Chapter One

She walked down the misty lane heading uphill in the small town. Her family has disappeared a week ago now, and the idea frightened her. Being only a girl of ten in the world alone left her scared of people. She wished she could dissolve and wait for her family in the shadows she passed. Spying her mother's long dark hair and paler skin with her younger sister's hand gripping hers as she skipped along. Sadness overwhelmed her and she finally stopped to look around her. The houses here have lost their lights and without the moonlight, it would be fairly dark but enough to slightly see. Ahead was a graveyard, one she never knew, but she kept walking up the street alongside the graveyard. A shadow moved beside her and a man stepped into view but walked parallel to her on the sidewalk. The girl moved farther into the street, and the man inched toward her in his pace. When he looked at her, she saw a face like her father's only it was bloody and scarred—the girl took off running with tears down her face to the graveyard.

She pulled on the gate, but the lock was shut tight. With a frustrated cry, she ran around the gate hoping to find another open. The man had stopped following her but his presence still remained in her mind. She didn't want her father to be dead, even if she guessed it to be true she knew she'd be right.

Another gate locked. She cursed the gate under her breath and went to run to find another gate when a face caught her attention. A boy. A boy about her age…in the graveyard? She turned and was certain there was a boy staring at her. She looked around for the man, then asked the boy, "Can you open the gate?" Her voice was fragile and a little pitched from the fright. The boy stood and walked toward her while holding something. She looked to her right and thought she saw a dark hat rising from the mist. "Hurry!" She begged the boy, and rushed through the gate when it was free from the lock. She hid behind the bush with her hand over her mouth to keep from sobbing, and the boy kneeled in front of her. The sound of crunching steps grew closer and then stopped. The girl held herself still, resisting the urge to push farther into the bush and closed her eyes tightly, wishing to be left alone and unseen. The boy stood still as a statue in front of her, studying her.

Finally the footsteps kept walking and soon the sound faded away into the misty night. She breathed deep and slow to calm her heart and looked at the boy. "Thank you. You helped me a great deal this night," raising her hand she announced, "I'm Mag." The boy took her hand and replied, "My name is Bod. Your welcome." She took note his hands were cold but she felt warmth which was relief to her. "Why are you out so late?" The boy asked, curiosity in his eyes shining as bright as the stars.

"I was in search of my family. They have been missing for some time now, and I haven't anywhere else to go." Mag stood and was feeling more comfortable with the boy named Bod. "Why are you sitting in the graveyard so late in the night?"

"I live here." Was all he replied. Mag didn't know what to say—could he be playing a game with her? "You look tired, would you like a drink of water?" Mag nodded. She hadn't eaten or taken a drink of anything for a week and it was wearing on her. She became conscious of her dress, once a pretty white, now darkened gray from the dirt and dust she found herself sleeping in each night. Mag followed the boy deeper into the graveyard to the small abandoned chapel. She felt people around them as they walked, but she found the thought ridiculous—these people were dead. He pushed the door open and stepped into the dark building. There was a candle lit inside and Mag followed Bod. "Have a sit anywhere, I'll be right back." Bod disappeared somewhere into the shadows and Mag sat. It had been a while since she last sat anywhere comfortable beside the ground. While she waited, she fingered the necklace her mother had given her for her recent birthday—a beautiful moon necklace that has been passed through the family women for generations. Because Mag was the oldest, she got the necklace which had upset her younger sister. A lump began to form in her throat—she missed them all so much. The boy Bod returned with a large glass of water and some bread. He sat beside her while she drank and nibbled on the bread.

"What kind of a name is Bod?" Mag asked. She wished she would have left the thought in her mind, but it came out faster than she thought it.

"It's short for Nobody. Nobody Owens is my name." He kept his gaze on her, "What is your full name?"

"I'm sorry, it was rude for me to ask your name like that. My name is Magdalene Summers." Mag yawned, but stopped when something was knocked to the floor in the shadows to their left. "What was that?" She asked, the fear seeping back into her.

"I need to talk with my guardian for a minute, I shall be right back." And Bod was off into the darkness again. Mag was thankful he left the candle with her and she kept nibbling the bread, suddenly losing her hunger. Bod returned with a tall, pale man behind him.

"Hello Miss." The man stood while Bod took his place to sit beside her. "Master Bod tells me you have been in a fright from a man outside the gate." Mag nodded, not knowing what to say. "You should be returning home, I'm certain your parents will be worried about you."

"They're—um.." Mag couldn't bring herself to say the words. Saying her parents were dead would make it official. She still hoped they would be running and screaming her name because they only left for the market late that night and ended at a relative's.

"Yes?" The man asked.

"They're missing. I have been searching for them for a week and I cannot find them." Mag's throat clenched in despair.

"What are their names?

"Mister Louis and Renee Summers."

The man looked at her with sad eyes, although his face was as hard as stone. Mag didn't want to know what he was going to tell her. Her hands had gone cold and she felt the tears welling in her eyes. "I believe your parents are dead, Miss Summers."

Mag didn't realize she had tears until one fell off her chin. Quickly, she wiped the stains from her face and nodded glumly. She knew it was true, but it left her chest heavy with the words said aloud. The man knelt in front of her and held his hand out to her. She took it lightly, without feeling.

"We will need to find a place for you to stay, but for now I guess we can keep you here for the night." He released her hand and patted it on her lap. The man turned to Bod who sat quietly this whole time, "Bod, I'd like you to entertain our guest whilst I fetch Mag here a bed." With that, the strange man left. Bod nodded and placed his hand on Mag's like the man did.

"Silas is really nice; I'm sorry what happened to your parents Mag." Bod inched closer to her. Mag could only nod, she didn't want to talk in fear the tears would come once more. Slowly, Bod stood and gestured Mag come with him and together they left the old chapel and headed further up the hill. Once at the top, Bod sat on the ground and Mag joined him. She looked around and was shocked by how much she could see. The whole town was displayed below them and the lights looked magical from this far up the hill. Stars twinkled overhead as the mist cleared and the moon glowed brighter. Mag smiled weakly, "My sister always loved the moonlight. I miss her the most, even though I did love my mother and father very much." Bod only nodded, not knowing what to really say to comfort her.

The man named Silas came up the hill and informed them it was time to sleep. The three of them walked back to the chapel in quiet, but Mag noticed nodding to something beside him the way back. Mag asked him about it and he replied, "I am bidding my friends goodnight, as the sun will be rising and they are heading to sleep too." Mag nodded, but was a little curious about these friends. Halfway to the chapel, Bod said goodnight to Silas and walked over to a tomb and went inside. Mag was dumbfounded and asked Silas why Bod went in there and not with them. Silas had said Bod lived there and that was his bed. Mag nodded and numbly followed Silas up into the chapel to a room off the main part that had a small candle burning on a table side next to the bed.

"You will sleep here, until we can find a proper place for you Mag. There is water in the pitcher on the dresser and the bathroom is right outside the door. Goodnight." And he was gone. Mag climbed into the bed, which was so soft it seemed to sink her into it. She pulled the covers up around her and fell into sleep quicker than ever before.