Book 1: A Ghostly Tale: Spellbound

Chapter 2: Welcome to Whipstaff

As Kat walked down the front stairs of Friendship High School (the most unfriendly place on earth) gripping a purple back pack strap over one shoulder she sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Just nine more months, Kat. You can do it." She said quietly to herself. She walked to her father's old jalopy and unlocked the front door. She slumped in the leather seat and sighed as she slapped her hands on the wheel of the car. She groaned and cursed out loud. She started the car and turned the key, urging the car to start.

"Come on, Betty," She said "You've been running us across the country for years, one trip to the store cannot be the death of you." She said. Finally Betty's engine started and Kat wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.

Drop. Drip. Drop. Little beads of water splattered on the windshield one by one and Kat smirked.

"Of course, as if the day couldn't get any more gloomy." She said shaking her head. "Dad needs new razor blades, Casper needs eggs and butter, Stretch needs a jar of vaseline..." She counted on her fingers. "Maybe that last one isn't such a good idea." She said frowning.

She drove along the streets of Friendship, Maine as large grey clouds began to surface in the sky. She turned on the windshield wipers as the rain began to fall harder and harder. She pulled into a broken and rotted parking lot of Greg's, the local supermarket that literally had everything from cheetos to garden hoses. Kat ran through the lot and into the cold familiar, florescent lit store. It smelled like dryer sheets and milk; an odd but surprisingly comforting combo for Kat. She grabbed the nearest cart without lowering her sweatshirt hood. Razor blades? Check. Eggs? Check. Butter? Check. Jar of vaseline? Kat sighed. Check. She circled into the nearest cashier lane and picked out a coke bottle from the fridge next to the magazines. She picked up a magazine with Nicole Kidman on the front, flaunting a tight, red dress.

"I'm sorry I don't know why it's not working," A shy, but young voice interrupted Kat's reading. She looked up from the magazine and saw a thin framed girl standing at the cashier, frantically trying to get her card to work. She was wearing a large, army-green coat, muddy leggings, and stained black boots. She looked rugged, her face was thin and her pale, light blonde hair was pulled into a large bun.

"Look, can you just move along, we got other customers to check out." An irritated older woman said looking at Kat.

"Please just one more swipe," She pleading. "It'll work." She said.

Kat looked at her items: wipes, a bottle of water, a tooth brush and a candy bar. Couldn't have been that much. She felt in her pocket for her father's credit card.

"It didn't, hon. Move along." The woman said. The girl wiped her face, and adjusted her coat walking away solemnly.

"Wait," Kat said. The girl turned around to reveal a gaunt, smooth, pale face and two large blue eyes met hers.

Kat awkwardly waved her hand and added her items to the conveyer belt.

"Thank you," She said, relief spreading across her face. "Thank you."

"$21.45," The cashier grunted. Kat smiled, swiped the card and stole a few quick glances at the mysterious stranger. She gathered the plastic sacks and handed the girl her odd stash.

"I'm Kat," She said holding out her hand. The girl looked at it for a moment, and smiled shyly.

"Lucy." She shook Kat's hand. With that she nodded and pulled the collar of her coat up towards her ears and walked out into the rain. Kat frowned and ran after her.

"Hey," She said pulling her hood up. Lucy turned around hands in her pockets. "Do you need a ride or something?" She asked looking up at the grey sky.