The Red Line of the New Stirling subway, which ran from Meridian International Airport to downtown, was jammed and rocking with rush hour commuters. Beatrix Flannery, age thirteen, clamped her arm around a pole to keep her footing in the jostling crowd, while her sister Hortensia, older by eight years, teetered on half a seat […]
Archive > November 2011
Chapter 2
Beatrix Flannery would be the first to tell you—it’s not easy being the dumbest person you know. But what she did do, and do well, was notice things. She noticed, for example, that the Red Line had just squealed to a halt at their subway stop, and she gave Hortensia a quick shake. Luckily it […]
Chapter 3
It was a crisp Fall morning, and a smattering of leaves blew into the foyer as Kitty, Michael-Dan, and Gordy hauled their backpacks out the door for eight o’clock classes. “Perfect weather!” exclaimed Gordy. “Two degrees cooler than the mean temperature for October 5! Thanks Mervin Frostly!” Bea was sitting on the front steps, inscribing […]
Chapter 4
Bea propped both elbows on the turquoise countertop at Tylo’s Corner Tea Shop. “One strawberry bubble tea, please,” she said to Tylo, whose dreadlocks were caught up in a red hairnet that matched his cherry red shirt. “Same thing for me,” said Nola. “But peach.” “Ladies…” said Tyrone as he set his blenders to whirring, […]
Chapter 5
Petra the housekeeper swept through the cluttered kitchen of 107 Crotchett Street with a half-empty pot of oatmeal. “You vex me,” she huffed. “You children and your fake food.” “Koo-Bars aren’t fake food,” argued Gordy who, as far as Petra was concerned, had eaten an intolerably small helping of oatmeal. “Here, try it!” He broke […]
Chapter 6
Bea reflexively snapped her two cupped hands around the flying white mouse, and deposited it back in the terrarium. Hortensia quickly secured the lid. “No,” said Bea. “Not good. The same thing is happening to Bob.” “Bob who?” asked Hortensia as she riffled through her notes on the counter. “Bob the fruit cart pony,” replied […]
Chapter 7
Hortensia scowled suspiciously at the now-open circular glass compartment. “This can’t be the only way in,” she said. “It’s the only way they’re offering us,” replied Bea. She took Hortensia by the hand and pulled her into the module. “Feels sort of like being in a French press coffeepot, doesn’t it?” “I like tea,” said […]
Chapter 8
Bea left Hortensia to help Miles collect his official government information. She was sure they could manage without her help, and besides, she really needed to investigate this latest wrinkle—Bean-Tek as “Official Sponsor” of NSU alumni weekend. What could this possibly mean? Something bad, Bea was certain. She dodged around the students clustered in the […]
Chapter 9
What was Prince Nerl of the North Waddo Islands doing in New Stirling, and why was he meeting with Hiram Scalmo? Bea gave a fleeting thought to running after him, but by the time she’d decided to do it, he’d climbed into a taxicab and sped off. Bea turned around to see Odin and Nola […]
BEA AND THE SMART KIDS
BREAKFAST OF SCALLYWAGS
HUNTING THE ROSE
THE LEGEND OF LOGJAM