CHAPTER 3:

2003, somewhere in San Francisco.

Joey sat in her room, still freaked out about what happened on the basketball field. Michael knocked on her door. "Joey", he said. "Is everything alright? Momma Wendy asks why you won't come downstairs and eat lunch with us." "I'll be right there", she answered. 'I have to pretend nothing happened', she thought. 'I'll will not let those kids get scared'.

One more time she thought the matters that occurred nearly half an hour ago through. The men who appeared and those women who let them fly through the air and blew them up. And then that guy who was so nice to her, but apparently belonged with those women -or witches- as they called themselves. 'Weird', Joey thought, as she stood up and walked downstairs.

She went to the cosy kitchen where the others were already eating. Eleven kids sat at a long table which was filled with large plates of sandwiches, fruit and milk. The youngest child nearly five years-old, the oldest was Joey ad she is fifteen years-old.

Neither one of them had biological family anymore, for all kind of different reasons. Except for Joey they all had a sad life story. Molestation, alcohol abuse and other cruel things were no exceptions in the lives of the young children. But Wendy was like their mother now and the other kids like siblings.

Joey knew nothing else then having new siblings every time. Her parents died in a car accident when she was so young she couldn't even remember. She grew up with her aunt Wendy and used to be happy with the way things were. She loved her aunt and she always had enough other kids to play with. But now she was getting older and it was hard sometimes. The other kids were all about ten years-old and now and then she wished she had someone older to talk to. Aunt Wendy was great, but she just wasn't a teenager anymore.

Wendy noticed Joey finally showed up. "There you are child, sit down and have something to eat. You can't sport all day without a proper meal." "Thanks aunt Wendy", Joey said while she took the empty place next to Michael. She took a sandwich but wasn't really hungry.

"What's wrong?", Wendy asked. "Normally I can't make new sandwiches too fast." "Huh? What?", Joey said distracted. "Ow I am just not so hungry, that's all. I guess I am a bit nervous for the game tomorrow." "You nervous? The older woman replied. "That would be the first time. I see something is wrong kiddo, after lunch we talk about it okay?" "Okay", Joey said. Trying to think of a way to get out of the talk.

After lunch Joey tried to take off as fast as she could, but Wendy saw through her. "Wait a second girl, we were going to have that talk, remember?" The chubby lady said. "Right", Joey answered. "Totally forgot about that", she said smiling. "No, you didn't. C'mon let the others clean up here, let's go to my room." Joey followed Wendy to a little bedroom. There was just enough space for a bed, a little table with a chair and a linen cupboard. Wendy sat down at the chair and Joey at one end of the bed.

"Now tell me girl, what's wrong with you lately? You are not the happy child I know anymore." "Well… I… you know…". Joey sighed, she just as well could tell Wendy the whole story. "Okay, it started about a week ago. I have had the weirdest dreams you could possible think of. Filled with all kind of creatures, monsters, who kill all these people I don't know. Very messy…"

"Have you been watching horror DVD's all night again?", Wendy interrupted, looking worried. "No I swear, these dreams are far worse then any horror movie I have ever seen. Anyway for some reason I can't get these pictures of the monsters out of my head, like they hunt me or something. Like they want something from me."

For a moment there was silence. "You know that that isn't possible", Wendy said smiling at Joey hoping the answer would satisfy her. "I thought so to", Joey said. "Until this afternoon." "What happened?"

"Well, you know we were playing basketball on the field at the end of the street, right? Suddenly there were these men harassing me. But that wasn't the weirdest part. Three women and a guy came and they helped me. At least I think they did. And a few things happened from which I still don't know if I saw it correct, but anyway, these women called themselves witches", Joey said hastily.

"Well", Wendy said. "I know of women who call themselves that. Mostly they call themselves Wicca they are not so strange. They live in harmony with nature and use herbs for medication, what is weird about that?" "They let the men fly through the air and blew them up with their bare hands", Joey suddenly said.

"Ah, I see", Wendy answered. "You know, I think it is about time I tell you a little story. Come here with me child", she said as she took Joey's arm and gently pulled the girl towards her.

"Once upon a time, there was a girl named Fiona…"