I reached out to put my hands on the table to steady myself and found
nothing but air. Standing up, I waved my hands frantically in front of me, hoping
to find Gram, Cole, or even Elliott. My attempts were futile. I was alone.
“Where are you, Cole?” I called out. “Gram? Elliott?”
There was no response, except for the hollow echo of my words.
Panic filled me. I needed to get to the light. I walked forward through the hazy air until I smacked into a wall. Then, I slide across the cool barrier. I couldn’t decide if I was more afraid of the mist or what was hiding in the darkness.
I banged my arm on a hard object. Pain never felt as sweet. I had found a doorknob and yanked. It opened, and I hesitantly walked through it.
My eyes adjusted to the bright lighting, and I found myself in the main lobby of
the town library.
Great. Wrong door, I thought bitterly.
I went back to, and through, the door. Instead of returning to the mist, I was
still in the library. Frustrated, I tried again. After several unsuccessful times, I gave up my attempts to return home.
“You are supposed to be here,” I said aloud.
Agreeing with myself, I decided to trust that the spell would lead me to the
information I was seeking.
The building was empty, except for a small light shining in the archives.
When I reached the back corner of the library, I saw four girls sitting around a
large book, intently reading it.
“Viv, I found it. We should definitely try this one,” the redheaded girl said with excitement to the girl beside her.
The dark-haired girl had pale white skin and soft brown eyes. I couldn't
shake the feeling that I knew her. She seemed so familiar to me.
“Good idea, Camille,” Viv said to the redhead, and then turned towards the
other two girls. “Let's meet up tomorrow night, and we'll attempt it.”
“Michelle has to ask her mommy if she can come play,” Camille said,
mockingly turning towards the girl next to her. “Isn't that right?”
A spark of anger grew in the girl's violet eyes, and she retorted, “I don't have
to ask anyone. I'll be there.”
“She's just teasing you, Michelle,” a quiet voice came out of the fourth girl.
Nervously, she kept twirling her long, blonde hair. “I'll be there, too.”
“Lucy, can you bring some candles from your mother's shop?” Viv asked the
nervous girl. “I think I know the perfect spot for us behind my house in the forest. If you all sleep at my house, we'll be able to slip in and out, undetected.”
“Here’s the list of items we each need to get.” Camille handed a slip of paper
to each girl, “Let's meet early tomorrow afternoon and make a day of it.”
As the girls hugged and said their goodbyes, I realized what I had seen. Viv
was actually my great-grandmother, Genevieve. I had just watched the original protectors making plans to cast their first spell.
In awe, I watched as each one left the library. They all left quickly, except one – Michelle. She took her time cleaning up and returning the books to the shelves. Something inside told me to follow her. So, when Michelle exited the library, that’s what I did.
Thick fog greeted me as I passed through the door. Taking a deep breath, I cautiously walked into the dense air. When it cleared, I found myself on the front
porch of a large, blue house. Instead of the teenager I’d been tracking, I heard two women having a heated discussion. After a few minutes, I realized I was looking at an older Michelle. The tall redhead yelling at her was Camille
Drygen.
