EMERALD POOLS

Ann Templeton was in Pleiades. The Seven Sisters star cluster. Of course, in reality there were millions of stars in the Pleiades, but only seven were visible from the earth.

She was on a small planet called Tryandoumz, which circled the third largest star, called Leisha, in the Pleiades. Her husband was on another planet, circling a different star. She would see him soon.

Right now, as she sat on a smooth copper-colored rock and tilted her exquisite face up to the azure light that gently bathed her planet, Ann contemplated her time on the planet Earth. To her, it had always been the most beautiful planet of all. Yes, her race was destroying the planet. Yes, the Earth was polluted and full of evil people. But the few humans there who truly did have good in them made up for all of the Earth's faults.

Ann remembered her home in Spooksville. She remembered the children who had made Spooksville memorable for her. She remembered her last day with them.

Ann thought of Cindy Makey. Pretty, kind, sweet Cindy. She had wished for the love of the boy she loved. But who did she love? Adam? Bryce? Ann did not think that Cindy had made a mistake when she made that wish. If anything, it had showed Cindy what a capacity she had for loving, for both boys had managed to find a space in her heart.

Cindy could hold her own. If push came to shove, she would do what was best for the people she loved the most.

Ann rather liked Cindy, although she knew Cindy feared her. If she had to pick anyone to be a friend for her daughter, who was now with her father, she would pick Cindy.

A gentle breeze came, blowing Ann's ebony hair into silken waves around her pale, ethereal face. Ann knew she was beautiful. But it had never mattered to her.

Then Ann thought of Bryce Poole. She smiled. Brave, confident Bryce. He had wished for a spaceship. Her smile widened. His wish had been perfect for him. One day, she knew that Bryce would be a master of his own ship, not the owner of a ship that he had only gotten through a wish.

Ann still knew what was going on in Spooksville and with the children. She knew that Tad had indeed gathered enough courage to enter the black hole. She did not know if the legend was true, but she was glad that Tad had plucked up his courage. She would tell that to Bryce when she saw him again. When. Not if. She would see all of them again.

Ann's thoughts wandered to Sally Wilcox. Her smile changed into laughter. Her dear, sassy, spunky, sarcastic Sally. She had wished for a gold credit card. Ann's laughter increased. She knew others would have thought Sally greedy. And greed had motivated part of Sally's wish. But Ann also knew that Sally would have donated millions and millions of dollars to charities around the world, once she got around to it.

If Ann ever grew bored, she would immediately summon Sally. For all her faults, Sally was intelligent and interesting. A wonderful combination. Others would have added that it was a pity 'sarcastic' had been added to the list, but Ann enjoyed Sally's sarcasm. She found being with Sally an exhilarating experience.

Ann gazed out into the lovely landscape of Tryandoumz, and reveled in the soothing azure rays of Leisha, her sun. At that moment, she wouldn't have looked like a witch, but for the power that emanated from her. Ann was powerful, enchanting, bewitching, commanding, and she knew it.

Her smile faded into a thoughtful look as she shifted her thoughts to Watch. Her darling, brilliant, quiet, gentle Watch. He had wished for the ability to read minds. Ann possessed that skill, and she knew why Watch had made that wish. He wished to be more outgoing. He wished to understand others, so that they would like him. She would have told Watch that he was perfectly loveable, but she decided to leave that task to his friends.

Ann had never met anyone else quite like Watch before, and she doubted she ever would. He really was a genius. She loved him, but she was not one for words. But she was not worried. Watch knew that she loved him, as she would have her own son. He loved her back.

Then Ann thought of Adam Freeman. Her expression became fondly pensive. Her proud, resourceful, smart, thoughtful Adam. He had wished for the ability to know what was right. To always know what was the right thing to do, at all times. She knew that it was not what he had intended to wish for. But in the end, his wish had served him well.

She liked Adam best of all. She knew he looked upon her as a sort of goddess, and she was flattered, but it was more than that. Adam was so . . . stable. When all else failed, she knew Adam could be counted on. He did not have Bryce's dashing manner, but his calm friendliness was perhaps even better. Yes. Ann loved Adam as much as she loved Watch, maybe more.

Ann's deep green eyes were wistful. She missed all of them, so much. More than anyone, except maybe her daughter, could ever know. She would return to Spooksville one day. She would return to Spooksville, if only for Adam, Watch, Sally, Bryce, and Cindy.

She didn't realize that she had been crying until she felt a tear slide into the corner of her lips. She tasted the salty liquid, and thought of the sea in Spooksville.

Ann's eyes were emerald pools as she allowed the tears to fall. She would return. She missed them too much.

END

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So . . . what did you think? Please review! It's my first Spooksville fic. I love that series. I can't believe they stopped publishing them! ^_^