Free Mystify by Artist Arthur

usually a witch’s familiar. Birds can be familiars, too. The Greeks loved using winged creatures,” Lindsey answers as if everything she just said was common knowledge. I guess the girl must have had a lot of free time to read stuff.
    “It’s closing time.” The librarian, with her tight curly hair and chocolate-brown leatherlike skin, comes over and taps on the table.
    Glancing at my watch, I see it’s seven fifty-seven. The library closes at eight. We’ve been here for over three hours. It didn’t seem like that long.
    “Why don’t we do this.” Lindsey starts talking again. With her elbows on the table she leans forward, whispering to us. “Sasha and I will look into the thing about the birds and the email from Fatima.”
    I told Krystal and Jake about this before Lindsey showed up, but then again, if she could read minds, she really didn’t need me to actually say it.
    “You and Krystal start working on the river connection,” she keeps right on talking.
    Krystal is standing, grabbing her purse and shaking her head. “That sounds good.”
    “Yeah, great,” Jake says, standing up but not looking at Krystal.
    “We’ll meet up again Friday after school,” I add.
    “Oh, we’ve got that science trip Friday afternoon to the Nature Center. Are you guys going?” Krystal asks.
    “I don’t have earth science,” Lindsey says. “I’m taking the GT biology and science fair preparation.”
    “Lucky you,” Jake says. “I’m going on the trip.”
    “Mrs. Paul asked me to go as a sort of chaperone so I can earn some of my service hours,” I say.
    “You’re the same age as us. How are you chaperoning?” Krystal asks me, looking like she doesn’t believe a word I’ve just said.
    “Because I’ve taken the earth science class and aced it, she thinks I can go to answer any questions or whatever. It’s no big deal.”
    “Yup, no big deal. It’s so easy for some of us,” Jake says and walks away.
    “Okay, so what is up with his funky attitude?” Lindsey asks.
    “Can’t you just read his mind and tell?” I ask.
    “No. It doesn’t work like that. I get snatches of thoughts but sometimes they don’t all go together.”
    Krystal just shrugs and starts walking toward the entrance. “He’s just upset about his grades. Wants to make sure he keeps up his GPA so he can get into college.”
    “That’s crazy. Jake’s smart, of course he’ll get in.”
    We’re at the door. Jake had already gone through and Krystal was now pushing the revolving glass and brass door. Lindsey is between us and I’m holding up the rear. Outside is cool and we all migrate toward Mouse and the car.
    “It’s not just about getting in, Sasha. He has to get almost perfect grades to get a full scholarship. He can’t afford to go to college otherwise.”
    I know this, or at least I know that it’s Jake’s goal to go to college and get out of Lincoln. I also know that his father, who works as a janitor at the local electric company, doesn’t make a lot of money, and most of it goes to the part-time private nurse hired to take care of Jake’s grandfather.
    “He’ll get in and he’ll be able to go,” I say confidently.
    Jake is my friend, and like I said he’s smart. If anybody deserves to go to college, make something of himself and get out of this boring small town, it’s him. So I’m declaring he’ll go to college, if I have to dip into my trust fund to pay for it.
    After all, we’re more than just friends. All four of us are so much more.
    And as I walk thinking these thoughts, I happen to look up, and strange as it seems, there’s the moon. Well, half the moon, but it’s already sitting quietly in the sky as if it belongs there at this time. It’s spring, almost summer, days are already longer, so it’s still semi-light outside. As a matter of fact, if I turn and look the other way, I can still see the fading orb that is the sun. Both of them are in the sky tonight, sharing space and yet keeping their