Storm clouds moved in quickly, hanging heavily overhead, darkening the late autumn day. Things were starting to happen.
Twelve-year-old Marley had walked five blocks over to Ryan Wilson’s two-story house. He was one of her classmates, now her nemesis.
Marley had the palest skin, the darkest hair and large, inquiring green eyes that seem to bore into you; she also had abilities that were growing, and she knew spells and chants from long-forgotten, distant mystical civilizations. Some might call this strange little girl a witch, but a name is just a name as Shakespeare once said.
She began whispering some ancient Babylonian phrase over and over as flashes of lightning started to fire spasmodically between the gathering clouds. Marley smiled to herself as she felt power began to flow through her, and she gestured up to the clouds.
Then, her eyes opened wide, her black hair flared out and her tiny body went rigid as she gestured at Ryan’s house across the street.
Suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning struck the old elm tree next to the house, breaking a huge branch lose, violently tossing it against the house, smashing through Ryan’s bedroom, creating a giant hole in the wall and roof as it landed hard. She heard Ryan hollering for his mother after he ran upstairs and saw his ruined room.
After thunder cracked loudly, rain started to pour down in torrents, soaking Ryan’s exposed bedroom. Marley was satisfied that he had been paid back for how he had bullied Marley’s only friend, Patty (whom Ryan called “Fatty Patty”), in the whole school. Well, the only person who was nice to “spooky Marley” and would eat lunch with her and share her cookies with Marley. This was Marley’s third school—her parents moved frequently. They had too.
As Marley walked happily home, none of the rain hit her as though she were under an invisible umbrella. Little electrical sparks still danced between her slender, childish fingers and it tickled.
Twelve-year-old Marley had walked five blocks over to Ryan Wilson’s two-story house. He was one of her classmates, now her nemesis.
Marley had the palest skin, the darkest hair and large, inquiring green eyes that seem to bore into you; she also had abilities that were growing, and she knew spells and chants from long-forgotten, distant mystical civilizations. Some might call this strange little girl a witch, but a name is just a name as Shakespeare once said.
She began whispering some ancient Babylonian phrase over and over as flashes of lightning started to fire spasmodically between the gathering clouds. Marley smiled to herself as she felt power began to flow through her, and she gestured up to the clouds.
Then, her eyes opened wide, her black hair flared out and her tiny body went rigid as she gestured at Ryan’s house across the street.
Suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning struck the old elm tree next to the house, breaking a huge branch lose, violently tossing it against the house, smashing through Ryan’s bedroom, creating a giant hole in the wall and roof as it landed hard. She heard Ryan hollering for his mother after he ran upstairs and saw his ruined room.
After thunder cracked loudly, rain started to pour down in torrents, soaking Ryan’s exposed bedroom. Marley was satisfied that he had been paid back for how he had bullied Marley’s only friend, Patty (whom Ryan called “Fatty Patty”), in the whole school. Well, the only person who was nice to “spooky Marley” and would eat lunch with her and share her cookies with Marley. This was Marley’s third school—her parents moved frequently. They had too.
As Marley walked happily home, none of the rain hit her as though she were under an invisible umbrella. Little electrical sparks still danced between her slender, childish fingers and it tickled.
