Jane E M Atkinson - Anna & Bella Get Icy

As I walk past the hallway mirror, I cant help but grin. Both of my top front teeth are missing, and I love my new smile!

Anna, where are you? Mom calls from downstairs. Its time to write your party invitations.

Im coming, I call back, grinning at myself one last time.

I join Mom at the kitchen table. She hands me a page with all of my birthday party details. Then she passes me a stack of coloured paper, some pens, and a pack of fairy stickers.

If you need any help, just call, Mom offers as she gets up from the table.

I inspect the pack of fairy stickers. There are pink fairies, purple fairies, red fairies, and yellow fairies. The stickers remind me of Flower. Flower is a magical land that my sister, Bella, and I have been traveling to ever since school started. In Flower, there are fairies, mermaids, a royal family, and even regular kids like us.

I pull the stack of paper closer. The top piece is chartreuse, which is a bright yellowy-green colour. My best friend, Mackenzie, loves green, so I decide to write her invitation first.

I neatly copy the party details onto the paper. Then I fold the invitation, write Mackenzies name on top, and add a red fairy sticker.

Im inviting my entire class to the party, so I have sixteen more invitations to write.

Next up is Soumyaa. I choose a violet piece of paper, since her favourite colour is purple. Just as Im about to write her invitation, Bella comes bounding into the room and sits down on the chair beside me.

Do you need any help? she asks.

That would be great. Thanks, Bella, I say appreciatively.

Bella has very neat hand writing so I know shell do an excellent job. I pass her the violet piece of paper and a silver pen. You can write Soumyaas invitation.

Bella and I work on the invitations until there is just one more to write. Its for Geoff. He joined my class a few days ago. He never talks to anyone and always seems grumpy. Ive said hello a few times, but he just ignores me.

What colour does Geoff like? Bella asks.

I shrug my shoulders. I have absolutely no idea. I look through the remaining pieces of paper and select a royal-blue piece. You can use this one.

After Bella finishes, I put the invitations into my backpack, and then the two of us race upstairs to get ready for bed.

I put on my pajamas and crawl into bed. Mom lays down beside me, and I snuggle up next to her. She begins to read the next chapter of my mermaid book. From Bellas room, I overhear Dad reading a Robert Munsch book.

After fifteen minutes, Mom and Dad switch places, and Dad reads the next two chapters of my book.

When storytime is over, Mom and Dad take turns giving Bella and me goodnight hugs. Mom blows me a kiss and says, Youre an amazing daughter.

I smile and blow her a kiss back. Youre an awesome mom.

After she leaves, I pick up my mermaid book from the nightstand. I want to read a chapter or two before going to sleep.

But just as I open the book, something shiny catches my eye. Its a sparkly object, in the corner of my room.

My belly immediately begins to tingle with anticipation. I think its a Flower gem!

I throw off my covers and quietly sneak to the corner of my room. It is a gem! A red gem! I silently pump my fist and mouth yes. Im totally ready for my next adventure in Flower.

Then suddenly, from the hallway, I hear my moms footsteps. Oh no! Shes coming back to my room!

I quickly reach down and touch the gem. My fingers warm up and begin to tingle. Then I start to feel a bit dizzy. Before I know it, Im racing through a multi-coloured red slide. Flashes of maroon, cardinal, tomato, crimson, and candy-apple red zip past me.

Now that Im on the slide to Flower, Im not worried about Mom coming into my room. As soon as Bella or I leave for Flower, time stands still in our world. So, time will only start again when we return.

I zoom around one last corner, then shoot out the end of the slide. I land on a patch of soft grass. I look around and see nets. Then I notice white markings on the grass. I landed right in the middle of a soccer field! Actually, I think the correct term is soccer pitch.

Behind the soccer pitch is a playground. Four kids are standing beside a climbing structure, looking in my direction. They smile and wave at me. I smile and wave back.

Suddenly, bright flashes of red fill the sky. I know what that means. Bella must have found her gem, and shes on her way to Flower.

Im here! Bella cries. I spin around and find her on the grass behind me, grinning from ear to ear.

She jumps up and gives me a big hug. You wont believe what just happened, Bella says excitedly. Since we forgot to give each other goodnight hugs, I was trying to sneak into your room. But when I heard Moms footsteps in the hallway, I ran back to bed. When I couldnt hear Mom any longer, I crept to my door and peeked into the hallway. I saw Mom looking right at mebut she didnt say anything. She just stood there, like a statue.

Bella pauses to take a breath. Time only stands still when we travel to Flower. So, I knew you wouldnt be in your room. I just knew you were in Flower!

Red sparkles fill the air, and a tiny fairy appears.

Its Rose!

Hi, Rose, Bella and I say in unison.

Hi, girls, Rose replies. She sets a picnic basket on the ground and sprinkles maroon glitter over the top of it. The basket instantly grows to twenty times its size.

I brought some snacks, just in case youre hungry, Rose says.

I peek inside the basket. There are berry muffins, cheese sandwiches, and lemonade.

Thank you, Rose. That was very thoughtful of you, I tell her.

Bella reaches for a muffin and takes a big bite. These are my favourite! Thanks, Rose.

I decide to eat a muffin, too. Even though its nighttime at home, its still daytime in Flower. Im going to need a lot of energy for whatever adventure Rose has planned for us.

After I finish my muffin and take a sip of lemonade, I ask Rose, Where are we?

Youre in the village, Rose replies. Some of the village kids wanted to play with you. She gestures to the kids by the climbing structure. So, I brought you for a playdate.