Lucky Penny

“Have you ever believed in something so much that you made the impossible, possible?” He threw up his hands in excitement, prancing like an excited deer. 

“What-.” Her voice was tight with bemusement.

“Or had a dream that wouldn’t quit bugging you day and night until you paid it piece of mind?” He added, speeding up to walk in rhythm with his fast flowing words.

“Woah, Landon! Slow down... and, woah, Landon! That would be a street you're about to walk into.”

“Did you ever-.”

“Landon, stop!” 

Landon felt a firm grip latch onto his shoulder, forcing him to a stop. A flash of neon yellow swept across his vision. A gust of wind nearly knocked him off his feet. Landon coughed as smoke filled his mouth and clogged his lungs. The reek of gasoline clouded his senses.

The school bus that had almost turned him into a human pancake continued its trek down the road. The highway that was just outside of Harley Middle School’s gates.

“Thanks.” Landon said, flushing and glancing over at his best friend, Ava Nook. Ava released his shoulder with an exasperated sigh. Her brow furrowed, and her blue eyes darkened.

“As eventful as it would be watching you become a bus ornament.” Ava paused, tilting her head. A crooked smile pulled at her lips. “And I’d give anything to see Mr. Hortent trying to scrape you off his windshield... However, maybe, just maybe, you should save the day dreaming until after we’re not...moving.” 

“Stationary?” Landon offered. They crossed the street after looking both ways. 

Ava gave him a strange look. “Stationary?”

“Still. Not moving.” Landon replied, shrugging his backpack further up on his shoulder. 

Ava rolled her eyes. “Sure,” she said. The girl dipped down as they rounded a corner, picking up a penny off the sidewalk. “Stay stationary, daydreamer. Look.”

Landon peered over at the penny she held towards him. 

“What about it?” He asked.

“Heads.” Ava smirked, waving her copper prize. 

“So what if it was tails?” Landon pointed out. “It’s worth the same.”

“Finding a head’s up penny is lucky.”

Landon halted. He frowned. “That’s silly. It’s not possible for a penny to be lucky.”

“I want this penny to be lucky so much I made the impossible, possible.” Ava declared. She spread her arms in a dramatic display, grinning from ear to ear. Landon gave her a playful push. She spun in a circle like a windmill.

“I’m going in.” Landon chuckled. He veered off to the right of the sidewalk and started up the driveway to his house. The building was a two-story, Maya-Blue colonial.

“Before you go... one little piece of advice, daydreamer?” Ava stopped spinning as she reached the mailbox. She leaned against it, blowing a lock of honey-colored hair from her eyes.

Landon stopped and looked at her over his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?” He urged her on hesitantly. 

“Stick to being a hero in your books. Only Superman can get hit by a bus and not become flesh-colored gravel.” Ava said, eyes sparkling.

“Ah!” Landon threw up his hands and turned away. “Later, Nook.”

“See ya!” 

Landon heard Ava’s shoes speaking over concrete as she raced away. Her house was down the street where the unswerving road pooled out into a cul-de-sac. 

Landon trekked up his driveway and swung his front door open.

His mom was making dinner in the kitchen. His father was working in his office. The sound of the man’s pen scribbling over paper echoed from the open fresh doors and out into the living room. 

Landon uttered a quick hello as he darted through the living room and towards the staircase.

“Hey, sweetie!” His mom called from the kitchen. “How was school?”

The same as always, Landon paused on the staircase long enough to answer back. 

“It was good.”

“Got any homework?” His father grunted from the office.

“Uh, just some reading for over the weekend.” Landon said. 

“Get it done.” 

I would, if I could get up the stairs without an interrogation, father. Landon sighed.

“I will.” 

Landon finally made it up the stairs and slipped into his room. Technically, he did have a few pages of reading for English he could be doing, but he also had an idea in the center of his mind’s eye that might slip away if he didn’t write it down right now!

Landon threw his backpack on his bed and sat down with a thump in his desk chair. 

It’s Friday, he thought. He already had a pen and a blank sheet of paper spread out before him on his desktop. I have a whole weekend to read. I wanna write! 

Landon was about to start scribbling away. He stopped as his gaze caught a glint of something on the floor. He realized his piggy bank, which had been sitting on the edge of the desk, had toppled over. Thankfully, it was made of rubber, so nothing was broken, but the bottom had fallen out and coins had scattered. 

Landon reached down and picked up one of the coins. He held it between his thumb and forefinger.

A heads-up penny. 

Good luck, huh? Landon squinted at the coin. 

“If you can wish on birthday candles and shooting stars, I suppose you can wish on a lucky coin.” Landon placed the penny by his heart and closed his eyes. “I wish that everything I wrote down would come true.”

Make the impossible, possible lucky coin. Landon swallowed hard. 

He twitched as there was a sharp prick where the penny touched his sternum. Landon yelped and dropped the coin. 

He rubbed his chest and peeked wearily at the copper coin. It had fallen by the leg of his desk and stayed there. It was harmless and innocent as a kitten. 

Landon shifted uncomfortably.

“Never got a static shock like that from a coin.” Landon murmured to himself. He thought about picking up the coin, but the skin of his chest was still tingling, and he thought better of it. 

Instead, he picked his pencil back up and began to write. 

There once was a young boy named... Landon chewed his lip. Everett. Everett loved to write. He wrote day and night. His parents, especially his father, wanted him to be into normal stuff. They wanted him to play sports and collect baseball cards, not C.S Lewis quotes. 

One day, Everett was in his room writing when he heard a bang from downstairs. He rushed down. The light chandler had fallen in the living room onto his father! His dad was trapped. 

Bang! 

Landon’s head jerked up. He blinked at his open door. 

His mother screamed.

Landon threw down his pencil and shot up from his desk. He rushed out the door. He half ran, half fell down the stairs. 

He froze as he reached the bottom. The living room chandelier, golden and antique, had ripped clean out of the ceiling. It was lying on the floor, along with chunks of drywall. 

Landon’s dad was pinned under it.

His mother was struggling to pull it off. 

“What happened?” Landon cried, rushing over to help.

“I-I don’t know!” His mom wailed. “It just... fell.” 

Landon pulled with all his might. The chandler wouldn't budge.

It just fell... Landon stopped his frantic tugging. His blood ran cold as the merciless echo from the thought reverberated around his mind. A chill crawled down his spine.

“Landon! Keep pulling,” his mom ordered. Her face was white as a ghost's, and her lip trembled. "Or... or call the police.”

“I... I have a phone in my room.” Landon stammered, backing away. His father groaned, his cheeks turning purple from his frantic efforts to free himself.

“There’s one in the kitchen!” His mom cried.

“Mine... works better.”

“Landon!” 

Landon bolted up the stairs. He ran into his room so fast it was a surprise his sneakers didn’t catch fire. 

He turned to the paper he’d written his story down on and quickly scrawled out. 

Everett’s father was able to push the chandelier right off himself and he was fine—and not mad. 

Landon tossed the pencil back down with a clank and flew back downstairs. His dad was on his feet, brushing paint chips off his slacks. 

“Dad... are you okay?” Landon breathlessly asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

His dad nodded slowly. “Certainly,” he coughed. “I'm a bit embarrassed to admit, but it was rather easy to push aside when I tried.”

“Maybe you were just in shock at first.” Landon offered helpfully. His dad smiled and ruffled his hair.

“Thanks for trying to help, son.” He said.

“I couldn’t move it either.” Landon confessed uneasily. 

I did it! The thought rippled through his mind with enough force to take his breath away. 

“You tried.” His dad gripped his shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. “That’s what matters to me.”

“Are you sure you’re not hurt, honey?” Landon’s mom asked her husband.

“I’m sure... I better call somebody about this light... falling right out of the ceiling like that... how peculiar!”

Landon stayed where he was as his parents wandered off. He stared at the hole in the ceiling.

I wrote about this, and it came true. Landon’s eyes went wide as saucers. My wish came true! Everything I write about—it'll actually happen! 

***

Writing things down and imagining stories coming true—though they never did outside of his mind’s eye—was Landon’s passion. It always had been. Now that the things he wrote down actually came true? Well.

Landon couldn’t stop writing! 

I hope when the insurance people come to look at the light, they take fault for it and my parents don’t have to pay anything. 

Saturday morning was a shocker for Landon’s parents; who’d been trying to scrape together the money to pay for the damage.

I wish someone would drop a puppy off on our doorstep. 

Saturday evening, there was scratching on the front door. Landon’s mom screamed downstairs...

That was getting to be a regular occurrence in his household.

I wish mom and dad would let me keep Frankie, Landon wrote, with the little white and brown speckled pup sitting in his lap.

Frankie became part of the family that night.

I wish dad would stop working all the time and take me out to the lake tonight to watch the stars.

That night, Landon’s dad came up to his room and, in a break of character brought on by Landon’s magic pen, he spontaneously took him and Frankie out to the truck and drove them to the neighborhood lake. They sat together in the truck bed and took a load of the galaxy of twinkling lights above them.

Landon snuggled against his dad’s shoulder, his eyes half-closed in contentment.

The breeze was cool, though the night was warm. Bullfrogs croaked from down by the shore. Everything was as Landon had always wanted—perfect.

“We should do this again, Dad.” He whispered. When his father didn’t answer, Landon peeked up at him. The man was frowning. He looked lost. 

“Dad?

“I should be working,” his dad chuckled uneasily. “I have a report due Monday.”

“You can... do it tomorrow.”

“I know; it’s just not like me to be so careless." His dad’s eyes went blank. Then he gave a belly laugh and threw an easy arm over Landon’s shoulders. “Ah, never mind that work stuff, son. Yes. We should do this again sometime.”

Landon’s joy gave way to a sinking feeling. He bit his lip and stroked Frankie’s ears uncomfortably.

“Only,” he swallowed. “Only if you want to.”

“If I want to?” His dad’s expression clouded over all the more. He smiled and shrugged. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to, right?”

“Er, right.” Landon's stomach sank like a stone. All of a sudden, he felt hot and cold all over, like he’d caught the flu.

His dad hadn’t wanted to do this; he’d used his writing to force him to.

Like I forced mom to let me keep the puppy and how I forced the insurance company to give us money... and I might as well be mind-controlling people. Landon’s throat grew dry. That’s not right. It’s not right at all. 

***

As soon as Landon got home, he vaulted up the stairs and into his room. He sat down with a ragged breath at his desk and clutched at his curly hair.

He felt terrible—like some vicious monster was clawing at his insides and trying to break clean out of him. 

He had been such a jerk—a monster himself!

Great power, Landon sighed, his eyes straying to the paper he’d been writing down his requests on. Comes with great responsibility. 

I’m not ready for this kind of responsibility yet, Landon realized. His heart swelled with regret, but he knew what he needed to do. 

He picked up his pen.

Take back this gift from me... and give my one wish to Ava. 

***

Sunday morning, Landon woke up tired and sluggish. He trudged downstairs. His mom was making a fast breakfast. She called for him to get ready for church when she saw him standing in the kitchen doorway with a bedhead. 

“Where’s dad?” Landon asked.

“In his office.” She sighed. 

Landon swallowed. “Is he coming to church?” He questioned tentatively. 

His mom turned from frying the eggs long enough to give him a soft smile.

“No,” she whispered. “Your father has a lot of work to get done. He wishes he could.”

Maybe he doesn’t, but I do. Yet, it’s no good having someone do something if it’s outside of their free will, even if it is something you want them to do. 

At church, Landon left his mom to catch up with her friends from her Wednesday night women's group, and he went to sit by Ava up front. Ava, dressed in a green, flowing dress lined with white flowers, gave him a playful punch on the shoulder in greeting.

“How was your Saturday?” She asked, as the countdown until service began on the screen perched above the stage. 

Landon leaned back in his chair, and his mouth twisted up in a half-smile. 

“It..." he trailed off. Landon turned his head to meet his best friend’s shimmering eyes. She raised an eyebrow. 

Landon couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

She would think I’ve gone clear off my rocker if I told her the truth, he mused. His laughter faded, and his smile turned sorrowful. I wish I could share the adventure I’ve had with her. 

“Nothing much happened.” He lied in a bored drawl. Landon focused his attention back on the screen. The faded light from the TV washed over his face, and a blue fog spread over his tired eyes. 

“Phew, as if!” Ava elbowed him in the side. “I bet you were up until the early hours of the morning last night killing dragons with noble knights or climbing to the tip of Mount Everest-.”

“I wrote.” Landon agreed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. 

Ava snorted. “Of course. You wouldn’t be you without your imagination, daydreamer.” 

Landon’s heart swelled with warmth. He threw an arm over Ava’s shoulders. She proceeded to fling it off her like it was made of poison ivy.

“Hey! If you're going to get mushy, do it with some other girl.” She huffed, crossing her arms. The countdown finished on the screen, and quiet worship music began to play. The lights were dimmed, and the chatter died down amongst the congregation. One of the elders of the church came up to the mic and began to speak. 

Landon’s attention wasn’t on any of that. He had eyes only for one person and one person only.

He leaned over and cupped his hand around Ava’s ear. 

“What did you wish for?” He breathed. 

Ava squinted at him. “What?”

“On your lucky penny?”

Ava made a displeased warble in the back of her throat. She nudged him with her shoulder.

“Shh, he’s about to pray.”

“Ava, I’m serious.” Landon pleaded. “What did you wish for?”

“That you would be quiet! Hush.” Ava’s eyes met his. She frowned as she searched his gaze. 

“Why does it matter?” She murmured, seeing the depth of his curiosity.

“Because it matters to me. Please tell me.” 

Ava bit her lip, working it back and forth between her front teeth. She swung her legs, turning her eyes to her shoes. Back and forth they went, like a swing being pushed forward before veering back again.

“I wished you would hold my hand once in a while.” Ava whispered, so quietly Landon almost couldn’t hear her. “Just… because.” She bunched up her shoulders defensively. “But I don’t really want that; I just...”

“Hey, wait,” Landon's heart leapt around like an untamed jack rabbit in his chest. He was suddenly hyperaware of the movement of every limb. His legs were too lanky and his hands too clammy.

He reached out one soaked hand and laid it on the armrest between him and Ava. 

“May I have the honor?” He rasped, his throat dry. Ava blinked owlishly at him, like she was in a trance. Without a word, she lifted her own hand and set it in his. He let his fingers wrap around hers. Her hand was soft. 

Unlike her.

Ava was anything but soft. 

Worship started on stage. Landon and Ava stood, still holding hands. They looked at each other for a moment. They both smiled. And for once, Landon didn’t have to daydream.

His impossible dreams had come true.