Author's Note: A big thank you to everyone who helped tidy this one up. Much appreciated. :)

Witch Hunt

Leaves danced along Hathorne Street; caught up in a cold and blustery northwestern wind. Autumn had settled upon the historic city of Salem even before Shay could settle into her new home. Not the largest house on the block, the two story Victorian instead boasted proximity to many convenient features. For instance, it happened to be less than a thirty minute walk to Salem High School. Regardless of her father being a little guarded on her safety, Shay liked the morning walks. It kept her somewhat close to the nature she had grown to love.

Living in the middle of an urban area wasn't a huge change, but for the majority of Shay's life she had lived somewhat on the edge of society. Her parents were free spirits, and took things in stride. They wanted to instill a love of nature and wonder in Shay. So before she was born, they decided to move away from the major cities, and settled at the outskirts of a smaller rural town. Her backyard became a large forest in the Pacific Northwest. At night she could see the stars. For sixteen years Shay felt like she could be who she wanted to be. She loved it there, but losing her mother made life hard.

It made this new life in Salem harder as well. High school had started over a month ago, and some of the neighborhood kids still found it hilariously funny to slap the books out of her hands as they ran by. Luckily there were no loose papers to be scattered to the winds, and the ground was dry today. She continued to fumble with her books as she gathered them back into a neat stack. The sound of footsteps behind her made the event a little more stressful than it should have been.

"Don't let them get to you."

Shay turned her head to face the origin of the soft-spoken voice. Wren Harper walked into her vision. Her older sister, Robin, hurried past them. Robin raised an eyebrow above her round frame glasses as she glanced at the scene. Then she quickly turned her glance away as she continued down the street. Shay stood slowly, unsure what to say or how to act. This was the first time either one of the Harper sisters bothered to speak to her. While she merely had to deal with being the weird new kid, the Harper sisters had their own issues to deal with.

"It's good to have a routine," Shay said, following it with a nervous chuckle.

"If you say so," Wren said.

Wren reached out and picked a bright yellow leaf from Shay's shoulder. It looked as if it had been clinging onto her shirt like it had probably done before loosing its grip on the tree. She opened one of her books, and slipped the oak leaf in between the pages. Then she carefully closed the book, and turned to continue her walk to school. She paused for a brief moment and looked back, as if gesturing for Shay to join her.

"I wish there was some way to get back at them," Wren said, as we rounded the corner.

"Meh..." Shay said. "They'll grow up some day."

"Still..." Wren said, as we began to walk down Broad Street.

"I guess you could use your special witch powers," Shay said, giving her a smile.

Wren sighed. "So you believe that too?"

"No," Shay said, dropping her smile. "I mean... I was only joking." She sighed herself. "I..."

"It's fine," Wren said. "Everyone thinks it." She pulled her school books tighter to her chest. "The weird Harper girls. Witch sisters of Salem."

They walked in silence for a while down Broad Street before turning onto Jackson. Wren seemed a little perturbed and continued to watch her sister up ahead. Shay shifted nervously as she walked. Every so often she glanced up at the large oak trees. The shades of orange and red leaves lent themselves to a picturesque view of the coastal city. Especially with the glint of morning sun peaking through the clouds.

"I don't think it's a bad thing," Shay said.

Wren glanced at her. "What?"

"To be a witch."

"I think some in this town might disagree," Wren said, with a half laugh. "Even in this day and age."

"I don't know," Shay said. "I think it would be kinda cool... to have powers."

Wren smiled, but continued to look forward. "Would you use those powers for good?" She turned to look at Shay. "Or evil?"

Shay looked over at her and chuckled. "Mostly good... I think."

"I think I'd try to be a force for change," Wren said, turning to watch her sister. "Just like the changing winds. I'd try to make the world a better place."

"That's very... selfless of you."

"Oh don't get me wrong," Wren said, glancing back at Shay. "I'd help myself a little too." She giggled. "What's the point of having magical powers if you can't help yourself... as well as others?"

"I suppose that's only fair," Shay said, giving her a smile.

"So you're new to Salem, right?" Wren asked.

"Yeah," Shay said. "I just moved here during the summer. My dad grew up here, but my mom was from out west."

"Was?"

Shay lowered her gaze. "She died last year..."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Wren said.

"Thanks..." Shay swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "We moved back here to be closer to family." She took a slow deep breath. "I think my dad needs the support more than I do most days."

"He's having a hard time?"

"Most days he can hardly function," Shay said. "I catch him spacing out a lot."

Wren went silent again. She seemed to be in deep contemplation. For a moment Shay thought maybe she had said too much. She began to debate this in her own mind as they walked down the 107. Not as many students walked to school these days, and there were more cars on the road. However, the walk seemed safe enough, and there were enough people within yelling distance if there happened to be any trouble. The city had made strides to make walking and biking safer over the years as well.

"What about you?" Wren finally asked.

"Me?" Shay shrugged. "I'm coping."

"Oh..." Wren said. "That's good... but I meant the rumors."

Shay turned her head slowly. "What rumors?"

Wren scrunched her face, and her green eyes rolled to look away. "I don't know how to ask this..."

"Wren!"

Shay and Wren both looked ahead to where the voice came from. Robin stood about fifteen feet ahead of them, looking slightly agitated. Shay studied her for a moment. Robin had this snobbish vibe to her, and the way she looked only served to cultivate this further. Her long blonde hair seemed to always be pulled up tight, and either braided or in a bun. She hid her pretty blue eyes behind round-framed glasses, which she occasionally wore on the end of her nose. Shay had never spoken to her, but she sensed that Robin would be the type that would never bother speaking to her in the first place.

Robin waved her little sister to her. "We need to talk before school."

Wren gave her sister a look of dissatisfaction. "Sorry," she said. "Maybe we can talk later."

"Sure..." Shay said, as she watched Wren hurry to catch up with her sister.

Shay stood hunched over; her hands on her knees. Her upper body rose and fell as she looked across the gym panting. Normally she didn't go this hard during physical education, but she needed something to keep her mind occupied. All day long, her thoughts had kept circling back to the morning conversation with Wren. The last part of it didn't sit well with her. What were these "rumors" she asked about?

As Shay stayed out of bounds, catching her breath, a girl named Lily Hubbard came jogging up beside her. It just so happened that Shay had an unfortunate first encounter with Lily at the start of the school year. Running late for class on the first day of school, Shay had inadvertently collided with Lily at full speed coming around a corner in the hallway. The resulting impact sent Lily crashing to the floor and sliding on her butt for several feet. She had an entire group of students to witness the event, as well as a good round of laughter to follow.

Lily had diffused the situation by asking if Shay played linebacker at her last high school. Unsure of what to do, Shay profusely apologized and hurried off to class. Looking back, she probably could have at least helped her get back on her feet. Instead, Shay had sparked a slight adversarial relationship with Lily. They barely saw each other at school, but when they did, Lily constantly tried to make Shay seem inferior in her presence. It kindled the fire of rivalry especially during gym class.

"Having a hard time keeping up?" Lily asked, as she flipped her bright red ponytail over her shoulder.

Shay took in a deep breath, ready to answer.

"Or you deciding who you're going to ask to homecoming?" She gave Shay a smug grin.

"Huh?"

"I hear Sarah's looking for a date," Lily said. "If that's your type." She chuckled, patting Shay on the shoulder, before jogging off.

"And there it is..." Shay mumbled to herself.

All day long she had racked her mind over what rumors Wren had asked about. Now she knew. Lily, or someone, had started a rumor that she was a lesbian. Shay watched Lily for a moment, as her rival got back into her basketball game. Unbeknown to Lily, if Shay were to ask a girl out, it would most likely be someone like Lily. She liked to be challenged. Shay's lips rose in a slight smile. She shook her head, and ran back in to rejoin her own game.

Shay strolled through the main doors of the high school. The cool autumn breeze hit her, causing instant relief from her somewhat intense gym session. Goosebumps formed across her skin, giving her a rush. As she prepared to embark on her half hour trek home, she saw a familiar pair standing to the side. Wren and Robin were waiting for her. Shay sighed as Wren approached; wondering if the conversation would pick up where it left off that morning.

"Sorry again about this morning," Wren said.

Shay looked over Wren's shoulder. "Does she have a problem with me?" she asked, gesturing at Robin.

Wren looked back at her sister. "No... she's just moody."

They both watched Robin pace in a small circle, still seemingly agitated.

"Don't take it personally," Wren said, turning back to Shay.

"Look... about earlier," Shay said. "I think I know what you wanted to ask."

"No," Wren said, holding her hand up. "It's none of my business."

"It's hard to --"

"Really!" Wren said. "You don't have to tell me."

"Well... it's half true."

Wren stared at Shay for a long moment, looking completely confused. "What?" she asked.

Shay sighed. "The rumor," she said. "I'm guessing Lily Hubbard started it."

"Don't trust her... ever," Robin said, stomping towards them.

Wren held her hand up again, this time seeming to stop her sister from jumping into deeper water. "What my sister means to say," Wren said, more calmly. "Is that Lily is the one who started telling everyone we were witches."

"Right after our father died," Robin said, with gritted teeth.

"Wow..." Shay said. "What a rotten thing..."

Wren rubbed her sister's shoulder, trying to calm her down. "She told people our witchcraft started the fire that burned our old house down," Wren said, quietly. "The truth is that it was our father's smoking habits."

"That's horrible," Shay said.

"Can we not talk about this here?" Robin asked, looking at a group of straggling students exiting the school.

Wren nodded at her sister. "Let's take the back way home."

Robin released a sharp puff of air. "Join us?" she asked towards Shay.

Shay nodded silently.

"We were eight and nine when it happened," Wren said, as soon as they were out of earshot of others. "Lily was actually there that night. So her betrayal hurt even more."

"But why the whole witch thing?" Shay asked.

Robin sighed. "We were messing with incense and making 'love' potions," she said. "You know, stupid stuff that kids do. Thinking they're doing black magic."

"It was silly," Wren added. "We were too scared to even touch the questionable stuff like Ouija boards."

"Remember the book?" Robin asked.

"Finding your inner witch," Wren said, pretending to put the words in the air out in front of her.

Both girls started giggling.

"And Lily was into this?" Shay asked, noting it was the first time she'd seen Robin even crack a smile.

"Lily brought the book," Wren said, as her giggling subsided.

Robin sighed yet again. "I think the fire scared her that night," she said. "Maybe she thought she'd caused it herself by bringing that book into our house."

"Either way," Wren said. "She started the rumor and it stuck."

"We're the evil Harper Sisters now," Robin said. "Children beware!"

"My mother was into that stuff," Shay admitted.

Both sisters stopped in their tracks and stared at her. They glanced at each other, and then back at Shay. Clearly wanting an explanation before they continued their walk, both of them stood there silently. Shay took a deep breath. She lowered the books in her hands and studied the two girls.

"It was more of a nature thing," Shay finally said. "Was sort of a religion to her. She called it 'having a deeper connection to the world around us.'" Shay continued to look back and forth between the sisters, trying to gauge their opinions. "She believed that we all came from the earth, and that we all return to it. So being in harmony with the earth would cause harmony in the afterlife."

Robin and Wren continued to stand there in a long silence. Shay felt as if they'd run away at any given moment. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat, as she felt herself being judged by the two. After a while of awkward silence, Shay felt she should say something. It seemed a little too late for the "just kidding" gag.

"See," Robin said, in a matter-of-fact tone. "I told you she was earth aligned."

"I should've known," Wren said, acting as if she'd lost a bet. "She's so grounded."

"I will say," Robin said. "She had me worried for a minute, but then she just came right out and said it."

"Wait," Shay said. "What did I say?"

"You're a witch," Robin said, without changing her tone.

"What?!" Shay asked, backing away. She instinctively brought her books up to cover herself.

Wren reached out for her. "It's fine," she said. "We're witches too!"

"Okay," Shay said, still backing away. "I think this joke has gone on long enough."

"We're not joking," Robin said.

Wren gave her sister a worried look. "Maybe she hasn't come into her powers yet?"

"That's impossible," Robin said. "Just look at the glamour she has."

Shay glared at Robin.

Robin stared right back at Shay.

"How...?" Shay asked.

"You literally just admitted it back at school," Wren said.

"What?" Shay said. "When?" She dropped her arms down again and stepped forward.

"The rumor..." Wren said. "It's half true..."

"Yeah," Shay said. "I'm into girls, but what does that have to do with --"

"Hold up!" Robin exclaimed, putting her hand up. "What are we talking about here?"

"Lily told everyone I was a lesbian," Shay said. "Because I knocked her over like a 'linebacker' one day."

"That's... not the rumor," Wren said.

Shay now stared at Wren. She suddenly felt very uneasy. "What was the rumor?" she managed to choke out.

"That you weren't assigned female at birth," Robin said, again with her matter-of-fact tone.

Shay sat quietly staring out at the Broad Street Cemetery. The stillness of the peaceful surroundings didn't do anything to quell the turbulent storm inside of her. She had walked the last ten blocks or so in indignant outrage. Robin and Wren followed her, apologizing for the first five blocks; bickering the other half. Now they sat next to her in complete silence, not even talking to each other.

The wind picked up, causing the leaves of the trees to begin rustling. Shay closed her eyes. She drew in a deep breath. Fresh air mingled with a tinge of brine from the Atlantic Ocean. A sense of calm seemed to roll in with the breeze. Shay thought about how her mother might handle this situation. She would say to let things run their natural course, and to run with them. Slowly Shay opened her eyes.

"It wasn't our intention to out you," Wren said, despite having said the same line at least ten times.

"I know," Shay said, finally breaking her own silence.

Wren and Robin both turned to face her.

"How did you know?" Shay asked.

"Which part?" Robin asked.

Shay sighed.

"It was a rumor really," Wren said. "We weren't even sure about it, but then you confirmed it and --"

Robin held her hand up to interrupt her sister. "Basically the girls in your gym class started the rumor," she said. "I would guess more specifically it was Lily. They don't really know for sure, but I'm assuming they were right."

Shay lowered her head, starting to feel her rage coming back. This time it was directed at her so-called nemesis, Lily.

"Look," Robin said. "You're always welcome to share, but you don't have to convince me you're female."

"I'm more of the curious sort," Wren said, scooting closer to Shay. "But more curious about the glamour."

Robin rolled her eyes at her sister. "Don't feel you have to indulge her either."

Shay took in another deep breath, before letting it out slowly. "I don't remember exactly what age it was," she said. "I remember how supportive my parents were." Shay paused to look up at the sky. "Especially my mom. She was always there to encourage me. Eventually she taught me witchcraft."

"When did you come into your powers?" Robin asked.

"Fourteen," Shay said.

"I was fourteen too!" Wren exclaimed, bumping Shay with her elbow.

"Twelve," Robin said. "We were self taught."

"We've had to keep it secret," Wren said. "Despite Lily's constant attempts to out us."

"What is her deal anyway?" Shay asked.

"She's just a scared child," Robin said.

Wren tapped Shay's knee with her hand. "When did you learn to glamour?"

Shay turned her attention to Wren. "It was one of my first powers," she said. "I so desperately wanted to be female, that I think I willed myself the ability to change my looks." She looked down at her feet. "I learned shape-shifting soon after."

"So you could look like anyone?" Wren asked.

"I can't change that much," Shay admitted. "In fact, I kinda modeled my looks after my mom."

"That's so sweet," Wren said.

Robin jumped to her feet. "Right," she said. "I can tell you're not a destructive sort of person." She turned to face Shay. "Nor are we."

"I honestly haven't used my powers for anything except my appearance," Shay said, looking up at her.

"Have you thought about using them for something bigger?" Robin asked.

Shay shifted uncomfortably. "Like...?"

"We could help your father," Wren said, seeming to perk up. "You said he was having trouble."

Shay waved her hands in front of her. "I don't think that's a good idea," she said. "It sounds too much like meddling."

"She's right," Robin said. "That's usually when things go wrong."

"What are they going to do?" Wren asked. "Hang us?"

Robin gave her sister a look of disdain. "I don't want to be responsible for bringing back the witch trials," she said. "But no. I was thinking we could possibly cause harm if we don't know what we're doing."

"But with your blooming, and my dream walking," Wren said. "We could have her glamour and calm her father's dreams with an image of his mother."

"No," Shay said, standing abruptly. "I can barely calm him now."

"She's right... again," Robin said. "We could cause her father to have nightmares for years. Or worse..."

"But what if we could help?" Wren asked, slowly standing.

Shay turned away, struggling with the discussion.

"It's too dangerous," Robin said.

Wren put her fists on her hips. "But --"

"End of discussion!" Robin said firmly.

Nearly a month had passed since the conversation in the graveyard. Shay had become close friends with the Harper sisters. So close, in fact, that Shay had joined their sisterhood. In secret they practiced magic together; brewing potions and learning to cast spells, among other things. They made a pact to never use their magic for revenge, and were constantly keeping their eyes open for someone to help. However, nobody seemed to need help of their nature. Slightly discouraged, they kept revisiting the idea of helping Shay's father. Until one day, Shay relented.

"You're sure this will work?" Shay asked.

Robin walked around the side of Shay's bed. "You gave him the potion, right?"

"I'm not worried about the potion working," Shay said, from her perch on the foot of the bed. "I mean what we're doing tonight."

"We've taken all the proper safety procedures," Robin said, as she began removing her jewelry. "We sealed the house."

"We have protective barriers," Wren said, as she held up a container of salt.

"And we'll put a binding spell on your father's room," Robin added.

"What if something goes wrong?" Shay asked.

Robin sighed deeply. "Then we'll fix it," she said.

"Nothing will go wrong," Wren said, trying to sound reassuring. "I've been practicing all week on Robin, and she doesn't even know I was in her dreams."

"You what?!" Robin asked, spinning to face her sister.

"Well I had to practice on someone," Wren said, shrugging.

"That was very dangerous," Robin said. "What if I had woken up?"

"I was in and out," Wren said. "Barely there."

"Go give us a status report, or something," Robin said.

Wren frowned, but slipped out of the room despite her displeasure with her sister.

Shay began to wring her hands. "I'm starting to get a very bad feeling about this," she said.

Robin turned to face Shay. She took a few steps over to her bed and sat down next to her. "We can always let this go," she said. "Easier to walk away now."

"I'm not sure if I could face myself in the mirror if I didn't at least try," Shay said.

"You have nothing to prove," Robin said.

"But I do," Shay said. "I have the ability to ease suffering." She sighed. "And I should seize the opportunity."

"It's the perfect night," Robin said, showing a slight smile. "All Hallows' Eve."

"Full moon," Shay said. "Energy is high."

"He's asleep," Wren said, slipping back into the room.

Shay took a deep breath. "Now is the time," she said, standing from her bed.

Robin stood next to her and gave her a reassuring nod. "You've been working on your shape-shifting?" she asked.

Shay nodded, as she began to remove her clothing.

"Remember, we have to be done before the witching hour," Robin said, turning to face her sister. "We don't want any black magic interference."

"In and out," Wren said, trying to force a reassuring smile.

Robin turned back to Shay. "We'll give you time to prepare," she said. "I'll tend to your father." She turned and walked for the open door. "Don't forget..." She turned to look back at Shay. "You need to play the part of your mother. Anything less --"

"I understand," Shay said, feeling a little nervous. She stood there in her underwear, staring at the floor.

"I'll try to push you both into a pleasant dream," Wren said, as she strolled towards the door. "Let me know when you're ready."

Shay followed the sisters and closed her door. It creaked along its hinges until clicking shut. She anxiously walked to her closet and pulled open the door. Hanging on the back of the closet door was her mother's favorite dress. Her hand stretched forth and carefully touched the soft material. Bright flowers burst forth from a white background, covering the dress in a beautiful array of colors. Shay remembered her father once saying his heart skipped a beat every time her mother wore this dress. She was hoping tonight it would put her father's mind at ease.

Shay reached up to the top shelf of her closet. She pulled down a faded shoe box and strolled back to her bed. After setting the box on her bed, she carefully removed the top. On the top of a pile of photographs sat the one Shay had picked out earlier that week. In the photo her mother stood upon the deck of their old house. The sunlight had hit her perfectly as a slight wind caused her hair to flutter behind her. She looked so happy and beautiful. This is the memory Shay wanted for her father. She removed the photo from the box, and sat down on the end of her bed.

Shay had modeled her looks after her mother from the moment she had learned how to glamour and shape shift. She didn't want to look exactly like her, but she definitely wanted to resemble her. Now it would have to be the real thing. She needed to become her mother. As she stared at the photograph, Shay started to chant the transformation spell her mother had taught her. Slowly she felt a tingling sensation course through her body.

She could feel the discomfort of things rearranging; some of the areas more painful than others. The bones of her face popped as they formed into the shape of her mother's face. Her feet felt a gentle crushing pressure as they became smaller. The crushing feeling moved up her body as she adjusted to the shorter height her mother possessed. All the way from her toes to her fingertips, she felt the painful changes. A burning sensation rushed through her scalp, as her dark hair became lighter.

After what seemed like an eternity, the pain subsided. Shay ended her chant and fell back onto her bed. She took a moment to rest and catch her breath. Knowing there wasn't much time to do this, she quickly attempted to collect herself. She rose unsteadily to her feet, and stumbled over to her full length mirror. Standing there in her underwear stood a reflection of her mother. Shay fought back tears as she stared at her mother; herself. She hastily reached up and turned the mirror around. The sight became too painful.

Stumbling to her closet, she retrieved the dress from the inside of the door. She carefully slipped the dress over her head. The soft material cascaded down her body, until the flippy skirt fell above her knees. She took a few moments to adjust the dress. Then she walked over and collected the shoe box from her bed and put it away. Steadying herself once again, she carefully walked over to her door. The door creaked again as it opened. On the other side stood a very intrigued and stunned Wren.

"You have to teach me how to do that," Wren said.

"If you teach me how to fly," Shay said, chuckling.

"Levitate," Wren stated, as she strolled through the door. "Lay down on your bed."

Wren helped Shay get settled in her bed. Then she went about the room, setting up some further safety measures. She put a ring of salt around Shay's bed, and positioned crystals at five points inside of the circle. Next she went over to Shay's dresser and lit some jasmine incense. By the time she returned to Shay's side, she found her completely relaxed.

"Did she have a favorite pair of shoes she wore with that dress?" Wren asked.

Shay opened her eyes. "She didn't like to wear shoes."

"Fair enough," Wren said, carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Shay nodded.

Wren held her hand out, presenting a small vial of red liquid. "Once you fall asleep, I'll guide you into your father's dream," she said.

Shay took the small vial and moved it to her lips. She hesitated to drink it. "What if he wants to... do things?"

Wren looked surprised. "Do things?" she asked.

"I'm playing the part of my mother," Shay said. "What if he wants to kiss me... her... or --"

"Try not to think about that," Wren said. "You might steer the dream that way." Her hand moved onto Shay's head. "The most important part is that it's a dream."

"I tend to remember my dreams," Shay said, as she slowly drank the vial. "That's not entirely reassuring."

"I'll do my best to guide you both away from anything... of that nature," Wren said, as she took the empty vial. "In the very worst of circumstances, I can make you forget after."

"Nature," Shay said. "She likes nature..."

Wren slid in behind Shay and lifted her head into her lap. "I'll remember that," Wren said.

Shay began to feel drowsy almost immediately. As she nodded, she soon nodded off to sleep.

Shay woke some time later in a vast field scattered with daisies. As she sat up she could see a dense forest at the edge of the field. A slow mist rolled from the bottom of the forest. At first glance the mist might have seemed ominous to another, but she felt indifferent about it. She pushed herself to stand. Her bare feet sank into the soft ground. Suddenly a disembodied voice called out to her.

"Sharon!"

Shay looked for the voice, confused momentarily by the name.

"Sharon!"

Sharon... Her mother's name. She suddenly remembered why she was here.

"Sharon! Where are you?"

"Here!" Shay answered. "I'm here!"

"Come to me!" the soothing voice called to her.

"I'm coming," Shay said, as she moved towards the voice.

A slow stroll turned into a brisk jog. Soon Shay was running across the field. The forest drew closer. The trees grew larger. Before long she found herself lost in the mist. No longer did the voice call out to her. A sense of fear came over her, as she moved around blindly in the thick fog. Despite heading further into the forest, she could not find a tree. Suddenly another voice cut through the fog; a male voice.

"Sharon... I've lost you... Why did you go away?"

"I'm here," Shay said.

"Sharon?"

"Jake," Shay said, using her dad's name. "I'm here. You haven't lost me."

A shadow moved in the thick fog. "Sharon?" the shadow asked as it drew closer. "Is it really you?"

"I've missed you, Jake," Shay said, walking toward the dark shadow.

Jake's face came into view as the pair moved close to each other. "I've missed you so much," Jake said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I thought I lost you."

"I'm here now, Jake," Shay said. "You can rest easy."

Jake moved in to give her a passionate kiss. The thought seemed repulsive to Shay and her resolve faltered. She pushed him away, remembering for a brief instant her real identity. The look of betrayal in Jake's eyes was too much to bear. She turned her eyes away and the fog engulfed both of them. He vanished in an instant, as if sucked away by the thick mist. Shay attempted to follow him, clawing her way through the fog. The shadow reappeared and she quickly rushed toward it.

A horrifying scream echoed all around Shay. The shadow ahead grew larger and came at her with increasing speed. Shay froze in her pursuit, beginning to backpedal. Faster and faster the shadow came at her. A chill ran up her spine. She found it hard to catch her breath. Another scream ripped through the dense fog, causing Shay to stumble. She fell back into the soft ground, right as a terrifying form screamed past her.

At first Shay tried to forget what she had seen. A figure in the form of her mother flew past, but with the visage of a decaying corpse. Shay flipped herself over, watching the terrible creature continue on its path. It screamed again. A few seconds later she heard her father scream. What had she done? Had she introduced that monster, or had that thing been haunting his mind this whole time? She scurried to her feet and took off running in pursuit of the creature.

"Stay away!" Jake screamed up in the distance.

Shay continued to chase after both of them. It seemed like an effort in futility. No matter how far she ran, the screams seemed to stay too distant to catch. Her father's panic tore at her heart. While the screams of that monstrosity made her skin crawl. Still, she pressed on, running barefoot through the dark fog.

"Jake!" she yelled out ahead of her.

Only screams of the creature met her call.

"Jake! Come back to me!" she yelled. "I'm sorry."

No sooner did she shout those words, something caught her foot. She stumbled forward, crashing onto the soggy soft ground. Silence greeted her as she lay on the ground panting. Only the sound of her ragged breathing filled the silent void around her. She attempted to push herself up; to keep running. However, the chase had left her exhausted. She collapsed back to the ground.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, as tears began to stream from her eyes. "I'm so sorry..."

Out of the silence came the sound of someone sobbing. Shay lifted her head. Her hands sank into the ground as she crawled towards the sound. As she drew closer to the crying individual, the thick fog began to roll away. There, in a clearing, her father knelt. Before him was a granite tombstone. It looked almost new, as if it had been placed that very day. Shay continued to move closer to her father.

"You were so young," her father said, between sobs. "We had our whole lives ahead of us. A beautiful daughter..."

"Jake," Shay said.

Jake turned and looked at her. "Why do you haunt me?"

The horrifying scream returned in the distance, stirring a sense of urgency inside of Shay.

"I'm not the one haunting your dreams," Shay said, finally reaching her father. "That thing... out there..." She gestured into the dark mist. "You need to let go of that."

Jake glanced towards the screaming monster. "I don't know how."

Shay thought for a moment. She thought back on something her mother used to tell her. Shay rose to her knees; drawing closer to her father. She reached up and put her arms around his shoulders. Her cheek pressed up against his cold cheek. She held him tightly in her arms and whispered in his ear.

"Forget the bad times. They are fleeting," she whispered. "Tomorrow's another day."

The monstrous screams grew louder and closer.

"Remember what you had, what you have, and what you'll gain," Shay continued. "Then only the good times remain."

The screams drew closer still.

Shay pulled back slightly from her embrace. She turned her face and pressed her lips upon her father's cheek. As the monster drew closer and closer to them, Shay closed her eyes. Visions of the good times with her mother flooded her mind. Suddenly a bright light enveloped Shay and her father. It burst forth from them like a bubble, clearing the thick mist from around them. The screams of her father's haunter turned from one of impending dread, to one of terror, and then it was silenced all together.

Jake embraced her. "I miss you, Sharon," he said.

"I'm always with you."

Shay broke their embrace as a new voice came from behind her. She turned to see the likeness of her mother; embraced by a soft white light. Her father gently moved Shay to the side. Then stood and walked towards this new entity. They stood staring at each other for a long moment. Her father chuckled as he wiped away his tears.

"We raised a good one, didn't we?" Jake asked, looking back over his shoulder.

"Indeed we have," Sharon said.

Shay knelt on the soft ground looking up at her mother in disbelief. "Mom?"

"You have a gift, child," Sharon said. "Be careful not to let your light grow dark."

Shay continued to stare; speechless.

"And you," Sharon said, turning to Jake. "How long have you let yourself live in despair. Move on with your life. Be happy."

"It's so hard without you," Jake said.

"Walk with me," Sharon said.

She turned towards the large field Shay had first stepped foot in. Sunlight broke through the gloomy sky and the field came to life. White daisies danced upon the wind in the rich green field. Shay watched her parents walk out into the field. They looked happy together. Had she made this possible? Did she simply have to get her father to remember the good times they once shared? She stood and watched them for a long time.

"It's time to wake up, Shay."

Shay turned to find the voice which came from behind her. Suddenly she realized the reality of the situation. She couldn't remain here. Glancing back at her parents, she assured herself her father was now in good hands. She took a deep breath. Then she closed her eyes, keeping the image of her parents in the field inside her head.

"I'm ready," Shay said.

Later that night, some time after the witching hour, a knock sounded on Shay's front door. Her father still slept and Shay herself had been drained from the ordeal. It had taken the last of her energy to return her body back to her normal self. She staggered toward her front door. The Harper sisters followed close behind her, still keeping a watchful eye on their friend. Another knock sounded as they drew closer and Shay quickly pulled the large creaking door open. A strong gust of wind swept through the front entrance and carried with it the smell of smoke.

Lily Hubbard came stumbling through the doorway of Shay's house. The smell of smoldering ash and smoke grew stronger and filled the other girls' nostrils as she passed. Unsure of what to do, neither one of the girls moved. Lily's clothes looked as if she had rolled through a bonfire. Her coat looked as if it had been burned away, while her bottom layers appeared singed and filled with burned holes. Even her shoes looked as if she had trekked through a sea of soot and ash. She walked a few more staggered steps until coming to a stop near the stairwell.

"What happened to you?" Robin asked, breaking the silence.

Lily spoke with a quavering voice. "There... there was a fire."

She turned. Her face looked as if she had rubbed ash all over it. She had been crying, as streaks of the black on her face had clearly been washed away by tears. Her eyes were red and dry. She lifted her hands in front of her, with her palms facing up. They too were covered in black; even under her normally manicured fingernails. Suddenly sparks jumped from her palms, and soon flames were jumping from her fingertips. She looked up at the girls from behind the flames; her face one of pure terror.

"I need your help," Lily said, as tears began to pour from her eyes.