Now you see me, now you don't
CHAPTER ONE- Into the Portal
Meredith couldn’t take it anymore. She opened her bedroom door, where the voice of her parent’s arguments came louder. “JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!” she shrieked, slamming the door shut. Their voices went silent for about twenty seconds, and they started up again. She sighed loudly, and plopped on her bed dramatically. “I can’t believe them. It’s my life! Why do they get to rule it?” They had been fighting since last night nonstop, something about another boarding school. Her family wasn’t rich or anything, but her mother seemed to have lots of “connections”, but who knew what that meant. Every year she was sent of to some other place in the middle of no where. Did they not like her around the house? “Apparently not.” Meredith muttered under her breath. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand next to her bed, and grabbed her cell phone, and hit number one on speed dial. “Hey- this is Anna Summers. Can’t come to the phone right now, so leave a message. Bye!” Meredith threw the phone back on the nightstand and jumped up. She needed to get out of the house. Grabbing her bag, she slid open her window. She climbed over the balcony and swung herself onto the giant oak tree that climbed up the side of her house. She climbed down with ease.
Meredith grabbed her bike, which had been leaning against the side of the house, and pedaled as fast as she could. A few blocks away, panting, she made a stop at the lake. This was her “spot” she had been coming to since she was ten. Three long years, she thought. I’ve been coming here for three years.
Locking her bike to the bike rack next to the bench, she sat down. Humming quietly, she surveyed the small picnic spot near the woods. No little kids running around today, she though happily. She checked for her watch, and saw it was eight PM. No wander. Suddenly, she heard a crack. Like someone stepping on a twig. Great, she thought. There goes my alone time.
Standing up, she looked back into the forest, waiting to see some cranky teenager come out and demand she leave or else, or some concerned parent wandering why she was here, it was dark after all. But no one was there. Shrugging, she walked over to the lake, and stepped out of her shoes. May as well stall going home as much as she could. She stood knee length in the water, when someone violently pulled her back from behind. It was a girl, maybe just sixteen. She has long black raven-colored hair and all dark clothing. Her eyes were pitch black like her hair, and she had fare skin. Meredith struggled to get out of the girl’s iron grip, but failed. The girl yanked her head back with her hair, and touched her neck, saying something in a foreign language. It looked like she was waiting for something. Than, she let go and motioned with her hands to come. When Meredith slowly backed away, the girl slowly looked her up and down. When Meredith slowly took another step back, the girl’s eyes widened, and seemed to look behind Meredith. She shot in the air, supported by two black objects, and disappeared.
“I would watch out from now on if I were you.” A voice behind her said. Meredith quickly turned around. Three girls and a boy were standing there. The speaker was wearing a purple kimono and jeans with sneakers. The girl on her right had blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail and was wearing the same outfit, but in blue. The third, the same, yet in green and had brunette hair in a long braid. The boy was wearing jeans and a normal t-shirt advertising some band Meredith had never heard of, but he was carrying…a spear? Before she could speak, the girl in the purple spoke again. “I’m Amanda. This is Kylie, and Liana.” She said, motioning to the blonde girl first and than the brunette. “And I’m Luke.” The boy said. Luke.
“W-who was s-she?” Meredith stuttered. She took a deep breathe. “And what did she want?” She took another deep breathe, and kept a straight face, portraying not emotion.
Luke answered. “Thalia. She works for Boss.” He gave her a half-smile. “Cheesy name, huh? But from where I’m from, nothing is funny. And it isn’t too creative, either.” He had a bit of an accent…definitely foreign, but she couldn’t tell. Italian, maybe? She shrugged it off.
“But that doesn’t explain why she was here. And what you are doing here.” She scowled. “No offense, but I like to be alone sometimes, and not jumped by some girl in a freaking cat suit.”
The blonde, Kylie, stepped forward, and annoyed expression on her pretty face. “Listen here, girlie. If we weren’t hear, you would be off in the clutches of the most evil person ever. Or dead. Okay? So shut up and listen” she continued to glare as the girl in the purple outfit- Amy?- stepped forward. She nodded her head in a disapproving way at Kylie. “Hold your tongue. We need her in a good mood to talk to her. Besides,” she said, suddenly looking nervous. “How would the queen take it if you back-sassed her?” Kylie stepped forward.
“I don’t give a crap what she thinks, Amanda.” Oh. Amanda. Kylie gulped. “Not the queen, the little ten-year old over there.”
“I’m thirteen for your information.” Meredith muttered.
“Well I still don’t think she can handle it.” Kylie scowled. “She’s puny. And got no brains either.”
“And excuse me, what do you know what I can and can’t handle? And of course I’m smart, I’m in all accelerated!” she said smugly. “And what are you talking about?” she asked forcefully.
“May as well take her there and talk to her. Maybe when she realizes it’s not all fun and games, she’ll shut up.” Kylie laughed dryly.
Amanda nodded. “Luke, open the portal. Oh- and check Meredith’s neck.” She pulled out a funky amulet which glowed in the night. Meredith checked her watch. It was almost nine.
Luke walked up to Meredith and started to pull her hair up. She pushed him away, and self-consciously touched her neck. There was a faint burning where Thalia had touched it. As she was rubbing her neck, once again Luke came up. "Look- I need to see your neck. Okay? I'm not doing anything." He waited until she hesitantly nodded, and walked up to her again. He carefully pulled back her long black hair, and moved it so it was hanging off her shoulder. He swore under his breathe, and beckoned Amanda over. She nodded, to something he had apparently said, though Meredith hadn't heard anything.
"W-what is it?" Her neck was really burning now. "Is something wrong with my neck? Its burns!"
"Nothing to worry about. We'll talk to you in a little bit. Now, you just need to come with us." Luke said.
Meredith wasn't. I mean, who were these people? They seemed like crazies. But.. they were going to give her answers. That's what’s important. "Okay. I'm coming."
Luke nodded approvingly. "Alright, than. Let's go."
Meredith looked around. "Where? Where is this place you're talking about?"
Luke pointed up into the tree. There was a bright light there.
"Wait, what?" She looked around. The three girls where already gone. Somewhere?
"Follow me." Luke commanded. He walked over to the big oak. Than, he picked her up. "Put your hands around my neck." He said. She did. Quickly, he climbed up to the light. It was bigger now, an adult could go through easily and only have to bend his or her neck a little. "Well, here we are. This is a portal. Just walk through."
"A portal-" Her question was immediately stopped when he pushed her in. Suddenly, the world seemed hazy. She felt that feeling where you're between sleep and consciousness. Abruptly, she was thrown on the ground. Luke appeared right next to her, brushing off invisible dust. She stood up shakily, wondering how many bruises she would get.
“Where are we?” she said, looking around the deadened field.
“We’re home. You’re home.” He said simply. Suddenly people flooded around them.
“Where is she?! Let me see her!” People grabbed at her, and she fought to push them off. Luke yelled something, and they all backed off.
“Who are they?” Meredith asked.
Luke stared at her for a long time. “They’re like you.”
Meredith looked at him.
“They’re witches.”
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