Estival

By Archa H Robert

Prepare for a wild ride of adventure and world-hopping.

For fifteen-year old Sky, what started as a walk in the park blew into a journey into another world...and another...and another. In order to survive and find her way home, she must learn to make strange friends, fight shape-shifting monsters and harness her own newly discovered powers. Her assets: a lifetime of straddling cultures a stubborn sense of humor and an irrepressible spirit.

She will need each and every asset to weather the changing environments, decipher friend from foe and defeat villains who are really bad at naming themselves. Her journey starts here and soon others will follow.

This roller-coaster adventure is the first installment of the Seasons of Fore. Be prepared for more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098366476

Book preview

12

1

The last day of school…

Teachers and students alike praise the day whether in rain or shine, in flood or drought, in calm or tornadoes. On this day, students may begin to exercise their soon-to-be-gained freedom by speaking when it pleases them, starting their summer reading early, or saying lengthy good-byes to friends who they must part with over the summer. Few teachers try to maintain much control on this day since even they are anxious. Indeed, most just give up doing anything and join the students in the different atmosphere. After all, the last day of school should also mean a break for the teachers. This day can be joyful, sad, boring, or just plain strange to some.

…and the wrong day to be late.

Sky Rhoanel was late. The soon-to-be sophomore completely missed the school bus by two minutes and was racing through her shortcut. As she darted beneath the morning light and shadows of the park trees, her long, black hair whipped behind her to reveal varying shades of red, blond, and brown glittered where the sunlight broke through the leaves. Her dark eyes glittered with rainbow speckles as she scanned the river ahead to the old wooden bridge. She reached the bridge, signaling the end of the park and the beginning of the school grounds. She stopped just past the ‘Villa Middle School’ sign to catch her breath. Several other students, including those from her bus, were meandering their way up the hill.

Sky entered the school and veered with the rest of the students into the cafeteria, which doubled as a school theater. Once inside and hopping over the first backpack on the floor, she realized that she’d forgotten her own. Wait. She didn’t have any assignments due today. Phew.

The bell rang, and everyone went off to first their lockers and then their first classes. Sky headed straight to her English class, wondering what tragic death and how many would occur at the end of this particular literature video. Kathy, who had a curly red bob, soon sat down beside her. They chatted a bit before class began.

By third period, she was in Physical Science and very antsy to get to fourth-period band where she could goof off. She thought back to her English class and wondered why so much of the literature they studied had such idiotic characters that went out of their way to get themselves killed. She had miscounted the deaths in the video and got docked for it.

During seventh period, Sky was in her geography class, leaning on her palm, as her teacher gave his final speech of the year.

Don’t be afraid to try harder courses in high school… he lectured, but then Mr. O’Neil’s tone steered from his usual practiced clarity toward an animated conclusion. I’m sure that everyone knows that today is the last day of school. Cheers and clapping sounded throughout the room. When the class quieted down, Mr. O’Neil continued, And if you forgot, you have a worse memory than me. A few laughs echoed at this.

Don’t you mean ‘I’? called out a boy from the back. More laughs.

Yes, I stand corrected, acknowledged Mr. O’Neil. I’m getting bad habits. I need a vacation. A few more laughs echoed, and the teacher resumed his conclusion. Well, we are minutes away from when the bell rings and school ends for the summer. Most of the time, teachers hate the last period since kids won’t behave, but you are my best behaving class – the best-behaved class I’ve ever had, actually. So, for that, I’ll let you go to your lockers so that when that bell rings, you can all run out of this school early – maybe, mind you – and by the end of the summer, will finally step into high school and I never have to see you again. There were many cheers when he finished his last sentence despite the sarcasm, and everyone in the class rushed to their lockers to collect their things. Well, everyone except for Sky.

No backpack, Sky? the teacher asked. Annie and April paused to listen. The first was quite short with a straight blond bob, and the second was over six feet tall with long dark blond hair and was Sky’s closest friend.

Sky turned sheepish. Um, well, I forgot it.

Mr. O’Neil went right back into lecture mode. It’s a good thing you handed in your assignments early then, isn’t it? But don’t think you’ll get away with that in the fall now.

Yes, Mr. O.

The teacher looked away. Hey, where are you two going? Two students were suspiciously close to the door. Sky was glad to no longer be under the teacher’s attention. She was a good student with good grades and involvement with extracurriculars. However, her identity was never invested in school life. She had long developed a habit of faking a need to please that many of the teachers expected.

The girl slinked back into the classroom and parked herself in front of one of the windows. Sky enjoyed learning; she just didn’t like being in a classroom. As such, being there in the one quiet place in the school, she fell into a faint reverie.

By American standards, she wasn’t an easy person to classify. The school guidance counselor described her as having a boldly even personality and that she would excel at whatever she decided to do with her life.

Some of her teachers in the past were overly concerned about the most random aspects of her life, largely because their training made them nervous when encountering a metis student. She was on the pale side, though, so it wasn’t obvious to most people. Acting like she desired to please them usually negated these teachers’ nervousness. Mr. O’Neil didn’t expect that behavior, but it had become hard to turn off.

The final bell rang. Sky bolted out with her friends, and they waited at the main door. Soon Kathy and the last of their party, Mauri, arrived. Mauri was strikingly dark and on the swim team with Sky. Speaking of such things, the group took off for the public pool for their hurrah for the beginning of summer vacation.

Hours later, when the sun was giving its first signs of setting, Sky, Mauri, and Kathy leisurely walked across the main bridge with traffic bustling by. They were largely quiet, too exhausted to chatter about the day. They briefly covered their respective summer plans and anticipations.

For Sky, it was the usual, spending large swaths of time at the lake cabin in the Rockies. For Kathy, it was a long road trip to Seattle before heading to music camp. For Mauri, it was her family’s bi-yearly trip to New York and then a trip to England. I’ve never been there before! she mentioned several times.

They fell into another silence. Sky and Mauri ambled on, droopy-eyed, but Kathy remained mentally active despite not being on the swim team like the other two.

Mauri had yet another anticipation, which Kathy had heard bits about and wanted the whole story, which turned into an exercise of pulling teeth.

So, when’s that ‘cousin’ of yours supposed to be arriving, anyway? spoke Kathy.

His flight’s the week before school starts. Mauri scratched her head. I know he’s supposed to be my cousin. My parents have explained it, but I still don’t get how we have cousins in Africa. The terms are all so confusing.

Then it’s settled. He’s about your age, right? Now you can say you have a sibling.

Mauri face palmed. Kathy!

Kathy switched back to gathering intel. So, what country is he from again?

Mauri struggled to answer.

At this point, Kathy was exasperated. Oh, come on! How can you not know what country he’s flying in from?!

My parents have been squabbling over whether to even have him here! Even after the ticket was settled. I just started to tune it out.

But still, you must have heard a country name. She added for emphasis, Repeatedly.

Uhhhh… she hummed and hawed a bit more before finally recalling the word. Oh, right! Sudan! It was Sudan.

Kathy’s face turned upward with her hands grasping upwards. Finally! We’re getting somewhere!

They reached the intersection at the edge of the park, and Kathy partially turned right. She then turned to Mauri and asked, So, are you going home or coming with me? Mauri and Kathy were neighbors and had been close friends since kindergarten.

Mauri stoutly answered, You know I practically live with you. Kathy and Mauri waved goodbye, and Sky split off from the group.

Sky progressed along the familiar way home, ready to fall asleep. Fortunately, the way was flat here, which wasn’t so common in this hilly town. She came to a dark red house with a small crabapple tree in the front yard two blocks later. She opened the door to the garage and made her way inside, dropping her sandals in the entryway closet. The purse dropped on the floor beside the couch, and she fell face-first into the pillow. What a way to end the school year! she happily thought.

Her brother, Trent, soon came by.

’Evenin’ lil’ weirdo, he said, without bothering to look up.

Sky groaned through the pillow in reply, which he interpreted as a ‘hi.’

Did Mr. O’Neil give his ‘and I never have to see you again’ speech?

Mm-hm. Except he let us out early, he understood the muffled voice to say.

Hmm, he thought with a sly smile coming across his face. I just noticed the grass looks really long. Haven’t you mowed it? You can’t just skip chores, ya know.

Hello! This week is your turn to mow the lawn, not mine, lazy.

Hey, that’s not a nice thing to say! he protested, smiling all the same.

Well, not everyone would be able to understand what I just said.

He shrugged. Can’t blame a guy for trying.

Sky turned from the pillow to look at her brother. It didn’t work when I was five. What makes you think it will work now?

Oh, I don’t know, things change, don’t they?

Sky replanted her face in the pillow. Riiiiight.

Hey, I’m off to see a movie with Lee, alright?

He stayed there until he could decipher the words, I’ll tell Mom, from the pillow, and then he left.

Sky stayed there for some time until her mother found her. Rough party, huh? her mother rhetorically asked.

I’m sleepy.

Well, you better rest up if you want to see that comet tonight, she remarked. There’s dinner in the fridge if you get hungry. She attempted to turn away, but a muffled voice stopped her. What’s that, dear? You know I can’t understand you. Oh? Oh, Trent’s gone to a movie? With whom? Lee? Alright, you have a good nap, lil’ Hotohke’e, she said, using Sky’s middle name.

Sky stayed face-planted there for a few minutes before pulling herself up to her room upstairs. There she looked out the window above the trees as the sky was just starting to show signs of growing into the layered rainbow of the horizon with the moon rising. A cloud trail from a passing plane cut through the colors.

On her dresser lay a book on Cheyenne myths. Mom must have left that here. Sky had asked for a copy for the cabin trip. She laid down on her bed. Finding that she couldn’t sleep, she picked up the book and started her summer reading early.

Some hours later, after the sun finally set, Sky opened the door to the back yard. Her dad was already sitting in his lawn chair with a blanket, looking up. She quietly crept down the stairs and pulled away his blanket. Then she sat down on his lap, pulling the blanket over her.

Ugh! You’re too big! he complained. Can’t you get your own chair?

But you already got one, and I like sitting on your lap. You’re comfy.

He whined in mock protest but then hugged her to him.

They started pointing out various constellations to each other. Mr. Rhoanel knew far more but challenged his daughter to pick out more.

He continued the challenge by pointing out the visible seas on the moon. The man wasn’t an astronomer, and he never desired to be one. He’d just kinda picked it up over the years.

A similar challenge was applied to surfing and hang gliding while visiting Hawaii last winter. In terms of hang gliding, his son had a slight fear of heights, but his daughter was a bit too eager. He wound up laying down some lectures on taking appropriate risks safely and repeatedly reassured his wife that he was not trying to kill their children.

Eventually, the rest of the family tackled surfing. His daughter, however, found that she much preferred hang gliding and had developed quite a knack for it.

No hang gliding this summer, okay, young lady?

Huh, whuh? Where did that come from?

He shook his head. Nothing. Don’t give her any ideas.

Sky turned her gaze toward the nighttime sky. She heard the back door creak open and the heavy footsteps of Trent walking out towards them. He stopped near the lawn chair arm, mentally picking out the outline of the lawn chair. Mr. Rhoanel reached out at his son and poked him in the rib.

Dad! What was that for? Trent protested.

Just making sure it was you, Son. Mr. Rhoanel was typically an even keel man with a similar pale complexion to his children. He loved playing with them, though, no matter how old they got. Tonight was no different.

Suuure. He turned to his sister. Sis, are you sitting on Dad?

I got here first. She didn’t bother to turn towards her brother.

That’s not, urgh. Ya know what? I don’t care.

Don’t care about what? Mrs. Rhoanel had joined them.

Trent jumped in. Mooom! He pointed at the two in the lawn chair. Dad poked me, and Sis is sitting on Dad.

"Well, that’s not nice. Didn’t he give you a chance to poke