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chapter one. a girl and her stickers
౨ৎ
June 1991
There is a scary lady in Matilda's dreams.
She visits when the night is at its darkest, when even the moon seems to hide away, afraid to peer through the grand windows of Kaspbrak Manor. She stands tall and imposing, with wild curls as dark as midnight and eyes filled with malice. This lady never speaks, only sneers, as if Matilda's very presence is something foul to her. The little girl doesn't know her, but the fear she feels is real, palpable, a cold hand squeezing her heart.
Her father says dreams can't hurt you, but sometimes Matilda isn't so sure.
In her dreams, there's always this rat, too — a small, dirty creature. It scuttles close to the scary lady, never quite in her shadow, as if it's both afraid of her and drawn to her power. The rat's presence feels wrong, like a blot of ink on a pretty drawing, but Matilda can't figure out why it's there, why it always watches her with human eyes.
But in the waking world, it's safe and bright. Her father always makes sure of that. Light dances through the tall windows, casting playful shapes on the soft pink of her bedroom walls. Her bed is like a cloud plucked from the sky, a safe place where she snuggles deep into the sheets that smell faintly of lavender.
Kaspbrak Manor stands nestled amongst rolling hills of West Sussex, a proud and welcoming sight softened by the rosy hues of climbing flowers. The gentle hum of the countryside stirs beneath the warmth of the rising sun. Matilda sits up, her long, raven-black hair a wild crown around her head. Much like the scary lady in her dreams, but that was where the resemblance ends. Where the scary lady is all angles and sharp edges, Matilda is soft lines and gentle curves, her deep chocolate eyes filled with innocence rather than malice.
For a moment, she lingers in the realm between dreams and reality, where the weight of the world hadn't quite settled on her small shoulders. Today is a special day, the kind that comes around just often enough to be a treat.
Her father doesn't take her to his workplace very often, and Matilda knows it's because the Ministry of Magic is big, loud, and always filled with people — things that can make her senses scream and her skin feel too tight. But it's also a place of enchantment, where the floors move beneath your feet and the air shimmers with spells.
Matilda has to wake up early. If Matilda does not wake up early, the whole day is ruined before it has even started. She always picks out her outfit the night before, so that it is neat and ready for her. Today she's wearing something special — a white blouse with sleeves that puff at her shoulders like the clouds and denim shorts that are soft with frayed edges. Her father says it's important to dress smartly when you go to work, and Matilda thinks her outfit is just right. She dresses slowly, carefully, because sometimes clothes can feel like they're playing tricks on her skin, but today they behave.
