-1It was dark. And the ground beneath her feet was hard and cold. She couldn't see anything, but she could smell. The scent of rot and danger made her nauseous. And scared. She was very scared.
Behind her, a twig snapped, as if someone had stepped on it accidentally. She whipped around, trying to find who had made the sound. But she couldn't see. There was a rustling of leaves, and a sigh from behind her. She felt a warm breath on her neck.
With a sharp cry, she took off, running as fast as she could. Her legs burning, breath sawing in and out of her lungs, body tense and sticky with sweat, she ran… and ran… and ran-
She tripped over a stone slab, bruising her knees and dirtying her nightgown as she hit the ground. She turned to see what had gotten in her way. A tombstone. All she could make out was the last name: BLAKE.
Gasping, she scrambled to her feet. Someone was calling her name. She heard it distantly and it echoed through the cemetery. Cold hands latched on to her shoulder's and she screamed.
The hands turned her and she found herself looking into a mirror image of herself, only… different. The girl's face was hard and unyielding, the soft ivory skin smudged with dirt. Her blue eyes, as light as the summer sky, were knowing and sad and stubborn and angry all at the same time. There was a rebellious curve about her lips. And beneath bruises, cuts and scars, her body was muscular, strong.
The girl's hands gripped tighter at her shoulders. Someone was still screaming her name. It became louder, as if the person were only a few feet away.
"Help me," the girl said urgently. Her grasp became painful. "Please. We're in danger. You need to-"
"Cassie!!!"
Cassie Blake shot straight up from her bed and into her mother's arms. She shook from head to toe.
"Were you having the dream again?" her mother asked worriedly.
Cassie choked back on a sob and nodded. Remembering her dream, she looked up into Ms. Blake's face.
"I saw her. I saw who it was," Cassie exclaimed. "But… it was me… only not… She said she needed help. We were in danger. She… Mom?"
Her mother had tensed suddenly, looking frightened and guilt-ridden.
"Mom?" Cassie prodded. "What's wrong?"
Alexandra sighed tiredly, resigning herself to the inevitable. "Cassie," she said gently," I think you should sit down." She guided the shaken teenager to the bed. "There's something I've never told you, honey. And this is going to be hard for you to hear, but…"
"What? What is it?" Cassie demanded.
"I…" Mrs. Blake looked down at her hands. "Cassie, you have a sister."
"Wh-wha-what?!"
"Yes. A twin sister named Ashleigh. You were five when I sent her to an orphanage in New York."
"How come I don't remember her?"
"Because I used magick to wipe her from your memory." When Cassie opened her mouth angrily, she added hastily, "She found out about everything- your f-father, magick, New Salem… I couldn't let her tell you. I couldn't live through it again. I had to send her away; to keep you safe. Please, honey, you must understand. It was for your s-"
"How could you?!" Cassie bellowed. "I had a sister and you chucked her out onto the streets because she knew about us being witches?!"
"I… yes…" Alexandra stared wide-eyed at her daughter, astonished at her outburst. "But now you know…"
"Yes, I do now! And who knows what happened to her!"
"I'm sorry-"
"If you were really sorry, you'd find her and bring her home!" Cassie finished, chest heaving.
Without waiting for her mother to answer, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the house. She'd stay at Diana's tonight.
"Thanks for being here tonight, guys," Cassie said quietly, running her hands up and down her thighs nervously.
Diana smiled kindly and sat down on the couch next to Cassie. "It's nothing, Cassie. We wanted to be here for you when you met your sister. When is she supposed to be here?"
"Eight O'clock. She's late." Cassie glanced at the grandfather clock yet again. It was ten after eight.
"She'll be here," Adam, her boyfriend, assured. "I still can't believe you have a twin."
From where she stood at the window, Mrs. Blake announced, "She's here. That's the cab." Her voice was hoarse and the hand parting the lace curtain shook terribly. This was hard for her. "I'll get the door."
The cab driver didn't open her door. Didn't offer to help her carry her bag. Didn't even look her way. It was surprising. She had encountered this so many times before. People had no time for a person of the streets.
Ashleigh grabbed her canvas bag and strapped her guitar on her back. She pulled a crumpled wad of cash out of her ripped-up jeans to pay the cabbie. He grunted and took the money with a look of disdain, like he had a disgusting smell beneath his nose. Running a hand through her wavy brown hair, she turned to Number 12 Crowhaven Road.
Feeling self-conscious, she tried to brush the grime off of her burgundy muscle shirt, proving to be a useless task. In front of her, the door to the house opened.
Her mother smiled waveringly and gestured her in. "Ashleigh, I'm so glad you decided to come."
"No, you're not," she replied coolly. "But go on and think that for Cassandra's sake."
Alexandra stopped smiling, looking genuinely hurt, but Ashleigh wasn't going to fall for that.
"May I take your… erm… coat?"
"Sure, Alexandra."
Her mother flinched, but quickly recovered and took the bomber jacket from Ashleigh's outstretched hand.She hung up the coat and ushered Ashleigh into the living room.
"Surprise!" chorused twelve voices.
Ashleigh jumped noticeably and glared around the room. Seven girls, five boys, all about sixteen or seventeen. Her eyes landed on the girl in the center; her twin sister, Cassandra.
A wave of jealousy nearly consumed her. The girl was obviously well taken care of. She had plenty of friends, her eyes wide and innocent, her clothes the latest fashion, her skin clean and glowing. She was perfect.
Ashleigh was the exact opposite. Her clothes were ripped and dirty and baggy. She was skinny, underfed, her skin bruised and almost hollow-looking among the many cuts and scars she had received in the orphanage and on the street. Her shoulder-length hair was tangled and unruly about her suntanned face which was smudged with dirt.
She didn't belong here.
"Hi," Cassandra said shyly. "I'm Cassie."
"Yo." Ashleigh crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall. "So, um, how've you been?" she finished lamely.
"Oh, I've been good. These are my friends." Cassie gestured to the group behind her. "We're a coven."
Ashleigh's eyes narrowed. "I see."
"How about you? How have you been?"
"Oh, I've been great," Ashleigh said conversationally. "I mean, except for my mother sending me to an orphanage and living on the streets since I was twelve… Not having a home or family, and-"
"Ashleigh," her mother pleaded. "Stop it."
"Why should I?" she hissed back. "I think Cassandra should know just exactly what you did to me."
"Ashleigh-"
"No! You know that orphanage you sent me to, Saint Mary's? They kicked me out when I was barely twelve. I would have rather stayed there, abused and starved, than be homeless. I've barely eaten, barely slept. Do you know what it's like having to sleep in an alleyway in New York City?! How many times I've had to fight of sick, horny men in the middle of the night?! And I didn't always win! And it's your fault! I wont ever forget that! Ever! I hate you!"
"Ashleigh!" Cassie cried, tears on her cheeks. "I'm sorry that-"
"Sorry?" she scoffed. "Sorry isn't going to change anything, Cassandra, m'dear."
Alexandra collided with the side of Ashleigh's face. "Don't you dare talk to her like that! You leave Cassie out of this! You were always scum, and you always will be scum-"
Ashleigh's anger got the better of her. She uncrossed her arms and stood straight. With a burst of Power, her mother went flying into the couch, knocking it backwards. Alexandra sat up shakily.
Cassie was in shock. "You- how-?"
Ashleigh shrugged. "One piece of advice, kiddo: don't make me angry. My powers tend to take over and bad things happen."
Everyone gaped at her.
"Don't worry," she said reassuringly, not meaning a word of it. "I'll try to be a good girl." She laughed. "So, where's my room?"