Chapter One – The Visitor

 

Hello everyone! How are you doing today?

 

I’m so excited. I can’t wait to tell you about my great adventure with the Enchanted Flower!

 

It all started early one Monday morning. I was late getting over to Cora’s house. We had plans to ride over to the cafe for breakfast.

 

I was so busy trying to hurry that I didn’t even hear the doorbell ring, so you can imagine how surprised I was when I went downstairs and saw Mom talking to a man I had never seen before. On the floor next to his feet was a square leather travel bag with a big pocket on the front.

 

Who ever he was, he had plans to stay for a visit.

 

“Talee,” said Mom as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

 

I looked up at her. “Yes?”

 

“This my brother...your Uncle.”

 

Uncle, I thought, as I turned to glance at him. I remembered Mom showing me a picture of her brother, but he didn’t look like the man at the door.

 

In his picture he had short hair, no beard and was a lot thinner.

He smiled at me. I grinned back a little.

 

“Hey little one. Well, maybe not so little. Look how big you are. How old are you now? Six?”

 

I frowned. “Eight!” I said. “I’ve been eight for months now.”

 

“Sure you have,” he said. “You’re such a pretty eight, just like your Mom at your age.”

I didn’t smile but I said thank you.

 

Mom then asked me to take Uncle’s travel bag upstairs to the spare room before I left for Cora’s house. I nodded. When I picked up the bag it was so heavy that I had to drag it all the way up the stairs, down the hallway and into the room. I laid it next to the bed and when I did I noticed something strange. The front pocket was glowing.