Mr. McKevlin first led Makenna and Jessica to the back of the store, where a few new surfboards were. He rested his hand on one of them and explained, "These are called Ozzy Boards! They came from Oz, so they are obviously some of the best boards here. Oh! Oh! And check these out!"
Mr. McKevlin escorted the girls to a basket containing boxed surfboard wax. Mr. McKevlin picked up a bundle of them and showed them to Makenna and Jessica. "These also came from Oz. If you haven't guessed already, I brought a bunch of stuff back this summer. These smell delightful—don't you agree, mates?"
Makenna sniffed the wax and said, "Mmm." She and Jessica accepted a few boxes of wax, sniffed them, and guessed what they smelled like.
Unfortunately, Raeven also smelled them and asked, "Oh, what is that amazing smell?" in Jessica's bag. He lifted his thumb, unzipped the bag, and poked one eye out.
Makenna, Jessica, and Mr. McKevlin didn't notice him.
Makenna sniffed one box of wax and admitted, "Yum, this wax smells like coconut. What about yours, Jessica?"
"Same." Jessica chuckled. "I never knew coconut could smell this good."
"Right on ya, mates!" Mr. McKevlin said. "This reminds me of back in the day when I used to try to win A-1 flash sheilas with scented surfboard wax. I even made a wax myself that smelled like a dead horse, but the sheilas didn't really like it. It caused them to Technicolor yawn instead. Ho, ho, ho!" Mr. McKevlin laughed and brought his hand to his lips. "The things I did when I was a teen. I hope you don't mind me asking, but do either of you sheilas have a love interest?"
While the three conversed, Raeven slowly started to slip out of Jessica's bag, leaning toward the basket of surfboard wax.
Jessica smiled and shook her head. She was the first one to answer Mr. McKevlin's question. "I don't, sir, but that's okay."
"What about you, love?" Mr. McKevlin asked Makenna. "Is this Tracey you speak of, your love interest?"
"Up," Makenna mumbled. She blushed and hid behind another box of surfboard wax.
"Ho, ho, ho," laughed Mr. McKevlin. "I think he is. Tell me, what does he look like? I can help a sheila like you win his heart."
"With surfboard wax?" asked Makenna.
"Sure!" Mr. McKevlin laughed again. "That's how I won the hearts of my sheilas when I was your age. Now tell me, what does this Tracey look like?"
Jessica lowered her head to check on her bag, gasping when she saw that half of Raeven's body was sticking out, and he reached for the basket of wax. "Raeven!" Jessica whispered.
Makenna, Mr. McKevlin, and other customers still hadn't seen him.
Makenna finally answered Mr. McKevlin's question. "Well, he's eighteen years old, and—"
"Eighteen?" Mr. McKevlin interrupted. "Ho! Ho! Ho! Miss Makenna Delling is aiming for the older boys! Whoo!"
Makenna again blushed. "Well, actually," she corrected, "in fairy years, that's not that much older."
"Makenna!" Jessica whispered. She pinched her, and Makenna flinched.
She quickly returned to her senses. "I mean, sure! I am aiming for the older boys! Yes, Tracey is eighteen, and he's a ninja! Or at least, he looks like one. Did I mention that he's also Merlin the Great's apprentice?"
"Makenna!" Jessica whispered again, pinching her a second time. That allowed Raeven to reach further for the basket.
Makenna soon realized that she had almost given Tracey's identification away again and changed her tactic. "I mean, my friend, Tracey—you see, he has a teacher, right, and he lives on... um, an island in the middle of... um, the Finger Lakes."
Jessica slapped her hand to her face.
"Merlin's apprentice, eh?" Mr. McKelvin inquired, clearly not believing Makenna. "Well, I'll be, love! You really like this, Tracey, don't you? Here, take one of these boxes of wax to give to him as a gift." He offered Makenna another box.
Pointing at it, Makenna questioned, "Are you sure that if I take this to Tracey, I will win his heart?"
Mr. McKevlin chortled. "Oh, trust me. It will do the trick. Sheilas pounded me when I gave them scented surfboard wax, except for that one time I made the dead horse one. Why don't you give it to Tracey before the surfing competition? I hope to see both of ya in Oz one of these days. I will definitely be at your surfing meet, Miss Delling. During it, do you think I can meet this Tracey? He sounds very interesting."
"Oh, Mr. McKevlin, you have it all wrong," Makenna elucidated. "Tracey's not going to be at the meet today. You see, not so long ago, he hurt himself really badly—almost fatally—so he won't be able to surf for a while."
"Bloody Oath!" Mr. McKevlin gasped. "Fair dinkum? Well, if that's the case, love, take him a second box of wax." He plopped another box in Makenna's palms.
She gave him a funny look.
Mr. McKevlin reached for the basket of wax again.
Raeven had managed to slip out of Jessica's bag without her noticing, so he currently rested on it. He picked up boxes of wax one at a time and sniffed them. "Oh, this is Heaven," Raeven whispered. "These smell so good."
Unfortunately, Mr. McKevlin accidentally grabbed him instead of wax, and Raeven squeaked. Yelping, Mr. McKevlin released him, and he and Makenna peered down at the basket.
Raeven pulled his body out of it. His eyes landed on Mr. McKevlin and Makenna, and both of them froze. Raeven chuckled nervously and said, "G'day, mate. You have quite the selection of waxes here."
"Ahh!" screamed Mr. McKevlin. "It's a bat!"
All heads in the store turned.
Makenna glared—"Raeven!"—and glanced at Jessica. "Jessica, what happened?"
Jessica looked away.
Raeven yelped and dropped the box he held. He flew into Mr. McKevlin's face and knocked him to the ground.
"Raeven!" Makenna dove for him, but Raeven dodged and shot into the sky.
Makenna ended up landing on Mr. McKevlin's tummy.
"Oof!" he yelped, resting his head on the floor.
Makenna leaped to her feet, both boxes of waxes in her hand, and told him, "I'm so sorry, Mr. McKevlin! I'll make up for this! I promise! Thank you so much for the wax! See you at the meet! Come on, Jessica!" With her free hand, she grabbed Jessica and lugged her after Raeven, who flew like a maniac all over McKevlin's Surf Shop.
He crashed into the shelves, knocking them down. Surfboards, wetsuits, sunglasses, etc., went flying.
Customers screamed and ran for it. They piled out of the shop while Raeven continued wreaking havoc.
Temporarily, he stopped flying and winked at a pretty woman.
She chuckled and reached for her lips.
After winking, Raeven took off again. He challenged Makenna and Jessica by yelling, "Catch me if you can, girls!"
They dove for him, but Raeven dodged.
From the floor, Makenna and Jessica, piled on top of one another, lifted their heads.
Raeven laughed, but crashed into McKevlin's cash register. It crashed with a loud bang, and money splattered everywhere.
Mr. McKevlin got up from the floor, yelling at the sight of the mess.
Raeven, amazingly, was unhurt by the fall. Flapping his wings, he soared toward the surf shop's exit.
Makenna and Jessica stood and chased him some more.
Raeven soared outside to McKevlin's Surf Shop's deck and circled the building constantly. Makenna and Jessica ran in circles trying to catch him.
"Raeven!" Makenna barked. "You good for nothing bat! You will be punished!"
Raeven peered back at her and laughed. "That's as if you can catch me, Miss Delling!" He eventually made Makenna dizzy from running around in circles for so long.
Jessica stopped because she was out of breath, but Makenna kept chasing him.
Finally, she got him! Makenna leaped forward and grabbed Raeven's sides, but because she was dizzy, she didn't realize that she had just jumped off the deck.
Makenna started to fall. When she realized she was falling, she screamed and hugged Raeven close. This was just like the time when she fell off the observation deck at the crab dock on Seabrook Island when she was eleven. It was one of those times she wished she could transform whenever she wanted to.
When Jessica saw Makenna falling, she screamed, "Makenna!" from McKevlin's Surf Shop's deck.
"I'm gonna die!" Makenna shouted. "It was nice knowing you, Jessica!"
Just when she thought all was lost, a blast of water slammed into Makenna and sent her flying into the sky.
Down below, Jessica again shouted, "Makenna!"
A few people who saw Makenna shoot into the sky peered up.
A blast of wind blew Raeven out of Makenna's arms, and he yelled as he flew to the right toward the Atlantic Ocean.
Makenna's horse head-shaped necklace pendant started to glow, and before she knew it, the water had released her, and she hovered in midair. Blue magic outlined her.
Makenna tried to fly out of the fray, but something pulled her back. Terror exploded throughout her body, and she cried, "What's happening? Help! Somebody! Please!" She again tried to escape, but something still pulled her back.
The magic water began circling Makenna, taking on the forms of children.
Each child danced around Makenna. One sang "It's Raining, It's Pouring", and a second child sang "London Bridge Is Falling Down". Who knew children could be just as scary as zombies?
A water spirit, a young, teenage girl, flew to Makenna and shared a new take on the eerie prayer, "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep":
"'Broken glass shatters the tomb.
I bid you welcome to my room.
Rest your bones aside my bed.
Lay your hands upon my head.
Cast your spell and slumber deep;
And stay beside me while I sleep.
If I should die within the night,
I bid my soul to the plight.'"
After reciting the poem, the spirit circled Makenna.
Her entire face turned blue—she was so scared. She couldn't help but feel like she knew this girl. Her voice reminded her of someone. Did Makenna know her from somewhere—a dream perhaps?
In a scary voice, the spirit bragged, "I know something you don't. I lost my sister. Will you help me find her?"
Too scared to speak, Makenna quickly shook her head no.
"Why not?" asked the spirit, reaching for Makenna's shoulder. "You're not afraid of the dark, are you?Ring-a-Ring o'Rosies, A Pocket full of Posies, 'A-tishoo! A-tishoo!' We all fall down."
"Leave me alone!" Makenna finally choked out. "I don't want to go to the Bermuda Triangle! Get out of my head, Octopus Man!"
"Suit yourself," chuckled the spirit. She started to sing again. "Never leave, never leave—your world's crumbling. Master, do you want to play a game? How about hide-and-seek? You hide, and I'll find you."
"Tracey!" Makenna shouted. "No, please! Don't hurt him again!"
"You're too late," sang the mysterious spirit. "La, la, la, la, la, la, la." And just like that, she soared through Makenna and sucked her strength right out of her.
Makenna closed her eyes and started to fall again.
From up above, the spirit spoke one last time."Follow me to a world where night is all."
Within seconds, the Octopus Man's spell exploded, and everything returned to normal.
Makenna still fell, but her necklace glowed, slowing her down. Then, very carefully, it took her toward the parking lot of McKevlin's Surf Shop.
Jessica, who had Raeven beside her, saw Makenna and gasped. "Makenna!" She and Raeven hurried down the stairs of the surf shop and headed toward their friend.
Makenna's necklace set her gently down beside the jeep from before. The second she landed, a blast of blue fairy dust exploded around her.
Makenna groaned and struggled to her knees.
Jessica and Raeven stopped at her, and Jessica asked, "Makenna, are you all right? What was that?" She leaned down and took her arm. Jessica helped Makenna to her knees.
"It was the Octopus Man," she frightfully spoke. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "He tormented me! And so did this spirit! Tracey is in great danger! I have to fly to him!"
"Hey, hey," Jessica said comfortably. She helped Makenna to her feet. "I'm sure Tracey's fine. The Octopus Man was playing with your head."
"That's right, beautiful!" announced Raeven. He hovered beside Jessica, wings steadily flapping. "I'm sure the Octopus Man didn't mean a thing said back there, except for the fact that…" He gasped. "Tracey is under a curse! Grab your weapons, girls! We're going to war! Hut, hut! Now starts the journey to save Tracey from the evil clutches of the Octopus Man's curse!" He gasped again. "But what if we fail? What if we get caught and tied up a smidgen on the tight side? Oh, ropes! Anything but ropes! Ropes are terrible! Ropes are awful! Ropes are—"
"Shut up!" Makenna and Jessica shouted at the bat.
Raeven jumped. "Oh, you startled me. What's with the foul faces, girls?" Makenna and Jessica glared at him, and Raeven shivered. "Oh, if looks could kill."
"I'm not talking to you," Makenna growled. "If you hadn't gone ballistic in McKevlin's Surf Shop, Raeven, none of this would've happened! You knew the Octopus Man was coming, right?"
Raeven opened his mouth, but Makenna stopped him from blabbering.
"Don't answer. I've had enough mutiny for one day. I'm going to Merlin's Island, and you can't stop me!" She shoved by Jessica and almost knocked her down, but she managed to catch herself.
Makenna headed toward the heart of the parking lot, but Jessica yelled, "Makenna, wait!"
Makenna ignored her.
Raeven tried to speak again, but Makenna shot him another angry look. The Megabat gulped and zipped his lips.
Makenna stopped exactly where she wanted to go—in the center of the parking lot—and tried her best to transform into a fairy. Luckily, nobody was in the parking lot right now.
Makenna lifted her hands and announced, "Come on, transform!" She closed her eyes. "Makenna! Metamorphic Fairy of Seabrook Island! I want to transform! Transform! I have to save my friend!" She concentrated extremely hard on her Crystal Metamorphic Fairy transformation, but no matter the exertion, she couldn't do it. The Sunset Delay spell was too strong.
"Makenna!" Jessica yelled again, hurrying to her. She lifted her hand and grabbed her wrist. "You can't transform. You're under the Sunset Delay spell."
"But Tracey!" Makenna argued. "I don't want him to die again! You don't understand, Jessica. He died three times last year due to his broken wings. Once at school, once during medical transport, and again during surgery! I don't want something even worse to happen to him!" With every sentence, Makenna's voice became more choked.
Jessica finally pulled her into a hug and said, "Shh, Makenna, you're okay. Don't worry about Tracey. As soon as you get your wings back, you can fly to him. We'll tell your parents at Rita's Seaside Grille. Keep in mind, though, that you've got an invitation to Australia to win!"
Makenna slowly nodded and returned Jessica's hug.
From where he hovered, Raeven sighed and said, "Ah, friendship. The best gift in the world until somebody gets cursed—and caught, and tied up a smidgen on the tight side! Oh, gosh, what am I doing? I started thinking negatively again." Raeven brought his paws to his face and shook his head.
He then followed Makenna and Jessica to Rita's Seaside Grille, and Makenna picked up the "extremely important" parcel before she could forget. On the way to the restaurant, she explained to Jessica and Raeven how she got it.