Don't Play With Fire - Book #1

What?

"Charlie! Come on!!!" shouted Skylar from downstairs "We're going to miss the whole fair if you keep this up." Charlie sighed as she picked up a pair of turquoise earrings.

Skyler had been her best friend since preschool, but sometimes it was hard being her friend. Skyler had short, straight blond hair that she had dip-dyed hot pink. They were going to the 5th grade fair.

It was a tradition the school did every year for the 5th graders leaving to the schools of Education. Charlie and Skyler would take the test at the fair to determine which group they would be in.

"Coming" Charlie yelled down. She had straightened her red hair and let it rest over her shoulders. She wore a mint green t-shirt and skinny jeans. "Green represents good luck, success, and healing herbs. You know how much I want to be in the group of healing. I'm wearing it period." Charlie had said to Skylar just an hour before. Slowly she started out the door and down the stairs. " Oh. My. God." Skyler said " Charlie, do you know how much time it took you just to put on a t-shirt?" "I did it on purpose." Charlie grinned. Almost immediately her smile vanished. "What if we don't turn out in the same group." "Charlie. Don't say that."

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When they got to the fair they headed to the test tent. They stood outside the flap. "Well, this it. I'll go first." said Charlie " Yeah, um good luck." Skyler replied

Inside was dark, with only a single candle for light. It lit up just good enough to see. The tent walls were covered in moons and stars. A black haired woman sat on a pillow with

The Cauldron on her lap. She gestured for Charlie to sit on the pillow across from her. Once

Charlie was seated the woman offered her The Cauldron. Charlie took it from her and looked inside. At once she was sucked into it. Inside The Woman was there. "Help me, help me." she croaked. She fell to the floor and blood poured out of her stomach. Charlie gasped. She remembered what some kid had told her "Anything can happen in there, but it's not real. You learn the real Magyk when you're an Apprentice, like me"

I wonder if it's true though Charlie. But what if this is an Illusion. She took a deep breath and thought as hard as she could. Dark Detect, Dark Detect. Nothing happened. The Woman moved her hand and began muttering something. Lilian walked towards her and swooped down to the floor. "The Garden" she gasped. At once, Charlie began summoning all the Magyk she could which was not a lot for she had not done any training yet. With this Magyk she put The Woman to a Dream in which a kitten was chasing a butterfly. This was not hard because The Woman was already half unconscious and she did not fight the Magyk. Then she ran out to the garden and began collecting the herbs she needed. Lilian ran back inside and tended to The Woman's wounds. Just then,The Woman disappeared and a strong wind picked her off the floor.

She was swept away to a empty castle. " Hello?" Charlie's voice echoed off the castle walls. Right there and then she Sensed something dark. Sensing was a skill that every baby with even the faintest tingle of Magyk was born with. " There is no use trying to fight me." A man wearing all black appeared around a corner. " No one can beat me. I am Shadow, the most powerful wizard of all time." Charlie quickly put up a invisible shield in the space between Shadow and herself to stall him. She ran and ran until she saw light. Just when she was about to run out into the sunshine she was sucked back into the real world.

"You are in the group of Illusion and Dreams. This is the most important group. You will not tell anybody what has happened in here, except for you're future mentor. And of course you may tell you're friends what group you are in, but nothing else. I hope The White Witch chooses well for you. " It was tradition that The White Witch gave you you're mentor; the person who would teach you the ways of the group you were in. The Woman smiled.

Shaking, Charlie stumbled out of the tent and Skyler went in. "That was only 5 seconds." Skylar muttered as she walked towards the flap. "Time stops." Charlie replied without thinking. How could I have possibly know that? Maybe I took the information from The Woman's mind without realizing it. Skyler's head popped out of the tent and exclaimed "I'm in the group of Illusion!" shaking Charlie out of her thoughts. Why Illusion? She thought before Skylar dragged her away.