Chapter Fifteen (part c)

"That sprite's a weird guy!" said Rachael. "I hope he's right about getting home. It's starting to feel kind of lonely."

She was right about that. The field stretched out and away from the new-moon clearing and there seemed to be no end to it. The sun was still standing absolutely still in the sky. it was redder and rounder, but it was not the least bit closer to the horizon.

"So I just squeeze the source stone, and we go right home, is that how it works?" asked Rachael.

"I don't know," said Jennifer. "Try it and see."

"Yeah," said Jamie. "Let's do some more magic!"

"Sure," said Rachael. "No problem!" She closed her eyes and squeezed her stone tight. A few moments later she opened her eyes again and looked. Nothing had happened. "Well, maybe a few problems, just till I get warmed up."

"Maybe I should be holding onto my stone too," said Jamie. "The source stone connects them, so maybe it needs the magic from the other stones to make it work."

"You might as well try," said Rachael. "Jennifer too."

Jamie closed his eyes and eagerly squeezed his new-moon stone. Jennifer sighed and she felt in her pocket for her stone. When she finally found it, she held it tightly in her hand. It was warm to the touch and comforting too. She smiled to herself and suddenly she knew just where they should go and what they should do.

"The way to go home is out there," she said and then all of a sudden, she started walking into the field.

"She's crazy," said Rachael.

"Maybe not," said Jamie. "She seems really sure."

"Sure she does," said Rachael. "Crazy guys always are!"

"Well, I think I believe her," said Jamie. He put his new-moon stone into his pocket and started off after her.

"What are you doing?" demanded Rachael. "If you go out there you might never get home! Come back here! You're my brother! You can't run away without my permission!"

But Jamie didn't answer or even slow down. Rachael scowled as she watched him go. For a moment she was left all alone in the clearing. Then all at once she stuffed her stone down into her pocket and went running out into the field after Jennifer.

"Okay, you win," she told them. "I'll come with you. But if we get lost out there for ever and ever, I'll never speak to either of you again!"