Hollow: N2 the Hollow World (Whole Story)

Dear Reader: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely imagined. The words and cover art are the original work of the author. All copyrights belong to the author. Please do not publish excerpts from this book without permission from the author. Thank you. Traevonis Asante Damar was a curly-haired, chocolate-brown-skinned Black boy who lived in a place called Creston Hill Housing Projects, which was located in one of the countrys many inner cities. Now Creston Hill wasnt a bad neighborhood - you need to recognize that - but there were maggots slithering in and around that area. One of them was known on the streets as Big Fifty (Or Big Fiddy, as he would tell you). Traevonis was just like everyone else in that he had no idea where the name Big Fifty had come from, because the dude wasnt big, and he wasnt fifty either. But he most definitely had a big effect on people, a big reputation, a big bank account, and at least one or two big cars. The country was at war, and soldiers were dying. Several of them had been taken captive by the 1 other side - POWs they were called - and a number of them had disappeared without so much as a hair left to trace them. This to Traevonis was even more disturbing than the images of exploding bombs and missiles lighting up the TV screen. He hadnt watched the news in over a week, but still the green and yellow zaps and flares continued to illuminate his brain, mostly when he was trying to sleep or do homework or memorize his Bible verse for the day. At times a war broke out in Traevoniss neighborhood, at a party, on the streets or at the playground. Gunshots were fired and too often a child got caught by a bullet meant for someone else. It scared Traevonis knowing that one day he or Delsalyn, the only friend he had, might end up losing their lives to a bullet they didnt deserve. Knowing this gave him nightmares that caused him to wake up at night from his sleep with blood racing from his nostrils. It was hard trying to get 2 any real sleep when you spent every day fearing that you may not even live to see fourteen. However, the war that was going on in the world now, the war that flooded the TV screens day and night, would hardly let Traevonis sleep at all. I wish I could go somewhere where people dont kill or die, prayed Traevonis to God one night. And fight in wars we dont understand. I wish I could move up out of Creston Hill Projects. Or just kick out the bad people who make it unsafe for everybody else. Traevonis wasnt the only child who carried this prayer around inside his heart. Every child who lived in Creston Hill - and even most of the adults - longed to escape the horror that threatened their everyday lives. And each day the grown-ups worked their bodies to the point of exhaustion so that they might fulfill the dream of moving their families into better neighborhoods. Most of the Creston Hill residents longed to live 3 in the kinds of houses they read about in magazines, big houses surrounded by flowers and shrubs, with bright green lawns and fences. But Traevonis wanted a castle, a castle in a world outside his own. He knew that there were other worlds inhabited by unearthly beings, creatures like fairies and nillypoppers. These were the kinds of neighbors he longed to have. It was on a blustery afternoon in spring that Traevonis came across the advertisement in the classified section of the city newspaper. The advertisement was framed inside a square of serpent-like formation and read as follows. Now Traevonis had been saving up money to 4 buy a castle since he was six years old. On the floor of his closet stood seven glass jars filled with coins, and attached to each jar was a slip of paper with the amount printed out on it. It was Traevoniss father who had suggested that his son start saving up spare change to buy a castle to run away to, or a winged unicorn that would fly him off to another world, and it was his father who had contributed the first seventy-five cents. The day the boy came across the advertisement in the paper, he had saved up exactly fifteen dollars and thirty-two cents in quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. I wonder if this is for real? He asked himself. It could just be a scam. Not that I have even the slimmest chance if it is legit. I havent even saved up a whole twenty bones. But . . . this B.L. cat said hes willing to do whatever. Traevonis got a pair of scissors from the bathroom and cut out the advertisement, which he 5 folded in half and pushed down into the side-pocket of his sagging, oversized jeans. As soon as he lumbered into the den, his mother, who was sitting on the sofa, feeding his baby sister, said, If youre going over to Delsalyns, you need to pick those pants up off the floor and run a comb through your hair son. Traevonis sighed, despondently. He hurried back into his room for a belt and his favorite red-and-black baseball cap, which he pulled down over his eyes as he lumbered into the den. Trae sweetie would it really kill you to comb your hair today? His mother complained as he was working the belt through the loops in his pants. She was sitting on the sofa trying to dip a spoonful of orange baby glop into Crishonas mouth. And Crishona was restrained in her baby seat, slapping her hands around and spitting green stuff down her chin. Its nasty huh Shona? Traevonis laughed as he 6 ran a comb through his thick, coiled hair. Squashed peas and carrots. Theyre sick enough when you have to eat them whole! Thats much better, said the boys mother. When you actually take the time to comb your hair Trae, it waves up very nicely. His lips pressed together in a smile, Traevonis kissed his mother and sister good-bye. Crishona bid him farewell by slapping some squashed peas across his face. Delsalyn Glendale lived right down the hall at Apartment Number 16. His fifteen-year-old sister Jayeesha answered the door, and as usual she made Traevonis feel like he was turning into soup. Wuz up Jayeesha, he swooned. Whats going down? Hi Trae. Your boy is locked up in his room working on a new project. Delsalyn was thirteen years old. He kept his hair in braids that spilled past his shoulders, and had a 7 small gold stud in his ear that one could spot from yards away. Delsalyn looked like a real mack, but was actually more into As, Bs, and books than girls. So wuz up my homie what you getting down on? Traevonis asked as he was sliding the belt from around his waist, allowing his pants to drop about six inches below it. Delsalyn was hunched over at his desk, scribbling furiously in his notebook. Trying to work out something, he said. I got a lot on my mind. Traevonis chuckled. As usual, he said. He removed the folded slip of paper from his pants pocket and flicked it onto the desk. Check it out man, he said. Its an ad I found in the paper just now. Delsalyn sniggered. You read something in the paper? Traevonis bulked up at this remark. What you trying to say? He asked. 8 On the real Trae, said Delsalyn, still sniggering. You my boy and all, but its a wonder you can recognize your own name man. Delsalyn unfolded the paper so that he might take a look at it. A castle, he said a moment later, his eyes still running across the paper. This cant be legit man. People dont put ads like this in the classifieds. But there are castles, Traevonis insisted. True, Delsalyn agreed. There are castles and other dimensions and worlds that no human being has ever even heard of before. But there are no real numbers that start off five-five-five. Phone numbers only start off like that in movies, you know that Trae. Traevonis was embarrassed. But not so much that he was about to be shaken. Well Im hitting it up anyway, he said, defiantly. So I can rap to this B.L. cat. See if we can work out something. Delsalyn laughed. He had a laugh that was a lot 9 like something out of a dracula movie. Whats so funny? Five billion dollars man? Delsalyn exclaimed. I mean if this is legit, what are you going to do? You could go out on the streets right now Trae, and stay out there for another hundred years - if you dont get caught slipping - and by the time you clocked, you wouldnt have anywhere five billion dollars. Youd be better off just selling your soul directly to the devil. Jayeesha has my soul, said Trae, dreamily. And all my love. Delsalyn flicked his tongue in disgust. If I were you, Id be trying to get a rebate, because Jay is trying to fall in love with some alphabet-Brother named Q-P-D. Since Traevonis didnt have a phone in his apartment, he had to use Delsalyns telephone to call Labryams Otherworld. Jayeesha was in the kitchen, spreading jelly onto a piece of toast. 10 Hi Jay. Im just going to use the phone, said Trae. Jayeesha smiled at him, her braces flashing prettily against her heart-shaped face. Trae felt as if he might sink straight through the floor. Almost as soon as he had the number dialed, there was someone on the other end of the line. A man with a heavy, tired voice that dragged along as if the very act of speaking was weighing it down. Labryams Otherworld, supplier of the outlandish and the otherworldly. How may I help you today? Suddenly, Traevonis was shaking all over, like the wimpy little kid standing face-to-face with the bully. Hello? I came across your ad in the paper about the castle? And I was just wondering um . You interested in buying the property? Asked the voice that Trae had assumed belonged to 11 Billow Labryam, whom he also figured was B.L.. It seemed the slow, dragging-along voice had picked up a little speed. Well yes but um - So how much you willing to pay young man? The voice interrupted a second time. Traevoniss heart was stuck right in the middle of his throat. Well uh . . . all I have is fifteen dollars but - Thats fine, the propertys yours if you want it, Billow Labryam quickly interpolated. Traevonis could hear the relief, swooshing through this persons voice. Word? Said Trae, his heart swelling up in his throat like a balloon. Youre going to sell me a castle for fifteen dollars. Well it my castle, said Billow Labryam. And Ive been trying to sell it for so long that I may as well go ahead and give it away for free. Billow Labryam released a long, gruff sigh. I 12 actually bought it for ten billion, from a man who had bought it for thirty-five billion. But its actually worth a hundred billion even. And youre going to sell it to me for fifteen bones? Asked Trae incredulously. Absolutely, said Billow Labryam. It is my castle to do with whatever I please. But first youll need to sign the deed. And youll have to do that in person. Sign the deed? Said Traevonis. Isnt that like grown-up stuff? Not in the world where the castle is located, said Billow Labryam. In this world, children can buy and sell property, sign and witness deeds, and even build their own castles if they want to. Of course in order to do that, you have to have some knowledge of architecture and construction. Traevonis felt much like a falling leaf, spiraling down through the air; like a cloud being driven across the sky like the wind. Yes, Traevonis was a 13 cloud, and the sun was breaking through his heart. Can I get my friend to witness the deed? He asked timidly. Of course, said Billow Labryam. Whomever you feel comfortable with. What if I want to see the castle first? Traevonis asked, cautiously. Billow Labryam chuckled. Well I guess I cant expect you to buy the property without first seeing it, he said. Our web-site address is billowsworld.com. All lowercase letters. And we have excellent pictures. For a moment, Traevonis couldnt say anything. Honestly, it was like his tongue had evaporated. And then he managed shakily, Thank you sir. I um . . . Im looking forward to seeing it. And Im looking forward to having you see it, young man. Goodbye for now. And call me back or drop me an e-mail and let me know what you think of the pictures. 14 After that there was a soft clicking sound, and the phone began to hum steadily in Traevoniss ear. For a while he just stood in the corner over by the refrigerator, replaying the conversation in his mind. This Billow Labryam had a deep, chesty voice that rippled with a shade of something foreign. In this world, kids can buy and sell property, and even build their own castles if they want to, Billow Labryam had said. Traevonis wondered what kind of world this was. Did it exist in outer space? Or in an entirely different dimension? Was it home to otherworldly creatures like elves and gnomes? Or was it inhabited by human beings just like himself? Maybe it was home to both? It seemed Traevonis stood in that corner forever, entranced by every kind of wonderful thought. After a time, he finally recovered himself and took off to Delsalyns room, where his friend was still 15 fixed in that chair, working on his new project. I talked to Billow Labryam, Traevonis announced as he sank into Delsalyns bean bag chair. Hes going to sell me the castle for fifteen dollars! But first Im going to check out some pictures on the web-site. Billows Otherworld-dot-com. As to be expected Delsalyn put up one of his mature-sounding arguments. It was always like that. Traevonis wanted to creep out in the middle of the night and slip cockroaches under Miss Hattie Maes door, Delsalyn protested. Traevonis wanted to sell homemade chocolate-covered earthworms to the kids at school in order to make some extra money; Delsalyn protested. But no matter how strongly Delsalyn put up a fuss, he usually found himself giving in to his homeboy Trae. For this reason, Traevonis didnt even lose his cool as Delsalyn was giving his speech. Im guessing that this Billow Labryam is an 16 adult, said Delsalyn. And I know for a fact that know Trae that there are a lot of adults in this world who get off on hurting kids. Doing things to us that they shouldnt do. Now how do you know that this Billow Labryam isnt some sick old nasty person? You have to be careful, Trae. You need to talk to your momz about this first man. Like for real. Traevonis shrugged. Whats the point in going to her? He said. Shell only give me an even more mature version of the speech you just gave me. Grinning contrarily, Delsalyn smoothed his hand down the length of his corn rowed braids. How many study notes have you taken? He asked. For the test tomorrow? Traevonis was about to rebuke his friend for trying to change the subject, but instead closed his mouth almost as soon as he had opened it. He had learned over the years that Delsalyn Glendale was 17 a master expert when it came to running mind games. Usually Traevonis arose as the victor whenever there was a conflict between him and his friend, but Delsalyn had cleared at least a good twenty percent just by running his mind game magic. While Traevonis was more of a heavy negotiator, Delsalyn was more of a smooth operator. His way of turning the argument in his favor was by assuming a silk-laden tongue and an air of ice box cool composure, both of which he used to steer the conversation over to an alternative subject, one that was sure to rope Trae right in. I have about a . . . half-a-page, answered Traevonis. Delsalyn grinned. Im sure thats only half-a-lie, he said. Traevonis shrugged. Okay so I got about three sentences. Two or three. Well for you thats almost a record, said 18 Delsalyn smoothly. But I set a little record myself. I got a whole twelve pages, front and back. Traevonis shrugged. Creation Science was the only class he took that Delsalyn took as well. All of the lessons in that class were Bible-based. At the beginning of the year, when Traevonis had signed up for the class, he had assumed that it was going to be really easy - a breeze, as some might say. But it was actually very hard. God had created the Universe by speaking it into existence, but a person couldnt learn about it as easily as that, not even a grown-up. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants grow, said Delsalyn. Right, said Traevonis. We water the plants - or they get it from rain - and the sun gives them light. Both the water and the light are transformed into energy. 19 But that isnt the only way photosynthesis occurs, challenged Delsalyn. Yes it is, Traevonis insisted. No it isnt. And theres a verse in the Bible that proves it. Miss Langdon talked about it, and gave us the verse to use as reference. Traevonis just shrugged. He always got so caught up in listening to the teacher that note-taking was something he only did if he even remembered to do it. Do you know where rain came from originally? Delsalyn quizzed his friend. Nope. But I remember Miss L. talking about it. What about the two places where God put the water originally? And the - Would you just let me see the notes man? Asked Traevonis in a very irritated way. Delsalyn nodded, coolly. If only he was old enough for a cigar and a mustache, because in that 20 moment, he looked smooth enough to be in the movies. A triumphant grin came over Delsalyns face as Traevonis was leaving the room with the folder full of notes. True, his score was embarrassingly low, but it felt good to be leveled up another point. Swiveling around so that he was facing his desk again, Delsalyn snatched up the wrinkled newspaper cut-out, took one good look at it, then flicked it into the wastebasket. Living in a castle would be a real dream, and this Delsalyn knew in his heart to be as true as the skies. But he also knew that in a world where children are mistreated and abused, a kid has to watch his back on the regular, treat his life as if some grown up is always lurking nearby, running a scheme to take it out. Or worse, mess it up. Billow Labryam was not a sir. She was a young woman, a female Earthling of American and Oshunite parentage, whose voice hailed from the deepest part of her chest. Billow Labryam had been brought up an Earthling, but had at one time lived in Oshun, where the great WindFireStorm castle was located, until the pressure from the Oshunite people to become their Queen Governor had become too much pressure. Oh certainly it was flattering when it was all new and different and exciting, and she had never seen a jeweled rose before, or a lily made entirely of diamonds, or an apple that had been glazed in edible gold. But there came a time when the roses and the apples were heaped in dust-laden piles, and the miserable Oshunites, without a sparkling trinket left to give, had begun to congregate in mass numbers outside the castle, chanting tunelessly from the days 22 departure until the slipping away of the night, We need a Queen; we need a queen . . . Oh how it had grated her nerves! Each night became long and slow and dull, and each day was longer and slower and duller than the preceding night. Sleep became a dream, and dreaming became an impossibility. The incessant droning, the endless chanting, the ever-present mass of bodies flooding the castle grounds and streaming over the vale. She wanted to run, to sprout wings like some metamorphic creature of the hills and ascend into the heavens, where the wind creatures drink rain from goblets and eat cakes made of clouds. But to leave without first selling the castle to someone else would have meant forfeiting the contract, which in Oshun was as legally binding as is a deed in the earthly world. And the one thing Billow Labryam did not need - besides any kind of plastic surgery - were a bunch of android lawyers tailing her as she tried to elude them by escaping 23 from one dimension to another. Besides, Billow Labryam had deemed herself an honorable, trustworthy woman who stood by her word even when her resolve was steadily slipping. She had promised Ritaldo Duvall, both with her signature as well as her lips, that she would not make a permanent move from the castle until or unless she sold it, and she was determined to stand unflinchingly on her word, no matter how unbearable the day-by-night ritual of the Oshunites. And so she had placed an advertisement in over two-hundred thousand newspapers throughout many cities of the earth, and had spent the next several months waiting anxiously for a prospective buyer. And then the call from the boy had come. She wasnt certain of his age, but the selling of property to a child who was at least eight years old was in the Kingdom-City of Oshun a perfectly legitimate dealing. Billow Labryam had guessed 24 the boy to be about thirteen or fourteen. As she sat nestled in the depth of her giant snow-white lounge poof, Billow wondered if the boy had yet seen the pictures of the castle. WindFireStorm was not just a mere building constructed by human hands, but a startling amalgamation of cosmic fire, and blustering gales of wind, rain, and ice. The castle had been built by a chemist named Starmichael Payne, who had been commissioned by the last survivors of the Oshun Royal Family to construct a castle like none other in any of the Universes. King-Governor Michael DuVar, or King Mike as he was kindly referred to by his followers, resided in the castle with his family for exactly twenty years, and was Supreme Ruler of the Kingdom-City of Oshun from the time he was twenty-three years old until the day he gave himself over as lunch. It was during the King-Governors fifty-fourth year that he began to go mad, skipping through the grass-laden fields of 25 Dewdrop Valley wearing a womans lacy frock; fishing in the Lake of Dead Birds; and even hiring a hydro technician to freeze himself inside of a giant ice cube so that he could lay out in the sun to see how quickly he would melt. It was also during this year that he fed himself to a fully-grown worm dragon, widowing his wife and leaving his children partially-orphaned. Dezmerelda DuVar, Queen-Governor of Oshun, was so grief-stricken, so torn apart - as it was rumored - that she hired a professional sorceress to turn her into a chicken, and flapped away to Umbra to start her own egg far, after which the Queen-Governors six children, who were all boys, were abducted by ovulating harpies (This too was a rumor, as were the many other stories involving the six boys.) Whatever actually happened to the last survivors of the Oshun Royal Family, the castle was deserted for several months before it was turned over to the Kingdom-City Auction, 26 from which the Pulsarian Real Estate Agency purchased it for a cool one hundred billion dollars. A year later, during Y2K, as millions of Earthlings were preparing themselves for the Great End - which ended before it even came - a man named Ritaldo Duvall purchased the castle from the agency while vacationing in Oshun with a lady friend. Ritaldo Duvall was a humanoid who hailed from the Gleaming Outerworld. He owned and operated two gumbo and shrimp restaurants on Earth - one in New Orleans, Louisiana, the other in Mobile, Alabama. He was banking enough to buy out at least a third of the banks in America, and was able to easily pay thirty-five billion dollars for the property. A year later, though, in the year 2001, he was trying to hock the multi-billion dollar property for a couple of hundred thousand dollars. His advertising medium of choice was the newspaper. Ritaldo bought more than a million ads in more than a million papers being circulated 27 throughout parts of the Primary Universe. Billow Labryam came across one of his ads in The Angelwood Chronicle while having her lunch break in the shop one late Saturday in Spring. A few weeks later, the castle belonged to her, and the Oshunites were already showering her with many of the lands vast treasures, in hopes that she would allow them to crown her their new Queen Governor. But a year passed and Billow Labryam still had not relented to the Oshunite people. On the contrary, she had become so cross with them that for a while she took to flinging baby worm dragons at them from the windows, just as Ritaldo Duvall had done. And if a baby worm dragon got into a persons eye, the protective slime covering its body caused the eyeball to swell up to the size of a grapefruit and sprout long, dripping tentacles. Billow sighed as she sank deeper into the lounge poof. Soon she would have to return to the Hollow 28 World, and to the Kingdom-City of Oshun, in order to make sure that the increasingly angry inhabitants didnt raid the castle or worse. But for now she would relax, light a few lavender-scented candles and make a pot of mua huang tea; prepare a bath of honey and milk and soak in it for several hours. Billows thoughts wandered to the boy as she was adding a spoonful of nectar to her cup of star drop tea. Though the castle was worth more than every talk show host in America, Billow Labryam was serious about selling it to the boy for fifteen dollars. It wasnt as if she needed any more money. Her investment in celestial diamonds was banking enough to pay off the U.S. deficit, and Labryams Otherworld wasnt doing too shabbily either. Billow simply wanted to get rid of the castle, and to get the inhabitants of Oshun out of her hair once and for all. Originally she hadnt thought to sell the property to someone of such 29 young age, but conversing with the boy had enabled her to see that a child was just the person to whom the castle should be sold. Children were quite safe in Oshun - much safer than they were in many parts of the Earth World - and no one would ever try to force child - much less an Earthling child - into taking on the job of ruling some Kingdom-City in Outer Space. The boy wouldnt even have to live there permanently. He could just beam in and out from time to time, whenever he grew bored or restless, or just whenever he needed to get away from the strains and the pressures of his own troubled world. 30 Traevonis awoke that Thursday morning feeling as if his brain had been stuffed with cotton balls. He had spent much of the previous night trying to study by the lights streaming through the windows, and had given in only when the backs of his eyes had begun to ache. Now the inside of his head felt like the inside of a pillow. By the time he had brushed his teeth and put on his clothes, it seemed that his brain wouldnt be up to the job of performing in school unless he had neurons with his cereal. Trae sweetie you need to put some oil moisturizer on your hair, said his mother as he was spooning up the last of his cereal. It looks very dry. Traevonis didnt respond to this until he had gulped down every last drop of milk in the bowl. Oil moisturizer makes it greasy, he said, wiping 31 his mouth with the back of his hand. Not if you only use a dime-sized amount, said his mother. You want to squirt half the bottle on your head, Trae. But even with hair as thick as yours you only need a little. Traevoniss mother looked very young and small to him, like a high school girl. Her name was Dawnessa, and she was so pretty, a man was asking her out on a date every time she went out somewhere. And men were always smiling at her and nodding at her, and sometimes they even whistled and yelled out stuff that made Traevonis want to grab one of them. One time Traevonis got so angry he cussed a man out, and his mother punished him by making him pick up all the trash in the parking lot. Later on she told him that she understood his being defensive, but he needed to learn to practice some self-control. Ill put a little on before I go, Traevonis assured his mother. I dont want to go to school 32 with a dry head. And you dont want to come back home with an empty one, said his mother as she was dipping a spoonful of sweet oatmeal into Crishonas mouth. Crishona still had on her night clothes, and her hair was poofed out like a little black cloud. Traevonis told her she looked like a chocolate Treasure Troll. And youre so sweet, he gushed. Yes you are my Booga Wooga! Squealing delightedly, Crishona scooped up a handful of her oatmeal and threw it at her brother. A few seconds later, as he was cleaning himself up with the dish towel, Delsalyn came knocking at the front door. Holla! Delsalyn called. Theres my ni - But Traevonis stopped before he could even finish saying the word when Dawnessa gave her son a look so dangerous it made him shut his 33 mouth with a slap. . . . my partner, said Trae squeakily. Well I guess Im out, he said as he tossed the dish towel into the sink. Hollatcha momz. He gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. Bye Crissy, he said as he bounded into the living room for his backpack. No kissy for you. I dont feel like getting slapped up with oatmeal again." Traevonis stopped at the door before he had it opened. Vaguely he remembered hearing someone on the news say something about Black boys not being able to live past . . . what was it? Fourteen? Eighteen? He couldnt remember. But either way he was bothered. If he died before he turned fourteen, then hed be just another Black boy dead, just one more piece of newsy entertainment for the masses. If he lived to be fourteen, then according to mainstream statistics, hed only have another four years before he was either shot up or locked up. Traevonis wanted to ask his mother, You 34 think Ill do it, Moma? You think Ill still be alive two weeks from now? He wanted to ask this, but he didnt. Just wanting to do it made him feel like he was going to burst out crying. And the one thing Traevonis was not supposed to do was cry. Because he was a boy. Which meant that he had to be a man. When Traevonis emerged from the apartment, Delsalyn was leaning against the wall on the other side of the corridor, his backpack slung over his shoulder as he conversed with one of the twins who lived in Number 26. Immediately Traevonis loosened up his belt so that his pants went down by about four inches, and slicked his hand over his hair several times in an attempt to create some kind of wave effect. Kamilah and Nyonna were the two finest girls in that whole apartment complex, aside from Jayeesha Glendale, who was like a supermodel with braces. The twins had a dimple in both 35 cheeks, and a headful of autumn-colored hair that Miss Balou of Balous Bumper Curl spent hours straightening to a silky cascade every Friday afternoon. Hey wuz up Kamilah, Traevonis greeted the young lady. The smile she had been giving Delsalyn disappeared from her lips. Im Nyonna, she said. Kamilahs not feeling too good today. And neither am I to tell you the truth. Oh Im sorry, said Traevonis. You dont feel too bad do you? Nyonna didnt respond to this. She was too busy staring into Delsalyns hazel-green eyes to say much of anything. So are you going? She asked Delsalyn as Traevonis stood off to the side, watching and listening. Yeah Ill swing by, said Delsalyn, giving Nyonna a smile that sent the blood flying up into 36 her cheeks. Cool, Nyonna caroled. Ill see you Delsalyn. And she turned away from him with her eyes still on his face, her spillage of long reddish-brown hair swinging pendulously. Bye Nyonna. Traevonis called after the girl as she strutted off down the hall. She didnt even look back at him. She didnt hear you, said Delsalyn as the two boys began their walk to the elevator. You know Nyonna is not a funny-acting girl. She and Kamilah are both cool. Traevonis just gave a little shrug. So what you want to do after school today? He asked his friend as they stood waiting for the elevator. Just chill I guess, said Delsalyn. Or . . . we could hit up the Internet and check out that castle you wanted to see. By now Traevonis had pulled out the folder of 37 notes he had borrowed from his friend, and was trying to cram in that last page as he shuffled along, while trying to keep his pants up at the same time. The castle? Yeah. he said, only half-interested. There are pictures of it on the Internet? The elevator doors slid noisily open, and the two boys stepped inside. Delsalyn was still staring at Traevonis when the elevator stopped on the first floor. You dont remember it do you Trae? Asked Delsalyn as they stepped into the lobby, where the floor was so slick with Mop-and-Go that the boys were half-way across it by the time Delsalyn began to speak again. The castle, Trae, he said. The one you wanted to see on the Internet. Billows Otherworld - dot - com. The castle you were talking about buying yesterday? 38 As he stepped out into the sunlight, Traevonis closed the folder and pushed it back down into his jacket pocket. The morning was crisp and golden and bright. Traevonis inhaled a long, deep breath, taking in the smell of rain, car oil, and gun smoke. I wonder who got dealt with last night? He asked his friend. I know I heard some shots going off. The sound worked into my dream. Delsalyn shrugged, dismissively. Some crack head. I heard Moma and Daddy talking about it this morning. So what about the castle man, you still want to check it out what? I visited the web-site after you left yesterday, and the pictures are . The castle is called WindFireStorm, and supposedly its made of fire and ice and wind and rain. The boys hurried across the street before the light changed again. I dont know Dee, man, said Traevonis once they had made it to the other side. Im not even 39 feeling that whole thing no more. It was going off for a minute but . . . But what about your daddy? Asked Delsalyn, passion heightening his voice. He had you save up the money so you could buy a castle. Or a winged unicorn so I can fly away from here, Traevonis dully recited. And then he said, languorously, I dreamed about him last night. I dreamed he got shot up, and there was all this blood gushing from his body, and Moma was holding him, and I was holding onto his legs, and we were both screaming and crying because we knew he was going to die. But he didnt die, Dee. He left. He just upped and left. How could he do that, Dee? Traevonis asked, softly. How could he just up leave like that? With Moma pregnant and all? And me . . . But Traevonis didnt say anything more. He could feel the tears swelling up inside his throat and in his heart, and the only way to keep any of 40 them from showing in his eyes was to just shut up. The Evette Hopkins Educational Center boasted an attendance of five hundred strong. There were also two hundred Internet computers, a library with over ten thousand books, a cafeteria and a delicatessen, as well as a video room where the students spent an hour each week watching films and documentaries on various educational topics. There was also a metal detector situated at the front entrance, as well as thirty-two video cameras set up throughout the building. The Evette Hopkins Educational Center had been founded in 1995 by Mary Evette Hopkins , who was also owner and founder of the Evette Hopkins Health Treatment Center and the Hopkins Neighborhood Clinic, as well as one of the only three self-made millionaires to come out of that neighborhood. The school had been opened for attendance since 1998. The five hundred students 42 ranged from age eleven to nineteen, and had been selected after having passed an aptitude test, which had been taken by more than eight hundred prospective students over a period of two years. All 827 applicants had been accepted into the educational center, but only five hundred of them had been coming to class everyday for two years straight. The goal of the center was to provide the students with a computer-oriented education and an environment free of drugs and crime. There were no football or basketball teams, no cheerleaders or marching bands. But Traevonis absolutely enjoyed it. The classes were small enough so that the teachers were able to give the students the attention they needed, and whats more than that, Traevonis always went home at the end of the day feeling as if he had actually learned something. And he knew that he was safe there. And whats more, he didnt have to take a bus to 43 get to the other side of town, as he had when he was going to Brunson, which the city had closed down on account of so many students bringing guns to school every day. The best thing about the center was that they didnt have classes but four days a week. Traevoniss first class of the day was Pre-Accounting I. Although he managed to maintain a C-plus average, it was the most difficult of all his classes. Delsalyn, on the other hand, had been so good at Accounting I that they had skipped him up to Accounting II, in which he was the only student under the age of seventeen, and in which he scored nothing but As and Bs. After Pre-Accounting I came Typing I. After that, Trae had his Computer I class. Here they learned how to create simple web pages and BASIC programs, and how to use spreadsheets and databases. They were also allowed to use the Internet, but only on Thursdays. That day, with just thirteen minutes left before the 44 bell, Delsalyn sent a file entitled CastleFire to Traes e-mail in-box. Besides several newsletters and a demonstration graphics program, this was the only new mail Trae had received since last month. As to be expected, he was quite stunned when he clicked the file open. The picture of the castle was beautifully-shot, and the methyl-colored flames emanating from it looked real enough to burn. The castle also looked to be made of ice, jagged shards and sicles that absorbed and reflected the glare of the swirling flames. This is tight! Trae loudly exclaimed, causing several students to look over at him. Along with the file, Delsalyn had sent a message. It read: Delsalyn was in his Word-processing class. 45 Sometimes, if the students had completed all of their assignments, Mrs. Hendrix, his teacher, allowed them to surf the Internet for a few minutes before the bell rang. With less than six minutes left before class was dismissed, Traevonis- hoping that Delsalyn was still on-line - e-mailed a message to him. The message read: Immediately after transporting the e-mail message, Trae typed in the web-site address, and sat tensely for an eternal thirty-six seconds as Billows Otherworld- dot-com uploaded into the computer. The web-site was a simple-looking compilation with black backgrounds, a few 46 scanned images of things that Trae didnt really bother to look at, and of course, beautifully-photographed pictures of Castle WindFireStorm, shot from several breathtaking angles. Billow Labryams e-mail address was BL@billowsworld.com. The message Trae sent read as follows. Traes fourth class of the day was Black-American history, which was, without contest, the best line of study offered at the center. At least for a thirteen-year-old Black kid who had grown up believing that no Black American had ever amounted to anything, with the exception of a talk 47 show host that he was too young to understand. There was only one African-American history class offered at the center, and since the beginning of April, the students had been learning about the Cowboys of the Old West. Traevonis and the other children in the class had been shocked to find out that the word cowboy had started off as a kind racial slur used by white cattlemen, as had the word cowgirl. They had been even more shocked to find out that more than eighty percent of the original cowboys and cowgirls had been Black, Native American, and Mexican Indian. That Thursday the students were to write a report about either of the thirty Cowboys that they had already learned about. An enlarged black-and-white photograph of each Cowboy was pinned up around the classroom. Traevonis chose to do his report on Bill Pickett, because he had invented the all-time-famous act of biting the steers lip during his rodeo performance. 48 Ill be glad when we start talking about the Cowgirls, said Danedria McCrane, who sat in the third row, right next to Traevonis. I want to do my report on Mary Fields, because she was a lady gunfighter. A woman who could brawl with the best of the men. Thats what Mister Duncan told me. Danedria McCrane was tallish and thin, with crinkly, mushroom-shaped hair that was so stiff, you could sit her out in a windstorm for two hours and it wouldnt move. (At least this is what Jajuan Peterson said). She also wore braces over her large, book-shaped teeth. A lot of the other kids at school knew her as Beaver McCrane. At times, when Danedria and Traevonis were walking through the halls together, some smart-mouthed buster would yell out something like, Hey Trae man thats your girl? And once, Jajuan Peterson, who was with no doubt the lamest so-and-so in that school - at least Trae and his boy 49 Delsalyn would tell it to you like that - had pretended to shade himself under Danedrias umbrella hair while they had all stood out front, waiting for the rain to slack off. But Traevonis really liked the girl. Not in that way of course. Although sometimes he got the impression that Danedria liked in that way. Even Delsalyn had said that if Danedria had her way, she and Traevonis would already be engaged. So who are you doing your paper on? Asked Danedria. Bill Pickett, Traevonis replied. What about you? Isom Dart, said Danedria. He was a bronco rider, a gunslinger, and a hunter, and not to mention one of the most feared men of his time. We didnt talk about him in class, but Mister Duncan said I could do my paper on him if I want to. For Traevonis, breakdancing on a lake of thin ice 50 would have been easier than writing that report. Though Bill Pickett was his favorite Cowboy, the one whom he most admired, Traevonis couldnt stop thinking about the castle. He was so excited that he started to tell Danedria everything, but then quickly decided to just keep his mouth shut. Yeah. The best thing to do was to just keep everything on the chill, as he was sure Delsalyn would tell him. Eleven minutes before the dismissal bell rang, Trae finished his paper, turned it in, then went back to his desk and waited tensely for the end of fourth period. Next, he would be going to lunch, and as usual he would be meeting Delsalyn out in the hall over by the water fountain, where hopefully his boy would be giving him some really exciting news. Six minutes before the bell, Traevonis felt as if he had eaten an entire box of those chocolate-flavored laxatives. It seemed everything was 51 slowing down intentionally just to punish him. My bum, if this clock doesnt chase up, Im going to have to be excused to go to the toilet, Trae grumbled. What you say? Asked Danedria, lifting her head up from the desk, her face shining as if though it had been greased in Vaseline. It was another thing that boys like JaJuan Peterson teased her about. They called her Chicken grease on account of all the hair grease she used in her hair, which had a tendency to slide down and coat her face over a certain number of hours. Nothing, said Trae, and Danedria put her head down again. Slowly, very slowly, the clocked ticked on and on, cruelly and unrelentlessly, as if death was waiting at the other end of time. 52 As Traevonis was rushing towards the water fountain five minutes later, he caught sight of his boy Delsalyn standing at a locker with a girl who looked like she was pushing sixteen. She was giggling and showing every tooth in her mouth, while Delsalyn just stood there, pretty-boy-smooth, the tiny golden stud in his ear giving off a sharp . He gave Traevonis a cool little nod to let him know that he would soon be at his post, said one last thing that made the girls cheeks turn into two plump little roses, then strutted over to where Traevonis stood, moving as if every one of his steps had been greased in mackdaddy oil. So whatd you want to tell me? Asked Traevonis eagerly. Delsalyn smiled, creating tiny, golden flecks in the centers of his hazel-green eyes. I already 53 talked to Billow Labryam, he said, and shes sending your stuff to you this afternoon. Patting Traevonis on the shoulder, Delsalyn said, Is that not alright or what man? Everythings going straight so far. Come on lets go eat. And then he turned and walked away, leaving Traevonis standing there for what seemed to him to be the longest time he had ever spent in one place. What do you mean you talked to her? Demanded Trae as he raced to catch up with his friend. Her. Sending my stuff? This afternoon? Wutchu talking about Dee? You already talked to . . . to her? Sounded like a to me! The tantalizing aroma of burgers, pizza and other delectables caused Traevoniss stomach to growl like a hungry little beast tucked away inside his belly as he pushed through the double doors and into the cafeteria. He hadnt eaten anything but that one bowl of generic Frosted Flecks all day, 54 and he was as hungry as that stupid rabbit thats always chasing after those stupid cereal. But still he kept at his friend, determined not to let down one bit until Delsalyn gave him the news. Well talk about it as soon as we sit down to eat, Trae, said Delsalyn, his voice sharpening to a point at the very end of the sentence. Right now I want to get some of this grub man, Im hungry. Sighing heavily, Traevonis followed Delsalyn into the burger-and-pizza line. There were three kinds of pizza to choose from - pepperoni, sausage, and ham - as well as three kinds of burger - traditional, taco, and chili cheese. Traevonis got a chili cheese burger, along with extra french fries, for which he paid fifty cents. So will you break this all down for me now, Dee? Asked Trae as he stood at their table, tucking his lunch card back down into his pocket. I will once you sit down, said Delsalyn firmly. As you know, I already talked to Miss Labryam, 55 he said once Trae had seated himself. I talked to her over the phone last night. Say what? But Dee you said - I know what I said, Trae. But what you didnt know is that I came up on that ad two weeks before you did. I already knew about the castle. Delsalyn tore the plastic from his knife and fork, then used them to cut his pepperoni-and-cheese pizza into two perfect halves. Traevonis was still staring at him when he finished saying his grace. I know whats going through your mind Trae, said Delsalyn as he cut a piece from one of the halves. But I had to distract you. Keep you preoccupied until I had the chance to look into all this myself. You see, I know how you are. How am I? Asked Trae tightly. Rash and impetuous, Delsalyn aptly replied. How you know I wouldnt find the ad before you did? Asked Trae. Because you dont read newspapers. You 56 hardly read at all. Thats why youre in that Reading One class. And Im not knocking you either, Im just saying. Traes stomach made a loud, long, pig-like noise. Delsalyn sniggered. Why dont you just go ahead and eat man, he said. And stop sitting there trying to look all hard. Sighing heavily once more, Traevonis gave in like the hungry little something-or-other he was and dove into the chili cheese burger and hot, crisp french fries. Miss Labryam teleported to my bedroom last night, Delsalyn casually revealed. And then he smiled. Shes real fine too. She looks like shes about . . . eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Something like that. A big blob of squashed fries descended from Traevoniss mouth and landed on his lunch tray with a splat. Delsalyn just rolled his eyes in that pretty-boy- 57 way of his. It was a man, he said. It wasnt like she showed up with the intention of making a out of me or anything like that. She was trying to get to the apartment next door for some reason. But anyway, to break it down for you, I found out who she was, she found out who I was, and I told her that the boy who wanted to buy the castle was a really good partner of mine. And she told me a bunch of stuff. About Hollow and . . . all this other off-the-chain-type stuff. The kinds of things I read about in my sci-fi books, man. It was a while before Trae could open his mouth and speak. So its true, he said. The castle is real . . . Of course its for real, Delsalyn exclaimed. And she wants to sell it to you for fifteen slices. Once again, Traevonis was overcome by that feeling of spiraling down through the air like a falling leaf. 58 And shes sending me my stuff today? Yeah. Shes going to send it to you by light beam. Ive been talking to Miss Labryam for several days now, by e-mail you know, and she told me that its very hard to travel from one dimension to another. She also told me that its highly likely our bodies might be reduced to a pulp while dimension traveling. Even if we go by light beam. And she said its especially dangerous for us, since were so young, and since were not used to traveling from one dimension to another. Delsalyn stopped rambling long enough to take two huge gulps of sweetened ice tea. Aaaahh. What Ive been working on for a couple of days now are these formulas. See, Miss Labryam told me that if we could find an energy pocket somewhere, we could travel inside that. She said itd be much safer than trying to streak, which means using a light beam. And she said there are energy pockets all over the place. 59 Traevonis was in a daze. Talking about streaks. There were lights streaking all over his brain. Ee-pee? He said. Isnt that like . . . blue you are, pink youre not? Delsalyn shook his head, vigorously. Nah man. Thats something else. Something totally unrelated to this. Nah ee-pee stands for energy pocket. If we could get inside one - trapped in one, so to speak - we could use that energy pocket in conjunction with a light beam to travel from Earth to Hollow and back again. The energy pocket would act as a kind of protective bubble. You know. To keep us from getting squashed. Delsalyn continued forking up his food as he talked. Miss Labryam was also talking to me about traveling through a dimension portal. She said if we could find one of those, we could travel by it no problem. But she also said that those portals are very hard to find. Actually she said that their presence on Earth is quite rare. She told me 60 that there was about a one in eight hundred billion chance that well ever find one. Traevonis scooped up the big blob of mush with a paper towel. What stuff is she supposed to send me? He asked. And how are we going to make an energy pocket anyway? Dont worry about that, I got that, said Delsalyn. Now about the stuff shes sending you: theres a skeleton key, one that opens every locked door inside and outside the castle; a light beam for you to travel by; a map of Oshun, and a map of Hollow; and uh . . . something else . . . oh yeah, a travel brochure and catalogue. Shes going to send you everything by light beam. Did I already tell you that? 61 At two oclock, the students were dismissed until next week. For a full seventeen minutes, they poured unceasingly from the building. Traevonis, Delsalyn and Danedria were right in the middle of the flood. So what are yall doing later? Danedria asked the two boys. Traevonis and Delsalyn sneaked a look at each other. Nothing much, said Trae. Just chilling. A look of disappointment on her face, Danedria turned to Delsalyn and asked, What about you Dee? Keeping it smooth, Delsalyn didnt say anything at all. He just shrugged and gave Danedria a smile that made her feel all sticky on the inside. So I guess Ill see yall later this weekend, said Danedria after she had recovered herself. 62 If we do come out to your crib, itll have to be sometime in the morning, said Trae as they all flooded out onto the spacious front lawn of the Evette Hopkins Educational Center. Thats the only time its cool to be humping to Twenty-second on the weekends. And you know if we get some ends, well catch a bus, added Delsalyn helpfully. Danedria smiled. I got this role-playing game, she said. My brother, the one in college? DaAndre? You know hes majoring in computer programming and graphics design. Well anyway, he spent almost two years working on this game called Dark Kingdom, and he sent me a copy of it yesterday. Its about this Black boy who buys a magic kingdom in another universe. Two sets of eyebrows rose and two pairs of eyes met. Word? Said Delsalyn, his voice trembling slightly. That sounds dope. 63 True that, said Trae. So how can we get with a copy? Her expression deepening, Danedria said, There was an ad in the paper a week ago. For a castle someone was trying to sell for all these billions of dollars. Once again, Trae and Delsalyn exchanged expressions of surprise. Word? They exclaimed, simultaneously. Danedria bobbed her head. I showed it to Moma, and she couldnt really explain it, but she told me not to bother with it. She said we couldnt afford it anyway. But your folks are banking, said Trae. They have to be, you rolling up in a Lex everyday. And you got that phat crib in Blackwell Heights, added Delsalyn, trying to prolong the deliberate turn-around of the subject. But we cant afford a castle, said Danedria. The day had warmed up a little since that 64 morning, but the sun was tucked behind several thick layers of clouds, and the wind was moving in briskly from the North, bringing along with it the fog-like moisture of the lakes. Students streamed onto buses and into cabs, and those still waiting on rides shivered as the wind grew increasingly sharp. Well, theres my moma, Danedria announced as a cream-colored Lexus pulled in front of the building. After gathering up her things, she turned and looked at her friends as if though she feared that the ground might swallow them up any second. Yall want a ride to Creston? She asked. Traevonis bulked up, suddenly all man, even though he felt like less than half that. Well be cool, he said. Right Dee? Oh yeah Im straight, said Delsalyn. Are yall sure? Danedria pressed them. Fiddy is probably standing out there right now, waiting on new recruits. And yall know how he 65 is. Fifty does not take no for an answer. Hes trying to get paid. Traevonis, still bulked up like some midget bodybuilder, said, Fiddy knows my daddy dont play. And that was the truth. Traevoniss father had let every criminal who did their business around Creston Hill know that the neighborhood was not for the taking, and even more than that, neither was his son. Traes father had once called Big Fifty a coward to his face, and this seemingly miniscule act of courage had earned him a lot of respect from the people of the neighborhood, both law-abiding and criminal. But Tracy Damar was gone, and he had been gone for several months. As far as Trae knew, he was dead. And maybe Big Fifty had killed him. Remembering that his father was gone caused Traevonis to feel as if his heart was being split into two perfect halves that would never be a perfect 66 whole again. Well be aight, said Delsalyn. Were partners, we stick it together. We cant keep ducking, and thats on the real. Danedria shrugged, though she looked as worried as before. Then Im out, she said. I guess Ill see yall next week. . The words moved around inside Traevoniss head like the reverberations of a gong. Seconds after having spoken them, Danedria was sitting in the back seat of the car, waving goodbye to them. And then she was gone. So you ready? Asked Delsalyn. Yeah Im ready. Im cool. And Traevonis cool. At least he was maintaining his cool on the outside. But if you were to look into his eyes, you would see that he was worried and afraid. And if you could hear his thoughts, you would know that he was thinking, 67 Man, walking through hell with a back pocket full of firecrackers would be easier than this. Fortunately, the two boys didnt have any dangerous encounters on the way home, but as they humped the three blocks from school to Creston Hill, trying to maintain a fatade of unfazed composure, each sound and every moving thing, whether real or fearfully imagined, threatened to shatter their nerves. They did, however, run into Pretty Red, who scared them so much that even he was startled by their reactions. Woah, take it easy lil partners, Pretty Red exclaimed, holding his hands up for them to see. I aint got nothin' on me today. And I aint gone try to sell yall nothin either. I already let you know that Trae. Sorry Red, Trae apologized. Pretty Reds real name was Roderick Thornton. 68 He was called Pretty Red on the streets because he was, to put it straight, ruddy-complexioned and very good-looking. He had handsome, bedroom eyes and the kind of hair that waved up without the use of a comb or pomade. And he had a smile so stunning, it caused Traes heart to react shamefully. Roderick was always telling Traevonis, Delsalyn, and the other kids in the neighborhood not to be stupid like him, and to stay in school and off the streets. Once, Traevonis asked him, Why do you do this Red? You know you probably going to get caught slipping sooner or later. And Roderick had replied, quite brusquely, I cant do nothin' else. I admit I cant read. I cant even write a sentence. Ask me what one-plus-one is and Ill tell you. Two to ten years. Still, Traevonis couldnt figure out how someone so young and so kind-hearted could be stuck in a hopeless situation in a country where every decent- 69 hearted person is supposedly given at least one chance to better his life and himself. Fiddy is workin Seventeenth , said Roderick, sensing their fear. And me, Im takin it easy today. Tryin to keep it low. I dont need to get locked up again. Three strikes and thats it man, said Trae. I know Trae, said Roderick, his cheeks going slightly red. I got two more strikes dont I? Yeah, my life is like a baseball game. The white folks who preach about freedom and opportunity really rooting against you to lose. And the Black folks who say they want you to make it . . . they give up on you so easy now. Its like they just done lost all they hope in you. For a moment, Roderick looked sad, the saddest Trae had ever seen him. And then he smiled, and Traevoniss heart did that embarrassing skip-and-a-hop thing. Yall go on up and let your folks know yall 70 aight, said Roderick. The landlady, Miss Dennison, was in the lobby, sitting back in the armchair watching a talk show on the big old-fashioned floor set. The screen was cabbage-and-lettuce green, but watching it in color wouldnt have made it any more interesting. The hosts insane popularity just didnt match up with the nature of her shows, at least not as far as Traevonis was concerned. Today she was talking cheerily about the unhealthy, dysfunctional behavior of a white, and not to mention, very wrecked-looking married couple. Why dont people just go see marriage counselors, grumbled Traevonis as he and Delsalyn headed for the elevator. Id rather be a case file than to be bad entertainment. Good afternoon, Miss Dennison, caroled the two boys. Hi boys, answered Miss Dennison with a tired 71 smile. Just sitting here waiting on Mister Brahms. Mr. Brahms was one of the Creston Hill security guards. There were thirteen of them in all. Unlike other security guards, the Cres Crew didnt use video cameras and monitors. Instead, they strolled about the apartment complex, knocking on doors and checking to make sure that the residents were safe at all times, being especially attentive to the elderly, the disabled, those with children, and those who lived alone. The Cres Crew also patrolled the grounds, predominately at night, when suspicious characters were most likely to huddle together in groups or hide out in dark corners. So whatd you say was in the package again? Asked Trae just before running slap into Miss Hattie Mae Johnson of Apartment Number 18. You little hip-hopping joes need to watch where you going! She harped before Trae could even open his mouth to apologize. You always 72 running around this apartment building! Like a bunch of little wild dogs! Both Traevonis and Delsalyn backed away quickly. With mounds of curly, black hair and gobs of long eyelashes, Miss Hattie Mae Johnson was about the prettiest 80-year-old woman either of them had ever seen, but she was also about as friendly as a pit bull. Were sorry Miss Mattie Hae, Traevonis stammered. I mean - Sorry my eighty-year-old tush, Miss Hattie Mae snapped. Youll be sorry for real when your pants hit the ground, I guarantee you that! Now you listen here. When these drug-dealing fools try to intimidate you, you dont run like a bunch of cream-filled sissies! You say . . . I rebuke you in the name of Jesus! Yall feeling me on that? I said DO YOU FEEL ME! Yes maam we feel you! The two boys adamantly replied. 73 Miss Hattie Mae smiled, pleased with the given response. Cool, she said. Now move out of my way Pretty Boy Dee and Cool No-Money Tee. I wonder wheres she off to? asked Delsalyn as Miss Hattie Mae strutted off down the hall. Off to shoot craps with her girls I guess, said Trae. Come on man. We got things to do. The travel brochure and catalogue, the maps of Oshun and Hollow, the light beam and the skeleton key - all were contained inside a black drawstring pouch that looked to be made of a shimmerescent, velvet-like material. The pouch was nestled deeply inside the bed pillow, as if though it had been dropped from considerably high up. Walking with a zombie-like gait, his mind clouded as if by a magical ether, Traevonis made his way over to the bed, and took up the pouch with his hands. Go ahead and open it, said Delsalyn, his voice kicking up several octaves. And so, his heart pumping furiously, his body trembling all over, Traevonis sat down on the edge of the bed and loosened up the drawstring. The first thing he removed was the light beam, a flat, circular object encased inside a metal compact. The light beam was glass-like and iridescent, and 75 looked a lot like a music CD. I wonder how does it work? Said Trae. I mean what am I supposed to do to get it to function? Maybe Miss Labryam sent you instructions on how to use it, said Delsalyn urgently. And so Trae reached his hand into the pouch again, and extracted the travel brochure and catalogue, the maps of Oshun and Hollow, and the skeleton key. The key to the castle. It was of antiquitous design, and was made of a clear, heavy glass that sparkled from the inside out, as if though there were tiny bits of silver encapsulated within. Man, Traevonis blissfully exhaled. Delsalyn snatched up the travel brochure and the catalogue. On the covers of both were vivid, computer-generated images, one an orb of green and yellow fire and smoke, the other a streaming 76 vale of flowers. Delsalyn began flipping through the pages of both books. Snap, he breathily exclaimed, his eyes going as round as quarters. Check it out, yo. Yo Trae this it ! But Traevonis was still staring at the key. It seemed to be picking up some color, streaks of lavender and pink, which heightened the sparkles immensely, causing them to resemble colored sequins. So is there a letter from Miss Labryam? Asked Delsalyn as he was unfolding the map of Oshun. No, said Traevonis, the word barely escaping his lips. The bag is empty . . . now . . . So how are we supposed to use the light beam! Delsalyn shrieked. I thought I saw some writing, said Trae. On the inside of the little container . . . Less than a second later, Delsalyn was opening 77 the light beam encasement. Inside the top-half was an adhesive stamp with numbered instructions printed out on it. Instructions on How to Use the Light Beam Disc, Delsalyn read. One: Remove light beam disc from metal encasement. Two: Holding light beam disc firmly in your hand, place it in the position from which you would like to throw it (Example: chin, above head, etc.). Three: Throw light beam disc Frisbee-style. The harder you throw it, the farther it will go. After it has completely slowed down, the light beam disc will hover in the air, creating a if spectrum is facing upward, and a if spectrum is facing downward. Depending on high or low the light beam is, you will either have to step or jump into it. Once inside the light, Delsalyn continued to read, the beam will close up on its own. Keep your eyes on the directional screen (Note: Objects 78 are moving faster than they appear). Use your body to navigate. If light beam disc is thrown too high, it will come down after about thirty seconds. Delsalyn removed the disc from its encasement. The spectrum, he said, studying the disc closely. Thats the iridescent side. Grasping the disc firmly in his right hand, Delsalyn held it level with his chin. Youre going to try it? Asked Trae warily. Without speaking, Delsalyn threw the disc Frisbee-style, being careful not to put much force behind it. When it stopped, it was hovering right over the throw rug, and a shining, transparent beam had erupted from it, creating a kaleidoscopic pattern of light on the ceiling above it. For a moment the boys just stood with their mouths gaping, their hearts pulsing in their ears. And then Delsalyn, only partially aware of what he was doing, inserted his hand into the beam of 79 light. This caused such a powerful energy surge that for a moment it was like standing mere inches away from the brightest star in the sky. One nanosecond later, Delsalyn had extracted his hand, and he and Traevonis were blinking and rubbing their burning eyes. What in the ! Traevonis squealed. Some kind of a power surge, Delsalyn gasped. Though his eyes stung as if they had been pepper-sprayed, Delsalyn slowly pried them apart, his pupils returning painfully back to their normal size. The disc was still hovering over the rug, almost as if it was waiting complacently for someone to enter its beam. Is it just going to keep floating like that? Asked Traevonis about twenty seconds later. I dont know, said Delsalyn, his voice quivering like loose jelly. And then, slowly, for a reason unknown even to him, Delsalyn extended his hand and held it 80 beneath the levitating disc, which floated for about a half-a-second longer before settling into his grasp. What happened? Asked Trae. H-howd you get it to stop? Delsalyn worked up a shrug. I dont know, he said. Maybe it has motion sensors or something . . . So what do we do? Asked Traevonis. I dont know, Delsalyn replied, his voice tapering down to a whisper-like state. Thats up to you . . . Both boys jumped several inches off the floor when something small, white and square-shaped fell from out of the ceiling and sank into Traevoniss pillow. Its probably a letter from Miss Labryam, said Delsalyn. Why dont you get it? The folded sheet of paper was in fact a letter from Billow Labryam, written to both Traevonis 81 and Delsalyn. As a matter of fact, the letter began Dear Misters Traevonis Damar and Delsalyn Glendale.Man, Im so excited! Trae squealed. Man, I want be able to use my ee-pee formula! exclaimed Delsalyn, sounding pretty angry. LaTisha Forbes of Number 23 was Crishonas baby-sitter. She was an 18-year-old college student who treated boyfriends like they were birthstones, because as far as Trae could see, she had a different one for each month. LaTisha was also Traes baby-sitter, more or less, because even though he was allowed to make his own dinner, it was LaTishas job to see that he got into bed at a decent hour, and to make sure that all of his homework was finished before he went to sleep. Well, being that it was Thursday, Traevonis didnt have homework, nor did he have to be in bed by ten oclock, since there was no school the following day. But LaTisha, who was sitting on the living room floor painting her nails with Silver Moon Hard as Ice Nail Lacquer, kept insisting that Trae work on something for school. Tomorrows Friday, said Trae. We dont 85 have class on Friday at the center. Not unless you sign up for the Extra Help Program. But wouldnt you rather be doing something uplifting and constructive? Said LaTisha. Traevonis just sniggered at this. On the realest, I promise you the hood is safe with me off the streets, he said. Besides. My partner and I got plans tonight. Moma did leave you a note saying I could go up the hall at six? LaTisha wagged her head. Dawnessa told me before she left. No sooner and no later than six, she told me. Traevonis was lying halfway across the living room sofa, his head propped up on a pillow lying against the arm, his right leg lolling onto the floor. He watched as Crishona worked tirelessly to belly her way over to the yellow teddy bear sitting about two feet away from her on the floor. 86 LaTisha blew a long round of air over her nails. What about reading a book? She said. Traevonis sighed, despairingly. Its almost six oclock, he said. Can I step out of here now? LaTisha worked her head fervidly from side to side. Not a minute sooner or later, she said. Sighing from deep inside his chest, Traevonis got up from the sofa and stalked into his bedroom. The drawstring pouch was nestled on top of his pillow like some faceless kitten. Trae extracted the key from it, then lay back across his bed and watched for several minutes as the scintillating sparkles danced from one end to the other. Again, the key began to pick up some color - streaks of yellow and blue this time - taking on that sequined effect. As Traevonis was admiring the skeleton key, a thought came to him, then flitted away as quickly as a butterfly. 87 The problem was that Traevonis was too scared to try it. To step into a shower of light. To have this light become the movements of your body, the will of your flesh. These thoughts sent a cold, icy feeling tonguing through the whole inside of his body. Trae are you reading? LaTisha shouted from the living room. Traevonis sighed, fitfully. No Im not! He shouted back. Is it six oclock yet! Two minutes till! Shouted LaTisha. At the mention of this news, Traevonis could feel the excitement, the awe, the wonder of everything going off like tiny fireworks inside his heart. He felt no apprehension about traveling into Hollow, nor was he even slightly afraid. But the excitement coursing through his body at this point was almost uncontainable. Just imagine, God, he said after he had tucked the key back down into the pouch, his eyes and 88 face lifted towards the ceiling. If this whole thing works out, Ill have a place to run away to. We will. Everybody in this apartment building. Everybody here at Creston Hill. Traes heart swelled into his throat at the sound of Delsalyns special coded knock. Holla! He heard his friend call through the front door. Pouch in hand, Traevonis bustled into the living room, where LaTisha had just finished changing Crishonas diaper. She had on her face a slightly fettered look as she wrapped the stink-filled diaper in old newspaper. So Im out Tish, said Trae. Is it cool if I take Crissy with me? We wont be gone like twenty minutes, and its just right - I dont know Traevonis, said LaTisha as she dumped the newspaper-wrapped diaper into an empty plastic bag. Your mother left me in charge of Crishona. Now if you were old enough, you 89 could have been left in charge of your baby sister. As LaTisha was hurrying to the kitchen with the diaper, Traevonis rolled his eyes at the back of her head. Here he was almost fourteen, being babysat by a girl who wasnt that much older than he was. Trae was always telling his mother that Crishona didnt need a baby-sitter; that he was old and responsible enough to look after her himself. And his mother was always telling him that Crishona would no longer need a baby-sitter when her brother was sixteen years old and had a drivers license. Crishona was standing in her playpen, her hair done up in oodles of curly little braids. As soon as her brother had walked into the room, Crishona, who had been chewing on a teething ring, had pulled herself up onto her feet and had begun squealing to get Traes attention. He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her on the cheek. Im out Crissy-pooh, he said, hugging her 90 against his shoulder. You be a good girl. Ill be back in a little bit. UP! Crissy burped, and a big blop of yellow gook went streaming down Traes back. Hey man did I get all that stuff off? Asked Trae when he was out in the hall, turning so that Delsalyn could examine his back. I dont see nothing, said Delsalyn grumpily. Trae regarded his friend with an expression of disbelief. For real Dee, man. Youre not still bugging over that ee-pee deal are you? Exuding an air of defiance, Delsalyn shoved his hands into the side pockets of his baggy windbreakers, which he sported with one pants leg up to his knee. Lets go on back down here and talk to Miss Hattie Mae, he grumped. I cant believe it though man, said Trae as he and his friend were walking back down the hall. Miss Hattie Mae is Billow Labryams grandmother. 91 I didnt know it either, said Delsalyn. Not at first. But I figured they knew each other when Miss Labryam accidentally teleported into my room that night. And you didnt tell me, said Trae sourly. Delsalyn didnt say anything to this. As mentioned earlier, Miss Hattie Mae lived in Apartment Number18, to the right of the Glendale Apartment. Delsalyn rapped against the door with his knuckles. A few seconds later, Miss Hattie Mae Johnson emerged icily from the apartment. Well, she said, her voice frosted over with all the cool in the world. MC Cool and Grand Master Fool. So youve arrived. Youre late, but I dont care too much for expediency. Not unless Im on the toilet. Come on in. Miss Hattie Mae stepped aside, beckoning the boys into the apartment. The place was lovely and cool. It absolutely pulsed with color, and there were streams of air blowing from the ceiling fan 92 and the bubbling air conditioner situated beneath the row of windows over by the sofa. Have a seat, said Miss Hattie Mae as she was hooking the latches on the door. Traevonis sank into the plump-pillowed sofa, which was so deep, he had to stretch his neck out to see comfortably over the arm. Delsalyn took a seat in the giant armchair, which looked and felt like it was alive. Would you two hip-hopping joes like a cup of tea before you leave? Asked Miss Hattie Mae. Or maybe a soda and a sandwich? Delsalyn narrowed his eyes at the woman. In that moment, he looked about as friendly as the devil. You know you dont have to be so condescending, he said, sharply. How would you like it if I called you an old granny? About as much as I like cockroaches, said Hattie Mae, her voice dropping to a half-whisper, her expression undeniably sad. 93 For a moment, the boys eyes came together, and then they looked away quickly, the two of them wiggling uncomfortably in their seats. Sorry, muttered Trae, his face stinging as he tried to keep from looking into Miss Hattie Maes eyes. I was the one who thought it up all those times. Delsalyn didnt want to go along with it, but I pressed him. Yeah, sorry, grunted Delsalyn. Well Im sorry too, said Miss Hattie Mae. Sorry for being a mean old lady. I get carried away I guess, she said as she settled onto the covered rocking chair. I want so much for you kids to do well. But I guess I dont go about it the right way. And I suppose yall have heard how difficult it can get. Being one of us old folks. Its hard for us too, Miss Hattie Mae, Delsalyn spoke up. If white people on the TV arent 94 reminding you how much of nothing you are compared to white kids, then your own people are trying to force you to live up to white folks standards. And then its like theyre ashamed of you when you dont. Miss Hattie Mae was contemplatively silent for a moment. And then she said, I understand, Delsalyn. Trae. Weve been listening to the devils lies for too long. But Im here to tell you that the only standards you should live up to are Gods. And let me tell you, his are a lot easier to live by. For one thing, hell help you do it. Traevonis smiled, a dreamy sensation clouding his soul. We talked about that in Champions, he said. Champions was a Bible study group organized by Mrs. Charletta Brunswick of Number Fourteen, for children and teenagers who couldnt make it to church on Sunday. That youll never be happy with yourself as 95 long as you keep comparing yourself to somebody else, said Trae. The Bible tells us that all human beings have fallen short. That neither of us is any better than anybody else. True, said Delsalyn. But what killsme is how they spend all their time reminding you what a nothing you are, only to turn around and compare themselves to you time and time again. I mean if theyre so much better, why compare themselves to the ones that dont mean nothing? 96 Quite some time passed, it seemed, before anyone spoke again. Trae and Delsalyn had come to Miss Hattie Maes apartment so that they might have access to her dimension portal; so that they might travel into Hollow World, where Traevonis would get to tour the castle, and hopefully purchase it from Billow Labryam if he was pleased enough to do so. But instead they were slumped about the living room, feeling as rotten on the inside as a couple of worm-filled apples. Now boys. dont let all that junk get you down, scolded Miss Hattie Mae gently. We got a lot of good stuff planned for you today! I have to be back before seven, Delsalyn grumped. This girl invited me to a party. It seemed Traes eyebrows went up about two inches. Nyonna invited you to a party and didnt invite me! He shrieked. 97 Its just a little get-together, said Delsalyn hastily. But still. And I thought she was sick anyway! She was just cramping real bad, said Delsalyn. She and Kamilah both. She said - You boys going to chit chat all day, Miss Hattie Mae interrupted, or are you going to stop long enough to get going? How do we know Hollow World wont be just like this world? Delsalyn demanded, angrily. How do we know they wont hate us over there too? Miss Hattie Mae was struck silent for a moment. Well you wont know unless you go, she said, softly. And you know theres the chance that youll end up liking that world better than this one. I guess so, said Delsalyn reluctantly. Sometimes I think would be better. After Miss Hattie Mae had stood to her feet, 98 Traevonis struggled for some time to lift himself up out of the sofa. Miss Hattie Mae - he said. Please. My first names Lakeisha. Lakeisha Hattie Mae Johnson is my whole name. You can call me Keisha. Or you can just stick to Hattie Mae and just leave out the Miss. Oh. Okay. Traevonis glanced briefly at Delsalyn, who looked just as surprised as he felt. I was just going to say um . . . Keisha . . . that uh, I was uh . . . caught off when I found out Billow Labryam is your granddaughter. Keisha tipped her head back and laughed. Yes, thats my little sweetie. When she was a baby, she took off her diaper and wrote I love you, Grandma in poop all over my brand new wallpaper. Keisha shook her head. At least I thats what she wrote. Well anyway. Why dont you two gentleman come on in the kitchen and have something to eat. Dimension traveling 99 can be very draining. Need all the energy you can get. Four croissants, three bowls of fruit salad, two pieces of homemade chocolate cake, four orange soft drinks, and two tablespoons of pink stuff later, Traevonis and Delsalyn sat like attentive students as Keisha went over a few very important instructions. First of all, she began, the dimension portal is located in the kitchen, in one of the cabinets. Ill show you which one, and which door you have to go through. Second of all - and this is very important - I recommend that you crawl through that portal, since you are not used to its . . . jelly-like nature. Jelly-like? Trae parroted. Yes. Every dimension portal is different. This one creates the sensation of walking across gelatin. If youre not careful, you could sink into it, or end 100 up bouncing off into the wrong dimension. Traevonis giggled, nervously. If you sink into it, youd be like the chunks of fruit inside the jello cubes, he said. Youd be like , said Keisha seriously. Or worse, lost in some unknown dimension or universe. Also, Keisha went on, it takes about an hour to walk through the portal. Crawling, of course, will take you longer. Thats why I packed a couple of totes for you guys to take along. In each bag there are two bottles of water and two lunches. Also, each little tote bag converts into an overnight sleeper. Keisha smiled, cheerily. A sleeping bag? Grumbled Delsalyn. You think its going to take that long? Keisha shrugged. Well, since youre going to be crawling, chances are youre going to tire easily. 101 So were going by ourselves? Asked Trae warily. Fa , said Keisha. Im an old woman, new jack. I cant spend two hours crawling through some dimension portal. Suddenly, Traevonis felt as if he had gobbled up an entire box of Choco-Lax. But what if something happens to us? He said. Youll be fine, Trae, said Keisha. Just do as I told you, and youll be fine. Use your map as your guide. If you havent learned how to read a map yet, you can do that on your down that portal. What about the time? Asked Delsalyn. In her letter, Miss Labryam told us that every hour we spend in the Hollow World is an Earth Second. Keisha nodded. Thats right, she said. Itll take about two Hollow hours to crawl through the portal, which is about two Earth seconds. Therefore time is irrelevant when crawling through a dimension portal like this one. One that connects 102 two different worlds with two different time measures. Time almost doesnt exist. One more thing, said Delsalyn as Keisha led the way from the dining room into the kitchen. How do we know when weve come to the end of the portal? Keisha smiled as she removed the two tote bags from the countertop. Youll know, she said. Youre both very bright boys. You dont need any more instructions. Now here. Take these and slip them on. One of the tote bags was made to look like a pig; the other one, a frog. They were both equally embarrassing. Right over here, said Keisha, pointing to the row of cabinets closest to the sink. The door at the very end. But theres a door right on the other side, said Delsalyn. Wouldnt we just end up going in one way and coming out the other? 103 Not at all, said Keisha. But you can only enter the portal this way. Keisha opened the door. So whos first? She asked. The two boys looked at each other. You go first, Trae, said Delsalyn. Its your castle. Well not yet it isnt, said Traevonis. But I will go first. Preciate it Dee. And thank you Keisha. Youre welcome. Now get going. My sweetie is waiting for you on the other side. Okay. Well. Bye. Trae dipped his head into the cabinet door. Bye Keisha, said Delsalyn. And thank you. Traevonis was now inside the cabinet, and truth be told, he probably would have felt a lot less silly if he had put on a pair of his mothers high heels 104 and tap-danced down Twenty-second Street. Just crawl on through there Traevonis, Keisha instructed. It looks and feels funny at first, but you have to crawl. And this is what Traevonis did. He crawled on into the closed-in space with the little piggy tote on his back. Almost instantly, he found himself traveling down an endless channel of swirling electric-blue light and pulsating blackness. Yo, was all he could say as he stood hurriedly to his feet so that he might have a better look around. As soon as he was standing, the ground began to quaver and jiggle. Without thinking, Traevonis reached his arms out to steady himself. He fell clumsily over to the side, and against what felt like a wall of gelatin. So its true, he gasped, shakily, as he got quickly to his hands and knees again. Trae! Delsalyn shouted. You straight man! Yeah, said Trae, the thump-thump of his heart 105 shaking his brain. I just got a little too . . . excited or something. So should we keep going? Asked Delsalyn as he crawled up behind Trae. Or you want to lay back a minute? Im straight, said Trae, sitting down and leaning his head back a little bit. But I think Ill take a minute anyway. Delsalyn sat down beside him, his legs curled together in pretzel formation. Is this off-the-chain or what cuz? Delsayn exclaimed. Its dope, said Traevonis, his breath coming out in gasps. I dont know how else to describe it. Its . . . its . . . Splendiferous! Delsalyn exclaimed. Traevonis laughed, joyfully. Yeah. That sounds about right to me. Delsalyn lifted his face towards the firmament just as a long stream of silvery light tinseled across the blackness. Check it out, he said as several of 106 these lights were drawn together in a brilliant, looping formation. I wonder what are they? I dont know, said Trae. Yo, I feel like I just ran across the country without stopping ! I hear you, said Delsalyn. I feel the same way. The boys watched for a moment longer as the lights zoomed in and out of the blackness. And then, their bodies rested, their minds refreshed, Traevonis and Delsalyn continued on down the channel of swirling blue light. They stopped a few more times along the way, once for a short break that soon became a short nap; and once again for a lunch of turkey sandwiches and potato chips. Keisha was right when she told them that they would know when they had come to the end of the portal. Here a ring of ocean-colored light swirled and pulsated like a watery vortex. This is it, said Traevonis, arising shakily to his feet. His bones were stiff, and his muscles ached with exhaustion. So I guess we just walk through? Said Delsalyn, grunting as he stretched his arms and back. I guess so, said Trae. He yawned from deep inside his chest. You want me to go first? Not unless you want me to . . . Traevonis shrugged, nonchalantly, though his 108 heart seemed to have swollen to the size of a watermelon. Ill go, he said, tightening the piggy tote around his shoulders. You step right in behind me. Delsalyn responded with a hurried nod of his head. So here I go, said Trae reluctantly. He took a long, steadying breath before entering the vortex. For a moment there was utter blackness, and a noise like the rumble of thunder. And then Trae saw glaring bands of light streaming past his periphery. In this instant everything seemed to speed up, like the commencement of a train ride, and suddenly Trae felt as if he was breathing through a straw. Immediately after there followed another sound, the sound of the lights and the blackness being sucked away into something infinite and airy. And then Traevonis was standing in a field of cup-shaped flowers, shimmering as if they were 109 made of velvet. He looked around and saw trees bearing gilded fruit, and a sun that was like a scarlet moon. The grass was as deep and as plush as a brand new carpet, and butterflies colored the air like swirling, autumnal leaves. Yo, Delsalyn breathlessly exclaimed as he stepped alongside Trae. Were here. Were actually here. In Hollow World . . . Traevonis watched as a particularly large butterfly spun circles through the air before nestling onto a flower. He wondered, for its wings looked to be made of stained glass. Look, said Delsalyn, patting Trae on the shoulder. Traevonis looked up and followed his friends gaze. Standing several yards into the distance was a young woman with a great mound of hair and a smile that caught the eye even from far away. Its Billow Labryam, said Delsalyn. 110 She waved at the two boys as she began sauntering in their direction. Traevonis and Delsalyn set off towards her. Good evening Delsalyn, said Billow Labryam once they had met up with each other. And good evening ,Traevonis, she said, her eyes befalling him. Traevonis felt as if he might fall straight into the ground. Billow Labryam was the kind of woman thirteen-year-old boys usually only encounter in their dreams. Her long flowered dress could have been made of half-a-dozen summer breezes and a million butterfly wings. So how are you feeling? She asked the boys. Tired, they both said. Billow Labryam nodded, her great mound of curls glittering in the sunlight. Every portal is different, she explained. But theyre all energy fields. Some give energy; some take it. Thats why you feel so drained. Billow Labryam gave 111 her pretty, boy-maddening smile. But youll get to relax once weve made it to the castle. And that wont take any time at all. Without saying anything more, Billow Labryam revealed in the palm of her hand a small, metal contraption that looked much like a pocket watch. She clicked it open, tapped around with a few buttons, then paused for a fraction of a second as she and the two boys were circumvented by a thin shroud of sparkling, green light. What happened next happened so fast that the boys didnt even have time to blink their eyes. Trillions of yellow and green dots amassed to form a kind of enclosure in which they whirled around at such a fast speed for such a very short period of time that to Traevonis and Delsalyn , it seemed no more than a bit of fleeting imagination a few seconds later as they stood before the castle, blazing and swirling like fire picked up by the wind. Just a teleportation device, said Billow 112 Labryam as the sparkling green energy shroud alighted quickly and disappeared. As a matter of fact Traevonis, its also your early fourteenth birthday present. That makes two for you. Thank you, said Traevonis as he timidly removed the metal contraption from the palm of Billow Labryams extended hand. Thank your friend, said Billow Labryam, smiling. He ordered it from over the Internet. For a moment, Traevonis just stared at the teleportaion device, snapping it open, then snapping it shut again as he waited patiently for this part to start making sense. For some reason he was too scared to look at the castle, but he could see that his whole person was aglow with its volcano-like emanation. Traevonis looked over at Delsalyn who just said, Happy Early Fourteenth Birthday. That makes two, Trae dreamily recalled. You bought the castle for me Dee? 113 Delsalyn just shrugged. But dont you have to have a witness . . . Jayeesha signed it for me, Delsalyn explained. She thought it was all jive. But she signed it anyway. And it didnt matter that Miss Labryam wasnt around to see it. Shes cool. She really just wants to get rid of the castle, if you can believe that. And you . . .well you always wanted a castle for yourself. So this whole thing worked out real smooth for everybody. Traevonis smiled. And the party? Is that for me too? Delsalyn gave another shrug. Yeah, he said. I was just going to go by Nyonnas and Kamilahs and help bring over some things. Youre going to have to act surprised when we get back. And right now the deed is in my name, but we can change all that later. Traevonis wanted to hug Delsalyn. And he wanted to cry. But of course he couldnt do either 114 of these things in front of a beautiful young lady. So he just looked at his friend and said, Thanks man. And Delsalyn said, Its all cool. 115 HH OO LL LL OO WW by k. n. hunter . . . Trae, I got some news for you. I'll give you the info on the whole deal later on. Dee Dee, Yo I got the file you sent, and the castle is sweet! But you think its rel thouh? Billow Labryam told me I could get you to witnes the deed. I was just wondering if itd be posible for me to see the real castle before I buy it? Maybe I should ask B.L. about that? Maybe I should visit the website now so I can send him a email? Chck you later man. Trae Dear Billow Labryam, Im the boy who caled you about the casle the other day. You dont know my name, but you siad if I waned it, the propery was mine, and you acepted my fifeen dollar offer. Id like to buy the caslet, but I was just wondring if I can see the actual property before I buy it. Your truly, The Boy 82 83 Chapter One 21 Chapter Two Chapter Three 41 Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six 74 Chapter Seven 84 Chapter Eight Chapter Nine 107 Chapter Ten somenearisyoutighthimblingdudejackmistakemanee-peeI guesswastightshower of lightfountain of lightworldMaybe I can take you with me, Crissy. Itll only be for a few seconds, and I have a feeling youll like it for real. Why dont you try the light beam? all hellthinktrappedshoboingedone timeIs that a butterfly?Labryams Otherworld has a castle for sale. Property is up for 5 billion dollars OR 2 million dollars down, but B.L. is willing to negotiate. Labryams Otherworld also has star dust, serums, teleporters, and light beam remotes 50 to 70 percent off. Call 555-5201 if interestedI was intending to send this letter along with your travel package, but as I was in a rush to get everything together, I completely forgot the letter, at least until now. More than anything, I need to inform you of the disabilities I placed on your light beam disc. As you know, traveling from one dimension to another could prove to be very dangerous for first-timers, especially children, since being smaller than adults, you are more likely to be compressed by the proscenium (the word we use to describe the invisible line or barrier that separates dimensions, thus keeping them from running into each other), and so reduced to a mush. Also, there is the possible threat of being blasted by a comet ,meteor, or other fast-moving astral body. So, to ensure your safety, I have disabled your lbd by doing all of the following. Placing a limit on how high up you can travel (10,000 ft into the air) Placing a limit on high how fast you can travel (2000 km per nanosecond) Making it so that you cannot travel outside the Primary Universe (And yes, there is more than one universe. When people write songs or poetry, they dont just write one verse, do they?) Placing a limit on how many people can travel at one time. Most lbds can carry at least a million people at a time. Ive disabled the protocols in yours so that only up to twenty people can travel inside at once. Now. I enclosed the disc so that you might use it to practice. And believe me its as easy as learning how to ride a bike. All you have to do is THINK SUPERMAN. He maneuvered his way through the air by using both his arms and head to steer. When you get ready to land, relax your shoulders and head, and place your arms at your sides. Look down and you will see an opening. Just let yourself fall through it, and you will end up where you want to be. The light beam disc is both heat and motion sensitive. It is stimulated by the heat given off by the body, as well as by the movements of the body. The first person to get inside is the one who steers the lbd. Now. As for traveling to Hollow, I have found a way for you to do that safely. Dont worry about trying to find or create an energy pocket. I know of a dimension portal you can travel through. After coaxing, begging, bribing, and even threatening to blackmail my grandmother, she has agreed to let you use a portal located inside her home. Meet her at Apt. #18 at 6 p.m. Every hour you spend on Hollow is a second on Earth. Even so, I advise you to check with your parents before going on your trip. We dont want them worrying about you for one second. Well I guess thats all. Hope you enjoy your trip! And I look forward to our meeting at the castle. Sincerely, Billow Labryam