The Potions Master's Daughter (Book One)

Chapter 2

As the sun came up I woke up from my deep sleep. The sun burned against my eyes and I squinted them against the harsh sunlight. The fire had gone out but now since it was day I wouldn't need it. I stretched my arms out as far back as they would go and stood up. I was reenergized. I had finally gotten something I barely got at home; sleep.

I leaned against the cave wall and once again took in the beauty of the landscape I would now call home. As I thought about it more I realized that this would be my home until I could get a job that would pay an apartment. I pushed that out of my head and I took in the serenity of the quiet. It was nothing like the bustle of a city or even a small town like I used to live in. You never would have guessed that I was only a 15 minute walk away from a road.

As I sat there thinking my thoughts kept wandering back to the folded up piece of paper in my bag. At first I thought it wasn't supposed to be there but now as I thought about it even more I realized that it could have been put there on purpose.

I went over to the bag and ignoring my stomach went straight for the piece of paper. I took it out and carefully unfolded it.

My eyes widened as I read what it said

Jessica-

From when you were born I knew you were going to be like him. I had hoped that you would be normal for a while. That shred of hope is the only reason I raised you in a normal setting in a good house. Then you started to do those things like he used to and I knew you were going to be like him. It took a great deal of convincing but your father has agreed to take you in. His address is 15 Spinners End. You should go there as soon as possible and as fast as possible. You can do whatever it takes to get there just don't break any laws or they might bring you back to me.

-Mother

The formality of the note isn't what surprised me, that was always how she addressed me but the fact that she was sending me to live with my father surprised me. I was glad I didn't have to live with her anymore but I wasn't sure if my father was going to be any better than her.

I knew all about these strange things I would do. She was talking about the weird coincidences that would happen when I was around. For instance once when she was really drunk and yelling at me I got upset and suddenly the lamp beside me burst into shards of glass.

She blamed everything that happened on me even though I swore I didn't do it. She would always assume I had done it even though I didn't know how I had done it, if I had even done it.

I knew I should find my father's house on Spinners End since I was going to be living with him now. I was excited to finally meet him and escape my mother but some doubts clouded my mind. What if he didn't like me, I mean he had never even met me. Or what if this was all just a big mistake and he sent me to live out here in the woods until I could support myself?

I had so many questions to ask him. The most important one being why he had left me with my mother in the first place. If she was so bad that he left her why didn't he take me with him? I wondered if he left her because he didn't want me. If that was the case why was he letting me stay with him now? I also wanted to know how I could do these strange things. My mother had always said that he could do them too so he could probably explain how I could do them.

My mind was on overload trying to work out all the questions I would ask him. For now I settled with a course of action. I needed to find a way to get to his house. I wasn't sure where Spinners End was so I would need a map or something.

I grabbed my duffle bag and took out a cracker and popped it in my mouth to propel me on my journey. I slung the duffle bag over my shoulder and started off towards my father's house.