Jennifer Eaton is celebrating her blogiversary by inviting everyone to write a story with her. To see what the story is about, click on the links below:

Part One – Jennifer M. Eaton

Part Two – J. Keller Ford

Part Three – Susan Roebuck

Part Four – Elin Gregory

Part Five – Eileen Snyder

Part Six – Mikaela Wire

Part Seven — Vanessa Chapman

Part  Eight – Ravena Guron

Part Nine – Vikki Thompson

Part Ten — My Withershins

Below is part 11, my contribution:

As Marci hurried to greet her father, she wondered if she was wise to put the Olden leaf in the pot, a gift to her father from the Establishment. She’d been so upset over Janelle’s future that she hadn’t been thinking properly. Their family custom was to concoct Needletea in that pot upon her father’s return from his missions.

Move the leaf, Marci thought. She raced back upstairs and grabbed the leaf. Then she stopped.

This wasn’t the Olden leaf. This one had the wrong shape, and it wasn’t warm to the touch.

Where was the Olden leaf? Where did this ordinary leaf come from?

Marci hunted, but the Olden leaf was gone. Did Janelle take it?  No, she wouldn’t have taken it without telling her.

Then where…?

Marci’s heart skipped as she remembered Janelle’s brother, Janosc, had seen them with the leaf. She heard Janelle’s plea in her memory, “Janosc – please – let me have the leaf.”

Oh no. Janosc took the leaf, and replaced it with this ordinary leaf. But why? To stop Janelle? To get Marci into trouble?

“Marci!” she heard her mother call. “Your father is home!”

Marci bit her lip. She wanted to see her father. Wrap her arms around him. Make sure he was in one piece after his mission with the Planetary Raiders.

But the Olden leaf was gone, and if she didn’t find it then her father’s missions will take on a whole new meaning.

Marci eyed the window as she heard her parents approaching the door.