Luck Exchangers, Michelle Ruiz [books to read for 12 year olds .txt] 📗

Greta. You tried your best. And you'll soon be rewarded. 

As Emil predicted, a drunk truck driver was heading their way. Emil looked out and saw Greta and Chia unable to move in the middle of the street as the drunk driver came closer. He dashed out to push them out of the way to take her place. Greta was petrified and speechless to see Emil take the fall. Her feet finally decided to move and ran to his aid.

"Are you alright?! I'm so sorry! I was just so scared!!"

Greta, there's nothing to be afraid of...He's just fullfilling his task.

"Who said that??" Greta, Chia, and Emil started to teleport to a forest. Greta looked around the mysterious place and after a few moments she finally asked, "Where am I now?"   

"You are now in Exchanger Forest." "E-Exchanger Forest you say?" She then saw the green trees that illuminated with the sun above along with the hills with flowers and a waterfall. She thought it was a very beautiful place to be, but she didn't see any animals around. "Man, if animals lived here, they'd be truly happy. Whoa, Emil, you're healed!" Chia and Emil just looked at her sadly.   

  "Do you know who we are?"

"Hm...this seems highly familiar...one of my old friends told me about this...Are you, one of them? Luck Exchangers?"   

They nodded their heads. We must be very popular if you know who we are.

"Chia! You just....talked? I didn't expect you to be one of them." Chia just purred and rubbed against her leg.  

   "Looks like we have to get going Chia." Chia walked to Emil, but looked back at Greta sadly.

"You'll still be here right?" Greta's heart shattered as they shook their heads. They started to fade as the background was too.We won't be here physically, but we'll still be able to see your progress afterwards. And your luck will be with you too alright? Just don't mess it up.

"I'll do my best. And I won't steal anymore either." They were delighted to hear that from her and they both waved goodbye. Greta found herself back in the middle of the street as the vets were astonishingly watching her return. "Are you alright? We saw everything before your disappearance. What happened?" 

   "I'll tell you later, but right now, I realized I can't keep all these animals. So I wonder what I am going to do with them." Greta saw abandoned land that could be used...and I know what exactly what to do!" Greta and the vets got to work. Eventually she created a environment where the animals could be free until adoption.

Story 9: Helaroi * Remy

Remy always wanted to be a sports star. However, he couldn’t get in the team, let alone the school’s home team. He would practice nonstop at home, but he just couldn’t seem to progress as he wanted. One day as he came out after total rejection, he saw some people practicing. Looking with jealousy, he didn’t realize there was a baseball heading his way. One of the boys had to shout to get him back to reality. “Hey Remy, watch out!”

Without a second to lose, Remy sensed the ball coming and couldn’t move. One of the boys was heading his direction and caught it with lightning speed. Remy couldn’t believe what he saw. No way! This kid is good! I never saw anyone catching it this quick!

The boy looked at him. “Are you alright?”

Remy returned his stare.  “Uh, Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up is all.” God that was pathetic…

“You’re Remy, right?” Remy looked at him suspiciously, “Just how do you know me?”

“I’m one of the new transfers here from New York. Also…uh…people seem to spread bad rumors about you…the Non Athletic Dork.”

“Well that figures…”Remy replied rather glumly. The boy quickly tried to cheer him up.

“Ah, don’t worry about it! You’ll get better. Practice makes perfect!”

 “Unless they can’t improve…” Remy couldn’t shake off his gloom from the fact that he was horrible in sports. The boy felt real bad for him. Out of the blue, he raised his hand.

 “High five?”

Remy looked at him strangely again. “And why would I do that?”

“It’s just an encouragement, and my way of saying good luck.” The boy raised his hand again and urged him to give him a high five. At first, Remy was real reluctant to do anything, but eventually he gave in. His hand stung for a few seconds and felt something stirring in him. The boy wondered if he improved.

“Think fast!”

 Remy saw the same ball headed his way once again, but only this time, instead of reacting with fear, he reacted with courage. He swiftly caught the ball without a second glance. Remy looked surprised as he saw the ball in his hand. “What did I just do?”

“You caught the ball. You’re getting good quick.” Remy couldn’t believe he actually caught the ball and he felt if someone practices with him, he can improve.

“So, hey kid, want to go for a few rounds?”

“Nah, I have to be going somewhere, but I’ll see you later Remy Thompson.” The boy was about to leave until he stopped to say something else.

“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. The name’s Helaroi. It’s nice to meet you. You might get rejected again for the tryouts.” He left without another word. Remy thought about that boy that night. No person helped him improve before. Or, let alone gave him encouragement to keep trying. Whenever he would get turned down, the coaches taunted him and gave him a bunch of discouragement to not try out again.

Strange kid, but he helped me improve that quick….and I’ve never heard of a Helaroi before…Is he really a transfer? And how does he know me? Nobody talks to the transfers for a few days until the popular kids get them. And that last comment…go figure.

The next day, Remy saw a poster saying that the same tryouts will be open for a next few days. He decided to give it another go. Surprisingly enough, Helaroi was there, like he was waiting. The coach started out and started to scream.

“Alright, listen up!! You think you got what it takes to be in the baseball team?! There absolutely needs to be, no whining, crying, or complaining! If you do any of the three, you’ll be kicked out three seconds flat! And you won’t be able to ever tryout anymore!!” The coach got closer to Helaroi.

“Do I make myself clear?” He huffed.

“Yes sir,” Helaroi replied without any emotion.

“All right, you worms! Let’s see what you’re made of!!” The coach marched looking angrier at each step

Remy just shot a strange glance at him. Just why is the football coach filling in for the baseball team??

As he looked across the line, He saw Helaroi sweating bullets. Is he okay? He shouldn’t have anything to worry about; since he’s one of the best players I’ve seen!

“Thompson!! You are up!” Remy nervously walked forward and stood in front of the coach. “Alright maggot, let’s see what you are capable of…”

Suddenly without warning, Varsity players started to throw baseballs at him. Remy’s hand felt like it was controlled and it caught every ball that was thrown at him. Every. Single. One. 

The other players were shocked that Remy Thompson, the once worst player, to a baseball superstar. Nest He was given a bat for him to hit the baseballs that was to be thrown at him. And, to everyone’s surprise, he aced the test.

Helaroi however was a different story. What Remy saw was confusing. Yesterday, he was one of the best players he encountered, and now, he sees baseballs hitting his face, and he kept striking out.

What just happened? Wasn’t he one of the best players? How could he lose horribly, unless he did it on purpose!!

The coach screamed at Helaroi who stayed emotionless. The coach gave him such, harsh, discouraging words to be sure he won’t tryout anymore for baseball, football, or any other sport. Afterwards, Remy went and confronted Helaroi for the horrible display.

“What the hell was that?”

“I guess luck wasn’t on my side…Heh, that’s okay. It’s only a game after all.” Helaroi was about to walk away until Remy

“Listen to me! You were very good yesterday!!”

“Like I said, it’s only a game. Hope luck stays on your side.”

“It was just a fluke! I’ll get back to normal soon enough and get kicked off for sure! I’ll be sure to recommend you”

Helaroi looked at him all panicky. “Uh, you really shouldn’t do that!”

“Why? It’s not like you lost your talent.” Remy gave him the eagle stare, the stare that can frighten anyone.

“Uh … actually. I kind of…did.” Remy gave a small shout of surprise and confusion

“What do you mean, you lost your talent?”

“I gave it to you.” Helaroi shrugged. The two began to fade.

The two began to fade and soon arrived at a strange locater where there are nothing but trees and a beautiful pure lake.

"Where are we?"

“Welcome to Exchanger Forest.”

“We’re in a random forest…go figure. “

“Wait…Exchanger Forest? What do I have to trade? I left my cards at home so, I don’t know what else to trade….”

Helaroi laughed for a while. “No we don’t do those kinds of exchanges here. The exchange has already been settled.”

“What do you mean? ’Already been settled’?”

  “Remember when I gave you the high five when we first met yesterday? That is when the Exchange began. My luck for yours, I’m a Luck Exchanger.”

Remy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All the luck he has was gone that day, all because of a single high five. “But wait! The last comment you made. That kinda discouraged me a bit.”

“Sorry, I have to say what will happen; otherwise that exchange wouldn’t be complete.”

“I see…”

“Now that the explanation is finished, looks like I have to be headed somewhere.”

“WHAT?? No way man! You just got here!”

“Sorry man, I’ve been doing this kind of thing for many years…there are a lot of other people I have to encourage. You understand right?”

Remy thought deeply about that day and wondered if he can really give others luck like he did to him. He didn’t want to sound like a jerk so he agreed.

“Oh, one last thing. You have to stay grateful. If you don’t, your lousy skills will come back to haunt you.”“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good.” Helaroi waved as he disappeared. Remy started to fade out too. Soon he arrived at the outer field where his team started to cheer for him.

“Well, let’s play.”

 

Story 10: Justen * Tula

Tula loved