October 25–11:13 a.m.
A cool Autumn breeze blew through the patch of ripe orange pumpkins. A stray crisp brown leaf fluttered across the field and swooped over a rickety wooden fence where a black cat sat upright, poised and alert. Its' yellow eyes shone like the large moon overhead that cast an eery glow across the land. The black cat hopped down from the fence gracefully and froze when it heard the muffled sound of a woman crying. The cat ventured forward towards a tall tree that loomed ahead in the darkness. Tied tightly to the tree trunk was a young woman, probably around twenty-five years old. Her eyes were wide and frightened, and dried up tears of desperation stained her pale face. Thin trails of red blood streamed steadily down her cut face. She let out a whimper of fear when she saw the shadowed form of the cat approaching her cautiously. She tried to speak but the white cloth stretched across her mouth prevented any sound from being heard clearly. Her muffled pleas fell empty on the cat's ears as it listened curiously, of course not understanding one word uttered. The woman strained her body against the ropes that held her to the tree, but to no avail. Hope was lost for this witch...Death would be coming for her soon enough.
October 26–Afternoon
"Ah, October in New England..You gotta love it," Phoebe Halliwell enthused happily. She strolled down the semi-crowded street in Salem, Massachusetts along with her two sisters, Piper and Paige.
"It's so cool here! It's like witch central...Halloween all year long!" Paige Matthews said, grinning.
Piper nodded, looking around eagerly. "This is an amazing place. I'm glad your old buddy Janis invited you down here to visit her, Phoebe."
Phoebe stopped to look through a store window that was selling witch books and spell ingredients. "It's too bad she had to leave yesterday. I mean, this was supposed to be a vacation for us and her." Phoebe frowned, thinking of how Janis had gotten a mysterious phone call the day before in the evening. She had grabbed her car keys and jacket and left in a stressful rush. She hadn't even stopped to tell the sisters where she was going. It's not like Janis to act so strangely, Phoebe thought quizzically. She had met Janis in New York where she had lived before moving back to the Manor and becoming a Charmed One. Since then, Phoebe had lost touch with Janis, but a few weeks ago Janis had called to invite Phoebe and her sisters down to Salem, where she currently lived and worked. "I hope she's okay," Phoebe continued, growing more and more concerned by the minute.
"I'm sure she's fine," Paige comforted, "Maybe it was a family emergency or something."
"Yeah, maybe," Phoebe said, still not convinced.
Piper took Phoebe, and then Paige, by the arm and pulled them along down the street.
"Come on guys, Janis is a big girl. She'll be fine, but until she comes back, I say we enjoy this vacation. Have a little fun!" Piper suggested, eyes bright.
Phoebe cocked her head at her older sister and smiled. "I'm all for fun." She looked around at the street and drank in the lively surroundings. Stores lined the street on both sides and people paraded outside of them, some dressed in costumes, others carrying shopping bags full of goodies. Skeleton, goblin, witch, vampire, ghost, and demon memorabilia was everywhere.
Phoebe stopped to pick up a yellow flyer on the ground.
Messages from the Spirit World: Salem's Only Authentic Seance
The Seance: James Liddick, internationally renowned medium and psychic, will go into trance and receive messages from departed loved ones and spirit contacts. You will experience the touch of those you lost. James will offer spoken messages for those who the spirits call most strongly on, but all present will feel the touch of spirit's love.
Phoebe scanned the flyer and showed it to her sisters. "This sounds interesting...Maybe we'll..." Phoebe trailed off, not wanting to say what she was thinking. Maybe Prue or someone we love will contact us.
"I wonder if any of this stuff is even real. I mean, I don't want to be disbelieving after everything we've been through, but it could all be a tourist trap. Who knows if there are any real witches here in Salem?" Piper pondered.
"I dunno...." Phoebe shrugged, reaching into her pocketbook to grab a map of the town. "The witch museum is up here somewhere. We should check it out."
"Sure," Paige nodded in agreement.
"Phoebe..." Piper began but was cut off when Phoebe gasped and stumbled forwards. After a few seconds Phoebe regained her composure and stared at her sisters in shock. She showed Paige and Piper the map that Janis had let her borrow. "When I touched it, I had a premonition–Janis is in trouble. Supernatural trouble."