Sunlight poured through Jack's room that morning as Jack slowly woke up and
put his arm over his eyes to shield the brightness. He then slowly got out
of bed and made his way over to the window, remembering what had happened
the night before. He peeked out the window and shook his head when he saw
nothing out of the ordinary.
"It was just a dream, that's all," he said to himself.
About ten minutes later he made his way down the stairs and found everyone in the kitchen eating breakfast.
"Morning all," he said grabbing a chair and sitting down- only a bit too fast. He winced and then slowly sat down and not but a second later hearing his mother's voice.
"Jack, honey, what on earth do you think you're doing?" Molly said.
"Uh, eating breakfast?"
"Jack, you're in no condition to be up and around. You should be in bed, resting."
"Mom, look, I'm not going to lay around like some lifeless creature. I couldn't stand it. And I feel fine."
Molly glanced a yeah-right look his way and folded her arms. "Right. And that's why I just heard you moan in pain when you sat down."
"Mom, please, I'm not a little boy anymore. I'll be fine. Look, I promise I'll be careful and not do any strenuous activities for the next few days. All right?"
Molly sighed. "Fine. Just please be careful."
"Don't worry, mom. I will."
Jack then took the juice pitcher and was getting ready to pour him some juice but dropped it in shock when he suddenly saw the girl from the night before standing in front of him.
Clu looked at the ground and groaned. "Aw, man you got my shoes all wet, dude!"
"Jack, what on earth was that all about?" Molly asked.
Jack and the girl stared at each other for a few seconds and Jack got up from the table. "Uh, sorry, mom. I uh, just- the pitcher slipped out of my hands. And Clu sorry about the shoes, uh, I'm going to go get some fresh air outside."
"But honey, what about breakfast?"
"Uh, I guess I'm not that hungry, after all. See ya later," he replied darting out the door.
"Well that was strange," Molly stated.
"Yeah, a little too strange," Annie said. "Uh, I'm going to go see if he's all right."
"Okay, thank you honey."
"No problem."
She then went outside to find Jack walking around and then pacing back and forth.
"Jack?"
Jack suddenly stopped. "Annie, I'm fine. Just go back to your breakfast."
"What went on in there?"
"What, you mean when I dropped the juice pitcher? You know, that was weird. Maybe an evil spirit came and smacked it right out of my hands!"
Annie rolled her eyes in disgust. "Jack, when Melanie came in the kitchen, you got startled and dropped it."
"Exactly. She startled me, Annie. That's it. And who is Melanie?"
"She's Gina's daughter."
"Gina?"
"Oh right, I guess you weren't conscious when she took care of you. She was the one who helped us out when the bus crashed. And she's a retired nurse, so she helped you out."
"Right. Anyway, nothing's wrong. So if you don't mind, then I'm going to go for a walk."
"I know that you were up last night."
Jack turned around suddenly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I heard you. My room is right next to yours. Did something happen last night with Melanie?"
"No. You probably just heard me going to the bathroom."
"I can see the bathroom from where I'm at. I never saw you go in it."
"Well, maybe you fell asleep before you did."
"Jack, come on! Why do you always have to be so stubborn? Just tell me what happened!"
"Nothing happened, Annie, now for the last time, leave me alone!"
"Fine, I'll just go find out for myself."
Jack stopped in his tracks and stopped Annie. "What do you mean?"
"I'll just go ask Melanie what happened. I mean, it seems that by the looks you two were giving each other that something happened between you two last night."
"No! I mean uh, don't, please."
"Why? What are you hiding?"
Jack sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. But you can't tell anyone else."
"Deal."
"All right, well last night I heard a noise outside my window. So I get up to see what it was and saw."
"What?"
"-A tiger."
"A tiger?"
"Yeah. And then dear old Melanie appears. And starts talking to it after she feeds it some meat."
"What did she say?"
"I don't know. Something about how she'd figure out a way to fix things and that she wouldn't let her mother keep them apart. Then I accidentally nock something over, she sees me and then disappears in a gust of wind."
Annie's mouth was now hanging wide open. "Strange."
"You know, it was probably just a dream. I've had weirder dreams before."
"Then how do you explain me hearing you break something?"
"Maybe we were dreaming together!"
Annie rolled her eyes. "Jack, come on. Get real."
"No, you see, that's what you should be doing if you actually think that this happened."
"Jack I- get down!"
She pulled him down with her behind a haystack when she saw Melanie come out of the house. They both watched her curiously as she looked around to make sure the coast was clear and made her way into a shed.
"Come on," Annie said, going to it.
"Annie!" Jack said, sounding annoyed as he unwillingly followed her.
They both made their way to the shed and Annie opened it a cracked and peeked inside with Jack over her shoulder.
"Annie, why-"
"Shhhh!"
They both were quiet, when to suddenly their surprise, they saw her open a book, which produced a bright light. "Don't worry, my darling, I soon will have a spell that will break you free."
"Spell?" Annie repeated, softly.
Suddenly a huge gust of wind started up almost blowing Annie and Jack away and in it appeared Gina.
Melanie turned around startled. "Mother! What-"
"What are you doing in here, Melanie?"
"Nothing! I, uh, was just looking up a spell."
"You've been spending a lot of time in here lately."
"Well, I just want to be as good as you, mother. You know how slow I can be at times."
"Yes, true. All right, I'll believe you for now. But we have guests now. We don't want them to be curious."
"Why did you even invite them in?"
"Because, I'm not totally cold hearted, Melanie! Now come inside an keep things quiet until they leave."
Melanie sighed. "Yes, mother."
"And after they leave, you and I are going to have a talk, young lady."
"About what?"
"Your attitude."
"My attitude? What are you talking about?"
"We'll talk about it later, Melanie."
"What?! You can't just drop something like that on me and then dismiss it for later! I want to talk now!"
"Melanie!! I'm warning you!!"
"What, what are you going to do? Turn me into some kind of animal like you did Adam?"
"Melanie, if you even breath a word of that to anyone, then we are ruined, do you understand me?"
"Then why did you do it mother?"
"You know why. He wasn't good for you."
"Well no one ever is in your eyes, mother."
With that she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Gina sighed, and disappeared right after her in the same way.
Jack and Annie stood there frozen for a few minutes and then stared at each other in shock.
"Now don't tell me there's a logical explanation for this, Jack," Annie said. "You know that what you saw last night wasn't a dream."
Jack nodded, still shocked. "Uh, yeah, I guess. But who, what are those people?"
"I think I have a pretty good idea, but I'm going to e-mail Fi to make sure." ** About ten minutes later, Annie found Jack in his room and sat down next to him.
"Well, what did Fi say?" Jack asked her.
"Witches."
Jack's eyes widened. "Witches? I thought those were back in the 1600s in Salem or something."
"Well, Gina and Melanie were back in that time. They almost got caught and hung, but managed to escape. And when people went to search for them, they made them think that they were dead by staging a fake burial and even having their own tombstones. So after that, no one looked for them again. And since witches are immortal, then of course they've lived here ever since they ran away back in the 1600s."
"Whoa. And the tiger?"
"Well, legend has it that he was Melanie's fiancée. She was supposed to marry someone else, like an arranged marriage I guess, but secretly fell in love with Adam Thomas, and when her mother found out, turned him into a tiger for all of eternity. And ever since then, she's been trying to figure out a way to bring him back."
"Wow, that's uh."
"Weird?"
Annie and Jack turned suddenly and saw none other than Melanie standing before them.
"It was just a dream, that's all," he said to himself.
About ten minutes later he made his way down the stairs and found everyone in the kitchen eating breakfast.
"Morning all," he said grabbing a chair and sitting down- only a bit too fast. He winced and then slowly sat down and not but a second later hearing his mother's voice.
"Jack, honey, what on earth do you think you're doing?" Molly said.
"Uh, eating breakfast?"
"Jack, you're in no condition to be up and around. You should be in bed, resting."
"Mom, look, I'm not going to lay around like some lifeless creature. I couldn't stand it. And I feel fine."
Molly glanced a yeah-right look his way and folded her arms. "Right. And that's why I just heard you moan in pain when you sat down."
"Mom, please, I'm not a little boy anymore. I'll be fine. Look, I promise I'll be careful and not do any strenuous activities for the next few days. All right?"
Molly sighed. "Fine. Just please be careful."
"Don't worry, mom. I will."
Jack then took the juice pitcher and was getting ready to pour him some juice but dropped it in shock when he suddenly saw the girl from the night before standing in front of him.
Clu looked at the ground and groaned. "Aw, man you got my shoes all wet, dude!"
"Jack, what on earth was that all about?" Molly asked.
Jack and the girl stared at each other for a few seconds and Jack got up from the table. "Uh, sorry, mom. I uh, just- the pitcher slipped out of my hands. And Clu sorry about the shoes, uh, I'm going to go get some fresh air outside."
"But honey, what about breakfast?"
"Uh, I guess I'm not that hungry, after all. See ya later," he replied darting out the door.
"Well that was strange," Molly stated.
"Yeah, a little too strange," Annie said. "Uh, I'm going to go see if he's all right."
"Okay, thank you honey."
"No problem."
She then went outside to find Jack walking around and then pacing back and forth.
"Jack?"
Jack suddenly stopped. "Annie, I'm fine. Just go back to your breakfast."
"What went on in there?"
"What, you mean when I dropped the juice pitcher? You know, that was weird. Maybe an evil spirit came and smacked it right out of my hands!"
Annie rolled her eyes in disgust. "Jack, when Melanie came in the kitchen, you got startled and dropped it."
"Exactly. She startled me, Annie. That's it. And who is Melanie?"
"She's Gina's daughter."
"Gina?"
"Oh right, I guess you weren't conscious when she took care of you. She was the one who helped us out when the bus crashed. And she's a retired nurse, so she helped you out."
"Right. Anyway, nothing's wrong. So if you don't mind, then I'm going to go for a walk."
"I know that you were up last night."
Jack turned around suddenly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I heard you. My room is right next to yours. Did something happen last night with Melanie?"
"No. You probably just heard me going to the bathroom."
"I can see the bathroom from where I'm at. I never saw you go in it."
"Well, maybe you fell asleep before you did."
"Jack, come on! Why do you always have to be so stubborn? Just tell me what happened!"
"Nothing happened, Annie, now for the last time, leave me alone!"
"Fine, I'll just go find out for myself."
Jack stopped in his tracks and stopped Annie. "What do you mean?"
"I'll just go ask Melanie what happened. I mean, it seems that by the looks you two were giving each other that something happened between you two last night."
"No! I mean uh, don't, please."
"Why? What are you hiding?"
Jack sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. But you can't tell anyone else."
"Deal."
"All right, well last night I heard a noise outside my window. So I get up to see what it was and saw."
"What?"
"-A tiger."
"A tiger?"
"Yeah. And then dear old Melanie appears. And starts talking to it after she feeds it some meat."
"What did she say?"
"I don't know. Something about how she'd figure out a way to fix things and that she wouldn't let her mother keep them apart. Then I accidentally nock something over, she sees me and then disappears in a gust of wind."
Annie's mouth was now hanging wide open. "Strange."
"You know, it was probably just a dream. I've had weirder dreams before."
"Then how do you explain me hearing you break something?"
"Maybe we were dreaming together!"
Annie rolled her eyes. "Jack, come on. Get real."
"No, you see, that's what you should be doing if you actually think that this happened."
"Jack I- get down!"
She pulled him down with her behind a haystack when she saw Melanie come out of the house. They both watched her curiously as she looked around to make sure the coast was clear and made her way into a shed.
"Come on," Annie said, going to it.
"Annie!" Jack said, sounding annoyed as he unwillingly followed her.
They both made their way to the shed and Annie opened it a cracked and peeked inside with Jack over her shoulder.
"Annie, why-"
"Shhhh!"
They both were quiet, when to suddenly their surprise, they saw her open a book, which produced a bright light. "Don't worry, my darling, I soon will have a spell that will break you free."
"Spell?" Annie repeated, softly.
Suddenly a huge gust of wind started up almost blowing Annie and Jack away and in it appeared Gina.
Melanie turned around startled. "Mother! What-"
"What are you doing in here, Melanie?"
"Nothing! I, uh, was just looking up a spell."
"You've been spending a lot of time in here lately."
"Well, I just want to be as good as you, mother. You know how slow I can be at times."
"Yes, true. All right, I'll believe you for now. But we have guests now. We don't want them to be curious."
"Why did you even invite them in?"
"Because, I'm not totally cold hearted, Melanie! Now come inside an keep things quiet until they leave."
Melanie sighed. "Yes, mother."
"And after they leave, you and I are going to have a talk, young lady."
"About what?"
"Your attitude."
"My attitude? What are you talking about?"
"We'll talk about it later, Melanie."
"What?! You can't just drop something like that on me and then dismiss it for later! I want to talk now!"
"Melanie!! I'm warning you!!"
"What, what are you going to do? Turn me into some kind of animal like you did Adam?"
"Melanie, if you even breath a word of that to anyone, then we are ruined, do you understand me?"
"Then why did you do it mother?"
"You know why. He wasn't good for you."
"Well no one ever is in your eyes, mother."
With that she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Gina sighed, and disappeared right after her in the same way.
Jack and Annie stood there frozen for a few minutes and then stared at each other in shock.
"Now don't tell me there's a logical explanation for this, Jack," Annie said. "You know that what you saw last night wasn't a dream."
Jack nodded, still shocked. "Uh, yeah, I guess. But who, what are those people?"
"I think I have a pretty good idea, but I'm going to e-mail Fi to make sure." ** About ten minutes later, Annie found Jack in his room and sat down next to him.
"Well, what did Fi say?" Jack asked her.
"Witches."
Jack's eyes widened. "Witches? I thought those were back in the 1600s in Salem or something."
"Well, Gina and Melanie were back in that time. They almost got caught and hung, but managed to escape. And when people went to search for them, they made them think that they were dead by staging a fake burial and even having their own tombstones. So after that, no one looked for them again. And since witches are immortal, then of course they've lived here ever since they ran away back in the 1600s."
"Whoa. And the tiger?"
"Well, legend has it that he was Melanie's fiancée. She was supposed to marry someone else, like an arranged marriage I guess, but secretly fell in love with Adam Thomas, and when her mother found out, turned him into a tiger for all of eternity. And ever since then, she's been trying to figure out a way to bring him back."
"Wow, that's uh."
"Weird?"
Annie and Jack turned suddenly and saw none other than Melanie standing before them.