The Frights of Fiji by Sunayna Prasad (books to read for self improvement .txt) 📕

just one of the browsers.”

“I don’t want to watch anything.” Alyssa shook her head.

“How about some music? I have a playlist of relaxing music on my WiPod. Or do you prefer pop when you’re upset?”

“Simon, you’ve got to understand that when someone is worried about their loved ones, distracting them isn’t necessarily the right thing.”

“Really? Well, it’s always worked for marble figures.”

“I’m not a marble figure, though.”

“Alyssa, don’t tell me that I’m no help at all.” Simon arched his eyebrows.

“It’s not that. I just—”

“So you’re just trying to be polite by saying I am a help when I’m really not?”

“Simon, relax.”

      “Don’t talk balderdash with me.” Simon crossed his arms. “You’d probably rather sit and worry about those girls than find a way to cheer yourself up.”

“Those girls are important to me.”

“So you’re saying I’m not important to you at all? I’m just a piece of rubbish?”

“No, of course not. Simon, I think you’re overreacting.”

“You’re the one being underappreciative!” Simon raised his voice.

“All right, sorry. I . . . I didn’t mean it.”

“Well, whether you meant it or not, you still did it. You do whatever you want. I’m leaving this room.”

“Fine.” Alyssa bent her eyebrows.

Simon flew out.

Alyssa lay on her bed and breathed. Who was to blame? Simon or herself? She considered herself right that distractions didn’t always work when somebody was worried. Yet, she chose to wait at least a few minutes before she could show herself to Simon since he probably wouldn’t want to talk now.

“Simon, are you okay?” Mathias asked.

“Leave me alone,” he said.

“Why are you in a bad mood?” asked Isabelle.

“Alyssa’s underappreciative,” Simon said. “I offered her ways to feel better and—”

“Simon, sometimes that doesn’t work,” said Isabelle. “There are times people just need to find their own ways to calm down.”

“That’s what Alyssa said,” Simon said.

“And I think she’s right,” said Mathias.

Alyssa poked her head out of the bedroom.

Simon looked at her. “I’m sorry, Alyssa. I was being a jerk.”

“That’s okay,” she said. “Hey, can you make an alarm on your tablet to go off when Master Beau and his workers come back?”

“I don’t think so,” said Simon. “But I’ll take a look at what he and his workers are doing every hour.”

“Good,” said Alyssa. “Thank you.”

 

*      *      *      *

 

Until everybody had fallen asleep, Simon had checked on Master Beau and his staff every hour. He’d still stood in an open field surrounded by woodlands and practiced making portals. But he might do something else now.

Alyssa tossed and turned in her bed. She had no idea what time it was, and without windows, she couldn’t figure it out. It might be seven a.m., or it could be two a.m. She stretched and lifted her body. Glancing at the clock in front of her, she saw that it was six-thirty. She turned to Simon, Mathias, and Isabelle, who still slept. Sweat patched her face, and even the inside of her T-shirt and sweat shorts.

She turned to Simon’s tablet on the nightstand next to her since Simon slept on the middle bed. Simon didn’t move or make any sounds anyway. But Alyssa would only check to see what Master Beau did. He may still work on the portals. He might take Hailey while his workers kidnapped the other girls. He could have even returned.

Alyssa reached her trembling hands out and grabbed the tablet. She pulled it toward her and hopped out of bed, holding the object. Turning back, she saw Simon toss, and her chest stung. But she continued to tiptoe out of the bedroom and shut the door.

She stared at the screen. While she’d borrowed friends’ cell phones and sometimes even iPods in the past, she’d never used an electronic tablet. Did a guide directing how to use the Triton’s Tablet come with it? Simon hadn’t carried one when he’d first brought it.

She pressed the bottom button in the middle, which caused the tablet to turn on. A red screen came on with an arrow pointing right. It said, “Slide to unlock.” Alyssa did that and saw a spy person icon with a large hat and a long coat on the screensaver. Underneath, it said, “Tracking App.” Alyssa pressed that and received a map of where Master Beau was. And guess where he’d gone . . .

“He got Hailey,” gasped Alyssa.

According to the beige screen, Master Beau led Hailey into the backyard. Uh oh. He hadn’t put her under a spell, right?

Blood rushing through her veins, Alyssa ran back into the bedroom and swung the door open. She slammed it shut, and everyone else woke up.

“Alyssa, what are you doing?” Mathias lifted himself up.

“We’ve got to go to the dark magic center now,” said Alyssa.

“Did you look at my tablet?” asked Simon.

“Yeah,” said Alyssa. “You were sleeping, so I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“You still should’ve asked me,” said Simon.

“I’m sorry, but Simon’s right,” said Mathias.

“Sorry,” said Alyssa.

“Alyssa, why don’t Mathias and I go while you and Simon stay behind?” Isabelle sat up.

“Why do you want them to stay behind?” asked Mathias.

“Because I don’t want—”

“Why can’t they just stay under invisibility ponchos?” asked Mathias. “Isabelle, you have so many.”

Isabelle sighed. “All right, we’ll all go. Let’s get ready.”

Alyssa did her morning routine and put on a tank top and short leggings. Everybody else got ready as well for the next five minutes or so. Isabelle created granola bars for everybody to munch on during the ride. Looking at hers, though, Alyssa felt her throat burn. Her stomach often couldn’t handle food if she’d woken up at this time.

Alyssa stepped outside with the others and watched Isabelle shrink the tent. Then she followed her to her tube while Mathias took Simon. She hopped into the back and buckled up. Isabelle jumped into the pilot’s seat, put the ponchos next to her, and pressed the button to take off.

Thoughts of what Master Beau and his workers would do to Hailey, Destiny, Jasmine, and Madison, raced inside Alyssa’s head. Where would he keep them? Would Isabelle and Mathias be able to save them? What if Master Beau hid them and wouldn’t tell her and her mentors where they were until they died? When Alyssa had lost her parents and aunt, she’d experienced depression and sometimes even shock. Ever since those times, she had hoped to never lose a loved one again.

Minutes had passed, and Isabelle landed outside the dark magic center. She turned off the tube and hopped out, carrying the ponchos. Mathias had arrived before her and stood with Simon outside his tube.

“Hey, Isabelle, I was thinking about having Alyssa come with us instead,” he said.

“Mathias, are you crazy?” asked Isabelle. “She’ll be caught and taken from us.”

“Well, I don’t think her friends will trust us unless they see her,” said Mathias. “They need to know that we’re not going to hurt them. So I want Alyssa to come.”

“What if we tell them we know her?” asked Isabelle.

“I don’t think that’s enough,” said Mathias. “I think the other girls will be more comfortable if they see her.”

“All right, Mathias,” Isabelle frowned. “But then Alyssa must stay inside her poncho until we find the girls.”

“But that’ll startle them,” said Mathias.

“They already know about magic,” said Isabelle. “I don’t have time for this discussion. We’ve got to go.” She threw Alyssa and Simon ponchos. “Put these on.”

They did so and headed inside the building. Blood zoomed through Alyssa’s veins. Her heartbeat spread from her chest to her throat. So far, no one roamed or stood in the main hallway.

But a beep went off, and Alyssa turned to where it came from. A camera leaned down from the wall and flashed its tiny red light. Someone appeared out of the air, and that was Master Beau. The beeping ended.

“What are you all doing here?” asked Master Beau. “I know there are four of you. These cameras my workers have installed last night can see under invisibility ponchos.”

“You let those girls go,” Mathias took down his poncho hood.

“No!” yelled Master Beau. “Wait a minute—how do you know about the girls? Are you that guy who stole one of the workers’ identity?”

“Why would I answer that?” asked Mathias.

“That tells me you are, and now you want to save them. Well, forget it.” He held out his wand.

“Amittere obiectum!” Isabelle whipped her wand and zapped Master Beau’s out of his hand. But he picked it up.

“Somnum harena!” Master Beau pointed his wand at Isabelle.

Sand swirled out, and as it neared Isabelle’s eyes, Mathias cried, “Duratus nunco!” which froze the sand in the air. Isabelle backed away.

Mathias then whipped his wand around, but nothing happened.

“Are you trying to put me under a spell?” asked Master Beau.

“Yes,” replied Mathias.

“I’ve already been under a spell,” said Master Beau. “Now all of you get out.”

Alyssa heard Simon mumble something, and she and the others turned to his sound. But everyone turned back to Master Beau. A mug of hot tea floated over his head.

“What are you all looking at?” Master Beau asked.

A crack formed on the mug and spread throughout it. A piece chipped off, and the clay shattered. Tea poured onto Master Beau’s head. He screamed and covered his face.

Isabelle and Mathias ran away from him. Alyssa followed them.

“Where’s he keeping them?” Mathias stopped at the end of the main hallway.

“You idiots!” screamed Master Beau. “Get out of here!”

“Somnum harena!” Mathias whipped his wand around.

The sand swirled, and Master Beau fell asleep.

“We should be safe now,” said Mathias.

“What are two doing here?” David stood outside of a door down the hallway across from them.

Mathias whipped his wand and turned David’s pupils blue.

“Are you looking for the girls we captured?” asked David.

“Yes,” said Mathias.

“They’re in the prison room upstairs, behind the third door on your left,” said David.

“Thank you.” Mathias led everyone upstairs. “Alyssa and Simon, take off your ponchos.”

They removed them.

“By the way, guys—that was me who created that cup of tea over Master Beau’s head,” said Simon.

“Thanks for telling us,” said Isabelle. “But we need to hurry up and get these girls out.”

“Wait—you don’t have the other ponchos,” said Alyssa.

“That’s okay,” said Isabelle. “I can make them appear here.”

Mathias turned the doorknob and grunted. “It’s locked.” He let go.

Isabelle pointed her wand at it. “Patefacio sursum.”

The doorknob snapped, and she opened the door. Stepping inside, Alyssa saw Destiny, Madison, Jasmine, and Hailey behind the bars and chained to the wall.

“Oh my God, Alyssa, you’re here!” cried Madison.

“We’re going to get you girls out of here.” Isabelle pointed her wand at the cover over the button. “Patefacio sursum.” The handle to the padlock lifted, and she took it off.

Alyssa looked around. “Where’s Simon?”

“I put my poncho back on,” he whispered. “I don’t want to scare the girls now.”

Alyssa turned back to the bars. They rose above the ground.

“Mathias, break their chains,” said Isabelle.

He nodded and pointed his wand at them. He whipped it around, and their chains dissolved into dust. They bolted up