Alice In Salem by Carlisle S. Lewis
What would happen if Alice fell 'asleep' and woke up as 'Alyce Hodge' in Salem M.A. 326 years back in time? *Insert Dramatic Music* Find out in AISCSL!
Chapter One:
That's What You Get For Waking Up In Salem!
I had four favourite things in the world. No, wait, five. Hunting, Shopping, Playing Bella Barbie, Messing with Edward, and my husband, Jasper. And shoes. And ribbon. Oh! And pink, I adore pink! But that all changed rapidly, very rapidly indeed…
Edward and Bella had just come into the Living (wink) Room with a fully grown Reneesme. It was her birthday, September 11th 2016, and she was turning seven. Jacob was bouncing off the walls. As time had gone by, I had gotten used to the blurry visions, but about a year ago, they had stopped being burry, except around Jacob and the Wolves. I had had a vision of Nessie putting on a wedding ring and hugging the blur that was Jake. He may be a stinky wolf, but I have to say, the mutt has taste.
We had a minutes silence for all those hurt and killed in the World Trade Centre Disaster, as it was the fifteenth anniversary of the tragedy, before Nessie blew out the candles. Bella, Esme, Rose and I made the face that signals we'd be crying if we could, and Emmett had invested in fake tears this year, which he was pouring down his face at a rate of knots. Jacob rushed across the room to Reneesme's side and got down on one knee. Both Edward and I froze at that moment, and everything went as black as my husband's eyes on an 'off' day…
I sat up, the rising sun reflecting its blinding light from the Beer-house windows into my eyes. I got out of my straw bed, my nightgown hitting the cold wooden floor. Crossing to my window, I looked out on the snowy town of Salem, Massachusetts. Today was January 1st, the first day in the year of Our Lord, Sixteen Hundred and Ninety. I heard my father, Samuel Hodge, down the hall trying in futility to wake my brothers, Sam and Robert, and I ran to my clothes chest to fetch my dress before he gave up.
Luckily, my father knocked just after I had pulled my dress over my head. "Morning, Sunshine!" he called as he crossed the room to help me with the buttons on the back of my dress. "Good morning, Father. Could you help me with my hair please?" I asked sweetly. My long black stuck out from the blonde and brown hair of my family, and at the moment it stuck out on end. "Of course Alyce, but aren't you a bit too old for this?" he queried as he took my brush from my table. I just shook my head and sat down. Father smoothly ran the brush through my tresses, but then, he had practise. {454}
My mother had died giving birth to me. I was a month older than I was supposed to be, and the doctor here said that Mamma had died of shock from having such a beauty of a daughter. As soon as I learned that, I tried to make myself as ugly as possible, blaming my petite charming looks for Mamma's death. Father had stopped me by saying that I wouldn't be allowed work in his store if I kept it up. I had dug up my hairbrush immediately.
Father owned the General Store in Salem. We lived in the three rooms above it, using one of the two backrooms as our kitchen/living room. Sam and Robert worked in the Store full time, and shared a room upstairs, while Father and I got a room each. We were some of the best off people here, as everyone had to come here to buy essential items like soap, herbs, matches and tobacco, stuff like that. Next door to us was the Butchers, with the Bakers on the other side, and opposite us was the Beer-house and Sheriff's Office. To its left was the Courthouse, just new built after a fire had torn it down the year before. {659}
Behind the Beer-house was a group of houses, one of them belonging to the Family of my best friend, Jenny Ellwell. She and my other best friend, Edward Mason, were in my class at school, which was behind the Sheriff's Office. We were the three best students in our class of 42. Father says that we were born into a Baby Boom, and that's why our class is so big. I don't know what a boom is, but it sounds big… And I have no clue what it has to do with babies, but if Father says it, then I'll believe it.
"Now, Alyce. Go down and start breakfast. Hopefully that'll wake the Bed Bugs…" winked my father, referring to my brothers by the nickname we had made up behind their backs almost seven years ago. I skipped down the stairs, happy that it was a new year, and that it was only four score less 3 days to my birthday. (That means her birthday is March 18th, for those who don't know) This year I would turn 16 and be able to apply to teach in the Salem School for Scholars with Mrs O'Leary. {842}
Mrs O'Leary was the only female homeowner in Salem other than the Carmelite Nuns. But Father Peterson had bought it in his name for them, so it didn't really count. She was a widow with two children to support, Ciara and Ruadhán, but she was happy. Mrs Ellwell called her a free spirit, with her fiery red hair, crystal blue eyes and a thick Irish accent, even after living 20 years in England's America. She was my favourite teacher, as she was kind, chatty, and gave each student a sugar cube on their birthday.
After breakfast, I asked Father if I could go to Jenny's house to play. He looked at me, his smoky grey eyes glistening behind his glasses before nodding. I jumped up and put on my cloak, gloves and bonnet, kissing Father on the way out. I hopped, skipped and jumped down Main Street to the Stonemason's shop. Edward answered the door, already clad in a hat, gloves and scarf. We ran across the snow-filled road, skipped past the town square and went down School Lane behind the Beer-house. {1024}
Twelve paces after the gates to school, we turned left into Green Place, the Cul-de-sac where Jenny lived, right next door to our favourite teacher. Edward knocked on the door, and Mrs Ellwell answered. "Hello, you two! Jenny is in her room, trying to locate her bonnet. Come in while you wait! I was just about to take some bread from the oven!" she ushered us into the hall. Mr and Mrs Ellwell were some of the only adults who treated us as adults, and it was one of the reasons I loved them so much.
Mr Ellwell entered the hall with his pipe, looking confused. "Hullo Edward, Alyce. Did either of you happen to spy my reading spectacles, perhaps?" he asked in his gruff but kind voice. I just tapped the top of my bonnet. Reaching up, he found them tangled in his brown curly hair. "Ah! Thank you, Alyce. As you were." He then went back into the living room, leaving me and Edward to stand in the hall alone. Edward was a full head taller than me, with soft bronze hair and sea green eyes. He would become a man in less than four weeks, and both Jenny and I had spent the last several weeks in the carpenters and stables, trying to get the materials for our present. One more day of collecting horse hair and we would have the seven paintbrushes ready. {1261}
Mr Mason had always thought that he would have a family with three boys and one girl. The opposite happened, and Edward was the only boy to inherit the family business. Unfortunately, Edward did not want to be a stonemason, but an artist, living in Boston and painting landscapes all day. I had seen some of his creations in school, and this boy had talent. Jenny and I had decided to go with what made him happy, and thus came the idea of the paint set.
Finally, Jenny rushed out of her room, her blonde curls billowing out from her bonnet and constricting her vision. I swept her hair from her sweet face, and linked arms with her. We headed out the door, but Mrs Ellwell stopped us, giving us each a hug and a warm slice of bread. We munched them quickly and quietly, before returning to the snow. Edward looked back in the window and nodded. As quickly as possible, we crept down the gap between Jenny's house and Mrs O'Leary's, and we were in The Green.
{1440}
Well! That's one chapter all typed up! It took me two days to (sporadically) write this, and then almost three hours to type it up! Thanks to SJP for going on 'Who do you think you are? U.S.A!' to give me the idea of 'Witch or Witch HUNTER?'
I have a little less than a quarter of chapter 2 written, most of it planned, and I have a general story line, which will make this story stretch to almost thirty chapters long! Yay!
I want reviews though. It takes a lot of time and effort to write and type this; especially since I promised a bff that I would have long paragraphs and long chapters… That Bff also gave me some vital information for the story too, so thanks Amy!
Who wants a chapter two? If you do, click the button VVVV down there and review! Or even just Fav!
S'laters, Losers! (it means 'I love you' in Brandon-ese)
Hannah Brandon 1234321, her Fang, her Hem and most importantly, Grommit.