Queen of Sky Island

Queen of Sky Island

by J-Powers

Adapted from Sky Island by L. Frank Baum

Queen of Sky Island

Copyright © 2014 J-Powers

All Rights Reserved

Published by PowerPlayz at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover design by PowerPlayz Publishing

Cover illustration by Nicole Sloan

ISBN 978-0-9859175-2-4

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013922406

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One - Baloney Hash

Chapter Two - Flight Risk

Chapter Three - The Boolooroo

Chapter Four - Snubnosed Princesses

Chapter Five - Patched Men

Chapter Six - Blue City

Chapter Seven - Animal Magnetism

Chapter Eight - Shoo, Boy

Chapter Nine - Fog Run

Chapter Ten- -Royally Poor

Chapter Eleven - Regime Change

Chapter Twelve - War Maneuvers

Chapter Thirteen - Attack, Attack!

Chapter Fourteen - Captured Commander

Chapter Fifteen - Desperate Rescue

Chapter Sixteen - Billy Goat

Chapter Seventeen - Metal Bands

Chapter Eighteen - Justice Served

Chapter Nineteen - Elephant Charge

Chapter Twenty - Homeward Bound

Afterword

About J-Powers

Other titles by J-Powers

Connect with J-Powers

Prologue

Once upon a time, there was a young girl whose name was Tara. And every day Tara would sit on a cliff near her family's small cottage waiting for her military father to return home from service. One day…

Chapter One

Baloney Hash

A flock of gulls flies low above the waves of a slow, rolling sea. Nearing a cliff, the flock rises high above where the sea meets a rocky beach. The flock circles above an open space on the cliff's edge. After a moment the flock lands in the open space.

Torn up pieces of bread are strewn about the dry grass of the open space. The leader of the gulls eyes the bread from a distance. The flock hovers close by, squawking loudly. The lead gull moves in cautiously, head and eyes moving continually. It pecks at a piece of bread and devours it. The lead gull squawks loudly.

With that as their signal, the gulls swarm in over the strewn bread and begin to peck and swallow.

Tara, a girl with short-cropped dark hair, lies flat in the tall dry grass looking forward. Dressed in a silver-colored hoodie and charcoal gray tights, she stealthily rises to her knees. Tara grips a javelin in her hand.

The lead gull lifts its head and scans in Tara's direction. It shrieks a warning. The other gulls instantly flap their wings to take flight.

Tara rises and hurls the javelin in the direction of the gulls. As the javelin sails, it pulls a cord lifting a triangular-shaped net that has two corners secured to the ground. The gulls rise quickly from the open space of dry grass. The javelin flies through the flock pulling the expanding net behind. Some gulls fly aloft. Some gulls fly into the net, trapped and helplessly flapping, as the net begins its descent. The javelin stabs into the ground with the collapsed net trapping six gulls that violently struggle underneath.

Tara, her face streaked with dirt, throws her fists above her head exultingly.

Yes!

Tara, carrying a wire cage, runs up to the gulls trapped under the net. A gull shrieks, as Tara reaches under the net to pull it out. One of the gull's wings is broken. Tara, without a care, tosses the gull aside. She reaches under the net for a second shrieking gull. This gull's leg hangs broken and limp. Tara tosses this second gull aside.

In quick succession, Tara grabs the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth gull, finds them damaged, and tosses each one aside. Tara, sitting on her butt, surrounded by the flapping, shrieking, wounded gulls, pounds her fists on the ground.

"Damn! Damn, damn, DAMN!

As Tara sits among the gulls on the open space of the sea cliff, a large shadow circles the area around her. Gradually, Tara notices the shadow circling her and growing darker. She turns her face upward.

Above Tara, a large, dark, saucer-like shape drops from the sky. Tara covers her head with her arms, as the object hits the ground inches away from her. Tara uncovers and turns her head. She sees a pair of small boots leading to the exposed legs, then shorts, then shirt, then the face of Bobo, a boy who folds up a large umbrella.

Hello, says the boy.

Tara jumps to her feet. What the hell…?

I didn't mean to scare you.

Where did you come from?

A long way away, says Bobo.

Don't be stupid! I mean, how did you fly?

This umbrella, notes Bobo, holding up the old, black umbrella with a curved handle shaped like an elephant's head with red stones for its eyes.

You almost broke my neck, barks Tara. Tell the truth, before I bust your nose.

I'm sorry. And I am telling you the truth. Bobo glances around. What's with the birds?

Never mind. Tara steps close to examine the umbrella. You mean this umbrella flies? she asks as she moves to touch it.

Bobo pulls away. Yes.

Can I see it?

You can look, but you can't have it. It's a… Bobo searches for the right word, family heirloom.

Yeah, right. Some piece of junk you had in the attic along with… Tara makes a fast grab for the umbrella, but Bobo steps back, avoiding her reach.

I said, no! asserts Bobo fiercely.

Tara smiles. Tough for your size.

What is wrong with you?

When I figure it out, says Tara, shrugging her shoulders, I'll let you know.

Suddenly, from behind Tara and Bobo, a man's shocked voice pierces the moment. Tara! Have you gone nuts?

Tara and Bobo turn, as Sgt. Rik storms up to them.

I'm just trying to send him a message, says Tara.

I told you he's not out there!

But I had a dream that he is!

And what message are you sending by maiming these birds? asks Sgt. Rik.

Tara reaches into a pocket of her hoodie and pulls out small glass vials each suspended from a strand of string and containing a rolled piece of paper marked with handwriting. This! She shoves the vials back into her pocket. Stupid birds. If they didn't fight, they'd be okay.

And what are you going to do with these birds now? asks Sgt. Rik.

Get rid of them. They can't survive.

What if someone had said that about me? asks Sgt. Rik, who stands on two prosthetic legs. 'Poor Sgt. Rik. Lost his legs. Can't survive.'

That's different, you're a soldier.

And you're a soldier's daughter.

I just want him home. I need to get that message to him.

He's not out on that island.

Then where is he? demands Tara.

He's on a mission. That's all we know.

Then he could be out there. And in my dream he is!

Fine, says Sgt. Rik. Whatever gets you through the night, girl. But no more trapping birds. And these we're taking to Animal Rescue. Sgt. Rik finally turns to Bobo. Who are you?

Bobo.

You in on this, Bobo, or just passing through?

Says he flew in on the umbrella, adds Tara.

Sgt. Rik gives Bobo a long, hard look. Nothing surprises me anymore. Sgt. Rik picks up the wire cage. Start grabbing those birds, Tara. And go easy with them.

Tara picks