Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, nor the movie. Nothing in this story happened in either the movie or in real life. That's why it's called 'Fiction'.

"You have one last chance...Do you confess?"

"No, I am not a witch"

"Confess! Are you a witch!"

"No! I am nothing close to!"

"Then, you shall...BURN!"
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!". Anne Hastings woke in a cold sweat, her hair matted to her back, and her body shaking slightly. She had had this dream before. For months now she's had visions of things past. A girl being burned. A reverend with a Bible. Crowds of people standing around. She never understood what all of it meant. In other cases, she'd had dreams where a man and the girl that was burned alive were in a feild, near a house, laughing and frolecking, like nothing in the world mattered. Anne never bothered to tell her mother about her dreams, since her mother was already going through enough.

Anne tried to sleep again, but nothing came to her. She wished she could find out why she was having these weird dreams. Did she and the girl have something in common? Why did they think she was a witch? Why did they burn her? What did she do? She'll try to find some answers tomorrow.

The next day

Anne walked to school, the cold fall winds blowing against her. Her mother would have taken her to school, if Anne hadn't refused. Anne's mother was sick as it is, Anne was about to let her go outside where her condition could get worse. She got to school, everyone in uniforn just like she was. She could live in the dorms if she wanted, but who would take care of her mother?

Anne had arrived early, so she could go to the library to study for her Chemistry exam. Fall exams were important to Anne just like every other exam, but this could help her get a scholarship to Princeton, the school her mother and father had attended. Anne past all the usual school people, teachers and students, but none of them noticed her, not many people did. Anne wasn't the noticeable type. She looked so..plain. With her long, stringy black hair that was kept in a bun and her plain oridnary blue-grey eyes that were trapped behind wrie-rimmed spectacals, what boy, or girl even, would stop to look? Her body wasn't much either. She was slim and slender, but nothing worth being in a magazine or movie. Anne just called herself "healthy".

She reached the library, where few students were, and reached for the encyclopedias. She looked for a one marked 'S', and sat at a nearby table. While looking for a chemical, she discovered a picture of a girl being burned. Just like in her dream. The section was called 'Salem Witch Trials: 1692-1693'. Anne skimmed through the page, and then found a list of names. Only one person was burned. A woman named Sarah Leanne Hastings...

During class, Anne thought of this Sarah Hastings. Why did she have the same name as Anne? Who was she? Was she realted to Anne, or was it a coincedence?.

"Miss Hastings!" Professor Durvance called, "yes?" Anne snapped to reality, "can you recite the test rules?". Anne coughed and then said, "No talking, no passing notes, and eyes on your own paper?" Anne said, but as more of a question than an answer. "Thank you. See now-" Anne didn't catch the rest of the pre-test lecutre, because her mind went right back into 'la-la-land' mode.

She felt someone watching her, but she felt too scared to see who. She then heard laughing and giggling. She new it was Kira and her gang of girls making fun of Anne again. As you can tell, Anne isn't the popular sort. Never was, never has been. She didn't even have any friends, just people she met or knew because of evasdropping or because everyone else did.

"You may begin!" Professor Durvance called, and Anne started without even thinking.

After school, Anne had to attend her school council meeting. She was Treasury, but she didn't like it. It was so dull...important...But still dull. All they talked about was 'we need this' and 'we need that'. They always talked about school functions, and other 'school-like' stuff, but Anne was bored of it. She arrived at the small room near the library, where the Council heald their meetings. There, as always, was President, Kira Snider at the head of the long table. Next to her was Vice President Kate Tunney, a pretty, dark-skinned, girl with black hair, with her boyfriend's friend, Caleb Danvers.

"Hello Anne" Caleb said kindly. Caleb was nice to everyone, that's why he was loved so much. Anne merely muttered "hello" to them all, and sat down on Kira's right side. "You're late Anne" Kira said, "sorry" Anne said, "I was held up". She sat at the table and just listened, "anyway, we need to start planning this year's Fall Festival. I'm gonna decorate, so who's gonna cater?", Kate raised her hand and said "I will. My dad can help" she said, "okay...Caleb, you're gonna make the invites?" Kira asked, Caleb nodded, "already started" he added. "And Anne...well...There really isn't much you could do, is there?...Well, you can just help me" Kira smiled, treating her like a child. Anne just nodded, "are we done?" Anne asked, "no..we still have to talk about the Math Club-" she began talking, but Anne just slipped into her own world again. She did this often, not caring if people noticed.

An hour or so later, she and the rest of the group walked out of the room, Caleb reaching up to her. Caleb, Anne admitted, was very handsome. He was tall, lean, and muscular, and not to mention he was sweet as any boy was, but Anne just wasn't interested.

"Hey Anne," he said catching up to her, "hi" Anne said looking at him, "listen, I'm not sure anyone told you, but there's gonna be a party at the clearing in the woods-" he said as Anne just listened, "are you going?" he asked. "No. I have stuff to take care of..." she said not looking up at him, "oh, well, if you change your mind, your welcome to come. Everyone's gonna be there", "I'm sure I won't change my mind, but thanks for telling me" Anne said and walked away, all Caleb said after her was "bye Anne".

Anne walked back home, and went straight to her mother's room. Her mother, Claire Hastings, was very sick with cancer, and it weakened her. She's in the final stages, and the doctor offered to get her a room in the hospital, but Anne wanted her at home. She was all Anner had left. Her father and mother divorced when she was 7-years-old, and she hasn't seen him since. All she gets is a present and card every birthday and christmas. He sends her letters once in a while, to show her how much he cares, but Anne thought 'if he loved me so much, why did he leave?'

"Hello mother, how are you?", it was a dumb question, but Anne was always polite to her mother.

Her mother did nothing but give Anne a weak smile and touch her hand. Her mother had once been beautiful and had a nice glow to herself, but now she was pale, and dull. Anne kissed her mother's forehead and gave her a dose of her medicine. She then thought about the party Caleb told her about, and wished she could go, but what would she do. No one really hung out with her, since she was labeled 'the boring and ugly outsider'.

"Mother? A boy at school told me about a party, he asked if I was going, but I told him I had to take care of things. Is it okay if I go? I don't wanna leave you alone" she regretfully asked her mother, when he mother didn't speak, Anne knew what the answer was and was heading towards the door. "You may go.." her mother said weakly, sounding old and fragile, "..but be home...around 1:00". Anne smiled, "okay, I'm going to get ready" Anne said and raced to her room.

This would be a pleasant night after all...