Then it hit me.

  Before I could stop myself, the words came flying out of my mouth.

  “It’s Glinda!” I gasped.

  Chapter 4

  New Girl

  Everyone turned and stared at me. Slapping my hands over my mouth, I could feel my face burn with embarrassment.

  “Krystal, what is the meaning of this outburst?” Miss Callisto asked.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “For some reason, Claire reminds me of Glinda, the Good Witch, in The Wizard of Oz. Maybe it’s the star on her shirt.”

  My classmates laughed out loud.

  Claire smiled at me, and I felt more relaxed. Miss Callisto’s face softened, and she smiled, too.

  “What a great idea, Krystal!” Then she put her hand on her chin. “Maybe I’ll have to reconsider your roles for the play...now that we’ve found our Glinda! Is that okay with you, Claire?”

  “Oh, gosh,” she said. “I love The Wizard of Oz. I don’t know what to say.”

  Miss Callisto could tell Claire was a little uncomfortable with all the attention, so she changed the subject. “Let’s worry about that later,” she said. “How about we get you settled in?”

  Miss Callisto showed Claire to the empty desk next to mine. I waved at her, and she waved back.

  “Welcome,” I said. “I didn’t mean to shout at you before. It’s just that, well, I totally love The Wizard of Oz, too.”

  “Thanks,” she said back. “I’m just nervous, but I’m starting to feel better. You’re nice, Krystal.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I really like your hair. And your shirt!”

  “I like yours, too!” Claire replied. “And we like the same colors!”

  I looked down at my shirt and laughed. “Gosh, you’re right!” I said.

  Miss Callisto called for our attention and started the lesson. While everyone was working, I kept thinking about my dream. What did it mean?

  I had a vision of a complete stranger, and now here she was sitting right next to me!

  Then I remembered what happened at the end of the dream, when the yellow brick road crumbled. I shook with fear, so I pushed it to the back of my head until the school day was over.

  ***

  At the end of the day, Billy, Claire, and I were putting on our coats. Emily, Susan, and Kate walked up behind us.

  “Hi, Claire,” Emily said. “I know you’re new here, so we don’t want you to make any bad decisions on your first day.”

  “What do you mean?” Claire asked.

  “Oh, like, hanging out with the weirdos like Krystal Ball and Billy Katsikis.”

  Susan and Kate laughed at Emily’s joke.

  “Just some friendly advice, new friend,” Emily added. “See you tomorrow!”

  Susan and Kate laughed again as they walked past. I felt sick to my stomach. Billy grumbled some bad words under his breath.

  I couldn’t look at Claire so I stared at my shoes. Emily was so annoying I could just scream.

  “She’s right, you know. I wouldn’t want to be seen with weirdos and losers,” Claire said. Then she put her hand on my shoulder. “So I am going to stay as far away from those girls as possible!”

  I smiled and walked down the steps with Claire and Billy into the schoolyard. Billy saw a group of boys running toward an ice cream truck.

  “Excuse me, ladies,” Billy said. “But they’re playing my song.” He rushed past us toward the sound of the ice cream truck’s tune. “I’ll get a ride home with Joey. See you later!”

  Secretly, I was glad that Billy went to play with the boys. It gave me some time alone with Claire. I didn’t really have any other close girl friends, and I already felt a special connection to her.

  “Hey, Claire, what are you doing after school?” I asked. Before Claire could answer I saw my mom walking up the sidewalk.

  “Hey, Mom, over here!” I called out. “This is Claire,” I said when she arrived. “She’s the new kid in our class.”

  “Nice to meet you, Claire,” Mom said.

  “Nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Ball,” Claire replied politely.

  Moments later, a well-dressed lady walked into the schoolyard. She looked just like Claire, only older. My new friend ran over to her and pulled her by the hand.

  “This is Krystal and her mom,” she said introducing us.

  “A pleasure,” Mrs. Voyance responded, extending her hand to shake my mom’s.

  “How long have you been in Queens?” my mom asked.

  “We moved here last week,” Mrs. Voyance replied. “We’re still getting used to things.”

  “We’ve been here as long as I can remember,” I said to Mrs. Voyance. “We’d love to show you around if you don’t mind. Is that okay, Mom?”

  “I’ve got some free time. We could grab a quick cup of coffee,” Mom answered.

  “Great,” said Mrs. Voyance. “I could sure use one right about now!”

  Tugging on my mother’s sleeve, I asked, “Can we please go to House of Sweets?” I turned to Claire. “That’s the name of the coffee shop that Billy’s parents own.”

  “Wow, cool!” she exclaimed. “He’s so lucky!”

  “Yup,” I agreed. “They’ve got all sorts of cookies and cakes and treats!”

  “Let’s go!” she said, smiling from ear to ear.

  Soon, the four of us arrived at the bakery. Even from outside, the sweet smell of pastries was strong and inviting. I thought I was floating on a cloud made of sugar and cinnamon.

  When we entered the shop, a little bell rang above the door. Mr. and Mrs. Katsikis heard the jingling, looked up, and smiled.

  “Please come in, come in, Krystal!” they said together. “How may we help you?”

  Our moms greeted Billy’s parents and ordered coffees. Claire and I each got a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream. Nothing sweetens up a nasty run-in with Emily like a hot chocolate.

  Once we had our drinks, the four of us sat down at a table in front of the cupcake display. There were so many delicious choices.

  “What’s your favorite cupcake?” I asked Claire.

  “Chocolate with peanut butter frosting,” she told me.

  “Mine too!” I cried. “That’s so cool. We’re so alike, don’t you think?”

  “Good friends always are,” Claire answered.

  Wow! I thought. A new best friend. Could this day get any sweeter?

  As we sipped our hot chocolates, the whipped cream stuck to our upper lips. We both had white mustaches. At the same time, Claire and I pointed at each other’s faces and started giggling. We were having a laughing fit and couldn’t stop!

  Suddenly, my body tingled. I was getting a vision. I closed my eyes and tilted my head.

  I heard Claire ask, “Krystal, are you okay?”

  I held up my hand as the vision came into focus. Several shards of broken glass were falling and swirling around something gooey and sticky. My ears perked up, and I opened my eyes.

  At the other end of the store, I saw Mr. Katsikis carrying a heavy tray full of dishes and glasses. He was heading toward the kitchen door.

  “Mr. K., LOOK OUT!” I cried.

  Billy’s dad stopped in his tracks. He turned and looked at me with a puzzled expression. Just then, the kitchen door banged open as one of the bakers came out carrying a tall layer cake.

  I gasped. If Mr. Katsikis had kept walking, he would have crashed into the baker. The dishes, glasses, and cake would have splattered everywhere.

  “Thank you, Krystal,” Mr. K. said and continued on his way. We both looked relieved.

  Turning back toward Claire, I noticed she was staring at me. Her mouth was slightly opened, and the mug of hot chocolate never made its way to her lips.

  She put the mug down slowly. Finally she spoke. “How…how did you do that?” she asked.

  “Do what?” I said. I took a sip of my cocoa and felt my face get hot again. I pretended everything was fine.

  “It’s like you knew something bad was going to happen and you stopped it.”

  “I’m not Supergirl,” I said, letting out a nervous laugh.

  “That’s not what I meant,” Claire said, shaking her head. “More like you had a sixth sense. Like you’re psychic or something!”

  “What? NO!” I said, raising my voice.

  My hands shook, and I placed the cup of cocoa on the table so I wouldn’t spill it. No one, aside from my family and Billy, knew about my gifts. Most people weren’t as observant as Claire.

  I was confused. Deep down I wanted to let her in on my big secret. She was my new best friend, after all.

  I didn’t know what to do.

  “Krystal, what’s wrong?” Claire asked.

  A loud group of teenage girls walked in carrying dozens of shopping bags. Chattering away on their cell phones, they sat at the table next to us. It was too loud to talk, and we didn’t have any privacy.

  I leaned in close to Claire and said, “I better not tell you now.”

  Chapter 5

  A Twister

  That night, I dreamed of Oz again. It must have been on my mind.

  In my dream, I was home alone in our apartment. Winds howled through window cracks and tree branches scraped against the pane. I pulled back my curtain slightly to peek outside. The sky was gray and everything looked gloomy. A mighty gust of wind ripped a branch off the tree. It hit the trunk and snapped in half.

  Crraaak!

  I yelped and ran under the covers.

  Suddenly, the room rumbled. The walls shook. The dresser rattled. My porcelain dolls teetered on their stands until they tumbled to the floor.

  Soon, the entire building pitched forward and backward until it lurched…upward! I tried to keep my balance as the floor under me spun around in circles. Looking out the window again, I was shocked at the sight. And what a sight it was!

  The building was swirling and whirling inside the center of a cyclone. It flew faster and faster. It went high up over Queens, over the city, and continued over farmlands. In the distance, through the downpour and thunderclouds, I thought I saw a rainbow.

  Just as quickly, the building started to come down. I sprinted to the bed and under the covers once again. Hugging Stanley close to my chest, I shut my eyes and held my breath.

  Thud!

  The building landed hard. I peeked my head out and thought, What a mess! If my mother were here she’d say that my room looked like a tornado passed through it. In this case, she’d be right!

  Cradling Stanley in my arm, I brushed the curls out of my face and opened my bedroom door. Instead of the hallway of my home, I found myself in the town square of a tiny village.

  The cottages were a little taller than I was, and each painted a bright pastel color. Our crumbling, lopsided apartment building stood out like a giant weed in a pretty garden.

  “Whoa,” I said to Stanley. “Something tells me we’re not in Queens anymore.”

  An object shimmering in the sun caught my attention. It was near the far corner of my busted building. Together, Stanley and I investigated.

  That was when I saw them. There, sticking out from some broken wood and a pile of bricks, was a pair of legs! Human legs clad in long black stockings! Each foot had on a beautiful, shiny, silver slipper that reflected the sunlight.

  I was shocked and horrified. I didn’t know what I had done or what to do.

  And so, I screamed.

  Chapter 6

  Wicked Witch?

  The next day at school, I had a headache and felt groggy. The rest of the class was buzzing with excitement. Miss Callisto announced that she was handing out our roles for The Wizard of Oz.

  I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach that lingered from my dream. Just to be extra careful, I wore my crystal necklace and charm bracelets. Crystals are supposed to have magical properties, and the charm bracelet was for good luck. I needed all the luck I could get!

  “Okay, everybody!” Miss Callisto said, clapping her hands.

  The class fell silent. She walked to the center of the room holding a stack of scripts.

  “Let’s start with the title role of the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz himself!” she announced. “Billy Katsikis!”

  Billy bowed dramatically. “I am Billy, the great and powerful!” he bellowed. Everyone laughed.

  “And now,” Miss Callisto continued, “onto our witches. First up is Glinda, the Good Witch. Let’s hear it for…Claire Voyance!”

  Our classmates applauded as Claire walked up to the teacher. My body started to tingle. Something was about to happen. I knew it. I clutched the crystal at my chest. Whatever it was, it was coming soon.

  Miss Callisto spoke again. “The other witch in our play,” she said, “is the Wicked Witch of the West. She will be played by…Krystal Ball!”

  Oh no! I wanted to crawl under the desk and disappear.

  I looked at Claire. She tried to smile, but I’m sure she knew how I felt. No one wants to be the Wicked Witch of the West, right?

  I looked over at Billy. He was smiling from ear to ear. He gave me a thumbs up. “You’re so lucky,” he said. “The bad guys are the best!”

  Miss Callisto called me to the front of the room. Dragging my feet, I walked over and picked up my script. Then she continued giving out roles, but I didn’t hear a word she said. I stared at the sheets of paper in front of me. There it was in big, bold letters: WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST:—KRYSTAL BALL.

  “My favorite part is when the witch melts,” Billy said. He snatched the script off my desk. “Do you want to practice together? I can show you how to make the death scene look real.”

  Billy clutched his throat. “I’m dying,” he gasped and made gurgling, gagging sounds.

  “I’m dying,” he said again and rolled his eyes back into his head. Kicking his legs out in front of him, he slid down off his chair onto the floor.

  He stuck his tongue out and said, “I’m dead!”

  The kids laughed until the teacher told him to stop.

  “And last but not least,” Miss Callisto continued, “we have the role of Dorothy Gale.”

  My ears perked up, and I closed my eyes. “Oh no,” I whispered. “Outlook not so good…”

  “Emily Heart!” Miss Callisto declared.

  The students clapped, except for me and Billy.

  “Oh thank you, thank you!” Emily said. She fake-smiled and waved at us like a beauty pageant queen. “I always knew I was born to be a star!”

  As she walked past me to get her script, something caught my attention. I looked down and saw what it was.

  Suddenly, my skin started to prickle like hundreds of tiny little bugs were crawling on it.

  Emily was wearing long black stockings and a pair of shiny, silver slippers. Just like the ones in my dream sticking out from under my house!

  Holding her head high, Emily walked back to her desk. Her shiny hair bounced behind her.

  She looked down her nose at me and said, “I need to get into character. That’s what real actors do. So I’m going to treat you like my enemy!”

  Susan and Kate leaned out of their seats to congratulate Emily. They were so happy for her. Susan got the part of Aunt Em and Kate was playing a Munchkin.

  I was so jealous. I would’ve traded parts with either of them. I just didn’t want to be the Wicked Witch and an even bigger target for Emily’s meanness.

  And that was just it! Emily was the mean one. SHE should be the wicked witch. Not me!

  Billy saw my troubled face and asked, “Hey Krystal, what’s the matter?”

  “A little less noise, please,” Miss Callisto called from her desk.

  I tore a piece of paper out of my notebook and quickly scribbled the message: “Emily wearing same outfit as my dream. Must be a vision of what is going to happen in the future.”

  Folding the piece of paper into a little triangle, I passed it to Billy when the teacher wasn’t looking.

  He opened it, read it, and wrote something underneath my message. Then he passed it me.

  I opened it and read: “Is it bad?”

  Closing my eyes and tilting my head, I tried to focus on the vision from my dream. A new sensation passed through my body, and I was certain.

  Writing my answer down, I passed the paper back to Billy. He opened it up:

  Chapter 7

  Dress Rehearsal

  A couple weeks passed. Our class was focused on putting on the best fourth-grade play anyone had ever seen in the history of Nikola Tesla Elementary School.

  During this time, Emily made everyone’s lives particularly miserable. Not just mine. This “star of the show” attitude that she had was getting old. Emily was bossy and would throw a fit if she was not the center of attention. She even managed to push away her best friends, Susan and Kate.

  Even so, I was actually enjoying myself. When I put on my costume, with its pointy black hat and long black dress, I felt like another person. I wasn’t Krystal Ball, fourth-grade fortune-teller. I was Krystal Ball, Wicked Witch!

  Claire looked beautiful in her puffy, sparkling white gown and ruby-crusted crown. “We are mirror images of each other,” Claire pointed out.

  “You’re right!” I said with a laugh.

  We giggled again as Billy came up behind us. He was wearing a green suit and vest, with a glittering green blazer over them. His usually messy hair had been slicked back and looked very dashing. “Behold, the Great and Powerful—”

 

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