Chapter 1
ϕVeraϕ

“You’ll like it here Vera, I’m sure of it!” My mother said as I looked up at the old house. The paint was chipping off the doors and the gaudy knockers looked like they were beginning to rust.

“I mean, I know Dad wanted to move, but he’s not even here.” I muttered. I didn’t exactly want to move away from the house I grew up in. My father was stationed overseas so I didn’t quite understand what all the fuss over moving was about.

“He and I both decided that we wanted a change, and besides, this place will have more things for you to do. Its not a lot bigger than our old neighborhood, so it’ll be an easy adjustment.” She smiled. Easy adjustment? We were a full state away from the only place I had ever really known and she said it was going to be easy? Ugh. I didn’t want to be here. I tucked some of my bottle black hair behind my ear and rolled my eyes. “Come on Vera, just give it a chance ok? You only have a couple months left in school and then you can decide if you want to go to college or not.” She said.

“If that’s true then why didn’t we just wait until then?” I followed her in.

“Let’s not fight about this now dear.” Mom sighed. “Go ahead upstairs and pick out your room. You can do anything you want to it, how’s that?” She said. I walked up the creaky stairs and looked around. How long had this place been abandoned? Mom said her and dad got it cheep, and they always had a thing for old stuff. I sneezed as the dust was stirred up and went into one of the rooms. It had a small window, and a decent sized closet. I decided on this one. It had a mirror in it that looked original with gold trim. It was a bit warped though and my freckles were hard to see in the reflection. Maybe I would toss it out, maybe repaint the room. I didn't know yet. The bed looked just as old, and I wasn’t sure about sleeping on the mattress that had been left there. But I sat down on it anyway and lowered my head.

“I guess this is my room now.” I said to myself. I heard the staircase creak and looked over, expecting mom to come in but she didn’t. I guess I would have to get used to how the house settled too. But I smirked a little as I thought about how cool it would be in this place was haunted. I had always been into the supernatural and stuff, but always in secret because I didn’t want to be looked at as a freak or even a witch. Not that I really cared, it was just easier to fit in that way. And I was doing just fine and now I had to start over, alone, and in an unfamiliar place.