At the end of this post, you might be able to guess which pack Z and I added to our game. :)
Tuesday, Spring 24
10. Believing makes it so
All four of Mike and Kate McGuire’s children were insanely smart, but teachers who had taught each of them were already speculating that the youngest, Leah, might be the brightest of them all. The precocious little blonde girl read voraciously, was two grades ahead in math, and was already a formidable chess player.
It was a warm, sunny day, the kind of day Leah usually liked to spend outdoors. Today, however, was different. She couldn’t wait to get home from school, crawl into a comfortable chair, and continue reading a book that had captivated her.
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Its title was The Power of Ravalana, and it was the story of a girl about Leah’s age who discovered, quite by accident, that she had magical powers. Normally, Leah approached the world logically, with a cool, scientific detachment that seemed a bit out of place for a child so young. She’d outgrown children’s fantasy favorites, like The Last Unicorn, very quickly. But Ravalana’s story was different. It was less fanciful, set in a town a lot like Brindleton Bay, and Leah found herself wondering if it was really make-believe.
She had lots of questions, but she knew she didn’t dare talk to her siblings about them. Matthew would tease her unrelentingly. Daniel would probably ignore her. Nichole would be likely to launch into a long, detailed scientific explanation of why magic like Ravalana’s could not exist in the real world. Dad was still at work, so that left Mom. Leah tucked her book under her arm and went to find her mother.
Kate McGuire never understood how she and her husband, Mike, produced four intellectual prodigies. While neither of them were dull, they weren’t brilliant, either. It seemed that each successive child had asked them increasingly difficult questions, and after nearly fifteen years of them, Kate and Mike were, truthfully, worn out.
So, when Leah approached her with “Mom, can I ask you something?” Leah’s first response was a sigh. It had been a long day, and she wasn’t sure she had the energy to tackle one of her younger daughter’s queries. Still, she smiled down at Leah and replied, “Of course, sweetheart.”
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“Do you think there’s such a thing as a Spellcaster?” Leah asked her.
This question puzzled Kate. It wasn’t like Leah’s usual inquiries. She smiled, and arched an eyebrow at her. “Where did that come from?”
“This book.” Leah held up The Power of Ravalana.
Kate smiled. “I read that book. I was about your age when I discovered it.”
Leah’s eyes widened. “That’s so cool! Did you like it?”
Kate nodded. “I did.”
“Do you think there could really be a girl like Ravalana? Here, in Brindleton Bay, even?”
Kate lowered herself to her daughter’s height and placed her hands on her shoulders. “The most wonderful thing about a book is that, while you’re reading it, you can make it real for yourself. That world can be your world for a little while and, if you love it enough, you can carry a part of that world with you forever.
So, if you think there could be a Spellcaster in Brindleton Bay…”
Kate’s answer lacked scientific accuracy, but it made Leah’s face break into a delightful smile. “I’m not sure, but it’s fun to think about, isn’t it?”
“Uh huh.”
https://i.imgur.com/a0xknrM.jpg
