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Chapter I
No Heart Pain

Thirteen-year-old Daniel Franksence had been gone for two weeks now. There was no sign of how or where he had gone. His mother was so worried. All his friends down in South Carolina were worried about him. But none as much as Alyssa Maide.

This thirteen-year-old girl had only known Daniel for about two years before his parents divorced. He, his mom, and his three brothers moved up to Rhode Island. He sometimes came down with his brothers to visit their dad. Alyssa always tried to be the first to know. But not this year. He ran away for some unknown reason. How she wished to see him!
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It was late on a mid-summer night; Alyssa was fast asleep in her room. Tap, tap, tap, went something on the window, waking her up. She lifted her head, blinked, and looked around the room: nothing. She dropped her head and fell asleep again, but not as deeply this time. Tap, tap, tap, it went again even louder than the first time. Alyssa got up now. She sleepily walked over to the window and peeked through. Seeing a face in the window, she quickly jumped. Cautiously, she looked through the window again. Alyssa recognized the face now. Why, it was Daniel! Alyssa quickly opened the window.

“Daniel!” she cried,” I can’t believe it’s you! How did you do it! Where have been? Oh-my-gosh! I’ve got to tell my mom!”

“No!” Daniel ordered as he covered her mouth with his hand, then pushed her in as he flew in. “Don’t you dare tell a soul. It will ruin everything.”

Watching her carefully as if she would run away, he removed his hand.

“You just flew in through the window!” she sputtered. “And what do you mean I’ll ruin everything?”

Daniel sighed.

“You might as well sit down. This’ll take awhile.
“As you might have guessed, it all started about a two weeks ago. It was hot outside; even though it was night. I went inside to get a glass of water. When I finished, my mom said to go turn off my light in my room. So of course, I went. But the light didn’t come from my lamp; it came from the two fairies sitting on my bed. I didn’t know it until they were buzzing- sorry -flying around me. They started to speak to me in a different language, but I somehow understood them. Years ago, they said, pirates came to there island and began terrorizing it. The fairies tried to ignore the pirates but they really started to hurt the island. So now they needed my help. At first, I thought, I’d love to help, but what can I do. Then I figured, this is a once in a lifetime thing. Why not? So I said yes but asked how would I get there and where I was going? I would go to an island called Faylin. And you probably guessed I would get there by flying. So the next day, I should say night, they came for me and I left.”

“Yeah, right! That’s unbelievable.” Alyssa said in disbelief.

Daniel grinned with pride.

“Yeah, it is.”

”I wouldn’t have believed you if you hadn’t flown through the window.” she said, “ but then why did you come back?”

“I was getting really lonely. There was only the fairies to hang out with, which is cool and all but-I don’t know- they’re only 5 inches tall.”

“I see where you’re coming from, but why did you come here?”

Two small lights flew in through the window and around Daniel. One bit his arm.

“Ow!” he cried as he rubbed his arm, “Ok, ok, I’ll tell. Sheesh! Alyssa, this is Fushia and Latanya. Fushia big mouth: Latanya know it all. No, I’m just teasing; they adore me.”

Alyssa laughed.

“Now let’s go.” Daniel exclaimed.

“What? What do you mean?” Alyssa asked, taken aback. “Go where?”

“To Faylin, of course.” He smiled, expecting screams and elation.

“No way! You’re crazy! I’m not leaving this room.”

“Why not?”

“Cause I’m not going some desolate island where I’d be lonely and have nothing to do.”

“You won’t be lonely, I’ll be there.”

“Oh, thanks, that’s convincing.”

“Anyways, there will be tons to do. There’ll be no one in command; we could do whatever we want, whenever we want. And that’s not the best part,” he came close to her and whispered in her ear, “There will be no heart pain.”

“Heart pain?”

“You know that pain when you deeply hurt inside? There is none of that, no deep sorrow. No heartaches or broken hearts. It’s perfect. Just like Neverland, but better. Come on. Come back with me.” His face lit up as he spoke.

Alyssa debated, wondering if he meant it. Was it worth leaving her family behind, even for no sorrow? Would there be love there, too?
“Well…alright…” She looked down at the floor and said quietly, “ I’ll go.”

“Yeah! Fushia, Latanya, pixie dust please.”
The excitement of a magical new adventure began to sparkle and tingle through her veins, bringing a pink blush to her cheeks.
So both the fairies began to frolic and fly around her. Fairy dust powdered the air and alighted gently upon Alyssa, giving her a pixie-like look.

“Now it’s just happy thoughts. That’s it, happy thoughts.” said Daniel.
“Hm, happy thoughts,” thought Alyssa. “Flowers on a summer evening, rainbows on a clear blue sky, stars twinkling, and lots and lots of magic!” She thrilled to the bone. All of a sudden, Daniel shouted, “Good! You’re doing it, Alyssa!”
Startled, she realized that she was (very badly, but she was), though a little unstable.

“Ok, now to get on your stomach, like this, just flip your legs up a little till you balance. Make sure you don’t flip your legs up too much.”

“Why?”

“On the count of three. One-two-THREE.”

Alyssa did just the opposite of what Daniel told her. She flipped up her legs way to hard and started to do front flips madly. Daniel had to grab her legs to make her stop. She felt dizzy.

“Oh!” she moaned, “I don’t want to do that ever again.”

“It’s alright. I did that the first six times, too. At least you have someone to stop you. I had to learn by myself. I had nothing to stop me, and I’m still dizzy. But anyways let’s try it this way.”

He put his hand on her stomach (“Don’t mind me.”) and grabbed her legs. He slowly started to tilt her forward until she was flying on her stomach.

“Hey! I’m doing it! Now how do I go forward?” She asked, excitement making her giddy.

“Just, well, just kinda wish yourself forward. That’s it. To stop and stand upright tilt your body upward, or in all positions just tell yourself to stop. To go up when you’re on your stomach just tilt up and always think happy thoughts. The same goes when you’re in your straight positions and the opposite to go down. What I mean to say is just go down, I don’t how you do it really but this is what helps me.”

“Ok, so you’re saying to do all this but you aren’t quite sure yourself.”

“Um, yeah. Pretty much.”

Alyssa just rolled her eyes. That boy is a nut.

“Just go on.”

“Right, to turn just lean your body to the left, the same for the right. The more you tilt the sharper the turn. For the quickest, and what I noticed to be more natural and easier way, bend your body toward the same direction you want to turn while you’re leaning at the same time. One more thing, this is both bodily and mental. Always remember this because it is the most important thing in any position. Your flying reacts to it better and faster, this is very important. Never forget it.”

“I think I get it, but I might ask for reminders a lot at first.”

She started to whisper to herself “Mind before body; mind before body…” till it stuck to her thoughts like glue.

“Ok, lets go,” Daniel said he started to go through the window. But before he reached it he landed and, dredging, turned around, “Wait, before we go I must tell you something.” he sighed, “A couple of years before I came these other boys came before me. After they started to attack the pirates, they somehow become captive and were never seen again. Except one, he was found floating in the sea. He had been beaten to death. So I’ll understand if you’d wanna change your mind about coming.”

How she did! The boy couldn’t have been much older than herself, found floating (dead!) in a sea. And being beaten to death. She shuddered. But there were fairies who needed help, and she couldn’t just leave them. It wouldn’t be right. She knew that if she didn’t make the right decision now, she would have to live with her conscience the rest of her life. Perhaps there was another way than sword fighting.

“What’s there to lose?” she replied. She tilted her head up a grin smeared across her face.

Daniel was overjoyed and he shouted with glee as he soared out the window, turning and flipping. Alyssa was enchanted with his excitement. He soon came back to the window waiting for her. Quickly turning around, she grabbed a backpack and threw in a pair of pants and a top from her chest of drawers. She also grabbed her tankini that hung on the wall. Alyssa hesitated at the window. Maybe she had better stay behind. Truth be told, she was quite afraid to go. But Daniel held out his hand toward her as if for encouragement. She didn’t take his hand but took his encouragement, she needed that more. Slowly flying through the window, she followed Daniel. They were off. She didn’t look back, though many memories raced through her mind, she knew if she did look back she could never look.
_____

They didn’t say much as they flew, for there wasn’t much to say. Wind blowing on their face, they enjoyed it greatly. That is, until Alyssa realized that she had no idea how or were she was going.

“How do we get there?” she asked.

“North and up!” he shouted to her, then said to himself quietly as if for assurance,
“North and up.”

Fushia and Latanya were the only lights they had in the dark. Alyssa and Daniel were never quite sure how long it took them to get there. They never knew. You might ask where Faylin is located. Some say in the middle of the sea. Others in space. But none can be sure for it is on no map. And if there is a map that has it, it hasn’t been found. Even the directions Daniel gave didn’t tell exactly were it was. As they flew the stars were all around them.

Morning came approaching, and it cast its light on the ocean far beneath them. Soon an island came to eye and gradually came closer till they were practically above it. Daniel stopped immediately, Alyssa soon to follow with some difficulty. He spread out his arms and said, “This is Faylin.” Then he started to point out places.

“There is Odd Peek Mountain,” pointing at a mountain at the far end of the island.

“Smokey marsh, Lions fall, it flows out from a underground river,” he said pointing at large thundering waterfall on the east side.

“Over there, in the south is Pirate Bay. And due west is Hooked Beach (’cause it looks like a hook). Under it is Treasure Cave. It doesn’t really have treasure in it, but it looks like it by the way the water reflects. Then up north is Green Bush Valley, that’s where we stay. Come on, you have to see it up close. I already have a camp set up for two.”

When they landed in Green Bush Valley it was lushes and green. Trees surrounded it. But out of the whole twelve acres in the valley there was not a single tree. In the center of the valley was a small spring. And by this crystal clear spring was some kind of camp. It had just a tent and a fireplace with a pole of twigs to burn with nearby. Daniel opened the tent door as Alyssa walked in.

“It’s not much,” he said, “I got it for ten dollars at the thrift store the day I left. I can hang up a sheet, if you like, in the middle for you have soma kind of privacy.”

“Were did you get all these old sheets from?” Alyssa asked, she touched her hand a pile of them.

“Oh, here and there. Mostly from a box of rags my mom kept in her closet. I packed a ton of them. I wasn’t sure how cold it got here. But then I forgot to bring a lot of clothes. I mean more then three pairs. ”

He laughed a whoops-can’t-believe-I-did-that.

“Anyways, do you want me to spilt it?” he still asked.

“No, don’t take the trouble. I like it how it is. It’s cozy.” she walked around.

“Thanks.” he had worked long and hard.

“You’re welcome. Um, not to be rude, but I’m starving! When’s breakfast?”

“As soon as I check my traps.”

“You have traps?”

“Yeah. My mom had us go to summer camp for boys the last two years. We would stay for two weeks. I learned all sorts of stuff if I got lost in the woods; like how to fish without a fishing pole, how to make traps (that work). And how to make a bow and arrow and use it. I learned other stuff like how to skin with just s pocketknife. Maybe later I can show you my collection of skins. Hey, hand me that stuff over there. Thanks. I’ll be off now. Sorry I can’t stay long to get you more settled, but if you want breakfast.”

“Can I go?”

“I don’t know. You might scare away the animals if you’re to loud.”

“Please, I’ll be quite.”

“Alright,” Daniel said rolling his eyes, “if you promise you won’t get all girly or grossed out when I kill a rabbit.”

“I promise. Let’s go.”

So Daniel slung on his archery set and walked out the door with Alyssa on his heels.
Stopping at every trap and sound of animals in the brush, the trudged through the woods.. They had caught two small rabbits and a large bird of some sort. Laughing and talking, they headed back. When all of a sudden there was a low growl and rustle from the brush. Daniel, ahead, stopped shortly but Alyssa hadn’t heard it and just on talking. (To herself, of course.) He had to cover her mouth with his hand, again, to stop her.

“Shhh!” he hushed.

Then he listened. It was coming from in front of them. Daniel, with his bow ready, cautiously moved aside the bush. On the ground rolling and playing were two bear cubs. He sighed with some relief.

“Ah, how cute!” Alyssa said stepping forward. Daniel tried to stop her but it was to late. A large, fearsome growling arose; then a bear. Daniel yanked the bird that Alyssa had been holding and threw it at the bear, hoping to sidetrack it. But it did no good the bear lunged after them.

“Run!” Daniel yelled as he grabbed Alyssa’s wrist and started to run.

Running as fast as they could, the bear kept on gaining until Daniel could almost feel its breath on his back. Daniel wished there was some way he could go faster. Then it hit him like a rock.

“Duh, fly,” he said to himself and then to Alyssa louder so she could hear him. “Fly!”

Alyssa didn’t catch on until Daniel’s feet were already off the ground. Then she lifted herself up, also. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts, she told herself when she started to feel herself drop.

Finally the bear was out of sight and they landed at camp. But Alyssa personally would rather of been back with the bear at this point then with Daniel. He was furious. He didn’t bother to see if she was all right or to hang the rabbits, rather instead he just marched off into the tent. Alyssa stayed outside for a minute to think of what to do or to see if he might come out, he didn’t; she timidly walked in.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied shortly.

“Can you tell me?” biting her lip, she inquired.

“Yeah, sure. Plain and simple, that was totally stooped.”

“No it wasn’t. I didn’t know!”

“Common sense says never approach bear cubs. Especially wild one!”

“Are you saying that I don’t have common sense?”

“In that area, yes!”

Alyssa was speechless. How could he say that!

“In that case,” lip trembling, she finally said, “I’ll just leave.”

She ran out. Daniel thought for a moment, then he got up to go after her.

“Girls, I knew I shouldn’t have taken her hunting with me,” he mumbled as he got up.

Actually, Alyssa hadn't left she was just a few yards out of camp. Daniel being a boy
naturally didn’t quite know what to say. He just did what came first.

“Um, maybe I was wrong- you do have a little common sense about hunting. At least you didn’t go run off when we killed the animals.

“A little?” she demanded more.

“Ok, maybe a lot. Besides you can’t leave, you don’t know how to get back.” Daniel was reluctant to give out.

“Oh, now you’re forcing me to stay. Well I should let you know that I can get there by myself.”

“No, I didn’t mean that, I meant- just don’t go. I would be so lonely without you," a grin spread across his face. he knew exactly what to say to have her stay. " I would want no other person then you.”

Whether he meant all that or not I don’t know but it got Alyssa; she had fallen for it.

“Alright, I’ll stay.”

Daniel, excited, almost hugged her but thought better. Instead he acted casually.

“Thanks. You wanna make breakfast now.”

“Are you kidding, I’m starving! Let’s go!”

So they both run back to camp.
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