Ariel scooted to face Stella. “Let’s try it. I’ll be the test subject.”
Stella put down her food. “I have no idea how to call them forth.” She situated herself to face Ariel like they were about to play a game of patty-cake and inhaled a deep breath. “Let’s just focus on books. Think about something you’d like to feel or learn about, but don’t tell me, and I’ll see if words show up and I can pair them with a book.”
Ariel nodded and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she said, “I’m ready. Read my words, Stella.”
Stella laughed and then tried to clear her mind, which was cluttered with everything from self-doubt to a grocery list of items she needed to buy this week. But she focused on Ariel and thought,Come on, words, please show up. I’d like to know if I’m supposed to use this ability for something more.In a moment, shimmering blue letters arose from Ariel’s hands. Stella was so startled, she inhaled sharply.
Ariel’s eyes flew open. “What is it?”
The words floated from Ariel’s pale skin, and Stella whispered, “It’s working.” She tilted her head as the words rose vertically into the air.Deep blue. Ruins. Atlantis. Sea monsters.Stella scrunched her brow. “You want to read a book about sea monsters?”
Ariel looked taken aback. “How... Wait, are you judging me?”
Stella shook her head quickly, and the words dissipated among the spinning fan blades. “Of course not, I’m just surprised. I wouldn’t have thought you’d be interested in an ocean adventure, but let’s see...” The image of a book appeared in her mind. “You should readTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. It’s classic sci-fi with underwater ruins, deep-sea exploration, a futuristic submarine, and ‘sea monsters,’ some of which are giant squids.”
“Wow, Stella,” Ariel said with a huge smile. “I think you just proved youcancall the words and use them to help people. Think about how you could use that for writing!”
Stella mirrored her best friend’s expression. “I can’t believe that worked.” She leaned her elbow on the coffee table and rested her cheek against her palm. “I’m a little stunned. All these years I never knew that I had any control over the words—”
Without warning, a searing sensation burst inside her chest like she’d swallowed a ghost pepper. Stella folded forward and moaned, pressing both hands to her chest. Her insides burned like a wildfire, and tears filled her eyes. She heard Ariel calling her name, but it was muffled and sounded far away.
Violet liquid pushed up from the low-pile, worn carpet, and once it fully emerged, Stella saw the familiar pulsating words with their dark center and paler edges. Long tendrils spiderwebbed out from the letters, wriggling like a creature dug from the earth. The words slid across the floor and circled near the fireplace.
Stella knew she must speak them aloud, so in a raspy, strained voice, she said, “‘Did I ever.’” Immediately the inferno raging through her body lessened.
Ariel was in panic mode and gripping Stella’s arm and shaking her. Stella inhaled another breath. The words flew across the living room and up the hallway where they disappeared. Stella could guess where they’d gone—to the journal.
“Stella!” Ariel’s shrill voice filled the room.
“I’m okay,” Stella said, then cleared her throat. “I’m okay.”
Ariel dropped back onto her bottom and exhaled loudly. “What happened? I thought you were having a heart attack or choking. You scared me to death.”
Stella stared down the hallway. “I’m sorry I scared you, but that’s not the first time this has happened. There’s something I haven’t told you—”
“If you tell me you’re dying of heart failure, I won’t be able to handle it,” Ariel said.
Stella shook her head. “It’s not about my health. It’s the words. A new kind started showing up, and they... Well, you saw what happens.”
Ariel’s mouth dropped open. “Thatwas because of words? What did you see?”
Stella stood and stretched, then rubbed her fingers across her chest. “I’ll show you.”
Ariel followed her into the kitchen. Stella picked up a pen and opened the journal beside it. She flipped to the page where she’d written down the previous words so far. She jotted down the newest ones and then showed the page to Ariel.
Ariel read aloud, “‘I fell in love once. Did I ever.’” She looked up at Stella. “What does this mean?”
Stella shrugged. “I have no idea, and before you ask, no, I also have no idea why this is happening.”
Ariel wrapped her fingers around the black moonstone amulet hanging from her necklace. “Something is changing.”
Goose bumps rose on Stella’s skin.
“Ifeelit,” Ariel said as she gazed back down at the written words. “Don’t you? You said yourself that you feel like it’s time for more.”
Stella nodded. “But I don’t want anything to change. I wanteverything to stay exactly how it is. I’m comfortable and happy and everything is just fine.”
Ariel gave Stella a look that said she wasn’t fooled. “Do you really believe that?”
