Olivia knew she wasn't going to be taken. She was a year too old, so she was safe. Anne wasn't, though. She was too young. By exactly a day. Tomorrow-if she was still here- Olivia's younger sister would celebrate another birthday with her family. Despite being a day too young, Anne muddied up her face and messed up her hair. She played in the mud and poked people with sticks. She was afraid of being taken. But there was hope, right? If Agatha and Sophie got back she could too, right? No. Agatha and Sophie hadn't been seen since last year, when Agatha appeared with some boy. Then left. Again. So no, there probably was no hope of Anne returning if she was to be taken. Olivia told her otherwise that night, though.
"If you get taken, against all odds, I promise I will find you. I'll grab the shadow and make him take me with you. And I promise, we'll find our way back, as long as we're together. I'll go through the woods, if I have to."
Anne just shrugged. "Libby is probably going to get taken for Good. I don't think I have anything to worry about."
Olivia stayed silent, following the rule, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it. But even though she didn't utter a word, she still thought about it. No way was Libby going to be taken. She seemed Good enough, but she was going anywhere for one simple reason: she wanted to go to the School for Good and Evil. Anne didn't.
Libby was Beth's younger sister and was definitely well brought up, but ever since Sophie and Agatha's return she had danced around in pink glass high heels like Sophie and wore pink dresses and spent her days doing good deeds and trying to impress the School Master. But to Anne it just came naturally. She didn't have to sing, or wear pink heels and dresses. She wasn't doing anything to impress the School Master. Everything she did, she did because she wanted to do it.
After a while, Anne's eyelids drooped and she slumped against the wall, her long blond hair already frizzy in the back. Olivia didn't know how she managed to sleep. But eventually she too became so exhausted that she had to rest.
Olivia and Anne both woke to singing. Libby. Olivia pulled back the curtains and looked out the window. Sure enough, Libby was singing….in a shadow's arms. The villagers were trying to make a ring around the village to trap the shadow and Libby. But the shadow wasn't done yet. It-whatever it was-stopped at the badly-behaved Hunter's house and walked out with Libby and the boy in it's hands.
Phew! They were safe! The shadow left, and Olivia knew that despite the villagers' attempts, Libby and Hunter would be taken. But not Anne. Not her younger sister.
Anne looked relieved. "I told you it would be Libby." Then she went back to sleep.
In the morning, Olivia got up extra early and made a cake with the richest chocolate she could find and stuck in all the candles, lighting them one by one. She was giddy with excitement. She skipped upstairs and woke Anne up with a huge grin on her face. Anne at first was annoyed at being woken up, then her annoyance turned into surprise. "Oh, Olivia! You shouldn't have!"
"What are you talking about? It's your birthday!"
Anne laughed. "Just don't sing. It's embarrassing."
They spent the whole day dancing, playing, singing and laughing. The two girls went to bed with bright smiles and full tummies. "I'm so happy we're all safe," Olivia whispers.
"Me too."
They both drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Olivia woke, startled to a tapping at the window. She slowly pulled the curtains back with trembling fingers. There, impossibly, was the shadow. No eyes, no mouth, yet somehow Olivia could tell it was smiling.
She jumped back and forgot to close the curtains. "Anne!" she whispered urgently. "Anne, get up! It's the-" CREAK!
The window was open. Anne jerked awake. "What's wro-" and black hand covered her mouth and muffled her scream.
"Anne!" Olivia slung her arm over the shadow's shoulder and it lunged towards the window...with both girls.
Olivia was very light and the shadow hadn't seemed to notice her yet. She'd just have to hope it lasted.
The shadow crawled into another house through another window and grabbed yet another child- Gracelinda. For Evil, no doubt. Olivia frantically showed her to stay quiet about her presence but realized the stupid girl was still asleep. Thank the heavens.
That night, three girls from Gavaldon were kidnapped by a shadow and carried through the woods.