Tales of Elderbrooke

A Birthday Adventure

The few weeks between the start of term and the twins' birthday practically flew by and the day of October 31st had finally come. The sun rose, as it always did, but it was an unusually clear day for the mountains of the Northern Cascade range in Washinton State. What was normally an overcast sky, was instead bright blue and frigidly crisp. A few white puffs hung lowly near the peak of Mt Baker in the distance, but they didn't cause any chance of precipitation. Alice had woken to the warm rays of the sun entering through her large east-facing window. She had just concluded a very pleasant dream involving none other than her "secret" crush, Felix Beckett. The dream had them in a secluded meadow deep in the forest. Felix had packed them a picnic and they had spent the whole afternoon laying in the wildflowers and talking about life. It was only when the sun was setting and the air did not grow cold, did Alice realize it was a dream. It was the end of October so the nighttime brought below 50 temperatures, and her dream had the dry warmth of summer.

As Alice opened her eyes completely, she noticed a package tied neatly with a bow on her vanity across the room; her yearly gift from her dear parents. Glad to see they still kept up the tradition under these conditions, Alice got out of bed and meandered to the present waiting for her. It was a larger box than previous years which made Alice all the more curious to open it. After untying the elegant bow – most likely hand-knotted by her own mother – and lifting the lid, she was least surprised to see a note lying on top of a rich purple fabric.

~Happy Birthday to our beautiful Alice.

This year you turn 16 and to many, it is a special one. Over the last 16 years, we have cherished watching you grow into the gifted young woman you've become. We are so proud of your many achievements and can't thank you enough for being so on board with the move to Elderbrooke. You've always been the world's best optimist and it is such a light in our lives.

Inside this box, you will find pieces that belonged to your grandmother, Amelia. With the help of Eliza Weatherwood and your professor Magnolia Laurelhurst, we were able to dig up these pieces and give them to you on this special occasion.

We all love you so much. You are the perfect daughter. Keep up the good work at the Academy. Your grandmother would be so proud.

Xoxo, Charlotte & VINCENT   ~

A few stray tears formed in Alice's eyes as she finished the note from her mother. In this box, were real artifacts from her late grandmother. These articles must've been from her time as a witch in Elderbrooke so they had to be certified vintage and relics of a different time. Alice pulled out the plum color fabric first which spilled over her entire lap. It was as long as her and had a large hood with sweeping sleeves. This must've been Amelia's coven cloak. It was thick with animal fur lining the inside. A golden clasp sat at the base of the hood to secure it to the wearer. Next within the box, was a rose gold ring that had the Scorpio constellation engraved into the band. A small rounded shard of raw opal was nestled between curving serpents melded from the silver. It was gorgeous and fit Alice's ring finger perfectly. Once she slid it on and wiggled it into place, a shiver ran down her spine like a shockwave. The final item was a quill made from a peacock feather with a gold stem and writing tip. Once activated by an owner, it will write faithfully and only for the owner and could even record messages from someone when the owner is not around. Alice didn't know these capabilities, but her grandmother favored it throughout her years at the Academy. This was probably the best birthday gift she had ever received. To have true pieces of her grandmother, kept safe by the local coven, and presented to her by her mother, was by far more than the teen girl could ever imagine. She wondered what gift her brother Oliver got if hers was this good.

Oliver awoke to the same sunlight peering through his window but wasn't as grateful for it. He knew this morning meant the arrival of his birthday and he dreaded it. Rolling over and pulling the pillow over his head, he forced the thoughts out of his brain as much as he could.