Altering the Elements

Chapter 1

As Cyrus Garcia, a 15 year old who lives in the beautiful town of Golden Oak, walked down the brick pathway into the town, he pulled out a bill from his front pocket. He looked at the twenty on the front of the bill, and put it back into his pocket. His mother had given it to him so he could buy groceries. He knew for a fact that they needed milk and butter, and would find out what else they need when he was at the store. As he walked by the radio station, he looked briefly into the window of the furniture store, seeing people look at the various products that were up for sale. walking passed some people on the sidewalk, Cyrus pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. Pressing the power button on the phone, the screen came to life and read, '1:37 P.M.' "One thirty-seven," he said aloud as he pushed the power button again and slipped the phone back into his pocket. "If I hurry, I could go to the park for a while," he said as he quickened his pace.

Walking around the corner of the craft shop, he saw the grocery store across the road with the Red sign above the doors reading 'Golden Oak Grocery'. As he walked across the street, he got sudden shivers down his spine. He didn't like the feeling at all. Cyrus stopped in his tracks, and looked around cautiously. He had never experienced this feeling whilst living in Golden Oak. As he surveyed his surroundings, he saw what he usually saw, the craft shop, the post office, and the fairly large restaurant. He turned back around and began again to walk toward the grocery store. When he stepped inside of the grocery store, he turned his head and looked out of the open sensor doors. He had not at all liked the feeling that he had experienced while on his way here. As he turned around, out of the corner of his eye he saw a dark figure standing on the corner of the craft shop. Turning back around quickly, he looked at the corner of the craft shop, only to see nothing.

Walking into the dairy isle, Cyrus opened the clear glass door to grab a 5 pack of butter. Closing the door, Cyrus walked to the other side of the isle. Passing the ice cream and the yogurt, Cyrus stopped at the clear glass door that contained the many cartons of milk. Opening the door, he reached in and grabbed a gallon of the milk from the local farm. Walking up to check-out, Cyrus put his milk and butter on the conveyor belt and reached into his front pocket for the money. He didn't know why his mom had given him so much, but he decided that he would stop at the bakery and get something for his little sister. Taking ten dollars out of the wad of money, he looked up and saw the same dark figure from before standing in front of him, towering over him. He took a step back and put his hands before himself, to block if the creature made a sudden move. Then, the cashier half shouted, "Come on boy, what are you looking at?" Cyrus looked at him and back at the dark figure, or at least where he thought it was. It was gone. "Did you not see that?" Cyrus looked at the cashier worriedly. "See what?" the cashier glared at him, "What are you on about?" Cyrus looked at the cashier and simply replied, "Never mind."

Cyrus walked on the brick path back to his house. Almost passing by the Golden Oak Bakery, he stopped and turned around, grabbing the handle and pulling the door. As the door closed behind him, he was greeted by the sweet smell of the shop. Looking ahead, he saw the clear, see through counter that housed platters of cakes, cookies, various cupcakes, a large rhubarb pie, and some bread. Above the delectable sweets, was the cash register, and the tip jar that was half full of coins. Behind the counter stood a lady with a bright smile on her face. Cyrus walked to the right of the counter and looked at a purple clothed table with 3 cupcake towers, all of them containing some sort of a sweet. He walked over to the third tower and looked at what was on display. On the bottom row, there were a bunch of small, sprinkled cupcakes that were twenty-five cents each. The row after that, there were orange sprinkled cupcakes that were slightly bigger than the red ones. The tower went on and on, following the color of the rainbow, getting bigger each row. Cyrus had noticed that the top of the cupcake tower was missing its occupant. Presumably the purple one he thought to himself. He looked over the tower again and finally decided that he was going to buy a blue one, which was the size of a fairly large apple. Grabbing the cupcake, he walked over to the counter and placed the cupcake on the counter in front of the woman who he had seen when he entered the store. He looked at her golden name tag, that read 'Dahlia'. "Hello! Is this all for you today?" she asked as she reached behind the tip jar and grabbed a small plastic cupcake box. "Yes it is," Cyrus said reaching into his pocket for the remainder of the money. He grabbed a five dollar bill and put the rest of the money back into his pocket. Dahlia typed at the cash register very quickly and announced, "One fifteen!" Cyrus put out the five dollar bill and she grabbed it. "Out of five!" she said as she typed at the cash register with flying colors. After pressing a few buttons, Cyrus heard the cash register open. she grabbed a few dollar bills, and some coins. "Three eighty-five is your change," she said handing him the money. Cyrus turned to the right and put the coins in the tip jar and said "Thank you." Dahlia beamed at him and said, "Thank you!!"

Cyrus turned the golden handle on the door to his house. Upon opening the door, he was greeted by his little sister, Gabriella who hugged him tightly around his waist. His little sister was 9 years old, and loved it when he brought her home things. "Hi Cyrus!!" She shouted exuberantly. "Hello Gabby," Cyrus said as he took the bag of milk and butter and walked to the kitchen with his sister. Gabriella went and sat at a stool at the island, while Cyrus placed the bag of groceries in the fridge, walked over to the cupboard and opened the door and grabbed a small plate. Cyrus took the cupcake out of the box, and put it on the plate. Box and plate in hand, Cyrus turned around and and set the plate down in front of Gabriella. "I got that for you on my way home from the store." He forced a smile, thinking of the cloaked figure in the store. Gabriella looked at the cupcake, and at him at him and beamed. "Thanks!!" She looked into his eyes, and said, "You want some," She said hopping down from her stool and walking past him to the silverware drawer, rummaging around for a moment, and coming back with a golden tinted butter knife. "I suppose I can't refuse," Cyrus smirked at her as he threw the box in the trash. "No, no you can't," she smiled as she cut the cupcake in half.

Grabbing another small plate, Gabriella placed one half of the cupcake on it and handed it to him. She sat down next to him. "I hope you know that I know when something is troubling you," she said grabbing her cupcake and taking a bite. "Yes," Cyrus said with a sigh. "Yes, I know." He stood up and walked over to the fridge. Opening it he turned to his sister. "Orange juice?" Gabriella shook her head. "Pomegranate juice please." Cyrus turned back to the fridge and grabbed two bottles from inside. Closing the door, he walked to the counter next to the fridge and set the bottles down. Reaching into the cupboard, Gabriella said, "If you want to go to the park, you better go before mother starts dinner." Cyrus poured pomegranate juice into a glass and took it to her. "Yes your right. I suppose I will." He said as he walked back to the juice. He took another glass and poured it half full with orange juice. Putting the juice back in the fridge, he walked back over to his glass and took it to sit next to Gabriella. She looked at him and smiled. "If you do go, will you get me a flower?" She asked drinking some of the juice he had prepared for her. "Yes, I will get you a flower," he smiled at her. Getting up from his seat, Cyrus grabbed his cupcake and took it to the fridge. Closing the fridge and walking back over to his glass of orange juice, Cyrus drank the remaining juice inside the glass. Placing his glass in the sink, he looked at his little sister. "If mother asks where I am, tell her I went to the park." Gabriella drank more of her juice. "Of course," she smiled at him. Cyrus ran out the kitchen, and up the stairs. Turning to the right, he ran down the hallway and opened the last door on the left. Upon entering, he ran straight to his desk and grabbed his book bag lying on the floor next to it. Standing up, he grabbed a pencil out of his pencil holder next to his desk lamp. Closing the door, Cyrus rushed down the hallway, down the stairs, and out the door, closing it swiftly behind him.