"You're it, Donny." six year old Tara Maclay said, tapping her ten year old brother's shoulder playfully.

"Don't touch me, you freak!" He yelled, pushing onto the ground.

"B-But Donny, I thought we were playing tag?"

"I said only if you don't touch me!" He spat.

"You're an icky demon. Yuck."

"No I'm not! I am not a demon." Tara yelled back.

"Yuh huh. Daddy told me so, Tara. You are. And don't try any crap on me, either. I know what your kind can do." Donny said, backing away quickly.

"But we have the s-same momma and daddy." Tara said, confused. "Are you a d-demon t-too?"

"No way! Just you!" He said, disgusted at the fact that she touched his flesh, almost as if she carried a deadly disease on her fingertips. He walked away from her and out of her sight.Tara stood at the base of the staircase, looking down at her small, delicate hands.

"But I can't be a bad girl. I d-didn't do nothing."

"Tara baby, come here a second." Tara loved the sound of her mother's voice. Like an angel sent down from Heaven.

"Momma?" Tara asked, coming closer to her parent's bedroom.

"Come in here. You wanna see magic?" Tara's mother, Angelina, spoke softly. Tara walked into the bedroom and sat down next to her mother, who placed white pillar candles all around the room. A book was open in front of her but young Tara couldn't make out the words. Watch the candles, my baby. Watch the magic happen. Her momma whispered. Within seconds, all of the candles were floating high, and Tara thought that they were going to burn a hole in the ceiling. "Don't be frightened, Tara. Its good magic." Her momma said, taking Tara hand into her own. She stroked the palm of her hand as if she were searching for something.

"Momma, am I bad?" Tara asked her mother, staring deep into Angelina's bright blue crystal eyes. At that question, her eyes saddened and lost their light for a moment.

"No Tara. You mustn't ever believe that. You and I, we have power that scares people, but I promise you it is all good." She caressed her daughter's fine blonde locks. "And someday, Tara baby, you will use it to help people in need. I just know it."

"But I have no power Momma. I don't make things happen like you do." Tara said, looking at the pillar candles still amidst the air. "You will. You'll know when you have it. You'll know how to use it. You'll know who needs it." Angelina nodded in confidence. Tara liked that answer. She nodded her head towards her mother. Both Tara and her mother jumped when they heard the door open abruptly. It was her father.

"Angie! I thought I warned you about that, that magic!" Her father screamed, rage-stricken, walking towards the two. Tara backed off and hid in a corner of the room, fearful of her father. She knew what daddy does to Momma.

"John, please, no! I was just, just showing her a little fun is all. I wasn't teaching her, I swear!" Angelina said, backing up, but not as swift as Tara had done.

"I have warned you before, Angelina. I have warned you before and still you do not listen! Oh, you will listen now."

Tara tucked herself deeper into the corner, as if she thought that if she pressed hard enough she could push herself clear out of the room itself. If only she could do magic. Then shed get away for sure.She watched, frightened, as her father hit her mother over and over again. Getting to the point where she would bleed excessively. If only I had the power, Tara would repeat in her head.After a while, John Maclay left the room silently, not acknowledging the fact that Tara was in the room. That Tara had seen it, again. Angelina inched her way over to Tara, wincing in pain as she tried to hide it with a smile.

"Momma's okay, Tara baby. Don't fret. Momma's not going anywhere."Angelina held her only daughter, her Tara baby. She held her tight and cried so soft that Tara had to put her ear to her Mommas chest to hear it. Momma was crying inside of her. Inside of her chest, she was crying.