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  ‘Ah, a Quartz crystal, and a powerful one at that, often used in time devices,’ she said, lifting it up to the light while staring at her multifaceted reflection that mirrored her face in a facet of the gem.

  ‘In time devices?’ I swallowed hard, wondering what she meant.

  ‘Yes, well. I think I might know where you found it, but humour me. Tell me anyway,’ Leanne said with a chuckle as her multi-coloured greying hair floated around her shoulders like a mantle.

  I hesitated before answering and chose my words carefully. ‘This sounds crazy, but a girl from my school called Esme spends her days trapped within the mirrors of my house. She appears to be a prisoner and can’t get out. One day we argued and when she cried, this Quartz gem formed from her tears. It sprang from the interior of the mirror and ended up in the palm of my hand, like magic.’

  Leanne nodded her head, and a smile lit up her face. ‘Nothing is crazy. Everything is possible. How delightful. Now, do not despair, Amelina. It is a sign that your friend is no ordinary girl, and in time you will free her.’

  ‘No ordinary girl?’ I scratched my head in disbelief.

  ‘That’s right. To produce such a specimen is extraordinary. It suggests that perhaps Esme is a Quartz Krystallos. She is a child out of kilter with the present; her time should have been in the past. This will cause her grave problems, and anxieties living in present day Britain. But that’s enough to focus on today. Now is not the time to discuss Esme’s freedom or her status as a Krystallos. There is much to do.’ Leanne turned and walked back toward the bird cages.

  ‘But… you must help me. I need to free Esme. She…’

  Leanne spun around and said, ‘No, we must not discuss this any further, Amelina. It is a delicate matter…’

  ‘But my dad…’ I let my voice trail off. I didn’t know what to do, so I stood facing Leanne, waiting to hear what would come next.

  ‘Again, revelations will come in time. Be patient, dear Amelina. The crystals will help you reach your goals: happiness for your father and freedom for Esme.’ Leanne smiled, and confidence filled her face as she straightened her tiny body and stood taller.

  ‘My darling beauties wish to join you on your journey. It will please them if you choose a crystal,’ said Leanne, gesturing to the spectacular array of gems that blazed in intensity from the walls of the cottage.

  ‘Them?’ I gazed at the stones, wondering if she meant the crystals themselves.

  Leanne grinned and pointed at the crystals. ‘The defenders of this dear cottage, oh powerful one.’

  I had never considered myself to have powers before. The tiny lady’s eccentric demeanour and her gushing words suggested that she was a tad loopy. Yet, I took comfort from her words about Esme and my dad. They sounded truthful, even if that freedom and happiness she promised lay buried for now. Besides, I longed to find out more about the crystals and the defenders, whatever that meant. If Leanne could help me, then I would be more than happy to fulfill her request and select a crystal.

  ‘There are so many delightful ones. How do I decide which one to choose?’ I turned in a circle, trying to take in the dazzling gems as they spun before me.

  ‘Many of the stones have healing properties, but you must follow your instinct and find one you know is right for you. The defenders of the Cottage will guide you.’

  Again, I wanted to ask about the defenders of the cottage but left the words unsaid, and they remained stuck in my throat. A jumble of incoherent sentences tumbled around in my thoughts.

  Unsure of how to proceed, I followed Leanne’s advice, running my fingers up and down the crystal wall, caressing the gems. I felt a warmth generating from the crystals as my hand brushed over them. I stifled a giggle when they tickled my fingertips. Eventually, a crystal responded to my touch by easing itself from the wall to find a new home in my palm.

  Mesmerised by the experience, I realised that above all else, the feeling of the stone on the wall had guided me to choose it. I sensed that the gem belonged; it spoke silent words of encouragement as if it claimed me. I relished the feeling of power that emanated from the crystal as it radiated a warming light that caressed my skin, hugging me like a dear old friend.

  ‘Wonderful choice, my dear. The Red Jade is a lucky crystal. It is the most passionate and stimulating of the Jade stones. It will urge you to go beyond your comfort zone, to be courageous.’ Leanne beamed a bright smile and stared deep into my eyes as if she would find an answer to some unanswered question there. With an abundance of confidence in her voice, she continued. ‘There are those amongst us, corrupt souls who will try to follow you into the cottage. So, you must take care. The cottage will rise up to greet you, but you must not encourage others to enter, or terrible things might befall them, so beware.’ With those words of warning ringing in my ears, Leanne turned back to tending her birds, dismissing me without a goodbye.

  I knew this was my cue to depart, so I moved toward the door. Placing a foot outside, I felt the beginnings of an earth tremor beneath my feet. I jumped as far as I could, dreading that I might fall to my death in the crack that appeared. There was no way I could have leapt so far, and yet somehow, I had. The magic that bound me to the cottage lifted me high in the air and ensured my safety. In a blink of my eye, the cottage drew back, claimed by the depths far below. Nothing remained of the old ramshackle building apart from a few loose pebbles scattered on the ground where the cottage had stood only moments before.

  With an unpleasant jolt, I made my way back to reality. I walked home, not sure if the whole experience had happened. I staggered back into my house and made my way upstairs. Back in my bedroom, I shut my door and trembled from a sense of loss and sadness. Compared to this reality, the blissful cottage seemed far away.

  Esme smiled a welcome from the mirror, flashing a wry smile. I heard the heavy tread of my mother’s footsteps downstairs, signalling her arrival. A profound sense of disappointment engulfed me that the waiting game continued. Patience had never been one of my strengths. The cottage and all it promised seemed a distant treasure, hidden far away.

  Opening my fingers, I took comfort from the Red Jade crystal that sat housed within the palm of my hand. Sunlight sifted through the open window and glinted on the gem, red hues bouncing around the room. The house moaned with a murmur of delight and seemed to approve. I sighed with deep satisfaction.

  This crystal held a promise of magic within its grasp. I had collected many before, some just small trinkets, but this treasure made all others pale in significance. The Red Jade bewitched me with its astounding beauty. It throbbed in my hand, pulsating with a life I could not understand. But Leanne’s words of warning echoed in my mind. These were no ordinary crystals and the power they held, contained a danger too.

  As before, I added this treasure into my camphor-wood chest and shut the lid tight. An overwhelming feeling overcame me, with the reminder that today would be a day I would never forget. It hadn’t been just a dream! It had happened, and the proof, my Red Jade crystal, lay hidden in my precious chest of secrets.

  Puzzle Piece 17:

  The Band Session

  Sometimes notes can jar,

  Music’s unexpected tunes,

  Blended harmonies,

  Driving out the sadness vibes,

  Sweet silent stringed perfection.

  The next day, after my memorable visit to the Crystal Cottage, I felt supercharged, buzzing with energy, ready for my pre-arranged band session with my friends. The crystals had triggered my creative energies. Today, I had music on my mind. Things were looking up, and meeting Leanne had given me hope that life could only get better.

  My mobile rang just before I had intended to set off. I couldn’t believe it, it was Ryder. I hadn’t heard a word from him since our last meeting. He surprised and perplexed me by asking if he could join our band session. How could he have known our practice was today? I hadn’t mentioned it to him, yet he seemed to know about it. I couldn’t stop debating how odd th
is revelation felt. In the end, I agreed he could join us.

  The prospect of seeing Ryder again thrilled me. Nevertheless, I wondered if this was the best time to get together. I couldn’t wait to tell my friends about him, but I wasn’t too keen on him meeting them now. He’d somehow taken the choice right out of my hands.

  My mind journeyed back to the day I’d first encountered him. Ryder had appeared down a pathway that my mum had warned me not to travel on. My first experience with him had been swift, and he had disappeared just as fast. Then, there was that weird experience with the portrait of my dad turning into the haunting image of Ryder. I sensed danger. There was something different about him compared to other boys, eerie almost, but I couldn’t decide whether to trust him or to stay away from him. The threat from those other boys and their intentions that day had vanished with his unexpected but welcome arrival, and yet my concerns suggested he’d been shadowing me, following me for some reason.

  After mulling these thoughts over for some time, I returned to the present. In fact, I wondered what my friends would make of Ryder. I loved visiting my friend Jade for weekly band practice, but a deep bout of depression often followed. It was like taking a shot of happy hormones or escaping from prison while on parole and then crashing down to reality with a loaded injection of back home misery. Jade’s house brimmed with bright cheerfulness, such a wicked contrast to my family life. Sometimes I couldn’t help but feel jealous as Jade’s parents exuded happiness and normality like two complementary switches.

  Mum had agreed to drive me to Jade’s house, and I sat sullenly in the front seat. As my mother pulled into the drive, I peered out of the window at Jade’s home, Shamrock Farm House, named after Jade’s favourite horse from the Cottenham Bridge Farm Riding School. Set in a wooded area with a long driveway leading up to it, Jade’s horses could be clearly seen in the large field to the left of the house. To say Jade had inherited a lucky gene to live in such luxury was an understatement.

  I jumped from Mum’s car and ran toward the stable. I spotted Jade mucking out her horses’ stalls while wearing skinny jeans. Fashion conscious, she often wore jeans or leggings and lived in shorts in the summer. Jade had a perfect figure, and she could get away with wearing anything and still looked good. She stood with a tall and slender grace and had luxuriously long, jet black hair. Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and intelligent. I had no doubt Jade could wear a bin bag and still hit the glamorous list.

  My friends Joselyn and Ilaria arrived shortly after Mum had dropped me off. Their presence kicked off a buzz of excitement as they helped Jade and I set up the equipment for the practice session. Jade’s parents, Peter and Alice, allowed us to play in their large shed at the bottom of the garden. My drum kit sat in permanent residence at Jade’s; my parents would have had a hissy fit if I had suggested band practice at our house.

  Before our music session started, I told the girls about my walk down the path by the river and the two boys who had threatened me. I waited until last to share about the mysterious young man who’d appeared named Ryder.

  ‘How did he appear out of nowhere?’ asked Jade, wide-eyed with excitement.

  ‘I don’t know,’ I replied, shaking my head at the girls. ‘One minute the barriers descended, trapping me with those two idiots, and the next moment he appeared out of thin air. I reckon I must have been so engrossed in trying to get away from those boys, that I didn't see or hear him coming.’

  ‘You didn’t hear or see him at all?’ asked Joselyn, raising an eyebrow.

  ‘No. It was the strangest experience I ever had.’

  Ilaria propped her guitar next to the amp, looking every bit the rock chick. She had short, brown hair cut in a spiky, cropped style, and always wore unexpected combinations of clothes that no one else could get away with. Today was no exception; she wore her ripped jeans with a studded belt and a black crop top.

  ‘How mysterious; tell us more,’ she urged with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  I hesitated for a moment, prolonging the anticipation. ‘Well... this mysterious guy tops the hunk of dark, dangerous handsome list, and he has these amazing eyes and a wicked smile!’

  ‘Hmmm. Amazing eyes?’ asked Jade, wiggling her eyebrows up and down in a suggestive way.

  I chuckled. ‘I’ve said too much. He’ll be here soon.’

  ‘Sounds so curious… What time is this mystery guy getting here?’ enquired Joselyn, tentatively looking around the room.

  ‘He should arrive any time now,’ I said, glancing at the time display on my mobile phone.

  ‘I hope he’s not coming empty-handed. Is he bringing a mysterious friend with him?’ asked Ilaria before anyone else could. That got a laugh.

  Jade chuckled and said, ‘I hope so. I could do with a bit of excitement. Is he, Amelina?’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ I replied, pausing for a moment to gather my thoughts. ‘I think it might be too much to ask. He seems kind of unreal as it is, and knowing my luck he’ll not turn up, or else he’ll be all looks and no personality.’

  ‘Oh, shut up, Amelina! Stop spreading such a doom and gloom vibe. I know things are horrible back home, but maybe this is your chance. Y’know, to liven things up a bit?’ urged Ilaria. She placed her hands on her hips and smiled at me.

  ‘I wish.’ I let out a sigh of relief.

  Joselyn fidgeted. I had a terrible feeling that she teetered on the edge of having an anxiety attack about something. I realised that she thought I’d forgotten to bring the song lyrics. ‘I’ve remembered them.’ I laughed before Joselyn had a chance to ask her question.

  Joselyn smiled. ‘You did it again! You mind reader!’

  I wasn’t really a mind reader, but I had missed band practice for the last two weeks. The atmosphere at home had been so bad that I didn’t have the energy to move, let alone practice. In fact, I’d been avoiding our music sessions because I just couldn’t hack the after-effects of missing the happiness vibe I felt from visiting Jade’s house. The happy atmosphere made me realise that my family categorised as even more dysfunctional. That really hurt.

  Now, I was about to pay the price for all those absences. I hoped that I’d be able to play the song well, particularly as I expected Ryder to come to this session. I didn’t want to make a complete fool of myself.

  It occurred to me that I was a double fool. I’d been so engrossed in getting ready for the band practice that I’d forgotten to give Ryder Jade’s address. What an idiot. How would he ever find us? I brushed my hair back in agitation. I couldn’t believe my stupidity.

  The girls were ready to start, and just as we were about to tune up, Ryder appeared. I watched him walk toward the group like some kind of magnificent mirage. What an extraordinary thrill! He had found us. How? I’ll never know.

  The sight of Ryder kick-started my sluggish mood with a powerful blast as if I’d just been hot-wired to a car battery. Excitement coursed through my veins. My first memory of him more than lived up to my expectations. I could swear that the immediate hush in the room had fallen due to his arrival. Seeing our reactions, Ryder walked towards us and smiled confidently.

  I returned his smile, but my brain couldn’t quite process how he had got here. ‘Hi, Ryder. How did you find us? I realised that I’d forgotten to give you Jade’s address.’

  ‘No worries. I have an unusual ability for solving mysteries. Call me Sherlock Holmes,’ he replied with a bow as he pretended to take off his deer-stalker hat.

  His response didn’t explain a damn thing, but it made me laugh.

  I pointed at my friends and said, ‘Meet my fellow band members, Sherlock. This is Jade, our main singer, Ilaria, our lead guitarist, and Joselyn, our bass guitarist. And me—well, you already know me.’ My cheeks flushed with embarrassment at this admission.

  Ryder paused for a moment. I noticed his eyes lingered on Jade longer than was necessary. My friends couldn’t help but stare at Ryder’s bizarre eyes. His long eyelashes lured you into his lair, lush and moist
with a hint of raindrop darkness. I pulled out of my reverie, but it felt a long way out.

  ‘Hey, can’t wait to hear you play,’ he said as he effortlessly unfolded one of the garden chairs and sat down. Ryder exuded a comfortable air and glanced at us with an expectant look on his face.

  The four of us didn’t reply but laughed nervously. Taking this as my cue, I picked up my drumsticks and settled into my seat. I felt an electrifying surge of energy work its way through my body, causing a tingle from my fingertips extending into the tips of my drumsticks. Ryder’s presence made me feel inspired. It was an odd reaction considering I’d felt depressed, and now that feeling had disappeared, replaced by a Ryder induced euphoria.

  Ilaria concentrated on tuning up her guitar, waiting for the rest of us to begin. Strangely, we all began playing in unison. Instinctively, I immediately knew what to do. My drumsticks had a mind of their own as they fiercely hit and rebounded off my drums, creating a perfect accompaniment to the music.

  Jade’s powerful voice rose and fell as she sang her heart out to the lyrics of our new song, Rock Crystal, inspired by my love of crystals and the group’s love of rock music. The words slipped like silk off her tongue:

  You are my rock crystal, rock crystal,

  Your light fires me up like an ever-glowing ember, so bright and warm in December,

  Your crystal eyes so bright twinkle as they give me insight,

  I am your rock crystal, rock crystal,

  A jewel of light, your rainbow of red, yellows, oranges, blues and greens, iridescent and warm as ever I've seen, a kaleidoscope of shades that will never fade,

  Everlasting Rock Crystal, Rock Crystal.

  I noticed that Jade sang to Ryder alone; her eyes kept drifting off in his direction. The words continued to slip from her lips, and she channelled all her energies into pouring her heart out while staring at him.