It’s Where the Magic Happens
There’s always been something different about this small town. Like there’s truly more to it than what you saw on the outside. Something about it was magical and I was determined to figure that out.
About three years ago I moved to Texas. A small town called Fort Worth which is located in the Texas Panhandle. The town was the home of Bob Wills, famed swing musician, and hosts the Bob Wills Day celebration every spring, featuring a parade, a fiddling contest, cook offs, dancing and more. It’s a place where small town individuals got together but something was strange about this town. Everyone and everything seemed to be perfect. The smiles, the laughs, the stares that each person gave to one another was something you’d see in a movie, something magical. Our home was in the middle of nowhere. I was so used to growing up surrounded by people back in New York. No neighbors, besides a strange home that was right across from our country home. The building sat at a strange angle but yet, wasn’t on a hill. The windows were boarded up and the wooden panels on the outside of the old, worn down home were breaking off, piece by piece but there was no evidence that anyone lived there. Something weird was going on and I was definitely determined to figure it out.
I went to a way more crowded school back in New York and was known by almost everyone. I was involved in as many clubs as possible and also was voted prom queen and along with homecoming queen. Things were changing in Texas and I didn’t like it. As I walked into my new school, I noticed how everyone dressed so much differently than everyone else in New York. To me, the people here looked like hicks. I’m not saying their unintelligent or provincial but this whole country thing was going to take a lot for me to get used to. Even though I’ve been here for a month, this place wasn’t a place I’d call home. The classes here were even easier than New York. I let out a faint sigh and noticed someone staring at me. A boy. He had dark, auburn hair and beautiful blue eyes. Who was this boy? How come I haven’t seen him around here? This school was small enough for me to know everyone's name and their story. I gave him a sheepish smile and just like that I saw him coming over to the table I was sitting at. My heart started beating out of my chest and I felt the butterflies flutter in my chest.
“Hey there” the boy said in a soft voice.
I looked up.
“Do I know you?” I said in a puzzled tone.
“No Ashley, but I know you.”
My heart dropped.
“What are you talking about? How do you know my name?”
He looked around and then brought his hand over mine. Slowly caressing it. I pulled away quickly.
“Look Ashley, you’re the new girl. Of course I know who you are. I’ve seen you around. You live on that one road that has the creepy house on it. The old abandoned one that everyone talks about. We never thought anyone would even live near that house or even the road.
I looked at him.
“What’s wrong with that house?”
“You didn’t hear what happened in it? A girl once moved here two years ago and no one has ever seen her. She lived in the house you currently are in now. Either she moved or we don’t know what happened to her. I wouldn’t recommend even going near it” He said concerned.
What is going on? This is so strange I thought.
“I don’t see why everyone is so timid about the house. The girl probably moved. I highly doubt she disappeared in the house.”
He gave me a soft smile.
“You’d be surprised, Ash.”
And just like that he got up, grabbing his blue backpack and walked away.
Later that day I called Ellen when I arrived home from school.
“I’m not kidding Ellen, there’s something strange about this house and I’m so determined to figure it out” I stated excitedly.
“Ashley I’m totally down to go! What if something happens though? What if someone truly lives in that abandoned house?”
Just in Ellen’s voice I could hear her second guessing the whole idea.
“I’m picking you up tonight at 10 and we’re going. No one lives there. We obviously have nothing to be worried about.”
I hung up the phone and watched the clock as the time dragged on and on. Finally, it was 9:45. I ran to my red trailblazer and sped away to Ellen’s house. As I pulled into the driveway, Ellen came out slowly and flashed me a shy smile.
“Are you sure this is going to be okay?”
“I promise you Ellen, nothing will happen.”
I sent a shy smile and promised her that things will be okay. Nothing bad will happen. I parked my car back into the driveway and to make sure that my parents didn’t notice I wasn’t going to be home at my curfew. Slowly, getting out the vehicle, we shut the doors behind us and made our way across the wet, muddy field to the abandoned house. The mud was starting to get deeper, as if the elevation of the entire land was changing. It was as if it was getting darker and darker as we slowly approached the house.
I looked at Ellen.
“Do you notice this, what’s going on?”
There was no sound coming from Ellen. The only sounds I could hear from myself were the silent, spine chilling whispers that were happening around me. The sounds of a faint cry in the distance caught my attention
“Ellen! Ellen!” I screamed.
Even the flashlight was starting to go dim. Just like that, everything went black. What’s going on? I couldn’t find Ellen. She was gone. I couldn’t get to her in time before whatever took her. My heart was practically beating out of my chest. It was as if I couldn’t even catch my breath. I made my way into the house, there was no turning back now. I needed to find Ellen before sunrise. I grabbed for the knob on the front door and just like that, the whole house lit up.
“What is going on here?” I whispered to myself.
“You’re not supposed to be here” a faint voice echoed through the hallways repeatedly.
“Who’s here? Ellen?”
Just like that, the door behind me slammed shut. My heart practically beating through my chest, I looked around. The outside of the house was deceiving to the eyes. Extravagant paintings outlined the walls along with a big luxury chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Someone definitely lives here and I shouldn't be here. A door down the hallway was open. I made my way down the hallway towards the door. I heard voices.
A deeper voice stated “What are we going to do with the girl? She shouldn’t be here.”
“You can’t kill her. Just place a spell on her. She won’t remember a thing if we do.”
I looked around the door to see Ellen, laying on the couch, passed out completely. The floorboard beneath me made a loud creaking sound and all the unfamiliar faces in the room looked directly at me.
“Get the girl!” screamed a girl dressed in all black with darker eyes.
Someone grabbed a hold of my arm and brought me into the room, throwing me on to the chair next to Ellen, who was still passed out from whatever “spell” the individuals put on her.
“What did you do to her!?” I screamed at everyone in the room.
“Little girl, hush. You shouldn’t have been here in the first place. There is nothing wrong with her, she is just sleeping and will awake by the snap of my finger” the larger man said.
And just like that he snapped his fingers and she awoke. Wide eyed she looked around the room and screamed. The color of her skin going from a lush tan to being as white as a ghost.
“What is going on? Where am I? Oh my gosh Ashley who are these people? I told you we should have never came here in the first place. I knew something was weird about this place.”
“Ellen, you need to calm down. They won’t hurt us. They won’t do a thing” I said with a little panic in my voice due to the fact of not knowing exactly who the people in the room were.
The older lady in black arose and began to speak
“There isn’t a thing we’re going to do to you. We would not hurt you but you musn’t be here. It’s not a place for you and you shouldn’t have came here.”
I looked at her and stated
“We didn’t know this place even belonged to people. I knew something magical was occurring and I knew that there was something different about this house. Please, tell me who
you are and how you’re able to do those spells. There has to be a reason to why you’re here and why you’re living in this house.”
She looked at me and let out a big smile.
“We’re watching out for you. We’re the guardians you’ve always wished for. Want to know why you ended up here in Texas? You were brought here by us. You’re different Ashley and we need to make sure everything goes right in your life. I know your parents aren’t your real parents and you were adopted when you were just a baby but things are looking up because of us. We guide your life. With spells, things can change in a matter of time.”
I looked at her with astonishment.
“I knew you were real. I knew there was something about this house and why I was brought to Texas. You guys made my life better, you made me change and become the person I am. I knew there was magic occuring and I knew that you helped guide the way. There is no way I wouldn’t have made it here without you.”
She looked at me and stated “And yes, that is why you must not know about us. You must go home and not remember a thing.”
And just like that, with a snap of a finger everything went black.
From this day I do not know how I got to where I am without my real parents but I do know that I had a little guardian from them after they passed way and continue to look up to them even though I can still feel them on this earth, watching me…