Eve's Pov
Where to begin? How about my name. My old one, not the one I have now. B. Eve Falls, the 'B' stands for 'Belle'. I know, if say my full name fast it comes out Believe. I used to live in Salem Massachusetts in 1692, you can see where this is going, but that's a little later.
I was your average 14 year old girl, with golden blonde hair, sky blue eyes and pale skin, but I was beyond average. I was, still am, a witch. It was just me, my mom, Malena Falls, and my little sister, Eliza Falls. Together we were a coven. A small one, but still a coven. Of course we weren't the only ones with magic. There where Witches and Wizards of the Wizarding world, as well as Coven witches. We seemed so different, but the people of Salem did not see it. A magic user was a witch. Nothing more nothing less and had to be killed.
It was two days before Hollow's Eve and I had woken up earlier then my sister and mom. I climbed out of the scratchy bed and opened the shutters of my window to see that the sun was just starting to rise. I have always loved sunrises and sets. The golds, reds, purples and pinks all mixing together.
As I stood in the window, loving the crisp cold air and the excitement that soon there would be snow on the ground, I heard my stomach rumble so I closed the shutters to keep in the heat and lit a few candles for light as I moved around the room to get ready for the day. I got in my cream under dress went perfectly with the faded red of my over dress. I slipped my worn leather shoes on and headed down the stairs as I let my hair down from the bun that it was in for sleeping.
The smell of cooked food hit me and I started to run and pushed the door open to see mom cooking breakfast.
The sound of the door opening or the sound of my steps on the old wooden floor alerted my mother that I was coming. But I had seen her turn to smile at me when were outside and I was moving silently up to her. She just seemed to know someone was there and who it was. She gave me the smile that told me she knew what I was thinking and she thought it was funny, her eyes crinkled a little at the corners. But they were not age wrinkles, they were laugh lines.
She was so young when she had me that she didn't have any wrinkles on her face yet, but she had gray streaks in her golden blond hair. Her gray blue eyes shined like rain. This morning she was wearing her usual deep faded blue dress with a soft brown corset.
"Good morn, Eve." She said and shuddered.
My eyes narrowed in worry. "Mom, did you have a vision?"
Coven Witches sometimes, very rarely, have a special power. Sometimes it's moving things without a spell, or, in my mom's case, visions of the future, past, or present.
She shook her head. "No, just a bad dream. Can you go get you sister up?"
With a nod and I turned back up the stairs. I grabbed the knob and opened the door to see Eliza blowing at a candle's wick. I smiled knowing she was trying to light the wick with a fire spell. It's a simple spell. I noted that a little bit was blackened. "Hey, you almost have it." I say trying to encourage her.
Eliza jumped and spun to face me. Her hair was auburn brown like our dad's but her eyes where like mom's.
"Belleve! Don't scare me." She said putting her candle down.
"Sorry, mom has breakfast ready." I said.
We ran down to see everything set and ate as much as we could from the bowls.
"Eve, could you go into town and get these for me?" Mom asked nodding to basket and parchment.
The parchment was a list of things to get. They were herbs and vegetables that we were not able to grow in our own garden. Mom rotated things out to keep the soil from losing its nutrients. So sometimes we had to get a few things from the towns market.
"Okay, Love you." I said as I took both things and grabbed a shawl.
"Love you too, Belleve." Mom said as I walked out the door.
The town was quiet, as it always was at this hour of the morning. But the people of the town didn't talk much. It seemed like if anyone spoke to loudly then they would be attacked in the streets. The only people talking where shop keepers to their customers and a group of girls. The group of girls was surprising.
I walked over to the local market that had everything from lumber to bolts of cloth. They had a small produce section and this morning it looked to have in stock everything I needed.
"Good morning." I said kindly.
"How are you, Eve?" The Merchant women asked worriedly.
"I'm fine. Can you get these for me?" I asked handing her the list. I knew I could trust her.
This merchant was a Witch from the wizarding world. They had as much to fear from the people of Salem as Coven witches. Worse even. They had to hide from Scourers.
"Of course. One moment." She said as she walked way.
Through the corner of my eye I saw a bright rose red apple. A strange urge over took me. I looked in the direction of where the merchant had gone, then grabbed the apple and placed it in my basket. I breathed out. The adrenalin rush was amazing, but it was strange. I had never stolen a thing in my life.
I was pulling on my shawl as the merchant came back.
"Here you go." She said handing me the food and herbs.
"How much do I owe?" I asked as I put the stuff in the basket.
"20 crowns." She said. "And one sickle." She muttered the last bit.
I nodded and payed her from the pouch I had on my belt. "Have a good day." I said as I left.
I was walking when I heard a voice.
"You there, Golden haired girl!"
I turned to see a man surrounded by girls. He had a barrel in front of him.
I had a hunch.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Come here." He said beckoning with an arm.
I walked over.
Now I could see that the barrel was filled with water.
The hunch was stronger now.
"Do you have an apple?" He asked as he pulled a knife off the side of the barrel.
"Yes." I said now knowing that my hunch was right.
This Fake Fortuneteller was mocking magic, one spell in particular.
"Would you like to know the first letter of your true love's name?" he asked.
Oh, yes it was the spell I thought it was. I had to play dumb though.
Putting on a bright smile I said. "Yes, sir." I said.
"Then I need that apple." He said holding out a hand.
I knew that it would work. The apple you have to use must be stolen. Mine is.
"Here." I said eagerly handing him the red apple. I didn't have to fake the enthusiasm to much.
He took it and skinned it in a spiral. He held out the skin to me. "Blow." He said.
I did and watched as he dropped it into the water.
"Why an apple?" I asked, still playing dumb
"Why? Apples are the fruit of knowledge." He said and gave me a sly wink.
All us girls leaned in to watch the apple skin unfurled in the water.
My heart sank like a stone. The letter was…
"J. The name of your true love, will begin with a J." the Fake Fortuneteller said sadly.
We all knew that no one in Salem had a name with a J that was my age. If they did they were ether in the ground or soon would be.
"Oh." That was all I managed. "Thank you." I turned and headed home. Just as I got to the door it opened.
"Eve, thank the goddess. I need you to stay here. Keep your sister away from the windows." Mom said and ran passed me.
I nodded and ran inside. I grabbed Eliza, told her to practice her magic and stay away from the windows. Peering outside I saw the Gallows. I feared the trails. I always hope it's the Gallows that they get. A quick death. Burning alive or drowning seemed to be the worst ones.
I awoke the next day with a terrible sense of dread. I ran out of my room, down stairs, and cracked the door.
"She couldn't have." Mom said holding Eliza's shoulders, tears in both their eyes.
"She has to go to trial. We have a witness, Malena." The Priest said. "Take her." The Priest gestured to two men standing nearby. They both moved toward mom and Eliza.
"No!" I yelled and ran in front of Eliza. "She didn't do it! I swear she didn't do it!" My sudden outburst shocked the young man and Priest, but it didn't shock the tall dark haired man.
"You lit a candle with magic?" Asked the Priest.
I saw the look on mom's and Eliza's faces. 'Don't do this.' They seemed to plead. I knew then what mom's vision was. Me, executed.
I hugged Eliza so tightly I might have squeezed the wind out of her. "I love you. Remember be strong and be brave." I whispered in her ear. I let go and hugged mom. "I love you." Then turned to the waiting men. "Yes it was me." I said.
"Take her." The Priest said.
"It's easier if you just come quietly, Eve." The younger one said.
I nodded as they took me away.
I found myself in a cell, as night fell, I felt fear growing. 'Why hadn't they put me in front of the court yet?' A loud bang scared me. I turn to the door, ran to it and glared at the dark haired man.
"You're a Scourer, aren't you?" I asked griping the bars of the window on the door.
He smiled. "Our reputation preceded us. I only came to tell you that you are to be burned tomorrow at noon."
My eyes widened. "What? What about my Trail?" I asked fear creeping into my voice.
His smile grew. "Well, you did say that you cast a spell. Performing Witchcraft is punishable by death."
I shook my head. "No. Hang me if you must, but please, I beg you, don't burn me." I begged.
He sighed like I where child who hadn't done something right. "They have already built the stake. It would be shame for it to go to waste." He started to walk away. "Oh and I'll catch that sister of yours and your mother too."
Anger surged through me. Giving energy to the Curse that rolled off my tongue.
"One who feeds off the suffering of others, may the sunlight burn you to ash, so you must live at night! I CURSE YOU! DON'T GO NEAR MY FAMILY!" I yelled with such fury that it should have scared him.
"Keep playing the witch!" he called, but then stumbled as if in pain, shook himself and continued walking.
I turned away and felt warm liquid on my cheeks. Taping my cheek I saw tears, I was crying. I tried to whip them away, but they kept falling. I crawled over to a mat and cried myself to sleep.
Next day noon…
I was jerked out of sleep when strong arms grabbed me and pulled me roughly to my feet. Whimpering, I opened my eyes. Two different men where leading me out of the cells and into the town square. The moment my eyes landed on the stake I started to struggle.
"No. No! Please, hang me! I beg you! Don't burn me!" I cried as new tears showed themselves, but begging not to be burned probably encouraged them.
I was then shoved so hard into the stake that I gasped at the pain.
"Belleve Falls, You have been convicted of Witchcraft. Do you deny this?" The Priest asked reading off a sheet of parchment.
The tears were falling freely as they tied me to the stake. The ropes burned my arms they were so tight. "N-no." I whimpered as I tried to summon my bravery.
"You did so willingly, knowing the consequents?" He asked.
That's when I saw the Scourer holding his hand in the sun light and hissing in pain. He looked up at me and hissed showing his bloodstained sharp teeth.
My eyes widened. My Curse had worked. It shouldn't have worked.
"Y-yes." I said in silent awe.
"You know that Witchcraft is against god?" He asked as I pulled my attention away from the vampire Scourer and looked to the Priest with a sad look.
"I know it is." I said as the tears fell. "But I was just having a bit of fun. It was harmless." I pleaded.
"Then by all that is Holy, we cast your wickedness back to hell." He waved a hand.
I couldn't find my family. I prayed to the Goddess that they were safe. I would keep my screams to myself. I couldn't let them hear me. I just couldn't.
A young man walked over to me with a torch in one hand. He lowered the torch to the pyre and the wood quickly caught the flame.
I caught sight of the young man who helped arrest me looking sorrowful.
He was a wizard and knew that this was the only way to keep other children out of this. Someone older dyeing was better than a child.
I looked down to watch as the pyre caught the fire. My eyes stung from the pain of the smoke and heat. The heat was unbearable and my lungs burned with each breath I took, but then the flames reached my legs. I bit my tongue trying stop my screams. But the pain was excruciating as the heat burned through my dress and flames touched my skin.
I screamed.
The scream was so loud, that I was sure my family heard it. I tried to force myself to black out, but the flames refused me. I felt the pain crawled up my thighs, passed my waist, on my chest and down my arms. The last thing I remember seeing is the full moon of Hollow's Eve in the setting sky.
Third person Pov
The night had fallen. The town of Salem was quiet with fear. The latest witch executed had screamed the loudest scream any of them had ever heard. They feared that it meant there would be a ghost of B. Eve Falls haunting the town. They were half right.
As the moon rose, Tsar Lunar, the Man in the Moon watched the bravery of this girl. Her death was not right. She protected her younger sister from the flames of the fearful and hateful people. Now he looked at Eve's charred blackened skeleton still tied to the stake that was just as burned. Tsar was not sure if he could save her, but he would try.
Several beams of light shined down to earth on to over Eve's skeleton. Slowly ashes floated to the skeleton, finding where they should be. Just as slowly Eve's body repaired itself. Starting with her organs, then muscles and finely skin.
Her hair was last as her ears moved to the top of her head and came to a point. Fur grew on them to match her new dark blue-black hair. These ears where that of a cat. A cat tail grew to join the ears. Her skin didn't brighten though, it stayed pale as death.
Eve floated off the charred wood in the beam of light, as the rope snapped. Her eyes snapped open as she drew a long breath. Her eyes where different too. They were orange and purple. The pupils where now silted like a cat.
Eve's Pov
My eyes snapped open and I drew a long breath. 'How long had it been since I breathed air? Wait, wasn't I…dead?' I looked around. It was night, but I could see as well as if it where day, I could also hear the crickets and smell the charred earth.
That's when I saw the moon and realized I was floating in midair. No. Not midair, I was in a beam of light. I was slowly lowered to the ground. I cringed when I felt the ash and charcoal beneath my feet. Looking down I saw that my dress was in burnt taters. My shoes weren't there at all.
"You are now Belleve Hallowell, Spirit of Hollow's Eve. You can't be seen by those who don't believe in you, or have not witnessed the death of a loved one." A voice said seemingly from my mind.
But I somehow knew it was the moon. I looked up. Sure I felt a small comfort that someone was watching over me, but I was confused.
"But my name is Falls, not Hallowell!" I yelled. Silence. "Hello?" I asked. Nothing. That's when I saw a broom by a store front. I walked over and reached for it. Energy surged within me.
A bright orange energy shout out of my hand and seemed to wrap around the broom changing the color of the shaft to black and bristles to a dark magenta as it seemingly repaired any imperfections. Then orange glowing spirals appeared on the shaft. Bright green energy shout out after the orange. The green seemed to come from the ground. The green seemed to give the broom life. When it hit the broom it made a spiral design like the orange. Purple did the same as the other two, but gave it energy. Black shout out and grabbed it. The black energy brought it to my hand.
"Wow." I mounted it like I had been ridding one forever. I pushed off and flew in the air. I started to cackle. Silly I know, but that's my natural laugh.
But then a thought struck me. 'Mom and Eliza think I'm dead.'
I flew home to see that I had left my shutters open. I flew in that way. That's when I noticed my hair, it was black.
"What happened…?" I trailed off. I landed in my room and walked over to the mirror. My hand flew to my mouth. "Oh Goddess!" I whispered as I reached up to touch my ears.
They twitched as I touched them. I had a tail too that waved back and forth with my emotions. I saw it just over my shoulder and I turned to see it softly move back and forth behind me. My skin was deathly pale. My eyes where orange with a purple ring around the iris and lines going to the cat silted pupils.
"What did the Moon do to me?" I asked. Then I looked at my attire. I needed a changed of cloths.
After I changed into a simple black dress and shoes I headed down stairs, since I could hear the sound of mom crying. I had my hand on the doorknob, but I couldn't bring myself to open the door. I turn to go up the stairs and walked in my sister's room. Eliza was sound asleep in her bed, but her eyes were red with tears.
I walked over and kissed her head. Then I saw a journal on her night table. I grabbed it.
I wish that Eve was alive, but I'll be brave and strong, like she told me. ~Eliza
I focus on it. Glowing orange words appeared on the page then faded to black ink.
I love you. ~BE