Anna

Anna K. Revere had known she could see the ghosts of the dead since her mother died in 1773. Her father, Paul Revere, had soonly remarried to a woman who was virtually a witch. She was mean, cruel, and mistreated Anna and her siblings. She only liked her own children. One day after her stepmother had beaten her senseless, Anna's mother appeared to her in a gown of white. "My dearest daughter," she sobbed, "How I love thou! You must in truth carry my legacy, as a whisperer of ghosts, a daughter of seers." Anna's beautiful blue eyes began to flow. "Oh, my sweet mother, how I miss you! I will carry forth your legacy, I swear unto you!"

One year later, Anna K. Revere was seventeen, of a marriageable age. "You are beautiful, my daughter," said Paul Revere. Anna knew it was true, but also knew it was not ladylike to admit that. She had long, flowing brown locks that gleaned in the sunlight like polished bronze. Her eyes were a blue bright and beautiful like sapphires, but as intense yet cold and pure as hell frozen over. Her body was slim yet still possessing of womanly curves. "My lovely daughter, you must soon be married." Anna began to cry, something unusual in the ladylike lady. "But I do not wish to be wed!" Paul shook his head. "I apologize, my daughter, but it must be done. It is quite a misfortune that a creature beautiful as you must be tamed, but it must be so. If I were to possess the power of God, I would keep you with me in my house forever." Crying, Anna ran back inside.

When Anna was running inside, she was met by her cruel stepmother, Rachel Walker. Rachel punched Anna in the mouth. "You stupid idiot!" Rachel shrieked. Anna yelled back, "I cannot be tamed! I cannot be blamed! I am just a woman in a man's world!" Rachel rolled her ugly eyes. "Foolish ignoramus. I am a woman in a man's world, just as you are, and I am married well and happy." Anna took a deep breath, her body shaking with the effort it took her to conceal her great, powerful rage. "No. You are a cruel, heartless wench who abuses her stepchildren in a manner that, if my father - your husband - knew of, he would take you to the back behind our home and shoot you with his musket." When she spoke, something flashed in Anna's eyes. Something... hard. Not evil, but hard. Rachel knew that she had to leave her husband's favorite daughter be... At least for now, she thought bitterly.

The next day, after Anna had finished her needlepoint (which was a lovely embroidery of her initials on a field of pink and rose with patterns of lions and eagles upon it), she was in her room reading the Bible. "God has saved and liberated so many people," she said, tracing her fingers along the thin pages. "I hope that he shall liberate me." Gently, she closed the Bible and placed it gently by her bedside. I want to serve Him. My country. My family. It wasn't that Anna was opposed to the idea of being a wife, having children. She just wanted... more than that. To do something remarkable. A woman in a man's world, she thought, stress tearing at her very soul. But I must be an extraordinary one. I will be an extraordinary one.