Rachel woke with a start. She hadn't realized how late it was. The
sun brightly shone over her eyes. Blinking her eyes, she was shocked to
see what she did. Right in front of her face was another face, a girl's
face. Only this other face was transparent. Speechless, she looked scared
at the transparent girl.
"Oh good you're up." The girl said, moving her self back.
Startled, Rachel scrambled to her feet, grabbing her stuffed bear with her. "What are you?" She dared to ask.
"I am Kirsten."
"Rachel, but I didn't ask who you are, I asked what are you."
"A ghost, you can see me?"
"Yeah, should I not?" Just like the road last night, this was un- familiar territory for Rachel.
"Only witches can see ghosts, meaning you're a witch."
"I knew that. How do you know that?"
"My parents were witches."
"My mum was, but she died."
"How?"
"Some demon, I was little but I can still see his face at night." Rachel started to cry, it was painful. It wasn't just at night that she saw that face, it was every time she closed her eyes, every time she used her powers.
"That is how my family and I died too."
"How long ago?"
"About fifteen years. My parents were able to crossover, but I some reason some how couldn't. How old are you?"
"Eight. How about you?"
"Sixteen when I died."
"Wow!"
"What are you doing way out here?" Kirsten asked.
"I ran away." Rachel mumbled.
"Why would you do that? Your Dad must miss you."
"I don't have one. My foster family doesn't like me. Nobody does." She said, burring her face in the bear.
"I like you." Kirsten tried. Rachel smiled. "I don't see why your foster family doesn't like you."
"They think I'm a freak."
"You're not a freak. You are one of the most special people, and they are jealous of what you have."
"What do I have?"
"You're powers, you can do more good than they can imagine."
"Really?" Rachel's voice was small, uncertain.
Kirsten got eye level with Rachel, and confidently said, "Really." Rachel smiled; she leaned over to give Kirsten a hug, when her stomach loudly declared that it was in need of food. "Now let's go see what we can do about that stomach, we might have some canned vegetables in the kitchen, I don't think that those go bad. Do you mind eating canned vegetables?" Kirsten asked. Rachel thought for a moment. Normally she wouldn't touch them, but she was so hungry from not eating anything since breakfast the day before. She nodded. Kirsten held out her hand for Rachel to take. Smiling, Rachel took her hand. In the kitchen pantry, there were still about twenty cans of various fruits and vegetables. "Here, let's start with some string beans." Kirsten said, quickly searching for a can opener.
"K. Can I stay here?"
"Today? Sure!"
"No, I mean forever."
"I don't know, we only have enough food for a week here for you."
"What will happen then?"
"Well, I'll help you get back to the city, where you can be found."
"But I don't want to be found." Rachel said stubbornly.
"I'm sure someone is worried about you."
"The Adams don't miss me. Ms. Matthews is the only one that liked me a little bit back there."
"See, Ms. Matthews misses you, and is probably really worried about you."
"Maybe."
"Here, I know they're cold, but they will satisfy your hunger, even it you don't like the taste."
"Thanks Kirsten, you're my first friend."
"Thanks."
"Oh good you're up." The girl said, moving her self back.
Startled, Rachel scrambled to her feet, grabbing her stuffed bear with her. "What are you?" She dared to ask.
"I am Kirsten."
"Rachel, but I didn't ask who you are, I asked what are you."
"A ghost, you can see me?"
"Yeah, should I not?" Just like the road last night, this was un- familiar territory for Rachel.
"Only witches can see ghosts, meaning you're a witch."
"I knew that. How do you know that?"
"My parents were witches."
"My mum was, but she died."
"How?"
"Some demon, I was little but I can still see his face at night." Rachel started to cry, it was painful. It wasn't just at night that she saw that face, it was every time she closed her eyes, every time she used her powers.
"That is how my family and I died too."
"How long ago?"
"About fifteen years. My parents were able to crossover, but I some reason some how couldn't. How old are you?"
"Eight. How about you?"
"Sixteen when I died."
"Wow!"
"What are you doing way out here?" Kirsten asked.
"I ran away." Rachel mumbled.
"Why would you do that? Your Dad must miss you."
"I don't have one. My foster family doesn't like me. Nobody does." She said, burring her face in the bear.
"I like you." Kirsten tried. Rachel smiled. "I don't see why your foster family doesn't like you."
"They think I'm a freak."
"You're not a freak. You are one of the most special people, and they are jealous of what you have."
"What do I have?"
"You're powers, you can do more good than they can imagine."
"Really?" Rachel's voice was small, uncertain.
Kirsten got eye level with Rachel, and confidently said, "Really." Rachel smiled; she leaned over to give Kirsten a hug, when her stomach loudly declared that it was in need of food. "Now let's go see what we can do about that stomach, we might have some canned vegetables in the kitchen, I don't think that those go bad. Do you mind eating canned vegetables?" Kirsten asked. Rachel thought for a moment. Normally she wouldn't touch them, but she was so hungry from not eating anything since breakfast the day before. She nodded. Kirsten held out her hand for Rachel to take. Smiling, Rachel took her hand. In the kitchen pantry, there were still about twenty cans of various fruits and vegetables. "Here, let's start with some string beans." Kirsten said, quickly searching for a can opener.
"K. Can I stay here?"
"Today? Sure!"
"No, I mean forever."
"I don't know, we only have enough food for a week here for you."
"What will happen then?"
"Well, I'll help you get back to the city, where you can be found."
"But I don't want to be found." Rachel said stubbornly.
"I'm sure someone is worried about you."
"The Adams don't miss me. Ms. Matthews is the only one that liked me a little bit back there."
"See, Ms. Matthews misses you, and is probably really worried about you."
"Maybe."
"Here, I know they're cold, but they will satisfy your hunger, even it you don't like the taste."
"Thanks Kirsten, you're my first friend."
"Thanks."
