Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 10

Episode 10

ONE CRISIS AFTER ANOTHER

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"Oh! It’s great to be here!” George sighed in relief. “Do I have a story for both of you!”

Suddenly, Luis yelled through the window, “Phoebe! You’re wanted up front!”

“Wait here,” Phoebe told Abby and George. “Just relax for a bit. Don’t go anywhere!”

As she entered the main room, Gilligan turned to her with a blaze in his eye. “Go! Out! Side!” he yelled. “There’s been an accident! Someone called an ambulance!” 

Phoebe skipped back to Luis, grabbed the first aide kit, and returned to the courtyard in seconds. There in the gathering dusk, she saw a group of boys clustered around another boy sitting with his back to the wall. He groaned, and Phoebe saw a bleeding knot bigger than a golf ball swelling his forehead. She quickly put on latex gloves, cleaned the cut, and applied a bandage and popped a chemical ice pack.

“No one’s parents around?” she asked.

“Nope. My brother went for my mom.”

The boys looked about twelve to fourteen years old. Phoebe didn’t know them.

“What happened?"

“Skateboarding. We were grinding on the curb and a car pulled fast into the spot. Joel had to jump, and hit his head on the sidewalk.”

She squeezed the injured boy’s knee. “Hey Joel,” she said softly. “How’s it going?”

“Bad. I feel sick. And I don’t wanna go to the hospital. I want to go home!”

A police officer emerged from the darkness. “That you, Phoebe?”

She recognized Chief Santiago’s voice, and stood up as if to attention. 

“The boy hit his head skateboarding on the street," she said. "Almost got hit by a car. You might say the driver left the scene of an accident.”

Chief Santiago examined the boy, helped him to stand up, and they moved outside of the gate. The mother came running down the sidewalk all out of breath. A flashing light came up Main Street, and an ambulance pulled to the curb. When mother and son had departed, Chief Santiago motioned Phoebe to follow him inside the courtyard. “You’re doing a nice job,” he told Phoebe. “But I’m worried, not so much about the kid, but about you, and all of us. Are you aware that a powerful group will try to blame this accident – and anything else they can find – on you? Some people are angry at what you and Sammy are doing, and they’ll say these kids are here only because you’re attracting them.”

“Where would they suggest these kids go?” retorted Phoebe.

“I know,” said the Chief. “But in a way they’re right, except that we see it as a positive thing, and they see it as a negative thing. I’m especially worried about the concert on Friday night. How many people is Sammy allowed to have in there? Are you allowed to run sporting events behind the store. Think about it.”

“Chief! Please talk to Sammy!”

“No. You are the one who’s going to talk to Sammy.” The Chief lowered his voice. “They think I’m in league with all of you in some sort of conspiracy. They’ve got a man watching this place night and day. And if I have to show up and demand that Sammy remove his tables from the sidewalk, why don’t you invite him into this courtyard? No permit needed. And don’t tell Sammy or any of your little gang in advance.”

Phoebe nodded. Her eyes glowed. This was a level of trust she never imagined.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)
And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 

by John KixMiller

One Crisis After Another illustration
by Carlos Uribe

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players

www.protectorsofthewood@gmail.com

Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 9

Episode 9

THE PLOT THICKENS

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Phoebe met Jeremy at the gas station early the following morning. After a long talk, he drove her to work in the tow truck. A line of double parked cars filled the block in front of Sammy’s Coffee Shop. The sidewalk was crowded with customers buying from a line of tables. Sammy had moved his produce market out in the open. The crowd spilled into the toy store, and Phoebe and Gilligan had more than they could do. The courtyard filled with soccer players, skateboarders, and young teens doing tricks with silver scooters. The adults began to complain. Phoebe had to stay in the courtyard to restore order, and asked Luis to referee soccer games in the backyard.

When she finally had a free moment at 7PM to help Luis, she got a big surprise. Luis had extended the soccer field right through Sammy’s back yard. Someone had rolled up the old wire fence dividing the yards and put it in the corner. The noise of a 6 versus 6 game with spectators filled the air. Phoebe was setting up some lights when suddenly Abby appeared. She wore all black, and the brim of her cap hid her eyes.

Phoebe overcame her shock to think fast. “Let’s talk inside,” she said. Abby followed her into a small storage room with a few chairs. 

“You haven’t forgotten me!” exclaimed Abby. “You still care.”

“I do,” replied Phoebe. “I want to be your friend.”

“I do too!” returned Abby. “That’s what I want. Did you get my letter?”

“I did. Tuck will help us. He says the church needs a gardener to work in exchange for living in that little cottage in the big yard.”

“Yes! Yes!” Abby’s eyes lit up.

“But here’s the thing,” returned Phoebe. “You’ve got to give Tuck a resume, and then his committee has to discuss it and vote…”

“Oh no!” cried Abby. “Please! No more, I can see it’s hopeless!”

But Phoebe went right on, saying, “ I asked if an emergency would help, and said people were hunting for you and we’re frightened. But he thought his committee would refer the matter to the police, and wondered if we wanted that…”

“An emergency,” murmured Abby. “An emergency. Yes, of course. Yes…”

“That’s all I’ve got right now,” Phoebe admitted. “I don’t think working here at the toy store makes sense for you now. I’m even afraid to let you go out in the front room. Morphy and his soldiers are on the attack.”

“I know,” replied Abby. “I’m making a plan, and I’m going to need your help.”

They were silent. In the din of noises from the backyard, Phoebe heard a faint voice calling her name. In a moment, she was out of the room and saw George looking in through the back steps. “George,” she hissed. “Get in here.” 

He scrambled into the room. “Abby!” he said, staring wide-eyed. His temples glistened with sweat, and his pupils seemed enlarged.

“Tell us,” Phoebe demanded. 

George looked around like a hunted person… “The time I’ve had!” He sighed.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)
And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 

by John KixMiller

The Plot Thickens illustration
by Carlos Uribe

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!

www.protectorsofthewood.com

Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 8

Episode 8

AFTER THE CONCERT

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Phoebe tried to help as George, Jeremy, Eddie and many friends talked and packed up their instruments and sound system. Ecstasy was in the air. Sammy had invited the band to play again in a week, so the experience would go on! But Phoebe did not share in the general delight. She was haunted by worries about Abby, and unsure of the status of Stephanie and her friends. Were any of them attached to any of the boys? It seemed likely.

George took a moment to publically thank Phoebe, and she decided to stay around. Stephanie and Eddy both had cars and carried the group to the gas station office for a little celebration. But Phoebe became very irritated with Jeremy for ignoring her. When Stephanie had to leave early, Phoebe decided to take the ride back home.

As they drove out of the gas station Stephanie wasted no time with small talk. “Why didn’t you stay?” she asked. “Live a little. Your work too much.”

“How about you,” returned Phoebe. “You were having fun.”

“Well, I’ll be honest with you. Eddie and I have a date. We’re going to a little spot…”

“I’m happy for you. I understand things better now.”

Stephanie replied with some heat: “Yeah, well, there are some things I don’t understand. I thought you liked Jeremy, but you two treat each other like enemies.”

“I don’t understand him any better than you do,” Phoebe blurted out. 

“Jeremy likes you, I hope you know.”

Phoebe raised her voice and was almost yelling: “We were close! You don’t know the things we’ve done together. And now he acts like I don’t exist.”

Stephanie looked her in the eye and said, “He thinks you’re in love with George. He’s stepping aside to let the two of you figure it out. You’re a couple of fools in my opinion. Wake up!”

Phoebe was so stunned she couldn't speak. Stephanie stopped the car in the field opposite Phoebe's house.

“Stephanie, I had no idea… It’s such a shock.”

“A good one, I hope.”

Phoebe smiled. “Yes… very good.”

“Can I ask for a favor then? I hate my job at Hickory Securities. The place is creepy. Do you know Bentley, the owner, and his friends? They try to flirt with me, and they’re old and creepy. That tall guy Milton Morphy is like the leader of them all. Even Bentley bows down to him.” 

“I should have warned you months ago,” returned Phoebe. “It’s worse than creepy. They’re trying to take over the town. We’re secretly organizing against that group. But pretend you don’t know, it’s dangerous.”

“Please," said Stephanie, "I need a new job, like tomorrow. Something like yours.”

“I had kind of promised that to Abby…”

“Abby Chapman? I’ve heard them mention her at the office like I’m not supposed to hear. What’s she got to do with all this?”

“A lot. Stephanie, let me fill you in on a few things.”

“Not now, I’ve gotta go.”

“One more thought. Doesn’t Sammy need another employee already?”

“Put in a good word for me. I’ll take that job. I’m outa here.”

Phoebe jumped out onto the field, and Stephanie burned rubber as she roared off.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)
And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 
by John KixMiller

After The Concert illustration
by Carlos Uribe

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!www.protectorsofthewood.com

From PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)

Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 7

Episode 7

ABBY APPEARS AND DISAPPEARS

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As Phoebe heard George sing, she gazed aimlessly over the crowd. Suddenly she felt a jolt of recognition. Yes! There was Abby sitting in the third row of chairs far off to the left. It was her face, clear as a bell. Phoebe could tell that Abby was staring at George, and remembered that Abby seemed to like him at the party.

“I’ve got to get back to work,” thought Phoebe. “Gilligan’s going to be furious!” She turned and skipped back out the door, over the fence, and into the toy store. In a moment, she was putting stray items back on the shelves as if she had never left. In another half an hour, Phoebe and Gilligan closed up the toy store and were out on the sidewalk. The concert was just ending, and the crowd began emptying onto the street. Phoebe stood aside and looked carefully for Abby.

Phoebe was painfully aware that some very persistent and dangerous adults were almost certainly nearby at that moment, searching for Abby. A line of cars idled along Bridge Avenue. Looking them over, Phoebe recognized an old green sedan double-parked under the streetlight just a car length away. It had to be the same one that had passed by on the dirt road as she hid under the pine branches near the haunted house.

A man leaned out of the open window on the driver’s side, scanning the sidewalk with great concentration. Without warning, he looked to the side and noticed Phoebe staring at him. They locked eyes. She tore herself away and stepped behind the streaming crowd. In a moment, she squeezed into the coffee shop and looked frantically for Abby, but she was nowhere to be found.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 

PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)

And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 

by John KixMiller

Abby Appears And Disappears illustration

By Carlos Uribe

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!

www.protectorsofthewood.com

From Phoebe Breaks Through (Book II)

Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 6

Episode 6

THE BAND PERFORMS IN THE COFFEE SHOP

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At 5PM on Friday, Phoebe’s girls’ team and their friends began to gather in the courtyard, talking, listening to music on earphones, juggling soccer balls, and riding scooters and skateboards. Phoebe could see that the coming concert was attracting attention. Even soccer practice attracted a crowd that evening. A special zing seemed to be in the air. The time flew by. Suddenly twilight was settling over Middletown, and it was hard to see the ball.

The stirring sound of a guitar chord rang out from the back door of the coffee shop. Phoebe blew three bursts on her whistle, thanked the team, and wished them all a great evening. In her heart Phoebe felt just as drawn by the magnetism of the concert as her players, but she found herself feeling lonely and abandoned in the darkening backyard, with everyone else talking and laughing next door. She stood on the steps and saw the nearly full moon rising, but it did not seem to be shining for her.

After putting away the equipment, Phoebe had an idea. She took a deep breath and told Gilligan, “Oh, I think I left some stuff outside." She vanished out the back door into the moonlight. In a moment, she climbed the small wire fence, and then slowly opened the back door of the coffee shop. A song had just ended, and applause and yells of enthusiasm filled the air. Phoebe carefully slipped through the half opened door, staying low to the floor. The backs of the performers were not ten feet away, and beyond were rows of teens seated on the floor, on chairs, and standing packed together.

A few finger picked chords quieted the audience noise, and George’s mournful guitar played a melody Phoebe hadn’t heard before. His voice sang out the words. “Could he have written that about what we went through?” Phoebe wondered. Her heart was in her mouth. But despite her painful thoughts, she was happy for George – and for all of them – for making something new and interesting out of their strange lives.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 

PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)

And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 

by John KixMiller

THE BAND PERFORMS AT THE COFFEE HOUSE illustration

by Carlos Uribe

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!

www.protectorsofthewood.com

http://www.theprotectorsofthewoodband.com

Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 5

Episode 5
THE SOCCER PLAYERS COME TO THE TOY STORE

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Mario -- head of the Half Moon United Soccer Club and Phoebe’s former coach -- strolled into the toy store courtyard looking for a favor.
“I need your help,” he told her. “Our game spreads among the young people but we cannot keep up. Will you coach my Under-14 girls’ team?”
“I’m so glad to see you!” exclaimed Phoebe. “But I’ve got a job, more than full time, and don’t have a car.”
“When is your day off?”
“I’m afraid to tell you. Monday.”
“At least meet the team,” begged Mario. “We need a meeting place to get the players and parents organized for the new year. Remember the adults who were already too busy who helped you? Now it’s your turn.”
“It’s true, Mario. God knows you were there for me when I needed you most. Go ahead, invite your team to the store.”

Late Monday afternoon, Phoebe set up about twenty-five chairs in the main room of the toy store, and then went outside to wait in the courtyard. Soon a group walked up the sidewalk and looked through the gate. A tall, thin, very dark-skinned man in an elegant summer suit asked, “Team meeting for the Blue Demons?”
Phoebe welcomed them, and met Terrence Williams and his daughter Shannon, and Jorge and Maria Luna and their daughter Marisol. Family groups arrived one after another. Luis, older brother to Jasmine, began passing a soccer ball with the players. Finally Mario arrived and the parents assembled inside the store. The teenagers began exploring. Suddenly Luis yelled from the back door, “Hey, check out this backyard! We can play here!” In a moment the players and most of their siblings exited the back and disappeared. 
“I’d better follow them,” said Phoebe to Mario. “You join the parents.”

She stood on the back steps and watched Luis organize the group. It wasn’t a large space, just barely big enough to practice in. Two goals were improvised by moving rocks. Luis began to referee a small-sided game, with a team waiting on the side to play the winner. In minutes the teams were playing as if they’d grown up there. Phoebe sat and watched for half an hour before she made her decision.

As a game ended she called, “Wait everyone. Please! Come over here for a minute. I’m not sure if you know, but Mario has asked me to be your coach this year.”
“Yeah, he told us,” said Jasmine.
“I said no, but after seeing you I’ve changed my mind. That is, if you’ll practice here two evenings a week, and if Luis will help me.”
“I like it here,” said Luis. “But I can’t come all the time.”
“Let’s go for it,” said Shannon. “This is going to be fun.”
In a moment they all agreed.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)
And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 
by John KixMiller

The Soccer Players Come To The Toy Store, illustration
by Carlos Uribe
Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!
www.protectorsofthewood.com

http://www.theprotectorsofthewoodband.com

Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 4

Episode 4
PHEOBE HELPS GEORGE AND JEREMY MAKE A PLAN

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After speaking with Reverend Tuck, Phoebe began to regret that she’d lost contact with George and Jeremy, and decided to find ways to encourage them. She attended their first concert at Sammy’s Coffee Shop, but to her surprise, discovered that they had cancelled at the last minute. Late in the evening, she hiked out to the gas station to see if they were practicing there.

She rapped on the glass door and pushed it open. 
“Phoebe!” cried George, jumping up and staring.
“What, am I a ghost?” she asked. “Didn’t you expect me?”
George and Jeremy exchanged looks. “No,” George replied, “we certainly didn’t. You’ve been negative about what we’re doing all along.”
“I really do like you guys,” returned Phoebe. “I was stupid to have a bad attitude about the concert.”
“Well, that’s good to hear,” said Jeremy with an edge of sarcasm. “But you’re too late. We’ve given up the whole plan.”
“Yeah,” agreed George. “We’ve got problems you don’t understand at all. I don’t like the music I used to play, but that’s all people expect of me. They don’t like what I’m doing now. My songs are sad, it’s that simple.”
“But I like what you’re doing now,” protested Jeremy.
“Can I hear one of these new songs?” asked Phoebe.
“Oh, what’s the use,” muttered George.
“Look,” declared Phoebe. “I’m serious. If I’m impressed, I’ll be your producer and promoter. We’re going to pull off a beautiful event.”
“Well…” said George, his eyes wide with surprise. “What do you think, Jeremy?”
They grabbed a couple of acoustic guitars and launched into a mournful melody. George began to sing:

My world’s closing in on me
It’s gotten so that I can’t see
My star no more, my god no more
Of these closing doors.
I don’t know what to say
But my thoughts just won’t play
Like they used to in my mind
And I sit here and sigh
Just wasting my time

After another verse and a guitar solo, the melody ended. They looked up at Phoebe. She clapped and said, “That got my attention. Everyone feels that way sometimes. We just need a variety of songs, some percussion, and a couple of amplifiers. It’s gonna be crowded, with people on the sidewalk. They’ve got to be able to hear these songs. And there’s just a week to get ready. Sammy has rescheduled you guys for next Friday night."

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)
And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 
by John KixMiller

Phoebe Helps George And Jermey Make A Plan illustration
by Carlos Uribe
Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!

http://www.theprotectorsofthewoodband.com

Phoebe Breaks Through - Episode 3

Episode 3
PHOEBE HEARS ABOUT REVEREND TUCK’S DREAM

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Dusk was turning into dark in Middletown by the time Phoebe left the toy store and walked to the churchyard. She saw Reverend Tuck’s pale face and white collar at a bench near the stained glass window. 
“I know you have important questions,” said Tuck. “Start anywhere you want.”
“Jeremy and I went into the forest and met the old man. I told him I know I'm supposed to do something in life, but I can't find a way forward. He took me to a huge piece of dreamstone, and looking into it, I had a vision of an old woman coming up out the ground, and I was following Her. But I don't understand what it means, and the old man told me to speak to you."

“Maybe my story will help you,” answered Tuck. “You know, many years ago we learned that chemicals used by industry were opening huge holes in the upper atmosphere, allowing radiation to enter and damage human skin. At that time, I had a cancerous tumor removed from my face. It never came back, but for me, it was a crisis that never ended. I could see that since we can destroy nature, we must become the stewards of our world, responsible for it’s fate. Since then, climate change has grown into an emergency, and I realized that the earth is something we have to treasure and fight for. And during this time I joined your parents and others in the Protectors of the Wood, and learned the significance of dreamstone.”

“I need to know about that,” said Phoebe.
“I looked into dreamstone twice some years ago," answered Tuck, "and each time I saw disasters: landscapes turning to deserts, floods, things too terrible to describe. All hope left me. I felt sick all the time. And then I saw Her – not in a dreamstone vision, by the way, but I awoke one night with a dream in mind in every detail. It changed my life.” Tuck’s voice fell to a whisper. The wind rose and made a rushing noise in the leaves.

“Others had seen Her in the stone, but I had been denied that vision, and was desperate for an answer. In my dream, I was out walking in the forest, looking for Her. I saw a dark spot in a stone ridge, and going closer, I found the opening to a cave.”
Tuck turned and looked at Phoebe. “And then I heard a high, broken voice, and pictured an old woman. 

‘There you are,’ she said. ‘What took you so long?’
“’I’m lost,’ I replied. 
“’Listen,’ she said. ‘I have a message for you. Let the world know I am here not only for people, but for all life, for there can be no human beings without the teeming life around you and inside you. Nothing is too small, nothing is useless, nothing is dead. For heaven is here on earth, and the earth is a part of the city of God…’
“And there was more, much more,” Tuck declared.
“Go on,” begged Phoebe.
“She said, 'I am Nature’s champion, her guardian from of old, and her ally in her current sufferings. I am the one who has never ceased her work from the beginning of time. And now, in this crisis, I am asking for YOUR help! Join my labors! All of you who can hear me, the great and the small! Life on earth, your mother who encloses you in this world, needs your help!’
“And her voice rose as she said this!” Tuck said. “Her voice seemed to echo out on the mountainside and in the valley below! I have given her words a name: The Call of Sophia. SHE is calling. SHE is calling each and every one of us.”
There was silence in the churchyard as Tuck paused.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
PHOEBE BREAKS THROUGH (Book II)
And The Upcoming...GHOST GIRL (Book III) 
by John KixMiller

Phoebe Hears About Reverand Tuck's Dream illustration
by Carlos Uribe

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!
www.protectorsofthewood.com

http://www.theprotectorsofthewoodband.com

Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 33

Episode 27
PHOEBE’S DREAMSTONE VISION

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Phoebe looked deeply, and began to flow into the stone, as if she were swimming in the deep blue sky. She found herself in the sky above Middletown, and the sun was setting behind her. She glided down lower, attracted by the sight of her high school soccer fields. The players were gone, and shadows covered the wide fields of grass and dirt. Phoebe noticed a dark spot in the corner of one of the fields. In the fading light she could see a hole, a large circle of blackness maybe eight or ten feet across. 

"I never saw this before," she thought in shock. "Someone could get hurt." The hole had sides of dirt and stones with roots sticking out, but no visible bottom. Her heart jumped as she saw a flicker of light on a reddish hand. A figure climbed out over the edge and began walking over the grass. Small and bent over, it appeared to be an old woman. Long gray hair spilled over what might have been a dress, but a dress reduced to rags. Phoebe ran after her, desperate to offer help.

"Hello, are you okay? Is there anything I can do?"

The woman turned, and Phoebe saw a light shining like stars from her dark eyes. "Then follow me," the woman said. Phoebe had to hurry to keep up as the old woman walked down a side street. Soon Phoebe realized she had lost her in the darkness. A black shape moved in the shadows. She jumped back, her heart pounding. "Phoebe?" came a familiar voice. "Abby?"

They embraced in relief. "Quick," said Abby, "she’s gone this way." They ran down the dark avenue, heading toward the forest. Around the bend they came to the edge of the clearing, and the haunted house arose ahead of them. It too was glowing, but with a pale, flickering light. On the lawn pale shapes were whispering and laughing, with a terrifying undertone of fear and anger. There were hundreds of them. The voices became menacing. Just ahead the old woman moved forward. With all her being Phoebe wanted to follow. She fought against the rage and took a step.

Suddenly, hands gripped her by the shoulders. Phoebe found herself standing back in the cavern. The old man stood before her and looked into her eyes. "I’m here," he said gently. Come back, it’s okay."

"Oh!" Phoebe cried. "The old woman! She said to follow her! Please. . . was that the woman they call Her?"

"Yes, that’s Her, our leader in this great struggle, the crisis of our time. We have a leader when we need one the most, a champion for the earth." He put his hand on her shoulder. Somehow it was a formal gesture, like a blessing, a sword on the shoulder conferring knighthood.

Phoebe hardly noticed the way back, or her exhaustion, or her fears at all. She felt that no fear could be greater than what she had overcome already.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
by John KixMiller

Phoebe's Dreamstone Vision illustration
by Gideon Chase 

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!
www.protectorsofthewood.com

http://www.theprotectorsofthewoodband.com

Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 32

Episode 32
THE SECRET OF DREAMSTONE

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The old man and Phoebe crawled downhill through the tunnel. A breeze smelling of water wafted by. The rocks in the wall were large and glistening, with silver streaks glowing in the darkness. The tunnel grew wider and higher, and the old man rose and walked normally. Phoebe stood up and loped ahead to catch up. Soon she realized they had entered a vast cavern. The light of the old man’s candle found hundreds of tiny mirrors in the crystals in the far off walls and ceiling, and created a moving and changing light of many colors, as if the night sky and the magic of the stars were also here, deep inside the earth.

“Come over here,” said the old man, as he pointed to a couple of old wooden crates. “Take a seat and compose yourself.”
Phoebe had never been so tired, but her mind was on fire.
“You wear a piece of dreamstone,” he said, “your own charm made here in this room. Would you like to look into a large piece? There is some risk. Not everyone is ready for the challenge or the burden that may come of it . . . Would you like to look?”
“Yes,” answered Phoebe. Her thoughts were racing. “Dreamstone!” she said to herself. “It comes from here! This is what people are hunting for! This is the secret my family is hiding from me!”

“Are you ready?” asked the old man.
“I hope so.”
He took the curtain off the wall. The candlelight gleamed on a colossal jewel of dreamstone as large as a church door. One smooth blue surface occupied the central area. It trembled and moved like a living thing, and opened into a measureless depth.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
by John KixMiller

The Secret of Dreamstone illustration
by Gideon Chase 

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!
www.protectorsofthewood.com

http://www.theprotectorsofthewoodband.com

Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 31

Episode 31
THE MYSTERY OF THE CAVES

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Chi Chi led Phoebe and Jeremy back down the ridge to a dark opening in the rocky cliff, fully concealed by mountain laurel. They proceeded by candlelight to an underground stream, and finally emerged into the sunlight under a grove of willow trees. Chi Chi hurried them on across the beautiful valley to another concealed entrance into a long wall of rock. Phoebe and Jeremy followed him into an enormous, fascinating room with sunlight coming through an opening in the ceiling. Chi Chi beckoned them forward, and they saw a stone fireplace flickering with small flames. Nearby an old man with keen gray eyes sat in a carved wooden chair almost like a throne. His thin face with high cheekbones was framed by white hair.

“Father,” said Chi Chi with a slight bow. “I’ve brought Phoebe and Jeremy.”
“Wonderful! Thank you all for taking this trouble for an old man who does not get out to see the world.”
After some introductions, the old man told them, “I will come right to the point. A small group of us are carrying this project, this treasure, this life’s work, and we have reached a stage where we must begin to hand our hopes and responsibilities to the next generation. Will some of you accept the burden?”

Chi Chi led Jeremy to a rock wall displaying an enormous map of Hidden Valley, the forest, and the caves beneath. He began to explain to Jeremy the duties of a Protector of the Wood. Meanwhile the old man told Phoebe, “I’m trusting you with my biggest secret,” and he walked through a very small doorway lying back in the shadows on the far side of the hall. Phoebe followed him into a narrow tunnel, slanting downward deep into the earth. She longed to stretch out her arms but they felt pinned to her sides. The panic of claustrophobia rose inside her like a demon beginning to scream.
Soon the old man stopped and rolled a large stone a couple of feet to reveal a round hole in the side of the tunnel. “This way,” he said. “Be careful.”
Phoebe felt as if the earth were squeezing in upon her. The tunnel was getting smaller.
“Look out for your head,” said the old man. “You’ll have to crawl through here.”
“Crawl???” she thought. “No, no, no… Please no…” Terror filled her like boiling water. “I’m afraid!” she cried.
“Of course you are,” came the muffled voice ahead of her. “I am too, though I’ve been here a thousand times.”
They crawled forward… 

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
by John KixMiller

The Mystery of The Caves illustration
by Carlos Uribe

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 30

Episode 30
HIDDEN VALLEY

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It was already late afternoon by the time Phoebe and Jeremy climbed up a long ledge of stones and small trees. Soon they came to a high, sharp ridge running ahead of them like a crossroads. Picking their way up over some rocks, they finally stood at the top of the enormous wall of rock and pine trees. 

An incredible view opened up ahead of them. They saw a narrow valley roll forward like a long green road bounded by rocky hills and ridges. It’s velvety green texture glowed like jewel in the afternoon sun.
“Hidden Valley,” said Phoebe. “You found it! But how do we get down there?” 
“I don’t know,” Jeremy replied. “This is as far as I’ve gone. There’s no way forward from here.”
Phoebe could see the steep cliff just a few feet away, and felt a sharp sting of disappointment. 
Suddenly a new voice appeared out of nowhere, saying, “I’m here to guide you!”
Phoebe turned and stared. “Chi Chi!” she cried. “Where did you come from?”
“I’ve known you were on your way for quite a while. You’re invited in! We are bidden to hurry. Follow me…”

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
by John KixMiller

Phoebe And Jeremy: On The Quest For Hidden Valley illustration
by Carlos Uribe

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 29

Episode 29
PHOEBE AND JEREMY: ON THE QUEST FOR HIDDEN VALLEY

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Early Monday morning, Phoebe and Jeremy set off hiking through the swamp toward the Half Moon Cliffs, and the forest beyond. They both treasured high hopes of reaching the secret zone that Jeremy had seen once before from a distance. Their journey no longer seemed like a hike in the forest, but a quest for some luminous goal. In the back of her mind, Phoebe hoped to find Abby, and understand the strange mysteries that surrounded her life. Even Jeremy seemed to feel the mounting excitement, and moved with the focus and alertness of a forest animal.

Soon they reached the Half Moon Cliffs, a giant wall of rock that seemed to Phoebe a hopeless barrier blocking their path. But Jeremy led the way to the far side of an enormous gray boulder, and rolled a tall thin stone out of a crack between the boulder and the cliff. 
Phoebe stared with her mouth open. “We go in there??”
After a long slow climb up a narrow split in the vast wall of the cliff, they came out into the open on a ledge about four feet wide. Phoebe took one glance out at the wide valley below, and was overwhelmed by the sight.
“Phoebe…” said Jeremy slowly. “This next piece is dangerous. It’s not hard if you follow everything I do, but you can’t, absolutely can’t, make a mistake.” He watched her carefully. “We don’t have to do it,” he said. “It’s fine with me to go back.”
“I’m ready,” she said. “Let’s go.

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
by John KixMiller

Phoebe And Jeremy: On The Quest For Hidden Valley illustration
by Carlos Uribe

Learn More About Phoebe And The Players In Middletown!
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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 28

Episode 28
A TEAM OF DETECTIVES

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The following evening, Jeremy met Phoebe to discuss the mysteries that surrounded them in Middletown. They took a long walk on the quiet streets under the trees. As the night fell, the moon rose.
“Okay, let’s get down to business,” said Jeremy.
Phoebe explained Abby’s surprising letter, and Scutter’s obsession with finding the source of the new vegetables. “It’s like Abby needs a bodyguard,” she said.
The silver light of the moon made shadows on the street.
Suddenly, Jeremy said, “I think I know where the vegetables are being grown…”
“Jeremy! How did you find that out?”
“I’m pretty good at exploring the woods, and I’ve discovered a secret zone in the forest, a place you can’t get to. Some sort of genius has spent years disguising it. I’ll take you there on you’re next day off – this Monday.”
“I’ll come!” replied Phoebe. “But let’s concentrate on Abby for a minute. People are hunting for her. That’s what keeps me awake at night.”
“I’d like to know what these men are after,” returned Jeremy. “These new fruits and vegetables are fabulous, but there’s got to be more to it…”
“I know. Milton Morphy’s whole business empire is moving their headquarters here. I’ve heard they’re trying to get mining rights in the forest preserve. And they’re buying up every property and business that’s for sale.”
Nothing moved across the landscape. The moon was shining over fields of apple trees, their twisted and strangely human branches making shadows on the grass.
Jeremy smiled. “I was hoping we would get together like this,” he said. 

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
by John KixMiller

A Team of Detectrives illustration
by Gideon Chase

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 27

Episode 27
A LETTER FROM ABBY

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Following the fight at the party, Abby told her friends: “I bring bad luck to everyone. I can’t put Glenda and Tiny through it.” Then she ran up Oak Knoll Lane and disappeared into the dark forest, leaving her friends frightened and confused.
A few days later Phoebe organized a painting session for Rose and Rob’s new pre-school class, with Tiny among them. During the session Glenda came up behind Phoebe and spoke softly in her ear. “There’s something I want to show you,” she said, “if you can spare a couple of minutes.”
As the children and parents were ready to leave, Glenda suddenly put an envelope into Phoebe’s hand. Phoebe retreated to the back room and read:

Dear Glenda: I just wanted to let you know that I’m fine and do not worry. I can’t visit because I don’t want anyone bothering you, so don’t expect me. I really need to find a safe place to live. I wonder if Phoebe could help me live at the toy store. Her family all used to live there. Another idea I have is maybe I could live at the church. Do you think Reverend Tuck ever has anyone live there? Please speak to Reverend Tuck and Phoebe, and let her know anything that could help me. I will visit her at the toy store in a few days. I’m fine where I am but I can’t stay here forever. I’ll try everything I can. I believe that somehow help will come for me. Thanks for being there when I’ve needed you most.
Your friend,
Abby Chapman

PHOEBE COMES HOME (Book I) 
by John KixMiller

A Letter From Abby illustration
by Carlos Uribe

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 18

Episode 18

THE DISCUSSION OF ABBY, AND WENDY’S CROWS

     The father-daughter talk in the garden seemed about to end, but Phoebe had one more question. “One other thing, Dad,” she said. “It’s about the garden.”
     “Sure, what is it?”
     “I met this girl a few days ago, someone who graduated from high school with me. She has a garden in the forest. It isn’t quite like this one, but a lot of the vegetables are the same.”
     Peter’s eyes widened and he sat up straight, taking a deep breath. “You went into the forest with her? What’s her name?”
     “Her name is Abby. Do you know her?”
     “Is she a shy girl, tall, and sort of hunches her shoulders?” Peter was talking rapidly and imitating Abby’s posture. “She’s got black hair, wears black jeans? Her parents live over in Woodridge on the other side of the forest?”
     “I’m not sure about her parents, but I know they don’t live around here. The rest is all her.”
     “Then you’re talking about Abby Chapman, definitely a major player in this game, a sort of wild card.” Peter gathered his thoughts. “Goodness, Phoebe, you’re here a couple of days, and you’re into everything. But that’s good! You’ve got a knack for it. Once I heard you were coming back I knew this would happen.”
     Phoebe waited quietly, knowing her father would plunge ahead with a torrent of words.
     “All right, you’ve hit a spot where we need help. Abby’s a Chapman, a sort of niece of Wendy’s. She’s Wendy’s father’s brother’s son’s daughter. I know that’s a mouthful. More to the point, you should know that Abby’s grandfather helped work the apple farm in Hidden valley long ago, and was with the family when a mob burned their house and they all went into hiding.”
     “What? I can’t believe I never heard of this!”
     “It’s not so surprising. It happened over seventy years ago, and there are many reasons for people in this town to keep it quiet. Respectable folks usually hide major crimes in their family history, and they don’t like to be associated with the victims either. The effects of these crimes are far from over.”
     Her skin shivered as she listened.
     “But for now I just want you to understand Abby’s importance. She’s Wendy’s favorite, but is not part of the inner circle. Wendy’s father and brother worry about her, but keep her at a distance. They have the idea that Abby has to find a life on her own, a special mission in the outer world. Your mother and I actually live very near Wendy’s father, and we almost never see Abby. But we know she spends time with Wendy in the forest, sometimes for weeks on end.” Peter’s eyebrows made a thick wall over his troubled eyes. The vertical lines ran down the middle of his forehead.
      Phoebe bit her tongue to remain silent. Just listen! Just listen! He’s telling you what you need to know.
     “We’re also aware,” he said, frowning off into space, “that Abby has a boyfriend from a family involved in the Morphy clan, a family whose grandfather helped burn those houses and cabins in Hidden Valley so many years ago. Are you getting an idea what you’ve stumbled into? Do you see?”
     His gaze moved quickly back to Phoebe, but she looked away. No wonder Sammy won’t buy her vegetables. And are these the people she knows who walked out of the church?
     “I can see why John Chapman encouraged us to open up to you,” her father exclaimed, leaning closer. “He must have an intuition about you young people.”
     Phoebe couldn’t grasp the whole picture. She felt distracted by the crows making a racket nearby. They seemed to be practically in the garden itself. Did he say Wendy’s brother? Who is that? And he said ‘John’. Could that be the same John I heard about yesterday? She was growing hot in the small garden under the bright sunlight. The air was still. A trickle of sweat ran down her temple.
     Her father shook his head and sighed. “I hate to be putting a burden on your shoulders… but anything you can do to help Abby understand these dangers, anything you can do that would protect her from those who would exploit her…”
     “But why would you depend on me for something like this? And I don’t quite understand what they’re after. Surely you or Wendy or Abby’s parents could do a better job!”
     Peter wore his most severe face, eyebrows brought so low his eyes were mere slits. Finally he asked, “What would you suggest?”
     “I don’t know!” she burst out in frustration. “You’re supposed to know!”
     “I wish I did! But it’s not a problem I can solve. We’ve tried. Abby’s parents are off in another town and don’t associate with us. They pretend they’re not involved in all this. Long ago they quarreled with Wendy and will not speak to her. The parents have no control over Abby whatsoever. Wendy has far more influence than they do. But why would a young girl consent to live with her ancient aunt far from friends and community? Even an aunt as interesting as Wendy? Maybe for a short time, but… you can see how it is. Abby’s a free agent. What should we do? If persuasion hasn’t worked, should we try to intimidate her, or use force? Hmm? Those are the tactics of the people we despise.”
     Phoebe had enough sense not to reply. Her father reached over to bush of rosemary again and pinched off the end of another branch. He nibbled on it, chewing slowly to calm himself down. The sharp yet soothing scent wafted over Phoebe.
     “And Wendy is a wild card too,” Peter went on more softly. “I’ll speak to her again when I get the chance, but I can’t tell you how fiercely stubborn and independent she is, insisting on doing things her own strange way. She’s given Abby a lot of freedom, and shares more with her than any of us think is wise. But ultimately someone’s got to help Abby in town where her friends are.”
     “But what if I mess up, or Abby does? There seems to be a lot at stake here.”
     “Ah! There is. And all our efforts may fail. Why do the good thing, only to be destroyed? Why even try, when we’ll be destroyed anyway? Why risk making a mistake, when we could do nothing and deny all responsibility?”
     Phoebe sighed. “All right, I get it. When you put it that way.”
     “I don’t mean to belittle what you’re asking. These are questions for all of us. They come up all the time, for the oldest or the youngest.”
     “But I get it. There are things only I can do.”
     “I think you’re fabulous.”
     Phoebe laughed. “That’s enough, Dad.”
     They sat in silence, feeling happy that they’d reestablished some kind of partnership in this strange world.
     “I want you to know that you can come to Hidden Valley. You’re invited. Oh, it’s clear you don’t want to visit right now, too much for your knee anyway at this point. But someday you’ll want to come. Just let us know. Chi Chi visits every couple of days. He’ll guide you to us.”
Phoebe nodded. Once again the crows were kicking up a racket.
     Peter stood up, and then stepped up on the hay bale, looking toward the forest. “I’ve been wondering where those crows are. I think they’re our forest crows, King and his band. Normally we don’t see them over here.”
     “Those crows have names?”
     “They sure do. They’re Wendy’s favorites, her personal assistants, you could say. Yes! My goodness! Right over there! On the long branch. Look! They’re rising up.”
     Raucous voices filled the air. Phoebe stood and saw at least half a dozen crows flapping their wings, rising off a long horizontal oak branch extending over the field of Christmas trees. One huge black crow spread his enormous wing feathers out against the sky and swooped directly overhead. Phoebe stood up and watched the others follow in a wide arc, and finally rise over the taller oaks and disappear back into the forest.
     “Well!” said Peter with a smile. “I’ve never had a visit like that before.”
     “Do they know us, or am I just imagining things?”
     “They know me, and now they know you too. They’re a lot smarter than most people would think. And somehow they communicate with Wendy.”
     Peter picked some squash and finger beans and tomatoes and basil, and put them in a shopping bag. “Why don’t you take these back to the house for dinner? Try to spend time with your mom. She’s there with Penny helping to prepare for your party.”

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 15

Episode 15

A MEMORY FROM CHILDHOOD 

A shadow fell over the garden. Phoebe noticed a bank of dark clouds moving across the sun, now past its peak and beginning to set far down the valley. Her heart sank.
    “Okay,” Abby said. Now I really have to get you back.”
    Phoebe took a last look at the cliffs and forest in the distance. It was a world she had never seen before, and looked so intriguing and inviting, yet scary too. Reluctantly, she turned and followed Abby, crawling back through the wall of thorns and vines. A cloud of gnats buzzed around her, getting in her ears and eyes. Mosquitoes were settling on her bare arms. The light became dim and murky, and gave the forest a different look than before. Small animals moved around them, making faint noises. Living things seemed to lurk in every shadow. The ominous croaking of a bird came from just over her head, and something howled in the distance.
    Phoebe limped along, close on Abby’s heels, clutching her charm for good luck. Her knee ached, and felt weak and wobbly as they descended a small hill through loose dirt and stones. The path home seemed to not even exist, as if they were wandering aimlessly. One bad slip and I’m back on crutches, she thought. I can’t even see where I’m going.
    The stream finally appeared just ahead, and the haunted house came into view. Phoebe glanced over her shoulder at the forest retreating behind her, and saw nothing but darkness. A breeze rustled the leaves, and she shivered in a cold sweat.
    Standing behind the haunted house, Abby and Phoebe stopped and looked at each other. “I guess I’ll be heading toward town,” Phoebe said hesitantly. She was reluctant to go home. The puzzle of her life was still in complete confusion.
    "I’ll be walking through the forest,” returned Abby. “Come back soon.”
    Phoebe moved across the clearing toward the road, with a nagging feeling that she should have said something more. She limped home slowly, her knee aching. In her mind she could see Abby walking through the forest, and felt as if they were walking together. Suddenly she felt a drop of water hit her neck, and then another. Soon the rain was smacking against her in giant, stinging gusts, forcing her to lower her head and protect her face.
    At Penny’s house she climbed the steps and then slumped down on the porch, protected from the storm. Exhaustion settled over her. Leaning back against the wall near the door, she relaxed and watched the rain falling in sheets around her. She closed her eyes, and drifted off into a doze. A delicious relaxation ran right through her. Images flashed by in the darkness, of Abby in her garden, with the cliffs in the distance and the storm clouds above. The voice of the green man drifted with the wind, infiltrating every corner. The clouds began to part until all she could see was a vast blue…

    Phoebe opened her eyes and sat up with a start. The rain had stopped. The sun had set. She was feeling wet and cold. Groggy with drowsiness, she fumbled with the chain around her neck and pulled her dreamstone charm out where she could see it in the fading light. The blue in her dream had brought back a memory from when she was very young. She struggled to remember.
    In amazement she recalled being in her parent’s bedroom as a small child, seeing a rough irregular stone at eye level nearby on a table. One smooth pale blue side seemed to open into the gray stone, like a window into great depth. She moved closer and closer, fascinated, and gazing into it saw the Good Fairy hovering above her, glowing with a shimmering light. The Fairy looked at Phoebe and smiled, and stretched out her wand with the silver star gleaming and radiating down. Phoebe looked around, and discovered that she was on the floor surrounded by toys and blocks. All the toys were becoming unfrozen, transforming, coming alive. She and everyone she knew, the whole town, became alive and part of the living world. And a clear, high voice proclaimed: “This world is my kingdom!”
    In a flash Phoebe recalled being interrupted by her father, who quickly took the stone away. He’d looked into her eyes with concern and asked questions. Phoebe got the impression that she’d done something wrong. She never saw the stone again. That had all happened a long, long time ago yet it seemed like yesterday.
    Whoa…
    She sat up in confusion, overwhelmed by a shocking feeling that something life changing was happening. Her whole body shivered. 

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 13

Episode 13

PHOEBE HEADS TOWARD THE FOREST

 

    Phoebe walked blindly down the sidewalk, hardly aware of her surroundings. At Main Street, instead of turning right to head home, she crossed and continued down Bridge Avenue toward the forest. Maybe it would be dark and secluded there. She didn’t want to go home. She didn’t want to see Penny. She didn’t want to see anyone.
    At the Half Moon Bridge – an old two-lane bridge with continuous sidewalks and thick metal railings – Phoebe stopped her angry flight. Gilligan’s not going to help me, she told herself. He’s too stupid, just too stupid. What am I going to do now?
     She of course had known that she might not get the job. But as hard as she tried, she could never find any motivation for second choice. She had spent her whole childhood living and working in the toy store, as if it were the community center of Middletown. She longed to show what she could do there now, as her current self, nearly an adult. Even soccer couldn’t compete with this relentless passion.
    She tried to peer into the future, but could see nothing. No toy store, no soccer, no college. What cold she do? How could she face everyone? People would know that Gilligan had turned her down, and they would try to comfort her. It would be unbearable.
    She walked out on the bridge and leaned on the upper railing, looking down into the black water gliding by. The Half Moon River was tearing along at the roots of the trees growing out of the steep bank. She stood there for what felt like hours. Gradually her feelings settled into a dull ache. Once again she become aware of her surroundings.
    She looked further down the road toward the forest, and remembered the abandoned house. Like iron filings to a magnet, her thoughts began to cluster around a new question: Does Abby actually live in that abandoned house? Could she possibly be there, even right now? Phoebe remembered the way that Abby had stared at her in Glenda’s living room, full of some unknown purpose. Standing there alone near the forest, she felt the fear and attraction of a mystery. Her blood pumped faster. She began limping down the road.
    She passed a few houses and trailers in progressively poorer condition, and arrived at the point where the avenue became a dirt road. The streetlights had long been left behind. The dark, dense pine trees grew out over the road, leaving barely room for a car to get by. A sign emerged that said, DEAD END.
    The area was deserted. She limped onward through the shadows. Finally the road curved and came to a rusted metal gate. Looking up to the right, she saw the old three-story wooden house sitting on rising ground behind a few sumac trees and the remains of an ancient maple, a house that had last received paint a couple of generations ago. The windows were all broken. The wooden porch had partially caved in. The tallest of the Half Moon Cliffs, called the Horn, rose in the background.
    She stared about. Nothing moved. To the right of the closed gate the fence had been torn open, and a small footpath ran up toward the house. The tracks of bicycle wheels were clearly visible in the dirt. Abby had been there since the last rain.
    Phoebe limped up the path, and stepped gingerly over the broken porch to the front door. The knob had long since disappeared. She knocked several times, and finally pushed the door. It swung open a couple of feet and stuck against the floor. Phoebe sniffed the air and peered into the darkness. The breath of old, moldy, deserted places blew in her face
    “Abby,” she called, as loud as she dared. She was afraid to yell. Who knew what one could awaken? “Abby, it’s me, Phoebe. Are you there? I want to talk to you.”
    There was no reply, except an angry squirrel scolding her from a second story window ledge.
    She walked back to look for the bicycle tire tracks in the mud. There they were, running through clumps of grass where the water drained off the rising ground. She followed the tread marks back up toward the house. Soon they veered off to the right, and traces of them were visible heading around the house to the back. She walked on, staring at the ground, losing the tracks amid the leaves and fallen branches, but picked them up again in the dirt.
    Suddenly, as if a presence appeared in her mind, she looked up, and there was Abby standing about thirty yards away down the slope toward the edge of the forest. Their eyes met.

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 9

 ABBY DISAPPEARS INTO THE FOREST

     During a silence in their conversation Glenda looked at her watch and said, “Oh! We’re due at Ellen’s house for Tiny’s play date with Kayla! But before we go I want to ask a favor. Could one of you go with me to Teacher’s College tomorrow? I want to enroll in some courses and can never get up the nerve to do it.”
     Phoebe was all too aware that she would have nothing to do tomorrow. The toy store was closed on Mondays. “I’ll go,” she replied.
     “I wish I could join you,” Abby said, “but I’m trying to see if my new idea works out.” Phoebe wanted to ask about Abby’s idea, but didn’t dare.
     “Okay, then it’s decided,” said Glenda with excitement. “Tomorrow morning first thing.”
     “I’ll be here,” returned Phoebe. “Oh – and one more thing. I’m hoping all of you can come to our party this Friday night in Penny’s backyard, with dinner for everyone.”
      "We’d love to,” said Glenda. She glanced nervously at Abby, and then gathered a few things for Tiny in a bag. Phoebe carried the tray of teacups and plates to the kitchen sink. A brief flash of sunlight shone brightly through one of the kitchen windows, and her glance was caught by the fascinating colors and shapes of a few giant tomatoes ripening on the windowsill. They look just like the ones on Penny’s porch, thought Phoebe.
      “I’ll come too,” said Abby, so quietly that Phoebe could barely hear her amid the noise of the group preparing to depart.
     Soon they were out the door. Abby was off on her bike. Glenda offered Phoebe a ride in her old blue pick-up, but Phoebe said she didn’t have far to go, and found herself walking alone down Oak Knoll Lane. A long shadow suddenly covered the land, as a dark cloud hid the sun.
     When Phoebe reached her house she sat on the front steps with her chin in her hands. Her mind whirled with questions, and she realized that she knew very little about Abby’s life. Phoebe’s thoughts drifted back to high school. Abby had been perhaps the least popular girl that Phoebe knew, a shy, sad, socially awkward girl with a chip on her shoulder, too afraid to try to be pretty. Phoebe guessed that Abby could be attractive. She had a nice, intelligent face with an indefinable glow about it, something spiritual and uncanny. Her figure was slim, and both feminine and boyish at the same time. But she lacked social confidence, and appeared to dislike many of the kids in their class.
     Phoebe recalled that in high school Abby seemed interested in things no one else understood or cared about. She achieved some public notoriety by creating a small heirloom apple orchard in the school courtyard for biology class their freshman year. By September of their senior year the results were quite startling. As students returned to school the trees were laden with ripening fruit.
     One day after lunch a group of students started a riot by picking the apples and throwing them at each other across the courtyard. The game spread like wildfire, making a colossal mess. Out of nowhere Abby appeared, screaming at a crowd of reckless boys. There were smashed apples everywhere.
     Phoebe remembered seeing Abby sobbing in a corner alone after some teachers put a stop to the incident. She had gone over to Abby and said, “The trees are still a good thing you did, even if those kids are such jerks.”
     Abby had looked up with her eyes full of pain and said, “I’m so tired of being angry. I’m so tired.” It seemed to Phoebe that this kind of thing often happened to Abby. She tried hard but something always spoiled it.
     Phoebe couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something special about Abby. Glenda and Tiny clearly thought so. Her mysterious qualities intrigued Phoebe, and she decided to find a way to become friends with her.
     As she sat there on the steps, looking aimlessly into the distance, she noticed the thin dark form of Abby coming back up Main Street, turning her bike left on Oak Knoll Lane, and continuing on up toward Glenda’s house. But near the end of the lane, Abby rode over the field toward the forest. She looked back toward Phoebe and waved, and then disappeared among the trees.
     Whoa… thought Phoebe. Where could she be going?

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Phoebe Comes Home - Episode 3

THE EVERYTHING DREAM

        Against the window she saw a hand – dark green with a silvery shimmer, like the scales of a fish. There were leaves on the body as if the creature had risen from the ground. The eyes met hers with a greenish glint.
         “This is for you! Your time is coming! You must remember what I say.”
          An enormous clap of thunder shook the window. The green being pushed against the glass. The piercing stare was unspeakably sad, yet fierce, and urgent, begging her to understand.
        Phoebe found that she could speak: “What? What is for me?”
        The voice was now hushed. “Everything is at stake. Everything.” She stood up and tried to run, but found herself blocked by thick pine trees in a dark forest. The rain streamed down her face. “Where am I?” she called out. A violent gust of wind bent the trees, and the branches moved like snakes in the air. She could barely see a tunnel through the forest, path of some kind, and struggled toward the opening. Soon she could make out a building she would know anywhere.
       The toy store! It’s still there! And the coffee shop!
        Her eyes filled with tears of relief. And from out of nowhere the eyes appeared again before her. The voice shook the earth: “Everything is at stake! Everything!
         Thunder cracked outside the window. Phoebe sat up with a start. Her feet were wet with the rain blowing through the screen. She sat blinking in the darkness, fingering the good luck charm on her necklace and breathing in gasps.
          My God, what could that be? she kept thinking. Thunder burst again, but far away. She felt the overwhelming power of her dream, as if someone had given her a direction, a vital mission, something only she could do.
          Then she fell into a deep sleep.