Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.

-Langston Hughes

CHAPTER ONE

The windows around the Acorn View Library were covered with pictures drawn by the needy children along with posters about saving the environment. I set down my backpack on the curb and pulled on my sweatshirt. It was October and it was already going below freezing each night. All around me, autumn leaves blew everywhere, scattering as cars road over them and as the wind pushed them into the air.

The sky was a pale blue and the trees were still littered with orange and brown leaves. The road was deserted on the side I was on, but across from me, groups of people were flitting in and out of tiny shops while Christmas music played. I know: Christmas music in October? No one in believed in Halloween around here. It went straight from the fourth of July to Christmas.

Cars were rare in Acorn View, Pennsylvania. In this small town, everyone walked everywhere. You can imagine the mortality rate. Most doctors who pass through exclaim, ‘What rate? There haven’t been any murders or accidents in the last ten years!’ And this is a fact although not many know this. Most parents who move here are only interested in keeping their children safe.  

The population here is roughly 5,000 people. We have three schools (elementary, middle, and high), one hospital, one city hall, four neighborhoods. Right now, I was standing outside the library, waiting for a friend. 

A car horn blew as it passed, making everyone on the opposite sidewalk glare. This car was unfamiliar to me, and I knew practically everyone in Acorn View. It was a black Mercedes with tinted windows and a shiny wax job. No one could afford that around here. Everyone owned trucks or the occasional station wagon.

“Hey, if it isn’t Marne Cromwell, the witch of Halloween town!” A voice called to somewhere on my left. I rolled my eyes and stared at two of my best friends: Victoria Kingston and Jessie McArthur. 

“My name is Marne, so what? I’m not a character off a Disney movie!” I snapped at Jessie, the one who had teased me about my name. He was relentless, as usual. 

“Aw, come on,” he coaxed, tugging on the sleeve of my Penn University sweatshirt. “You know I’m just kidding.”

“Yeah, even if it took his mother’s threats to do it,” Victoria muttered playfully under her breath. Jessie shot her a look while I laughed. 

Jessie had messy black hair that he never kept tidy. He was tall and skinny with an angular face. If he had glasses, he’s what you’d think of as a ‘geek’, but he really wasn’t. He was my best friend and, even though he’s smart, he’s never the one to willingly stay around doing homework when a good movie is playing in the theaters.

Victoria was way too good looking to be stuck around here in Acorn View. She had the super model looks: curly red hair she kept in a pony tail at all times, crystal blue eyes any guy would be crazy not to love, and a body that got her into all the talent shows the local schools had to offer. She and I grew up together. We know everything about each other.

Me, well, I’ve got shoulder length brown hair that I finally allowed my mother to style (and it looks pretty good), brown eyes that Jessie says reminds him all too well of chocolate, and a slender body that I keep in shape for track season.

“Let me guess,” Victoria said. “Your mom kicked you out of the house so that she could hang up Christmas decorations, wrap the gifts, and clean your room without you around?”

I sighed and shrugged. “That’s what it boils down to,” I said. 

Every single October and April, my mother makes me leave the house for the whole day so that she can torture the poor, ancient house we live it; coaxing it to get cleaner for the holidays. She also whirls into my room and straightens out everything: getting rid of clothes I haven’t worn in a year, getting rid of nasty old shoes, et cetera et cetera. However, I don’t allow her to touch my running shirts or my shoes. Those are 100% off limits.

“She’s also trying to get Mike to clean up the back yard.” I snorted. “Oh yeah, if he does, there’s hope for him yet.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “He’s just trying to prepare himself for college,” she said defensively. 

“Vickie, you should go into his room when he’s supposed to be filling out applications.” I said. “He’s playing video games!”

“Maybe you caught him when he was on a break,” Victoria said.

“Fat chance,” I shot back. “He’s supposed to mow the lawn before winter really sets in, which will be in approximately two days.”

“How do you know that?” Jessie asked. It was clear he thought I was joking. “Are you suddenly psychic?”

I tapped my forehead. “It’s all in here.” I said mysteriously. “It shall come.”

Jessie and Victoria exchanged a look. “She’s crazy,” they said at the same time. 

“Am not!” I protested. “I just have a feeling that he won’t be able to do it in two days, that’s all! He’s been putting it off for weeks and it’s like a jungle back there!”

“You over react too much,” Victoria said, stuffing her hands into her pockets. “He’ll get to it.”

I rolled my eyes at Jessie, who shrugged. I sighed and picked up my backpack, wincing as the wind blew over the three of us. I shivered and slung it around my right shoulder. “Well, let’s go see a movie or something.” I said. “Isn’t there a M*A*S*H marathon today?”

The thing about our movie theater is that it isn’t a real movie theater. It plays the same bunch of shows every single week. Last week, they showed I Love Lucy reruns and this week it’s supposed to be M*A*S*H, my favorite show in the world. 

“I don’t know how you like that show,” Victoria said as we began walking east along Fran Décor Street. “It’s such a sexist show!”

“No it isn’t!” I insisted. “Just because Hawkeye is a womanizer doesn’t mean everyone is!”

“Of course they are,” Victoria argued. “Trapper was before B.J. came in.”

I sighed. “Victoria, honestly, at least it’s a hilarious show!” I said. 

Jessie cut across us. “You two have had this conversation twenty-six times in four weeks. Please, give it rest.” He said, placing his hands gently over his ears to signify he was sick of it.

“Get headphones,” Victoria said before continuing with me. “I like Colonel Blake.”

“The thing I like most about Henry is that he’s goofy but not a good commanding officer.” I said. “Colonel Potter knew how to rule the school.”

“Okay,” Jessie said, slapping his sides. “If I hear one more thing about who is better than whom, I will seriously never speak to either of you two again.”

Victoria and I immediately shut our mouths. Jessie didn’t make idle threats. If he said something in a serious tone, he meant it. This way, you could almost always tell when he was kidding and when he was serious. I can say this, it cut down on the communication body language problems most friends have.

“Fine,” Victoria said in a constricted voice. “Let’s talk about…” she gazed around the square we were passing through. I could spot the five screen theater down the road. There wasn’t really anything to do in a small town like this. The population was mostly comprised of children 10 and under, and adults 30 and up.

“What’s your homework like?” I asked the other two.

There were about four hundred students in our high school. Even though that is an extremely small number, somehow, Jessie, Victoria and I all ended up in different classes. We got to sit together at lunch though and we walk home together every day.

“I have a test in Bio tomorrow,” Victoria said, sounding glum. Victoria wasn’t very good at Biology even though Jessie and I tutor her almost all the time.

“You’ll do fine,” I reassured her as a mechanical response. “What about you Jessie?”

“Language Arts test,” he said.

I scoffed. “You could probably ace that with your eyes closed.” I said to him. “I, however, have no tests but instead, I have an essay due in History. I have it better off than either of you two.”

“Why is that?” Jessie said, scoffing.

“I won’t know my score for another week.” I said happily. “Until then, I am free to do whatever I please.” I threw my arms wide above my head.

“What are you talking about?” Jessie said, looking confused.

“If I had a test or quiz, my teacher would grade it that very day and I’d know what my score is.” I explained. “Let’s say that I got a bad grade, like a C or something. If so, my mother would kill me. If I have to wait, I have all that free time to plan how I would survive when I’m grounded.”

“You’ve got a point,” Jessie said, looking thoughtful. “A very good point.”

“Jessie,” Veronica cried. “Are you kidding me? She makes no sense at all.”

“Just because it doesn’t make sense to you doesn’t mean that it doesn’t make sense,” I said.

“Marne, please don’t say another word because you’re just giving me a headache,” Victoria said, rubbing her temples warily. “Let’s just go watch a million episodes of M*A*S*H and get is over with.”

“That’s the spirit!” I said, thumping her on the back.

“Yes, it is,” Victoria said, looking up at me with a grin. “I feel better all ready because you’re paying.”

“I like that plan too,” Jessie said.

I aimed a punch at him, which he dodged. Well, you’d miss too if Victoria was between you and your target. She was a perfect shield and I nearly hit her if I hadn’t pulled back at the last second. “Keep it up, Jessie, and you might not see the morning light tomorrow.” I threatened. “Besides, gentlemen always pay for their ladies.”

A/N: I hope you enjoy my new novel.  I have decided that this one has no fantasy twist to it.  I hope that you like it!  Let me know what you think should happen!  I love it when you give your opinions good or bad.  :)

\Tiffany//