Bullet: Part Six

 

Apartment Door Open

I sprinted to catch up with Rob and skidded to a stop in front of him. “Um, excuse me? What the heck! You can’t just march into my apartment room like a police officer!”

“If you didn’t have the bullet, you would be okay if I just searched,” Rob stated as he walked past me

“Rob, I’m being serious.” I grabbed Rob’s shoulder and whipped him around. “You’re not a cop. This is my property!”

“That’s the only reason you don’t want me to come in?”

“I wouldn’t want you to come in

for any reason! You made me lose my job!”

Rob sighed and marched onward. I couldn’t tell what it was, but as soon as I had mentioned that I wished he were never in my life, he seemed…quieter. And Rob is never quiet. I’m not a huge fan of most people, me being in introvert. But Rob? Complete opposite of me. Huge extrovert. So him being quiet meant something was seriously wrong.

“Why are you being so quiet?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” He said, purposely raising his voice.

“I don’t know, you’re being oddly quiet and more mysterious. I know we supposedly hate each other, but…” Don’t. Let your empathy. Get in the way.

“What was I going to wish for?” Rob finished.

“Yeah,” I need to stop going out in public. I instinctively went to walk into the building, not even realizing Rob was going to find the bullet on my bed if I let him in. Fortunately, Rob stopped in front of the building, and I turned around to face him.

“The thing is, I didn’t know what I was going to wish for. There were so many possibilities. Money, power, etc. But now, I’ve been feeling guilt for what I did as soon as you said that wish. All I’ve ever wanted was for everyone to like me, but now you hate me! I know you won’t forgive me for what I did so now I don’t now what I’m going to wish for, if I find that bullet, that you stole! So thanks a lot!”

“Wow,” I scoffed. “To think I thought you had emotions somewhere in you. Also, if you wanted people to like you, then why would you go through all that trouble to hurt me?”

“Jealousy,”

“Anyway, you don’t know if I’ll forgive you, even I don’t know. And you don’t even know who stole the bullet!”

“It was you,”

“Your proof?” Rob glared at me as he hurried by me and up the stairs. “Rob!” I yelled. I can never trust that never-changing jerk. I sprinted after him as I realized that I of course forgot to lock the door. Crap, crap, crap-

I reached level three and burst out the door and into my hallway. My door was wide open, Bullet howling like a mad-man. I whipped my phone out from my back pocket, steam rushing out from my ears. I dialed 911 and rushed into my room, ready to hit the call button at any moment.

“Ow!” Rob yelped, standing a few feet in front of me in the kitchen. There Bullet was, his head tilted sideways, his teeth locked into Rob’s ankle.

“Bullet!” I gasped, trying hard to keep myself from laughing out loud. Bullet released his jaw-of-death and rushed over to me, wagging his tail furiously.

Then, Rob’s phone began to ring just as he grabbed a paper towel and put it on his wound. He answered the call and put it to his ear with one hand, tending to his wound with the other.

“Hello?” A deep, muffled voice came from his phone. “New York City?…Now?…Yeah, yeah. I’ll try to be there as soon as possible. I’m currently in a bit of a situation with a neighbor, but I’ll try to hurry…Super important?…Immediately?…Oh, okay sir. See you there. Bye.” Rob hung up the phone, threw the paper towel away, and walked up to me and Bullet.

“You got lucky. But I’ll be back. I have a meeting to attend so I don’t lose my job like some people.” And with those final words, he walked out and slammed the door.

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Bullet: Part Five

 

eyes

The hairs on the back of my neck rose to the sky. Then it hit me: If I stayed, he’d find out it was me. But if I left, he would suspect it was me and eventually find out it was me. I was screwed either way.

“What do you mean I can’t leave?” Evangeline walked back towards the crowd, leaving her kids next to me. She pushed her way through the crowd and into the center. “This isn’t some court trial or escape room. This is a campground with a bunch of our neighbors in New York. If I want to leave then I have the right to leave!”

“I was going to give my niece that bullet you know. She’s moving to Alabama this fall, so I bought her that bullet so I could have my mother make it into a necklace for her to wear. My mother owns a jewelry company anyways. My niece means the world to me, so I wanted her to have that to remember me. So, I will not rest until I find that-”

“Where did you last see it?” I interrupted. Everyone turned around to look at me, Rob’s brown eyes probably staring into my soul, if only I could see him.

“Who was that?” Rob called. I nudged people aside and stepped into the arena.

“Me,” I answered as I stood next to Evangeline.

“Well, I haven’t seen you in a while,”

“I asked you a question. Where did you last see it?”

“Right here actually,” Rob spread out his arms to display the charcoal grill and small patch of grass. “Why else would we be here?”

“I don’t know, so more people can see how utterly amazing you are. As usual.” I crossed my arms and glared at him. You see, Rob and I used to be friends, until he got jealous of my promotion at work. We became friends through work, actually, yet he got so mad at me that he wound up spreading a rumor about me at work which got me fired.

“At least I don’t have to try to get people to like me, they just do,”

“Yeah, because they feel sorry for your lack of emotions,”

“At least someone cares for me,”

“Well-”

“Okay, we get it, you don’t like each other,” Evangeline cut in. “I have to get my son to basketball practice soon, so can I go now?”

“Sure, whatever,” Rob replied as we glared at each other. Evangeline pushed through the crowd and hurried her kids out of the campground and into the street. The crowd glanced back and forth from Evangeline and Rob, hesitating to escape.

“Okay, this is getting stupid.” I flung my hands in the air, followed by people slowly starting to fan out.

“It was you wasn’t it,” I raised my eyebrows. Say something smart and witty. He’s onto you!

“Please, as if I’d want anything of yours in my sight,”

“You’d want my job,”

“Rob, I just started a new job last week. Besides, you stole it,”

“Sabotaged,”

“Doesn’t matter! I wish you weren’t even in my life anymore!” Rob remained silent as the last person of the crowd walked into the street, leaving us alone.

“Which is exactly why you stole it,” He said softly.

“Excuse me?” He knows that it’s an Enigma Bullet?

“I don’t have a niece-”

“I knew that,”

“Anyway, that bullet is an Enigma Bullet-”

“I know, I learned about it briefly in seventh grade,” I fibbed.

“See, since you already know about it, you stole it from me so you could end me. Get your job back. Never see my face again!” Rob raised his voice with each sentence.

I remained silent and looked at the ground. Should I fess up? If I do, who knows what he’ll do with that wish. He could shoot me for all I know. “I didn’t take it,” I mumbled.

Rob inhaled through his nostrils and sighed. “Fine then, if you don’t have it, I suppose you won’t mind if I check for it…just in case,” Rob smirked and walked past me, bumping my shoulder with his. Crap.

Bullet: Part Four

 

I Speak Fluent Sarcasm

I set the bullet down on my bed and  hurried to the door, still in my robe. Bullet of course was barking on the couch, so I hushed him and opened the door.

Outside was Evangeline Wilcox, my next door neighbor, with her daughter and son, who were twins, running around her. “Quinn! Izzy!” Evangeline scolded, trying to grab her children’s shoulders to stop them.

“Hello Evangeline,” I greeted her.

“Oh!” Evangeline briefly glanced up at me right before firmly grabbing her kids and making them stand still next to her. “Hello there! Sorry about that,”

“Oh! No, no, it’s fine. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Actually, I came here to see if you were headed to the old campgrounds,”

“The…the old campgrounds?” I stuttered.

“Yeah! Didn’t you hear what happened?” I shook my head side to side. This can’t be good. “Our neighbor, Rob Maerring, the one that is always at that old campground claims that someone stole something secret he was going to give to his niece. And now he’s got a whole crowd that he’s ranting to about it! Can you believe it?” I stared at her with wide eyes and gulped. The Enigma Bullets. That’s gotta be it. 

“I…um…I actually didn’t hear about it until just now,” I admitted as I scratched the back of my neck.

“Oh! Would you like to come with us? You could bring your dog, if you want,”

“Uh,” I turned around to look at Bullet, who was now furiously lapping up some water in his water bowl. “Sure! I’ll probably leave Bullet though. I just need to change first,”

“Great! We’ll meet you outside the building,” Evangeline said with a smile. I waved goodbye and shut the door as they made their way to the staircase. Evangeline was only a year or two older than me, so she was pretty much the only neighbor I talked to.

I speedily went into my room and changed into a comfy, white t-shirt that said, “I SPEAK FLUENT SARCASM”, tattered jeans, and grey sneakers. I rushed into the bathroom and cleaned myself up, and quickly put my hair into a neat yet messy bun.

I put my cell phone in my back pocket, pet Bullet goodbye, and hurried out the door and outside of the building where Evangeline was waiting for us. “Hey!” Evangeline called with a wave.

“Hi! Thanks for waiting,”

“No problem,” Evangeline replied as she began to walk down the sidewalk as I quickly followed behind.

Once we arrived, there were a lot more people there than I thought that there would be. But, I mean, Rob Maerring is a pretty dramatic, young man around our age that makes everything revolve around him. I guess he started a rally to draw attention to himself and get back his “special item”. Please don’t let it be one of the Enigma Bullets.

“Someone stole it! The criminal shall pay! I don’t care who’s on my side or isn’t!” I stood on my toes to see Rob at the center of a decently large crowd. My eyes widened in horror. It wasn’t Rob that startled me, it was what was next to him. The charcoal grill. That was what I needed to confirm my theory, and I needed to get out of there. But I couldn’t let Rob spot me, or he’d get suspicious.

“I was going to give my niece a glass bullet! And someone stole it!” The crowd erupted into mumbles and whispers. Crap. Major crap.

“That’s it?” Evangeline muttered, furrowing her brow. “Doesn’t seem that amazing. I mean, why go through all that trouble keeping it a secret?” Quinn began to kick the grass while Izzy picked at a bug bite on her arm.

“I think I’m going to head out, this doesn’t seem like that big of a deal,” Evangeline turned around and headed to exit the campground.

“FREEZE!” Rob hollered.

“Excuse me?” Evangeline whipped around, clearly annoyed.

“No one is leaving here until I find out who stole it. Not even you, Evangeline.”

Fablehaven 5 – Review

 

Fablehaven – Keys to the Demon Prison, by Brandon Mull, is the fifth and final book in the Fablehaven series

This is it, folks, the last book in the Fablehaven series, tied for first on my favorites in the series. I’ll be honest, this and the third are my first place winners, then the fourth is my second favorite, and the first and second are my third, but not necessarily my least favorites. Even though that is technically what the not top favorites means. Oh well. You all know what I mean. Hopefully.

*For the last time this series, SPOILERS MAY DWELL WITHIN. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Dun dun dun.*

Alright, the end is coming. As Kendra and Seth prepare for what they hope will not mean the end of the world, they realize that they really are among the only ones who can save this. After facing heartbreaking betrayals and emotional trauma, and time after time again escaped certain death, these two incredible kids are up against what they hoped they wouldn’t have to face. But the Sphinx has the artifacts, the power, the minions, and, as if that wasn’t enough, their parents. The Zzyzx’s opening seems eminent and the only way that they can seem to save the world now is to prepare to keep the demons in, even if it means war. Racing around the world, Kendra and Seth try to intercept the artifacts and gather allies, bargaining for knowledge and searching for weapons. They have their fairykind and shadowcharmer abilities, but fighting the Sphinx never has been and never will be easy, so all they can do is prepare as well they can and hope that all will end well.

This was the last book in the Fablehaven series and I was pretty sad, wanting to know more and have more adventures with Kendra and Seth, though I knew they deserved a break from the constant near death experiences. But, I am so happy, because Brandon Mull has started a second series about them, its called Dragonwatch and I will write reviews on those books too. I recommend both of these series all the way, for fantasy lovers who love action and build up and magical creatures.

I would give this book a 4.9 / 5, I love it, it is a great end to the series while still allowing Mull a way to add to it indirectly, and is a very good blend of action and sentiment and humor and romance and teasing all the way through.

Fablehaven 4 – Review

 

Fablehaven – Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, by Brandon Mull

This is the fourth book in the Fablehaven series, and probably my second favorite. There is lots of dramatic action and danger, all happening to require Seth and Kendra’s help (wink).

*Spoilers! again. As I’ve said in the other reviews, there may be spoilers for the other books, as hard as I try to avoid them. You have been warned! … many many times … oh well.*

*Also, slight hints at what happens in this book. But it’s pretty safe to read anyway,  the back cover of the book exposes about the same amount that I do. You’ll be fine.*

Seth and Kendra have been through a lot, and then what happens in this book shows just how unfair life can be, and how awful fighting can mess up people’s lives. The emotional trauma that these two have gone through and continue to face is just incredible when you think about it, and that made me wary to keep reading each book before I started each one, because, yes, it’s really cool and all the adventures and friendships and all the incredible things they get to do, but all the awful things that these two have faced is really traumatizing when you stop to think about it. It’s amazing that they keep going. So there’s a slight foreboding hint for you.

So this book has them after another hidden artifact to get before the Society of the Evening Star does, to try and stop further mass destruction by the Society, as per usual. This time they are off to another preserve, but this is one of the seven dragon sanctuaries, Wyrmroost.  Facing danger at every turn, and constantly being painfully aware that they are just kids in a big world, Kendra and Seth set out to prove that they can handle saving the world, as daunting as the task may be.

I really enjoyed this book. It is definitely right up there in my favorite re-reads of this series, which I realize I’ve probably told you lots of times. Hey, I’m just trying to get my point across. I would probably give this a 4.7 / 5, I love the plot and adventures. I just have favorites, so I am a little biased. Oh well, I hope you are enjoying the series too if you’re reading it and/or already have.

Fablehaven 3 – Review

 

Fablehaven – Grip of the Shadow Plague, by Brandon Mull, is the third book in the Fablehaven series. This book is one of my all time favorite books to read ever, again and again.

*Again, spoiler alerts for the previous two books*

Kendra and Seth are at Fablehaven for the summer still, and the magic of the world never ceases to amaze them. When a strange plague of darkness begins to go around, turning creatures of light to darkness, Seth is able to see the problem differently.  But it is obvious that the Sorensons need help, But can they trust their usual go-to adviser? With Kendra off with other Knights of the Dawn to look for another artifact, and Seth trying to figure things out at Fablehaven, the kids are having the adventures of a lifetime, not necessarily good ones.

The plague turns the creatures from light to dark, and no one knows what to do about it. Seth has interesting abilities though, as a result from pulling the nail from the revenant in the last book, much like Kendra’s being fairykind. With Seth’s ability to trace certain aspects of the plague, he may be Fablehaven’s only hope for survival.

Kendra’s abilities as fairykind make her imperative for the Knights of the Dawn’s mission. She goes off to another magical preserve to try and get another artifact before the Society of the Evening Star does. With that daunting adventure checked off the list, she returns to Fablehaven to help out with stopping the plague. But Kendra and Seth need help, and you never know where two resourceful kids may get that from.

This is one of my favorite books in the series, because Kendra and Seth have so many adventures and so much happens throughout the book. It is action-packed and there is all sorts of drama coursing throughout, and yes, even some romance. Mull pulls together incredible ideas in this book, creating a fast-paced plot line and an intriguing base for the rest of the series. I would give this book a 4.8 / 5, it is one of my favorites, and the thickening plot that is leading up to the grand finale, I think this is tied for my favorite book in the series.

Fablehaven 2 – Review

Fablehaven – Rise of the Evening Star, by Brandon Mull

*Spoilers for the first book may be in here, and/or hints/clues about what happens in this book. Again, I tried to be careful not to put in too much information about what actually happens.*

After successfully saving Fablehaven last summer, and now knowing about magical creatures, Seth and Kendra are almost done with school, before something unusual happens. Soon they are racing back to Fablehaven – literally – and learning with three specialists all about magical relics, potions, and animals, trying to help protect Fablehaven, a hidden artifact, the other magical preserves, and the world from the hidden enemy, the Society of the Evening Star. Seth and Kendra will do all they can to help, but this is dangerous, and you can’t always trust magic to be what you think it is, and time is counting down before the Society gets the artifact first.

To be completely honest, the second book is not one of my favorites in the series. the rest of the books are great, but this one I didn’t enjoy as much. the beginning really was my least favorite part, it just dragged a little and I feel it could have been boring for a lot of people as you can’t exactly relate to it. But the excitement picked up quickly and soon the characters were enthralled in a tale full of secrets and the pressure on.

I would give this book a 4/5, probably just because I’ve read all the other books so many times and love them and this one, I simply haven’t read as much and it took me longer to become attached to. The story is great, and is incredibly important to the other books, I personally just did not enjoy some of this adventure as much as some of the others the Sorensons have.