Chapter One – Amy

              I am bored. My mom says I can’t leave my room because I didn’t turn in my assignment on the Interstellar War (which is dumb, anyway), but I don’t care because I have my book and my pretty pony blanket and watching the holo-screen with my mom is stupid, anyway. Mostly I wish I didn’t even have to go to school. It’s an all human school, which is lame, because it means my best friend Bottle can’t go. He’s a Talian, with skin so green and clear he looks just like a bottle, which is why I call him that. His real name is really long and has numbers along with the letters. I could call him that if I wanted to, but Bottle is a better name. Bottle’s really smart too. He always gets good grades and he’s never grounded from watching his holo-screen. He even gets to help his dad work on their space cruiser on the weekends.

              I wonder what Bottle is doing right now. I look out my window. He lives across the street, two houses down, and I can see a light on in the garage. If I sneak out really quiet, my mom won’t even know I’m gone. I pull out the rope ladder that Bottle and I built a few weeks ago. I didn’t tell him it was for sneaking out of the house otherwise he never would have helped me build it. Bottle likes rules. Bottle also thinks I’m doing a science project on ladders.

The ladder makes a soft thump against the house when I unroll it out the window. I cringe and listen. I only hear the muted sounds of the holo-screen. Sounds like Monsters and Mayhem. Star Trek: Beyond The Beyond is better. I climb down the ladder and run across the street towards Bottle’s garage. The garage has a window on the front and if I stand on the very tips of my toes I can see inside. Bottle is rubbing down his dad’s space cruiser with a soft cloth. I watch as he makes methodical circles over the glass viewport. Bottle told me that his Dad teaches him all about how the space cruiser works. He even takes him out on the weekends and shows him how to fly it. He says that if he takes really good care of the space cruiser then he can drive it when he’s old enough. 

              I stare at Bottle through the window. Tonight seems like a good a night to take the space cruiser out to Luna’s Café. Now I just have to convince Bottle.

Chapter Two – Bottle

              I tap on the window.

              “Psst! Hey Bottle!” I’m trying to whisper but I need him to be able to hear me through this dumb window. He looks up at me with his big eyes blinking.

              “C’mon, let me in!”

              Finally he walks over and opens the garage door.

              “Amy, what are you doing here? It’s late. I’m gonna get in trouble.”

              “Well, are you going to let me in?”

              Bottle moves aside and lets me in the door. I can tell he’s upset. I don’t know why he’s so worried. His parents go to sleep early. Actually, now that I think about it, Bottle is supposed to be asleep too.

              “Why are you still up, anyway?” I ask.

              “I couldn’t sleep.” He shrugs his shoulders and goes back to rubbing the space cruiser with the cloth.

              “Well, then it’s a good thing I’m here!” Bottle stops rubbing the space cruiser.

              “Why?”

              “Because I have a plan.”

              “What kind of plan?”

              “A plan to help you go to sleep!” Bottle just stares at me so I keep talking, “We both know that warm honey and milk makes you go, like, right to sleep and Luna’s has the best honey and milk so, all we gotta do is take a quick trip to Lun-“

              “Luna’s! Amy, Luna’s Café is on the moon!”

              “Duh! That’s why we have to take your dad’s space cruiser. It’ll just be quick and you’re so good at driving it and no one will even know we’re gone. Just to Luna’s and back. Promise! Cross my heart and hope to die.”

              Bottle wants to say no, I can tell. But he’ll say yes. Because I told him he’s a good driver, because he loves driving the space cruiser, and because he can never tell me no.

Chapter Three – The Space Cruiser

              There are so many buttons on the dashboard of the space cruiser. I’ve never gotten to be in the front of one before and I want to touch all the buttons but I don’t. I know how far I can push things with Bottle and right now he’s wearing his serious face. Bottle pushes buttons and pulls levers and tells the space cruiser to go to Luna’s Café. Space cruisers are actually pretty cool. As long as you know how to tell them what to do, they can pretty much drive themselves. The top of the garage opens up and the space cruiser rises out and speeds us off into space. No matter how many times I see them, the beauty of the stars takes my breath away. I wish I could reach out and grab one, stuff it into a jar, and set it next to my bed so I could fall asleep in the glow of its light.

              Bottle looks more relaxed now. He needs to get out more. It’s not good for him to be so worried about rules and stuff. It’s a wonder school hasn’t killed him.

              “So, how is lame public school?” I asked Bottle.

              “I thought you said your school was the lame school?”

              “Yeah…. Whatever. It’s not so bad I guess. Just this lame girl Meda. I don’t know what her problem is, probably got moon crabs in her pants or something.” Bottle and I giggle.

              “Yeah, she always kind of looks like she ate something bad for lunch.” Said Bottle. I could see the moon coming up out of the space cruisers viewport. The sign for Luna’s Café was glowing in vibrant neon colors. ‘Open All Hours! Best Moon Cakes in the Galaxy!’ Bottle began pushing buttons and pulling levers again and we made our careful descent towards Luna’s.

Chapter Four – Luna’s Café

              Luna’s Café has been one of my favorite places to go since my dad started taking me here when I was little. I love the red leather booths and bar stools and the way it smells like beetle burgers and cricket fries. The place is pretty empty. I can see a Slimartian at the far end of the bar, his beetle burger floating in his gelatinous, slimy body. Totally gross. Luna is behind the counter, washing it down with a wash cloth.

              “Hi Luna!” we both yell.

              “Hey kiddos! You guys are out kind of late.” I see her look around, expecting to see one of our parents, “You guys didn’t come here alone did you?”

              “Nope! My mom’s in the space cruiser.” I lie. I can see Bottle scrunching up his face. He doesn’t like when I lie to grown-ups, especially Luna. We really like her.

              “Well, what can I get you guys?”

              “Two Bee’s Knees, please!” Bottle and I say in unison. Bee’s Knees is the name of Luna’s famous warm honey and milk drink. She says she calls it that because honey comes from bees, but I think it’s because it’s so fun to shout ‘Bee’s Knees, please’. We twirl around and around on the bar stools while the cook makes our Bee’s Knees. I giggle as Bottle turns into a green blur.

              “Are these for here or To-Go?” Luna asks.

              “To-Go.” I say. Luna hands us our To-Go cups full of steaming warm honey-milk.

              “You two be safe, okay?”

              “We will!” we say as we wave goodbye and walk out the door.

Chapter Five – The Energy Crystal

              I’m bored in the space cruiser on the way back home. I start poking around and looking at the compartments and displays. The buttons and gauges are so pretty. Bottle is watching me out the corner of his eye, I can tell.

              “Amy, what are you doing?”

              “What? I’m just looking.”

I can see a panel that looks like it should be flush with the cruisers wall, but one of the corners looks slightly bent out. I bend over to get a better look. It is sticking out! I poke my finger into the open space and start to pry off.

              “Amy! Stop! What are you doing?”

              Bottle gets out of his seat and leaps at me, but it’s too late, I’ve pulled the panel off. We both stare at the large, glowing Dragon’s Egg Crystal. Dragon Egg Crystals are a newly invented energy source that Zenviron has been working on. It’s been on the news for the last couple of days that one of the Dragon Egg Crystals was stolen and Zenviron was looking for any leads to who did it. Both my dad and Bottle’s dad work at Zenviron. I reach forward and touch the crystal. It’s smooth like glass and warm to the touch. I look at Bottle.

“Why is this in your dad’s space cruiser?”

“I don’t know. Why? Are you saying my dad took it?”

“Well, I don’t know. Why else would it be in here?”

Bottle looks mad. I mean, he’s got to admit, this looks pretty suspicious. A Dragon’s Egg Crystal goes missing and we find one in his dad’s cruiser. The space cruisers speakers come on and we hear the system’s melodious voice.

We will be entering the earth’s atmosphere in five minutes. Please be sure to return to your seats and fasten your safety harnesses.

Bottle gets up and starts fiddling with the controls. He sets the space cruiser to hover above the earth’s atmosphere so we have more time to think.

“It’s not very nice to accuse my dad. Maybe someone else put it there.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

Bottle can tell I’m not convinced. He crosses his dark green arms. I can see them reflecting the moonlight.

“Look, Amy. There’s no way that my dad would have left the corner sticking out on that panel. If he’s going to do something, he’s going to do it right.”

As I take in what Bottle’s saying, I know he’s right. If Bottle’s dad is anything like him, which he is, then he would never do anything without doing it perfectly. So who put the Dragon’s Egg Crystal in the space cruiser?

Chapter Six – Back on Earth

              Safely back in Bottle’s garage, we try and decide what we’re going to do with the crystal.

              “I think I should take it,” I say, “Maybe the person who hid it is going to try and come back for it, and the first place they would look is here, not at my house.”

              Bottle looks like he’s not sure he likes the plan, but he can’t find a flaw in it so he doesn’t say anything.

              “We’ll find out who did this, Bottle. Let’s meet after school tomorrow. We can make a plan.”

              Bottle nods his head. He’s tired and worried. I can tell.

              “It’s going to be okay,” I say

I wave goodbye, head out the garage door, across the street, and back up the rope ladder through my window. I shove the crystal under my pillow when I get inside. I put on my blue jammies, because they’re the extra soft ones, and get into bed. I pull the crystal back out from under the pillow. It glows a pearly blue. I watch as the insides swirl and ripple.

“What are we going to do with you?” I ask it. It doesn’t answer back.

Chapter Seven – Meda

              I hate school. It’s only third period, but it feels like I’ve been here forever. Meda has managed to ‘accidently’ pull my hair while sitting down behind me on the hover bus, denied shooting spit balls at the back of my head during first period, and almost tripped me going down the hallway to class. Now she’s casting glances at Soren’s porta-screen. She’s going to regret that. Soren doesn’t usually get the answers right. I don’t know why she has to be such an awful person. Or at least why she has to be such an awful person to me.

              The bell for lunch rings. I pack my porta-screen into its travel case and head for the door. I’m excited for lunch. My dad packed my favorite today, sesame mochi puffs and mealworm biscuits. I can see Meda walking behind me. I hope she’s not following me.

              When I get to the cafeteria I open up my lunch locker to pull my lunchbox out. Suddenly, a hand shoots out from behind me and grabs my lunchbox. It’s Meda.

              “Stop! Give it back!” I’m trying hard not to cry. The last thing I need is for that to happen.

              “What have you got for lunch here?”

Meda tries to open my lunchbox. I lunge to grab it but she pulls it away in time.

“Not fast enough! Guess this lunch is mine today.”

That’s the final straw. She can pull my hair, she can shoot spit wads at me, she can even call me names if she wants, but I’m not going to let her take my sesame mochi puffs. I pull my arm back and punch her right on the nose. She’s not expecting it. I hit her hard.

Now my hand hurts. There’s blood everywhere. Meda’s nose is bleeding, she’s crying. Our science teacher, Mrs. Yi, marches over to us.

“Amy. Principal’s office. Now. Meda, we’re going to the nurse’s office.”

I watch as Mrs. Yi escorts Meda to the nurse. Crap.

Chapter Eight – The Ride Home

              My dad was not happy when he came to pick me up. I tried explaining that Meda was being awful, that she was going to take my sesame mochi puffs, but he didn’t want to listen. I feel kind of awful. I didn’t expect to hurt Meda so bad. I was just so upset that she had been bothering me all day and then she tried to take me food. I was just so angry I couldn’t even think. Now I’m hungry, and angry, and sad, and worried. I sigh as I lean my head against the window in the back of our hover car. We’re on our way back home and I’m going to have to talk with my mom. Now probably wouldn’t be a good time to bring up the energy crystal. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to or not anyway. How would I even explain how I found it? Would my dad think that Bottle’s dad did it, just like I did? I don’t know but I’m not sure I want to find out. I wish everything wasn’t so complicated right now.

              I don’t like to think about what’s going to happen when we get home. I hate when my mom is mad. I wish she was a quiet mad like my dad is, but boy does she like to tell you what you did wrong. I just wish they would understand how awful Meda is to me. I wish I hadn’t punched her in the nose. I hope she’s okay. My stomach gurgles as we pull into the driveway. Time to walk the plank.

Chapter Nine – Grounded

              I am so totally grounded. They didn’t say I was grounded, but they sent me straight up to my room and they’re talking downstairs. I’m probably not going to be able to watch the holo-screen for weeks! I run over to my bed, squash my face in my pillow and scream. Life is just so unfair. I can feel the Dragon’s Egg Crystal against my hand. I sit up and pull it out from under my pillow. It’s so beautiful. I bet whoever took it just wanted to stare at it all day. I cross my legs and set in my lap, it’s so warm. I can see why they call it a Dragon’s Egg Crystal. It’s shaped like a big, fat egg and the swirling colors make it look like it’s alive.

              When the stairs creak I quickly shove the energy crystal back under my pillow. Usually I hate those loud, creaky stairs, but right now I love them. I watch as the doorknob turns and my mom comes in. I can’t decide how mad she is because mostly she just looks sad. Everything is just too much. I burst into tears.

              “Oh, Amy…” my mom says.

She comes over and hugs me, but I can’t stop crying. I cry into her shoulder a while before I’m done. I hiccup and dry my eyes on my sleeves.

“What happened, Amy?” my mom asks. I shrug my shoulders.

“Meda was being awful. She’s always awful. And today she took my lunch and it was my mochi puffs and I just couldn’t take it anymore…”

“So, you punched her?”

“Yeah…” I say. I feel so embarrassed now. I just wanted my lunch. I don’t know what I was thinking.

“Oh honey, you can’t just punch people,” my mom says.

“I’m sorry, I know. But I wouldn’a even done it if Meda wasn’t being so mean. Why does she have to be so mean to me?”

“Did you know that I used to be best friends with Meda’s mom?”

“What? No!”

I couldn’t believe it. I stared at my mom, waiting for her to explain.

“It’s true. When I was growing up Karli and I were best friends,” said my mom.

She told me how Meda’s mom grew up and got married. How the man that she married had to travel to many different planets for his job. This meant that my mom had to say good-bye to her best friend. My mom told me that she found out about Karli having a little baby girl from many planets away. This was Meda. She had to tell her best friend about her little girl from many planets away. That was me. My mom told me that while I got to grow up here, in the same house, with the same neighbors, and same school each year, Meda was always moving from home to home and school to school.

“She’s probably afraid to get close to anyone again,” my mom said.

“That’s why she’s so mean?” I asked.

“Well, sometimes people deal with things in weird ways. Like punching someone.” My mom gave me a serious look.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry to me. You need to tell that to Meda when you see her at school again.”

I nodded yes. I didn’t trust myself to speak. My mom kissed me on the forehead.

“I can tell you feel bad, but I think there’s going to be no more holo-screen for the rest of the day. You need to remember to think before you act.” My mom stood up to leave.  “I’ll call you down for dinner okay? I love you Mee Mee.”

“I love you too, mom,” I said.

She softly closed the door behind her as she left. I reached my hand under pillow to feel the warm comfort of the Dragon’s Egg Crystal. I had a plan for Meda, but I didn’t have a plan for this energy crystal yet. I would have to sneak out and talk to Bottle tonight.

Chapter Ten – A Plan

              I wait until I’m pretty sure that everyone has gone to sleep. I haven’t heard the holo-screen for a while and I’m pretty sure I can hear my dad’s snores. He sounds like a squeaky door. It’s harder to hear him tonight, which probably means my parent’s bedroom door is closed. That’s good, because it will make it harder for them to hear me in case I accidently make any noise.

              I climb down my rope ladder and run across the street to Bottle’s house. I have the Dragon’s Egg Crystal stuffed inside my sweater. It’s warm against my skin. Bottle’s room is on the bottom floor so it’s easy to jump up into his window. Inside, Bottle’s room is dark, but I know what it looks like so I don’t run into anything. I know that he has shelves covered in all of his little models and inventions. Bottle is fantastic at creating things. I know his desk is neatly organized with his porta-screen sitting on top. I can see Bottle curled up in his bed, sleeping.

              “Pssst. Bottle!” I walk over and touch his shoulder. He rolls over as he wakes up.

              “Amy…?” Bottle looks up at me with his big sleepy eyes.

              “We gotta figure out what we’re gonna do with this crystal,” I whisper.

              “Oh right…”

              Bottle’s still pretty sleepy but he sits up and rubs his eyes.

              “I was thinking maybe we should try to turn it in to Zenviron,” said Bottle. He yawned.

              “How will they catch the real guy who did it if we just turn it in? What if they think we took it? What if they think it was your dad?” Bottle frowns. He’s more awake now. “We gotta catch the real guy so they know it wasn’t us or your dad.”

              “I don’t know, Amy. That seems kind of dangerous. Besides we don’t even know the first place to look.”

Right as Bottle finishes talking we hear a hover car door slam closed and then two male voices talking right outside Bottle’s house. We hold our breath as we stare at each other, too afraid to even move.

              “Tell me again, why did you put the Dragon’s Egg Crystal in the wrong car?”

              “I already told you! I needed to find a place to put it quick. The guards were right on my tail. Maybe if someone had actually been where they were supposed to be…”

              “Maybe you should shut your mouth. Let’s just find this thing and get out of here.”

              “It would help if all these houses didn’t look the same!”

              I could tell that they were Shadow people. Their voices sound smoky, almost as if a strong wind could blow them away. I shivered. The Shadow people don’t like anyone that they refer to as “The Tangibles”, which included us, but it sounded like these two Shadow people were responsible for stealing the Dragon’s Egg Crystal. If we wanted to make sure that Bottle’s dad didn’t get in trouble, we needed to stop these two. I looked at Bottle and tilted my head toward the window. He nodded. We were going to have to get a closer look at these two.

Chapter Eleven – Wicks

              Bottle and I carefully climbed out his window and hid behind the tree in his front yard. I could see the two Shadow people. They were walking down the street slowly, looking from side to side. I say walk but shadow people move really strange. It’s more like they ooze like fog. I could only hear bits and pieces of what they were saying, but they sounded upset. I motioned to Bottle that we should follow them down the street because they were moving farther away, and we still couldn’t really tell enough about them to describe them to the police. Bottle looked like he was going to pee his pants and he shook his head ‘no’, but I darted towards the neighbors trash cans anyway. I knew Bottle would follow me. He did.

              “I can’t tell which house it is!” One of the Shadow men hissed.

              “Well, this is working out great, Genius.”

              Both of the Shadow men started to turn towards us, in order to head back down the street a second time I guessed. Yes! I thought. Now we’ll be able to see their faces! But right as I was about to get the perfect view something soft and fuzzy but heavy crashed into us. The trash cans clanged to the ground, scattering trash everywhere.

              “Get off me!” yelled Bottle.

              “Get off you? Who are you?” asked a voice I didn’t recognize.

              I looked up. He looked as tall as Bottle and I but he was covered in long brown hair with golden tips. They actually kind of looked like upside down candles. I wanted to reach out and touch them, they looked so soft.

              “My friends call me Bottle and I don’t like to be sat on.” said Bottle.

              “Well, to be honest, I’m not really sitting on you, more like ‘falling’ on you since you decided you wanted to hang out near the trashcans where I couldn’t see you. My name’s – “

              “Wicks!” I yelled. “Your hair looks like candle wicks!”

              He laughed.

              “I like that. Sure, my name is Wicks.” Said Wicks.

              I blushed. Then I remembered, the Shadow men! I looked around. They were gone.

              “You didn’t happen to see two Shadow people before you fell on us did you?” I asked Wicks.

              “There were Shadow people around here?” said Wicks.

              “Yeah, they were loo-“ I stopped because Bottle was glaring at me something fierce. “Well, it’s a long story.” I finished lamely. I would have to talk with Bottle later.

              “Hey, do you guys go to Summit?” said Wicks. That was the name of the local school public school.

              “I don’t,” I said. “I go to Diamond Prep Academy. But Bottle does.”

              “Cool! We should all hang out sometime! You know, not next to my smelly trash next time,” said Wicks.

              I giggled.

              “Yeah, sure. We gotta get going,” said Bottle. “Come on, Amy.” He grabbed my arm.

              “I’ll see ya around Wicks!” I said as I waved good-bye while Bottle dragged me away. I would really need to talk to Bottle about this later.

Chapter Twelve – New Friends

              I’m going to talk to Meda. My mom told me that Meda would be back in school today. She isn’t on the hover bus. I guess her mom dropped her off. I guess I would be scared of me too. I feel awful. When I walk into our first class of the day I see her. Her nose looks a little swollen and red and under her eyes looks dark. Part of me is thinking, ‘Wow! I can punch!’ but most of me feels awful. The bell rings for us to sit down and pay attention. I’ll have to talk to her after class.

              Class seems to go on forever. I feel like everyone in the class is staring at me, but I’m totally not going to look around to see. My ears are so hot. I look down at my notebook and start to draw. I can’t get Wicks’ hair out of my head. It looked even softer than my blue jammies. And the golden tips at the end were so beautiful. I sketch them out in my notebook until the bell rings for the end of class.

              I look up. Usually everyone is mostly gone by now, but it looks like everyone is packing slowly. Except Meda. If I don’t talk to her now, I don’t even know how many more classes I will have to sit through like this, and I just can’t take that. I leave my stuff on the desk and walk over to her. I can hear everyone whispering, but I ignore them. Meda looks up at me. She looks scared that I’m going to punch her again. I swallow. I try to say ‘I’m sorry’, but the words just aren’t coming out. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Why is it so hard?

              “I’m.. I’m sorry,” I say.

Meda just stares at me. Everyone stares at me. I want to be somewhere else. This is stupid.

“Look, I’m really sorry ok? I just was all upset because you were being so mean that day and I really wanted my lunch and I didn’t think and I just punched you and I’m sorry.”

I take a big breath. Meda looks like she’s about to cry.

“I’m sorry,” Meda murmurs, “I don’t think I know how to have friends anymore.”

I think our teacher must have been watching us, because she tells all of the others kids to grab their stuff and leave or she’s going to give them detention for being late to their next class.

“I’m going to give you two late passes but don’t take too much longer, okay?” said Mrs. Yi.

I looked at Meda and took a big breath.

“I bet it’s pretty hard to be moving all the time, but if you want to be my friend I promise we’ll be friends no matter where you go.

“Really?” said Meda

“Promise. Cross my heart and hope to die,” I said, “In fact you should come hang out with Bottle and Wicks and I tonight!”

“Bottle and what?”

“Bottle and Wicks. They’re my friends. I promise you’ll like them.”

Meda smiles.

“Okay.”

I smile too. We grab our stuff and quickly head to our next class. I can’t wait for school to be over!

Chapter Thirteen – After School

              We’re all sitting in the basement of my house, Bottle, Wicks, Meda, and I. Bottle does not look happy. He was actually the first one here, and when I told him that I had invited Wicks and Meda he got mad. He asked me why I didn’t just ‘tell the whole neighborhood’ and then flopped down onto the couch and refused to talk to me. So we sat in silence until Meda and Wicks showed up.

              I tell Meda and Wicks everything about the Shadow People and the Dragon’s Egg Crystal. Bottle looks like he ate a lemon.

              “So, we’re trying to stop a couple of oozy Shadow People from stealing a top secret, experimental energy source that you currently have hidden in your pillow?” asked Wicks.

              “Yeah, basically,” I said.

              “Holy buckets,” said Wicks.

              “I might know something that could help,” said Meda.

              We all looked at Meda. I knew it was a good idea to bring her into the group.

              “Well, my dad studies people and stuff, so we lived on the planet Obsidious with the Shadow People for a while. They don’t like high pitched noises, I guess ‘cause it messes with their molecules and stuff, so they get all solid and frozen instead of being smoky like normal.”

              Bottle is looking way less grumpy now. He’s thinking. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head. Bottle is smart.

              “Whadda ya thinkin’ Bottle?” I asked.

              “I have an idea. I don’t know if it’ll work.. I gotta run! I’ll see ya guys later!”

              Bottle leaps up and runs out the door slamming it behind him.

              “Well, do you guys wanna see a momonga?” asked Wicks.

              “You have a momonga at your house? I didn’t know you could have one as a pet,” said Meda.

              “Well, my parents are Zookeepers,” said Wicks.

              “I want to see it!” I said.

              After I tell my mom where we’re going, we all head over to Wicks’ house. I can’t believe he has a momonga as a pet! Wicks is so cool.

Chapter Fourteen – The Shadow Man

              I’m walking back home from Wicks’ house. His house is so amazing! His momonga was so cute! Her name is Cookie, which is the best name ever. Wicks said he named her. We watched her clean her face with her little paws and then she fell asleep in Meda’s lap. Meda got to hold Cookie more, but that’s ok because I got to talk to Wicks. I guess he gets to have lots of creatures in his house. They even had a bubastis once! They’re really big.

              The sun is setting so I try and hurry home faster. I like this time of day. The shadows are really long. The sun is behind me, so I can see my giant shadow walking ahead of me. I lift my feet up high and try and step on myself and giggle when my shadow just moves farther away.

              I look up. I thought saw something. There! It looks like it could be one of the Shadow People from the other night. But it moved so fast. I look around. There’s no one else out here. Everyone is probably watching their holo-screens. I start walking even faster. I’m not scared or anything, but my mom will get mad if I’m not home before dark.

              I run up the porch stairs and bolt into the house. I’m trying to catch my breath.

              “Amy, is that you?” my mom shouts from the living room.

              I manage to get out a yes. I look out the window. Nothing. I guess it was just the wind or something. I hope Bottle’s idea works.

              I watch the holo-screen with my mom and dad for a little bit before I’m yawning and my mom says it’s time for bed. I go upstairs, put on my jammies, and get in bed. I pull out the energy crystal from under my pillow. It’s so warm. I trace the ripples with my fingers as they scatter across the crystal. Part of me wishes I could keep the crystal forever.

              After a while I hear my parents go to bed. I’m about to put the crystal back under the pillow and go to sleep myself when I hear a tapping sound on the window. I freeze. I’m so scared I’m not even breathing. I wait. Nothing. I must be really losing it today.

Right as I start to relax the window flings open. It’s one of the Shadow Men. Holy buckets, I must have left the ladder out! He sits in the window like a dark fog with eyes. I can see him staring at the Dragon’s Egg Crystal in my hands.

Finally I scream. I leap out of bed and run to the door, the energy crystal clutched to my chest. I can’t hear him because Shadow People are so quiet but I hope he isn’t too close behind me. I run out the door and slam it shut behind me. I hope that buys me some time.

“Mom! Dad!” I scream. I hope they will call the police. I bolt down the stairs and out the front door. I’m heading with all my might to Bottle’s house and I hope with all my heart that he has that idea finished.

Chapter Fifteen – The Police

              I bang on Bottle’s window so hard I swear I’m going to break it. I’m not even trying to be quiet. Finally Bottle gets up, his big blinking eyes staring at me through the window.

“Open the window, Bottle!”

Bottle flings the window open.

“I’ve got a Shadow Man on my tail,” I said.

I shift the energy crystal in my arms as I crawl through the window. Bottle’s eyes get even wider, which I didn’t know was possible. He runs over to his bed and pulls out a small box from underneath it.

“What is it?” I asked.

“It’s a music box. I changed it so the sound it makes is higher pitched. I hope it works.”

“I guess we’re going to find out,” I said.

The Shadow Man swept into the bedroom. It felt like one minute he wasn’t there, and the next he was. I held my breath as Bottle started playing the music box. I couldn’t hear anything! I look over at Bottle, but he’s staring intently at the Shadow Man. I look back over. The Shadow Man looks like he is in pain. His eyes are squeezed shut. He’s starting to look like a statue. It’s working! I want to jump up and down, but I don’t.

Suddenly the lights turn on. Bottle and I turn around. It’s our parents and two police officers.

“You’re under arrest,” says one of the police officers as he runs in and puts the Shadow Man in cuffs. I can see that the Shadow Man is starting to look more normal. Also very upset that he’s under arrest. I walk up to the other police officer.

“Ma’am? I have the Dragon’s Eye Crystal,” I say as I hand her the crystal. I smile. We did it!

Chapter Sixteen – Public School

              We told our parents and the police the whole story. All about how we found the energy crystal and how we knew it wasn’t Bottle’s dad that did it and how when we found out it was the Shadow People we had to catch them. The police and Zenviron were happy to have the Dragon’s Egg Crystal back, but they made sure to tell us that we should have told them when we first found the Crystal and that’s what we should do if something like this happens again. I didn’t tell them that that wouldn’t have been very fun.

              In thanks for helping to catch the thieves and for returning the Dragon’s Egg Crystal I got a piece of the crystal as a pedant. I wear it around my neck all the time. Bottle got to take his drivers exam early so now he has SCL1. That stands for Space Cruiser License level 1, which means he can take the space cruiser just to the moon and back. That is, until he has over two-billion miles of flight time. We are going to take so many trips to Luna’s Café!

              Oh, and one more thing! Meda and I told our parents that we really wanted to switch to the public school so we could be with our friends. And they let us! So, now we’re all at school together and it’s probably the coolest thing ever. I don’t think I could be happier.