Two Worlds (Written by a 10-year-old author, 62,000 words, 72 chapters)

Chapter 65: The news

Lily didn't get to watch the news.

Turns out, her mother was very, very picky and sincerely concerned about the dangerous commotion going on. So while Lily was out on 'important business', her mom was packing up everyone's stuff. By the time Lily returned to the hotel, the plane was only an hour away from takeoff. After a ton of protests, Lily dismissed her friends to pack up and stomped off to her room, dozing off on the bed next to her suitcase.

A half hour later, her mom was telling her to wake up so they could catch the bus. Lily grabbed the most filling snack she could find in the fridge, scooped up her suitcase, and followed her mom out of the door. Her friends emerged from their rooms carrying their luggage. Oneida was rattling on to her two older brothers about how they had 'gone into battle with no armor and didn't watch out carefully enough' (actually, she was directing those words to Jake, while Parker smugly watched). The moment Oneida saw Lily's mother, though, she shut up. They left for the bus in silence, with Jake helping Parker lift up his heavy suitcase with armor inside.

Lily fell asleep on the plane. When she woke up, the plane was touching down in New York City. The instant Lily stepped inside her apartment room, she went straight into her bedroom, shut the door, and turned on the TV.

The news reporter was saying: "And now we turn to Melissa Gracie for more information." "Thanks, Peter. Now, I'm standing in San Francisco, where people have repeatedly called the police, claiming they sighted a dragon causing destruction throughout the city. The same thing happened in the following areas: Los Angeles, Greece, Italy, Germany, Russia ..." Melissa rambled on from a long list in her hand. With each name, Lily's dread grew. Someone behind her cleared his throat. Lily jumped and whipped around.

Lily's friends had sneaked up on her. "Gah! You guys surprised me," she exclaimed. Tara and Stacy both kicked Jake, who apparently was the one who had cleared his throat. "Ow!" he complained. Lily rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Jake, for ruining a perfectly terrifying moment." "You're very welcome," Jake grumbled.

Dinner was silent. Lily's mom tried her best to cheer things up, smiling at everyone and commenting on everything. Lily and her friends poked at their food with their forks and said nothing. When Lily's mom had gone to sleep, Jake said, "Can Theresa send my siblings home?" Parker punched Jake in the arm. "Bro, seriously! What do you think the elves are going to say if I return with no one but my sister and say everyone else got imprisoned by Sophie?"

Oneida pushed back her empty plate. "Parker's right. Jake, when we return, we might be shamed for leaving our allies undefended and open to Sophie's attacks." "Theresa can take care of it," Lily said quietly. And even as she said those words, the sorceress appeared at her side. "I overheard your conversation," she said. She looked at Jake's siblings. "Are you ready?" Parker and Oneida nodded reluctantly. "Okay, then. Let's go." Theresa took hold of their hands and they disappeared.

Stacy stood up and collected the plates, carefully setting them in the sink without a word. "Jake, if they do get shamed ..." "I am sure my brother and my sister will be able to work it out," Jake said tightly.

The awkward silencethat followed was too much for Lily to bear. "Guys, that's not our main problem- Sophie is, remember?" Her friends nodded reluctantly. "And now that Jake'ssiblings are safe, we can all sleep a little easier. And-" Lily was about tosay that they were probably doomed, but her voice caught in her throat. "Andit's almost midnight," she managed. "So we should get some sleep." Stacy, Tara,and Jake said their goodbyes and left for the hotel, closing the door behindthem. Lily sighed, turned off the kitchen light, and trudged down the hallway,where her bed awaited her. She knew shewasn't going to sleep any easier.