Weaver of Lands

Chapter 1
Hammond, several years ago, was a bustling city
creating airplane parts during the Vietnamese war.
However, during the early ’70s, it became the boneyard for
obsolete parts causing the city to become a ghost town.
Th ose who stayed behind continued their lives as best they
could, but the prosperous days were over.
Two dismal apartment buildings stood mostly empty.
However, on a grey, early morning in September, a lone light
could be seen on the eighth fl oor. Th is was where Jimmy
Carroll lived with his mom, Monica, a nurse at the nearby
hospital. Jimmy’s dad had been a fi ghter pilot and had been
shot down just two months before the war ended. Jimmy
had found that he could channel his anger and despair
about his dad’s passing by writing Sci Fi adventures about
two space pilots called Cutler and Brek.9Zoe Bright and Kay Cole
As the neon spaceship disappeared from sight, Cutler
slammed his fi st at the monitor, screaming “I’ll follow you
to the other side of Zemut if I have to!”
“Steady on, man, I’m trying to fi x this heap of junk,”
said Brek fi rmly. “Remember, it was your temper that got
us into this mess in the fi rst place.”
“I know, I know! I can’t believe those crooks escaped
with our ship. Can you fi x this or not?”
Jimmy looked up from his writing with a satisfi ed grin,
stretched his long lanky legs and walked to the window,
staring out at the desolate city of Hammond. Th e land
below was basic grey concrete, with a single view of the
factory and power plant. People in this area who lived in
apartment blocks, were crammed in like rabbits, one on top
of the other. Although living high on the rim of the world
should have been exciting, in reality it made Jimmy feel
very much alone. Th at’s why he loved writing.
He walked back to his desk, ran his hand through his
wavy brown hair, leaving it sticking up in all directions,
then glanced at the clock. He noticed with a shock how
late it was. He pressed “Save” and “Shut Down” on the
computer, grabbed his worn old notebook, backpack,
his favorite marble, a cat’s eye, which he popped into his
pocket, and hurried to the door.
Without even thinking, he reached for the worn strip
of leather which held his door key and slipped it over his
head. He had been a “latch key” kid since he was seven
years old and that was fi ve long years ago. Slamming the
door, he ran to the elevator with his satchel containing his
precious stories. He kept his head down, hoping to avoid
the bullies who taunted him. Red and his two cohorts, Sam
and Brian, had been a pain since middle school when they
realized Jimmy did not want anything to do with them and
preferred to be alone, writing in his precious journal.
On this particular day as he turned a corner, he came
face to face with them.
10Weaver of Lands
“Hey,” said Red as he grabbed for the satchel, “let’s see
what you’ve been writing in that book of yours.”
“Nothing of interest to you, Red,” replied Jimmy,
clasping his satchel to his chest. “Anyway, you can’t read,
can you?”
Jimmy turned to go back the way he had come but Sam
and Brian surrounded him.
“Not so full of it now, are you?” said Red as he grabbed
the satchel. He then ran off with Jimmy in hot pursuit. Th ey
found themselves in an alley. Jimmy lunged at the bag just
as Red threw it over his head to Sam, who in turn threw it
to Brian. Red put out his leg and tripped Jimmy, who landed
on the cement. Th e three bullies then took off with the bag
as Jimmy got up.
Suddenly, a blood curdling scream came from a fi re
escape, and a short, energetic little boy jumped right in
front of them. He proceeded to stop them with a series of
Kung Fu moves, which, aft er their initial shock, began to
amuse them. As they started to move, the boy kicked the
satchel high in the air, over their heads, and Jimmy caught
it. Th e three bullies looked at each other and decided to cut
their losses.
“We’ll catch you next time. Who cares what’s in your
stupid bag anyway,” said Red, as he pushed past Lui. “Didn’t
know you had any friends, loner. Come on, guys, let’s get
out of here.”
Jimmy looked at Lui. “Th ank you so much, you are a
life saver!”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lui Yeh. I’ve seen you at school.
You are a grade ahead of me.”
“Jimmy Carroll. Those fancy moves were really
impressive. Where did you learn them?”
“Watching Bruce Lee movies. He’s the best!”
Th e two boys continued to chat as they walked to school
together and then went off to their diff erent classes, aft er
agreeing to meet at lunch. From that day on, they became
11Zoe Bright and Kay Cole
fast friends and Jimmy always thought of Lui as the “Brek”
in his space stories.
Being left on their own so much they found they had
a lot in common. Lui’s parents were always working at the
grocery market, so he hardly ever saw them and, because
Jimmy’s father had died several years ago, his mother
worked doubly hard as a nurse, to support the two of them,
even working on Saturdays.
Jimmy was waiting for Lui, playing marbles against
the elevator door. Lui appeared on the horizon, running
towards him. “Hi,” yelled Jimmy, jumping up.
“Shhhh,” whispered Lui, beckoning Jimmy to follow
him.
“What’s up?” said Jimmy when he caught up with him.
“Come and see this and tell me what you think they are
hiding in their wagon,” Lui replied.
Th e boys crept around the corner and ran into the
nearest doorway. Th ey peered out and Lui pointed to a
woman pulling a broken-down red wagon. A girl and a
little boy followed behind.
Th e wagon contained folded clothes, a basket of fruit
and a large mysterious looking pot.
“See,” said Lui, “obviously full of money.”
“Or stolen money,” replied Jimmy.
As they watched, a curious thing happened. A bird fl ew
down and landed on the wagon. Jimmy and Lui were truly
amazed, not being used to seeing much wildlife in the area.
“Maybe she is a witch and that is her familiar,” said
Jimmy.
“What’s a familiar?” asked Lui.
“A creature that can change into anything it wants to.”
“Wow,” said Lui, “Hurry, we don’t want to lose them.”
Th e boys carefully tailed them through the streets
towards the old water tower. In this concrete jungle the
tower looked almost attractive, like a monument. It was
pale orange in color, and the round-shaped container was