April Marcom - Samantha P. and the Wishing Well

SAMANTHA P. AND THE WISHING WELL

Copyright 2021 by April Marcom

ISBN: 978-1-953735-49-2

Fire & Ice Young Adult Books

An Imprint of Melange Books, LLC

White Bear Lake, MN 55110

www.fireandiceya.com

Smashwords Edition

Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

Published in the United States of America.

Cover Design by Caroline Andrus

T wo hundred something years of wandering the earth alone was quite enough. Josephines days were nothing more than mindless trudging through an ever-changing world, waiting for the next full moon. This was the only time she could be with her son, and she refused to leave the mortal world without him. Her existence had become little more than mourning for the boy locked away because of his mothers mistake.

But the tables would soon turn; she was sure of that. From the moment she set foot in Fledgling, she could feel something drawing her in. With every step she took, the sensation grew stronger. It was a mixed feeling of power and peace, the first bit of relief shed felt in centuries, because she knew it had something to do with her son, Everett.

As she entered a grove of red robin bushes, she knelt down and drew on what mysterious power was mounting inside of her. Piece by piece, she built the well she knew would be the key to freeing her son.

It was when she looked up and saw the mortal girl lie down in the grass nearby that she knew the girl would have to be the one to turn it. Its the girl, she thought bitterly. The girl is the key to everything.

Samantha had been full of wishes from the day she was born. She was always thankful for what she had but sitting around daydreaming and wishing for all the fantastic things she could imagine was her favorite thing to do.

She wished for things like her room becoming the inside of the top of the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty, then she stared out of her bedroom window, imagining either city below her. Or that shed open her bedroom door one day only to find colorful balloons and sparkling gift boxes spilling into her room from the hallway.

Over the last couple of years, however, her famous wishes had changed. Her heart wished more and more for romance. One day it was Cory Barrett from math class. The next it was Vincent Goodman, head of the football team. They were nothing more than wishes and dreams, of course, because boys never paid her much attention.

Still, she could often be found lying in her favorite spot in the grass behind her apartment building, wishing away on stars or clouds. Today was no exception.

Samantha went down the second-story stairway, past her best friend Rubys apartment, and around back to the green field shed sprinkled all over with wishes through the years. She laid down in her favorite spot near the bush-lined edge of the grounds to wish about the party shed be going to in a little while. Her long thick brownish-blond hair fanned out around her head like peacock feathers as she lay in the grass.

Shed be in high school pretty soon and Kelly Bellgrove was throwing a huge party at the old Bellgrove Mansion. The whole Bellgrove clan had more money than they knew what to do with, so they all lived in much newer houses with a modern flare the longstanding family manor lacked. It was enormous and creepy, though, the perfect place for a teenage party. Kelly and Samantha werent friends, but Kelly had invited everyone in their grade so they could experience their first real high school party together.

Samantha was just settling into a beautiful wisha slow song plays, and Scott Carmikle comes over to ask her to dancewhen a little miniature pinscher puppy waddled past her. She gasped and turned her head to get a better look as it scurried toward the thick tangle of bushes.

A puppy! Samantha stood up and hurried after it.

She loved dogs, but the Moonflower Meadows apartment complex didnt allow them. Instead she was stuck with a useless fat cat, Chimney, who her mom treated as much like her child as she did Samantha.

Samantha leaned over when she entered the bushes to get a better look around. All was quiet. The puppy had vanished. Instead, a faint glow reflected against the leaves of a tall bush deeper within. Samanthas curiosity lured her closer, drawing her to the light. On the other side of the illuminated bush, she found the most beautiful wishing well shed ever seen. Long, curly vines loaded with moonflowers grew out of the hollow inside and carpeted the ground surrounding it.

Samantha swelled with excitement. Shed explored these bushes lots of times and had never seen the wide stone-laid well before. My own secret wish-maker. She ran her fingers along the edge. It quivered with magic. The soft light radiating from inside it was picturesque in the warm setting sun of July.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of changesix pennies, two dimes, and a quarter. This wish had to count!

Closing her eyes, she squeezed the coins in one fist and wished as hard as she could. I wishI wish for a crazy, wonderful, unbelievable romance. With that, she opened her eyes and tossed it all into the well.

It was barely out of sight before a great whooshing sound pounded against Samanthas ears and light electrified the dusky night. Samantha shielded her face and fell back with surprise, her hair tangling in the bushs spindly branches.

Are you all right? someone asked in an old English accent as the light began to fade.

Samantha opened her eyes, the light gone completely, and stared up at a strange-looking boy. His palms were pressed against the far edge of the well so he could lean forward to look down at her.

I, I, I She tried to sit up, but the bushes pulled her back by the hair. Her elbows hit the grass and she let out a painful scream.

Oh dear. The boy raced around the well to kneel beside her in his out-of-date formalwear. Let me help you with that.

Th, thank you, Samantha managed, trying to get a good look at him without making it obvious.

She rubbed her trembling fingertips against her leg. The boy was gorgeous and way out of her league. This was a moment to savor.

She was swept away by how magical he seemed. He appeared out of thin air in a blinding flash of light at the moment of her wish. His skin was like porcelain and his dark eyebrows had a prominent arch at the center. Samantha wondered if he could be her wish come true.

She dared to hope.

There, I think thats got it. The boy placed a hand on Samanthas back to help her sit up. You really have very beautiful hair.