Acton Boxborough Community Education Community Ed Spring 2012

Chapter One


Abby opened the refrigerator and searched each shelf. “We’re out of pickles,” she told her best friend, Jenna. Hummus and pickles on pita bread was their favorite after-school snack. She double-checked behind the mayonnaise, just to make sure. “Nope, no pickles.”

“Got any cucumbers?” asked Jenna.

Abby opened the vegetable drawer. “Nope.”

“We can just have peanut butter and crackers instead,” said Jenna.

Abby grabbed the snacks and brought everything over to the kitchen table. Jenna spread the peanut butter over the crackers and put them on a plate. “What do you want to do?” she asked.

“I don’t know. What do you want to do,” Abby said.

“I don’t know. What do you want to do?”

Abby didn’t answer. There was nothing to do. There was never anything to do in this boring, old town. Abby had lived in Centerville all her life and nothing exciting ever happened.

Abby’s little brother, Brian, zoomed into the kitchen making engine noises. Arms stretched out like wings he flew over to the table and grabbed a cracker.

“Hey, Crud Muffin, that’s our snack!” Abby said.

“It’s mine, now,” said Brian, stuffing it into his mouth. Luckily he flew out of the kitchen and back to whatever slimy swamp he had crawled out of. Brothers!

“So, what do you want to do?” Jenna asked again.

Abby rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to say that there was absolutely-nothing-what-so-ever going on in this tiny little town when the door bell rang.

“I’ll get it!” yelled Brian.

The door creaked open and a deep voice said, “Special delivery for Miss Abigail Burns.”

“That’s me!” Abby cried, running to the front door. A man in a purple cap, purple shirt and purple pants was holding a cardboard box – with Abby’s name on it!

“Sign right here,” the man said.

Abby signed the slip and took the package. The delivery man tipped his cap and said, “Good luck.”

Good luck? What was that supposed to mean?

“Uh…thanks,” Abby said, closing the door. The package was so light, Abby wondered if there was anything in it. She shook the box – not a sound.

“Who’s it from?” asked Brian.

“I don’t know,” Abby said. “There’s no return address.”

“Open it up!” Jenna said with a squeal.

Using the extra house key, Abby broke the tape and opened the box. She pushed aside the Styrofoam peanuts and revealed a plain, smooth cylinder. It looked like it was carved out of ivory or bone. There were no markings except for a thin line a few inches down from one end where the top and bottom met. She gently lifted the cylinder and turned it around and around, looking for a clue to its contents.

“Well?” Jenna said, her eyes practically popping out of their sockets. “Let’s see what’s inside!”

Abby pulled off the top. A puff of smoke escaped followed by a light so bright they all had to close their eyes. Abby, Jenna and Brian opened their eyes and blinked.

“What is it?” asked Jenna.

“Where’d it come from?” asked Brian.

“I don’t know,” Abby said, glaring at the thing that had suddenly appeared in her living room.

"WOW! I got what I always wanted. A cute little white bunny," exclaimed Abby. "This is the best thing I ever received from a delivery," she said. She was very excited to see a bunny very nicely snuggled in a cage and boxed in a wooden case. Abby could not wait to unlock the bunny from her cage and hold the bunny in her arms.

The ...

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Everyone's happiness was not there for long. It was a tragic day when it happened. Just to be clear, it was not exactly only one person's fault. It had just happened. So, one day, Abby had come home from a horrible day at school. First, it was a cold, rainy day, and it was Monday, the day she had gym. Abby had nothing in her wardrobe but a princess shirt, a pair of jeans that were too small, and a pair of stinky old socks. Abby had been late for school, gotten into a fight with Jenna, and had forgotten her homework. At lunch, she had tripped and dropped her lunch, and at gym she was the last one to get picked for a game of kickball, outside on the muddy school field. In gym, Abby had slipped and gotten her clothes all muddy, got a bloody nose from a nasty punch, and had gotten hit in the face with the ball. Her team had lost, and so they had to go in last and all get B's until they had another chance to earn a different grade. Abby had been looking forward to coming home, taking a nice hot shower, and snuggling with her adorable bunny, Snow White. When she got home, she had immediately gone upstairs to take a shower and get out of her muddy, sweaty, stinky old clothes. Then, feeling more fresh and relaxed she had come downstairs to have a snack and play with Snow White. She found some pita bread and pickles and sat down to enjoy her snack. After she was finished, she ran over to Snow White's cage and peeked inside. The pure white bunny was comfortably nestled inside the cage and was resting. Abby reached in and took out the soft bunny, being careful not to hurt her. She buried her face in its fur, letting her worries wash away along with her tears.

"Abby? ...

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"Snow White! Come on, Snow White, come out," cried Abby. But Snow White was gone. Abby's mother came running over.

"What's ...

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