Book 1: A Ghostly Tale: Spellbound

Chapter 3: Bad First Everything

"I won't have you filling her head with these stories!" A tall, thin woman angrily threw a bunch of clothes into an old suitcase.

"You mean her heritage! I won't stand for you to take her away from everything she's ever known!" A much older woman said sternly. She had long white hair in a braid, hidden beneath thick-beaded necklaces and shawls. "She can't just leave all of it behind, Blare." The woman's voice softened.

"This isn't the life I wanted for Lucille." Blare said, fighting back tears. "I won't let her get caught up in this shit. Not after what happened." Blare pushed her hair back.

"It was his time, Blare. You know that," The old woman said. "Besides, Little Moon is gifted, she's special."

"For god's sake don't call her that!" Blare spat. "Lucille. That's the name Greg and I picked out for her. Not your weird voodoo madness. Lucille." She picked up a stack of children clothes.

"You can't hide this from her forever," the woman said folding her hands. "What will you do when the summer solstice comes?"

"We'll manage, Cora. We'll move across the country to a fucking farm house in the country if it'll keep her safe." Blare slammed the lid of the suitcase and started on a smaller bag.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Lucy sat listening at the door, her knees folded to her chest. She clutched her old teddy bear as silent tears streamed down her soft face.

"You can't keep her in the dark forever," the old woman said again.

"Watch me." Blare swept up her luggage. "I'm done, Cora. Greg's gone, and it's my fault for being so blind. I appreciate everything you'v done for Lucille and I, but I'm done. Don't follow us, and don't come looking for us, either."

The old woman sighed softly. "Here,"she said. "Take this." The woman took off a white beaded necklace with a charm on the end from around her neck and held it out. "It's a protection charm."

"I'm not taking some cursed old relic. Get it away from me." She began backing up.

"You're not the only one who lost Greg, you know." Blare scoffed and threw a t-shirt down on the bed with great force. Pausing, she closed her eyes.

"I'm well aware. But he was a my husband, Cora."  She said, a little softer.

"He was my son. My flesh and blood." Blare didn't move. Cora bowed her head and sighed. "One day," the old woman said pointing. "One day you'll understand. And one day you'll come back, Blare. Little Moon is powerful, I can feel it." She clutched at her shawls. "One day you'll be wishing you'd never left." Tears glittered in her eyes, but Blare just scoffed, her temperament rising again.

"When hell freezes over." She hoisted up her bags and stormed past her mother to fling the door open.

Lucy woke with a panic, her boney hands clutching the amulet that lay on her sweaty chest. She had had that dream again. Each night it grew more vivid. She breathed heavily and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. She looked down at the amulet and sighed.

"I know, Ona," she said quietly. "I'm trying."

She looked at her shut door. She considered her sweaty palms, and decided to find a bathroom to wash. She began creeping to the door, wincing when the floorboards beneath her squeaked. She opened her door and looked around, still holding onto the amulet for dear life. An opened door down the hall revealed a sink and mirror. Perhaps a hot bath would help her wind down a bit. She slowly closed her door, trying not to be heard, worrying she's wake someone, or something, that she shouldn't.