"It all started about six months ago, just after I won the prize for spotting my first comet. I was out one night keeping an eye on my equipment when ...y oldest sister Kim got home early from her date. Later I found out that her boyfriend had made a snide comment about my astronomy hobby and my sister was so mad at him that she broke up with him right then and walked home even before they got to the movie theater." Wow, that must have been some comment he made to get her that angry," Dannie said. "Swarta and Mercedes floated away towards the ladder unconcerned about the direction this conversation was taking. I looked around the tower alert for some trick or quip from Swarta.Swarta smirked, "If anyone comes looking for you, either Grimm or Tharin will explain that you are in conference and cannot be disturbed. You have only a day left before you are separated from Derwen again."I followed Derwen to the top of the ladder and stroked her hair. Her breathing was elevated. "She sure can be. " He hung up.I hung up the receiver and looked at my watch. It was 4:45am. If we stayed on schedule, we'd get to the office around 8am. That would give me an hour to organize myself. To place the mirrors and prepare the smoke; to create magic and make my Father disappear.No small trick.I showered more to wake myself than to clean and then got dressed. On the dresser was Pharaoh's ankh and beside it, a bracelet that Joey had given me. I didn't remember pulling it out, but it was a good piece of. To the victors go the spoils they say. But somehow I don't feel very victorious. In fact I feel just the opposite. I feel like the biggest failure, the biggest loser and the biggest fool, all rolled into one.If as they say, "today is the first day of the rest of your life," my reply would have to be why bother? I've lost almost everything. Everyone I speak to seems to think that I won...I hear the creaking of the door downstairs as it opens. I quickly turn and realize that I've turned too.