would.”
I’m thrilled. Agatha, I notice with irritation, is frowning.
“What?”
“You are getting the hang of this a bit quick, don’t you think?”
Here we go.
“I know this may seem strange,” I say, not expecting Agatha to understand, “but it feels right. It’s like second nature and the more I explore these different skills, the easier they become.” I lift my shoulders. “I just know what to do. It’s like those people who have never played piano or guitar before and they can just play, straightaway, without any lessons or anything, you know?”
“Ooh, I’ve got a cousin like that,” Rhiannon gushes. “When he was six, he got a toy drum set and he could just play it, right from the start. His parents were amazed. They…”
She stops, embarrassed.
Amused, I nod.
“That’s the sort of thing I’m talking about. I can’t really explain it; I just know in my heart that this is the way it’s meant to be. Anyhow, you should be pleased that I’m such a fast learner. We don’t have that much time, remember.”
“ Woah up there. What’s all this ‘we’ business?” Rhiannon splutters. “I’m not a part of your freaky little gang. I’m here against my will.”
She can’t get the words out quick enough, can she? Witch.
Oh well, she does have a point I suppose.
Agatha ignores her, so I follow her lead and do the same. “You’re right, I guess,” she says.
“Good ,” I check my watch. “Time’s ticking on and we don’t want to get stuck here. I’m going to skip the other stuff and move on to you, Ag, if you don’t mind.”
Agatha pales . Her eyes flit to the can. I chuckle.
“Calm down, it won’t be anything like that, I promise.”
“OK,” she nods, nervous. “Shall I sit, or stand?”
“Stand. Rhiannon, you stand by her side, just in case.”
“Just in case?” Agatha yelps. “What do you mean, just in case?”
I smile wickedly. “Kidding! This’ll be a piece of cake, you’ll see. Relax. Now, be still.”
I stare into Agatha’s eyes and conjure the deep pounding rhythm of my heartbeat. I focus and block out everything except the pair of scared violet eyes staring back at me. I focus, I breathe, I reach.
S ilver arms shoot from my chest. They fly through the air towards Agatha. She giggles as the invisible bands wrap themselves around her arms and legs. The moment I’m sure that Agatha is secure, I raise my eyes.
Nothing happens.
I feel a flutter of unease in my stomach and I flip it aside. I can do this. Piece of cake. I push harder.
The air surrounding Agatha starts to tremble and vibrate and glow .
“Jelly?”
“Stay calm, Agatha. Everything’s OK – OK?”
“I’m getting warm!”
“It’s OK, Ag. Just give me one more minute.”
Blowing out my cheeks, I lift my head. My eyes drill into Agatha’s. She starts to rise, but makes slow and shaky progress.
Come on…come on .
Agatha floats slowly back to earth. NO – I can do this. I CAN!
I concentrate harder, my whole body shaking with effort and frustration. Agatha inches higher into the air. Sweat breaks out on my forehead. This isn’t going to beat me. No way. I can do this. I can… click .
And suddenly, I get it.
My muscles relax and I close my eyes. In my mind, I see Agatha, floating a couple of inches above the ground. I picture her floating higher.
“Jelly, open your eyes ,” Agatha squeals. “What are you doing? Open your eyes.”
“ Shhh. It’s fine, I promise. Trust me.”
In my mind’s eye I see Rhiannon, staring, mouth open. I imagine her next to Agatha and up she goes. I smile at her yelled protest. I picture them bobbing up and down, one after the other.
Rhiannon yelps and I snigger.
Oh, come on! Of course I’m going to have fun with this. Never look a gift horse in the mouth is what my mother would say.
“Hey, cut it out,” Agatha calls, her
I’m thrilled. Agatha, I notice with irritation, is frowning.
“What?”
“You are getting the hang of this a bit quick, don’t you think?”
Here we go.
“I know this may seem strange,” I say, not expecting Agatha to understand, “but it feels right. It’s like second nature and the more I explore these different skills, the easier they become.” I lift my shoulders. “I just know what to do. It’s like those people who have never played piano or guitar before and they can just play, straightaway, without any lessons or anything, you know?”
“Ooh, I’ve got a cousin like that,” Rhiannon gushes. “When he was six, he got a toy drum set and he could just play it, right from the start. His parents were amazed. They…”
She stops, embarrassed.
Amused, I nod.
“That’s the sort of thing I’m talking about. I can’t really explain it; I just know in my heart that this is the way it’s meant to be. Anyhow, you should be pleased that I’m such a fast learner. We don’t have that much time, remember.”
“ Woah up there. What’s all this ‘we’ business?” Rhiannon splutters. “I’m not a part of your freaky little gang. I’m here against my will.”
She can’t get the words out quick enough, can she? Witch.
Oh well, she does have a point I suppose.
Agatha ignores her, so I follow her lead and do the same. “You’re right, I guess,” she says.
“Good ,” I check my watch. “Time’s ticking on and we don’t want to get stuck here. I’m going to skip the other stuff and move on to you, Ag, if you don’t mind.”
Agatha pales . Her eyes flit to the can. I chuckle.
“Calm down, it won’t be anything like that, I promise.”
“OK,” she nods, nervous. “Shall I sit, or stand?”
“Stand. Rhiannon, you stand by her side, just in case.”
“Just in case?” Agatha yelps. “What do you mean, just in case?”
I smile wickedly. “Kidding! This’ll be a piece of cake, you’ll see. Relax. Now, be still.”
I stare into Agatha’s eyes and conjure the deep pounding rhythm of my heartbeat. I focus and block out everything except the pair of scared violet eyes staring back at me. I focus, I breathe, I reach.
S ilver arms shoot from my chest. They fly through the air towards Agatha. She giggles as the invisible bands wrap themselves around her arms and legs. The moment I’m sure that Agatha is secure, I raise my eyes.
Nothing happens.
I feel a flutter of unease in my stomach and I flip it aside. I can do this. Piece of cake. I push harder.
The air surrounding Agatha starts to tremble and vibrate and glow .
“Jelly?”
“Stay calm, Agatha. Everything’s OK – OK?”
“I’m getting warm!”
“It’s OK, Ag. Just give me one more minute.”
Blowing out my cheeks, I lift my head. My eyes drill into Agatha’s. She starts to rise, but makes slow and shaky progress.
Come on…come on .
Agatha floats slowly back to earth. NO – I can do this. I CAN!
I concentrate harder, my whole body shaking with effort and frustration. Agatha inches higher into the air. Sweat breaks out on my forehead. This isn’t going to beat me. No way. I can do this. I can… click .
And suddenly, I get it.
My muscles relax and I close my eyes. In my mind, I see Agatha, floating a couple of inches above the ground. I picture her floating higher.
“Jelly, open your eyes ,” Agatha squeals. “What are you doing? Open your eyes.”
“ Shhh. It’s fine, I promise. Trust me.”
In my mind’s eye I see Rhiannon, staring, mouth open. I imagine her next to Agatha and up she goes. I smile at her yelled protest. I picture them bobbing up and down, one after the other.
Rhiannon yelps and I snigger.
Oh, come on! Of course I’m going to have fun with this. Never look a gift horse in the mouth is what my mother would say.
“Hey, cut it out,” Agatha calls, her
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