We all get in a line, with about five feet in between us. Hallie is on my left, and June somehow maneuvers so she’s on my right. I try to ignore her as I mount my broomstick. Pan jumps on my shoulder and pats my cheek for good luck.
“3…2…1…start flying!”
I shift my focus, letting myself feel the breeze on my cheeks, the way the cold air cools the crystal necklace against my skin. My eyes close as I hear the night wind through the evergreens. I slip into another state of consciousness.
“Excellent work, Hall,” Professor Chan says. I’m hovering precisely three feet off the ground. Pan jumps from my shoulder to my broom handle and starts preening himself. Hallie beams up at me. She’s working to get into her hover, with one toe tentatively on the ground.
“Don’t get distracted, Johnson,” Professor Chan says. “But that’s good work, keep going.”
Hallie is doing the best out of all the vampires. The others are wincing and glaring at the witches who have a clear lead. The vampire beside Hallie, who complained that broomsticks were silly, is barely trying to get off the ground and rolls her eyes when she sees me looking at her. She mutters something under her breath. I can’t hear it, but I do falter for a moment.
“Ignore her, Maggie,” Pan tilts his tiny head. “You’re the best flier in the class. Look at June…”
I turn my head to the right. June is in the air, but her hover is a little shaky. I can see her nostrils flaring. I try not to snicker.
“Ok,” Professor Chan says. “Now those of you who are able to, let’s see you fly to the oak in the middle of the clearing.” She gestures to a large tree about 50 feet from where we’re hovering. “If you can, do a turn around the tree and return to your spoton the line. Again, go forprecisionrather than speed or height. Let’s see smooth lines and a tight turn.”
Easy.
I focus, widening my attention to the entire clearing before me. To my mind, there are no boundaries between me, my broomstick, and the cool November night air. I start a little slower than I normally would, doing my best to maintain a smooth flight path, and I stay only a few feet off the ground. Even at this speed, I’m the fastest one to the tree. As I maneuver my broom around it tightly, I can’t help grinning. I can see June behind me, her blond hair coming loose from her braid. Trying to overtake me, she flies too quickly and almost hits the oak.
“Focus on yourownflying, Highmore,” Professor Chan says from the starting point. I can almost hear June’s huffing, but she’s too far behind me. I glide easily into my spot on the line.
“Wonderful form, Hall, I can see you’ve been practicing,” Professor Chan nods at me. “Full marks, but if you’d like a bonus, you’re welcome to do a lap around the lake. Freeform.”
“Thanks, Professor,” I respond. Feeling incredibly light, I take off around the lake, gaining speed and height. I’m about fifteen feet from the ground. Pan holds on to the broom handle, his nose in the air and his oversized ears perked. He enjoys flying just as much as I do.
I can’t stop smiling. In high school, I never got bad grades, but I was never particularly good at anything, either. I tried out for the girl’s volleyball team, but there were so many athletic students in my year, it was impossible for me to get a spot. I didn’t even bother trying out for cheerleading. Those girls had parents who put pom poms in their cradles and enrolled them in toddler dance classes. They all knew each other from after-school gymnastics and their moms had wine and cheese nights together.Mymoms taught me how to burn sage and whichgraveyards had the best medicinal moss. Nobody wanted to drink wine with them. I didn’t have a chance.
But this is a completely new feeling. I’m actuallygoodat something for once - not even good, I’m the best!
Before I realize it, I’m thirty feet in the air and I’ve circled half the lake. I turn back to check on the others. The vampires are still struggling to get off the ground. I can see Professor Chan lecturing them about their form. The witches are doing better, they’re flying a few feet off the ground, going around the oak tree and back to the line. I can see them all except…June? Where did she go?
I squint my eyes in the dark, glad for my night vision. Then I catch a glimpse of her blond hair. She’s flying behind me, around the lake. Professor Chan must have given her the same bonus assignment. I smile at her.
To my surprise, she smiles back. Then she reaches into her pocket, and takes out something metal. I can’t see it from this far away.What is she doing?
DING-A-LING. The crystal clear chime of a bell.
And my broomstick falls out of the air, Pan and I crashing to the ground.
I fall on top of my broom, crying out in pain as my back hits the hard wooden handle. Pan prepares for the fall better than I do, landing safely on top of me. I can’t even think - my entire body is in agony. I must have fallen from at least thirty feet, clean out of the air.How did this happen?
June dips down on her broomstick, hovering over me.
“Oh no, I guess you weren’t as good as you thought,” she smirks.
Hot rage fills my belly, but I’ve had the wind knocked out of me and I can’t even form a syllable.
“It’s ok, I’ll go tell Professor Chan that you fell. Don’t worry, I’m a fast flier.”
She flies away, swinging her long braid behind her.
I try to move, but I can’t. Pan is also stunned, lying still on top of me. I pray that he’s all right. Luckily he crashed on top of me so I cushioned his fall.
But I wasn’t so lucky. I landed on my broom. I try with all my might to move off it, but I can’t. The pain is overwhelming. I close my eyes, tears welling up. I don’t want Professor Chan and the other students to find me like this, lying helpless on the damp ground.
I really can’t get up. Oh my goddess, what if I’m paralyzed? What if I can never walk again? What if I can neverfly?
