Within six months of Ma's death, Pa has already gotten married to a young, blond woman who expects me to call her mother. No one can ever replace Ma, especially not Violet. Every day, Cynthia received more dolls and presents from Violet and Pa, while I still have received nothing. Everything is still the same, Violet favorites Cynthia too. Now, I have no one to speak to—my best and only friend, Opal, has accused me of cursing her and Ma has passed. Sometimes, I even feel like Cynthia has been brain-washed by Pa and Violet.

During the day, I lock myself in my shared bedroom because Cynthia was always out on the porch. I've tried new ways to pass time and entertain myself while I was alone and I have found that I am passionate about sewing, cutting, and mixing different fabrics to create a dress.

As I worked on a new dress, I was thinking about how Pa didn't seem to care about Ma dying. I'm starting to think that Ma's death and the marriage to Violet has all been planned out by Pa. All at once, my eyes stopped focusing on the world around me and a picture appeared in my head. It was a Pa and some stranger talking.

"You have to stab Mary Alice in the heart, just like you did with her mother." Pa instructed as the man nodded. With that, my eyes snapped back to reality. Pa is trying to kill me, too.

I started panicking. I stormed down the stairs and noticed Pa sitting in the dining area. "Pa, I know this was planned out—Ma's death and your marriage to Violet."

He looked up; his eyes looked deceitful and full of rage. That look explained it all, he has done it.

"You did do it!" I screamed at him as I made my way out of the house.

"You can run, Mary Alice, but I'm always a step ahead." I heard him say.

I took a pause, but then started running again. He's never one step ahead—I'm the one who can see the future. Panicking, I ran to my closest relatives' house—Aunt Louisa and Uncle John.

I banged on the door. Aunt Louisa opened the squeaking door. "Mary Alice!" Aunt Louisa said with a little fear in her voice.

"Aunt Louisa, you have to help me." I said desperately.

"Now Mary Alice," she stuck out her hip. "Why would I help you when you have cursed us? You've killed my son!"

"I didn't curse you or kill your son! All I have done is warn you about his death!" I argued.

"I'm sorry, Mary Alice, but I don't help witches." Aunt Louisa said as she slammed the door.

I didn't know where to turn, so I did the first thing that popped into my head-notify the Biloxi town marshal.

I ran straight to the middle of the town and found Biloxi, Mississippi's town marshal. "Sir!" I called out.

"Ah," he said. "Grant Brandon's eldest daughter. How may I help?"

"Mary Alice." I clarified. "And please, I'm in danger! Sir, you have to believe me. My Pa killed my Ma, Lucille Brandon, and has remarried. He is out to kill me!"

"Did you see all this in a vision?" The man laughed.

"Yes! Please, you have to help me!" I was starting to yell.

"Oh, I'll help you, alright." He said in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

"Thank you, sir, for understanding." I said, relieved.

Next thing I know, I'm in front of a mental asylum. "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not a lunatic!" I was almost yelling. "Why are you taking me here? I 'm not mental!"

"Your father's orders." He said, pulling me into the asylum.

Maybe Pa is always one step ahead, even if I'm the one who can see the future. Maybe I should just give up now.

As soon as we stepped into the building, a man was sitting behind the desk. The man was absolutely breath-taking. He had light brown hair and was tall and lean. His skin was whiter than snow and his eyes were a blood-red color. When he saw me, he had a compassionate look on his face. The town marshal pulled my arm as we made our way to the desk.

"You must be Mary Alice Brandon." The man looked up, his voice was a little bit more animated than I predicted it to be. "Come, I'll show you to your room."

The marshal let go of my arm as the man lead me into a long, white corridor with doors at each side. "My name is Phillip Ellis, you can call me Phillip." He said as she opened a door. "Here is your room. You have to put these on." He handed me a long, white gown that went up to my ankles.

I simply nodded. Hhe walked into my room with me and closed the door.

"So, Mary Alice Brandon," he said. "May I call you Alice? Mary Alice is quite a mouthful."

I nodded once again.

"Do you ever talk, Alice?" He asked. " I've heard from your father about your premonitions. Interesting thing. Do they really come true?" Phillip sounded truly interested.

I finally gained the courage to speak. "Most of the time they do, but people always think I've cursed them when I warn them about a dangerous future."

Phillip nodded his head understandingly. "They don't understand that you're only trying to help, am I correct?"

"Exactly!" I said. Finally, someone who understands! "My mother was the only one who understood me, but she…she's passed."

"I'm sorry, Alice." He paused. "Say, how about we test your talent?"

He called my premonitions a talent! That's a first. "Sure." I smiled at him, feeling comfortable.

"Okay," he said, holding both his hands. They were clenched into fists. "So I have something in one of my hands. Can you look into the future and see which hand has something in it? And what's in my hand?"

I closed my eyes and concentrated hard for a second. A picture of Phillip's hands came across into my mind. The left hand opened and revealed a tiny screw. I flashed back to reality and said, "A screw is in your left hand."

He opened his left hand and it was exactly that. "Wow, Alice. That's amazing."