"Alright, sir, that's quite enough," she cooed as she scooped the brown recluse spider off the window sill with her finger, securing him in her palm. "Mornings are for working, not for wandering." She carried the creature to the corner of the room, cradling him close to her chest. Stepping onto a wooden chair, she lifted the spider up to the ceiling where he latched onto a glistening web. "Now don't give me that pout, these cobwebs won't spin themselves." She pouted her lips and blew small kisses to the spider, cooing words of encouragement. She watched in awe as the spider's legs began to work gracefully, spinning, cutting and connecting the delicate strands of silk.

"How important you are in this world... do you even know it?"

"BREAKFAST!" The bedroom door swung open with a thud, shaking every loose item in the room. As the chair wobbled under her feet, Morticia gasped and pressed her hands against the wall, desperate to steady herself. Once everything settled, she closed her eyes and leaned on the wall, waiting for her heart to slow down. The woman at the door giggled and spun around, her hands on her waist. Her long yellow hair landed over her shoulder.

"Look at this! Finally finished. Made from that darling white lace uncle got me last Christmas!" The bell-sleeved, form fitting dress had a modest v-neck and a skirt that touched the floor with white satin ribbon tied at the waist. "My best work yet, wouldn't you say so?" With a mouse-like squeak, she clutched the skirt of the dress and waltzed across the floor.

"Isn't it a bit early for you..." Morticia held her stomach and stepped off the chair, still heaving, slightly. After adjusting herself she finally looked up. "Oh... that is exquisite on you! Oh, Ophelia, look at you!" Ophelia shrieked, joyfully, taking her sister's hands. The women laughed and Morticia cupped Ophelia's face, squeezing her cheeks. "Oh, you're perfect! Come here, let me fix that hem." She took her hand and lead her to the bed and sat down, turning Ophelia around so she could see the back of the dress. She reached into a small pouch at the foot of the bed and took out a needle and scissor. Placing the needle carefully between her teeth, she began working on the puckered seam at the waist.

"Thank you, love. You are the master seamstress, after all. But I do believe I'm catching up!" She smiled and waved her arms, mesmerized by the flow of the wide sleeves.

"Don't undermine yourself, Ophelia, it's beautiful. And it fits like a glove, which is something I always seem to have trouble with."

"Naturally, because your waist is the circumference of a lily pad."

Morticia purposely poked Ophelia with the needle, causing her to jump.

"All done."

"Viper.." Ophelia pouted and rubbed her bottom, making her way to the oval mirror. Modeling the gown for herself, she curtsied and giggled. "Oh, yes...Thank you, dearest. Now!" She spun around, sharply, a twinkle of excitement in her green eyes. "Hurry up and get dressed for breakfast. I have something special to show you both."

Morticia raised her brow as she tucked her sewing tools away, "Oh? I think I'll take my time, thank you. After all, you stalled my morning ritual." She smirked and knelt down on the floor beside a massive book and opened it to a marked page. Ophelia rolled her eyes and caught sight of Morticia's desk, where a leather bound journal sat open, surrounded by many pencils, erasers and charcoal pieces. Smiling, she slowly made her way to the desk.

"Oh my... looks like confident little Tishy has something special to show us, too!" She snatched the journal and darted out of the room.

"Ophelia!" She dropped the book and chased after her sister, who could be heard giggling down the hallway. With the snap of Ophelia's finger, the door slammed in Morticia's face. She groaned and threw it open, continuing down the hallway. Once the two reached the kitchen they were greeted by a tall, thin woman in a black cloak. Her raven hair with a single gray streak was pulled back in a braided bun. She grinned at the sight of the two rushing through the door.

"Ah, my glowing moon. My shining sun..."

"Morning mother!" The two kissed their mother's cheeks before continuing their quarrel.

"Guess what, momma, talented little Morticia has something to show youuu!" Ophelia chanted melodically as she dived and dodged her sister.

"Give it back you irksome little gnome!"

Ophelia gasped and waved her hand, sending a bread roll from the table right to the side of Morticia's head.

"Stop it!"

"Take it back!"

Morticia raised her arms and flexed her hands. The sink behind Ophelia sprayed water in every direction, sending Ophelia screaming to her mother.

"Are you mad? Mother, she knows I just made this dress, look what she tried to do to me!"

"How is it that you're the oldest and still such a child?" Morticia hissed and reached once more for the journal.

"ENOUGH," the older woman echoed. Hester Frump's powerfully stern voice never failed to leave her daughters frozen right where they stood. She crossed her arms and stared straight ahead, not once glancing at the women on either side of her. After an agonizing moment of silence, she finally spoke.

"Is this what you've reduced yourselves to?... Is this the behavior you choose to proceed with? You've been given miraculous gifts of life, bodies to exist and learn from on the physical plane, food and water to enhance those gifts... and this is how you choose to show grace, gratitude?"

Morticia ashamedly looked down at her feet.

"Or is this a reflection of me? Have I failed you as a mother? Teacher? Pray, tell me so, for I will promise to never speak again!" She raised her hand as a symbol of promise. Looking at her daughters drooping faces, she took both of their hands and put them together.

"Witches do not fight. Witches do not throw stones, they do not badger each other with insults. You forget that the energy you put out in this world comes back to you tenfold!... What is our principle?"

"An it harm none, do as ye will," the girls recited, drearily. The woman brought their heads together to plant a kiss on each one.

"We are all we have. We must look out for each other. Celebrate each other, love one another. That is all I ask of you. Now, Morticia, clean up that water. And Ophelia, since you're always so fond of surprises, why not surprise us all by minding your own business for once." She took the journal from Ophelia but couldn't help but look at the open page as she did so. It was a lifelike charcoal portrait of a child's face.

"Morticia, who is this?"

"Well..."

"It's a boy Morticia saw out the window." Ophelia smiled and folded her arms. Morticia met her proud face with an icy glare. Hester looked at Morticia with concern.

"When was this?"

"Like, twelve years ago."

"Ten," Morticia looked back down at her feet. "I... It was the middle of the night and we heard sounds... and when I looked out the window I saw him." Her cheeks flushed. She still couldn't bring herself to meet her mother's eyes.

"Well. It's beautiful, moonbeam, but merely the product of a dream." She closed the journal and gave it to Morticia. "Not a soul can find this house or even touch it, not with the veil I have on it. Now go clean that water." She waved her hands, shooing her daughters away and went back to her task at the stove, where a large cauldron simmered. Morticia hugged the journal and trudged to the sink.

"Wait, wait! Before we continue with these grand morning festivities," Ophelia said, sarcastically, opening a drawer and taking out a pair of scissors, "I have something to show you both!" She held the scissors in the air to make sure the two women were indeed watching. Raising her free hand, she held the petals of one of the daisies that sat on the top of her head.

Ophelia was born with the unique trait of stems growing out of the top of her head, which would in time bloom into healthy, large white daisies. When the winter came, they would wilt and die, not to return again until the springtime. This was apart of her being as a witch who followed and thrived with the cycles of the Sun. Taking a deep breath, she swiftly snipped the daisy. Morticia and Hester gasped and panicked as she continued to snip the rest, letting them fall to her feet.

"What on Earth are you doing?" Hester rushed over but Ophelia held up a hand to halt her. She placed the scissors on the counter and put her hands together, closing her eyes. Morticia and Hester exchanged confused glances. Her eyes shut, tighter. Suddenly, the bare stems began budding in rapid time, and one-by-one bloomed back into large, white daisies as if they had never left. She opened her eyes and smiled at her mother and sister, raising her arms and bowing. They gasped in amazement, applauding her.

"When did you know you could do that?" Morticia rushed to her sister, poking at the flowers on her head.

"This morning! Isn't it wonderful? Now when they wilt, I don't have to wear a hideous hat and wait for them to grow back!" She giggled and flicked one of the daisies. Hester's face beamed.

"This is a sign of being completely in tune and at one with your body. Congratulations Ophelia. This makes me all the more interested in reading your essay."

Ophelia's eyes widened,"... Essay?"

"Yes, your project I assigned for the week. Morticia, do you have yours?"

"Yes, mother." Morticia left the kitchen. Ophelia looked at her mother, nervously.

"But-but mother... you said we were on break starting Saturday..."

"I said your break will start Saturday after you've handed in your essay about what you plan to offer the world with your gifts. You didn't forget, did you?"

Ophelia stammered as Morticia entered the kitchen again, holding a thick stack of paper tied with a black ribbon. "Here you are, mother. I wrote about my bond with nature and how I plan to use herbology and animal husbandry to heal the damage that man has done."

"How very like you, I look forward to reading," Hester tucked the stack of paper under her arm and turned to her other daughter who was chewing on her fingernails. "Ophelia?"

"I'm... not quite finished."

"You haven't even started, have you?"

Morticia lowered her head and quickly made her way back to the sink. She knew what was coming and it was never a pleasant event. Hester sighed and took a step toward her daughter. Her voice was calm but cold.

"I am very disappointed..."

"You're always disappointed in me."

"And should you be so surprised? This is just one of many assignments I've asked of you that you simply did not care to do. The assignment was even about your favorite subject: yourself."

Ophelia bit her tongue. "I'm sorry, mother, I..."

"I don't want your excuses, you had a week. I give you these assignments not to bore or busy you, I want you to apply and practice what I've taught you! I want to know you are ready for this world."

"I am ready..." Ophelia avoided her mother's glare.

"No. You're not, Ophelia. Clearly. And with the way you handle responsibility, I doubt you ever will be. And look at me, not the cauldron. A watched cauldron never bubbles."

"A watched woman never lives." Ophelia glared at her mother. Morticia winced. Hester breathed deeply, exhaling through her nose.

"Your break will begin next Saturday. After you've completed your essay." Hester started toward the door.

"What?! But you can't, next week is..."

"I know very well what next week is. And you should have thought of that when you decided to ignore your responsibilities. Congratulations, your breakfast is cold." Hester left the room, leaving Ophelia standing there with her mouth agape. She looked over at Morticia who was knelt on the floor next to the puddle of water, staring at her sister, sorrowfully. Ophelia dissolved into tears and ran to her bedroom, Morticia quickly following behind.

"Ophelia..."

"How dare she!" Ophelia paced rapidly back and forth in her bedroom, tears streaming down her face, knocking over anything she saw from books to trinkets. "Telling me I'm not ready to leave, I am more than ready to leave! Never asks how I feel, never says she's proud! Did you see what I did in that kitchen? I am powerful!"

"Of course you are!" Morticia closed the door. "She just wants you to be safe. She's only doing what's best, you know..."

"What's best? This is what's best for us? We're trapped here, Morticia! We never get to see any people, or have any friends... I've never even seen a boy!"

"Uncle Fester visits..."

Ophelia rolled her eyes, "Look what she's doing to us! All cooped up up here. We're canaries with clipped wings!"

Thunder roared overhead. Ophelia stopped pacing and walked over to the window. Hands on her hips, she stared at the rain tapping on the glass. "Consider yourself lucky, Morticia. Because you did see a boy that night. I know you did because I lifted the veil."

"You what?"

"I heard the screams. I wanted someone to find us. All I had to do was think about it." Her fingers tapped at her hips.

"You do realize you put us all in danger that night!"

"The point is, lifting a veil of protection is advanced work. I am ready for this world. And next week on All Hallows' Eve? I will be going out."