Home Sweet Home
*** *** ***
With bags in each hand, Xan Madison walked up the steps leading to the front door of the Halliwell manor. Xan looked about eagerly, the house was pink - not exactly his idea of great wall color, but it could do.
It was almost a year after Xan and his siblings had first met Aunt Paige. Her story was unbelievable at first, but Xan had seen it as a way out. San Francisco was definitely better than their old home town. Xan could hardly believe it took just a short time to arrange everything. After their dad had died, they were supposed to got to Aunt Lucy, dad's only sister. It turned out that Aunt Lucy didn't really know they were supposed to live with her. Nonetheless, she didn't want them to live with her, and did just about anything to get them out of her hair. It was settled that they live with their Aunt Paige. Xan was thankful they were here.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Paige noticed Xan looking at the house. '"After all these years... actually I'm very proud of myself of keeping it maintained. I'm not alone, of course," said
Paige, pointing to the elderly man who was tending to the garden. "Mr. Inne, he helps me with the house thrice a week."
Paige walked onto the front lawn to Mr. Inne, who was watering the daffodils growing by the side of the house. Xan continued up the concrete steps, his siblings following behind.
He walked through the door, met by the simple, yet stylish furnishings which gave serenity to the home. Wow, thought Xan. A Victorian house which had been able to withstand earthquakes, storms, and cobwebs. The house was perfect.
A soft tinkling of wind chimes told Xan that the rest of the family had entered the house.
"Wow, it's so pretty," commented Julia, Xan's younger sister, staring at the different knick-knacks which were arranged around the sitting room. In the conservatory, Pru, his older sister, was admiring the beautiful orchids which were hanging from the ceiling. Xan's twin brother Drew, on the other hand, was already rushing up the varnished oak staircase.
"I have dibs on the best room!" yelled Drew as he ran up the second floor. What an idiot, thought Xan. He dropped his bags on the floor, having decided to look around the house more. Xan went to the kitchen, looking at the antiques which had passed the test of time.
The kitchen was a soft pastel yellow, which gave a feel of pale sunshine to the room. It looked like the kitchen wasn't used for a long time, though it was remarkably clean, without a speck of dust on any of the appliances. Whoever kept this house knew his stuff.
A bell rung as the kitchen door opened to reveal Xan's Aunt Paige.
"Ah, I see you've been through my - I mean - our kitchen."
"Yeah," Xan replied, "Pru would love this. She's a great cook, just like-"
"Your mother. Piper, I know. I can still remember when I would go down to the kitchen, and I would be greeted by Piper, and our breakfast. She always made sure the food she made was perfect."
"I miss her," Aunt Paige said, tearfully.
"Me too," agreed Xan.
Oh my-"Pru was standing I the doorway, staring at the kitchen.
"Welcome to the kitchen," said Paige, with a smile. "Xan told me you cooked well. I'm hoping to get a taste of your talent real soon."
*** *** ***
Later, the Pru, Drew, Xan, Julia and Paige were seated around the dinner table, which was laden with food which had been prepared by Pru.
"This is delicious," commented Paige on Pru's cooking.
"Thank you,"replied Pru, blushing. "I've never wanted to cook so much until I got here. It's just that I felt like, 'wow, Mom lived here, she cooked here', and I felt really good about it. And we have you to thank for.
"I'm really sorry I was so cruel back then," apologized Pru.
"No, don't be," Paige said, "I was stupid to think you would take me in just like that."
Xan looked at Aunt Paige and Pru, feeling happiness and relief, knowing that any family anxiety was over. He ate his pasta with gusto.
Julia looked up from eating her food. "Where should we stay? There are only three rooms."
"Yeah," agreed Drew. "And there are just three beds. I thought our mom wanted us to LIVE here."
"Well," replied Paige, "I'd ordered beds, but I think they'll come tomorrow or the day after. Until then, we'll just have to make a few sacrifices. I'll stay here downstairs. Two of the couches are sofa-beds. Someone else will have to sleep downstairs, too."
Strange, thought Xan. A fancy house like this having sofa-beds. Xan chuckled to himself. "I'll sleep here."
Xan's siblings looked at each other, and shrugged.
"Fine with me," Drew said, going back to his food.
Pru glared at his younger brother Drew. "Are you sure with that, Xan?"
"It's okay with me if I sleep downstairs,"Julia offered.
"How about the room at the top of the stairs?" Pru insisted. "Near the sitting room?"
Paige's eyes looked up, meeting Pru's. "Well, if you've tried the door, you'll see it's locked. Actually, I haven't been able to open the attic for a while now. I guess the door was blown by the wind, and it jammed."
"Doesn't it have a key? Maybe Drew should try opening it," Pru said, directing Paige's eyes to her brother, "He's really strong. Or Xan could-"
"No, it's fine," replied Xan. He took a gulp of water from his glass before standing up from his chair. "I'll wash the dishes."
*** *** ***
Xan woke up.
He looked around him. He had heard a noise. Where did it come from?
Cautious of possible burglars, Xan began to creep around the living room. Aunt Paige was quietly sleeping across him. Xan took careful steps, trying not to make a single sound. Nearing the hall, he snatched an umbrella near the coat rack, ready for any attack.
Why am I doing this, thought Xan. Who am I trying to kid? What am I trying to prove? He gripped the umbrella tighter.
Xan had gotten to the sitting room. It sounded like it came from here. Xan slowed his breathing, listening carefully to the sounds of the late evening.
There it was again. Holding the makeshift weapon in front of him, Xan carefully, quietly went up the stairs. The stairs which led up to the attic.
As the man at the attic door rattled the doorknob, Xan raised the umbrella over his head.
Suddenly, he realized who the person was.
"Pru!"
"Oh!" Pru squeaked, turning around and bumping her head on the door. "Ow! Xan! Don't surprise me like that!" she whispered.
"What are you doing?! Why are you whispering?!" Xan whispered back.
Pru shuffled down the attic steps, taking a look at Paige, who apparently was unaffected by the commotion.
"I wasn't comfortable with you sleeping there. I didn't believe Paige. Something in her story was... wrong, I don't know."
"Obviously, the door's still jammed, right?"
A creaking sound made them both jump.
The attic door was ajar.
"What the-"Xan looked at the room the open door was showing them. "How did- "
"Come on," Pru coaxed, walking slowly into the dusty room.
Boxes were lying all around, assorted items, stuffed into them. To the right of the door were old, heavy trunks, their metal clasps, rusted with age. To the right were antiques. The moon showed through the single window, in the center of the wall across the door. Pale, white moonbeams were the only source of light in the room
In the center of the room was a book stand. A thick book rested on its surface. The light shone around it, as if it the moon were enticing visitors to have a look. Xan went over to the stand, and was surprised by what he saw.
"Pru, come take a look at this."
When Xan was a child, he had an avid interest in magic, and even performed tricks. This interest in the supernatural grew. When he was 12, he learned about witchcraft and about Wicca. Xan learned a lot about it during the past few years, and knew enough that the symbol engraved on the book's cover was Wiccan.
The symbol was made up of what looked like a flower with only three petals spread out, pointing in three separate directions. A circle cut through the petals, seeming to unite it somehow.
"What is it?" asked Pru, looking curiously at the object before her.
Xan answered, "I think- I think it's a book of shadows."
*** *** ***
With bags in each hand, Xan Madison walked up the steps leading to the front door of the Halliwell manor. Xan looked about eagerly, the house was pink - not exactly his idea of great wall color, but it could do.
It was almost a year after Xan and his siblings had first met Aunt Paige. Her story was unbelievable at first, but Xan had seen it as a way out. San Francisco was definitely better than their old home town. Xan could hardly believe it took just a short time to arrange everything. After their dad had died, they were supposed to got to Aunt Lucy, dad's only sister. It turned out that Aunt Lucy didn't really know they were supposed to live with her. Nonetheless, she didn't want them to live with her, and did just about anything to get them out of her hair. It was settled that they live with their Aunt Paige. Xan was thankful they were here.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Paige noticed Xan looking at the house. '"After all these years... actually I'm very proud of myself of keeping it maintained. I'm not alone, of course," said
Paige, pointing to the elderly man who was tending to the garden. "Mr. Inne, he helps me with the house thrice a week."
Paige walked onto the front lawn to Mr. Inne, who was watering the daffodils growing by the side of the house. Xan continued up the concrete steps, his siblings following behind.
He walked through the door, met by the simple, yet stylish furnishings which gave serenity to the home. Wow, thought Xan. A Victorian house which had been able to withstand earthquakes, storms, and cobwebs. The house was perfect.
A soft tinkling of wind chimes told Xan that the rest of the family had entered the house.
"Wow, it's so pretty," commented Julia, Xan's younger sister, staring at the different knick-knacks which were arranged around the sitting room. In the conservatory, Pru, his older sister, was admiring the beautiful orchids which were hanging from the ceiling. Xan's twin brother Drew, on the other hand, was already rushing up the varnished oak staircase.
"I have dibs on the best room!" yelled Drew as he ran up the second floor. What an idiot, thought Xan. He dropped his bags on the floor, having decided to look around the house more. Xan went to the kitchen, looking at the antiques which had passed the test of time.
The kitchen was a soft pastel yellow, which gave a feel of pale sunshine to the room. It looked like the kitchen wasn't used for a long time, though it was remarkably clean, without a speck of dust on any of the appliances. Whoever kept this house knew his stuff.
A bell rung as the kitchen door opened to reveal Xan's Aunt Paige.
"Ah, I see you've been through my - I mean - our kitchen."
"Yeah," Xan replied, "Pru would love this. She's a great cook, just like-"
"Your mother. Piper, I know. I can still remember when I would go down to the kitchen, and I would be greeted by Piper, and our breakfast. She always made sure the food she made was perfect."
"I miss her," Aunt Paige said, tearfully.
"Me too," agreed Xan.
Oh my-"Pru was standing I the doorway, staring at the kitchen.
"Welcome to the kitchen," said Paige, with a smile. "Xan told me you cooked well. I'm hoping to get a taste of your talent real soon."
*** *** ***
Later, the Pru, Drew, Xan, Julia and Paige were seated around the dinner table, which was laden with food which had been prepared by Pru.
"This is delicious," commented Paige on Pru's cooking.
"Thank you,"replied Pru, blushing. "I've never wanted to cook so much until I got here. It's just that I felt like, 'wow, Mom lived here, she cooked here', and I felt really good about it. And we have you to thank for.
"I'm really sorry I was so cruel back then," apologized Pru.
"No, don't be," Paige said, "I was stupid to think you would take me in just like that."
Xan looked at Aunt Paige and Pru, feeling happiness and relief, knowing that any family anxiety was over. He ate his pasta with gusto.
Julia looked up from eating her food. "Where should we stay? There are only three rooms."
"Yeah," agreed Drew. "And there are just three beds. I thought our mom wanted us to LIVE here."
"Well," replied Paige, "I'd ordered beds, but I think they'll come tomorrow or the day after. Until then, we'll just have to make a few sacrifices. I'll stay here downstairs. Two of the couches are sofa-beds. Someone else will have to sleep downstairs, too."
Strange, thought Xan. A fancy house like this having sofa-beds. Xan chuckled to himself. "I'll sleep here."
Xan's siblings looked at each other, and shrugged.
"Fine with me," Drew said, going back to his food.
Pru glared at his younger brother Drew. "Are you sure with that, Xan?"
"It's okay with me if I sleep downstairs,"Julia offered.
"How about the room at the top of the stairs?" Pru insisted. "Near the sitting room?"
Paige's eyes looked up, meeting Pru's. "Well, if you've tried the door, you'll see it's locked. Actually, I haven't been able to open the attic for a while now. I guess the door was blown by the wind, and it jammed."
"Doesn't it have a key? Maybe Drew should try opening it," Pru said, directing Paige's eyes to her brother, "He's really strong. Or Xan could-"
"No, it's fine," replied Xan. He took a gulp of water from his glass before standing up from his chair. "I'll wash the dishes."
*** *** ***
Xan woke up.
He looked around him. He had heard a noise. Where did it come from?
Cautious of possible burglars, Xan began to creep around the living room. Aunt Paige was quietly sleeping across him. Xan took careful steps, trying not to make a single sound. Nearing the hall, he snatched an umbrella near the coat rack, ready for any attack.
Why am I doing this, thought Xan. Who am I trying to kid? What am I trying to prove? He gripped the umbrella tighter.
Xan had gotten to the sitting room. It sounded like it came from here. Xan slowed his breathing, listening carefully to the sounds of the late evening.
There it was again. Holding the makeshift weapon in front of him, Xan carefully, quietly went up the stairs. The stairs which led up to the attic.
As the man at the attic door rattled the doorknob, Xan raised the umbrella over his head.
Suddenly, he realized who the person was.
"Pru!"
"Oh!" Pru squeaked, turning around and bumping her head on the door. "Ow! Xan! Don't surprise me like that!" she whispered.
"What are you doing?! Why are you whispering?!" Xan whispered back.
Pru shuffled down the attic steps, taking a look at Paige, who apparently was unaffected by the commotion.
"I wasn't comfortable with you sleeping there. I didn't believe Paige. Something in her story was... wrong, I don't know."
"Obviously, the door's still jammed, right?"
A creaking sound made them both jump.
The attic door was ajar.
"What the-"Xan looked at the room the open door was showing them. "How did- "
"Come on," Pru coaxed, walking slowly into the dusty room.
Boxes were lying all around, assorted items, stuffed into them. To the right of the door were old, heavy trunks, their metal clasps, rusted with age. To the right were antiques. The moon showed through the single window, in the center of the wall across the door. Pale, white moonbeams were the only source of light in the room
In the center of the room was a book stand. A thick book rested on its surface. The light shone around it, as if it the moon were enticing visitors to have a look. Xan went over to the stand, and was surprised by what he saw.
"Pru, come take a look at this."
When Xan was a child, he had an avid interest in magic, and even performed tricks. This interest in the supernatural grew. When he was 12, he learned about witchcraft and about Wicca. Xan learned a lot about it during the past few years, and knew enough that the symbol engraved on the book's cover was Wiccan.
The symbol was made up of what looked like a flower with only three petals spread out, pointing in three separate directions. A circle cut through the petals, seeming to unite it somehow.
"What is it?" asked Pru, looking curiously at the object before her.
Xan answered, "I think- I think it's a book of shadows."