This week we get to listen to a bonus chapter of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell which was written after the completion of books 2 and 3 (Wingspan and SkyeDive, respectively).

In this chapter, Magpie and Lucas head to the county fair where Magpie meets some of Lucas' friends, including the somewhat mystical Sydney Finch.

Music: Nightbridge by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

Find The Skylark Bell online: www.theyskylarkbell.com

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Twitter: @melissaoliveri

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TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: A bonus episode of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In today’s episode we read a bonus Chapter called Sydney Finch - where Magpie meets some of Lucas’ friends, including the somewhat mystical Sydney Finch.

 So get settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.

Magpie can feel her heart beat a little faster as she and Lucas approach the fairgrounds. They’ve made plans to meet up with some of Lucas’ friends at the county fair, which is held in the large field behind the school. 

“Everyone looks forward to the fair each year,” says Lucas, happily chatting away, completely oblivious to Magpie’s mounting anxiety. “People come from the surrounding towns and compete in all kinds of things; best pie, best cow, best seed art… you name it!” he laughs.

“I’ve never even heard of seed art, and my mom is an artist!” says Magpie, Lucas’ enthusiasm helping her feel a bit more at ease.

They’ve now arrived at the fair. Magpie sees a few basic rides; a ferris wheel, bumper cars, a tilt-a-whirl, and some carnival games. Most of the fairgrounds are reserved for animal shows, she sees horseback riders lined up waiting for their turn in the ring, in another area she sees kids walking their goats, and in the distance she can hear the cacophonous cluck of a collection of prize chickens. Magpie chuckles to herself, all this is so foreign to her, such a contrast to her life in the city! She feels her apprehension wash away with every step. 

Lucas points to a large barn-like building. “That’s where they do the food and art competitions, but first let’s head over to the stage, I think The Bunting Brothers are playing!” he says, pulling her across the fairgrounds. They walk around the barn and come to a grassy area where a stage has been set up. On the stage are two broad-shouldered young men, each with a guitar. Behind them is an older man, presumably their father if their similar appearance is any clue, who is playing on a rather sparse drum set. One of the boys is singing, his voice carrying across the entire expanse of the fair. The crowd claps and whoops loudly as they finish their song. Magpie can’t help but join in, the joyfulness of the crowd is contagious. 

“For our last song, we’d like to invite Sydney Finch up on the stage!” says one of the boys, waving his arm at a girl standing off to the side of the stage.

“That’s Bo Bunting in the red shirt, and his brother Billy has the green shirt,” explains Lucas. Magpie nods as she watches a beautiful young woman make her way up the steps and to the front of the stage. She has long, straight dark hair decorated with braids and beads in the front, and her large dark eyes sparkling as she looks out at the crowd. Bo and Billy start playing a soft, sad tune on their guitars, and Sydney Finch begins to sing. Magpie feels a lump form in her throat and tears well up in her eyes, Sydney’s voice has a beautiful, plaintive quality to it that makes Magpie feel like her heart is being shattered into a thousand pieces. A hush washes over the crowd, making Magpie think she’s not the only one feeling this way. Finally the last note of the song rings over the silent field, and after a moment the crowd hops to its feet and erupts in loud cheers as Sydney takes a small bow before stepping off the stage.

“Come on!” says Lucas, pulling Magpie toward the side of the stage. 

“Lucas Starling! It’s been a while!” says Bo, waving at them.

“Hey Bo! This is my friend, Magpie. She just moved in next door to me,” says Lucas. Magpie nods and waves shyly.

“Welcome to Pocket!” says Billy, sidling up to his brother. 

“Hi Sydney,” says Lucas, looking over Billy’s shoulder. Magpie can’t be sure but she detects a hint of nervousness in Lucas’ voice and she feels an ever so slight twinge of envy in the pit of her stomach.

“Hi Lucas,” says Sydney, pushing past the Bunting brothers. “Hi, I’m Sydney,” she says, extending a hand out to Magpie. Her kind, gentle tone instantly makes Magpie feel comfortable.

“I’m Magpie. It’s nice to meet you, you have such an incredible voice,” replies Magpie.

“Oh thank you! I have my Tota, my grandmother, to thank for that. She taught me all the songs of our people from the day I was born, and I guess it just stuck!” she says, brushing a hand through her magnificent hair. 

Magpie notices the beaded bracelets on her wrist, they look handmade. “Did you make those?” she asks, admiration in her voice.

Sydney giggles, “I did! I have my Tota to thank for that too!” she says. “Here, my gift to you,” she adds, taking a turquoise bracelet from her wrist and handing it to Magpie. “It will look perfect with your blue eyes,” she adds, leaving no room for Magpie to refuse.

“Thank you so much,” says Magpie, genuinely touched.

“We were going to check out the seed art, and maybe see if we can sneak a slice of the winning pie,” says Lucas, “would you like to join us?” Everyone nods and the group makes its way toward the old barn.

Magpie is blown away by creativity and artistrty of the seed art, she had no idea this even existed! She walks along the row of framed canvases, peering at each one. Many feature intricate floral patterns, some represent seed versions of famous people, a few depict farm animals. One in particular catches Magpie’s eye. It is slightly smaller than the others, and the subject matter completely different. The artist has used a collection of green seeds to create a mermaid, then bright orange seeds for her hair. She is sitting on a beach, her face turned toward the sky, dandelion seeds used to make puffy white clouds. Magpie leans in to get a closer look and notices the siren’s mouth is open as if she is shouting or singing. “How peculiar,” she whispers to herself.

“Enough of this art stuff, let’s eat!” Bo’s booming voice startles Magpie. He leads the group toward a different area of the building and through a doorway that has a large sign above it reading “Baking Contest This Way!”

The baking contest has already ended by the time they arrive, but there are plenty of goodies left to go around. Lucas opts for a slice of chocolate pudding pie, while Magpie enjoys a couple of cherry tarts. The Bunting brothers each put away 3 chocolate cupcakes, and Sydney picks out a delicate, flakey square of baklava for herself. They eat and laugh and tell jokes, Lucas asks about Bo and Billy’s younger brother Sebastian, who is in his and Magpie’s grade, they tell him he’s doing great at their Grandparent’s farm but misses his friends. 

They start talking about the old mill and a few other abandoned places around Pocket.  Magpie, sensing an opening asks “Have any of you ever been to Meadow Lane?” She instantly regrets her question as the laughter and chatter immediately stop. 

Lucas steps in, trying to smooth things over, “I told Magpie the story about Meadow Lane the other day. I was hoping to keep her away from there, but I think I only made her more curious about it. She’s an adventurous spirit too!” he quips.

“Yeah, no one in town goes there, or even talks about it, really,” says Bo quietly, looking around to see if anybody outside their group is within earshot.

“I think something threw off the balance of natural things in that place,” says Sydney.

“What do you mean?” asks Magpie.

“There is day, and night. There is fire, and water,” she begins, holding her hands out with her palms up. “Every thing has an equal and opposite thing. When that balance shifts, it can create unnatural results. I believe something, or someone, shifted the balance at Meadow Lane, and that is when the silence came,” she ends, in a very matter-of-fact way.

“Well, it’s getting late, we should probably head out, they’ll be shutting the fair down soon,” says Lucas, clearly looking for a way to move on from the topic.

The group starts walking back toward Pocket’s main street, their bellies full of sweets. They part ways outside Bunting’s General Store, where Billy offers to give Sydney a ride to her house on the outskirts of the next town, and Magpie and Lucas start making their way home. 

“Thanks for pushing me out of my comfort zone,” says Magpie, “I had a great time, and your friends are very nice,” she adds, feeling the bracelet Sydney gave her slide around her wrist.

“You’re going to fit in just fine,” says Lucas, smiling at her. 

Magpie is about to apologize for making things awkward by asking about Meadow Lane when she hears a sound drifting on the breeze, like someone is softly singing. Somehow, the sound is even more beautiful than Sydney Finch’s voice. Almost, hypnotic… “Do you hear that?” asks Magpie, turning around to try and figure out where the sound is coming from.

“Hear what?” asks Lucas, stopping to listen.

“I’m not sure, it’s like singing, but… but not… not… human?” she says the word like a question, unsure of what she thinks.

Lucas leans in and closes his eyes, focused on finding the sound. “I do hear it!” he says, “it’s very faint, it almost seems like it’s coming from - ”

“- Meadow Lane!” Magpie finishes his sentence for him.

“Bu