Corlotta Morano and the Silver Sky

1

Have you ever been to those Mayan ruins in Tulum, Mexico? If you looked closely or thought hard, perhaps you noticed something strange about them. How they are only open during a very selective part of the year. Or maybe how sometimes you might be at those ruins and feel someone watching you. You may look up to see a school aged child peering through one of the windows, only to quickly disappear.

I don't see why you would. I never did, and I only lived twenty minutes away from Tulum, in Cancun, my whole life. That was, until I started what you might call sixth grade. But it was never sixth grade to me.

I have come with a purpose, to tell you a story. That story starts on a sunny lunes, one of the last of summer.

Enna Profaci (or as known to me, Senora Profaci) slipped out of the ancient structure, completely unnoticed by all. That was the way she wanted it too. Senora Profaci was a very noticeable person though.

The first thing you'd notice about her when you looked at her is that she looked in her mid-twenties. Her hair was so red that it was pink and her eyes were a piercing green. She always wore robes a color to match her eyes and her multiple piercings didn't help her blend in. There were three eyebrow piercings, one nose piercing, two lip piercings, eight ear piercing, and probably some that weren't visible too.

Senora Profaci knew the ruins well. She slipped under the rose arch, past the ceynote, and up to a rather large palm tree that marked the boarder of the ruins. There was a man meditating underneath it.

After checking that the man wasn't looking she disappeared with a loud pop.

o*o*o*o

"You obviously have no sense of fashion or your just stupid enough to think that you'd look good in everything or perhaps anything! I wouldn't even doubt that latter."

They were laughing. My face was red. I glanced down at my favorite (and now ruined) amarillo dress. I glared at them. You probably are wondering who 'them' are. Well they are Maddie (my nemesis) and her stupid friends whose names I couldn't even remember. I wiped a tear out of my eye.

"What is your problem? I never did anything to you and you've hated me since the day you moved here from Estados Unidos de América!" I stared at Maddie's perfect strawberry blonde curls. How could someone so mean be so pretty? It really did bring me down.

I felt the rage boiling up inside of me, just waiting to explode. I kept staring at those perfect curls. And then the strangest thing of all happened.

Maddie's curls were tinted green. They were frizzing up, until they were no longer curls, but an afro. Her blue eyes hardened over. I knew she'd blame me for this even though I was nowhere near her.

I made a run for it. I knew I could beat Maddie and all her friends in a race any day. While they might have had the beauty, I had the athletic skills. And boy, those skills came in handy.

I walked up to my house and heard a voice that didn't belong to my madre or padre. I opened the door. That was when I learned the truth. The truth about me.

o*o*o*o

"Corlotta! Where have you been? We have a mois importante guest. She comes from an escuela for . . . well you'll see. She's offering you a position there. I want you to know that I hope you accept, but I understand if you don't." It was my madre. Why did she sound so excited?

And that was the first time I saw Senora Profaci. I thought she was completely loco with her pink hair, wacky fashion, and piercings. It wasn't that I had anything against pink hair, wacky fashions, and piercings - they just made her look formidable.

"Hello grasshopper," she said. Grasshopper? Her voice sounded more like singing then talking. "I suppose you are Corlotta Morano. I'm Enna Profaci, but that's Senora Profaci to you. Well, only Senora Profaci if you accept."

I raised one eyebrow, trying not to look scared. I stared at her eyebrow piercings. "What do I have to accept?" Senora Profaci was starting (well, not starting) to freak me out a little bit.

"A position at Escuela de Magia de la Antigua Azteca." That sure sounded formidable. And magic? I was pretty confused at that point.

"Okay so I know this might be hard to understand at first and maybe a little bit creepy. Maybe even scary. . . . but, grasshopper there is something I must tell you. You're a witch."

Only one thought flashed into my mind. She must be joking. I burst out into giggles.

Glossary

Spanish

lunes - Monday

Senora - Ms.

Ceynote - Sea cave that is good for snorkeling

Amarillo - yellow

Madre - mother

Padre - father

Mois importante - literally - much importance, but used to mean very important

Escuela - school

Escuela de Magia de la Antigua Azteca - School of Ancient Aztec Magic