can move quickly for an old lady Grammy said with a wink That’s why I know you can move quickly too In fact I think you could do the whole porch before your mama even gets out here Something in Grammy’s tone sent a thrill racing up Zerie’s spine She tightened her grip on the broom handle I do want to finish fast I hate sweeping she admitted Then think about the job being done Picture the whole porch swept clean and sparkling Grammy said Close your eyes and imagine it Can you see it Zerie nodded Then do it Zerie gripped the broom picturing the familiar pattern in her head left corner across the back to the right corner then sweep everything toward the stairs in the center and off onto the dirt path What are you doing
This time Mama’s voice didn’t sound amused This time it sounded shocked in a very bad way Zerie opened her eyes and glanced around Mama stood in the doorway frowning at her The porch was swept clean Zerie frowned too She’d pictured the job being done but she hadn’t done the actual sweeping Had she I said you could do it quickly didn’t I Grammy’s eyes shone Mother How could you encourage her to do this Mama cried turning to Grammy Zerie was moving so fast I could barely even see her She has the talent Grammy said proudly Just like me Mother it’s forbidden Mama replied You know what happens when a citizen of Oz uses magic and you had Zerie do it right out in the open What if somebody saw her Saw me do what Zerie asked What’s forbidden
Sorcery Mama dropped her voice to a whisper Princess Ozma has outlawed the use of magic Only she Glinda and the Wizard of Oz can do it Zerie’s eyebrows drew together in confusion I thought they were the only people who even knew how to do magic No child Grammy told her There has always been magic in Oz Regular folk have the talent too We just aren’t allowed to use it anymore Zerie scanned the porch floor It was perfectly clean But all she remembered doing was a single swipe across the wood Do you do you mean that I did magic Just now You swept the whole porch in the blink of an eye Grammy said Did you feel yourself moving Not really Zerie felt her face break into a grin Is that my power I just imagine things and
they come true Grammy laughed and even Mama smiled Not even Ozma has power like that Grammy said Your talent is the same as mine Zerie Speed So I moved fast Or the broom did Zerie asked Both I think The truth is you’ll have to learn for yourself how to use the talent I can’t teach it to you for the power of the magic comes from within each person Suddenly Grammy was standing next to Mama in the doorway Zerie blinked She hadn’t seen the old lady move Try a few things Grammy went on Learn for yourself Or find the others and learn together Friends are always strongest together Grammy turned and walked into the house Don’t listen to her Zerie Mama said anxiously Princess Ozma says we mustn’t do magic and she’s our rightful leader Promise me you’ll listen
