Bumblestook: Book 1, The Accidental Wizard by Sheri McClure-Pitler Page A

rock beings via the Core. It then made a conscious effort to focus the energy in one small area on its surface, causing the particles therein to become malleable; allowing it to move them, one against the other, to produce sound. Having had eons of practice, it could speak quite distinctly in the language of Ancient Earth, as well as several Human languages, to those who knew how to listen.
    Farley, hearing the low, grinding noise produced by the rock as it warmed up to speak, waited with unusual patience for a seven year old Human.
    “
Confusion—cause
?” Big Grey spoke slowly, with a minimum of words as was its way.
    “It’s my mom,” Farley answered. He turned over to lay on his stomach, allowing the warmth of the rock to seep into his skin. “She’s really nice, so how come she never talks to you or the Garden Rocks or the Little Ones? How come she only talks to my people friends?”
    “
Mom—hear only—Humanspeak. Deaf—to Earthspeak
.”
    Farley gasped. “Seriously? What about Dad?”
    “
Same
.”
    “Oh.” Farley frowned and fell silent, thinking.
    He thought back on the many times he had talked to his mother about his rock friends; recalling her funny little smile and sad eyes. He remembered his father, chuckling and patting him on the head, with a wink and a nod and a glib “Whatever-ya-say, sport!”
    “Izzit cuz they’re grown-ups? Maybe just kids hear you.”
    “
Only Farley—hear—Earthspeak. Only Farley—know—Earthbound
.”
    “But Fiona talks to you all the time! You know Fiona!”
    Big Grey was silent for a moment, as it sorted through the data it had gathered on Human children. Finally, it came to a conclusion and spoke.
    “
Fiona—not hear—Earthspeak. Fiona—play.
”
    Farley sat up, stunned. An odd feeling washed over him, something he couldn’t put a name to. Tears sprang to his eyes and his lower lip trembled.
    “Why?” he whispered. “Why only me?”
    “
Some Humans—different. Hear Earthspeak—know Earthbound
,” Big Grey replied. “
Long
time—pass. No Human—hear Earthspeak. Farley come. Farley different. Farley—friend.
”
    The little boy sniffed and smiled through his tears. “I guess it’s not so bad,” he said, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “At least, I have a lotta friends! But, I think I shouldn’t talk to you anymore when Mom and Dad are around. I don’t wanna make them worry.”
    There was a prolonged silence and Farley could feel the surface beneath him grow increasingly warmer as the rock processed this information.
    “
Understood. Our—secret
.” Big Grey finally said.
    “Will you tell the guys?” Farley asked. Several minutes went by, during which the rock relayed the news, via well-established underground channels, to the other rocks in the Bumblestook’s yard.
    “
Done
.” Big Grey reported back.
    The news spread, from Farley’s yard to the boundaries of his world; up and down the block, to the school grounds and the neighborhood park. That day, all of the Earthbound inhabitants therein became members of an exclusive club, sworn to secrecy as the Earthbound Friends of Farley Bumblestook.
    ****************************
    The next day, Farley and Fiona sat in the sandbox at the neighborhood park, while their mothers sat nearby, on a park bench. Farley repeatedly scooped up handfuls of sand, solemnly observing the falling grains as they flowed through his fingers like water.
    Fiona eyed him curiously. Despite what her teacher thought, they couldn’t actually read each others’ minds, but they always knew how the other
felt
. Fiona knew that something was greatly troubling her (usually happy-go-lucky) friend. Her concern mounted, as she watched him stare entranced at the grains of sand as they were carried away by the wind.

    “Fiona, d’ya know what these little grains of sand think about our sandcastles?”
    “No-o-o. Do you?” Fiona asked, eying him curiously.
    “They like it when we play with ‘em and make ‘em into