It was just another winter day on the streets of New York. My sisters and I stood in front of the City Bank, holding pamphlets for the New Salem Philanthropic Society. Ma was standing on the steps, speaking to the crowd that had gathered on the sidewalk.

"...this great city sparkles with the jewels of man's invention! Movie theaters, automobiles, the wireless, electric lights—all dazzle and bewitch us! But where there is light there is shadow, friend. Something is stalking our city, wreaking destruction and then disappearing without a trace."

I stared at the ground as I slowly handed out the NSPS pamphlets. I had never really agreed with her hateful meetings, but I knew she was right this time.

I was becoming more nervous by the day. The whole thing was already embarrassing, and now I had to be careful she didn't notice anything unusual about me.

"We have to fight—join us, the Second Salemers, in our fight!" As I looked around at the crowd, someone trying to get to the bank tripped over what looked like a brown case.

"I'm so sorry—my case—" A man with an English accent helped him up.

"No harm done—" he was saying. "Excuse me!" He made his way through the crowd and rushed up the steps into the bank.

Ma took this opportunity to single out the man with the accent.

"You, friend! What drew you to our meeting today?"

He seemed very uncomfortable. "Oh… I was just—passing…"

"Are you a seeker? A seeker after truth?"

"I'm more of a chaser, really."

Ma continued, "Hear my words and heed my warning… and laugh if you dare: Witches live among us!"

I felt uncomfortable at her words, so I focused on working my way through the crowd with the pamphlets. I really didn't want them to listen to her, but I had no choice.

"We have to fight together for the sake of our children—for the sake of tomorrow!" Ironically, she was trying to protect me…

She focused on the English man again. "What do you say to that, friend?"

Instead of answering, he started to push through the crowd towards the bank. "Excuse me." He hurried up the steps without another word.

Ma paused, confused at why the man suddenly left. After a moment, she continued speaking to the crowd. "Witches live among us."

I couldn't let her know. Guilt came over me as I remembered all the damage I had caused the night before. I had turned an entire building into a mound of bricks. All down the street, I had caused only destruction.

I could still feel the forceful anger, but now guilt overwhelmed it. I had never meant to harm those people, and only Graves seemed to understand.

Lost in thought, I was startled when an alarm sounded from inside the bank. I looked up at Ma. She motioned for me to carry the Second Salemers banner back to the church.

I handed my pamphlets to Chastity as I picked up the banner. As we walked down the sidewalk, I glanced over my shoulder. The police were rushing into the bank.

Not paying attention to where I was going, I almost tripped as I accidentally walked into a man in a suit. I recognized his face—it was Senator Shaw.

"Watch it, boy." He glared at me as I passed him. I could tell he thought I was strange, so I kept my head down and walked faster.

We eventually reached the front doors of the Second Salem Church, the rickety wooden building we lived in but could never really call home. Modesty went upstairs to play almost as soon as we were inside. She was often bored at the meetings.

I set down the banner, my shoulder sore from carrying it. Chastity followed Ma into the kitchen, leaving me alone in the main room.

I could hear Modesty chanting a song as it echoed through the church. "My momma, your momma, gonna catch a witch. My momma, your momma, flying on a switch. My momma, your momma, witches never cry. My momma, your momma, witches gonna die!"

How much longer would I be able to live like this? Ma already had a feeling I was hiding something. My meetings with Graves were the only things that kept me going. He really believed in me. The last time I saw him, he told me that I could be part of the wizarding world. That was all I really wanted.

I walked over to the table covered in stacks of pamphlets. The huge banner of a wand being broken always made me uneasy, but it also made me think. If I helped Graves, I would have the chance of becoming a wizard. I could get my own wand, and I might finally be accepted. On the other hand, he might reject me because of my strange power… or was it a curse?

Looking up, I noticed a pigeon sitting on one of the church's windows. I clapped, scaring it away. Watching it made me want to fly away, too. It seemed so easy, but if I let that happen, I would be exposed with nowhere to go.

The sound of the dinner bell rung through the church. I stared out the door as a group of kids rushed in. There always seemed to be more each time.

Modesty continued her game as the children came into the main room all at once. She was still chanting, "...Witch number three, gonna watch her burn. Witch number four, flogging take a turn." No matter how much I tried to conceal it, my heart always skipped a few beats when she sang that song. Sometimes I wished I could just tell her...

I focused on helping serve the brown soup to the kids. They were all trying to get to the front of the line. Ma reminded them, "Collect your leaflets before you get food, children." She always seemed to find a way to get the word out about the NSPS, and I always hoped no one would really listen to her. Still, I guess I was considered part of the Second Salemers.

I had already ladled out the soup to several children when one boy stopped in front of Ma. He had a dark spot on the side of his head.

"Is it a witch's mark, ma'am?" he asked her.

"No. He's okay." Ma reassured him, but I wasn't so sure she believed he was fine. I watched as he took a bowl and sat down to eat it.