Chosen "mixed,part Unedited 6.7.2009"

PROLOGUE Massachusetts, Governor Sir William Phips had a secret. He didn’t know how, he just knew. He knew that witches were not real. And he also knew that the good people of Salem had no clue. They were innocent. They had been put on trial for witchcraft. They were tried and were about to be burned at the stake. As Governor he knew he was the only one that could stop it. And so here he was, on his way to Salem, to stop the confused citizens of Massachusetts. Mr. Phips was a powerful man, and maybe he could use that power to save the innocent people about to be murdered that day. But he was not powerful in the way people thought him to be. He had a power.. The power few possessed that was for the good of mankind. But it also had to be hidden from those he protected. It’s the burden that Mr. Phips knew only too well. He had kept his secret hidden his whole life and would die keeping it if necessary. CHAPTER ONE “Umph!” Haus landed on top of me, all 200 pounds of him. A loud boom shook the room. The storm outside was now raging now at full force. An illuminating flash let me see the outline of my massive dog’s face only inches from my own. “Haus, get off me!” I moaned tiredly. His quivering form only seemed to move closer. For such big dog, he really was a wimp when it came to storms. Seeing he hadn’t obeyed, I pushed back the huge dog till his back paws hit the wooded floor. Although his front paws remained on me, I could now fully breathe. I patted his huge head. His thoughts were panic stricken and filled with fear. Yes that’s right, I said thoughts. I don’t know why, but I can read people’s minds. And apparently animals, although all that I can hear is just emotions. Haus is a good dog, except for the occasional thunder storm crazes. He is also my only friend. I raised him since he was only a few weeks old. Our old neighbors in Kentucky gave him to us for free. The mother was our neighbor’s rottweiler, Duchess, and the father is to this day a mystery. Mr. Jinks, our neighbor, said he saw a huge black

dog leaving the pen where he kept Duchess. He had at first mistook the massive black dog for a bear. “Biggest dog I’ve ever laid my own two eyes on!” he’d said when he had handed him to me. It took me a while to find a name for him, since he was so unique. He looks like a rottweiler, except for his sheer size and full black coat. But he got his name soon enough when my mother spilled a whole gallon of milk on the floor.. She had gone to grab a mop to clean up the milky mess, only to find that the puppy had beaten her to it. “My Haus.” she’d said. When I had questioned her about the word ‘Haus’, she told me that it meant hero in Hungarian. And so from that day on, he was Haus. Now, sitting on my bed with his gargantuan paws in my lap, the ‘hero’ was cowering. “Come on, Haus,” I said, “lets go get you to your room.” We didn’t really intend to let Haus have his own room, but we have so many extra rooms since the move. Haus plopped his front paws on the wooded floor and waited for me to join him. I hopped out of bed, pulled on my slippers, and walked to door. I still get lost every time I walk around in the new house, with all its new hallways and doors. Even my dad, who has just the about the sharpest memory in my family, walks in my room from time to time with his newspaper thinking it’s the bathroom. Another loud boom got Haus running down the hall towards his room, with me walking slowly behind him. After a good minute of searching, I found the door labeled ‘Haus’, and stepped inside. Haus’s mind was no calmer than it had been before. He went and laid down on his huge cushion and started shivering in fear. A flash of lightning lighted the room. The room was originally used as a sitting room, or maybe a reading room. It wasn’t quite as large as some of the bedrooms, but it was not closet sized. It was bare apart from Haus’s cushion and small table in the corner. On the table was a blanket. I had put it there for nights such as these, when Haus needed some company. I grabbed the blanket and eased myself down next to Haus on the cushion. He put his head in my lap, and I ran my hand over his smooth fur. Gradually, his mind started to calm down, and soon enough, the 200 pound dog was snoring. Boom! The house shook and creaked. Haus twitched in his sleep. The house continued creaking even after the thunder had died down. Well of course it would creak! The house was built in 1691 after all. That was probably the only reason we moved into it. You see, my father got a job at Harvard as a history professor. That’s why we moved from Kentucky. My mom, who is always traveling anyway because she is a best-selling travel book author, was ecstatic about moving. It took a while to find a

place to move to, since my dad was looking for something with a little bit of history to it, but then we found what he labeled, “the perfect house”. Actually, the house was really named “My Island” by the Governor who built all those years ago. Anyway, when my dad found this house, he was thrilled. He quickly offered to buy the house, only to find that someone else had beat him to it. The real-estate lady was real nice about it and apologized several times, promising that if things didn’t go well with the other people, that we’d be the first she called. But that was unlikely. But then the unlikely happened. She called. A week later, the real-estate lady called. And just like that, we moved into 219 Brimmer Street. Through all of this, my parents didn’t ask for my opinion much. I’m not a talker, and I prefer to be alone, and my parents respect that. I hadn’t been devastated by the move, not at all. In fact Hauss’s thoughts had more anxiety about leaving than I did. I just simply went along, did my part. Adapted. But if my parents had asked me my opinion, I would have told them I wanted to stay in Kentucky. I was not attached to any people there, but I loved the country-styled fields and open blue skies. Now, here in Salem, I am going to be attending a school for the first time, since I have been home schooled in my previous years. I already went this afternoon, since school starts tomorrow, to meet my teachers, get my schedule, and find my locker. Everything sounded great except for the ‘meeting the teachers’ part. I just don’t like talking to people. The teachers were very teacher-like, with their straight backs, beady eyes, and in some cases, balding hair. My locker number was 202, and it was on the end of the row of lockers, which means less people to be near. My schedule was very simple: math; English; science; P.E.; lunch; history. They said there was a free period in there somewhere, but it failed to show on the paper. I didn’t see many people, just a few stuck-up richies, a couple of nerds, and some jocks. I was about to leave, and that’s when I saw them. A girl, about five foot in height with dark brown hair and olive skin, and a boy, about six foot in height with shaggy, blonde hair, tan skin, and broad shoulders. The boy was towering over the frail-figured girl, taunting her, teasing her. The girl’s thoughts were racing a mile a minute; she was very scared. I hadn’t been able to make out the words he used, but the tone was clearly not pleasant. And neither were his thoughts. That was all I needed to hear. I had needed to stop it. Now, see, on any other day I would have just ignored the two, no matter how uneven the odds are. I’d have just stayed where I was, remain

invisible, and move on. But today was different; it was just something that had to be stopped. I had walked right up to the boy and girl, who both looked like they were about my age, despite the varying heights. I grabbed the boy’s shoulder. He started to turn his head towards me, and says harshly “What do you…!” he never did finished. I stared at him right in the face, into his deep, blue, eyes. And he just stared right back. We both just stared. His face had contorted then into a playing field of mixed emotions, all unreadable. His mind was going far too fast for me to even hope to read. The girl’s mind was filled with relief, but also a whole new fear. She feared for me. That was a first. The boy was not in his emotional stupor long. What now played on his face was shock and confusion. “Who are you?” he’d asked. I had answered him without skipping a beat, “The name’s Dani Beth Phips.” I had then put my arm around the small girls shoulder, turned my head, sending my braid swinging around, and led the confused girl away. I did not need to look back to sense that the boy- no the bully- was staring at me as I made my retreat. His mind was still in turmoil, so I hadn’t been able to read it then. Well, that had suited me just fine. I didn’t want to read his mind anyway. And now, on the floor, dwelling on my horrible day with my Haus’s heavy head bellowing in my lap, I realize I have to face the girl and the boy in two days. Great, Dani, just great. I have made enemies before the school year even started. I sighed, lifted Haus’s head off my lap, draped the blanket over him, and made my way back to my room slowly. Wandering through the creaking halls, I examined what was now my home. It didn’t feel like home. Kentucky didn’t feel like home either. Where is home? Well, Dorothy was right about one thing. There’s no place like home. Because there is no such place. I found my room after a couple of turns, and crawled into bed, too tired to care that my slippers were still on my feet. This was only one of the many sleepless nights I’ve had since we moved here. But if I hurried up and fell asleep quickly, I could get about four hours of rest. I nearly slid into oblivion the second my head hit the pillow. Dream-like thoughts and conversations filled my head. But one voice, among the other dreamy voices, stood out to me, even though it was whispering: “You have been chosen…” CHAPTER 2

I woke to what sounded like a dying animal. BEEP BEEP SHREIK! BEEP BEEP SHREIK! No its just my dang alarm clock. A great start to the last day of summer. Just peachy. I checked to see what time it was. 12:34. Well, I slept half the day away. Apparently my alarm clock isn’t working properly. I slipped out of bed and went to get ready for the day. My mom and dad were up. I know this because my dad’s thoughts were on where he last put his car keys while my mom was wondering if she should have a tuna or ham sandwich. I threw on my favorite gray shirt with an old pair of jeans and headed down the halls toward the kitchen. When I entered the kitchen, I found Haus staring very intently at my mom’s ham sandwich. “Hey honey. How’d you sleep?” she said. Mom has been asking me that every morning since the move. Her mom-instincts have been telling her I haven’t been sleeping well. Either the mom instincts or the black circles under my eyes. “Fine. Is there ham left?” I replied as I sat down at the table. “No, but there is just a bit of tuna left to make a tuna sandwich.” she answered. Did I mention how much I hate tuna? I scowled at the little can with the overly happy fish on it. My dad walked into the kitchen. “Has anyone here seen my car keys? I have to get to Harvard before one.” Dad’s thoughts were trying to retrace his steps from the time he walked into the door last night. He knew he had his keys when he walked in, but after he saw dinner for him in the microwave, he lost track of where he put them. “Try looking in your pant’s pocket. You know, the pants you wore yesterday?” I suggested. Remembrance dawned on his face. “Thank you Dani!” he turned to my mom, “Do you know where my pants are?” My mom took a minute to answer. “Oh! There in the washing machine.” Dad ran in the direction where he thought the laundry room was. By the time he returned, my mom had a finished tuna sandwich on a plate for me. He held up the remains of what was his car keys. “Do you think it will still work?” he asked. I tried to stifle a laugh. “The key will.” my mom answered. “At least its clean now.” I said. He frowned and headed out the door to his car. “Now I have to walk all the way up to the car to unlock it.” he thought. I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing. My mom joined in and we laughed for a good bit. Men are just so lazy sometimes. “Well that was an interesting lunch break.” Mom said after a bit.

That confused me a bit. “Wait, you’re on your lunch break?” I asked. She walked over to the sink and started to wash off her dirty dish from lunch. “Yes, I had the morning shift at the store today. I get an hour break and then I have to go back. Becky is sick, and I have to cover her afternoon shift.” She said. Apart from writing travel books, my mom works at Go Global Traveling Agency as her day job. She hadn’t been working there long, only about a week, so I’m surprised she is on a first name basis with some of the employees. My mom looked at me sadly. “I hate leaving you here like this.” She chided. And she really meant that. The only reason she let me keep Haus was so that I wouldn’t be completely alone all the time. “Mom, I’m sixteen. I’ll be fine.” I said. She started to gather her purse and her car keys. “No wild house parties while I’m gone.” She joked. As if I knew any people that would willingly talk to me, let alone party. I smiled and played along, “Guess I’ll have to call all those people to tell them my mom is on to us.” She laughed and headed for the door. “I’ll be home around nine. Bye.” “And that tuna sandwich better be finished by the time I get back.” she thought. “Don’t worry, it will be gone.” I said, eyeing Haus. Wait a second. Oops. My mom looked at me real funny for a second. Her hand was on the doorknob. So close, all she had to do was walk out the door. “What?” she asked. What to do! I decided to do what I do best. Frame Haus. “Um, Haus still looked spooked from that thunder storm last night. I was simply telling him it would be gone. Why do you ask?” Mom looked doubtful at first, but then thought, “She does talk to that dog a lot…” “No reason. I’ll see you later, sweetie.” she finally said. She turned the doorknob and she walked out the door. Whew! She bought it. There are reasons why I don’t like to talk much, and its because my big mouth can get me in big trouble. I turned to Haus. “Looks like it’s just you and me, boy.” I got up from the table and was about to leave the kitchen, until I saw what caused the close call this morning. The tuna sandwich. I walked over to it and rattled the plate. Haus’s eyes never left the sandwich. I set it on the corner closest to him and turned away. Haus is smart; he won’t eat anything off the table unless no one is watching. I heard his big claws click against the kitchen tile, then stop. I heard a shift of weight and paws thud on the table. And finally I heard a chewing sound and satisfied thoughts. I turned back around, and sure enough, the plate was empty of both sandwich and crumbs. I took the plate and put it in the dishwasher.

Now what? My parents are gone and it’s the last day of summer. I walked out of the kitchen until I was in our living room. The TV had been left on, and it was talking about the upcoming 2012 presidential inauguration. Not one for politics, I switched it off. I glanced around the room. This is were we have all the other boxes we haven’t unpacked yet. My mom, being such a neat-freak, had labeled ever single box. There were three small boxes labeled “attic” that were pushed in a corner. Well, there is nothing else to do, and I can carry boxes.. So I put two and two together and went over to inspect them. They were small boxes, so I could carry them all at once. I grabbed the boxes and started to walk towards the stairs. The downside about carrying boxes is that if you stack them up to carry them and you can’t see well. So I made the trip up the stairs, tripping over every third step I took. By the time I reached the top of the stairs, I could have sworn that the boxes were full of rocks. I walked around the halls, looking for anything that looked like it would lead to the attic. Haus loped up the stairs and found me, and then took his usual place at my heals. The boxes were now getting heavier with every step. I looked at Haus (hard to do with boxes in you arms) and said, “You could help you know.” He just wagged his tail and pretended to know what I just said. His dark eyes seemed to laugh. I turned the corner and saw a rope hanging from the ceiling.. The attic. I set the boxes down and hopped up and down until I caught the tip of the rope. I pulled down, and with a loud creak, a set of ladder/steps greeted me. Now I see why these boxes had been left for someone else to put up. How do you carry a box full of unknown crap up a ladder? Very carefully, that’s how. I grabbed the first box and ascended up the ladder. It was dark, and I couldn’t see a thing. I felt my way to the wall, and set down the box. I walked around, slowly so I wouldn’t trip over anything that might be up here. Something cold and string-like brushed my forehead.. I reached out and blindly found it. Curious, I gave it a tug, and a naked light bulb illuminated the attic. The whole interior was made of wood. It was like being on the inside of a ship or a small abandoned cabin. There was a very old chair in the corner. At closer inspection, the chair looked like it might have been bright red, but let’s just say the years haven’t been very kind to it. Next to the old chair was a small reading table. If the lighting was any better, this would be an ideal place for me to read! There were ancient boxes everywhere. Even with the small light, I couldn’t see everything about the room. And the smell! It smelled as old as the place looked, with about a pound of dust coating everything. I

walked around, looking in some of the aging boxes. Some boxes had books in them, some had old cloths, while others were just empty. A large box caught my eye. It was in the corner, and it was barely visible. I worked my way around the room, focused on that one box. A stupid idea when there is stuff everywhere just waiting to trip you. My foot got caught on what looked like the oldest box in there. I fell head first onto the hard floor. THUD! When my head hit the floor, I saw black and red stars dance everywhere. Haus, hearing my clumsiness, was barking as loudly as he could. I tried to call out to him, but between the dust coating my mouth and the breath getting knocked out of me, I remained silent. I sat on the floor for a minute and then stood up. I continued on toward the big box. Extra carefully this time though. When I got to it, I blew the dust of the top. I place my hand on it and lifted the lid…only to find that all that was in there was a dead mouse. Great, I trip and hit my head for a dead rodent? Happy last day of summer to me! Disappointed, I walked over to see what I had tripped over. The contents of the box were flung around it. There were lots of papers, all elegantly written by hand, and journals. Well this is a cool find! Making sure there was nothing under me, I sat down next to the box. I picked up an old journal and flipped through the pages. Most of the ink was faded, but I was able to make out a few sentences: “…an evil that must be stopped at all costs…” “”The citizens of Massachusetts are confused…” “…the mission is far more….may God help me” Wow, this guy had an interesting life! I wonder who’s this is? I flipped through the journal, looking for the owner’s name.. I found a promising signature on the last page: Sir William Phips. Phips. He has the same last name as me! Are we distantly related? I flipped through the journals to see if there was anything that could give me a clue. I couldn’t find anything, so I set the journal down. As I did, a small white envelope caught my eye. “What have we here?” I murmured to myself. The envelope hadn’t been open before, since the red circular seal was still intact. I picked it up and looked at it. It was very old; so old that I felt that if I dropped it, the envelope would shatter into many small pieces. I carefully turned it over. It was completely blank. Should I open it? Or should I not? For all I know, it could be report on how crops were doing back in the day. Or worse, a love letter. But that’s just the thing. I don’t know.

Curiosity killed the cat, I guess. I fumbled with the seal, trying to get it open without shredding the paper. But despite my caution, I tore right through to the letter. Oops. Even more carefully than before, I unfolded the fragile letter. And nearly dropped it. “That’s not possible!” I whispered. It was addressed to me. CHAPTER 3 “My dearest Dani,…” I read the line over and over again. It felt like time had stopped. There was a strange silence, creepy and maddening at the same time. Even Haus had stopped barking and the house seemed to put off the creaking for now. It had to be some kind of coincidence. It couldn’t possibly be to me. I mean, it was written in the late 1600s! It’s not possible! But it felt possible. If I can read minds, I think it could be possible. Ok, let’s just think for a second here. The only way I could ever find out if it is addressed to me is to simply read it. So I forced my widened eyes to leave the first line, and read, “My dearest Dani, You have questions that have been unanswered. There are differences from you and others. You have a gift, Dani. A powerful gift. I hope that you will receive this letter as the answers you have been searching for. Dani, you are a Magician. You are called to help mankind in some way. That is your mission. Your mission will be apparent. It will be a passion that you feel you must complete. And you must. I do not know exactly what you will accomplish. I only know of you. When the world is about to go through some of its darkest times, we are born. Always to our family and always on February 2nd. It is a Magician’s job to bring light to the darkness. It is not a simple task, I know from my own past experience. I do not know who is in control of the hardships to come, but I know that without your help, things will go very wrong. It is my understanding that what I did was to save freedom. I guess that happened after I was gone. I know what I did was impossible without my gift. Let you instincts guide you, and trust them blindly. You will not be alone through all of this. You will be meeting someone new. This person is to be you Guardian. Their mission is very clear. To keep you safe so that you can finish your mission. You must trust them with your life, for they will gladly give up theirs.

Dani, you will be finding new abilities. They will come quickly and naturally. Forget all that you know about magicians. You will never see a real magician on a stage. A real magician lives by a code and for a cause much bigger than themselves. It is never about them, but about the mission.. It is there purpose in life. By tomorrow, you will know who your Guardian is. Things will not feel right at first, but you will grow accustomed to them. Remember to trust your Guardian. This person will have the passion, strength, and skills to take up the task of protecting you. Let this person into your life. Dani, this is a secret that you must keep. Don’t give it away to anyone whose intentions are wicked. For to know this secret without being endowed with the gift and passions it takes to protect them, could cause the whole world to parish.” Signed through love, Sir William Phips 219 Brimmer Street Boston, M.A. October 14th, 1692” I was dizzy. I felt like I was about to pass out. Breathe, Dani, remember to breathe. It could be another Dani, right? I folded the letter, even more carefully than before and slid it into the envelope. Not a simple task when your hands are shaking. He couldn’t have been talking to me. It’s not possible. I’m just not ‘Magician’ material. But part of me hoped he was talking to me. Because either I’m a Magician, or I’m just slowly going in sane. I looked down at the envelope in my shaking hands. The seal was now broken, its secrets now revealed. I flipped it over to the back. It was still blank. Don’t get you hopes up. You’ve read way to many fantasy books. It’s finally getting to your head. He wasn’t talking to me. But then the impossible happened. The blank envelope was no longer blank. On it, in big fancy letters, words were being written. I watched in awe as it wrote my full name. Dani Beth Phips That’s when I had what you would call a ‘wow moment’. I think I stared at the no-longer-blank-envelope a full ten minutes. Haus, who had been patiently waiting for me, woke me from my ‘wow’ stupor with a loud bark. I jumped as the loud bark echoed in the attic. It seems that Haus’s patience had worn off. I stood up slowly, my bones making little snapping noises from sitting in one position for so long, still clutching the envelope. I walked over to the square hole in the floor and looked down. Haus seemed to be attempting

to find a way up the ladder/steps. When he saw me he literally started jumping up and down, trying to get up in the attic. I smiled down at him. “Look who’s laughing now!” I said. Revenge was so sweet. After hearing my voice, he decided to try a new tactic. He went all ‘puppy-eyed’ on me. He sat still long enough to look at me and whimper pathetically like a newborn puppy. Smart dog. He knew I could never resist the puppy face. I climbed down the ladder even more carefully than I had with the boxes, clutching the envelope to my chest. He wagged his tail triumphantly as my feet hit the hard floor. This time I glared at him. “Enjoy it now, Haus. One day I will find a way to ignore that face of yours.” I said. That just made him wag his tail all the more. He shoved his nose into my hand, wanting me to pet his head. You just can’t stay mad at a dog forever can you? I patted his head all the way to my room. When I got there, I started to look around to see where I could put a 320 year old letter. I examined possible hiding places. My room was always neat. My bed with the missmatched colored comforter with an old tattered blanket was made army style, with all the sheets and blankets tucked into the mattress. The dresser was un-cluttered and had a small stack of books to read on top.. The small outdated tv that refused to work no matter what I did sat next to it, My reading table was barely fitting a small fan, a lamp, a clock, and a book. But it looked neat the way it was set. The messiest part of my room was the desk. It had a computer, a large can of pencils, paper scattered on top, and little speakers for music. There were drawers full of useless crap. This was probably the best place to hide the envelope. I walked over to the desk and pulled a drawer completely out of the desk. In the spot where the desk drawer had been was a flat surface where the drawer sat when it was unopened. I placed the envelope there, and put the drawer back in its place. No one ever takes out a drawer, so the letter should be safe. Now that the letter was safely hidden, I could actually think about what it said. Apparently, something big was about to happen. Something very big. And I had to stop it. You can call me crazy all you want, but after reading that letter and seeing my name written on the back of the envelope, as if by an invisible hand, I’m gonna believe every word that it said. So what was a Magician? What powers are there? When am I gonna get these powers? Will they help me get an A in math this year? That would be a miracle in itself!

At least I don’t have to do this on my own. I have a Guardian. Now I just need to figure out who this Guardian is. The letter said I’d know by tomorrow. Well that’s good for me, because I prefer quick results. There is too many questions that are unanswered. I sighed and sat down at my computer desk. I clicked and found myself of an internet search page, where I typed in the word ‘magician’. A bunch of websites came on the screen, and I randomly clicked on the first one I saw. It had a picture of a tall scrawny dude on stage pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I didn’t even bother to read anything on the page. I went back and clicked on another website. This one had stars shooting out of wand. It didn’t look promising. I decided it was worthless to try to just look on other people’s websites. I went to an online dictionary web page and typed in the word ‘magician’ as I had before. There were two definitions. The first one said: an entertainer who is skilled in producing illusion by sleight of hand, deceptive devices, etc.; conjurer. The next one wasn’t any better: a person who is skilled in magic; sorcerer; witch or wizard. Well, I’m sure not a witch, that much is sure! The sound of protesting springs reached my ears. I turned around in my chair to see that Haus had made himself very comfortable on my bed. “Haus, how many times do I have to tell you…” I stopped there because when I turned around, I had gotten a good glance outside my window. It was already dark. Dang it.. I don’t wear a watch because I hate numbers, so I checked the time at the bottom of the screen. 8:35. Mom would be home any minute now. How long was I in that attic? It couldn’t have been that long, could it? I guess I was starring at the letter a bit more than I thought. Oh, well. A high pitched whining caught my ears. I turned around for the second time. My TV was making the noise. Haus’s ears went back. He clearly didn’t like the high pitched noise as much as I did. I turned away from Haus and looked at the TV. It was just a fuzzy haze of black and white specks. I got out of my chair to go investigate. The closer I got, the better the picture was on the TV. And I know it had nothing to do with my vision. The whining had now turned into audible words. It was the news channel, talking about the 2012 presidential election. The screen was no longer fuzzy, but had the perfect picture. I was now close enough to push the off button, but I hadn’t seen who had actually won the election. A sharply dressed man that looked to be in his late fifties came up to a podium. The bottom of the screen said that the man’s name was Charles

Vallend. He adjusted the microphone and let his gaze go around him, posing for cameras and paparazzi. He smiled one more time and spoke up in the microphone, saying, “I speak to you for the first time today, as your next president.” So this was the new guy in charge. I knew he was important because of the not-so-inconspicuous body guards hovering in the background. But now that he said it on screen, you can tell he played the part well. Behind Charles, a group of political-looking people were crowded into seats. The only sign that showed they were still breathing was when they nodded. Or in other’s cases, shook their head. Suddenly, a handsome man who looked to be in his late twenties came up to the podium and whispered into Charles’s ear. Bit young for politics isn’t he? Apparently no one else thought so, because Charles turned to the man and nodded. He continued on with his speech. But the camera was no longer focused on Charles, but on the handsome guy. I got a good glance at him before the camera switched back over. He had a full head of black hair, slicked back. A hard look to pull off without looking greasy, but with that face, he looked fine. Dark eyes seemed to match his dark hair. He wore a perfectly tailored suit that looked like it cost more than my house. He wasn’t scrawny, but he wasn’t well built either. At the bottom of the screen, the name Edric van Raphen was being displayed. You could tell this man was powerful. Just at the first glance. He just radiated power. I think it was the way he carried himself, with grace and confidence. Edric was now on his way back to his seat, and the camera adjusted back to Charles. The speech was still going strong, and my curiosity over the new leaders had worn out. I reached out and pressed the ‘off’ button on the TV. But it wouldn’t turn off. The button had done absolutely nothing to the picture on the screen. I pressed it a second time. Nothing. A third time. Zip. I was now getting frustrated. Well, if your TV wasn’t responding to you, you’d be frustrated, too.I’d had enough of the I’m-broken-now-I’m-not TV. I walked around my dresser until I could see the wires and pulled the plug. The screen went black. Thank God. I heard a rustling on the bed behind me. Haus was sitting up with his head cocked to the side, listening to something I couldn’t hear. Then he jumped off the bed, shaking everything on that wasn’t more than his 200 pound bulk, and ran out the door.

Mom was home. I knew this because of Haus’s behavior and also from my mother’s tired thoughts. “Dani! I’m home!” she called up the stairway. I got up, glanced warily at my TV and headed downstairs. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, the hallway split into two directions. I stupidly took the left and ended up in the living room. Well, I took the long way, but I can get to the kitchen if I go through the door on the other side of the room. I took a step to cross over to the other side. And the living room TV came on with a high pitched whining. I looked at the TV. Charles was finally finishing up his speech, and an old lady in a stiff blue suit stepped up to take the mike. But none of this concerned me. I just want to know how the TV came on. The remote was lying on the living room’s coffee table. Glancing around to make sure that my mom wasn’t coming in, I walked over and picked up the remote. After a minute of looking for the “off” among the many buttons, I slowly pressed “off”. It didn’t turn off. Again. Even after I pressed the button multiple times, it would switch off. “Dani, where are you?” my mom yelled from the kitchen. Crap. “I’ll be there in a minute!” I yelled back. I didn’t want to unplug the living room TV like I did with the one in my room. This was the TV that my dad used to watch

=============================================== =============================================== =============================================== =========== Below is a totally unedited part. Sarah Beth will be editing and expanding it. She will chose what it looks like later. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lights on. What a mess. She had never seen anything as old as the contents of the box. As she started rearranging the boxed items she saw something about a man named Phips. Governor Sir William

Phips. Her last name. She being more curious than most sat down and started reading. She read about how the Governor was smart and kind. About how he saved so many from the Salem witch trials. She even read a speech he gave in Salem in 1692 about equality and how these people were just victims of the fears of the clergy. What a brave man he was. Was he a relative from the past? And why did reading about him make her feel almost warm and comfy. She knew she needed to know more, much more. That night Dani was getting ready for bed after dinner. Dad do we have anything on our family history around here? Why he asked ? Why the sudden curiosity about your family tree ? She told them about her experience with the box today and about how it felt to read about Mr Phips. She said she couldn’t think of anything else all day. Her father asked her if anything else was going on with her , anything different ? Her mom was traveling abroad gathering idea’s for a new book. Dani began by saying. Dad its like I know things that I shouldn’t know. And things just work out for me. Its just strange. Other than not having a lot of friends Dani enjoyed life so much. She always found what she was looking for ,she had been denied nothing. But why does she always have in the back of her mind the feeling that she has a calling ? A purpose unlike her peers. So many whys and not so many answers. Her dad led her to a very old family Bible. Dani this has our family tree going back to the middle 1600’s. The ink has aged from a few older pages and can’t be read. Read it just be very careful with it. Its very old. She couldn’t wait to get started. Her favorite thing to do was read anyway. Sir Phips sailed to the Caribbean, finding substantial treasure in the sea in 1687 when he and his ship, the James and Mary, came across the wreck of the Spanish ship, Conception. The crew took between 205,000 to 210,000 English pounds of treasure, an incredible amount of money for the day. One tenth was given to the royal

crown and Phips profited by 11,000 pounds, and thus gained a good amount of fortune and fame in London. In recognition to his loyalty to the Crown for returning to England with his booty, Phips was called to Windsor Castle and was knighted by King James II on June 28, 1687 at the age of 36. This was truly a remarkable achievement for a young man of no nobility, born in the backwoods of New England. Phips returned to Boston as New England's new provost marshal general, a legal position for which he had no experience. He did not remain in Boston long and returned to London giving up his post. Before this trip, he befriended the President of Harvard College, Rev. Increase Mather, and his son the Rev. Cotton Mather, a relationship that would prove to be politically helpful. He commanded military expeditions against the French colonies of Acadia and Canada. Saving the first light of true freedom. The very freedom we enjoy today was started by my family Dani mused, What a legacy. Every free country in the world is free because my great great great grandfather was brave. I like that, she thought. Reading some more about Sir Phips .He resided in London, petitioning for the Massachusetts Charter . When the new charter was granted in 1691, Mather used his influence to nominate Phips to be the first Royal Governor of the Colony under the new charter. He was a bigger than life superhero of sorts. Turning to a blank page she started to go to the next. But at that very moment words started coming to the page. Strange thing is, it felt natural to Dani. As if this strange phenomenon happens to everyone. The first few words caught her eye. “If you can read this , you have been chosen”. She couldn’t go on from these words for quite a while. Chosen for what ? Was this a joke ? She continued down the page. Sir Phips was not just a great man. He was a great magician. What did that mean ? What exactly is a magician ? The words Mr Phips wrote were not those of a pious ,famous, braggart. They were as if her grandfather was writing them directly to her. As a magician he writes, my last duty to mankind is to write you this

letter. I know so much about you and know that your powers will now come fully alive in you as this letter will awaken them and a mission will be born anew. I’m so enjoying my new home. I built it myself. I named her “MY ISLAND”. As I sit with my desk facing downtown Boston .A town I helped birth. A town I’m sure will have many events in the future. I write the most important words I can for the future of mankind. And I write them for only one person. You. He wrote DanI You are a magician. Your mind has had enough questions about why you are so different from others that this will be received as answers rather than mysteries. I know that because that’s what happened to me. DanI you are called to help mankind in some way. I do not know your mission I only know you. Every time something is important to the world that stands a chance of being beaten or terminated a magician is born. Always to our family and always on February 2nd. I do not know who is in control of this but I know without the magician’s help things will go very wrong. Its my understanding that what I did was to save freedom. I guess it all happened after I was gone. I know what I did was impossible without my powers. Let your instincts guide you. Trust them blindly for they are always right from this point forward. You will meet someone new. This person will be your guardian. Their mission is clear. To keep you safe to finish your mission. Trust me. The mission will be apparent and will be a passion that you feel you must complete. And you must . The world as you know it depends on you. DanI you will be finding new powers. They will come quickly and naturally. Get rid of all you ever thought a magician was. You will never see a real magician on a stage. A real magician lives by a code and for a cause much bigger than themselves. Its never about them, its always about the mission. Its their purpose in life. DanI we are a family originally from Hungary . We have a long History. You need to know this because there will be many things that will make sense when you look at our country of origin. I will

leave those mysteries for you to explore. By tomorrow you will know who your Guardian is. It will not only feel right but other things will be proof. Trust this person with your life. This person will have the passion, strength and skills up to the task of taking care of you. Let him into your life. It will be an adventure you can’t share with anyone else. For to know these secrets without being endowed with the powers and passions it takes to protect them. It could cause the whole world to parish.

Signed through love, Sir William Phips 219 Brimmer Street Boston, MA October 14th 1692

I do know that Sir Phips was called back to England by the King in January 16th 1693 . He caught a fever and died February 13th. “A life well lived ” was engraved on his tomb‘s door. Thinking about the letter he wrote her. Realizing that he wrote it in this very house while looking at the city he helped give birth to. This made her feel so connected. You see her room had the only view of Boston and her desk sits in the same position, looking at Boston. Whoever or whatever is in control of these missions must have a sense of humor. I wonder if 300 years from now someone who knows they are different and is related to me will sit in this room and read a letter I wrote to them. I wonder where it all leads. Well time will tell I suppose. Waiting for tomorrow will be tough. Powers, the guardian, a new mission, a passion, the secrets, along with all the changes that naturally afflict a girl DanI’s age will be overwhelming. But

tomorrow will come and I can’t make it come faster if I tried she thought. Then again does she want tomorrow to invade her life. Everything she thought about life has changed and changed forever. So much for someone like me she said almost out loud. Tomorrow, yes tomorrow. Try to sleep and wake to tomorrow. Mental overload. Must rest now. Up early for school. DanI Thinks about yesterday. Was that real? I don’t feel different in any way. She gathers up her thing, her project, and the rest of her homework. Maybe things will start becoming a bit more clear after today. Maybe my mission will become known. Who will be my guardian ? Do I know this person ? Will we get along ? All questions that according to a letter addressed to me over 300 years ago assured me I’d know today. DanI was wondering if saying that sounded a little crazy. Just for a moment she wondered if she could be insane. After all she had all the tell tale signs. Enough of that, she thought. DanI was excited about the day ahead. A little apprehensive but mostly excited. How would today change her life ? Indeed How ?

As she arrived at school in the courtyard just outside she saw her friend . She came over to Dani and said, thank you for what you did yesterday. That was very brave. He’s been a bully for about the last two yearsa. Funny thing is, he was the nicest boy until then. Something must have happened to change someone so much. My name it Anji she said. Dani here, lets compare classes and see if we are in any of the same ones. Anji how long have you been in this area ? DanI asked this because it was obvious Anji was from India. She even had the accent. Anji was very transparent and easy to read. DanI thought “I guess I’ve made a friend”. Homeroom was hectic as expected. DanI had never been in a public school before. Assigned seating seemed a little childish but she thought why not just go with it. As she took

notes and looked over her schedule for the day she noticed a class on French. She had studied French before but only for a few days at home school. Only a few days because it was very difficult and she asked her mother to change her language to Spanish. That was quite a bit easier. So French huh. I’ll see if I can change it to Spanish so I can at least pass. DanI’s first class was History. She loved History. Especially now that she discovered her family was a big part of the local History. She couldn’t wait to dig in. That hour went fast. Lots of homework though. We are going to start on the French Revolutionary War. That will be new. But promised to be exciting. DanI’s second class was math. Anji was in this one with her. They set next to each other and chatted a little. Anji had led a really full life even for someone her age. She was born in India, lived there for four years until her father was transferred to China. He’s an aeronautical engineer. And must be a very smart man. From everything he could tell so was hi daughter. They moved from China to Japan when she was eight years old and to Boston at age ten. So she has been here a little over five years. I could tell we would be good friends. As the day moved on DanI was entering her last class. French,ugh! She was dreading it all day. Tomorrow she would ask to change it. She sat in the very back hoping to not be called on to do anything. Just get me out of here she thought to herself. Great, in walks in the bully from the courtyard. DanI was confused. He came in staring at her agin. He said nothing. And she couldn’t tell anything about what was on his mind. Why was that. Will my guardian have to protect her from this guy she thought. And what is a caveman like that doing taking French. She vainly thought that maybe he wasn’t capable of coherent thoughts. Maybe that’s why I can’t read what he’s up to. At any rate she could try to dump this class tomorrow. As her French class went on and on she was amazed that it was coming so easy for her. That was new. Is that a power ? Are languages part of being a magician ? All she knew was she felt she could speak French

any time she wanted. The bell rang and DanI headed outside. She was a little confused about what didn’t happen today. She found one of her powers, languages. Not much of a power she thought but a big help in school. DanI took her doubts and the day home. Three of her teachers had given her homework. Why couldn’t math be one of her powers. She hated math. Her father always said. DanI math is a science. How can you not like math. There’s only one answer and that makes it easy. Her father was also a professor and things like math were second nature to him. She settled in to do her homework. Ther’s enough here to last all night she thought. What happened to the day she thought she would have ? Oh well. Lucky for DanI the homework only took a couple of hours. Dinner time at the Phips home was chaotic. Everyone grabing food and going back to whatever they were doing. Her father sets at his computer with the plate over to the side, DanI in front of the tv trying to dodge Haus with her food. This really had been a long day. But what didn’t happen concerned her. Was it all real or not ? Did Sir Phips get some things right and some things wrong ? At any rate it was bedtime and she was beat. DanI showered and jumped into bed ready for some well deserved sleep.It was a very long day. DanI fell asleep in about a minute. She was in the deepest sleep she had ever been in. The colors and sounds were so vivid. She felt like she had past into another world. It was just her and a shadowy figure following her. To her amazement the fact that she was followed didn’t bother her at all. Its like she had no feelings about it either way. All she knew was she was in a place, maybe another dimension even . She had never seen such vibrant color and felt such a clarity that could never be there in the world she lived in. It was exciting & fun. She felt lighter than air, like she could fly. She thought to herself, can I just stay and live here ? It was magical. That’s the only word that worked where she was.

Taking in all the sights, sounds, and even smells so pure she was far to lost in the moment to notice the shadowy figure was getting less shadowy and coming into view. It was of all people, the bully. Why would he invade my most wonderful dream she queried ? Why is he here ? As he came towards her their eyes were locked on each other as if they could see each others souls. For DanI this was a very new sensation. Not scary but surreal . It was a letting go of sorts. What did this mean ? and why in my most wonderful dream ? She just couldn’t stop wondering why. The alarm went off louder than usual . The dream had ended and the day crashed in on all of DanI’s wonderful thoughts. That was the strangest dream she had ever had. I do not have an imagination that good she told herself out loud. At any rate its time to have breakfast and get ready for school. The day was just another day to DanI. Everything was dull when she compared it to the dream. That’s sad she thought. I don’t want anything dull right now. Oh well off to school. The day went on as though it was a carbine copy of the day before until her third class. Math and sitting next to Anji. Math was still tough. She wished that could be a power so much. Sitting next to Anji turned into a real score. She was a whiz at math and very helpful. She seemed to know math like I all the sudden knew French DanI noticed. As the bell rang DanI thanked Anji for her help. How did you get so good at math she asked. I just came to me. Math is just easy for me. As DanI went on with her day she thought, how can math be easy for anyone ? Ugh ! Another day in the books and DanI started heading for the courtyard to see if Anji wanted to walk with her. Well a voice said. We should talk. I turned around. The bully. DanI was impressed that he didn’t sound as stupid as she had supposed he’d be. And why is that she asked ? He said, my name is Daniel. She said I’m DanI. Then she said what was on her mind. Daniel after the way you picked on Anji why do

you think that I would think about having a conversation with you ? Daniel said quickly. I’ve changed since then. It was two days ago. That’s a little hard to believe don’t you think. She grabbed her backpack and headed towards Anji who had just stepped into the courtyard. He followed closely behind her. I know who you are DanI . DanI thought for a second, turned around and said “of course you do I just told you who I am” . and she walked away again. I was in the dream too. She froze. What ? DanI things are moving a fast for me . A lot has happened in two days. She stood there still frozen. I tried to speak to you in the dream. You were focused on the sights and sounds but I was focused on you. DanI felt like running but could not. Did you read an old letter too ? He asked her. She was speechless. Daniel we need to talk (at least that’s what her mind was telling her lips to say but nothing came out). DanI turned and ran away very confused and not sure what had just happened. DanI walked into her home saying nothing to anyone. Rocked by the events that happened today. Is Daniel a part of all this ? Is he my guardian ? Why ? What just happened ? DanI was still so confused. She looked at her homework and dug in. She wanted to lose herself in it for a while. It took her the rest of the night till bedtime. Haas jumped up in bed waiting for lights out. She laid down and drifted. Unlike the night before her dreams were dark and confusing. Very old artifacts and thoughts swirling and unmanageable. She did not like this dream which seemed to last forever. A loud ringing alarm and DanI set up in bed ready for the dark dream to be over. Breakfast and off to school again. In the courtyard was Daniel. He had been waiting for her. She approached him. Good morning Daniel. Morning DanI. I’m sorry if I scared you yesterday. I wasn’t scared she said I was confused. How do you know about the dream ? And why ? Daniel looked into her eyes and smiled. It was the first time she had seen him smile. It was a wow moment. Collecting her thoughts she said. Tell me what happened. He said. I read a letter addressed to me a long long time ago. I think

that you understand how long ago. It was from a member of my family in the late 1600’s. It was addressed to me. He even knew my name. Its all pretty confusing. All I know is I have been chosen for something that has everything to do with you. I don’t like any of this but I am compelled to do it. I said we need to talk because I’d like to know what’s going on and why it is.

DanI and Daniel sat comparing notes on all the events that had happened to them in the last few days. It turns out the guardianship of the magicians falls only to one family just like the magicians are only in one family. Daniel said that he too is waiting on some changes. His letter said that he would be able to do whatever would need to do according to the circumstances and loyalty built through the relationship between guardian and magician. Now we have to get close DanI thought to herself. I’m still not sure about this guy ,this guardian someone I do know or trust yet sent me. But Sir Phips said to trust my instincts blindly. What if I’m torn between two thoughts ? What then ? Daniel asked if they could meet very late at night somewhere between thei homes. Daniel did not live in a privileged are like DanI. Instead he lived in what is known as “The Jects”. That’s slang for Government Projects or housing. it’s a bunch of mean streets that never sleep. Gangs ,drugs ,and crime of every kind. Daniel suggested a spot closer to her than hum because of the area. He’s already showing he’s protective of me DanI thought. She wrote down the address and said

how about midnight. Midnight it is said Daniel. Be careful and on time he said.

CHAPTER TWO “The Encounter” Midnight was coming up. Everyone is asleep and Haas went to his room like a good boy. DanI thought about taking him for protection but thought of Sir Phips words “ trust your instincts blindly”. She felt secure in her decision to go without him. Although he was as she called him “my best friend”. It was 11:35PM and she was ready to sneak out. She brought her notebook so she could write some things down if needed. It was a cool night and clear. When she turned down the street next to hers it was pitch black and she was dazzled by the way the stars looked. She was feeling like a warrior with a purpose and ready to learn whatever was needed about her calling and about the mission. She also found herself wondering about Daniel. He spoke of the letter and all that had happened recently but was noticeably silent on anything else about him ,his family ,or his past. She wondered why. She was only about seven blocks from the place they were to meet. They would meet at the payphones at a convenience store just off the main road. What a quiet clear night. The stars somehow reminded her of that dream where she almost floated in

beautiful colors so clear and exciting. DanI was lost in thought as she hustled to make it to the store on time like Daniel said. Are you lost sweets ? DanI heard from out of the darkness. Who was there ? It definitely wasn’t Daniels voice and she was still two blocks from the meeting place and the presumed safety of her guardian although she now could see three figures in the dark. Three men of unknown intent. She was scared. And DanI was not used to being afraid. They had the street blocked in front of her. DanI knew she was too far from the store for Daniel to hear her scream. The guy that spoke first came closer. He reached out and touched her face. Why don’t you stay and play a little while. DanI said I’m a minor and I’m meeting someone ! The same man looked at her while grabbing her jacket and pulling her close. Did I ask you for an ID sweets ? DanI repeated “I’m meeting someone” ! We will deal with them when they get here. Right now your in my neighborhood so you’ll do as your told. The guy stunk of cigarettes and booze. DanI knew that this was a street gang and she was in more danger than she’d ever been in. She was almost speechless with fear. She begged them to let her go. One of them grabbed the back of her hair from behind and threw her to the ground. I’m going to have some fun sweets, as a matter of fact we all will. Even you sweets. It seemed like everything was moving in slow motion the men were taking their shirts off and kicking her a little. Are we going to have trouble

out of you sweets ? Do you like trouble a voice from the dark bushy corner. The men stopped and turned towards the voice. Who are you ? Get out of here ,go on before you get worse. Find your own entertainment. We found ours. Softly the voice came again. What if you are my entertainment ? It was Daniel. DanI could hardly believe the young man she had befriended had stepped into this situation for her. He was smaller than any of them and outnumbered three to one. What was he planning ? DanI thought. She started to get up and the loudest one pulled a gun and dared Daniel to move. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. Daniel moved faster that he could be seen. Disarming the one and hitting all three with such force they were knocked off their feet. One went about three feet in the air before landing in a clump beside the road. Daniel where did you come from ? How did you know I was in trouble ? Daniel walked over to help her gather her things and stared at her again. I felt your fear . It was overwhelming. I’ve never felt anything like it before and hope I never have to again. It was something from inside you to me. I can’t explain it DanI. I just can’t. For the next three hours they walked and talked. Daniel was still not talking about anything that happened to him before the letter. DanI just couldn’t help but wonder why. He didn’t seem like someone with anything to hide. I’ll respect his silence for now thought DanI. She truly could see him as a guardian for the first time. He was a real

life hero to her. Her trust in him was growing. The encounter with three evil men on a dark street did that. DanI deep inside was thankful for having him in her life. I’m not ready to replace Haus with him yet she thought. The sun seemed to come up way to early. It was an entruder in DanI’s room. I don’t want to get up. But I hear Mom and Dad moving around downstairs. Time for breakfast and then off to school again. She headed down the stairs to the kitchen. Her father always fixed her breakfast for her. He still cooked like a Kentuckian not like a Harvard professor . Good morning DanI. Her father said. How many eggs ? Three dad as always. What’s going on today ? I hears you guys talking about something tragic ,DanI said. Well there seems to be some very bad things going on in the world today. The head of NWU (New World Union) ,Sir Edrick Von Burroughs is trying to have every country on one currency. It would void part of our Constitution and bring our standard of living down. Dad none of that seems possible. We have a government that would stop that immediately. After all we are America. One day DanI you will have eyes to see some things for what they are not what you are taught to think. It was time to walk to school. I hope I can walk with Anji, DanI thought to herself. DanI’s father did not trust the government and questioned everything they did. He believed that a few elite men ran everything behind the scene. How plausible was that…DanI and her mom just let him rant when he wanted to. He was surprised when the NWU was formed ,especially with 90% funding from

the USA. I never gave it much thought but he thought about it enough for all of us DanI mused. Anji was just coming out as DanI was passing her home. Great timing girl, said Anji. They walked and talked. Anji, what do you know about Daniel ? DanI he used to be the nicest boy, we were good friends. A little over 2 years ago his mom was killed in a robbery at the bank she worked at. The gunman killed her and injured two more people. His dad’s never home. He works two jobs and is gone from daylight to dark so Daniel had to start taking care of himself. He became an angry young man, very bitter. I feel sorry for him but he strikes me as maybe being dangerous now. He’s been in several fights that should have been avoided. DanI’s first thought about Daniel’s past was that she felt sorry for him. She then thought that maybe this was what was necessary to train him as a guardian. But to take his mother. Would whoever controls all this have done that ? Are we the good guys or the bad guys ? Wow I’ve never thought of that. It bothers me, she thought. What if ? Well time for home room. School all day ,every day. Would it never end….. DanI barged into the house like she was on fire. So much homework. She felt that it would be impossible to get it all done. She said hi to Haus who was waiting at the door when she came in. DanI was his whole world. She stopped long enough to play with him for a few minutes and went with him to their fenced in back yard so he could get some much needed relief. He almost danced when she came home. They ran around the yard a little while. I have to do homework boy. Come on . He went with her to her room. She sat on her bed

surrounded by books and notepads. This will take all night. When do I get to rest ? DanI looked at her clock, 10:34. She was beat and done with her homework. She had a cheese sandwich in her room for dinner and never stopped doing it. Finally it was finished. She was too tired to feel any accomplishment it would have brought her under normal conditions. But this was far from normal. She has stayed up with Daniel talking the night before so she was too sleepy to do anything at the moment. Just collapse and sleep. That’s exactly what she did. DanI found herself in a dream like before. So vivid so multi dimensional ,so more real than the world she lives in. This time she did not see Daniel and she was lighter than air. It was as if anything she thought she would do or have. It was magical. It felt so right to be there. The colors were almost textured ,they were so different than the colors in the real world. She could smell the scenery around her. It was a perfect place. No boundries as if it went on forever. A place that has no beginning or end. And DanI felt that she was the same way. She felt infinite not finite . It was so different. So free. She was light, and color, and scents, and and and. It could not be described in human terms. But it was empowering and restful ,exciting ,and alive. That’s it, everything from colors to air was just alive and it made her more alive. What a wonderful place. Just wonderful. DanI awoke early. It was Saturday morning. The vivid dreams gave her more energy and strength. More of everything. She was just so much sharper than usual. And it felt great. She bounced out of bed. Haus was tail wagging happy. It was a beautiful morning and she was going to embrace it with all she had. Shower ,a fast

breakfast ,and out she went. She put a leash on Haus and away she went. Leaving two sleeping parents at home. The sun was just coming up and it was a fantastic sight. DanI didn’t take Haus out walking very often. People were scared of him. It looked and felt like she was walking a bear. He loved going for their walks though. Haus lets go down to the waters edge. We’ll look for boats coming through. She always loved that. The water was slapping the breakers loudly. There was a salt smell to the air. DanI noticed several boats so she sat on the edge over the breakers and wondered what it would be like to be on one of them. How grand. Her mind drifted off in a daydream about the big white ship coming through. What it must feel like to ride on it by the edge watching the water being cut by the big ship. She was lost in thought. The water was slapping on the side of the big ship. DanI was there. Oh my goodness she thought. How did this happen ? DanI felt lighter than air like in the dream. She was floating in air above the ship in the very spot she was wondering about just moments before. What was going on ? She looked back over to the shore and saw her and Haus sitting there. She was having an out of body episode. That’s new she said to herself. Not scary just new. She went back to herself at that moment. What an adventure this is going to be. What indeed ? DanI went back up to the attic to see if there was anything else she could learn about her new life’s purpose. She wanted to know what to do next. Finding more would prove to be quite difficult. After three hours she gave up and went to her room to collect her thoughts ,maybe even journal a little. It had been a while since she did.

DanI began writing ,trying to put into words what happened by the shore with Haus on that beautiful morning. “Dream travel “ were the only words that seemed to fit. So now as her powers began coming in she knew that they would be designed for her specific mission. Dream traveling, language learning, the ability to read a persons thoughts when necessary. All these were getting interesting. More and more interesting. Now how do I dream myself somewhere else ?