After the Fire by Becky Citra

vanished into the trees.
    Melissa stretched her legs in front of her as she paddled. She was starting to get a tan. She thought vaguely of checking at the store to see if they had any nail polish so she could paint her toenails. Alice’s toenails were painted black, but she could imagine what Sharlene would say if she painted hers black too. Purple, maybe. She could ask Alice what she thought.
    Melissa realized that she didn’t care anymore that Alice had lied about the tree house. It might even be partly true. She and Austin had probably fixed it up.
    Alice was the best friend that Melissa had ever had. She made all the kids at school seem boring. You never knew what she was going to say or do next. And she hadn’t mentioned the pact to jump off the cliff today. Maybe, just maybe, she had forgotten all about it.

Thirteen
    T he next day, Alice was waiting for Melissa on the flat rock. “We’re not going to make the arrows anymore,” she said as Melissa tied her canoe to the overhanging branch. “It was kind of dumb anyway. I’ve got something way better.” Her thin face was tight with excitement.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œIt’s a surprise. It’s at Dar Wynd.”
    Melissa followed Alice along the path through the trees. Her feet were bare today and the ground felt hot and parched. The leaves on the bushes had a gray dusty look. A patch of wild purple daisies at the edge of the clearing had withered in the heat.
    A long thin object wrapped in a white towel lay on the floor in the middle of the tree house. Melissa stared in amazement as Alice folded back the towel and uncovered a gleaming silver sword with a long narrow blade attached to an ornate handle.
    Melissa gasped. “Is it real?”
    â€œOf course it’s real.” For a second, Alice looked annoyed. “Austin gave it to me. Well, lent it really. But he said I can keep it all summer.”
    â€œWhere did he get it?” breathed Melissa.
    â€œHe has a whole collection of swords. He orders them off the Internet. This is his best one. He wanted me to take it.”
    â€œIt’s amazing,” said Melissa.
    â€œPick it up. Hold it,” said Alice.
    Melissa carefully picked up the sword. It was very heavy. The blade shimmered and was almost as long as her arm. The handle, fashioned from a darker metal, was a monster’s head with sharp curved horns and long claws that gripped the top of the blade.
    Melissa swung the sword back and forth gently. “What does he do with it?” she said.
    â€œNothing,” said Alice. She sounded impatient. “He has all his swords on his wall. He collects them. Elfrida’s going to have a sword just like this. Her brother Warwick gives it to her. She can use it to battle the fairies.”
    Melissa put the sword back on the floor. It made her feel a little sick.
    â€œI’m going to write about the sword now,” said Alice. “While I’m feeling inspired. You can read one of my books if you want.”
    Alice’s books with the monsters and weird fantasy creatures on the covers didn’t interest Melissa at all. “Do you have any blank paper here?” she asked.
    Alice opened her red binder and took out a sheet of paper. Melissa found a pencil on the shelf. She leaned her back against the wall and used the binder for a table. Alice sat cross-legged, flipping through a pile of papers covered with writing.
    Melissa slid into her drawing. She was hesitant at first and then drew quickly, shutting out everything else around her. She was startled when she heard Alice crumple up a piece of paper and say crossly, “I can’t do it today. I can’t write.”
    Alice stood up and peered over Melissa’s shoulder. Melissa resisted the urge to cover her drawing with her hand. Her back tensed.
    â€œHey, that’s good,” said Alice. She sounded shocked. “Really, really good. I didn’t know you could draw