Midnight Dreams

Chapter 2: Adriana

By the time I got home, my parents had food already on the table. I tossed my bag on the kitchen floor and pulled out the booklet. "How was school, Adriana?" asked my mother, who was sitting at our little round table.

I sat down at the table and took a bite of my burger. "Some kids gave me this," I said, tossing the booklet in front of them.

My mother almost dropped her burger back on her plate, and my father's fork clattered on the ground. "Which kids?" My mother's voice was sharp.

"Patricia and David. I don't know them very well."

My father rubbed his forehead and sighed. "It's about time you found out about it."

I leaned forward. "What even is it?" I asked, putting my elbows on the table.

"Elbows off the table," reprimanded my mother.

I crossed my arms. "I want to know everything about the legend," I said.

My parents exchanged a glance, and it was obvious that neither one of them wanted to start. "Well," said my father eventually, "the Whitten Legend has been traced back to a little over 600 years ago."

"But what's the story behind it?" I asked, my impatience showing in my indigo eyes.

"As the story goes, there was a boy, no more than twelve years old. He was a servant to an ancient king, whose name has been long forgotten," said my father, "He was bringing a candle and the king's golden cup, which was reserved for formal occasions, when he passed in front of a recently relocated mirror. The mirror's glass turned to liquid and swirled around. The boy's older brother, who was carrying a jug of water, vanished, and in his place was a small spirit girl."

I sniffed. "That's sad. Did his brother ever come home?"

"No one ever returns once they are pulled through the mirror," said my mother grimly, "It opens a doorway between dimensions, which closes after three days of it being opened."

"The spirit was angry, and she killed the little servant. She then possessed his body and went into the village. Over the years, she has appeared to people in many different forms, so no one really knows what she looks like," finished my father.

I rubbed my hands together. "So, she could be anywhere?"

"Well, yes," my father admitted, "but she's dangerous."

"She's very powerful and has no known weaknesses," said my mother cautiously. "Besides, her whereabouts change every Halloween."

"Ooh," I said, excitement coursing through my body, "do you think she would visit our town?"

My father shuddered. "People claim she has come here multiple times, killing people when she does, but let's hope she stays away this year." A piece of lettuce clung desperately to his bushy black beard, and he brushed it away.

"She only visits if someone accesses the doorway," added my mother.

We finished our meal in silence, and my parents retreated to their room. "Don't forget to finish your science project," my mother called before she closed the door.

I set my plate in the sink just as our house phone began to ring. It shook so violently that it almost fell off its hook. I picked it up and said, "Hello?"

"Hello, fearless," came Elizabeth's sneering voice.

"What do you want?" I asked her.

"That legend is fake. Those ghost-lovers are just out to scare everyone."

I frowned but said nothing.

"Are you scared?" Elizabeth teased. "Addy's scared." A short laugh came through the phone.

"Only my friends can call me Addy," I snapped.

"Addy, Addy, Addy."

"Tell me what you want or I'm hanging up."

Elizabeth paused her mocking and said, "Come over to my house and I'll show you what a fake this legend is. Be here in fifteen minutes." Click. She hung up.

I sighed. "Mom, Dad!" I shouted, grabbing my cell phone out of my bag. "I'm going to the library for my science project."

My mother opened the door and poked her head out. "Don't stay out too late," she said, "and take your phone."

I held up my phone. "I'll be back soon," I promised. I turned around, my black braid smacking me in the face as I did so. With my phone in hand, I raced away from my house.