The Power and Its Victims

Sally sat on the old fence, swinging her legs. Her big brown eyes stared off across fields of corn. The girl's eyebrows were pulled down in a frown, and her lips pressed together tightly. The Tragedy of the Power which she, Sally Arnolds, had dreaded for so long was soon going to occur. But, perhaps she could still prevent the Tragedy from happening. She would fight the Power with all her might. She certainly wasn't going to watch her well planned life disappear before her very eyes!

"Hmmm. Perhaps I can brew a potion to control the Power..." murmured Sally to herself.

"What was that?" asked a calm, quiet voice behind her.

Sally whirled around to face a tall, dark-haired boy.

"Matt! Don't sneak up me! That's not funny," Sally scolded angrily.

"Aww, Sally, I didn't try to sneak up you. I made a lot of noise, but you didn't hear me, I guess," responded Matt, shuffling his feet, "Anyway, if you don't want someone to overhear your thoughts, don't speak them aloud."

"I will if I want to! It wouldn't matter but for snoops like you!" retorted Sally.

"I didn't try to eavesdrop, and I didn't understand what you said anyway," replied the boy.

"Sure! I don't believe a word you say! You did to hear what I said!" exclaimed Sally pointing an accusing finger.

"I did not!" answered Matt indignantly, "All I heard was something about power and potions, and it didn't make any sense."

"It would if you knew what I was talking about!" declared Sally, with a frown.

"Well, what were you talking about then?" asked Matt, looking straight into Sally's face.

"I don't know that I can trust you," said Sally, looking suspiciously at the boy.

"Sure you can, Sally! Honest, I'll never tell anyone! Please tell me!" pleaded Matt.

"I don't know, Matt, you might tell your dad, since he's the foreman."

"Is it something that Dad ought to know?" inquired Matt, with a worried look.

"Well...no. I mean, it really has nothing to do with him," answered Sally, hesitantly.

"Then I promise not to tell a soul, not even Dad!" exclaimed Matt, "Now what is your secret?"

Sally looked around the barnyard, and then leaned closer to Matt. She whispered softly in his ear for a few moments.

Matt's eyes grew larger and larger as he listened. When Sally finished, he leaned back and looked up at her in astonishment.

"Sally! Are you crazy?!?" he exclaimed in amazement, "It'll never work!"

"Sure it will!" declared Sally, confidently, "It's got to. We must keep the Power from making the Tragedy happen."

"Sally, why do you refer to..IT like that?" asked Matt, with a questioning glance.

"It's code, Matt! No one must now what we are doing," answered Sally, with a dramatic wave of the hand, "Now, Matt, you learned all about chemicals and science kinda stuff last year, didn't you?"

"Yeah..." replied Matt, with a suspicious look at Sally, "What about it?"

"I have a plan," continued Sally, ignoring Matt completely, "And this is how it's going to work..."

* * * *

The pot bubbled and gurgled as Sally stirred it, crouching on the dirt floor of the old woodshed in the back field. Beside her sat Matt, holding a book.

"Now what does it say, Matt?" asked Sally, excitedly, "Read the next part!"

"Well," said Matt, studying the book intently, "It says to put in the old ear of corn, and the vinegar now."

"Okay!" exclaimed Sally, as she dropped in a old, dried ear of corn, "Give me the vinegar, Matt."

Matt picked up a tin cup full of liquid and handed it to Sally, who poured it in to the pot.

"Now what?" she asked eagerly.

"Now we say the magic words."

"What are they, Matt?" inquired Sally, with an excited grin as she stared over Matt's shoulder at the book. She read it quickly, and then said, "Now, let's say it together!" The two chanted in unison, "Oggle, Boggle, Snoggle. Itchy, Snitchy Spit. Tronti, Bonti, Snoti. Worrgle, Yorggle. Ickity Splickity."

They both stared at the pot, but nothing happened.

"Oh, drat," grumped Sally, "It didn't work!"

Matt looked thoughtfully at the fire, and then exclaimed, "I know! We need to make the fire bigger! It's not big enough, Sally!"

"Oooh! I think you're right! Quick add something!" shouted Sally, jumping up.

She grasped a large crate in the corner and began dragging it to the fire. Matt leapt up to help her. Together they got it to the fire and, after moving the pot off, heaved it on top. The flames licked up around the dry, wooden crate.

"There! That's better! Now, let's move the pot back on!" instructed Sally.

"No, I think that we need more wood, first," decided Matt, "Let's go outside and gather some."

"Okay!"

The two kids ran out and began picking up sticks.

"Look, Matt!" shouted Sally, pointing to a fallen tree a short distance away, "Let's get some of that!"

They ran over to it, grabbing branches and snapping them off.

"This should do the trick!" declared Matt, picking up an armload.

He started off to the woodshed. As Sally turned to follow, there was a huge explosion and then everything went black.

* * * *

Sally stirred uncomfortably and opened her eyes. A white curtain blew in the wind from the open window. The smell of fresh bread filled the air, and the sunshine streamed across the quilt draped on Sally's legs. She frowned in confusion, and began to roll over to get up. She stopped with an exclamation as pain stabbed through her side. The door opened, and a lovely, quiet woman stepped in. Seeing Sally was awake, she came over and sat on the side of the bed.

"Mom! Where am I? What happened?" asked Sally, in confusion.

"You're in your room, Sally," answered Sally's mother, Mrs. Arnolds, quietly.

She looked deep into Sally's eyes as she continued, "Sally, would you like to explain what happened? Matt already told his father what you two did. That crate, Sally, was full of dynamite. You two could have been killed. What on earth were you two trying to do?"

Sally dropped her eyes in embarrassment.

"I was..." she stammered, "I was trying to make it so that I would...never grow up. The book I had, gave instructions on how to keep "Eternal Youth". I thought it might work."

"Sally! Why would you not want to grow up?" asked Mrs. Arnold with a frown.

"Because everything changes when you grow up, Mom! I don't want things to change!"

"It is good for things to change, Sally. It is good to grow up," said Mrs. Arnolds slowly, "You should WANT to grow up. Perhaps growing up will cure you of your hairbrained schemes. Now, you should rest."

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Is Matt okay?"

"Yes, he's just fine. You two just have some scrapes and bruises, thank God! It could have been much worse. Now rest, Sally."

"Yes, Mom."

* * * *

Sally and Matt sat on the porch rail, swinging their legs. In their hands they held the remains of Sally's 13th birthday cake.

"So, Sally, do you still want to stay young?" asked Matt, taking a bite.

"Actually, Matt, I've been thinking about that," replied Sally through a mouthful of cake, "I've decided that if we can make a time machine, we can travel back in time so that we never get old!"

Without a word, Matt jumped off the rail and began heading towards the barn.

"Matt! Where are you going?" cried Sally, "I'll need your help!"

Matt didn't even turn his head, but he called loudly, "Sally, you're nuts, and I'm not helping you anymore with your crazy ideas! Why don't you think of something normal, like how to get cookies without your mom catching us!"

And with that, he disappeared into the barn.

Sally sat staring after him, with a hurt look in her eyes. Then, a thoughtful look appeared on her face. She sat for a moment, then jumping down and ran to the barn.

"Hey, Matt!" she called, "I've got an idea about getting those cookies!"

The end

(Hey, writing the first thing that comes to mind is pretty fun!)