Ally put the last book in the large cardboard box by her bed. She hugged Bree. This was her home since she could remember, and now she was leaving it. Though she wanted to see the world, the though of leaving her beautiful woods still tore her heart in two. Half of her heart would always stay here.

"Have fun. Don't let me come back to broken telescopes!" she joked. The joke did nothing to lighten the mood. This was the time when everything would change for the both of them.

Bree nodded. Then Ally's parents called her. Ally took out Dark Matters, a book written by Bree's parents, to read on the journey. As she sat down in the car, she stared back at her home and her two new friends with eyes blurred by tears. She rolled the window down and waved. They waved back, then they turned into dots. When they disappeared altogether, Ally rolled up the window and sighed. Being positive about moving is easy until moving day. At least she will be able to return in the summer. And maybe Jack will even be back. But she doubted it.

Think happy thoughts, she scolded herself. So she stared at the pictures of the solar eclipse and remembered holding hands with her friends as a ring of white flame shone above them. The sound of the car's engine and the vibration of the seat and the warmth of the sun made her drowsy. In her dream, she was Alpha Girl. She rode a comet around Earth and looked down at everyone staring at her. They shouted, "Look! There's Comet Summers!" She smiled and waved, then sped off to defend the galaxy.

Bree looked around the small, plain room and immediately got to work covering it with posters. Then she stuffed the pitifully small closet with as much clothes as she could, and put the remainder in Ally's dresser. She set up her laptop, hoping she could at least get Wi-Fi. Bingo. She turned on her webcam and sent a chat request to her best friend, Claire. Claire accepted happily.

"Hi BFF! How are things in the backwoods?"

"I think I can survive here. At least I have Wi-Fi. So how are things back home?"

"Great! I'm dating this really cute new kid named Josh! He has the nicest green eyes! So, meet any cute boys yet?"

"Actually, yes. A total hunk! His name's Ryan!"

"Good for you!"
Bree smiled. It was good to talk to her best friend again. Then Melanie cart wheeled in. She reminded Bree that she needed to smooth the dirt in the labyrinth. Bree groaned, but she was secretly delighted. She hadn't gotten a chance to see the labyrinth yet. So she said goodbye to Claire and logged off. She was gonna have to get used to dirty work.

Jack found a piece of plywood in the leftover lumber pile. He measured it.

"Perfect," he thought. Jack was finally getting around to putting a door on his treehouse. His two weeks at The Moon Shadow had inspired him to do more things. He called to his big brother.

"Mike! I need your help!"

"Not now, little bro. I promised my girlfriend I wouldn't be late."

Jack sighed. Typical Mike. Always out with his girlfriend. So he went inside and found his mom.

"Mom? Can you help me with the door to my treehouse?"

"Okay. What do I have to do?'
"Just hold the door. Can you do that?"

"Well…um…okay. Lead the way."

Jack led his mom to the treehouse. She waited patiently as Jack got the hinges, screws, and some old drawer handles. She sat in the doorway and carefully held the door while Jack added the hinges. Then she got out of the way as he swung it to make sure it worked right.

"Thanks Mom! It works perfectly!"

"You're welcome, honey. Now I need to go inside and rest. I take it you're staying up here for a little while?"

"Yep."

"Alright. Well be sure you're not late for lunch!"

"Do you really think I'd miss lunch?"

Jack's mom laughed and ruffled his hair. Then she climbed down the ladder and went inside. Jack sat down and read one of his new science fiction novels.