A disclaimer about
this story:
I finally completed this story after starting it back in 1997! I'm so happy to have completed this. Instead of giving it all in one shot, I have given this
story the way I've done my Magician fanfics, in parts. This is a completely original story, so
ask me first about use of any of the characters in this story, as they
are all original. I hope you enjoy this tale of friendship, discovery,
and hope.
Part 1
On a comfortable night in
early fall, a young woman seemed to be sound asleep in her room. However,
the teenaged brunette was struggling to sleep as her mind was focused on
a strange dream.
While she tossed and turned
in bed, her dream placed her in a thick forest.
Surrounded by many lush
trees, she started walking around the area with curiosity. Upon coming
to a clearing, she noticed a beautiful castle in the horizon, so she decided
to run to the structure at the top of the distant valley.
Coming to a bridge over
a clear moat of water, she slowed her running to a natural walk. She then
stopped at the middle of the bridge to see her own reflection. She looked
at herself for what she was: her teenage facial features, her sky-blue
eyes, and her flowing brown hair. She also saw her green shirt, which she
wore with light-brown khaki pants and white sneakers.
Turning her head to face
the castle, she focused on what she wanted to do. "I hope I can find
some answers here," she thought.
She walked up to the
large castle doors. "I've been here before. So far, I haven't seen
anybody to ask for help. Maybe if I knock." She knocked on the door
as loud as possible, but the reverberations of the knock made her assume
that no one was inside.
As she began to walk
away from the castle, she heard someone mumbling. She looked up at the
balcony and actually noticed two people speaking to each other.
Able to see the pair
in every way except for their faces, she saw one wearing a blue outfit
and the other dressed in a pretty green and white dress. "Now this is new,"
the brunette thought. "Judging by how they look, they must be a king and
queen."
The pair began to speak
to each other once more. Strangely, though, the young woman on the outside
could not understand their conversation. To her ears, the mysterious king
and queen mumbled their words.
"Who are you?" the
girl asked in her sleep. "What are you saying? Why am I here? Please help
me; I don't understand!"
When it became too much
for her to handle, she suddenly woke up with sweat on her face and an uneasy
feeling. After a chance to catch her breath, she stepped out of bed and
went to the window.
Opening the window, she
looked out into the starry night with her blue eyes. "I have had that same
dream every night for the past two months," she said to herself, "but this
is the first time I've seen a king and queen in that castle. What could
this dream possibly mean to me?"
Spending another ten minutes
gazing at the stars, she began to wonder the meaning of her recurring dream.
Within the hundreds of possible explanations running through her mind,
she considered that maybe she herself was more unusual than she imagined
. . .
As the sun came up to start
a new day, an elderly gentleman walked into the airl's room and turned
off the clock-radio alarm. Then, he approached her bed and said,
"Wake up, Ellie. It's time for breakfast."
Slowly coming out of sleep,
she noticed the man. "Oh, good morning, Dad." Taking a stretch, she said,
"I had that odd dream again last night."
"Let me guess; you saw the
castle again, right?"
"Yes, but I also saw a king
and queen in the castle. I had no idea what they said, and I couldn't see
their faces." Ellie shook her head and spoke, "If I only knew the dream's
meaning, I could stop this crazy cycle."
"Don't worry, sweetie. The
memories of your childhood will come to you when you least expect it. I
know how hard it must be, not knowing who you really are."
"Yeah, well, if my memories
do come back, I hope it happens in the right place at the right time."
"Meanwhile, why don't you
come on down for breakfast? I've got eggs and toast ready in the kitchen."
"Be there in a few minutes."
As she started to choose
her clothing for the day, she could not help thinking about how to repay
the gentleman who gave her a chance to start life anew.
Harold Peterson was a well-known
gentleman, 71 years of age. For more than 100 years, the Peterson family's
farm was the source of fresh fruits and vegetables not only for his hometown
of Gurney, but also for the entire state of North Carolina.
He and his wife Eleanor
ran the farm for many years with joy and happiness. Sadly, Eleanor had
passed away one year earlier, losing a courageous battle with cancer. For
the first time in 47 years, the length of the couple's marriage, Mr. Peterson
felt very lonely.
To make matters worse, they
had no children to pass down the farm.
At this hard time in his
life, though, he felt life no longer had meaning without his beloved wife.
Then, during a hot summer day, he was working a typical day on his farm
until he took eyes to a pretty young woman drifting along the road, the
girl as lost as she could be. He offered her a glass of water, and she
gladly accepted.
Talking to the blue-eyed
brunette, Mr. Peterson learned she had wandered for over a month, trying
to find herself. She told him she had no memories of her past and did not
know anything in terms of who she really was.
Upon learning she had no
place to stay, Mr. Peterson, being the friendly person he was, decided
to take her in and adopt her legally. Passing all quality tests, he became
her legal guardian within one month. In honor of his close wife, he named
the girl Ellie, and she became Ellie Peterson.
Ellie knew very little about
math, history, or grammar, but her adoptive father helped her master the
school subjects quickly, She was actually able to remember a high level
of math and grammar from her past, but nothing more. In the process of
reading about history, she developed slight vision problems. As a result,
she was prescribed glasses to see clearly. One week later, Ellie saw the
pair of glasses she really wanted: purple frames with a 1950s look. Her
father bought those glasses for her, and she wore them everywhere, except
in her dreams.
Ellie was all dressed in
a short-sleeved beige shirt, denim blue jeans, and white sneakers. She
then put on her glasses and came downstairs to the kitchen for her morning
meal. Giving the food a good sniff, she said, "Mmm, it sure smells good."
"I hope you enjoy eating
it as well as smelling it," said her adoptive father. "Getting food around
here is very easy, right?"
"You bet." As she started
eating her breakfast, she wanted to ask the question. "Dad, is there something
I can do for you?"
"What do you mean, Ellie?"
"You've already done so
much for me, helping me get educated, allowing me to see better, living
here as your daughter. I want to do something special for you to show my
appreciation."
"Ellie, just having you
for a daughter here is much more than enough for me. When Eleanor died,
I lost the joy and happiness. Thanks to you, though, some of that joy is
back in my life. I'm not trying to say you could ever replace my wife,
but--"
"I know, Dad. No one can
ever take the place of the person you cared about most. But, are you sure
that me being here is all you need to be happy?"
"Of course, pumpkin."
Then, Ellie had a troubling
thought. "Dad, what if I get my memory back and discover I was a bad person?"
Mr. Peterson turned in surprise
to face her. "Ellie, you're only 15 years old. There is no way you could
have done anything wrong in your past."
"What if it's true, though?"
"If that's the case, I'll
still love you because of who you are now, a sweet, caring young lady."
Ellie felt very comforted
by her foster father's words. "It really means a lot to me, Dad, you caring
about me and for me."
"That's a parent's job,
Ellie, taking care of the children. Now, why don't you finish breakfast
and freshen up. Isn't there an algebra test today?"
"Oh, yeah, there sure is.
Give me about 20 minutes, and I'll meet you at the truck."
"I'm holding you to it,
pumpkin."
In that amount of time she
was ready to go and was on her way in her father's old truck, bound for
Gurney High School.
Ellie was a sophomore at Gurney High, and she proved herself to be
much smarter than average. She passed the difficult state exam on her first
try as many others failed. Despite being unable to remember her past, she
excelled as a student on every subject. Surprising all her teachers, she
had made A's on every test and quiz in the young school year.
When she arrived at school,
Mr. Peterson gave her a word of advice before she left the truck. "Just
keep giving it your best effort, like you've always done."
"I will, Dad. See you this
afternoon." As her father left, and she walked into the school, she immediately
bumped into someone. "Whoops, sorry, Rob."
"Forget it, Ellie," said
the young man. "I'm in such a rush I didn't bother to look where I was
going."
"Don't worry about it. Well,
I've got that algebra test in first period, so I'd better get moving."
The pair parted ways to
get to their classes, although they were more than iust school mates.
Robert Walker was also a
sophomore at Gurney High. His life completely changed after being a schoolyard
bully for over seven years. with hazel eyes and light brown hair, he had
a hard time talking to others because of family-related problems. He believed
the only way to get attention was by beating on other people. He constantly
got into trouble, until, during his freshman year, the principal gave him
a chance to redeem himself.
He was given an opportunity
to become a part of the community forestry program, a group effort to keep
the nearby forest clean and beautiful. In the course of a year, he turned
his life around and opened his heart. He confessed that his anger at others
came from the death of his father during the Persian Gulf War. From that
point on, he felt good talking about his problems to friends instead of
beating on people for attention.
His change was well-proven
when Ellie entered Gurney High for the first time. She was lost in trying
to get to her first class, going to the wrong room. The teacher in that
classroom asked for someone to take her to the correct room. Rob volunteered
for the job and escorted Ellie to the right room. On the way back to his
room, he could not help thinking how pretty she was. As most students teased
her because of her purple glasses, Rob actually liked the glasses and hoped
to see her again.
He did get that chance during
study hall in third period. He saw Ellie sitting all alone in the corner
of the classroom.
Ellie was shy and very quiet
during that time, unable to talk to others and make friends.
Rob decided to sit next
to her and talk to her so she could open her feelings.
Ellie immediately recognized
Rob, and she communicated with him about being her escort. On the other
hand, Rob knew who she was, by the fact her adoption by Mr. Peterson was
front-page news in the local newspaper.
The two started talking
to each other, and they were on their way to becoming good friends.
Rob saw Ellie's inner beauty
and warmth. He understood the true meaning of friendship, never judging
one on looks alone.
Ellie was able to see Rob's
good heart, especially after admitting her loss of memory to him.
After Rob told of his past,
Ellie knew he was a changed man, and she agreed to let him help her find
out who she was.
The two trusted each other
and decided to share study habits to keep their grades high. Rob confessed
he needed extra help, as he was just beginning to realize his potential.
Ellie said she would be more than happy to help him improve his grades
by showing him how to study properly. In return, Rob would show Ellie around
the city of Gurney. They were best friends ever since that day.
On this day, Rob could not
wait to see his friend in study hall, for he had been absent the day before
and needed the notes from their fourth period biology class. The classmates
had a big test to come later in the week.
As for Ellie, she went to
her first period algebra class on time and went to her seat. She felt calm
and relaxed as others in the room scurried to remember their notes. Then,
the teacher came through the door.
"All right," said algebra
teacher Mrs. Murphy, "it's time for the test."
Everyone in the room moaned
and groaned, all except Ellie, who knew she had studied hard over the course
of the lessons and was eager to take the test.
A couple of hours later,
Rob and Ellie sat together in the study hall classroom. They compared and
copied key notes for that crucial biology test at the end of the week.
"So," Rob started, "how
was the algebra test?"
"It was easy, really," Ellie
replied. "I know I did well on that test. Now, I think you still need those
notes from yesterday's biology class, right?"
"Yeah, having the stomach
flu yesterday really hurt my chances of getting a good grade on the test
Friday."
"Fear not, my friend. I've
got the notes you need."
Just as he was copying,
another young woman came behind Rob and asked to sit next to him on his
right side. It was Student Council sophomore representative Carrie Mitchell.
Elected late last year to that position, she was placed in charge of a
special event coming up on Saturday. "Rob, you know about our forest festival,
right?"
"You bet," he answered quickly.
"Students from Gurney, Vagley, and Radler High Schools are pitching in
to raise money for the new wing at Duke Children's Hospital."
Ellie had heard about the
event. "Sounds like fun."
"Yeah," Carrie said, sounding
less ecstatic, "but there's a big problem now. Kara Williams, who's supposed
to be in charge of the money, can't make it."
"How come?" Ellie asked.
"She suffered a severe allergic
reaction to a bee sting last night."
In concern Rob asked, "Is
she going to be all right?"
"Yes, she'll be okay. Her
parents got her to the hospital in time. Now, here's the situation: How
do I find someone trustworthy to take Kara's place on Saturday? I mean,
I can't ask just anyone to do it."
Ellie gave the problem a
thought and asked, "Would you mind if I took her place?"
Carrie said, "I don't know.
Have you handled money before?"
Ellie shook her head and
said, "No, I haven't."
Rob quickly jumped in. "Wait
a minute, Carrie. Why not give her a chance? After all, she doesn't have
a record, and I would trust her with my life."
Carrie knew how devoted
Rob was to his friend. "Yeah, why not? It'll give her a shot at getting
to know others better."
"Thanks. Carrie." Ellie
said excitedly. "Just let me clear it with Dad first."
"Sure thing. Let me give
you my telephone number so you can tell me if itfs a go." Carrie then took
out a piece of paper and wrote down her number with a pen. She gave it
to Ellie and said, "Okay, let me know as soon as possible if you can do
it."
"You got it," said an enthusiatic
Ellie. "If I can, is there anything I need to do?"
"I'll let you know over
the phone."
Ellie nodded in agreement.
Carrie then got up and left
while Rob and Ellie went back to studying their notes.
When they got to fourth
period, they both had some trouble with another girl. "Oooooh," she said,
"the loser actually has a bodyguard."
"Look, Misty," Rob said
sternly. "Ellie is in need of a few good friends, but you'll never be one
of them, so just make like a bee and buzz off, all right?"
"Ha, in your dreams, pal.
Anyone who associates with a loser is also a loser."
Ellie whispered, "Never
mind Misty. She's just a troublemaker."
"Troublemaker" was an understatement
for Misty Ziegler, one true-to-form bully at Gurney High. From the first
day, Misty gave Ellie nothing but trouble. A fellow classmate in biology,
she had teased and picked on Ellie, particularly for her purple glasses
and intelligence. With brown eyes and bleached blonde hair, she made her
day by trying to make Ellie's life miserable. One thing Misty was unable
to do was stay out of trouble. She would make teachers give her detentions
and trips into the alternative classroom every once in a while. Unfortunately,
Misty would never learn her lesson, going right back to causing problems
for Ellie and other students.
"Does the loser have a boyfriend
possibly?" Misty asked in sarcasm.
Ellie just ignored her and
started looking at her notes. "I don't have anything to prove to her,"
she thought. "I've already beaten her in terms of brains."
Misty walked up to her desk
and said, "Hey, loser! I'm talking to you!"
Fortunately, Miss Blake,
the biology teacher, came in. "All right, Misty," she said, "sit down and
be quiet, or would you like another detention?"
Before Misty went back to
her seat, she said to Ellie, "You can't avoid me forever, loser."
After that, though, the
rest of the day went as normal, with Ellie working hard in both English
and Computer Basics.
Mr. Peterson came to pick
her up from school. "So, how was your day?"
"Pretty good, Dad. That
algebra test was no problem, but I had trouble with Misty, as usual."
"Oh, don't worry about her,
honey. She's just looking for a reason to get attention, that's all."
"Yeah, you're right. Say,
Dad, when we get home, I need to ask you a really big favor."
Over a good home-cooked
dinner, Ellie asked her father about whether she could work at the forest
festival. "They need me to handle the money, but I've never done this before."
"Well, do you know if you'll
have help there?"
"I remember Rob mentioned
Sheriff Sanderson would be there to keep an eye on Kara, or as of Saturday,
me."
"Let me ask you this question,
then. Would you be tempted in any way to steal the money for yourself?"
Ellie quickly responded,
"No, never! I would never steal the money for myself. I know in my heart
it's wrong. Also, the money is for an important cause!"
Suddenly, out of the blue,
she started having a strange flash in her mind. Although it lasted but
a few seconds, she managed to see the back of someone's head, a head of
purple hair. She could also see a green-gloved hand stick out as if the
person wanted to help someone. Ellie then shook her head, and the image
vanished.
Mr. Peterson grew very concerned
when he saw her acting very strangely. "Ellie, are you all right?" he asked
as he placed his hands on her shoulders.
She gathered her thoughts
and replied, "Uh, yeah, I'm fine, Dad. I thought I saw something." She
then explained the details of the image in her mind.
Her adoptive father said,
"Maybe that flash is a key to your lost past."
"How can you tell?"
"I can't, but there's a
way for you to figure it out. Write down everything you see in your dreams
and flashes. It's possible that everything could add together to unlock
your memories."
"That's not a bad idea."
Ellie then changed the subject at hand. "Now, what about the festival?"
"I don't see why you can't
do that. It'll not only test your honesty and integrity, but you'll get
a chance to meet other people."
"The latter part is what
Carrie said, but thanks, Dad."
Ellie then took out the
piece of paper with Carrie's number and called her immediately.
In the quick conversation,
Ellie learned that she had to attend a mandatory nomination meeting on
Thursday afternoon right after school at 3:00. She understood and told
Carrie she would be there on time that day.
After she hung up the telephone,
she went to her adoptive father to hug him. "Thanks for this chance, Dad."
"I'm proud of you, Ellie.
You're really taking off in your life, even though you still don't know
who you really are yet."
"Even if I never remember
my identity, I'm happy to be here with someone very special, as if fate
wanted us to be together."
"Could be. Now, I assume
you have some homework."
"Yeah, I'd better get it
done."
As Eilie walked up to her
room, Mr. Peterson said, "Remember what to do about your flashes and dreams."
"After the homework, Dad.
After the homework."
He saw her go up to her
room, but he thought so much of his wife. "I wonder how Eleanor would feel
about me now, with a newly adopted dauahter. She probably wouldn't mind,
since she wanted me to be happy. Those words were Eleanor's last before
she died. I know she would be happy to see me feel good now."
Ellie had finished her homework
in a couple of hours, and she was working on her dreams and flashes. In
a special notebook, she wrote down everything she had seen so far: the
castle, the king and queen, and the head of purple hair with a green-gloved
hand.
"It's not much to go on,"
she said to herself, "but at least it's a pretty good starting point."
Little did she know that
during the night, she would add more to that notebook, as the dream began
once again.
She was going to the
castle as usual in her dream and wanted to knock on the doors. This time,
however, the doors opened by themselves!
Ellie grew very excited.
She thought to herself, "At last, I have a chance to know more about my
past and maybe even my real identity!"
She quickly entered the
castle and noticed the spectacular architecture. "How beautiful this
palace is," she thought.
She then entered an art
gallery and saw many portraits. Consequently, like the mumbling king and
queen, the faces were not visible to her.
While going about the
gallery, she started to hear a faint female voice. "Help me," it said softly.
As it kept repeating
the same two words, Ellie wanted to know who was speaking. "Who are you?"
she asked. "Where are you, for that matter?"
The repeating words reverberated
around her, which failed to help her get anywhere. "How can I help you
if you don't tell me where you are!?"
After a sudden awakening,
Ellie breathed very heavily and had a more uneasy feeling than ever before.
"What a twist," she said to herself. "I got into the castle this time,
but it didn't get me any closer to remembering anything about my childhood."
When she went back to sleep,
she thought, "One day, I will discover my true identity."
The next day at study hall,
Rob noticed his best friend acting oddly quiet. "Ellie, is something wrong?"
"I don't know, Rob. My dreams
keep getting stranger all the time, and last night, when I talked to Dad
about the festival, I had a strange flash." She took out the notebook and
showed him the details.
Rob looked at the first
page of her notebook and noticed the short list. "Hmm, it looks like pieces
of your past may be coming back. Do you remember anything by these details?"
"Not yet, no. It seems that
every night, something gets me a little closer, but it's a very slow pace.
It'll probably take a long time before I ever know the truth."
"Try not to worry about
that right now. Let's concentrate on our biology notes to see what may
end up on that test Friday."
"Sounds like a plan," she
said. "This test is not going to be as easy as some classmates think."
While they were looking
over their notes, Rob thought about what Ellie was dealing with. "In
a way, what she's going through, not knowing her own identity, is similar
to what I went through as a bully, not sure of knowing what to do.
I hope she remembers her past some day."
During biology class, Miss
Blake made sure Misty stayed quiet and out of trouble by placing her by
the window and Rob and Ellie close to the front. Throughout the period,
the teacher said the upcoming test on Friday would not be simple, so she
asked her students to study hard, for there would be an all-period review
for the test Thursday.
She also complimented both
Rob and Ellie. "I just want to say that these two have really put some
time into this test, and I hope they do very well, which won't surprise
me one bit."
Ellie then interjected,
"The rest of the class, too, right?"
Miss Blake and the other
classmates laughed. "Of course," the teacher said happily. "It's a really
important test, so I do hope you all do well."
Everyone in the class smiled
because they knew Ellie had a heart like a champion but wanted to spread
it to everyone around her.
Of course, Misty started
to grow jealous of Ellie because of her glowing personality and growing
popularity. Misty became so bitter she crushed her pencil. "I'll stop
her winning ways!" she angrily thought to herself.
During the night, Ellie started
to have the dream again, and, like the previous night, another piece was
added into the mystery.
In the castle, she heard
the voice say, "Help me," as usual. This time, though, she went through
the gallery and saw one complete portrait. "I don't believe it!" she exclaimed.
"It's the same person I saw in my flash the night before, when I talked
with Dad about the festival." Sure enough, it was the back of the head
of the person with purple hair and the green-gloved hand sticking out.
"Maybe I did have purple hair and wore green gloves."
She was able to go further
into the castle, out of the gallery and into a hall of doors. Strangely,
the voice saying "Help me" was actually getting louder. "Am I getting closer
to discovering my past?" She kept that thought in mind as the voice kept
becoming louder all the time.
Ellie passed by one door
and noticed the sound of "help me" getting a little further. She backed
up to the last door and figured out where the voice was coming from. "It's
got to be behind this door. The secret of my past may be revealed right
here! I just hope I can get this door open."
Trying with all her might
to open the door, she did everything she could to get into the locked room
and help the voice. "Can you let me in? I can help you if you give me a
chance." She struggled desperately to get in that room, and she started
crying. "Please, what can I do?" she sobbed in anguish.
The voice behind the
door answered her. "You must find the key."
"Key?" Ellie asked, still
filled with tears. "What key?"
The voice kept repeating
that sentence: "You must find the key. You must find the key."
"I don't understand.
What key? Where is this key!?"
Ellie woke up frightened
in the middle of the night, feeling more uneasy again.
Mr. Peterson rushed into
her room. "Pumpkin," he said, worried, "are you all right?"
After she started breathing
regularly, Ellie replied, "I'm all right, Dad. The dream again, and another
twist."
"Oh, what happened this
time?"
"That voice I was trying
to help last night. Tonight, she told me to look for a key. I found the
room where she is, but I don't know what kind of key I'm trying to find."
"Interesting. Anything else?"
"Yeah, I saw the complete
portrait of the purple-haired girl with the green glove. Maybe I'm the
person in the portrait, but I don't see how. Perhaps my parents took me
to a punk rock concert or something of that sort."
Mr. Peterson laughed at
the idea and then added, "Or you may be from another planet."
"No way, Dad," Ellie said
in laughter. "There is absolutely no way I could be from another planet.
I know I don't remember my past, but I couldn't have come from an alien
world." She then started feeling tired again. "I think I can go back to
sleep now, Dad."
"All right, pumpkin. You
sure you'll be okay?"
"Mm-hmm. I'll be all right
now." She went back to sleep, not having the dream for the remainder of
the night.
The next morning, Ellie was
eating breakfast, still feeling uncomfortable about the continually twisting
dreams. "What else could happen to me?" she asked nervously.
"Sweetie, you shouldn't
worry about it."
"Dad, do you think I should
seek professional help?"
"Of course not. I'd rather
have you find out your past on your own at your own pace. Some professionals
can sometimes get you to say something that isn't true."
"You're right, Dad. I need
to know by myself." Already set for school, she then said, "I'll be getting
out late today, since I've got to be at the forest festival meeting."
"Right, I'll be there about
15 minutes after normal."
During the day, Ellie ran
into trouble just before she got to study hall. "Hey, loser!" someone yelled.
"I got somethin' to say to you!"
"What do you want, Misty?"
Ellie asked.
"Your loser glasses, what
else? After all, a true loser has to at least look decent."
"Don't you know I need these
glasses to see at all?"
"So, maybe you won't do
so well on that biology test tomorrow without those goofy glasses. Now
give 'em to me!"
"Why, so you can become
a perfect four-eyed monster?"
Misty did not take that
comment very well. "That's it, wimp! You and me in the parking lot at three
sharp! Be there, or I'll give it to you for sure!"
"But, Misty, I have to be--"
"Show up, or you're history!"
She then walked off, believing she could easily have her way.
Ellie, though, was faced
with a difficult dilemma. "How can I fight Misty at 3:00 when I've got
that forest festival meeting at the same time?"
She talked out the problem
with Rob during study hall.
"You have to do what you
believe is right," said Rob. "It's up to you to decide which is more important.
Do you want to prove your courage by fighting a bully or showing up at
a meeting for a good cause?"
"That's easy," Ellie quickly
answered. "I would definitely go to the meeting because I have nothing
to prove to Misty. To do anything of the sort would be foolish. Besides,
I want to do this for the benefit of those children, and it's an important
responsibility."
When she finished that last
sentence, she had another strange image flash through her mind. In this
flash, she noticed a lot of presents, but a small box had the note: "Most
Important of All."
Rob was concerned for her.
"Ellie, is something wrong?"
She shook the image from
her mind and immediately took out her special notebook. "I just had another
flash. I need to write this down." In her notebook, she wrote the words
"gift" and "Most Important of All." They were added to "castle," "mumbling
king and queen," "voice," "purple hair," "green gloves," and "key."
Rob looked at the list and
said, "I think all those flashes and dreams are part of your lost memory."
"Maybe, but I still don't
know how all these things add up. It just doesn't make any sense to me."
"Aw, don't worry about it.
Let's prepare for that all-period review session for that test tomorrow."
During the biology class,
Miss Blake kept Misty nearest to her, so Misty could not remind Ellie of
the so-called fight later that day.
When the final bell rang
for the day, Ellie quickly dashed to room 238, where the mandatory festival
meeting was to be held.
She arrived to the meeting
room on time, with Rob, Carrie, and some other students looking out the
second floor window.
Ellie joined them to see
what was happening. A large crowd had gathered in the parking lot, the
crowd anticipating something big about to occur.
Richard Stanton, principal
of Gurney High, came to the meeting, when he also heard all the commotion.
He looked out the window and asked, "Whatrs going on here?"
Ellie looked at the tall
but fair principal and replied, "Oh, goodness. I'm afraid it's my fault."
"How, Ellie?"
"Misty wanted me to fight
her at 3:00, but I had to be here for the meeting, so it's left me no time
to be there."
"Oh, really?" Mr. Stanton
smiled at her and said, "Ellie, you've obviously got your priorities straight."
"Well, why would I want
to get into such a pointless fight when this meeting was more important?"
"I'm glad you feel that
way, young lady. Rob and Carrie were right to choose you to take Kara's
place on Saturday."
He then saw a bold figure
walk by the room. "Mr. Buchanan," said the principal to the security guard,
"come here a moment."
"What is it, sir?" the muscularly
built gentleman asked.
"Would you mind if I borrowed
your megaphone for a minute?"
"No, sir," Buchanan said
with a smile, "go right ahead."
Mr. Stanton took the megaphone
and opened the window, which opened to the sound of the chant, "FIGHT!
FIGHT!" Into the device he yelled, "Attention, students! There will no
fight this afternoon in the parking lot!" Focusing on Misty next, he bellowed,
"As for you, Miss Ziegler, my office, now!"
As the students on the ground
and in the room laughed very hard, Misty's face turned strawberry-red with
embarrassment. To herself she said, "No one makes a fool out of me! No
one!"
Mr. Stanton said, "Carrie,
go ahead and start the meeting. Tell Ellie about how the festival will
function on Saturday, introduce her to the other members of the festival
committee, and tell her about the responsibility she has at the money table.
I will join you for the nomination in about ten minutes."
"Yes, sir," Carrie said.
"We'll be patient. That's about as long as you need to tell Misty she's
in trouble again."
"Exactly." Mr. Stanton left
the room while Carrie called the meeting to order.
Ellie was a little nervous
about being there, since she did not know anyone else there besides Rob.
"Before we get to the serious
business," Carrie said, "I want to introduce Ellie Peterson, who's taking
Kara's place collecting the money at the festival."
Ellie stood up, gave a little
wave, and said, "Uh, hi."
B. J. Montgomery, Gurney
High's star football player, smiled and said, "It's all right, Ellie. You're
among friends here."
"He's right," said cheerleader
Dana Anderson. "It's times like these that every type of person can get
together and make a big difference for the lives of others."
Ellie breathed a sigh of
relief and said, "I'm just glad to be here. I was afraid I wouldn't be
welcome here, being the goofy nerd with the funny glasses."
"Don't be silly," Dana said.
"In all honesty, I like your glasses. They look really cool on you."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Carrie said. "It's
nice to see the 1950s make a big comeback in such a small package."
Ellie's nervousness soon
eased when she realized she was hot as alone as she thought she was. In
fact, after listening to the stories about some committee members' relatives
being in the hospital, she simply said, "I don't have any relatives there
like you do, but I just feel good by doing my part to help."
The members of the committee
stood up and applauded her unselfish actions.
Carrie then said, "Now,
before we can nominate you, I have to explain what your job is going to
be on Saturday."
The representative explained
about how the money was to be handled properly, and she said that there
would be zero tolerance about taking the money for personal gain.
Ellie agreed to the terms,
as she deemed them perfectly fair. She said the money was not hers to take
in the first place, as it was going to help the hospital get the new wing.
Mr. Stanton returned to
the room and said, "Sorry, folks. I had to tend to the Misty problem."
"That's fine by us, Mr.
Stanton," Carrie said with a hearty laugh. "We've told Ellie about her
job on Saturday, and she is ready to take on the responsibility."
"In that case, as principal
of Gurney High, I hearby nominate Ellie Peterson for the position of festival
treasurer."
Rob stood up and said, "I
hearby second the motion."
"In that case," Carrie said,
"all in favor of Ellie taking the position say 'aye'."
The committee unanimously
voted in favor of Ellie to take the treasurer job.
Ellie got a boost in self-confidence
when she knew there were good friends to be made, no matter how she looked.
When the meeting ended, Ellie's
adoptive father picked her up from school, as usual. "How was the meeting?"
he asked calmly.
"It was great, Dad. Everyone
in the committee was behind me for taking the treasurer position in place
of Kara. And, to be honest, it's a good thing I had to be there at all."
"Why do you say that, pumpkin?"
"Ol' Misty Ziegler wanted
me to get into a fight with her at the same time I had to be at the meeting.
Of course, she's in big trouble with Stanton again."
"It seems some people never
learn that fighting is not a way to solve anything. You know why most bullies
are what they are?"
"Not really. Why?"
"Most of them are ashamed
of themselves, and their only way to get attention is by picking on people.
Rob was just like that before."
"Yeah, I know. Rob has been
my best friend ever since the first day of school. It's good to know a
person can change his attitude for the better when given an opportunity."
"So true, pumpkin. If all
people were like you and Rob, the world would be a much better place to
live."
Ellie then remembered something
important. "Dad, I had another flash, when I was talking with Rob. I saw
a load of gifts, but one stood out. It was a small box, and the card said,
'Most Important of All.' I wrote them down in the notebook."
"Good. Your dream-and-flash
list is getting a little longer now, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but it still doesn't
add up yet. It seems that all these clues are leading me to nowhere. Am
I ever going to find out who I really am?"
"I believe you will find
out the truth, but you have to take it one step at a time. You can't expect
everything to come to you right away because that could actually harm you."
"I didn't know that. How
intriguing."
As she slept through the
night, the recurring dream returned to haunt Ellie once more.
She was once again in
the palace, with the soft voice saying for her to find the key. She did
not know how to get into the room, so she took a chance and went up to
the balcony room where the king and queen were.
She went up the stairs
to the top floor and saw the door to the balcony room.
She knocked on the door
and said, "Please, you have to let me in there. Someone's trapped in another
room in this palace, and only you can help me get to her. If I don't help
that person, I may never find out who I really am. It's so important to
me!"
She heard footsteps from
inside the room. She believed the king and queen were coming to the door
to assist her.
The door opened, but
the faces were shadowed, and the voices were still incomprehensible to
her ears.
The two apparently looked
at each other and communicated by mouth.
Although Ellie could
not understand what they spoke, she did see the queen go back into the
room and get a piece of paper.
When Ellie received the
sheet from the queen, she opened it. The piece of paper had the word "crystal"
written on it. She then looked at the pair and asked, "What does this mean?"
The mysterious woman
pointed at the keyhole on the door.
Ellie understood what
she tried to say. "A crystal serves as the key to the door of the room
where the voice is, right?"
The pair nodded in agreement.
Next, the king placed
both his hands on Ellie's shoulders.
However, instead of running
away in fear, Ellie had a strange feeling of warmth, as if she knew who
this king was. "Could you possibly be my parents?"
Ellie woke up from the newly
twisted dream, yet she was not as uneasy as before. She actually felt more
calm, knowing she was inching closer to discovering the truth about her
childhood. "I may have been a princess somewhere," she said to herself,
"but it still doesn't help too much. A crystal is now the key to helping
the voice, and that voice may be the one chance I have to knowing the truth."
She looked at the clock
and said, "Oh, dear. I'd better get some shut-eye if I'm going to do well
on the biology test."
She went back to bed and
slept peacefully the remainder of the night.
When Ellie's alarm clock
went off, she knew she needed to get out of bed, since there was an important
test this day. "Time for breakfast." She dressed in a yellow shirt, brown
pants, and black casual shoes. After putting her glasses on, she came down
to the kitchen, where her father had already made her breakfast.
"Good morning, pumpkin,"
Mr. Peterson said happily.
"Good morning, Dad." She
then sat down at the table and went right into her meal.
He then noticed her feeling
more upbeat than normal. "You sure seem to be in high spirits this morning."
"I sure am, Dad. I had the
dream again, but something about it this time got me closer to the truth."
"What happened this time?"
Ellie explained the meeting
with the king and queen in the balcony, the piece of paper with "crystal"
on it, and that warm feeling she had when the king touched her.
"Hmmm," her father said
after listening to her story, "maybe you were a princess when you were
a child. You could be pulling an Anastasia on me."
"A what?"
Mr. Peterson explained the
story of the Russian princess who lost her memory as a child and later
in life discovered she was the daughter of Czar Nicholas II.
"What a story," Ellie said.
"As for the other parts of the dream, a crystal is the key to the whole
mystery, and I think the mumbling king and queen could be my parents."
"Well, you shouldn't worry
about it now. After all, there's the matter of the biology test, right?"
"Yup, but the recurring
dream shouldn't affect me in terms of doing well on the test."
"Good. Finish up and get
ready for school."
"Right, Dad." Ellie felt
confident she could do well on the test, but she wanted to test that with
Rob during study hall.
Rob and Ellie quizzed each
other throughout the study hall period, double-checking every important
note. When the bell rang for the end of third period, they walked together
to biology class and sat down, eager to take the test.
Rob did notice something
different in the room. "Say, where is Misty?"
Miss Blake replied, "She's
in the alternative classroom not only for today but for all of next week
for attempting to start a fight on school grounds."
"That's good to hear," said
Ellie. "Maybe now I1ll be able to get through the test without a problem."
"As well as everybody else
here," Rob added happily.
Rob and Ellie breezed through
the biology test, knowing they studied well and hard for it.
When the final bell for
the week rang, Rob and Ellie met at the cafeteria for a quick reminder
meeting.
"Now remember," Rob said,
"you have to be there at 7 a.m. for the roll call. Can you handle the early
wake-up call?"
"No problem. I'm as good
as there. Sheriff Sanderson will be waiting for me at the money table."
Ellie then noticed the arrival of her father. "Well, I'll see you in the
morning."
Rob waved his good-bye to
his friend but had one lingering thought. "Will Ellie ever find out
who she really is? She's a great person, but I know there's plenty
of emotional pain she has, not knowing about her past."
In the early evening hours,
Ellie and her father looked at all the notes she had written down from
her flashes and dreams.
After adding "possible parents"
and "crystal" to her list, Ellie said, "Going by what's here, bits and
pieces are beginning
to come together. I may have been a princess in a castle, but for which
country? Also, what about the green gloves, purple hair, crystal key, the
present, and the voice trapped in that room? How do they all tie in to
my past?"
"I wish I could give you
a quick answer, pumpkin," her father answered, "but at least you now know
something about your past."
"Yeah, but it's not enough
yet. How could I have purple hair and wear green gloves? And what about
the voice? What does that have to do with being a princess?"
"I don't know, pumpkin.
Just remember, let the memories come to you one step at a time. It may
take a while, but you'll eventually know who you are."
"I hope you're right, Dad."
After seeing the kitchen clock, Ellie said, "Time for me to hit the sack.
I've got an early trip in the morning."
"All right, pumpkin. Good
night."
"Good night, Dad." Ellie
then walked up to her room and went straight to sleep, hoping the recurring
dream would be as comforting as it had been the night before.
Sure enough, she started
to have the dream again. As in the previous nights, the dream added another
twist.
Within the castle she
was able to visit with the voice trapped in the room.
As the voice kept saying,
"You must find the key," Ellie said to her, "I'm doing the best I can,
friend. I have to find some kind of crystal to open the door. It's no guarantee
it'll work, but I hope to get that door opened as soon as possible. Can
you understand what I'm saying?"
The voice actually stopped
repeating the sentence and calmly said, "Yes, find the crystal. It is my
only hope."
"I'll get you out of
there, I promise."
Ellie went frantically
searching around the palace, until she came around to the royal kitchen.
She stopped there and noticed a beautiful cake. On the top of the cake
were seven candles. "Seven candles on the cake?" she thought. "Maybe
this has to do with seven days, or a seventh birthday. An important event
on my seventh birthday? What happened?"
She went back to the
balcony room to ask the king and queen about the seventh birthday situation.
They used their hands
to tell her that something special was given to her on that particular
birthday.
"I don't get it," Ellie
told to the king and queen. "Why is my seventh birthday so important, and
what was the special present given to me?"
The queen used her hands
to tell Ellie to find the answers on her own. Then, she put her right hand
on Ellie's shoulder.
The young lady again
had that warm feeling, like she had known this queen. "Now I know my
parents were a king and queen," she thought to herself. "But of
where was I a princess? What country?"
Ellie woke up from the dream,
but she was more puzzled than uneasy. "Man, oh, man," she told herself.
"I'm a lot more perplexed by the last bunch of clues. A seventh birthday
is important, but how?" She then realized the time. "I need to get some
sleep, 'cause I've got a big job in the morning." She went back to sleep,
thinking only about the festival just hours away.