EMMY AND THE STONE OF FAITH
CHAPTER 1
THE MATCHSTICK HOUSE
Once the door to the Matchstick House closed, Emmy realized her life would be forever changed. Having been forced to give up everything she’d ever known, Emmy understood that once she took that first step, there would be no going back. She placed one foot in front of the other and then, she hesitated. Fear of the unknown prevented her from taking that next step. She wanted to run…run back to the only home she’d ever known. This wasn’t where she wanted to be.
Emmy looked back but all she saw were the darkened woods around the area. Another glance at the small hut and she straightened her back and she took that first step. Torch after torch sprang to life and revealed the magic living within the walls of this small hut. She stood in the center of a large foyer and stared up at a brightly lit, crystal chandelier suspended from an ever-changing sky.
Her jaw dropped as her blue eyes scanned the room. A large staircase leading to the second floor moved and split in two creating hallways that seemed to go on forever. Never had she imagined anything this amazing. How could this be? From the outside, this was nothing more than a simple little hut. She had hoped the Professor would tell her there wasn’t enough room for her and send her back to live with Mistress Malka in the only home she knew.
Tears stood in her eyes when she thought about Grammie and all the changes about to happen. She was, after all, the Valittu…a princess and the future queen of all witches. She went from living with Grammie to living with the Professor, a man she didn’t like or trust; but at least she’d be with Ayden, and that was a comforting thought.
Ayden moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said when she jumped.
“I was lost in thought. Ayden how is this possible? From the outside, I wondered how we’d all fit inside, and now I’m trying to figure out what I’m seeing.”
“I know. I felt the same way the first time I saw the Matchstick House’s interior. It’s quite remarkable.”
“Remarkable? Are you kidding? I’ve never seen anything like this before, and I’m pretty sure I never will.”
Ayden chuckled. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”
“Wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ayden, I really don’t want to be here.”
“You may not believe me yet, but this is a wonderful place to live.”
Emmy looked at her friend and then around the front room of the house and shook her head. “Not for me. I’d rather be at home, in my house. At least I was welcome there.”
“As you are here.”
Click
EMMY AND THE COVEN OF WITCHES
CHAPTER 1
EMMY
The alarm clock sounded its annoying tone, and Emmy didn’t want to crawl from beneath the covers, but the constant buzz forced her to throw them back and rise. Not an easy feat, after last night’s chat with her grandmother. She’d tossed and turned all night after Grammie sprung the news on her. Why now? This was so unfair. Emmy wanted to stand her ground, but would she win? Not sure.
Emmy showered, put on her school uniform, picked up her silver brush, from the set her Grammie had given to her on her thirteenth birthday and brushed her long pale hair. She applied a pink gloss to her lips and went downstairs.
“Good morning, Emmy. Breakfast is ready,” Grammie said as she sat down at the table.
“Thanks.” Emmy poured milk into her cereal, took a slice of toast and buttered it. She ate, but her eyes never left her Grammie’s face.
“Are you still upset with me?”
Grammie wore one of her loud, button-down shirts over slacks. Her graying hair was neatly pulled back and tied in her trademark chignon, at the base of her neck. Her blue eyes were bright with worry.
“I’m not angry; I’m shocked and sad. Graduation is in three months. Sarah and I planned on getting dates, dresses, and going together.”
“I understand how you feel.”
“Do you? Really?”
“Of course I do. I was young once.” She giggled.
Emmy tried to picture Grammie as a young girl dying to go to her graduation party with the hottest guy in school. Now it was her turn to graduate and attend her party with friends. She wished her mother were here to share this moment with her, but Emmy’s mother had died when she was a child. Grammie had stepped in and became the only mother she’d ever known.
“But why now? Why do you want to move?”
“I didn’t say we had to move immediately. I’ve been thinking about making a change. I thought it might be good for us.”
“I don’t want to move. I love living in Salem. My friends are here.” She hated whining, but she didn’t want to leave.
“I know. You go to school and we’ll discuss it further when you come home. I promise I won’t make any decisions without you.”
Emmy stood and kissed her grandma’s cheek. “Thanks.” She took her book-bag, flung it over her shoulder and left the house. She spotted Sarah, her best friend waiting for her at the corner.
“Hi Emmy!” Sarah said when Emmy caught up to her.
“Hey.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Grammie talked about moving again.” She felt like crying.
“What? When?”
“Last night. She said something about needing a change.”
Sarah looked dumbfounded. She tried to say something but stopped herself. Emmy giggled. Sarah always stuttered when she was given bad news.
“But you can’t move. That would be like…catastrophic!”
“I don’t want to move. Salem’s my home, from the witch museum to the square. I want to stay here.”
“You have to remind Grammie that we’re graduating this year and you have to be there. We’ve worked really hard for this.”
Emmy laughed. “I know. I used the same argument.”
“And what did she say?”
“She said, we’ll see, so I dropped it…for now. We’re going to talk about it tonight.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” Sarah tucked a long strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
“I know. I’m hoping in a few days, she’ll forget about moving.” She had to find a way to make Grammie change her mind. At least Emmy would try to convince Grammie to stay in Salem until the end of her school year, then maybe she’d forget all about moving.
“You really think so?”
“I don’t know, but on another note, I also hope Danny asks me to graduation.”
“I think he will. That would be great if I went with Robert and you went with Dan. Two best friends dating two best friends. How cool is that?” The excitement Sarah projected was catchy.
here to edit.
EMMY AND THE COVEN OF WITCHES
CHAPTER 1
EMMY
The alarm clock sounded its annoying tone, and Emmy didn’t want to crawl from beneath the covers, but the constant buzz forced her to throw them back and rise. Not an easy feat, after last night’s chat with her grandmother. She’d tossed and turned all night after Grammie sprung the news on her. Why now? This was so unfair. Emmy wanted to stand her ground, but would she win? Not sure.
Emmy showered, put on her school uniform, picked up her silver brush, from the set her Grammie had given to her on her thirteenth birthday and brushed her long pale hair. She applied a pink gloss to her lips and went downstairs.
“Good morning, Emmy. Breakfast is ready,” Grammie said as she sat down at the table.
“Thanks.” Emmy poured milk into her cereal, took a slice of toast and buttered it. She ate, but her eyes never left her Grammie’s face.
“Are you still upset with me?”
Grammie wore one of her loud, button-down shirts over slacks. Her graying hair was neatly pulled back and tied in her trademark chignon, at the base of her neck. Her blue eyes were bright with worry.
“I’m not angry; I’m shocked and sad. Graduation is in three months. Sarah and I planned on getting dates, dresses, and going together.”
“I understand how you feel.”
“Do you? Really?”
“Of course I do. I was young once.” She giggled.
Emmy tried to picture Grammie as a young girl dying to go to her graduation party with the hottest guy in school. Now it was her turn to graduate and attend her party with friends. She wished her mother were here to share this moment with her, but Emmy’s mother had died when she was a child. Grammie had stepped in and became the only mother she’d ever known.
“But why now? Why do you want to move?”
“I didn’t say we had to move immediately. I’ve been thinking about making a change. I thought it might be good for us.”
“I don’t want to move. I love living in Salem. My friends are here.” She hated whining, but she didn’t want to leave.
“I know. You go to school and we’ll discuss it further when you come home. I promise I won’t make any decisions without you.”
Emmy stood and kissed her grandma’s cheek. “Thanks.” She took her book-bag, flung it over her shoulder and left the house. She spotted Sarah, her best friend waiting for her at the corner.
“Hi Emmy!” Sarah said when Emmy caught up to her.
“Hey.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Grammie talked about moving again.” She felt like crying.
“What? When?”
“Last night. She said something about needing a change.”
Sarah looked dumbfounded. She tried to say something but stopped herself. Emmy giggled. Sarah always stuttered when she was given bad news.
“But you can’t move. That would be like…catastrophic!”
“I don’t want to move. Salem’s my home, from the witch museum to the square. I want to stay here.”
“You have to remind Grammie that we’re graduating this year and you have to be there. We’ve worked really hard for this.”
Emmy laughed. “I know. I used the same argument.”
“And what did she say?”
“She said, we’ll see, so I dropped it…for now. We’re going to talk about it tonight.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” Sarah tucked a long strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
“I know. I’m hoping in a few days, she’ll forget about moving.” She had to find a way to make Grammie change her mind. At least Emmy would try to convince Grammie to stay in Salem until the end of her school year, then maybe she’d forget all about moving.
“You really think so?”
“I don’t know, but on another note, I also hope Danny asks me to graduation.”
“I think he will. That would be great if I went with Robert and you went with Dan. Two best friends dating two best friends. How cool is that?” The excitement Sarah projected was catchy.
here to edit.