The metal pole was cold, almost freezing. Perhaps it was because winter had begun to set in or because it was ages since I last took a bus. I had my one hand latched unto it anyway while the other clasped the grocery bags.

The rumble of the engine mixed with the endless chatter annoyingly, drowning the voice of my thoughts.

"Put me out of my misery." I wailed inside.

I planned that Saturday was for catching up on "Castle of the Dragons" and I was well underway on executing my plan when mom knocked on my room door and told me how something urgent had come up at work and how it might prevent her from getting to the mall on time.

So as a 'good' only child of my beloved mother, I traveled halfway across town to purchase cabbage and some other garbage-sorry vegetables.

But I knew she enjoyed eating them and though I could never feel the same way, I wanted her happy. She'd done so much to take care of us ever since dad went missing.

But that's all I knew, she had done so much. What exactly? She never told me. I just knew she had a job that required "courage, wit and 'magic'" in her words.

The bus abruptly came to a halt.

I looked down at the groceries and did a rough weight check before joining the hoard of people to exit the bus.

The cold breeze washed over my face as my sneakers hit the floor.
My sandy blonde hair danced to its sway.

I immediately appreciated my choice of a sweater vest while at the same time regretting that it wasn't long enough.

Well, I thought while looking at the sunset. Things will only get colder
****
On reaching the door of our bungalow, I heaved a sigh as I trudged the final steps to the handle.

Eager to escape the cold I tried the handle but to my surprise, it was locked.

Mom's not back yet? I pondered, digging my free hand into my pocket to find the spare key.

However, my attention was immediately drawn to a letter pinned at the top of the door. I chided myself for not seeing it initially.

I pulled out the strand of duct tape that fixed it to the door and grabbed the letter, bringing it close to my face;

"My brave boy, I'm coming home late. The emergency was more serious than I imagined. I sent you shopping to make sure you wouldn't be around when they came to the house. I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark like this. You're no longer a child and I know that. I promise I will explain everything when I'm back. For now, I just want you to pay close attention;
They're coming again at nightfall, some bad people but don't panic. Don't hide out in the Smiths' either, you'll only be endangering them. I wish I could come back before then but don't worry. Here's what I want you to do; dash up to my room the moment you see this and take that spiral stick on my vanity table. It will protect you until I'm back. And dear, please clutch that stick as though your life depended on it, and trust me when I say it just might.
-Your starlight, Mom."

My mind was blank, my heart was racing. What's going on here?

I knew very well that it was mom who wrote this. Beyond the handwriting, I could see her personality painted in every sentence.

"Mom, why are hiding so many secrets from me?" I whispered.

Biting my lip was the only way to control the tears from streaming out. She was the only person in the world I could trust, but I always suppressed the question "why doesn't she trust me?"

I read through the letter again. Bad people; very specific. I remembered my baseball bat in my closet. Protection is all about having the bigger stick right? I'm sure she would have recommended it if it came to her mind.

Suddenly I began to hear whirling noises.

I frantically unlocked the door and bolted inside. Gotta lock it! I thought but a glow from the living room fixed my attention. Then I realized the whirling noises were coming from inside the house.

I rubbed my eyes vigorously and stared in unbelief as a blue portal the size of an apple slowly enlarged above the center table in the living room.
My heart hammered in my chest.
What on earth is going on?

A silvery hand burst out through the enlarging portal and I fell on my back in fear.

"Bat! I need a bat!" the words tumbled out of my mouth and
my body followed suit.

Scrambling off the floor I dashed towards my room jamming into corridors on the way but never losing momentum.

I burst through my room door and collapsed on the floor. The pain was now building in my shoulders.

"Ouchh!" I exclaimed.

A deep growling penetrated the air.

I bit my lip with determination and picked myself off the ground. I threw open my closet door and grabbed my bat from the corner.

Clamping it firmly, I took a swinging stance and fixed my eyes on the door.

"Now that you have the bigger stick why don't you feel any safer?" My conscience seemed to prick me.

Beads of sweat trickled down my face. The words of mom's letter flashed before my mind; And dear, please clutch that stick as though your life depended on it, and trust me when I say it just might.

This was not the stick she told me to clutch. Mom knew there were stronger materials around the house so had good reason for her recommendation. I had to get to her vanity table.

Two sticks are better than one. My mind surmised.

I sprinted out towards her room with my baseball bat in hand. I bumped into fewer corners this time. I felt fly but on reaching her room I screeched to a halt.

The door was toppled over and within the room were two silvery creatures. They were human-like but completely faceless. And one was facing my direction.

A huge lump formed in my throat. Trembling, I instinctively flung the bat at it. The force was tremendous so when the creature didn't flinch I knew I was in deep trouble. Normally I would have yelped but none of this was normal. Instead, I had a relatively dumb idea.

The faceless man began to advance toward me. I spun on my heel and hightailed towards the kitchen.

On arrival, I swung open the cupboard and grabbed a bag of flour. I picked up a kitchen knife and tore it open then I hurled the bag at the kitchen entrance. The powder dust rose as a cover and I watched from below the counter as the silvery man walked in and stood.

I crept around him, grinning that my distraction worked. Unarmed, however, I felt a greater sense of urgency and set my face like a flint.

I silently approached mom's room. The other silvery guy was not in sight.

Now's my chance.

I rushed into her room and began to ransack her vanity table. So many pinks!

"Yes!" I laid hold on the spiral stick. It was about ten inches long. I beamed with satisfaction.

I have the stick as instructed

For some reason, I felt more armed than I ever did with my bat but I couldn't fathom why.

Loud growlings reached my ears and I spun towards the door to see the two silvery faceless men storming in.

Fear clenched me on realization that the growling somehow originated from within them.

"Stay back." I whimpered but they advanced even faster.
I pointed the stick in their direction. "I said stay back!"

Suddenly a white blast of light diverged from the stick's tip. With a loud noise, it enveloped them.

I shielded my eyes from further intensity. When I opened them again, I saw silvery ashes settling in front of me.

"Woaw." I gasped.

Suddenly, a white portal flashed open above me and I saw mom touch down in a superhero landing. What shocked me the most was that she had blue translucent wings that glittered. She looked at the ashes that were still settling and then looked at me.

I was in awe.

"O, my brave boy. You did it." She wrapped me in a hug.

I just stood there transfixed. "Are you a pixie?" I finally whispered.

"A fairy." She said. "I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark this long. It was my mistake and it almost got you hurt."

She softly stroked my hair. " I promise I'll explain everything. But first I have good news."

"Yeah?" I hugged her back.

"I've finally found your father."

That did it. I felt my eyes roll up my head.

"Kennedy!" Her dampened voice called.