Trials
Chapter Four
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Spooksville, and I'm not making any money from this fic
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Rachel moved through the school grounds, tugging Risa along behind her and continually looking around for Adam and the others.
Risa was racking her brains for some kind of excuse not to go and see Cindy and her friends. It wasn't that she didn't want to see her sister, because she did. More than anything else in the whole world, even becoming a full-fledged witch. But how could she stand to see her sister again after so long... And keep quiet about their true relationship?
So Risa was of two minds about finally seeing her sister again.
Suddenly, though, Risa heard a soft whispering noise. She whipped her head around. Oh, no! she thought. How could they have left the house?!
Risa kept her eyes firmly fixed to a part of Rachel's back, ignoring the tantalising glimpses out of the corner of her eyes. Nightshade had always told her that the ghosts wouldn't be able to touch Risa as long as she didn't give in to them.
Rachel paused, and then turned to look at Risa. "Are you all right?" she asked, worried.
Risa nodded. "I'm fine," she replied, struggling to concentrate on Rachel, though it was so hard not to look at the ghosts. "Just... Can we please keep moving?"
To her credit, Rachel didn't ask why. Seemingly sensing Risa's need to hurry, she just turned back round and started running, dragging Risa along behind her.
Risa's eyes remained fixed on Rachel's back, but she felt as though someone, or something, was calling her. Suddenly, Rachel seemed to be keeping her back rather than helping her.
With a huge effort, Risa wrenched her arm from Rachel's grip, and turned to run towards whatever was calling her.
"Hey, Adam!" Rachel said suddenly.
Risa immediately stopped dead as Rachel spoke and the ghosts vanished. She shook her head a little. Darn, she thought to herself. They almost got me this time. She turned to look at the four children who had just arrived, and her eyes widened a little.
My sister! Risa thought, panicked. I hope she recognises me... No, I hope she doesn't recognise me.
"Hi, Rachel," the short, dark-haired boy said with a smile.
"This is Risa Nightshade," Rachel told them, nodding to Risa. "She's new. Risa, this is Adam, Cindy, Sally, and Watch."
Hm, I wonder why he wears four watches? Risa thought to herself.
"So, you're new?" the thin, dark-haired Sally asked. "Seen anything spooky yet? You're still here, so it can't have gotten too scary for you yet."
"We really must apologise for Sally," Cindy told Risa. "She doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut."
Of course! Risa realised. They think that I've only just moved to Spooksville. They don't know that I've been here since I left my family. I've been terrified since I first got here because of all the ghosts and portals in my house. It's just that fear isn't going to do any good.
Risa gave a slight shrug. "Fear doesn't help any," she said. There. That's a suitably vague answer. I'm not giving anything away at the moment.
"That's true," Watch said. "But people who don't get scared are usually just fools."
Risa could have argued that point... But she chose not to. If they wanted to believe she rarely got scared, that was their problem. After all, she had made it sound like she rarely got scared.
"I don't get scared," Sally said. "Even horror movies don't scare me. It's probably because my whole life is a horror movie. I've gotten used to it."
Risa glanced towards her sister, and felt a mixture of sadness and relief as she saw that Cindy didn't recognise her.
Hm, I wonder if Rachel is going to tell them about our plan to venture the Secret Path? Risa thought to herself.
Risa! Nightshade's voice suddenly echoed in Risa's mind.
Nightshade? What is it? Risa asked silently.
Get somewhere private and I'll tell you! Nightshade answered.
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