The Witch's Materials: The Map of The Hiding.

Prologue. 

It was dark and the stars were swirling inside the night sky. The owl’s hoots were heard from afar –from the nearby forest where the wildflowers are. A light breeze blew through the streets, scattering pamphlets and leaflets and fallen orange leaves around into a colourful hurricane. There was no one in sight –except for a girl.

     This girl looked out of place, with her grey cloak and her black sneakers, completely and utterly monotonous compared to what was around her. Her long wavy hair was silver under the moons touch and was falling around her face, covering most of it. She huddled in her dark cloak, her face not only covered by her hair but concealed under the hood, casting a shadow over it.

     She hurried through the streets, passing under the lampposts then she stopped on a redbrick apartment. She looked at the sign where a golden number 14 was and walked up to it –knocked three times and waited.

     The door was opened by a very strict-looking woman with a tight brown bun and spectacles on her dainty nose and cat-like eyes. She looked down at the girl that knocked and she squinted.

     “Who are you and what do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?” she said to the girl strictly as she moved around to get a good look at the girl, letting the light inside of the room out.  

     The mysterious girl looked up and threw off her hood, revealing her face to the woman, which instantly caught the light in the room. Her features were suddenly thrown into startling definition.

     The woman tottered back a couple of steps while her lip quivered. “...Miss Annabelle?” her tone became noticeably politer although it was marred a bit by her surprise. 

     The girl with the silver hair nodded once. 

     “Come in, come in!” she suddenly hastened, her movements quick and frightened as she gathered her stuff outside –which by the way was not there when last seen.

     Annabelle stepped into the warm room, her hair no longer silver but a warm honey-gold as she sat on a low chair, waiting for the woman to collect her luggage.

     “It’s been a while, Adelaide. This room didn’t seem any different than the first time I was brought here, though I can't say the same for you. You've become perceptibly...irritable.” Annabelle told her quietly as Adelaide set down Annabelle’s luggage and moved to the front desk were her fingers danced quickly over the keyboard of her computer.

     She blushed with embarrassment. “I'm sorry, everything has been tight here lately and everyone's on edge. We don't have the luxury of time here to think about redecorating. Everything’s been so busy ever since you left. And then there’s this other Emergency going on in the news.” She typed in a few more and looked up, her expression even more so frightened because Annabelle was now staring at her, her expression contorted into a confused look.

     “What other Emergency?” she asked, as she leaned into the desk, her elbows on the table and her hands cupping her face.

     Adelaide blinked for a few times. How did she get over here so quickly? “Well, He got out again.”

     Annabelle’s face didn’t change a bit as she tilted her head to the side. “Who got out again?”

     She can’t be serious! She can’t not know about this, Adelaide thought. “Your…friend. Roger.” She gulped.

     “He’s not my friend anymore so don’t label him my friend.”

     Adelaide wanted to kick herself. Of course he’s not her friend anymore! He killed her parents! “Um..” Adelaide mumbled to herself in awkward silence.

     Annabelle looked thoughtful for a moment before restarting the conversation. “Why is it an Emergency?”

     “Well,” Adelaide played with her hands. “We all know Roger was skilled beyond his years at bending the element of water and fire, not to mention his gift of putting thoughts into another's mind –now he’s out to find someone who will teach him the ways of wind.”

     Annabelle waited patiently, her head still tilted.

     “But here’s the catch, it is said that Roger is not only set on figuring out the ways of the wind, but also all the other elements as well. Even the…even the –unique gifts, so to speak.” She fidgeted slightly in her seat.

     “Why are you concerned? So what if he mastered the four elements? Besides, he can’t master all the gifts –they’re called gifts for a reason. You don’t learn it. You just have it.” She said thoughtfully, her eyes showing a bit of concern.

     Adelaide sighed. “Miss Annabelle, I think I’m not the right person to talk to this about. It’s getting late, you should get rest.” She waved her off, clearly not wanting to talk about it. “Your room is still available, you can use that.

     Annabelle removed her arms from the table. “And what happens when I wake up?”

     “You go to the Academy,” she looked at her through her spectacles. “You are still underage. You are still a student.”

     Annabelle’s thoughtful mask wore off and she pressed her lips tightly. “Fine.”

     She held her hands in a gesture towards her luggage and they levitated upwards then flicked her finger forward and whispered the location to the wind before it floated upwards the stairs.

     She followed suit after that.

     “Oh by the way Annabelle,” she called. “The Headmaster wishes to see you before your first class.”