Magicae

Chapter 6: A New Chapter

Penny hastily shoved clothes, notebooks, pens, books, photographs, and a stuffed penguin into her bright orange suitcase, one that she had bought in her "neon" phase a few years back. A decision she had regretted ever since.

Five minutes earlier, just as Penny, her mom, and her three siblings were finishing up Penny's birthday breakfast, the doorbell rang. Jack, the oldest at 15, opened the door on a middle-aged woman with twinkling gray eyes and a pencil skirt of the same shade. The woman, who called herself Ms. Proditor, asked to speak to Penny's mother, and told Penny to go upstairs and pack. For what, Penny didn't know.

She thumped down the stairs, past the six-year-old twins who were staring at her with identical curious expressions.

"Where 'ya goin'?" It was Bobby, the more curious of the duo.

Penny shrugged. "I don't know. But I'll write you letters once I get there, okay? And you can add the stamps to your collection!" Bobby collected stamps.

Bridget popped her thumb out of her mouth and wrapped her arms around her older sister. "But who'll read me stories? Jack don't do the voices right!"

Penny smiled, a bit sadly. Bridget and Bobby both loved it when she read them stories, using a different funny voice for each character. "It'll be all right. Jack'll learn."

Bridget sniffled. Bobby said, in a rather lofty voice, "Oh grow up, Bridget. Don't be such a cry-baby!"

But Penny noticed a small break in his voice. Bridget glared at him, before letting go of her sister and joined Bobby as they watched Penny haul the heavy suitcase down the stairs.

As Penny got closer to the foyer, she could hear Ms. Proditor talking with her mother. She stopped to listen at the bottom of the stairs, blocked from the adult's view.

"--it is perfectly safe, I assure you. It is for only the elite in each class, and your daughter is just that."

Then Penny's mother speaking, in a somewhat worried tone. "But why haven't I heard about this before?"

"Oh, you may not have heard of us, but I'm certain that you have heard of some of our alumni." The woman continued to list off several names that Penny had never heard of, but had her mother nodding in recognition. "I assure you, Penny will be in wonderful company. I have spoken to her Engligh teacher, who tells me that Penny is a bright girl who shows great promise in the region of creative writing. Very creative, a good mind--"

Penny didn't hear the rest. She blushed with pride at Ms. Proditor's words. She didn't know that her English teacher had said that about her! Penny enjoyed writing stories, especially fanfictions of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson and other fantasy books.

Ms. Proditor was still speaking. "While you cannot go with us now, as my vehicle has two other kids from the area in it already, and there wouldn't be enough room, this weekend is Visiting Day for parents. Also, you can visit our website to see pictures and get an idea of what your child is learning."

As Penny watched Ms. Proditor hand her mom a card, Penny felt as if there was something in Ms. Proditor's voice, something that compelled her to go to that website and look at it. It felt strange, similar to the time Penny had a cavity and took some sedative to numb the pain. It made her feel groggy and disoriented.
Apparently Penny's mom felt it too, because her voice sounded dazed as she mumbled, "I'll do that. Penny can go, of course she can. Where do I sign?"

Ms. Proditor was holding out a clipboard. "Right there, Ms. Pheoni. Thank you. I assure you, Penny is in good hands."

Penny was a bit nervous now. Had the woman done something to her mother? She had been hoping for answers about the dream and the weird wing thing. But was this woman dangerous? Had she hurt Penny's mom?

But when Penny came out of hiding, her mother looked just the same as always, not at all dazed or confused as she spoke, and her voice sounded normal as well. "Honey, it's all been settled. Ms. Proditor is taking you to the Academy of Magicae."

The word from her dream! Penny was convinced that this woman had something to do with all this, and would hopefully give her the answers she wanted.

Her mom continued. "It's a school for the elite in every subject. You will be in their English program. There are two other kids riding there with you, in the subjects of Science and World History. It's incredibly difficult to get in, so not many people have heard of it." For a moment Penny's mom's voice turned stern. "Be good. If you do well here, then you could get into pretty much any college you want for almost no cost."

Penny nodded. With four kids and only the income of a single mom, money was tight. They had enough, but four kids plus college equals a lot of money. Any scholarships would be greatly appreciated.

Then her strict voice softened. "But have fun. Learn lots, and make some friends, okay?" Then she wrapped her daughter in a hug.

Penny squeezed her mother tight. As she lugged her suitcase down the sidewalk, she turned and waved at Jack and the twins, who had followed her down the stairs. They all gave little half-waves back.

Penny turned back to the small blue minivan, where she could make out the faces of two kids about her age in the backseat.

As Ms. Proditer helped Penny to set her neon suitcase on top of two others in the trunk, Penny wondered what would happen next.

Like in all the books she read, it was a new chapter in Penny Pheoni's life.