Enchanted Objects

By Todd Hertz

Sounds of children at recess filled the midday air. Laughter. Creaking swings. The metallic ping of kickballs on asphalt. Lurking in the bushes, a lanky bunny hated every noise.

A cunning white Vienna rabbit, Braxton the Sorcerer had stalked these rotten school grounds for days. Watching. Searching. Binkying. The tiny emerald stone in his left ear pulsed, responding to another enchanted object nearby. Wherever it was—whatever it was—it emanated as much energy as two ensorcelled objects.

After days of searching, Braxton bitterly realized he’d need the help of a human.

At the weedy edge of the paved playground, a ten-year-old boy sat alone. Like every day. Today, he spun a shiny coin on the blacktop.

Loping from the tasty shrubs, Braxton scurried to his target.

“Well, hello,” the boy chirped. “You’re pretty. You look like you should be pulled out of a hat!”

Hatred seethed through Braxton’s fluffy body. His mind flooded with memories of ignorant buffoons in capes and hats. Cages. Ear pulling. His power being used by two-legged imposters to entertain tiny idiots. He was again reminded why he must increase his powers: payback.

Braxton’s eyes shut, his mind reaching deep into the stone, summoning the old magic.

“I am on a quest,” the rabbit declared, standing upright. Head held high.

The boy froze. He blinked, glancing side to side. “You… You talk?”

“There’s a dangerous sorcerer here,” Braxton lied. “We must go into your colony’s burrow and search.”

“You mean my school?”

“Will you aid me?”

The boy rose to his knees. “Of course!” He grabbed his backpack. “I’m Gavin. What’s your name?”

“They call me Braxton the Sorcerer.”

Gavin unzipped his backpack, haphazardly removing books, a sweatshirt, his lunch. “Are you hungry?”

The small human produced a sandwich from the sack. A crisp, green leaf poked provocatively from the bread slices. Gavin yanked it out.

Braxton hated to rely on humans but… it was romaine. Instinct trumped fury. He eagerly hopped into the boy’s lap, forehead pushing on his hand.

“Yah, you are!” Gavin giggled. He held the tasty treasure in his right hand while his left snatched up his lucky quarter.

The powerful warlock nibbled at the leaf.

“Wanna hop into my backpack?” Gavin questioned. “I don’t know how to find a wizard.”

“It could be anyone,” Braxton mumbled between bites. “They will have a magical object. Something always with them. It’s what gives us our powers.”

“Like a wand?”

“Perhaps.” The bunny hopped into the backpack. “Could be anything.”

The boy tugged the zipper closed, stood, and strode toward his school.

Gavin had a plan.

This semester, his mom arranged for him to assist the custodian two days a week as a service project. It paid off. He had a hall pass. He also knew the gym door was rarely locked. He threw open the metal door.

“Tell me what you see,” the sorcerer instructed. “Describe every adult.”

“Well, we’re in the gym.” Gavin strolled along the matted wall as third graders ran sprints. “There’s my P.E. teacher. He always has his whistle.”

“There are traces of enchantment, but the stone’s call isn’t strong enough yet.” Braxton wiggled against Gavin’s back. “It’s not him.”

Gavin pushed open the gym doors, entering the main hall. He spotted an office lady with a hefty cross necklace. Security guard with a radio. Classroom by classroom, they passed. But Braxton said nothing more.

As they neared the end of the hall, Gavin’s backpack trembled. The rabbit wailed, “Keep walking! We grow close.”

“Not much is down here,” Gavin whispered, his voice as shaky as his knees. “Just Mr. Bob’s dungeon.”

“Dungeon?”

“Oh, that’s just what we call the janitor’s office.” Gavin nervously fidgeted with the lucky coin in his left pocket. “He—”

“Take me to him,” the rabbit pleaded. “I feel it!”

Gavin turned into the cinder block room. Mr. Bob was there, holding his trusty broom with its thick, knotty wooden handle. Much like a sorcerer’s staff.

WHOOSH.

Before Mr. Bob could speak, Gavin’s backpack exploded in a blazing green flash. A white streak shot out. Gavin flew forward and slammed onto the tile. Pain burst from his right arm. It was definitely broken.

Helpless, Gavin watched the warlock land on all fours, shreds of backpack and veridian sparks raining down. Green fire shot from the rabbit’s ear at the custodian. Mr. Bob flipped his broom horizontally across his body.

THUD.

The beam hit wood and, with a sizzle, absorbed into the broom.

“That staff is mine, old man!” Braxton roared.

Gavin shuddered. Did he do the wrong thing bringing the rabbit here?

When Mr. Bob stomped on his broom’s cap, the plastic snapped cleanly off the end. “Let’s see.”

The janitor glanced at the downed boy. The second his eyes were off the rabbit, Braxton burst into motion, a mere swoosh of white encircling the room, while rapid, green blasts burst inward toward his enemy.

Mr. Bob methodically and effortlessly twirled his weapon. Block. Block. Deflection. Ancient words flowed from his lips. A zap of golden energy shot from the staff. It missed the whirling rabbit by a foot, caroming into his mini fridge.

Suddenly, the bunny warlock slowed. He swayed dizzily then stumbled. “What did you do?” He crashed into a deep slumber on a pile of rags.

Gavin smiled. It worked!

Mr. Bob hurried to his young apprentice.

“Gavin, are you okay?”

“My arm.” Gavin looked at his right arm as the other cradled it. “It’s bad. But I did it, Mr. Bob. I stopped him.”

“Yes. Yes, you did. I am proud. But how did you do it?”

“Sleeping spell.” Gavin beamed, his good hand moving to his pocket. “On his lettuce. Bunnies love romaine.”

He flipped his enchanted coin once and hugged his mentor.

Braxton awoke. Caged. The enchanted earring gone.

Outside his narrow prison, the brightly colored room was filled with far too much bubbling cheer for the second grade’s newest class pet, Mr. Fluffers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Todd Hertz watched a lot of Muppets and Star Wars as a child. His imagination expanded like Animal’s head in The Muppet Movie. Despite daydreaming ridiculous stories most of the time, he’s worked in journalism and communications for over 20 years. He also co-authored The unGuide to Dating (Revell, 2006) and served as the General Editor of the NIV Quest Study Bible for Teens (Zondervan, 2011).

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