Magic Broom
Hello.
My name is Kozmo.
I am a Siamese cat and your storyteller.
Luna awoke with the sensation having
of something very cold run down her back.
Crash, bang, thud.
"Ow!" (I really wish Luna had cleaned off her dresser.)
"Who's there?!" She yelped trying to sound threatening, although
the slight shake in her voice made her fear obvious.
"Sorry! Opening your window was not
easy." I said brushing myself off.
"Oh, just Kozzy." Luna mumbled sleepily.
"Luna, wake up!" I said biting her toe.
"Hey! Stupid quadruped, what’s wrong with you?" She said glaring at me and massaging her toe, as she sat up.
"My name is, Kozmo, not Kozzy." I reminded her.
"What are you doing here at four in the morning, and could you
lower the volume, please?!" She whispered for getting that no one
else could hear me. (I'm telepathic.)
"In one month the fourth guardian will be revealed." I said, in a
deep, whispery, slow, haughty, and unplaceably accented voice --
mocking TV psychic Madam Isadora.
"Not bad. Are you certain it will be Pluto?" She asked laughing.
"Yes, her powers are starting to show."
I said with too little hesitation.
"She doesn't believe in ‘magic’. She'll think this is some crazy-stupid joke! Then she'll get mad at me for planning it.
She declared firmly. Making air quotes as she said magic.
"Do you have another possibility?" I asked, rolling on my back.
“Chuck, Tammy, someone at school, you.” She said sounding miffed.
"It will be a girl and she will not know about the magic. I
already am a guardian, Tammy can’t be one, her brother wouldn't
understand, and, unfortunately, I have never been to your school."
I said in a slightly defeated tone.
“Why can’t she know -- fourth guardian, who’s the third – why no
boys?” She asked.
"Think Luna, think. If you tell Pluto now she will call you
‘crazy-stupid’, I explained before, the powers over spirit were
sealed to prevent their future use, zephyr, and I didn't say no
boys; but girls are more in tune with reality.” I answered
getting frustrated.
“I'll take you to school, it’s” She posed to check the clock,
“four thirty! I have to get moving!” She exclaimed scrambling
out of bed -- calling as she left the room, “We will discuss this
later.”
“Pluto! It's time to get up!” Pluto's mom, Marie shouted somewhat
angrily from the kitchen. She was still wearing curlers in her
hair, a cyan nightgown, and fury sparkly cyan bedroom slippers.
(Why are they called slippers, their purpose is to prevent you
from slipping?)
“I'm in the living room.” Pluto hollered as if anyone else could
hear the TV. (We have wireless headphones for it.)
“Oh! Sorry.” Marie said nearly dropping her coffee mug.
“What are you doing up at five in the morning mom?” Pluto asked.
“Your brother is in the play at school, remember?” Marie said.
“That’s today. Pluto choked yanking the headphones off.
“Yes.” Marie said raising an eyebrow.
“Oh my god I'm gonna be late! Again!” Pluto cried jumping off the
couch and turning off the TV and the headphones.
Chuck, Pluto’s dumb jock of an older brother, said sarcastically as
he came stumbling down the stairs, “Yo sis! Nice hair.” He was
wearing what he called a fishing hat over a long sunbleached blond
ponytail. A football jacket with the Viking's logo over a white
T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and muddy high tops two sizes too big.
“Be quiet. Listen ‘Romeo’, you can insult me when you quit failing
everything.” Pluto said.
“You said you’d teach me, remember?” Chuck asked.
“Yea, yea, I will. Don't worry.” Pluto said distractedly as she
dough through the closet for her coat. “Oooh. Stupid
good-for-nothing brother.” She growled, after not finding it,
yanking her skateboard out from under a pile of cluttersome junk,
most likely belonging to Chuck.
“Hey, you'd better get going or you'll miss your friend. Ya know,
you should really take the bus.” Chuck said as he spilled cereal
and milk onto himself, the counter, the floor, and into the sink.
“Whatever. Good luck, try not to fall off the balcony this time --
one more thing, if you get this wrong you will loose the
scholarship” Pluto said as she walked out the door, swinging her
book bag over her shoulder, and hopping on the skateboard. She was
wearing white high heel platform sandals, plaid shorts, a
puffly-sleeved floral printed peasant stile crop-top, and a big
old-fashioned khaki book bag.
“High heels on a skateboard. Only you would attempt something so
foolish.” Much like picking at an open wound Luna had to raise the
never-ending, morning ruining non-discussion, “Why do you refuse
to take the bus?” Luna’s attire consisted of a red backless
version of Pluto’s shirt with bubble gum pink sleeves, reverse cuff
denim shorts, high heel cork sole platform sandals, a giant leather
drawstring backpack, and a straw hat with an enormous brim over her
moon silver hair.
”Do you have to ask that every morning? Because, Loony, it's
noisy, stinky, cramped, doesn't have seat belts, and frequently
makes wrong turns. Anything would be quicker!” Pluto said .
“Don’t call me Loony -- why don't you have Marie drive you; why do
you insist on walking?” Luna asked.
“I don’t walk I board, mom doesn’t drive, and the car belongs to
Chuck.” Pluto said.
“Pluto, you live two-and-a-half miles from school.” Luna said in
a slightly irritated voice.
“That’s why I get up at five every morning – does a quarter mile
make that much difference?” Pluto demanded.
“5:03 babe; Start driving! Yes, it does.” Luna jokingly insisted.
"Would I have to pick you up?” Pluto asked frowning at Luna.
“Of course. Why should I have to walk?” Luna said as she placed
her hands on the back of her head.
“What happened to your hair? It looks like a big, blue porcupine!
Luna changed the subject with a laugh.
“I attempted to spike it.” Pluto informed her ruefully.
“Oh, do ya wanna borrow a hat?” Luna asked trying to sound funny.
“Yea! Then we might even look like twins.” Pluto said with false
enthusiasm.
“I thought you were going to stop that.” Luna said tartly.
“Sorry. Yes I would love to borrow one of your hats.” She
answered.
“Yea, right, here.” Luna said -- sounding annoyed again -- giving
Pluto a large, red, velvet hat.
“My sister is a cosmic pain in the butt!” Luna blurted out.
“Why, what’s wrong, what happened to your hair, did Tammy do
something, why are you talking like you've eaten something sour?
Pluto asked -- in a concerned tone -- noticing her best friend's
normally floor-sweeping hair several inches shorter than usual --
as she crammed the hat onto her stiff, sharp, and abundant
aqua-blue hair. (Luna never cuts her hair.)
“My oh-so-sweet older sis stuck a huge wad of gum in it; I had to
cut it out, and I am totally frustrated.” Luna answered.
“Whoa, what older sis?” Pluto said with a bit too much surprise.
"Oh come on! You know I have three sisters." Luna said sounding
annoyed and embarrassed.
"So what, more information please." Pluto said.
"OK, fine…"Whoa! Look at frizz head--Hi Lou, wuzzup?"
Luna froze, pluto spun around as if something hit her hard on
the back.
"What on-earth are you?" Pluto asked rhetorically.
"It's who. My name's Ariel, like the sprite. I'm Moon Girl's older
sister." She answered. She has a voice similar to shattering glass,
speaks at ninety miles per hour, and looks as much like this sprite
as possible, wearing a florescent green shoulder length wig, neon
violet contacts, a leather fringed, short sleeve electric rainbow
paisley T-shirt, low-rise tie-die bell bottoms, and firecracker-red
combat boots.
"Moon Girl's older sister huh? i've seen you before right? Your
hair's black?" Pluto asked almost as briskly as Ariel.
"Yes you've met. No, her hair is blonde. She's the one who put the
gum in my hair. I'll clarify later. Can we keep moving
please?" Luna answered, whispering the last sentence into
Pluto's ear.
"Are you going to introduce us or not?" Ariel asked.
"Pluto Ariel, Ariel Pluto. Are we finished?" Luna asked.
"Cool. Well, Lou, Toto, seee ya!" Ariel said.
"Toto? She's weird." Pluto said rolling her eyes and shaking her
head.
"You are preaching to the choir my friend." Luna said nearly
stumbling off the curb.
"Whoa, be careful." Pluto said as she grabbed Luna's shoulder.
"Do you think I can get Chuck to wear the costume?" Pluto asked,
stuffing the skateboard in her locker.
"Yes, the tights are the problem. You didn't know that. Wow, you
are oblivious." Luna said with amusement and surprise.
"No. I thought he decided he doesn't like green or some other
stupid thing." Pluto said scowling at Luna.
"He'll wear it as-is, but getting him to kiss what's her name will
be difficult." Luna said.
"He'll kiss her, he needs the credit." Pluto said as she opened the
door to the gym, "Besides, he likes her, he's just shy."
"Well, that's one thing in our favor." Luna said.
"What do you mean 'one thing'? Except for Aqua Girl being in charge
we have everything in our favor." Pluto said, looking for the
drama teacher. (Marina's called Aqua Girl because of how well she
swims.)
"Ms. Eden is a big nut!" Luna said spotting her.
"Yea. What makes you believe I was thinking about her?" Pluto
asked suspiciously.
"The question you just asked and the fact that I've been able to
read your mind since the beginning of time." Luna said with calm
defensiveness.
"Ms. Eden, where are we supposed to go?" Pluto asked.
"To the teachers lounge. Where do you think you're supposed
to go?" She snapped sarcastically.
"Yes ma'am." Pluto said as she and Luna hurried to the back of the
gym.
"What's her problem?" Luna asked.
"Love is against her religion." Came a high-pitched voice from
the right.
"Hey Jess the mess." Pluto asked imitating some rap moron.
"Why are you so funny?" Jessica asked.
"Hey! We'd better set up." Bellowed Jessica's best friend Raven.
"Yo Rai, How's it hangin'?" Jesse asked.
"How is what hanging?" Raven asked.
"OK, calm down. Actors back stage, prop people centerstage right,
visual effects people upstage left, certain people downstage right
and downstage left, music people come with me, and Foley people
centercenter please. Everybody else, go to class. Now!" The head
drama student said half-jokingly.
"Ave, ave, ave MariIina! Who put you in charge?" Raven asked the
order-giving Barbie look-alike with braces.
"Just pass out the costumes and get lost little freak." Marina
barked as she led a large group of people carrying microphones,
instruments, music sheets, and stools behind the stage.
(I am beginning understand why she is persona non grata.)
"Calm down. It's my job to give you a heat attack. Wow. That
girl is going to bark herself into an early grave." Raven shook
her head in concerned frustration.
"I'm so glad we're doing costumes. It would be pure
agony if we were stuck with one of Barbie-Girl's friends."
Jessica said disdainfully as she dug the nurse's costume out of a
large two-by-four and chipboard crate.
"Hmmm. She's head of the Chess and Latin clubs, junior lifeguard
at the community center, anti cheerleader, anti jock, and the
reason you get to do any thing other than bible stuff. She
must be evil." Grendel, Raven's equally obnoxious, not-quite
identical, always-sarcastic, almost-always-scowling, bickergirl-to-be
twin sister, proclaimed.
"How did you into drama?" Raven asked as if this was difficult.
"Big sis." Grendel said, not paying attention.
"Whoa. Pluto, what happened to your hair? I didn't know you guys
were that close." Jesse asked showing as much innocent surprise
as ever.
"Long story." Pluto said fallowing Grendel's gaze.
Maxine, the school cynic, was dressed as Romeo. "Why are you
wearing that?" Pluto asked.
"What's his name couldn't make it so I decided to fill in." Max
said, grouchy as ever.
"You had better not let Marina catch you in that." Jesse said.
"Speaking of which, here comes the witch." Luna said as she set
her backpack on the floor to let me out. Marina was back on the
stage and barking orders,
"OK costume people, the following alterations have been requested;
to the costume of Juliet, raise the hem and lower the neck, to the
costume of Romeo - Max! Take that off, now!"
"What's your problem? You think I can't cut it 'cause I'm a girl?
Or do you think people will have a problem with it?" Max asked.
"No. I think you'd be better than Chuck but everyone must be
selected a minimum of two months in advance. I also think Ms. Eden
would try to have you expelled, so take it off. Ohy! Back to the
alterations, Romeo omit the tights, to the costume of the nurse
take in the waist, to the costume of the priest let out the side
seems…
Sensing a lull in the conversation, I decided to begin my
search for a possible forth and, since I was there, fifth guardian.
My plan was to stay out of site.
So what did you find?" Luna asked me five hours later, as I dragged
myself back to the gym.
"Not much. There aren't any other people that could be the forth
guardian, I couldn't find a fifth ether." I replied wearily.
"How do you tell if someone has powers?" She asked me.
"Unfortunately it's very difficult. The powers are nearly
undetectable unless active." I informed her.
"Is there any way I can help?" Luna asked.
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