaving as soon as I have a new passport, Trudy said. "You still have school, kind. I want you to finish. I will ask Mrs. Fieldings if you can stay with her."

Sophie rolled her eyes.

Please, Trudy, not Mrs. Fieldings.

She can be a bit, um, difficult, I admit, but she isn’t all that bad. I have known her for a long time. Trudy hesitated, She used to be quite nice until she lost her child and couldn’t have another. And then… but that’s another story. Trudy wiped her nose. Some people become strange when they are lonely.

Please, Trudy. She’s…. Sophie stopped because she didn’t want to make it harder for Trudy, but the thought of staying with Mrs. Fieldings was almost too much. Can Mr. Hubbard come and stay, please? She tried one more time.

Mr. Hubbard is old and frail.

Mr. Hubbard can stay in the guest room. Please, Trudy. We can take care of each other.

Trudy’s hands shook as she stuffed the crumpled-up handkerchief into her apron.

"Fine, kind. I will call him and ask if he would mind. Hopefully, I won’t be gone for too long. Your birthday and the court date are just around the corner, so we can’t miss that, nich’?"

I’ll be good, Sophie said and meant it. She wanted Trudy to adopt her more than anything. I’m sure Mr. Hubbard will say yes.

Sophie never got a chance to take the seeds from Trudy’s apron pocket. Instead of hanging it up in the kitchen, Trudy took the apron to her room. Sophie tried a few times to sneak into Trudy’s room, but Trudy was always somewhere close or was wearing her apron.

Two days later on a Thursday morning, Trudy drove the almost hundred miles to Denver to have her new passport expedited for Saturday’s flight to Germany, and Sophie finally got a chance to look for the three seeds. Trudy’s blue Jetta hadn’t quite left the driveway when Sophie ran into Trudy’s room, where she checked first one and then the other apron pocket. Nothing. Where could Trudy have put the seeds? Her breath caught in her throat.

She rushed into the yard, up and down the vegetable patches, but no spot had been recently dug up. She walked along the fence to the backyard corner where the lilac bushes grew. At the far back in a sunny spot, there it was: a square soil patch, freshly dug and patted flat. Worst of all, after just a day or two, they had already sprouted, and three green leaf tips poked through the dirt.

Sophie sank to her knees before them, palms against the sides of her face, and stared. Should she dig up the seedlings? Could she do this without hurting them?

All that had happened last November rushed back and tumbled over in Sophie’s head: Tommy’s funeral shortly after Thanksgiving. hitting Trudy with the stone, and meeting Master Eigil in the cemetery. He had been injured and had sent her through a portal to Nugateris, a magical island where he lived, to get help. There, she had met Flynden and the cat Pelifeles, and Councilor Makimus who tried to force Master Eigil’s whereabouts out of her. When Sophie returned to the cemetery with magical seeds to strengthen Master Eigil, he had died instead of going home. All that remained from the adventure were Master Eigil’s clothes, a green shimmer on the palm and fingers of her right hand, and these three seeds now growing into plants.

As soon as the adoption was finalized, Sophie would tell Trudy the whole story. Having lied to Trudy about her adventure and where she had been last fall made her squirm with guilt. What if Trudy got angry enough to reverse the adoption and send her away? She shivered at the thought of being homeless again.

No, she would have to dig up the seedlings. Sophie reached for the green tips in the soil, but when her fingers touched them, sparks danced off their tiny leaves and sent a tingling up her arm. She dug both hands into the soil around them and pulled, but this time, the seedlings zapped her good.

Ouch! Sophie snatched her hands back and rubbed her arms. Now what?

Chapter 2

Sophie stood and brushed soil off her knees, frowning at the green tips for some time until she remembered she had classes. Quickly, she grabbed her pack from her room and biked to school.

Before class, Sophie searched for Dianne, although she wasn’t supposed to talk to her. Most kids who had once been Sophie’s friends now stayed away while some called her names like carrot cake or carrot top. One boy, who had liked her before—yuk—now called her sweet potato. Others avoided her like she was a criminal. If only they knew. She wanted to share last year’s adventure with Dianne, but would Dianne believe her? Probably not. At the very least, she could tell her that she had the money for her mom.

When Sophie spotted Dianne and walked up to her, the other girl’s blue eyes sparkled behind thick glasses. Her smile showed braces, which were new. As usual, her wispy blonde hair was tied high in two pigtails. A warm wave of tender feelings for Dianne washed over Sophie.

Hi. Sophie slowed a few feet away from Dianne and waved her hand without raising her arm, their signature greeting.

Dianne copied the gesture.

Hi. Dianne glanced down the hallway.

I need to tell you something, Sophie whispered and slowed even more.

Dianne cast another covert glance over her shoulder.

I’ve got the money for your mom, Sophie said.

Dianne’s braces sparkled in the hall lights. That’s awesome, Sophie.

Sophie walked past Dianne. I’ll call your mom after school. Is she going to be home, you think?

Think so. We’ll bake muffins this afternoon for a party.

You’re going to a party? Sophie stared open-mouthed. Many times they had gone to the same party and had planned what they would bring and what they would wear. Pressure built behind her eyes and her chest tightened.

Dianne blushed and nodded.

Well, have fun going to your party. Sophie couldn’t help sounding sarcastic.

Would be great if you could come. Dianne reached for Sophie’s arm, but Sophie yanked it away.

Yeah, sure, but obviously I’m not allowed. Sophie hurried away, wiping her cheeks. No point in getting upset. Halfway down the hall, she peeked over the shoulder at Dianne who still stood at the locker, blinking several times. Part of Sophie wanted to run back and hug her, but the other part sparked with resentment and made her stomp off to math class.

###

After school, Trudy wasn’t home yet. Sophie dropped her pack in her room and called Dianne’s mom from the kitchen phone. Maybe soon, she would be getting her cell phone back. One of the many privileges she had lost after last year’s ordeal.

Hi, Mrs. Berger, Sophie said when Mrs. Berger picked up the phone. This is Sophie Gardener.

Pause.

Hello?

Yes, Sophie. What is it? Mrs. Berger sounded irritated.

Um, I just wanted …, um, I’ve got, um, I mean, the 380 dollars saved up and want to pay you back. Sophie traced the small daisies on the kitchen wallpaper pattern with one finger.

Oh, goodness, already? That is very thoughtful of you, Sophie. Thank you. Some friendliness crept back into her voice.

I can bring it over.

No, no. I’ll come pick it up. Will you be home on Saturday?

Yes, but…

I’ll come around noon.

Okay.

See you then. Click.

Sophie lowered her head and sighed. What had she expected? An invitation? Would Mrs. Berger feel differently once she had her money back?

Sophie shuffled into her room and collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling for a good half hour. With a few more heavy sighs, she finally started homework. At five to four, she dragged herself across the street to Mrs. Fieldings’ house. If she was late, Mrs. Fieldings would complain to Trudy, and that’s the last thing Sophie wanted. Trudy worried already enough about her sister and the trip. At least Sophie wouldn’t have to stay a whole month with Mrs. Fieldings because Mr. Hubbard had agreed to stay as a guest and to keep Sophie company.

You’re late again, Sophie, Mrs. Fieldings complained when she opened the door, even though it was just one minute after five.

Mrs. Fieldings’ thin mouth with crimson lipstick sat like a gash above her pointed chin. Dyed, blue-black hair pulled into a tight bun made her look like a witch, or a word that rhymed with it. She usually wore something gray or black—black skirt and black blouse or gray pants and gray sweater—but never anything she could do housework in because she never did any. Mrs. Fieldings had fired her cleaning lady and had convinced Trudy that Sophie could clean instead and, of course, for less pay.

Sorry, Mrs. Fieldings. Lots of homework.

Could you not do your homework later?

Sure she could, but working for Mrs. Fieldings left Sophie often too tired to think straight, and if she wanted good grades, she had to do homework first.

I’ll try harder next time. Sophie went into Mrs. Fieldings’ laundry room and took cleaning supplies from the cupboard.

Although Sophie had hoped