The Quill

“I got new hiking shoes. Do you like them?” Maya asked her stepbrother Jason.

Maya twelve. Maya had nearly black hair, blue eyes, and was always reading books. She was very logical and was very shy but an expert to nature. She wore a neat black pencil skirt and a pink leather short sleeve shirt. Maya also had a younger step brother. On the other hand, Jason was adventurous. He hated books(unless they were comic books), didn’t listen to the rules, and would blurt out whatever came to his mind. Jason wore a green shirt covered with food stains and under armor shorts.

Maya and Jason Grace both shared a room. At both ends were two beds. At Maya’s side, she had a canopy bed. The cushions on the bed were light pink with dark pink polka dots. The blanket was purple with a soft and cushy texture. There was also a closet near the pink and purple bed with more books than clothes. There was also a desk. The desk was pink with two drawers. One of the drawers was filled with pens, markers, paper, origami and drawing books, crayons, pastels, paint, and notepads. The other was completely blank. Maya claimed that she would need that drawer someday for something important. Next to the desk, was a small purple trash can at the side. The trash can was filled with crumples of her worst drawings. Her wallpaper was light pink and was covered with different types of flowers and their names under it. Jason’s side, had a blue comfy bean bag chair, and a blue trash can with a mini basketball hoop on top. The cushions on his bed were light blue and his blanket was dark blue. Jason’s closet was black and was filled with comic strips and his wallpaper was covered with rockets shooting into the beautiful outer space. At the middle of the room was a long piece of tape that separated the two sides.

“You’re kidding” Jason responded back not believing his sister would use her money she saved up to buy hiking shoes.

“Okay, Okay, Mom got them for me. I’m not sure why” Maya admitted.

“KIDS!! COME HERE RIGHT NOW!” Mrs. Grace yelled from the living room.

“That’s probably me” Jason said with a knowingly look.

“BOTH OF YOU!” Their mom added.

Maya quickly dropped her book and sprang to attention. The two kids walked to the living room.

Maya and Jason saw their mom narrowing her eyes to the couch and they quickly sat down. “Kids, I know I shouted to you like you guys were trouble, but really, I just wanted to have little talk with you.” Mrs. Grace went on, “You two are both the opposite. I just thought you kids could spend more time together. So Maya, since you are already twelve years old, I want you to babysit Jason. Thank you, end of conversation. Bye. I’m going to work.” Their mom finished and walked out the door to her car. Soon, she was off.

Maya and Jason frowned. But then, a smile appeared on Jason’s face. He had an idea. “Wait, since you’re babysitting me, you do whatever I want. Right?” Jason asked his older sister.

Maya looked at her brother and shrugged, “I guess. Wanna go for a walk and maybe have a picnic?” Maya grabbed a basket and dropped some snacks and lunch in it.

Jason answered cheerfully, “Yay!!! Can we go through the trees and pick up berries and -”

“Shhhh! Did you hear that?” Maya walked outside. “That’s a Red Tailed Hawk.” Jason rolled his eyes and smiled.

The two kids walked through the trees until they reached the mountains peak. The sight was beautiful. Maya named every animal they saw and Jason tried to make a record of climbing trees. After a while of looking at the views, Maya laid out the picnic blanket and they both ate their sandwiches. “Would like some fruits?” Maya asked her brother handing out a couple of strawberries.

“Nope. Can I have some crackers instead?” Jason answered. Maya nodded and gave him the crackers. After eating lunch, Maya packed everything and the two siblings fell asleep.

Maya yawned, “Oh no! Look at the time! Jason, wake up!” She looked beside her but Jason wasn’t there. Maya grabbed the basket and stuffed the picnic blanket in it. Then, she started walking a calling Jason’s name. Finally, she found Jason climbing a huge tree. “Finally! You woke up!” Jason said rolling his eyes. “Jason! Please don’t leave without telling me. I get scared you know” Maya answered. Jason frowned at jumped off of the tree. “Come on. Let’s go home. I want mommy.” Jason whined. Maya nodded and they both took off.

While walking, Jason tripped over something. “Ouch! Wait, is that a feather? Oooooh I wonder where that bird is!” Jason said.

“Hey, that’s not a feather. That’s a quill. I’m going to take it home. I’ve always wanted one of these!” Maya responded picking up the quill. For the rest of the time, Maya and Jason ran home not saying a word. “Kids! Where were you! Are you okay Jason?” Mrs. Grace said frightened.

“We’re fine mom. We just had a picnic and a long walk” Jason replied. Their mom gave them the go - to - your - room look. The two kids nodded at ran to their room. Maya took the quill out of her pocket and started writing on a fresh piece of paper, “One day, a girl named Maya had a fight with her brother Jason and at the end it was a little messy.” Maya looked at her paper satisfied and shoved both the quill and paper in her desk.

The next day, Maya woke up and ran to the kitchen. She saw her brother drawing with the quill him and a baseballbat. At first Maya was a little mad, but then she smiled. She remembered how Jason always wanted a new bat and Maya laughed when she recalled all the attempts Jason tried to do to get it. Maya sat down at the table and the door opened. “I’ve got presents!!” Mrs. Grace yelled. Maya and Jason, screamed, “YAAAAAY!!!” Jason ran to the box she was holding a opened it. “Is that, is that, a baseball bat?!” Jason flabbergasted. Mrs. Grace nodded. Maya ran to hug her brother, and said, “Umm… What did you get for me?”

Mrs. Grace answered sadly, “Oh, sorry sweetie. I didn’t get anything for you. But guess what?! You get to babysit Jason again!”

Maya groaned and Mrs. Grace left.

“Can we share?” Maya asked.

“NO.”

“But, that’s not fair!”

“Yes it is, mommy got this for me, not you!”

“Can I at least play with you?”

“No, my friends will.”

“But Jason!!! That’s not nice!”

Jason started running to his friend Jack. Maya forgot about the whole babysitting thing and ran to her room. She gathered the quill, the paper, and the paper Jason drew on. Then, she gasped. Jason drew him with a baseball bat. Next thing, he got one. Maya wrote about how she and her brother got into a fight. Next thing, they got into a fight. Maya connected the dots. Whatever you drew or wrote with that quill, would happen in real life.

Maya smiled and wrote, “Jason came back home, said sorry to Maya, and give her a present.” Maya shoved the paper and quill in her desk and waited patiently for Jason to come. Five seconds later, Jason appeared in Maya’s room. “I’m sorry Maya. You can use my bat. I got you a present too.” Jason held out the seventh Harry Potter book. He knew that his sister always wanted to read that book. “Listen Jason, I'm to tell you something you're not going to believe” Maya responded.

Jason was confused. Usually Maya would hug and say thank you to Jason when he gave her a present. But, as a nice brother, he sat down quietly waiting for Maya to spill it. “This pen, I meant, quill, is, is, magical. When you drew the picture with this it actually happened. And, on a piece of paper I wrote that we would get in a fight, and that actually happened. Then, I wrote you would give me a present. It happened.” Maya said.

“So, you’re saying that whatever we write or draw, with that quill, happens it real, actual life? Prove it.” Jason answered.

Maya cleared her throat and wrote with the quill on some crumpled paper, “Maya’s mom knocked on the door and brought desserts.” Jason read the paper and sat their patiently. Two seconds later, Mrs. Grace knocked the door and pushed it open. She was holding out hershey kisses. The two kids hugged their mom, grabbed the kisses, and ran to their room. “That,” Jason paused, “Is crazy. Gimme that quill and paper. I wanna see how well this thing works.” Maya handed the quill and paper to Jason nervously. Jason wrote, “Jason kicked Maya in the face, it wasn’t too severe, but it hurt.”

Maya read out loud, “Jason kicked Maya in the, what? No! Jason erase that! You’re gonna get in BIG trouble.”

Jason shrugged, “Don’t worry, I’m used to it.” Maya sighed.

The next few minutes were awkward. Suddenly, Jason felt an urge to kick Maya.  He knew better than that. But he just couldn’t resist it. It was like his life depended on it. Jason closed his eyes and did it. “Ow!” Maya screamed. Jason ran to hug her sister but she pulled away. “That thing is dangerous. Burn it. Do whatever it takes to get rid of it.” Maya said sternly. Jason ran to the living room and threw the quill into the fire.

“Kids? Don’t stand that close to the fire Jason! Anyways, it’s time for dinner” Their mom said. The two kids sat down on the table. “Why are you two so glum? I have something to make you smile! Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner! Mrs. Grace yelled.

“Umm… Mom? I’m not hungry. May we be excused?” Maya and Jason answered. Mrs. Grace looked side to side and nodded sadly. Maya and Jason ran to their room.

Jason was about to through the paper away but Maya stopped him. On the paper something else was written:

“It probably wasn’t a good idea to go to your room.”

Maya and Jason looked at eachother frightened. Suddenly the lights turned off and door locked. Fire bursted out surrounding the two children. They heard their mom yelling about getting out of the house, but there was no way. The fire came nearer and nearer to Maya and Jason. They held each other’s hands and closed their eyes.

The two kids opened their eyes and appeared in the hospital burned all over and still holding hands. “Their awake!” A doctor yelled. Their mom came running to the room. “Kids!” Mrs. Grace yelled.

“What happened?” Maya asked.

“The firefighters found you kids just in time. You two could of died! I’m still not sure where the fire came from though. But, what happened to you guys?”

Maya and Jason looked at each other unsure what to say.

The End