Emily's House (The Akasha Chronicles) (34 page)

I walked down the familiar hallway and toward the smell of pancakes, coffee and bacon. I could hear their voices bantering.

“More chocolate chip pancakes?” my dad asked as he flipped another batch.

“I’ll take more,” said Fanny.

“Figures piggy. You’re going to be fat as a house,” teased Jake.

“Shut it nub before I take you down!”

“Come on guys, give it a rest will you? Can’t we enjoy a pleasant Sunday morning together without your bickering?” asked Dad.

“We are enjoying,” said Jake.

“Yeah, this is us enjoying,” added Fanny as she shoved about three normal forkfuls into her mouth at once.

Dad was smiling wide as he worked the pancakes on the griddle. His smile widened as he looked up and saw me standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

“Oh hey, Emily’s back with the juice. Thanks Em,” he said with a wink.

“No prob Dad,” I said and handed him the juice. I threw a copy of the
Weekly World News
down on the counter of the breakfast bar in front of Jake and Fanny.

“What’s this?” asked Jake.

“I thought you’d all get a kick out of the cover story. Check out the photo on the front. Look like anyone we know?”

Jake and Fanny both stared at the front page, and I soon saw their eyes about to bug out of their heads as they recognized the woman on the cover.

“Holy chiz!” said Fanny.

“I can’t believe it,” said Jake.

“What?” my dad said as he reached for the paper.

His turn for eyes buggin’. There on the front cover of the
Weekly World News
was a wild-eyed photo of our beloved Aunt Muriel. The headline above the picture read, ‘Woman Attacked by Niece Possessed by an Alien’.

My dad threw the paper across the counter, laughed and went back to flipping pancakes. “Oops, these are a bit burnt.”

“That’s okay, I’ll eat them anyway,” said Fanny as she held out her plate for more.

“Dad, that’s all you’re going to say? ‘Oops, these are a bit burnt.’”

“What should I say Emily? My sister is crazy. I just wish I had been here – really here – to see it sooner. I’m so sorry,” he said as he hugged me.

“I know Dad. You don’t need to keep apologizing,” I said as I hugged back. “Okay, who needs more coffee?” I asked as I hovered the coffee pot over to where Jake and Fanny sat.

“Come on, use your hands,” said Jake. “You know it freaks me out when you hover things.”

“It only freaks you out because you can’t do it,” I quipped as I ordered the pot to give Jake more coffee.

“I’ll take some more,” said Fanny as she held out her cup.

“Oh no, no more for you,” I said and set the pot back down. None of us wanted to see Fanny on mega-caffeine.

A new typical Sunday with family. Click your heels three times.

Tomorrow is Monday, and I’ll leave this house again. I’ll walk out the door and try to find a way to be me and yet fit in; be Emily but a part of everything else too. And at the end of the day I’ll come home.

Pronunciation Guide

Characters
:

Bian Sídhe	BAN shee
Brighid	BREE id
Cathaír	KA heer
Cian	KEE in
Cormac	KUR a mac
Dectire	deck TIR ra
Dughall	DU gal
Lianhan Sídhe	LAN an shee
Macha	MASH a
Ruaidrí	RU a ree
Saorla	SAYR la
Sídhe	Shay
Sorcha	SOR kha

Places
:

Loughcrew	LOCK crew
Slieve na Caillaigh	sl-EE-ve na CAL-i
Umbra Nihili	UM bra NEE Lee

Other
:

Anam Cara

uh -nam kar-uh

About The Author

Natalie Wright grew up on a farm in Ohio. She lived in a creaky, old farmhouse and enjoyed playing with her dolls in the woods. It was a fertile environment for a curious child who dreamed of being a writer someday.

Natalie is, however, a city girl at heart. She now finds inspiration in the desert environment surrounding her home in the high desert of Arizona where she lives with her husband, young daughter, and her dog Molly. When Natalie isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling, reading, meeting new people on social media, and searching for the best iced coffee in town.

You can connect with Natalie here:

Twitter: @NatalieWright_

Facebook:
www.Facebook.com/NatalieWright.Author

Blog:
http://www.NatalieWrightsYA.blogspot.com

Website:
www.NatalieWright.net

YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/WritesKidsBooks

Google +:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/101662949356723296903/posts

Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/468945.Natalie_Wright

Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/natwrites/

Wattpad:
http://www.wattpad.com/user/NatalieWright_

Also by Natalie Wright

Emily’s Trial: Book 2 of the Akasha Chronicles
Available in
print