《Dulce Lacrimae》


 Chapter 1

    The sun dazzled the green plane of the small emerald country of Ireland, while the wind making everything dance especially the brown pigtails of a innocent little Aniela running to her father, and pulling him into a hug with a warm smile, until she noticed the casket. Inside this little box placed at the end of the tiny stone church, Aniela Ostrowska stared down into her mother¡¯s face, eyes closed and sleeping deeply. So this where her mother was when she was gone. The ten year old looked up into her father¡¯s eyes, ocean grey diamonds meeting ocean grey diamonds. Yet his were overflowing with emotional droplets, while he pushed her off and pulled out a tissue.


    Aniela looked back at her mother, thinking about how her mother¡¯s eyes were green emeralds, not grey diamonds. The world felt as if it slowly was closing in on her, she suddenly realised she¡¯ll never see the emeralds again. The girl felt empty, her body was hollow. Not a single tear was even created. As if her tear ducts were under construction. Her face expression was as cold and bland as the stone floor of the church they were standing on.


    Aniela sat in front of the church on the little grey steps. She held her heart shaped head in one hand while she looked at her father, grieving among their relatives, together standing awkwardly in the not too far away cemetery. Again, Aniela felt empty. She stared at the scene in front of her. Her father holding his long brick like head and bawling his eyes out, while a congregation of ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡± surrounded him patting his back. Did they really mean it, is something Aniela would never know. She never seen half of these people herself, but then again she knew well she avoided everyone that smiled like a stewardess when talking to her, it¡¯s so fake it hurts. And people usually presume a child is too stupid to notice. The relatives and friends all comforted him, while he sorrowfully wiped his nose. No one noticed the girl left on the church steps. Except for one.


    ¡°Lovely day, would¡¯ve been better if it was less windy¡± chimed a voice, dragging Aniela back into the sad reality. She looked up to find a man staring back at her. She immediately started judging him, as children do. Black hair slicked back, with the amount of hair gel that would glue a jumbo jet together and it would be safer then ever. This probably explained why his little fedora was sitting on his head without doing the windy Irish dance. The man looked at her with little voids, he overall looked very vague other than his little moustache. He didn¡¯t look old nor young. Mean nor nice. Angry nor patient. He just looked vague.


    ¡°Hm. So you say? Or do you disagree?¡± The man rudely persisted on continuing the conversation.


    ¡°I guess¡±


    ¡°You guess?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well aren¡¯t you talkative¡± he said, whether he was amused or not, your guess is as best as mine. ¡°And why is a young lady like you sulking at the steps of a church, Hm?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°My mother died.¡±


    ¡°Why, I¡¯m very sorry.¡±


    Aniela simply shrugs, she doesn¡¯t see why he would be sorry.


    The man narrows his eyes and stayed silent for a minute or two, his eyes scanning her like a metal detector.


    ¡°I¡¯m Albert Federov¡± he announced while lending her a hand to shake.


    ¡°Aniela Ostrowska¡± said the girl while politely shaking his hand.


    ¡°You are not much of a talker. Are you?¡±


    ¡°Not with strangers.¡±


    ¡°Why, but if you don¡¯t talk to the stranger, they¡¯ll always be a stranger to you.¡± Aniela didn¡¯t look convinced. People usually told her that strangers mean danger. Federov decided to drop it.


    ¡°Where is your father?¡±


    ¡°Over there¡± the ten year old said while pointing to her father with a whole therapy session around him. Federov slightly frowned but didn¡¯t comment. He gently sat down beside Aniela, a good distance away to respect the little girls privacy.


    Silence took place. Aniela looked forward, until her sight met two little crows. The girl looked at them with utmost interest. One slowly made its way to Aniela and the girl gently petted it. Federov noticed this.


    ¡°Did you know crows also do funerals for their dead neighbours.¡± He said profoundly.


    ¡°They do?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. But it¡¯s less of sentimental value, but of survival. They try to see the dangers that could have brought the crow to its last destination.¡±


    ¡°What else do they do?¡±


    ¡°Well¡± Federov smoothed out his award winning moustache. ¡°They can recognise faces, and hold grudges.¡±


    ¡°Oh, like people do.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, but a crow won¡¯t give you the silent treatment.¡± Federov chuckled poshly, yet Aniela didn¡¯t seem to understand what he meant, and just looked at him blankly.


    ¡°People when they hold grudges, tend to ignore the person in question.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Oh, I just thought they¡¯d yell at you¡±.


    ¡°Do you yell at people when you hold a grudge against them?¡±


    ¡°Well, not yell, but I get very angry at them. But I usually forget about it in a day or two.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Federov nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to not hold a grudge too long, because people who hold life long grudges, tend to be miserable and unlikeable people. They see every person in the bad light.¡±


    ¡°Do you hold grudges?¡± Aniela turned her little head to him.


    ¡°Well, if they really deserve it.¡±


    Aniela stayed silent for a good while. She considered every word he said, trying to think what possibly could the man mean by deserving it.


    ¡°What people do to deserve it?¡±


    Federov looked at the ground, trying to think of the most appropriate response. After a minute or two, he concluded:


    ¡°Well, people who don¡¯t feel sorry for the wrongdoing they did.¡±


    ¡°What if it was an accident.¡±


    ¡°If it were truly an accident, they would probably be more appealed to apologise, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°What does appealed mean?¡±


    ¡°It means that they would be more willing.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Aniela nodded. She looked back to the crows again. ¡°My mother liked birds.¡± She looked over to her father and noticed that the grieving ceremony is slowly thinning out.


    ¡°It was nice talking to you, Mr Fedrov-¡°


    ¡°Federov¡±


    ¡°Federov, but I have to go. You are really strange.¡± Aniela got up. ¡°Can we be friends?¡±


    Federov chuckled ¡°Sure, why not?¡±


    And with that, Aniela trotted her way to her father, leaving Federov on his own on the stairs.

 Chapter 2

    Aniela sat in a cold classroom beside a wall, with poor effort of making the room less miserable the walls were painted yellow and orange, and on the dull bright colours were ugly drawings which were laments of past boredom. Aniela looked over her table, her classmates sat around her, talking, laughing, messing. Aniela stayed silent. She wished she could also have friends like they do, but she doesn¡¯t really have anything to say to them. She looked around the classroom, clumps of bluetak and ruined posters with overly enthusiastic characters smiling at the mindless information no one cared for littered the classroom. Aniela started spacing out, thinking about people. How she can¡¯t make friends. How did everyone else know? Did she miss a class on making friends? Or maybe there¡¯s some book on it? She¡¯ll have the check the school library. You see, Aniela isn¡¯t bullied by the kids. They just ignored her existence all together. And whenever she tried talking to them, it started to get awkward.


    Aniela toppled her way home, through the town with pastel little houses aligned across a road, everything on that road, was the town itself. A few pubs, a Garda station, her primary school, a petrol station, an estate and a park with a flooding river. Aniela and her father lived a bit outside the town. And Aniela¡¯s job was to take herself to and back from school, her mother always walked with her. Now she walks with just the memory of her. Aniela¡¯s thoughts went to her mother. Pure Irish women, Aoife Burke was. Beautiful chestnut hair, the type people argued about if it¡¯s blonde or brown. Aoife was a very kind and proud woman. From Galway she was, and didn¡¯t dare to live anywhere else. Aniela had so many good memories of her mother. She smiled just thinking about her. And she missed her, but she still didn¡¯t feel sad. She just felt empty. But Aniela never felt sad. You know, the feeling which makes a person hopeless and careless. Sadness might be the strongest, most raw emotion of a human being. You cry, you shout, there is no filter there. And tears, as much as we hate them, they help to feel relief from all of the negativity. Aniela never cried.


    Aniela took out her little key and let herself inside their bungalow. It¡¯s a little sky blue house, which once was surrounded by flowers. The flowers died with the gardener. Aniela entered their kitchen, and saw her father was sulking beside a coffee. He didn¡¯t even look up at her while she entered. The room smelt like cigarettes. Usually, the dinner was always ready once Aniela got home. But ever since a month ago since mom died, Aniela had to take care of herself. So she grabbed herself a sandwich she hasn¡¯t fully eaten for breakfast, and sat beside her father. They were quite distant. The girl loved her father, but sometimes felt like he didn¡¯t love her. Aniela lately felt tortured by her loneliness, and she wanted some advice.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    ¡°..The weather is really nice today, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    All she got is a grunt. This always worked when other people do it.


    ¡°So, how¡¯s work?¡±


    Her dad glared at her and got up and left her alone with her thoughts. This was unexpected her dad loves telling her about his job. How it makes him feel better helping families in grief. It¡¯s probably the only time he ever smiled around her. And once again, Aniela returned to her own world.


    Ambro?y Ostrowski, Polish immigrant, went to Ireland during the Celtic Tiger, hoping to find work. And events of life led him to be a mortuary assistant. He loved his job because he felt honoured to help families in need. And he always told Aniela about how the people would feel better talking to him. He told her that he was an empath, and if he had better cards in life, he would¡¯ve been a therapist. Because he understood people¡¯s pain, and could put a smile on their face. She wanted to be like him, make people feel better, to make them smile. She once found his little diaries in her parent¡¯s bedroom, explaining how to do autopsies on different animals, and later talked about autopsies on people. She never got the chance to practice it on people, but she got really good with animals.


    The next day, Aniela decided to go straight to the source. She sat down in their small little kitchen, walls painted dark purple and the cabinets were brown. They sat at an ordinary four people table, with three chairs. One now collecting dust. Her dad avoided looking at that chair, while Aniela seen it as a sacred item.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    Her dad slowly turned his head in her direction, his grey diamonds showed pure annoyance, while the rest of his body looked as if he carried tonnes of weight from one place to another for the whole day. He didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I mean, all the children don¡¯t talk to me. At all. And I don¡¯t know how to make friends. How do I make friends?¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Everything. Everything is wrong with you. From the damn beginning.¡± He covered his face with his hands.¡°Where¡­. Do I start changing?¡±


    ¡°Is that all you care about?! Yourself?! Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m in pain?! Your mother, died!¡± The man suddenly snapped. ¡°You are a selfish, egotistical brat. You only think about yourself and your own world. Not once did you ask me if I¡¯m ok. At the funeral, you just walked off and didn¡¯t even greet anyone. And even when your mother was alive, I never got the chance to talk to her because YOU occupied her!.¡± He retuned his hands to his face. ¡°Why, oh why¡­.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.Aniela¡¯s eyes widen.


    ¡°But, but, but how do I change? I¡¯m sorry, really. I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You never know!¡± He snapped at her. ¡°You just apologise, and start it again. I don¡¯t know Aniela, I don¡¯t know if you can possibly change. How about you just leave me alone. After all, you never cared about me anyway.¡±


    Silence lingered. Aniela looked blankly at her father. This did happen a lot. She did apologise a lot. But she just didn¡¯t know what to do, how to be better. And she did care about him! She did! She did, she did, she did! But how possibly could she change his mind?


    ¡°Here you are, saying nothing. Absolutely nothing. No remorse. No change. Maybe it¡¯s for the best if we just don¡¯t talk. And you wonder why you can¡¯t make friends.¡±


    And so, he left. Aniela wasn¡¯t satisfied. She didn¡¯t know how to change. Now she was struggling on the inside. Thoughts said nothing but there was this feeling in her body, as if she was pulled from side to side, her brain was covered in cement, she didn¡¯t know how to react. How to put words to how she felt. She wanted to scream, to kick, to push. To run. And so, she decided to run.


    Ireland, a country full of fields. And cows. And among those fields, Aniela ran. So fast her thoughts didn''t catch up to her feet. She ran past the flooding river and the old windmill on the other side. She ran alongside the river. She could hear the water impatiently running with her. And she reached an old graveyard, with a little ruined church, its elderly ashes spread across graves. When she got there, she stopped in her tracks. What now?


    She looked across the graves, not a very happy sight. Old Irish graves were just regular stone crosses with mysterious white spots that had definitely nothing to do with the birds.


    The graves were forgotten, in their little rows of peace. Forgotten, but their past sins never forgiven. Like how Aniela could never be forgiven by her dad. Forgiven for what? At this point, for her own existence. Or so she felt.


    Aniela walked among the graves, she liked places like these. Dead people were easier to understand.She sat down on a bench, and overlooked graveyard. Aniela remembered watching with her mother clean the graves, setting flowers on them. Her father would also get lanterns to put on the grave. Her mother liked taking care of relatives graves, but she wasn''t religious herself. Personally, she wanted to be cremated and her ashes would be spread at a beach. Yet Aniela¡¯s father didn''t do that. But why do people clean graves? One might say it¡¯s guilt.


    "So, we meet again."


    Aniela jumped up, and looked up at the speaker, finding two voids looked at her. Federov''s voice is very calm, yet it has a hint of danger. But you can''t quite put your finger on it, how he could be dangerous.


    "Oh." Is all Aniela could squeeze out.


    "Anything new with you?"


    "No"


    "Are you sure? You look quite, unsettled"


    "I''m fine."


    Federov sat beside her and looked out into the graveyard. In the horizon, you could see the sun setting and painting the world in light pink hues.


    "How''s your father?"


    "He misses mother."


    "Well, that is understandable. It will take him a while to adjust. How are you coping?"


    "I miss her with every thought."


    Federov nodded, and looked at the little ruined church.


    "Around this area, l''ve noticed a lot of little churches like this. Would you like to look closer to it with me?"


    "Sure."


    And so they walked forward it. Aniela had already looked around it but in the current moment, she was happy to distract herself. The ruins were out of limestone and was slowly eroding away over time. You can see there were two parts of this church, but only two walls were left. And the little stone alter. Around the church you can see ashes, coming proudly from the centre, where there was a little ruined bonfire.


    Federov crouched over it and observed what possibly could be in the bonfire.. "What are you doing?"


    Federov didn''t answer. He took out a little shovel and started digging with it.


    Why possibly could he have a shovel in his pocket? And why was it so small? Was it made for a squirrel? Or for a crow during their funerals? Aniela looked at him curiously. Suddenly, Federov stops. He bended over and takes out a little book, its pages looked like they were made of vellum. There were words written on it, which said


    ''Liber Insaniae''. Aniela tried to read the title, but failed. "What does it mean?"


    "It means ''The Book of Intelligence"


    "Oh, how do you know?"


    "Eh, I''m fluent in Latin, I studied it in school." Federov said quietly."Let''s open it." He declared.


    And so Federov did. There, on top of the page was written ''Necromancy'' in big black letters. And under it, handwritten text. Federov flipped through the book but the rest of the pages were empty.


    "Strange." He muttered. Then he looked up at the sky, where dusk was stretching across the sky.


    "How about you take this book with you, and some other day we will see what''s in it. For science, of course."


    "Why not now?" Aniela complained.


    "Because it''s getting late, now go ahead home." He put the book in her hand and she with a grumble marched away. Federov watched the girl go.


    She entered the house, a bit worried that her father would catch her coming back so late. Yet he wasn''t there, with only the cigarette smell left after him. She walked quickly through the hallway and jumped into her room.


    Then she sat on her bed and looked at the book in her hands. It smelled like ashes. On the leather cover were little carved symbols with the letters above a gem. A blue little gem with gold sparkles. She ran her finger across the stone, feeling its cold and smooth surface. She heard a loud snore from across the hall. Father. She put the book on her nightstand and stared at her white wall. Her father wanted her to leave him alone. And that''s exactly what she is going to do.

 Chapter 3

    Thirteen year old Aniela shivered in the cold Secondary school classroom, miserable as always. Aniela had a bit of hope when going into First year, maybe she''ll finally meet friends. But alas, life is terrible. Aniela looked at the dull walls, clearly showing that there wasn''t even a slight attempt of trying to make the room look less like a prison. There was a hole in the wall, and the drawings got a lot more vulgar because teens found things like fascist symbols and human genitalia to be top tear humour. Aniela personally didn''t find it funny, but then again she didn''t remember the last time she laughed. She thought back to the past three years, she missed her mother deeply. While she and her father ignored each other as much as possible.


    During break time, she had the ritual of sitting alone in a bench outside. She didn''t eat, because she rarely felt hungry. She just looked at the sky and waited for the break to be over.


    She had no friends still. She tried to talk to people, but they just laughed at her awkwardly or just stared at her. She actually tried to socialise, and tried to be active during class and talked during group projects. But people never wanted to be around her. But she had one friend who cared about her: Albert Federov.


    Federov has not changed the past three years. Still looked vague like from the first time they talked. They would walk together around the rural area of Galway, and Aniela even smiled a few times. He never got angry at her. They also investigated that strange book together. The first page lamented over life and death. Federov found it poetic, yet it bore Aniela. Though they''ve noticed that not all the pages are blank, that the first few pages had things written into them. They both just assumed they stuck together when they first looked at it. But Aniela started to enjoy reading the book. It spoke of different necromantic beliefs over the duration of history. It spoke how in the medieval times it was hated because people believed to resurrect a person, you need to work with God. So necromancer''s worked with demons, which was ill doing. The book claimed that this is false, that necromancy is more of a form of active manifestation. You worked to manifest your beliefs. It has nothing to do with demons or what not. Aniela really enjoyed the different tales of necromancers, they were like hero''s when raising people''s beloved. She wished she could meet one.


    That night, Aniela took out the book and started reading through the chapters. She laid on the floor which was littered in papers of drawings and homework. Aniela was getting good grades, evident by the 90% papers lying in the corner of the room. It''s like she was making a nest for herself.


    Under her bed, was her whole treasury, her notebooks filled with drawings of crows and human bones. Beside them were boxes with clean animal bones. None were killed by Aniela herself, she would never. After reading a bit more about a necromancer called Cador Firth, who courageously saved his beloved wife from dying because her father sold her soul to the devil, she turned around and laid face up to the pale white ceiling. Their house was rented, so she couldn''t decorate it as she pleased. When she was younger, her toys would add colour to the room.  But she grew out of toys, and now the only thing in her room was her bed, a wardrobe, a little brown nightstand which stuck out like a sore thumb with the rest of the white torture, and Aniela with her makeshift nest.


    Aniela looked at the five year old alarm clock on her nightstand. It used to be red but because of the light constantly coming from the window, it started turning pink. It was half past eleven in the night. Perfect. She crawled closer to her bed and took out a little shovel, a box and a rock with neat writing on it. Then she put on her shoes and slowly made her way to the window. She opened it, and threw the shovel and rock out. Then she stepped out into the grass herself while gently holding the box in her hand. Their bungalow had a small garden in the back, and her window faced it. She looked around the garden. It smelt of wet overgrown grass. Her mother always took care of the garden, and they even had bird houses. Her mother loved birds. But now, the houses were broken. Like their family. She grabbed her things quietly and creeped out onto the road. She knew this road well, far from the N17 and its only inhabitants were farms, rare houses and wildlife. Aniela made her way to a small field which was beside a tributary. She was careful, because she learned her lesson when falling into it two years ago. The tiny patch of grass was accidentally walled by presumably the owner. The tributary closed it off into a perfect rectangle.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    There was a series of tiny graves inside the tiny field. The thirteen year old crouched down beside an empty space. Then she started her ritual. She dug up a small rectangular hole. Then she opened up her box and there were the clean bones of a bird she found dead on the road. She always cleaned the bones and then studied them. Then she buried them. After putting in the bones and on top the soil, she put the rock at the back of the grave. On it was written "Bird on the road. Died doing what she loved, flying." Satisfied with her handiwork, the girl got up and walked back to the road, up to the N17.


    Aniela went to sit in the park. She looked up at the night sky, covered by clouds. She sat at a bench beside a bedside of daffodils, and looked down at the river which at this time of the year was flooding beautifully. "Why, hello dear." A voice greeted her and she jumped up. Federov stood proudly beside her with a gentle posh grin. "Hello, Mr Federov." Aniela gave him a small smile, she wondered how he always walked so quietly. Not once did she catch him walking to her, he always surprised her.


    "How''s school?" He sat beside her.


    "Boring, as usual."


    He chuckled, "Ah yes, school can be quite dull at times. But it''s important for you to learn, even the most boring things."


    "I don''t see how knowing the exact dates of the Great Famine events will help me."


    "Ah, but at least you are not one of the people dying during the famine. I think knowing the dates is the bare minimum of respect you can give them." Federov''s eyes creased into a smile.


    "Have you thought what you''d like to do in the future?"


    "Well, l''d like to be an artist. But working at the morgue would also be cool. But I don''t know which of these two to choose."


    "Oh? But sure, you can do both until your art will be so great, working at the mortuary will be pointless."


    "What do you work as?"


    "Well, nothing really, I''m still learning but I''m bit of a writer if I say so."


    "What do you write?"


    "My observations on people. On how people interact. It''s a topic on which I could write fifty books on and not run out." Aniela just nodded.


    There was silence for a while. But for once Aniela was the one to interrupt it.


    "Do you know what I really like to be?"


    "What is it? I''m all ears."


    "I''d like to be a necromancer."


    "A necromancer?"


    "Yeah, like from the book. I think that would be cool."


    "I mean, it''s a lovely wish but I doubt it''s achievable my dear."


    Aniela sighed sadly "I know, but it''s nice to wish." But then her face lit up.


    "I''ve just finished a chapter on Cador Firth, he saved his wife from the grips of the devil."


    "Oh?" Federov raised his brow. "Tell me more."


    "So Cador Firth married a girl from Wales. But then she caught the bubonic plague, as it were the times of the Black Death. Cador Firth was upset and didn''t want her to die, so started to search of ways to save her. Then he met an old priest who gave him a vellum book, a lot like my own. Cador Firth tried to manifest a protection of his wife''s soul with a ritual, but then he realised her soul isn''t hers. So he went back to the priest, who told him that her soul must''ve been sold to the devil. So Cador Firth went on a journey to find out why. The book kind off just jumps to the conclusion, that Firth finds out who sold her soul, which was her father because he was in debt. Angered, Firth sacrificed him in a ritual and saved his wife!" Aniela beamed.


    Federov scanned her face. "So he killed her father?"


    "Yeah, but he did deserve it, didn''t he?"


    "Aniela." Federov scowled. "Murder is never the option. It''s lovely that Mr Cador Firth saved his wife, but there must''ve been better ways to deal with this situation."


    "I suppose.." Aniela looked down unhappily, a bit ashamed of herself.


    Federov patted her shoulder. "Anyway, I think it''s time for you to go home, don''t you think?"


    "Right. Goodnight Mr Federov." Aniela got up to walk away through the park.


    "Goodnight, Aniela." Replied Federov, and looked on while she left him on his lonesome.

 Chapter 4

    Aniela felt a sense of doom, sitting on her usual bench outside hercardboard box of a school. She spent her days depressed on the ugly soaked wood. First year seems to be flying by her, but it feels as if nothing even happened. After this year, just five years left. Four if she skipped TY, and honestly it''s better if she did.Because what''s the point? It''s not like anyone will stop her. She stared down at her black shoes. They were caked in mud and smelt like slurry after walking through fields. What possibly could she do to not waste four years of her life? Does she really want to look back at these years regretting not doing anything? Her mother wouldn''t want that. She would want her to make the time worth while. But how? She heard the metro like bell of her school, and got up, to make her time worth while.


    As much as Aniela loathed school, she loved her art classes. They were her last class. And she could just rewind for an hour. Her teacher loved her work, she told her she''s very good at drawing things like animals and people."You have very detailed drawings, once you pick up a pencil, I can''t tell if it''s a drawing or a photograph" her art teacher once told her. Aniela usually sat on her own, beside the colourful drawings of students from other years and she had the perfect perspective of the whole classroom. Stained glass windows, Lino prints and pastel drawings stuck on the walls along side each other. The room was like a kaleidoscope. Her teacher finally walked in, with a smile on her face and went to the front of the class."Welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas break!" The teacher chuckles. "I''m sure you are all delighted to be back." Aniela noticed a girl standing awkwardly beside the teacher, with her bag still on, staring around the class. "This is Nadia, as you know she''s your new classmate. Treat her well, you were all nervous on your first day as well." A new student? Aniela couldn''t help you feel hope, but she quickly distinguished it. Just a new person to ignore."Nadia, pet." Her teacher continued ¡°Go sit beside Aniela." Silence, then the teacher realised a vital piece of information "the girl in the back to the left." The black haired girl stalked her way to sit beside Aniela. She immediately turned to Aniela and suddenly smiled.  "I''m Nadia, it''s nice to meet you. I love your earrings." Aniela was momentarily shocked. She thought the girl was going to ignore her. But she complimented her? How strange."Thank you. I like your hair, especially the your fringe, you look like a vampire... in a good way! Of course." "Thank you. I cut it myself. I''m thinking about dying the sides red, do you think it would look good?""Yes. It would look great!"That night, Aniela went home being the happiest then the past three years.


    For the next weeks, the two girls became friends. Aniela liked Nadia''s chattiness, because she just filled out her own silence. The two girls sat at Aniela''s bench during breaks."-so I hexed her, didn''t think something would happen but then I learned her fish died. I didn''t mean the fish to catch the strays but at least she got some pain out of it." Nadia concluded."Wow, how do you hex someone?"Aniela asked intently."Oh my God, you don''t know?."Aniela shook her head."Basically, you need paper, and a jar. Any jar will do. You write their name on the paper, and while you do it, you imagine all the bad things you want to happen to them, ok? Put the paper in the jar. Then put salt or spices in the jar. My friend said to put black pepper in with it, it''s very effective. Then you pour water in. You put it in the freezer. And while it freezes, the pressure of the water freezing, is like the pressure that''s put on them. Don''t do it for stupid reasons though, cause then it''ll back fire."Aniela took in all of the new found information. She realised she''s been learning all about how to revive people, that she fully ignored witchcraft and all of those things.¡°Is there someone you would hex?¡± Nadia inquired.Aniela shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t really talk to people so there¡¯s no way of getting angry at someone.¡±¡°Oh. Why not?¡±¡°I don¡¯t know, just never did.¡±But she had a question of her own."What makes it work? The hex?¡±                  ¡°Don''t know, but it works.¡±


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.                                                         Aniela laid in her overgrown nest of papers, admiring the piece of paper with ten digits in line staring down at her. Nadia''s phone number. Aniela excitedly stuck the piece of paper on the wall with blue tak. Right beside the photo of her mother. Now she just has to get a phone. She lied that she is getting a new phone to Nadia, and it is true in a way. But she''ll have to get it herself. She could work at the petrol station. Or she could exchange money for cutting people''s yards. Aniela smiled and imagined the many people she could take money out off. She knew they had an old lawn mower in their shack. She''s should try it in her yard. And she could just walk around the estate and other houses and ask if she could do it for them! And it''s not like she has anything better to do. The next library is in the town ten kilometres away, and she had no friends other than now Nadia. But she still needs to get a phone to contact her. She took out her spell notebook, a green covered one with drown on roses. There she wrote the spells her book had been giving her. She didn''t seem to question the fact that the book slowly showed pages that were blank before. By contrary, she was proud that her book thought she was worthy of such knowledge. She learned simple things like slightly moving objects and taking flowers out of the ground without pulling them.Aniela could now learn witch stuff from Nadia. She wrote in as much as she remembered from the hex thing the black haired girl told her about. Then she moved back to old pages and cut them out. Then she would stick them on the wall where her bed was at. The wall had a just a few pages neatly gathered together. Unlike the nest on the ground.


    The next couple days, Aniela strengthened her friendship with Nadia, but also gathered money for her new phone. Mowing lawns wasn''t her favourite thing ever, but she strategically went to different sections of the town and rural areas so every week she had someone''s lawn to mow.Aniela sat in the park at one in the morning, waiting for the man himself.She tried to catch him coming, yet he seemed to always have a trick up his sleeve."Hello Aniela."Aniela jumped and turned to see Federov behind her."How do you do that?""That my dear, I''ll keep to myself." Smiled Federov. "Why, I say you are a lot more happier.""Indeed I am! I found a friend at school!""Really? That''s fantastic to hear! Tell me everything."So Aniela did. Eagerly she told him everything, from how Nadia looked, spoke, behaved. How they got along so well."I''m saving up money to get a phone so I could contact her.""Where does she live?""I didn''t ask, that''s a strange question to ask.""Is it? I thought it was quite normal." Federov mused. "Tell me about this hex thing, what is it?""It''s like a curse. You but paper in a jar, and cover it in spices and water then freezes so the victim would suffer as you wanted. Isn''t that brilliant?""Why, i think that''s very strange. And vengeful. And vengeance is not a pretty thing."Aniela was ashamed of herself. "Yeah, you''re right. I just got excited to think that such manifestation works." Federov raised his brow but didn''t continue. "How''s your father?""What about him?" Aniela rubbed her arms."Well, I''m just asking overall. Are you doing okay?""We don''t talk much. And that''s fine by me." She looked out at the flooding river. It sparkled right at her in the moonlight."Oh? When''s the last time you talked?""It doesn''t matter." Aniela said quickly and looked at the ground.Federov had his usual vague face expression. "How about you go home, it''s late, isn''t it? I hope you get the phone you are working for."Aniela nodded and got up to go on a trek home.

 Chapter 5

    Nadia and Aniela walked through the small town laughing and talking together. "I''m glad your dad doesn''t mind us hanging out like this." Nadia smiled."He doesn''t care what I do. And it''s not that far of a walk from my own town.""Oh, where do you live?""Glenfallen.""Never heard of it.""Probably because nothing happens there." Aniela sulked."Connacht is basically a shithole, nothing happens here. Even the Brits didn''t want it."The girls laughed and sat down at the local cemetery. But on the inside, Aniela knew her mother loved Glenfallen. She loved the flooding river and pastel houses. She loved the calmness.They sat at a bench in the back corner, behind a big tree."You haven''t called me yet." "Sorry, my phone is still broken but l''ll soon get a new one."Aniela grinned to herself. Her plan was fruitful. She nearly had €50, and now she could buy a cheap Nokia phone from Tesco from a bigger town. Though she''ll have to find a way to get there."You''ve been saying that for a year now, girl we are in Second year now.""I know. But we didn''t get a chance to buy one.""Fine. But once you get it, call me immediately. Or text me, whatever." Silence. Nadia looked up to at the cloudy sky, while Aniela clumsily spilt coke over her brown cardigan.


    "Aniela." Nadia looked at her. "Do you believe in ghosts?"Aniela looked across the graveyard."No.""No? Why not.""Because when people die, their souls go to some other place, don''t they?"  "Don''t you think a soul can get trapped on earth? Like in the Limerick castle, the ghosts there are stuck because of the river.""So you believe in ghosts.""Hell yeah I do! I have this one friend; his name is John Sheridan. We''ve known each other since Primary and live at the same estate. We''ve found many ghosts together! We need to take you some time. Actually, let''s go now!""Oh, I''m not sure about that." Aniela rubbed her arms."Trust me, you''ll love him. He can get angry easily, but he is super nice otherwise. Though he was a lot more friendly years ago.... But I think ye would get along well." And so, Nadia grabbed Aniela''s and dragged her out of the cemetery and up the hill.


    Aniela observed the mint green house in front of her. It was at the end of a row of three house joined together.The other ones were yellow and looked ugly compared to Nadia''s friend''s house. She could smell the turf getting burned, and the dark grey smoke coming out of their chimney acted almost like a beacon. Her mother didn''t like burning turf. She said it''s bad for the environment for first digging up an animal''s habitat and later burning it creating a nasty smog. Nadia banged on the black door, and Aniela stood a good bit away from her."Come closer, they don''t bite.""They?"The door opens."Hello Nadia! Sweetie, come in! John is upstairs. John! John your friends are here!" Aniela couldn''t believe that a small old lady that stood before her could even yell as well as a black metal vocalist. The lady turned to her, while cradling a child in her hands and another tugging at ger apron calling ¡°Mom¡± over and over again."Oh! I don''t think we have ever met! I''m John''s mother. Don''t be shy, come right in. What''s your name sweetie?" "Aniela." Muttered the brown-haired girl while she was dragged by Nadia inside. "Aniela! Why that name is gorgeous." The lady smiled. "You can just call me Patty. John! John for God''s sake how long does it take to go down those damn stairs? They won''t be here all day!" A dirty blond-haired guy stomped down the stairs. He glared at the two girls. "What you want Nadia?" Patty rolled her eyes and walked to what Aniela guessed to be the kitchen while the toddler ran after her. "This is Aniela! My new friend. You know how I moved to the school here right? Yeah well, I met her there. She is such a good drawer and knows a lot about bones and stuff. Aniela say something.""Hi..""She doesn''t believe in ghosts though, and there''s an old, ruined shack down the road unexplored." Nadia looked smugly at John. He just grunted."Fine. But you are not getting the motion sensor again, not after last time.""Oh, come on, it was an accident." The blonde just grunted and stomped back up the stairs. Nadia turned to Aniela excitedly."He has weird little machines to do ghost hunting. A makeshift motion sensor, and also some yoke that hears things. You see, he''s a nerd. He''ll tell ya all about it."Aniela nodded. She looked up the stairs, and excitement slowly took over the nervousness. She watched the annoyed John walk down the stairs with a bag on his back."I''m going out with my friends!" He yelled to his mom."Don''t come back late!"Aniela walked with the duo, listening into their conversation but not commenting anything. John didn''t seem too eager to make conversation with her, but then again, he didn''t seem eager to make conversation with anyone."Remember when we thought there was a ghost in the field behind the river? It came out we probably shouldn''t use motion sensors when there''s a hurricane." Nadia on the other hand loved yapping. Aniela didn''t mind because she liked listening, but John didn''t look too particularly delighted about listening either."Yeah, I know I was there.""Jeez, but Aniela wasn''t."The lad grunts. They stop at a ruined shack in a field, beside a field of cows."I''m not going in there." John grumbled. "Why not? The cows are in a different field. Don''t be so stiff. Aniela will go, won''t you?" Nadia turned to the brown-haired girl."Sure. I go into fields a lot."Nadia grinned at John. "Two against one! We are going in!"Nadia walked up to the gate and swiftly climbed over. Aniela followed and climbed over a bit sloppier and John just huffed and followed, jumping over the gate. They walked up to the shack. It''s not like a normal stone Irish ruin. It was a modern one.The walls were made out of sheath metal. The outside was coloured green and red. The shack was probably abandoned after the owner realised that it would keep falling over after even a small gust of wind. Aniela could smell the old toxic paint, while the sound of mooing decorated the scene, and John stood in the middle of it."You think there would be ghost here? The place is new, not enough time for people to die and get trapped here." Nadia glared at him. "I''m know that I''m not stupid. But the last few years I saw drug deals happen here.""And why did you wait to say something now?""Cause a couple years ago, I found blood on the grass beside it." John''s expression momentarily softened, but it went back to his usual scowl. "What makes you think it was blood.""Cause it smelt like blood.""How on earth do you know that?" Aniela started walking around the shack."But still, it took you a while to say anything about. Did you tell the gardai?""Look I was ten! The gardai wouldn''t believe shit I had to say. And I started doubting myself as well."Aniela saw something shiny on the ground and crouched to look at it closer."What makes you so sure now?" John asked irritated."Because a week ago, I cut myself by accident. Blood accidentally poured all over the floor. And next week it got dried up, and it smelt exactly the same.""Jesus, are you ok?""I¡¯m fine, why?"Aniela picked up the shiny item. It was a rusted ring, with a diamond on it. It looked quite familiar. She put it in her pocket and went over to them."Why did it take you so long to clean it?"Aniela asked, and John nodded."Yeah, why did it?""Cause I wasn''t bothered. Anyway, so are we going to do this or not?" John looked at Nadia and then Aniela."Might as well get over it.""Aniela?" Nadia turned to her with pleading eyes."Sure."


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    As one of the walls was missing, finding a door didn''t matter. John put an old looking radio with colourful wires coming out of it in the middle of the shack. "No one move. I''ll first calibrate it so it would get used to the current area. Then I''ll set it so it will look it for unusual motion. And you." John glared at Nadia. "And mainly Nadia could be the unusual motion. So, stop moving.""I''m sorry! I can''t help it.""Then try."John put the gadget down to the ground. He pressed a button and for a second the world went still. Then he backed up and sat down."Now I''ll turn it on. Get comfortable so you wont accidentally move." Aniela sat down at the entrance and Nadia sat beside her excitedly. John pressed the button, and they all waited. One minute passed and John became less focused and more annoyed while time passed. Aniela also started believing that nothing will happen but suddenly there was a spike sound. Everyone looked over to the radio. You''d expect the radio to give off sound, but when Aniela looked closer, she saw a tiny screen attached that was coloured momentarily orange. But it stopped."What was that?" She asked."That means it picked up something." John answered"Why does it have a screen.""For exactly that reason.""What''s the point of using the radio then?""Because the antennas are good at picking such things up, and also I found it in the attic.""Guys shut up." Nadia squeaked."Look."They all looked at the tiny screen.There, the colours flashed from red to yellow to orange to black and back to orange."What does that mean?" Aniela quizzed."That it''s unstable.¡± John answered."Like a soul.""Ooh. Take out the sound yoke!" John did exactly that. He took out a single walkie-talkie, that also had colourful wires splaying out of it. He pressed a button, and they all held their breaths. Though the sounds were very quiet and static."Is there anyone here with us?" John asked. Static. "Anyone?"Suddenly a series of long and short static sounds played. And after a minute they stopped completely. The walkie-talkie went silent."What was that?" Nadia asked."It sounded like Morse code." Aniela muttered."Do you know Morse code?" They turned to her."No."


    "Damn it''s a shame that the ghost decided Morse code is the best way to communicate." Nadia grumbled while they walked back to their estate."Yeah, shame. Anyway, I have shit to do in a couple minutes so l''ll just gonna leave ye." John sped up but Nadia sped up with him."What will you be doing.""None of your business.""Tell me.""No.""Tell me.""No.""Tell me!"Aniela just watched them from behind."Fine! Jesus. I''m going to play a game with my friends.""But you are hanging out with us.""Nadia. We''ve been over this. We are not friends.""You called me a friend when we were leaving."The lad rolled his eyes."Fine. But these are my better friends, ok? And you got your friend. Leave me alone.""But we used to be such good friends!" The lad just grunted and walked off in a different, leaving Nadia standing and scowling at him. Aniela walked up to her."Are you ok?""Yeah, I''m fine. Perhaps he is just going through a phase. Right? Right." The black-haired girl stared at the ground. She turned to Aniela.¡°You had a friend that didn¡¯t speak for a while but came back, right?¡± Nadia said hopefully.¡°You are my only friend I ever had.¡± Nadia scowled but just looked down at the tarmac. They resumed walking towards her estate. A few minutes passed in silence."Nadia.""Hm?""I found something at the shack.""Oh? Show me."Aniela showed her the ring."Oh, cool.""Well not really.""Why not?""Because it looks exactly like my mother''s engagement ring."

 Chapter 6

    Aniela walked through the estate in her village. Pebbles were strewn all over the road, and toys were thrown around the place. And that''s why Aniela is there at 3 in the morning. Her mission is to get a bike. The town with Tesco in it is not too far away, but she knew it would take her a day to get there on foot. That is why she needed to "borrow" someone''s bike. She will just keep it for a day, and then give it back. They probably won¡¯t even remember where they put it, and it''ll be a pleasant surprise when they find it the next day. She felt a bit guilty of doing this, she knew Federov would scowl at this, but he won''t hear of it. It''s her dirty little secret. Nothing is going to stand between her and her plan. She''s got the money; all she needs is a ride. It''s a shame that the only trains around are five towns away just going to Castlebar and Galway City. She looked at the grass in the middle. Nothing there, expect for a bunch of pebbles which the lawnmower will eat up. She looked over at the rows of houses. Her mother told her about when she was a kid and how she grew up in an estate like this.In the middle of them, were hallways for cars which led to parking and back gardens in the back. The strange things about these hallways, is that there''s a house on top of it, a flat. And people actually live there. Imagine living knowing that cars go under your house. Thank God earthquakes don''t happen in Ireland, because I bet that''s the first buildings that would fall.Aniela went to one of those hallways. And there, was a bike. A green and black bike. It''s a bit small, but Aniela didn''t mind it because she wasn''t a tall person. She''s like a wee stick, probably because she wasn''t eating well.Though the height could be because of her mother''s genes. But Aniela hoped she still will grow. She got on the bike like it was her own and rode away.


    The next day, it was show time. Her mother loved cycling, she would tell her about how when she grows up a bit more, they would together go on bike rides. She was going to get a bike on her eleventh birthday.It was twelve in the morning on a Saturday, Aniela grabbed her mother''s green denim coat, put her money in her inside pocket and then the house key. She left her room and stood in the tiny white hallway. She went through it, passing the bathroom on her left and her parent''s room on her right. Down the L shaped hallway she went, she went to the angle where was the door to the kitchen. She walked in. On her left was the door to the living room.She always wondered why the door was there, not to the hallway. She went in. They had a couch and a bean bag in the living room, and across a TV on top of an unused fireplac. There, on the couch sat her dad."I''m going out."Her dad just grunted.She went outside to where she left the bike, at her little cemetery. She ran out of space to fit more, she still is trying to find a new good spot. Then grabbed the bike and threw it over the wall. Or she tried to throw it, but it kind off slid down the wall. She climbed over and got on the bike. It''s time to shine. You might wonder how she got to the town. It''s quite simple, there are signs everywhere. In English and Irish, anyone will get anywhere. And that''s how Aniela stumbled to the town. It''s basically just a big Irish village. More people stayed there, therefore it''s bigger, simple.


    Aniela put "her" bike at the spot for bikes. It took her two hours, but she is here. She went to the side entrance of Tesco. There she was met with an irritating alarm that is meant to go off when you steal, but I bet it goes off for everything but that. It''s the middle of October so naturally everything was Halloween themed. She went to the phone section. There she found phones of varying sizes, all displayed on a neat white box. But she walked past those phones, she went to the phones hanged on the wall. There she found the love of her life, the Nokia 110 4G. €30, with only a €15 monthly top up. Perfect. She grabbed the phone and went to the guy standing board at the white box. You could top up online, but she doubted she could do that on the Nokia. She probably just save up for a bike now, but for the next few months she''ll be "burrowing" them.She still had €15 left, she decided to buy something for herself. She went to the Halloween section curiously. She looked at the different sweets, plastic buckets, costumes, ouija boards... Ouija boards? She looked at it again. A shiver went down her spine when she thought back to how the ghost spoke in Morse code. Or, it was just something else. Maybe they could check with her ouija board. She nodded to herself, Nadeja might know how to use it. She grabbed the Ouija board and went to the self checkout.


    Aniela, Nadia and dejected John sat on the floor of the shack. John took his annoyance out on a family of wood lice while Nadia talked to Aniela."Oh my god, Im so happy you finally got a new phone. Finally we can hang out whenever we want! Just text me, and I''m there! But seriously, if you ever need me, just text me!"Aniela nodded. "I know, you already told me that twice.""I''m sorry, I just am so happy! Now I don''t need to drag him out." She scowled at John. "He doesn''t even appreciate when I come over. I hope he realises on what he missed out on." She looked down at the floor and saw the ouija board. "Oh! Right we are here to try this baby out! John, stop your genocide and get your arse here.""Have you tried an ouija board before?" Aniela asked."Well, no but l''ve seen videos of people doing it. It''s simple enough like." John finally sat down with them."I think it''s bullshit. Like your hex and witchcraft."Nadia held her chest hurt. "Ok, you are just a hater then. But it''s not like you have a better idea, do you?"Silence meant victory."Great! Let''s prepare the s¨¦ance."Nadia dragged her tote bag to herself, and started to take out things like sage, incense and candles."This isn''t a spa day." John grumbled."We need to get rid of the negativity, and if you continue to piss me off I''ll kick you out. We don''t need distractions, and you are very much one." She took out her lighter and lit the sage. She gave it to Aniela."Hold it for me." Aniela nodded. Then the black haired girl placed two red candles with the ouija board. "I''ve heard black candles are the best but l only have red ones." Everyone just shrugged. She then lit the incense and put it to the side. She took the sage from Aniela and stuffed it into her bottle of water to distinguish it."Now we are ready!"John coughed "I feel like I''m in a church.""You''ll be fine. If you want, you can write the questions and answers while me and Aniela do the s¨¦ance, just don''t scribble." Nadia ordered.John just grunted and took the paper and pen from her. Nadia told Aniela she had to sit in front of her and how she should hold the planchette with her. Then it started."Hello spirits, we wish to speak with you." Nadia announced.Silence."Is there anyone here with us?"The world stayed still, everyone even John held their breath."Is there anyone here with us?"Suddenly Aniela felt her hand being moved across the board, towards yes."Why hello then. Can you hear us well?"Aniela could feel goosebumps on her arms, while nothing yet happened she felt very nervous."Can you hear us well?"Their hands slowly moved to yes."That''s great! Did you die here or near the shack?"Aniela''s arm started to cramp, she was in an extremely uncomfortable position, but she didn''t dare move."Did you die here or near the shack?"Their hands moved back to yes."Do you still have your memories?" Aniela could feel John shiver beside her, but she was mesmerised. Her book said that spirits didn''t roam the earth, that''s why she didn''t believe in ghosts. But it did tell her that you can open the gates of limbo, a spirit waiting room of such, to talk to them and take them back to life. Did they just open the gateway?"Do you still have your memories?"To their surprise, their hand moved away from yes to start forming a word.Their hands went from a to l and so on, to spell ''a little''."That''s nice to hear, do you mind if we ask you about those memories?" Aniela could hear the scribble of Johns pen, she looked up to Nadia. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her mouth was slightly agape. Aniela looked down at the board."Do you mind if we ask you about your memories?"Finally, their hands slid to yes."Did you die naturally?"Aniela got a bit worried that they''ll scare off the spirit, personally if someone called her and suddenly asked how she died, she wouldn''t be too delighted."Did you die naturally?"Five minutes pass."Did you die naturally?"Their hands slid to no.Nadeja let out an excited gasp but quickly calmed herself."Were you murdered?"To their surprise, their hands immediately slid back to no."How did you die then?"Their hands moved across the board to various letters, spelling out five letters. Drugs."Why did you take drugs?"That might have been the last straw because they have not heard anything else from the spirit."Seriously?" John muttered.Nadia took her hands away and distinguished the candles. "What else was I meant to say? At least we know a bit more than we did. And what happened to not believing in this bullshit?"John just rolled his eyes and got up."I''m going home." And he walked out.Nadia gathered her things and so did Aniela. "Idiot. But you believe we actually spoke to someone, right?" Aniela nodded."You ok? You look very pale.""Yeah I''m fine."Nadia didn''t look sure but she dropped it. They exited out of the shack. "Also, I''m going to join this art club which will go on every Saturday, and it''s for €2 to enter if you bring your own things. It''s more like they will just give us a room and we''ll meet other people. Want to do it with me?" Nadia looked at her pleading.Aniela sighed. "I don''t know, will there be a lot of people?""No, course not. It''s probably going to be like five people. Please Aniela, my bestie. Please!"The fourteen year old sighed. "Fine." Her mother would''ve encouraged this idea, right? To make more friends. But that means talking to people. "Yay!" Nadia hugged her. "I''ll text you the rest of the info!"


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 Chapter 7

    Aniela stood nervously at Nadia''s door with a tote bag Nadia gave her herself. Aniela wasn''t a fan of ringing doorbells or knocking doors. Overall, she just felt stressed explaining why she was there. Nadia''s parents didn''t particularly like her, because from what she heard from Nadia they don''t like that Aniela is making her more delusional. But her friend explained that with her parents that''s the highest compliment she could get, because they both are very delusional. Nadia walked out of her house and immediately glowed up when she saw Aniela. "Hi! I''m so happy to finally see you."


    Aniela chuckled. "I''ve seen you two days ago."


    "I know, way too long. Before we go to the club, let''s go to our spot." The girls walked to the cemetery but sat down behind it on a rusty bench. Nadia took out a cigarette and lit it.


    Aniela didn''t understand why she smoke, but she enjoyed the smell, and she couldn''t deny it looked cool. It smelt better with fresh air, unlike with the dense air in their kitchen. Her mother hated her father smoking, and he did it in the house just to annoy her.


    After Nadia''s smoke session, they got up and started their walk to the community centre. To Aniela, it felt as if the path got longer and longer, while her stomach flipped upside down out of the stress.


    Aniela looked at huge community centre. "Why is that big?"


    Nadia shrugged. "They do plays on makeshift stages in there, maybe that''s why."


    Nadia dragged her in, and they went to the first desk they saw. Beside the desk was a big staircase and on every wall in the square room was a different door. "We''re here for the art club." Nadia smiled. The woman looked her up and down but smiled politely.


    "It''s lovely to see you girls, I''ll just need the €2 and you can head on in." The girls gave their money and were led to the door opposite the entrance.


    Inside was a huge hall which looked like a PE hall. In it were tables scattered around with people sitting in them. This did not look like just five people. There were people from 13 years old to 17 years old across the hall in groups. A brunette lady led them to their age group. Nadia went to sit down at a nearly empty desk in the back, with just a chestnut-haired girl sitting at it with a green and black stripped sweater.


    Aniela grabbed her arm. "Maybe we should leave her alone."


    "Why? She looks lonely. Come on, we''ll make a new friend!"


    Aniela was dragged over to the table and forced to sit down across of the girl. She looked up at them, with blank face expression.


    "Hi! I love your sweater! I''m hope you don''t mind us sitting here with you." The girl smiled faintly. "Thank you. And I don''t mind at all. I''m Darla."


    "Hi Darla! I''m Nadia. And this is my friend Aniela." She turned to Aniela.


    "Say something."


    "Hi." Aniela mumbled. Aniela couldn''t help staring at the girl¡¯s freckles which looked like they wrecpainted on by Vincent Van Gogh himself. But she caught herself and looked down at the table. Nadia continued to talk with Darla, but Aniela felt awkward, so she took out her notebook. She continued a drawing of ravens on a telephone wire she saw a few days ago.


    "That''s a really nice drawing." Darla said to her.


    "Oh, eh thanks."


    "I love ravens. They are so pretty, don''t you think?"


    "Yeah, they are."


    Darla flipped pages of her notebook and showed her some of her drawings of birds.


    "Wow, you are so good." Aniela and Nadia looked wide eyed at Darla''s drawings.


    "I really like the drawing on the next page." Aniela pointed to a drawing of a snake around an apple, making it poisonous? She wasn''t sure but the apple looked like it was turning green.


    "Thank you." Darla smiled. "Could I look at some of your drawings?" Aniela somehow relaxed and showed her own drawings, and Darla observed them complementing each one of them. Aniela''s cheek slightly flushed while she beamed at her showing her favourite drawings.


    "You know." Nadia interrupted them.


    "This is quite a strange idea of a club though."


    "Well, it''s a lot like F¨®roige if you think about it. You just have to bring your own things." Darla mused.


    "Like what?"


    "F¨®roige."


    "What''s F¨®roige?" Aniela asked.


    Darla looked at her with her deep blue eyes. "It''s a club where you come to a local community centre and hang out with your age group. There are people there minding you and giving you activities to do."


    "Ah."


    "Is there one near us?" Nadia asked.


    "Not that l''m aware off. But my cousin joined F¨®roige in their town." Silence lingered into their conversation, but not for long, for Nadia was here.


    "Oh! Ye know what we could do?"


    "What is it?" Darla tilted her head in question.


    "We should draw each other! I''d draw Aniela, Aniela would draw you, and you would draw me."


    "I think that''s a great idea. Aniela?"


    "Eh." Aniela''s hand started sweating at the idea. She looked at the two girls, staring back at her expectingly.


    "Sure......"


    Aniela rubbed her arms, but quickly got to work. After an hour, she drew Darla with her long hair messily dropping over her shoulder, drawing in her own notebook. It wasn''t coloured except for her deep blue eyes. Aniela knew she didn''t have much time left so she did her freckles with pencil, but she wasn''t satisfied as they didn''t look as neat as they looked on Darla. Overall, she wasn''t happy. It lacked the glow of the girl in front of her.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation."Time to start packing up." One of the ladies called. The whole time they walked around talking to the different teens, but they didn''t go up once to the back with the three girls.


    "Alright. Here''s mine." Nadia proudly showed her drawing of Aniela in her brown cardigan. The only thing coloured was her brown hair, which was clipped into a messy bun, replicating exactly the state in which Aniela''s hair was at. "Wow. That looks so good." Aniela smiled at her friend''s drawing. "Yeah. Here''s mine. You can keep it, Nadia." Darla slid her piece of paper beside Nadia''s. Nadia was the most coloured in from the rest, and she was drawn in a very cartoony style, which Aniela loved. "It''s looks great!" Nadia squeaked. "Aniela show us yours before they kick us out."


    Aniela''s cheeks flashed red, but she placed her page. The other girls admired it.


    "I love it." Darla smiles softly. "Can I keep it?"


    "Sure." Aniela almost choked.


    The girls walked out of the centre with their new friend.


    "Where do you live, by the way?" Nadia asked her.


    "Just outside Glenfallen."


    "Oh! That''s where Aniela lives."


    Aniela nodded.


    "That''s great. Do you also walk here?" Darla asked. Aniela nodded again.


    "Maybe we could go together."


    Aniela smiled. "I''d love that."


    "Aw, I already feel left out." Nadia sniffed. "I''m joking, anyway I need to go home before my mom crucifies me."


    So, the girls split ways.


    "Do you have WhatsApp?" Darla asked Aniela.


    "No, but I can give you my phone number."


    Darla nodded and they exchanged numbers.


    "It''s weird that l''ve never came across you before. How old are you?"


    "I''m fourteen."


    "Ah, l''m fifteen. I think I''m a year above you then. Still weird I never seen you at school, then again it''s small and every year the year groups get bigger." The girls walk along a road full of cracks. They walked on the grass as there was no sidewalk.


    "What music do you listen to?" Darla asked her.


    "I don really listen to anything."


    "What? How? I would''ve gone insane." Aniela chuckled and shrugged. "I guess I don''t have anything to listen on."


    "Don''t you have a phone?"


    "Well..." She didn''t really tell people that she just had a Nokia. She kind off felt ashamed, but for some reason, she felt like spilling all her secrets to this girl. So, she took out her Nokia. "Can''t really listen to anything on this thing."


    "Oh. Sorry I didn''t know."


    "It''s fine. I didn''t have enough money to buy anything better."


    "Maybe you could ask your parents or guardians to help you out?"


    "As if my dad cares." Aniela snorted.


    Nadia usually laughed with her about parents, but Darla looked worried.


    "Does he not care about you?"


    Silence. "I-"


    "I''m sorry." Darla looked down at the ground. "It''s none of my business."


    "It''s fine." Aniela almost choked again.


    She did not want to just start crying in front of her new friend.


    "Eh, what do you do in your free time?" Darla thought about it. "I play on the piano, and l''m practicing the violin.


    Though I''m very bad at it." She chuckled. "What do you do?"


    "I like to research spells and read about magic and stuff. I know it may sound stupid...¡±


    "No, I think it sounds interesting. Tell me something about it." Aniela looked into Darla''s eyes. They looked like galaxies with the stars reflecting in them.


    "Well... Did you know there are spells people can do to learn and master telekinesis?"


    "Really? Where did you read that?"


    "In an old book. It could be fake, but I still think it''s a cool concept."


    "Hm. Maybe we should try it some time."


    "Yeah, maybe we should." Aniela beamed at herself. A new friend and already had a contact with her, and they are thinking about meeting again. In one day? She suddenly became a social butterfly. She looked at a flower in the grass. She picked it up and gave it to her. Darla accepted it. "Thank you. Flowers are always the prettiest on the side of a road, don''t you think?" Aniela nodded and for the rest of their walk she kept on giving her different flowers she saw. But all that''s well always ends.


    "Here is the road I have to go down on." Darla smiled sadly. "But we''ll be in contact right?"


    "Yeah." Aniela nodded. So, they parted ways.


    Aniela laid happily on her nest of papers. She felt as if she could talk for hours with Darla. But she still had some work to do. She took out her vellum book and continued reading it. Now the chapters talked less of stories and more about spells. It also told her how to collect different things. She came across a spell how to revive a flower. She rolled to her side, grabbed her green notebook, and started scribbling in the spell. While reading the words, she always read in her head with a voice. Her own voice.


    But now, she suddenly read in someone else voice. At times she felt like she wasn''t even reading it, and someone was telling her it. But whenever she took her eyes off the paper, it stopped happening. After she finished, she realised she''s very tired. She rolled to the wall beside her and looked at the photos of her mother stuck on it. God, she missed her. She hoped she could revive that damn flower.

 Chapter 8

    Aniela choked awake to the sound of her phone buzzing. It''s 4 in the morning on a Sunday morning, she sat up in her nest of papers. Around her were millions of little pots with soil and inside them were different types of flowers. She located the source of the sound: her phone. She grabbed it and looked at the message. It was from Nadia.


    "need a distraction, meet me at our place."


    Aniela immediately grabbed her coat and stuffed her phone in it. She looked over her bed covered in pages and cut up papers. She opened her door and went out.


    Aniela walked to the cemetery in Nadia''s town. She spent all Second year and summer break gathering money and she nearly can afford her own bike. She reached the cemetery and went to the back. There her fifteen-year-old friend leaned against a wall smoking and drinking a red bull. Her mother once told her that energy drinks is the worst thing you can put in your body. She didn''t tell Nadia that.


    "Aniela! I''m so happy to see you." She went and gave her a hug. "Sorry for dragging you out, I just need to clear my head."


    "No problem." Aniela smiled. "What happened?"


    Nadia sighed. "Oh, you know, parents.


    Dad got a woman pregnant, and now my mom is really angry. They are going to divorce, honestly it was going to happen someday anyway. But they are both stressed as fuck and they put their anger out at me! I didn''t fucking ask to be alive! And you should''ve probably gotten a better reason to marry instead of just fucking." Nadia took an angry drag of her cigarette.


    "And now neither of them know who''ll take me. They''ll probably settle with sharing, but neither of them want me clearly." She sniffled. "And mom is thinking about going back to Slovakia so she could live with her mom. That means I''ll be stuck with my dad and his bloody mistress because I don''t want to go to Slovakia, and my grandmother hates my guts anyway." She takes a deep sigh. Aniela didn''t know how to comfort her, so she awkwardly stood there fiddling her fingers.


    "Come on." Nadia suddenly got up.


    "Let''s walk around for a bit." Aniela nodded and they started by walking back to the road.


    They walked down the road for a while.


    "Time flies, doesn''t it?" Nadia said.


    "It''s does." Aniela agreed. "Already a month through Third year, and it feels like we met just yesterday."


    Nadia chuckled. "It does. But I''m glad we did." She playful smacked Aniela''s back.


    "You''ve heard anything from John by the way?"


    Aniela shook her head. "Never even got his phone number."


    "Oh right, I forgot he''s a prick."Nadia rolled her eyes and gripped her phone tightly. "He just stopped talking to me altogether. As if I''m worth nothing." She said through her gritted teeth. "He could''ve at least given his ghost hunting gear."


    Aniela nodded. "But we still have the ouija board."


    "That''s right. I wonder if Darla liked to try it out with us."Nadia mused at Aniela.


    "Yeah! We should." Aniela suddenly beamed. "I''ll ask her."


    "How is Darla? Ye two are quite close I noticed."


    "She''s fine. Don''t worry, l''m not replacing you." Aniela chuckled.


    "You better not! But I think I deserve to be thanked, after all it was my idea to go to that club."


    "Ugh, sure." But Aniela was thankful.


    She thought back to Darla, how her freckles resembled Van Gogh''s Starry Night. Her mother told her that freckles can be the most beautiful thing you can adorn a person''s face.


    "Hello, Earth to Aniela." Nadia chuckled and nudged her friend.


    Suddenly, they both heard voices from ahead. They turn to look forward. The sound seemed to be coming from a field ahead. Nadeja turned to Aniela.


    "You want to investigate?" The brown-haired girl nodded.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation."Follow my lead."


    The two girls crouch down slightly and quietly walked towards the fields.


    There they saw the shack. Aniela shivered when she saw it, the last time they were there is when they tried using the ouija board here. Ever since she''s been feeling weird. They walked a bit closer and hid behind a bush. They saw three older lads with hoods and sweatpants, crouching over a bag and muttering to each other.


    "You think no one will see us here?"


    One of them asked.


    "Of course not. This spot was recommended to me by Owen. Well hidden, yet easy to run from here."


    "Right. Then what you got ginger?" The girls watched as the guys started trading with packets of definitely not drugs. "Who you get the weed from?" The third one muttered with a gravely voice.


    "A town at the outskirts of Castlebar has a few fellas that trade the shit. They say it''s legit, and I felt high using it so it probably works." The ginger chuckled.


    "What if they tattle?"


    "As if they''ll fucking tattle when they are making bank on it."


    "Where do you hide it so no one will find it?" The first guy asked.


    "As if I''m telling you where I hide my shit. But i heard that a good spot is under a floorboard, old fashioned. Or put the green under some green energy." The ginger grinned. "Under a solar panel."


    The guys nodded.


    "Is it true a guy died here years ago?"


    The first one asked while looking around the shack cautiously.


    "Not a guy, but a girl. It was a shame. I knew her. Was a friend of my friend. Nice girl, fun to be around. At least now we know how much is too much."


    "Why do you still go here then?" The third one asked.


    "It''s still a good spot. And it''s nice to visit it occasionally. Even put a flower here if I happen to have one." Nadia started to get bored of their conversation and Anielas legs felt cramped after crouching in the same position. "Let''s go back." Nadia whispered to her. Aniela nodded but when going back the way she tripped over a root and fell into a rose bush.


    She could almost feel her mother scowling at it. Nadia quickly turned to help her out but the damage was done.


    "Hey!" They heard a yell. "Who''s there?"


    They decided it''s better off to start running. But the ginger guy saw them and started running after them.


    "Oi! You bitches better get back here!" The girls ran until they got to their spot, they quickly turned and jumped into a ditch. Nadia dragged Aniela so they were both hidden. Spiders crawled on Nadia and the girl nearly shrieked but Aniela covered her mouth. The ginger also made the turn as the girls. He walked up to the back of the cemetery panting like an old dog. He averted his eyes looking for them, but he didn''t seem to see the ditch in the dark. He walked up to a bush beside it. Aniela was so close to him, she could smell the stank of weed and sweat on him. But he was too occupied looking through bushes then to look down and see the ditch. "Damn it. I swear when I fucking see them-" He got up and made his way back up to the road. Aniela couldn''t believe it.


    How did he not see them. After a good five minutes, the girls got out of the ditch. Nadia started patting at her clothes to scare any spiders off her.


    "Oh my God, I swear I was so close to ending it all when the fucking spider climbed on to me." Aniela looked at her. She was a bit rattled as she feared on what possibly could be man do to them. But something itched at her mind. "Did you hear what the man said? About now knowing what''s too much?"


    "Yeah?¡°


    "I think he meant the girl died from a drug overdose."


    Nadia''s eyes widened. "Oh my God, like the ghost said! The Ouija works!"


    "Nadia quiet down."


    "Right, sorry."


    "How about we just go home. We''ll talk about this some other time." Nadia agreed. They started making their way to Nadia''s estate, but they decided to go the long way through a field just in case.

 Chapter 9

    Nadia and Aniela didn''t hang out a while after that. They hoped the man would cool off and forget their faces. Aniela laid in her nest. It stopped growing because of the garden of plants around her. She propped herself on her shoulders and swung her legs like a child. She started reading the next few chapters. She got used to her new narrator in her head. She didn''t seem to mind it as much. The chapter on reviving flowers seemed to be reaching its end.


    She grabbed a dead dandelion from the corner of the room. Like instructioned, she crushed the petals of the fellow alive dandelions until she got a strange mixture. Then on piece of paper, she drew a circle with the mixture and inside it a cross. On each of the corners she placed broken stems for the two live flowers. Then she placed the dead flower, or what is left of it in the middle. Then she started chanting:


    "Rise!


    Drown!


    Fall!


    End!


    Thrive!


    Surge!"


    Nothing happened, but she was told she should say it a few more times and it would work. So, she repeated those words. After the eight time of saying it, the flower finally started to slowly come back alive. Its stem looked more alive, and the petals grew again. Aniela was delighted. She grabbed the flower and put it in a pot full of soil. She poured a bit of water in it and put it on her windowsill. She allowed it to grow like all her other flowers that were on the windowsill, some which died again.


    She laid back in the floor with cleaning the mess, she then excitedly opened the next pages. There, she was met with the same circle as she made from the flowers. Under it, it said.


    "To continue the book, you must give me a sacrifice. A flowers stem and petals."


    Aniela was surprised, but did like she was told. Then the book told her to put her hand on the circle. Then, the book spoke to her. It didn''t say words, but she could hear the meaning. She turned the page, and she started learning about animal necromancy.


    And the first step? Gather blood.


    Aniela walked outside. She held a little jar in her hand, and a hammer. She dreaded what was come to next, but she needed to do it. For research. For her. She walked along the road and crouched down. She put out a piece of cheese she found in their fridge. She waited for an animal to snatch it. And unfortunately, like she expected, there was a mouse. She looked as the mouse ate. Then it slowly made its way to her. She put her hand out to it so it would sniff her hand. She petted the mouse. "Hello there, aren''t you precious?" The mouse squeaked back.


    And while the mouse got comfortable with her touch, she raised the hammer, took her hand away and smashed the mouse. Her mother would have understood, right? Right, right, right. She would understand. Aniela just looked at the poor mouse, stuck. Unsure what to do. She sniffed, but sacrifices had to be made. She scooped up the mouse and put it in the jar. She was going to add it to her graveyard once she got its blood and bones. She walked home.


    Once she got home, she did as instructed. Most of the blood already left the poor mouse when it got smashed, and it was in the jar. She took out the mouse, and put it in a plate she kept for these situations. She grabbed a sieve and poured the now filtered blood into a different jar. Their kitchen had many tools. Her mother loved to cook. And she was good at it. Now these tools collected dust. The Aniela took out the mouse''s heart and put it in with the blood. Then she did what she usually did, took out the bones, and put the rest in a box so it would be later buried. She decided she''ll keep the bones, as the book told her it''s valuable. So, she cleaned the bones and put it with her other bones. Then she went to bury the late mouse.


    Aniela realised it''s been a long time since she sat in the park on her bench. The river still flooded like usual.


    "Aniela." She jumped and turned around. There she saw Federov.


    "Long time no see."


    Aniela smiled. "Yes. But it''s good to see you."


    Federov nodded and sat beside her.


    "Why haven''t you been coming to see me dear?"


    "Sorry, I was really busy."


    "That''s great! That means you have a lot to say!"


    Aniela talked to him about her friends, and about their adventures.


    "Nadia worries me, but I don''t really know how to help her out. She gets so angry whenever she even thinks about John."


    "You can''t. All you can do is be there for her." Federov smiled.


    "Also, l''ve made a new friend."


    "That''s wonderful. Tell me everything."


    "Her name is Darla. She has chestnut hair and freckles. And such blue eyes." Aniela smiles to herself. "And she smiles softly and speaks gently. But she isn''t afraid to take control, you know?"


    "I know." Federov smiled. "You seem to admire her very much."


    "I do! And I feel like I can tell her everything. And I don''t know why, but I trust her."


    "Well, some people have something in them, that makes people want to tell them everything. Aniela, I''m glad to so you make more friends. It really shows you''ve gone a long way."


    "Yeah... You think I''ve changed, at least a bit?"


    "I think you have."


    Aniela smiled to herself and looked out into the flooding river. Silence took over for a while, but it was comfortable.


    "What have you been doing?" Aniela asked.


    "What?"


    "While I didn''t see you. What have you been up to."


    He chuckled. "Well, I''ve been writing poetry."


    "Really? My mother loved poetry. Can I hear something?"


    "Sure. It''s long, do you mind?"


    "No. Not at all."


    So Federov took out a little notebook and started to recite something.


    "Black velvet sky,


    Darker than evil,


    Yet so fair.


    Yellow crescent reflects,


    Light of the sun,


    Illuminating our eroded path.


    Roads of many had walked,


    Of the Emerald Isle,


    We venture through, Not a soul in sight.


    Mist decorating the air,


    Joining the dazzle,


    Of the stars.


    This is the closest,


    I''ll ever get to witnessing


    The outer bounds of space.


    Words can''t describe,


    The coal black sky,


    Sky like fantasy in the deepest depths of time.


    Because peace is all I''ve got, In soul of mine. "


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Federov finished quite satisfied with himself.


    "I don''t get it."


    Federov scowled. "What is there not to


    get?"


    "It''s doesn''t rhyme."


    "Poems don''t have to always rhyme."


    He said defensively.


    "What is it even about?"


    "It''s about how peaceful I feel traveling the road at night."


    "You feel peaceful walking at night?"


    "Well yes, there is no one there to bother me. Just me and my thoughts." Aniela furrowed her brow trying to understand.


    "Aren''t poems meant to be profound?"


    Federov tutted. "Fine.¡±


    But something itched Aniela, a weird sense of D¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    ¡°What else did you do while I didn''t see you?" Federov ripped her out of her thoughts.


    "I finally learned how to revive flowers!"


    "That''s great! And how long do they last."


    Aniela looked at him blankly. "I don''t know."


    "What do you mean you don''t know?"


    "After the first one, I stopped checking."


    He pinched the top his nose. "But for proper research you should be observing what''s going on. Tsk."


    Aniela just shrugged. "Now I got to animal necromancy!"


    "That''s great. But it doesn''t harm anything, right?"


    Aniela didn''t look at him. "Of course not, why would it?"


    Federov smiled. "I''m just making sure. Anyway, you better get home dear. Goodnight."


    Aniela got up. "Goodnight."


    And she walked away.


    Aniela walked back and forward her room. She can''t keep all the jars with blood and bones in her room anymore.


    Her book keeps telling her she needs to gather more, but after yesterday her room is starting to stink. Her mother would''ve scowled at this. The fifteen-year-old stood in the middle of the room. She knew exactly where to put them. She walked outside and went to the wall that divides the garden and the next field. She jumped over the wall, and there she saw the slab of pavement she was looking for. She didn''t understand why it was there, but it was. No animals were ever in these fields, only the farmers with their tillage. But they stayed clear from her house. She jumped over the wall and stumbled to get a shovel and a box. She returned and started digging under the slab. Then she stuck the box in.


    She jumped up and went to get the jars. When she returned, she put them in the box and then covered the box up with soil. It looked as if nothing happened. Happy with her handiwork, Aniela went to clean up.


    Aniela had gotten her bike a month ago, but she liked walking with Darla.


    So, she never said anything about it.


    She walked to the road where Darla was supposed to meet her. She still wore her mother''s green coat. Her mother''s favourite coat. The wind howled in the girl''s ears while she waited. Finally, she saw the chestnut-haired girl in the distance. Aniela smiled and walked up to Darla through the old road, which was surrounded by trees on both sides of the road. Darla smiled at her. "Lovely weather." Aniela chuckled. "It''s gorgeous, isn''t it?"


    The girls went together to the pastel town of Glenfallen. They sat together in a little cafe and got themselves coffees. Once Aniela found the magic of caffeine, she couldn''t stop drinking at least a coffee a day. Darla and Aniela talked for hours at a little black table beside the window. One sat on a plush green couch while the other sat in a wooden chair with a plush green seat. The place smelled like coffee, and Aniela was so absorbed in her conversation she didn''t mind the buzz of conversations around her.


    "My mum says that I drink more coffee than a college student." Darla chuckled.


    "My mother didn''t like coffee, she said it was as bad of an addiction as cigarettes."


    "I feel like she was over exaggerating a bit."


    Aniela shrugged. "Oh! By the way, I got you something."


    "What is it?" Darla tilted her head slightly.


    Aniela took out a little green bracelet from her coat pocket and passed it to Darla. "It reminded me of you. Green being your favourite colour and all."


    "Oh! I love it." Darla smiled brightly and took the bracelet from her, her hand accidentally rubbing off her friends.


    She put it on her wrist. "Thank you."


    The two girls conversed for a bit, when Darla suddenly asked:


    "How''s your dad?"


    Aniela started fiddling with her hands.


    She looked away from Darla''s eyes and looked down.


    "Don''t know."


    "You don''t know?"


    "He isn''t at home at night anymore.


    When I asked why, he told me that they need someone to look after the place because people have been messing with it. He decided to do after hours."


    "Oh. Where does he work?"


    "At a mortuary in Glenfallen."


    "A mortuary? And there''s one in Glenfallen?"


    "Yeah."


    "But you still have time to hang out, right?"


    "Why would I want to hang out with him." Aniela looked at her cup and fiddled with the handle.


    "So you could build a relationship with him."


    "But I don''t want to."


    Darla leaned in. "Why not?"


    "Because he doesn''t like me."


    "What makes you think that?"


    "He never liked me. And it got worse since mother died. One day he just told me to leave him alone. So I am."


    "Oh. That''s not very healthy of him." Darla put her hand on her arm.


    "But Im sure he still loves you Aniela."


    "As if." Aniela pulled her arm away. "I bet he blames me for it."


    "For what?"


    "For my mother''s death."


    Darla paused. "But why would he?"


    "I don''t know! But he acts like it." Darla realised she dug herself too deep.


    "Um, how are your spells going?" Aniela suddenly enlightened. "Good! Very good!"


    "Oh? What are you doing now?"


    Aniela got close to her. "Can I tell you a secret?"


    "Sure."


    Aniela started whispering. "I found a book. A book in a ruin of a church. Or more like my friend did. It''s old and made of velum. And in it, there are spells about how to revive flowers. And they actual work!"


    "Really?" Darla looked at her blankly.


    "Nadia found it?"


    "No, not Nadia."


    "But you said she was your only friend."


    Aniela furrowed her brows.


    "Can you keep another secret?"


    "Sure."


    "I''m friends with a man called Albert Federov."


    "Oh? How do you know him?"


    "He just started talking to me when I was younger."


    "How old is he?"


    Aniela shrugged. "I don''t know."


    "Does he look old or young?"


    "Neither."


    Darla raised her brows. "Neither?"


    "Neither. He looks very vague, you know?"


    Darla observed Aniela, looking as if she was trying to suck information out of her mentally.


    "What do you talk about together?"


    "About life."


    "Right. Is he, Russian?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Doesn''t he have an accent?"


    "No. Not really."


    "And what about that book? He found it right? Do you think it''s trustworthy?"


    "Of course it''s trustworthy!" Aniela suddenly snapped, but she composed herself.


    "Also, me and Nadia do s¨¦ances with an ouija board, would you like to come to one of them someday?"


    "Sure." But Darla still looked worried.


    Aniela walked back home, this time alone after briskly saying goodbye to Darla. She was starting to feel as if Darla is going to stray her away from the book. From her mission. Perhaps she is just wasting her time? While she could be doing research. Nothing can stray her from her path, to bring her back.

 Chapter 10

    Aniela stood with her backpack beside a plain little building. She was on the other side of the Glenfallen river, so the mortuary wasn''t too close to the rest of the town. A man came out.


    "Ah, you are Aniela, right? Ambrose''s daughter? It''s nice to meet you. You can call me Thomas." He took out his hand so she could shake it. Not just Ambrose''s kid. After these years, she didn''t feel at all like they are related.


    "This is probably the first time we had a student take up work experience in TY in our little mortuary. Not that I blame them, it''s not a very nice job. But I''m sure your dad told you all about his job." He smiled, making his whole beard lift and his eyes were barely open.


    "Come right in, I''ll show you what to do." Aniela was taken around the little building. It was a simple set up, you first enter the reception. Down the hall you go to where the bodies are kept in a frigid environment, and then at the end of the hall you have rooms for autopsies and cremation.


    "We rarely do autopsies here. We are blessed to be in an area where people die usually from natural causes."


    Aniela just looked at him blankly. "Anyway, you''ll be mostly siting with Amanda at the office. I doubt you''ll get to see any autopsies. And I doubt you want to see cremations as well."


    "No." She interrupted him. "I''d like to see the cremations."


    The man raised his brows. "Is that so? Maybe on the last day you can.¡±


    Aniela sat with the woman called Amanda in the reception. Her mother told her once about women like her. Divorced and angry at everyone. But Aniela had a feeling she wasn''t divorced, she was just angry. The papers bore Aniela, but she wasn''t expecting that people would let her work in an environment where everyone was on a higher education level. But she still wasn''t delighted. The past Third year she tried to revive animals, but nothing seemed to work. Her book slowly took her to human necromancy. Exactly what she was looking for. And the book told her she needs to get something. Amanda looked at her annoyed and made a big sigh.


    "Here, I want you to deal with these papers. Exactly like I told you before." She put a stack of papers in front of Aniela. This is how her first day looked like. Covered in papers. Papers mainly about money. Riveting.


    Tuesday wasn''t much different. Aniela sat with Amanda when Thomas stalked in.


    "Amanda, l''ll need your help with some of the cremations. Eve is still sick, and I only have two hands."


    "What about the kid?" Amanda retorted. Thomas looked at Aniela.


    "You can handle the reception on your own right?"


    Aniela nodded. "Of course."


    "See, she''ll be fine." Thomas walked off before Amanda could even try to protest. The woman puffed and turned to the girl.


    "Do not touch the computer. If I see you messing anything up, you''ll have to finish this week somewhere else. And if anyone comes in, tell them to wait." And the woman walked away.


    About an hour later Amanda came back and scanned the whole desk and then nodded.


    "Maybe you are not as stupid l as I thought."


    Amanda sat and Thomas walked in.


    "The family will come on Friday right?"


    "Not sure, let me check."


    Amanda turned to her computer and typed in her password. It wasn''t very creative, and Amanda usually gets it wrong two times, making her type it in slowly. Aniela mentally noted what she typed on and returned to sorting the papers.


    "Yes, Friday at one in the afternoon."


    "Thank you, Amanda.¡±


    Wednesday and Thursday weren''t very eventful either, and everyday Aniela was left alone with the papers. Aniela also noticed that everyday, Amanda goes on break at eleven in the morning, while Thomas goes an hour after. This way there was always someone at the mortuary with her.


    Aniela once asked why they always leave for breaks. Amanda just snorted.


    "Because food is not allowed in the mortuary. Do you realise how unsanitary that is?¡±


    Aniela sat in her usual seat on Friday when Thomas stalked in as usually.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings."Amanda, shouldn''t you have went out for lunch?" The woman looked at her watch. "Oh, I had so much of work that I forgot." She scowled at Aniela.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "I forgot."


    She grabbed her nose and took a deep breath. "It''s fine, l''ll just go after you." "But the family will be here at one afternoon, as you said yourself. Aniela can stay here, she proved herself the whole week."


    Amanda glared at Aniela. ¡°I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s Ambrose¡¯s kid, I¡¯m not leaving the building with just a dumb teen inside.¡±Thomas rolled his eyes. ¡°Just yesterday you told me that the papers never were sorted faster. Clearly she isn¡¯t as dumb as you think.


    Amanda turned red. "Fine. Don''t touch the papers that I didn''t give you. Don''t touch my computer either. Don''t even dare. And you." She turned to Thomas. ¡°One mistake she makes, and we¡¯ll never take another teen for work experience. What teen would want to go to a bloody mortuary.¡±


    She muttered the last part more to herself and got up to stomp away.


    Thomas smiled at Aniela and walked out. The sixteen-year-old knew that Amanda had nothing to worry about, because she was not going to touch the papers. She looked down the hallway. Aniela didn''t believe that this would work. After all, it¡¯s a mortuary in the middle of nowhere.


    She waited five minutes and then got up. She walked down the hallway with her backpack to the crematorium. She jingled the handle, like expected, it was locked. She took out a bobby pin from her coat and tried unlocking it like a detective. Nadia taught her the best way to do it. After five minutes of sweat dripping down her cheek, she opened the door. Inside the room smelled stale. Aniela didn''t dare turn the lights on. She walked through the room, with a big oven like machine on her right and a bunch of shelves with two or three urns on them. She put her backpack on the floor and took out a little plastic jar and a spoon. Her book said a lot is not needed. She took the first urn, slowly opened it like she saw Thomas doing it two days ago, and then scooped up two spoon fulls carefully into her jar. She closed the urn and reached for another one. She repeated this process two more times.


    She was putting the last urn back until she heard.


    "Aniela."


    She slowly turned back, and to her surprise, it was Federov.


    "What are you doing?"


    "What are you doing here Federov?"


    "You didn''t answer my question, my dear." He walked up to her. "What are you doing?"


    She blinked. "I''m doing research."


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk." Federov walked around her in a circle, like a vulture spying its prey. "Do you really want to go down this path?"


    "Yes." Aniela stared into his soul. "I''m sure." She had to.


    "Fine then. They have cameras everywhere, haven''t you noticed?" He stared right back at her. "You''ll have to corrupt the files."


    "And where do I that?" How could have she forgotten about the cameras? She felt embarrassed but she couldn''t show it. She could not show weakness.


    "The little monitor on the desk you were at."


    Aniela quickly walked out of the room.


    Once Federov left she closed the door.


    She rushed to the desk. She wrote in Amanda''s not so secure password, but then again who can memorise such complicated passwords? Aniela looked for Federov but he was already gone.


    She decided the best thing to do is look for the CCTV files. After a bit of digging, she found what she was looking for. She dug through the files until she found the footage she was looking for. She deleted it. She heard footsteps, so she quickly logged out and turned off the monitor.


    "Good. The place is in one piece." Amanda looked at her with not so hidden distaste. She sat down and went back to ordering Aniela around.


    Aniela entered her room and immediately crouched down to put away her new jar. Her room was covered in papers from the floor to the ceiling, and on the right wall was just photos of her beloved mother. The room was dead silent, silent for the past three years. And the room smelt stale and rotten, like the flowers on her windowsill. Around on the hurricane of paper were the remains of flowers and animals. She opened her book. She opened her new jar and put her finger into the dust. Then she smeared it on a page of the book with a red little circle with other red circles. She could hear the book chuckle. The voices praised her. But her heart stopped, for she noticed one voice.


    "Well done, Aniela." Said a voice pure as an angel''s soul, sweet like sugar, warm like a fire. Her mother.

 Chapter 11

    Nadia and Aniela walked over to the spot they agreed to meet Darla at.


    "Dad made me work at his stupid engineering job for a week." Nadia rolled her eyes. "I asked if we could ask a photographer or maybe some local artist, but he specifically asked at jobs he thought I should have."


    She shook her head. "Where did you work at this week?"


    "At my father''s mortuary."


    "Oh. He also made you huh?"


    "No."


    "You, wanted to work at a morgue?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    "I find autopsies interesting, and I wish to do it myself someday."


    "Right. But don''t you feel bad? Working with people who passed?"


    "No." Aniela looked at her emotionlessly. "They are already dead." But they still can come back, right?


    The girls walk silently side by side along their usual road. Birds flew out of Aniela''s way and animals scattered.


    "You know, you''ve been quite silent lately." Nadia spoke suddenly. "Is everything ok?"


    "Yes." Aniela answered at once.


    "You.... Sure?"


    "I''m sure."


    "Ok..." Nadia awkwardly walked behind her friend.


    "Well, are you excited for the s¨¦ance today?" Aniela nodded.


    "Me too. Perhaps this one will actually work. The only one that ever worked was the one at the shack, remember?¡±


    "Yes, I remember." How could she forget? The ring she found has been buried in her mind for the past years.


    "We should investigate it again sometime. Maybe with Darla too." Aniela stayed silent.


    Aniela and Nadia met Darla at their cemetery. Darla looked up at them and smiled in greeting. Aniela just blankly looked back.


    "Hiii." Nadia said excitedly and hugged Darla.


    "Are you ready to get spooked?"


    Darla chuckled. "I''m always ready to anger spirits."


    The three girls sat down comfortably on a slab of concrete in the middle of the cemetery. Darla and Aniela sat across of each other while Nadia sat down beside with a notebook. They prepared the s¨¦ance and set up the Ouija board. In the light of the candles, Aniela put her hand on the planchette, and Darla put hers on top, making Aniela''s heart skip a beat.


    "Hello spirits." Aniela spoke softly.


    "We''d like to speak to you tonight." The girls all waited with bated breath.


    "Hello spirits. We''d like to speak to you tonight." Nothing happened.


    Aniela repeated the sentence five more times and looked over to Nadia.


    "Perhaps the cemetery was a bad idea, given that people were buried here but didn''t die."


    Nadia frowned. "But I read that the cemetery has a very strong connection to the afterlife."


    "Hello spirits." Darla suddenly spoke.


    "Could we speak to you tonight?" Suddenly, their hands violently moved to yes. Aniela and Nadia sat in shock while Darla stayed composed.


    "That''s great. Can you hear us well?" Their hands moved out and back to yes in the exact same jerking manner.


    "That''s lovely. Let''s ask simple questions first."


    "Are you a woman?"


    No.


    "Are you a man?"


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.Yes.


    "Did you die naturally?"


    No.


    "Was it an accident?"


    Yes.


    "What was the accident?"


    Their hands violently moved along the board spelling: b o g.


    "You drowned in a bog?"


    Yes.


    "Was it in County Galway?"


    Yes.


    Aniela stared amazed at Darla, who socialised with ghosts as well as she socialised with people. Though Aniela wasn''t too keen on the fact the spirit seemed a little violent.


    "How old were you when you died?"


    37


    "Did you have a partner?"


    Yes.


    "Is she still alive?"


    No.


    The two girls stared amazed at Darla, its like they were put in a trance. How is the spirit not getting angry for asking such personal questions?


    "Did you have kids?"


    No.


    "What was your job?"


    f a r m e r


    "Did you enjoy your job?"


    Yes.


    "Is any of your relatives alive?"


    Their hands didn''t move.


    "Is any of your relatives alive?"


    The planchette slid violently. dontknow


    "What''s your name?"


    Nothing.


    "What''s your name?"


    The only sound heard was the noise of the wind blowing at the grass.


    "What''s your name?"


    Their hands jerked back and forward. liidddonnndttteeeeeeeeeerremember


    "Oh." Darla flinched. "Well, I''m sorry. Thank you for talking to us. Goodbye." She moved their hands to goodbye.


    "Jesus." Nadia said under her breath.


    "Why''d ya do that?"


    "Do what?"


    "Move your hand to goodbye?"


    "To close the portal."


    "What."


    "You have to close the portal, keeping it open can be very dangerous." Aniela and Nadia looked at each other.


    "It can?"


    "Yeah. Wait, did ye never close the portal?"


    The girls looked at the ground.


    "Seriously?"


    "Look, we didn''t know!" Nadia retorted.


    Darla looked at Aniela. "You bought the board, clearly you knew about it."


    Aniela shook her head. "I didn''t. The board didn''t come with instructions. I thought Nadia knew how to do it."


    "I thought I knew how to do it as well!" Nadia furrowed her brow. "Look, nothing bad happened, so clearly it''s not a big deal!" She stood up and collected her candles annoyed.


    "No need to get mad, I''m just saying that''s not safe."


    "I''m not mad!" Nadia snapped at her.


    "You are mad! What did you even think the goodbye on the bottom of the board was for?" Darla also stood up, and Aniela gathered her board and stood up, not looking either of them in the eye.


    "For the ghost to stop talking! We are not meant to move the planchette! And I''m not mad, you are."


    "Jesus." Darla rubbed her temples.


    "Aniela, is Nadia mad?"


    The two girls stared at Aniela, while she rubbed her arms. "Er."


    "Tell her I''m not mad!"


    "Well..."


    "You very clearly are! You are raising your voice!"


    "Guys...¡±


    "You are also raising your voice!"


    This is so pointless. Here they are, arguing. Wasting her time. All of this, a waste of time. What''s the point? What''s the point of continuing this cycle of meetings? When she could be doing something a lot more important. Something for her.


    "Enough! Let''s just go home."


    The girls gotten silent and they stood together in the dark of the cemetery, neither daring to look at each other.

 Chapter 12

    Aniela laid in her hurricane of a nest. You can''t tell there''s a bed under the piles of papers, dead flowers and animal remains. Under her bed, were millions of jars and notebooks. Ever since primary school, she was the only person that went through the door. The papers that once were cut out to stick in the wall were now clearly ripped out, half being scattered on the floor. The floor wasn''t visible since third year. Aniela spent all her time perfecting her ritual of waking up in her papers, finding a new photo of her mother, sticking it on top of the other photos of her mother, as her wall was already covered. The photos started repeating as well. One of the photos had a ripped-up note stuck to the back with ¡°Because peace is all I¡¯ve got, In soul of mine¡± being the only thing readable. The other walls and ceiling were only things from her book and other spells. Drawing on the left wall were the red circles she learned from her book. After her daily ritual, she''d start studying her book and learning more about necromancy. Her mother lovingly guided her through the steps, telling her that one day, they will finally be together. In the middle of the day she would eat something from their fridge, preferably after her dad went out after five in the evening to work and later night shift. Then she would go out to get something for her book. And in the middle of the night, she''d lay in her papers and continue studying her book. Until she fell asleep.


    The only thing that interrupted this cycle was school, which she started considering not going to. Beside her was the useless Nokia, gathering dust.


    She hasn''t seen Federov since the incident.


    Aniela walked uselessly to school in her unclean school uniform. She didn''t see the point of going, as she rather stay at home with her book. And her mother. While she walked through the halls filled with tired students, she felt a yank on her arm. It was Nadia.


    "Hiiii, why haven''t you answered any of my texts? Darla also said you''ve been ignoring her. What''s up? You ok?"


    "I''m fine."


    "You sure? You look, lifeless. No offence."


    Aniela just stared at her.


    "Don''t pull a John on me Aniela. Come on, remember how angry we got at him? Now he''s finishing school and planning where to go to college. Did I tell you he got a girlfriend? She''ll be disappointed." Nadia chuckled but immediately stopped with seeing Aniela''s eyes piercing through her.


    "Eh, we should probably go to class. See you, later?"


    Aniela shrugged and walked away. She didn''t care about being like John. She cared about her mother.


    Aniela walked out of school and walked to the school''s bike rack, getting ready to go home. As she was about to get on, she heard sudden yells of Nadia desperation.


    "Hey! Hey! Wait!"


    Nadia ran up to her, with Darla following behind.


    "Where were you? Couldn''t find you during break."


    "I was on my bench."


    "Your bench?"


    "Yeah, the one at the steps." Aniela pointed at her old, yellowed bench.


    "Why didn''t you hang out with us?"


    Darla asked softly.


    "Didn''t feel like it."


    "Oh? Did we do something wrong? You''ve been avoiding us lately."


    "No. I just think hanging out with you is a waste of time."


    "What!" Nadia yelled angrily. "Oh, so now it''s a waste of time? What happened with little miss loneliness?"


    "Nadia, calm down-"


    "No!" The black-haired girl interrupted Darla. "She thinks she can just piss off, like John as if we don''t matter. And tells us we are a waste of time? When she was so sad couple years ago about having no friends?"


    "Nadia-"


    "No! No l''m not going to be nice! All of my friends think they can just leave me whenever they want! And I''m done with being treated like this!"


    "Nadia, please-"


    "What? You think I''m a waste of time as well? Everyone thinks I''m a waste of time! Maybe I should just kill myself!"


    "Nadia! Don''t say that!"


    The enraged girl tried to keep in her tears.


    "I bet you don''t have a problem with that Aniela!" She turned to see that Aniela was long gone with her bike.


    "I tried to tell you." Darla sighed and hugged her sobbing friend.


    Aniela was home alone until she heard a knock on her door. She jumped up surprised, as she never was interrupted on her nights alone. She walked up to the old brown door, and behind it found Darla.


    "Darla. How do you know where I live?"


    The hazel haired girl smiled weakly. "After hacking the school system. They keep everyone''s addresses." Her smile dropped. "Aniela listen, we need to talk. Can I come in?"


    "No."


    "Oh! Ok well, you made Nadia very upset. You''ve left us alone, as if we are worth nothing. But I feel like there is more going on. What''s wrong Aniela?"


    "There''s nothing wrong."


    The older girl''s brow furrowed.


    "Nothing? Are you sure? You do realise how lifeless you have gotten?


    And that your clothes are dirty? This isn''t like you Aniela." Aniela just shrugged.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident."Is it that Russian man? Is he doing something to you?"


    "No? I haven''t seen him a while either."


    "Oh. Is it your father? Did he start bullying you?"


    "No. We still avoid each other."


    "Do you have food to eat? You lost a lot of weight, and you were always skinny. It''s unhealthy."


    "I eat every day."


    "Then what is it Aniela? Is it your mother?"


    Aniela suddenly shifted. This whole time she acted so stoic, but Darla finally caught some emotion in her.


    "It is, isn''t it? It happened 6 years ago Aniela! Didn''t you and your dad talk about it? You need a therapist; this is ruining you."


    "I am not getting over it!" Aniela snapped, which made the other girl step back. "Everyone acts as if nothing now can be done. That she''s fully gone. But it''s not true. I know how to bring her back!"


    "And how do you know? Don''t you see you are being delusional?"


    "My book tells me! My mother tells me! Everyday I get a step closer to bringing her back. And you don''t have time to waste on people like you."


    "Aniela, that book is lying to you! I know you and Nadia believe in witchcraft, but it isn''t really true."


    "It''s not witchcraft! It''s real! It''s really real! Look at it!¡± Aniela grabs her book and showed it to Darla.


    Darla¡¯s face expression scrunched to confusion. ¡°Wait, Aniela- ¡°


    But Aniela didn¡¯t care. She slammed the door in her face.


    It''s been a month since Aniela last spoke to Darla. But did Aniela know that? Did Aniela even remember about her friends? The girl sat at her fifth candle and read the new chapter of her book. Her room was covered in smoke. After preparing for months, she was finally ready to take some action. Her book told her exactly what she needed to get. The voices encouraged her, and her mother sweetly complimented on how brave and smart she was being.


    "You are doing well Aniela."


    Aniela threw out everything from her back and put in big sheets of cloth she bought in Tesco. She also put in a medium shovel. She took her bag and headed to her bike.


    She drove on her little bike to the cemetery of Glenfallen, with the little stone church. She parked her bike beside the plain stone wall of the church and started walking to the graves. She took out her shovel and put down her bag. She went to her mother''s grave, with fresh flowers and lanterns decorating her grave. One thing Aniela and her father agreed on, was in keeping her mother''s resting place clean and honoured. She started digging at the side of the slab. After few painful minutes, she started digging more to the centre of the grave to get to her mother''s casket.


    After 15 minutes, her shovel hit something hard. She started digging away at this spot and dug enough to see a good bit of the side of the casket. That''s when she grabbed her secret weapon: her father''s Swiss knife. She apologised to her mother and then started cutting a hole into her mother''s casket. It wasn''t an easy task, cutting a hole in a thin piece of wood, but after an hour of hard work, she cut her hole. Then she grabbed the pieces of cloth and put it on her leg. She reached through the hole and started grabbing for anything that was resembling human remains. She started taking out bones, with still little pieces of flesh and clothing and after looking down at her mother for five minutes, she put the bones on the cloth. She did this until she was satisfied with the amount. She could tell exactly each bone apart, and what its name was and function. She rolled up the cloth and was going to put it in her bag.


    "Aniela."


    She froze. She knew that voice. She put the rolled-up cloth into the bag and turned to see Federov look down at her with disappointment.


    "You''ve been avoiding me, to do things like this?"


    "You wouldn''t understand Federov."


    "You are right. I don''t understand. Aniela, you are sick." His voice was sharp yet gentle, it cut perfect through Aniela''s soul.


    "I''m not sick."


    She put the wood inside the casket and started putting all the dirt back in place.


    "You''ve gone insane. What are you doing here, digging up bodies? And your own mothers at that."


    "It''s, it''s going to be worth it. I promise." She quickly was shoving the soil into the dug whole, fast as if a bomb was ticking at her head.


    "Worth what? Aniela, nothing is worth the lunacy you are going through. You don''t really believe you''ll bring your mother back, do you?"


    She froze and turned to Federov.


    "Of course, I believe I can." She snapped at him.


    "I can see that. But think critically for a minute. Do you really trust that book?"


    "Yes." She went back to covering the hole.


    Federov overlooked her work, his face tired, angry, worried. Yet he said nothing. He just watched as she finished covering the hole and rushed to her bike with her bag.


    Aniela tried not to think about what Federov said to her. No, she can do it.


    What the book is saying is the truth. It''s the truth, it''s the truth, it''s the truth, it''s the truth, it''s the truth!


    She reached her house and put her bike away. Then she went to the little slab in the field. She moved the jars away so she could fit the remains. Her mother is safe. The plan is going smoothly. This is going to work. It''s has to. "Well done, sweetie."

 Chapter 13

    Aniela stood sunken eyed at her locker, spacing out looking inside for the past five minutes. Lately, she could feel the pressure of the world weighing more and more on her. But in the end, everything will be back to normal. Her and her mother. Like it should be.


    Suddenly, something caught her diamonds. There was a little piece of paper sitting down in her locker. It was very unusual for her usual mess. She picked it up. It was folded in half and it had her name on it. She looked around. She was alone in the tiny hallway, everyone was sitting at their usual hang outs. While she opted for staring at her locker. She opened the note, and there she saw the ugly handwriting of her past friend.


    Aniela


    We haven''t spoKen in a long time and I am still very angry at you


    But ive learned something to tell you


    Something important


    Its about ur mother


    Pls hear me out, come at our spot on friday night


    Nadia


    At first, Aniela wanted to throw the paper away, but then, it''s about her mother. What possibly did she learn?


    She needs to know. She needs to know everything about her mother.


    Aniela walked through the old road and gotten to the cemetery. There she saw the black-haired girl, well the hair was starting to look more blonde as it wasn''t dyed in a while. She smoked a cigarette and looked up at her.


    "So you came. Course you did. Cause it''s about your mother." She took her last drag and put out the cigarette on the wall.


    "Listen, this is way too serious topic to talk about at the cemetery. And it''s damn cold. My dad took his girlfriend out, let''s stay at my house for a bit. Don''t worry, I won''t keep you long."


    And she turned around, not looking if Aniela is following her.


    They get to her estate, and Aniela followed Nadia to the last house. She didn''t like the idea of going to her house, but it was about her mother. Nadia opened the door and moved out the way.


    "Ladies first." She said emotionlessly.


    Aniela walked in. The house was a mess. Shoes and clothes were thrown around. Her ex-friend walked in behind her.


    "Go straight up, till you see a kitchen. Sit down there."


    Aniela followed this order. She looked around the house. She saw Nadia''s shoes sprawled, and her cigarette butts. Lost homework was chilling on the kitchen counter. Aniela sat down at the messy table, covered in old magazines. Nadia sat in front of her. She lit a new cigarette.


    "So, we are here to talk about your mother. Cause that''s the only reason you''d talk to me, cause I''m a waste of time." She took a drag.


    "I''ve been experimenting lately, with substances and stuff. And I''ve talked to this one ginger guy. He told me of this one woman, who had a shitty narcissistic husband who abused her, which she had to stay with it cause then she''d lose her child. This woman, was your mother Aniela."


    Aniela stared at her. "What? How would she lose me?"


    "Cause she did drugs. Hard drugs. She was good fun to be around I suppose. Now, would you like to take a fucking guess how she died?" Nadia leaned in and looked her deep in her eyes.


    "How?"


    "She overdosed Aniela, she overdosed. Your pretty little angelic mother, overdosed."


    "You''re lying." Aniela snapped.


    "I am not. And do you remember that pretty little ring you found at that shack? I''ve been researching what possibly could''ve happened at that fucking shack for years, and I accidentally found out now. Fucking hilarious."


    "You''re lying!"


    "Let me finish!" Nadia growled at her.


    "It was your mother''s, exactly like you probably expected. But you tried to ignore it, didn''t you? Did drugs since she was a teen. Married your father and did even more." Nadia started chuckling. "Or maybe she was acting like a victim. Like you always do. Your mother died 6 years ago, yet you only care about your bitch of a mother." Aniela grabbed her collar. "Never, EVER call her a bitch again. You are lying to me!¡±


    "Am not, ask the ginger yourself."


    "You are enjoying this, aren''t you?"


    Nadia chuckled unhappily, then pouted. "Aw? Are you sad? You deserve it! You dropped me as if I was nothing! All those years, and you chucked me away, like John, like my mom, like my dad. You really think I''m currently living with my stupid dad? Look around, I''m alone."


    "You are lying."


    "Look at you. Obsessed with just yourself. You live in your own world, not giving a shit about others. Do you know why you had no friends? Cause you are so egotistical."


    Aniela let the girl go. She didn''t know what to do. She was struggling. Struggling on the inside.


    "Did reality finally hit you? Oh, and a little snippet about your mother."


    Nadia put out her cigarette, stared at the flames being put out while she crushed it.


    "She was a whore. Fucked every man on the block. Such an angelic woman." Nadia jeered at her.


    And that''s when Aniela broke. She crashed completely. She grabbed a knife at of the knife rack and slung it at Nadia. The girl jumped back in time, with just a gash on her cheek. Her smirk disappeared while she stared at Aniela.


    "You, you are insane."


    "You are lying!" Aniela went forward trying to get a stab at her. Aniela needed a sacrifice. A sacrifice to bring her mother back. She was perfect. Nadia dodged her knife and ran to the other side of the kitchen.


    "Jesus Christ, a family full of psychopaths." She ran out of the kitchen. Aniela ran after her.


    "You are lying! You are lying! You are lying! Your lying! Your lying! Yor lieing!


    Yair loueay! Sjenwjshdhw! Sacrifice!


    Sacrifice! Sacrifice! SACRIFICE!"


    Aniela chanted while she ran after Nadia into the living room. Nadia grabbed her phone from the charge and dodged another slash at her life. She ran at the fireplace and grabbed a key of it. While Aniela watched her, staring at her like prey. "Sacrifice."


    "You are insane." Nadia threw a candle at her. Then ran out to the hallway, barely brushing past flabbergasted Aniela. They ran together through a small hallway, which felt as if it was stretching out. Nadia opened a door and jumped in without turning the lights on. Aniela started pulling at the handle. "Sacrifice!"


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon."Fuck off bitch! I''m calling the Garda¨ª." She locked the door. Aniela frustrated banged on the door and even tried to stab at it, which didn''t work out in her favour. She stood and panted. Panted and stared at the door. She could''ve stood there for hours, but then she heard. "Help, I''m being chased by a psychopath in my own home."


    No. No she can''t go to jail. She needed to finish her duty. But then it dawned at her. The perfect sacrifice. The person who truly deserved death. She put the knife in her jacket and walked to her bike.


    Aniela was trotting towards her father''s morgue with the bag in her back. She could hear the spirits cheering her on. She heard her, cheering her on. She walked to the morgues entrance. The door was locked. She knocked on the door.


    Three slow knocks. She heard cursing and sluggish walking to the door.


    "How can I help you... Aniela? What are you doing here?"


    "Let me in. We must talk."


    "Aniela I''m in the middle of something-


    "Let. Me. In. We must talk."


    He silently moved out of the way, looking warily at her eyes. At her pale face, filled with an emotion he didn''t recognise.


    "Sit." She pointed at the chair at Amanda''s office.


    "Why?"


    "Sit."


    "Aniela-"


    "Sit!"


    He sat.


    "We need to talk about my mother."


    ¡°Do you suddenly care about her after 6 years?"


    "Shut up! I always cared about her!" Aniela yelled, but quickly composed herself.


    "I''ve been informed, that my mother did drugs. Were you aware of this?"


    "What are you on about?" Yet he didn''t look at her. He didn''t dare. The monster.


    "I think you knew well. And you didn''t help, did you? Ambro?y Ostrowski, you weren''t a good husband, were you?"


    "How dare you talk to me like that, young lady?!" He snapped back at her.


    "You ignore me all the time, and now you come and ridicule me? What right do you think you have? I''m older than you. You won''t understand."


    "Enough! Enough of lying! She was just a pretty little toy, wasn''t she? You could just throw her around like you wanted. When you got mad, you would just do everything to irritate her. And you never gave a shit about what she wanted. And I ignored you huh? Are you forgetting the fact that when I was ten you told me to leave you alone!¡±


    "What are you talking about? I actually loved her, until she had you." He glared at her.


    "What? What does that change?"


    "Well, she started caring more about you than me."


    Aniela couldn''t believe her ears. "You must be joking."


    "You took her away from me, Aniela. All she cared about is you. Just you. Her fucking child." He greeted his teeth at the last sentence.


    "And you know what Aniela? She''d be disappointed with you. Very disappointed. She quit her job for you, and this is how you came out. Have you ever considered that she took drugs because she was sick of dealing with you?"


    And there it was again. The inner struggle. The mess of emotions. Like knotted string. Knotted for years. She had enough. She had enough of this struggle. Her mother would help.


    "I see you have finally shut up. Good. Now go home and stop messing up people''s lives." He got up from his chair and started walking away. This is her chance. His back was turned to her. She took out her knife. This was too easy. She slashed at his neck, she had to reach but it was enough.


    "AH!" Her father shrieked and tried to turn around, but Aniela was quicker. She took out her knife and slashed his neck again. He started spluttering. Spitting blood out. He fell to his knees, holding on to his neck. And she stood over him and lifted her knife. And she stabbed. Over, and over. Until all that was left was a pool of blood. She lost her count, and the man was already dead.


    Yet she kept on stabbing.


    After ten minutes she stopped. It''s time. She took off her bag and placed it to the ground. She took out a brush and dipped it in her father''s blood. Savouring it. Then she drew circles on the morgue''s white tiles flour. She went over them a couple times. Then she painted the symbols inside of them. And in the centre, she drew a seven-pointed star. The number of the gods. Of manifestation, as people were gods. Her spirits praised her on.


    "You are so close Aniela." Uttered a sweet voice. She placed candles at each of the star''s points. She took out the ashes from the urns and sprinkled them over each circle. Then she spilled them in the middle. She placed her mother''s bones gently on the middle circle. She scooped up her father''s blood with her bare hands, admiring its pigment, and poured it over everything. It''s ready. She lit the candles, and chanted:


    Let the stones rise, And feathers drown,


    Let the stars fall from the skies.


    This life, we end, To let, another thrive.


    Dulcis sanguis com spiritu misce, Surge!


    Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She wasn''t sure what she was expecting, but she was expecting something.


    Even the voices stopped talking. Her mother stopped talking. She tried again. And again. And again. But nothing happened. She felt hopeless. She felt, sad.


    Sad. An emotion she hadn''t felt in a long time. She started crying. Crying angry tears. They flooded the circles. She put her head in her hands, smothering her face in her dad''s blood.


    "No! It was meant to work. It has to work."


    She kept on trying. But deep down she knew that it wasn''t possible. She was wrong. The whole time. She cried and cried. She cried over her own existence.


    "Dulce lacrimae, the first tears cried." Said a familiar voice. She felt a finger swipe at her cheek, getting rid the trails of sadness.


    "Come." Said Albert Federov.


    They walked together, hand in hand through the endless fields. No one said a thing, yet much was exchanged.


    Aniela forgot about all the emotions she once felt. Sadness, anger, despair, disappointment. Yet there''s something new. Something deep and dark. She wanted to get rid of it. But she didn''t know how. They walked to the trees and down they looked into the river. Together they walked into the water.


    Federov let Aniela go, and watched her go through the water, he watched her go deeper and deeper. He watched her last moments.

 Chapter 14

    Sergeant Higgins was an old chap; thought he had seen it all. But he keeps on being proven wrong. He moved to Glenfallen so he could rewind a bit for his last couple years.


    It''s like stress was stalking him. He watched his colleague walk in with a stack of files.


    "Horrid story, don''t you think? Or I suppose a lack of story because I don''t know what happened exactly.


    Also, the girl was found. Dead in the river. A fisherman reported it."


    He gave him the files. Sergeant Higgins just stared down at the files. This is the first time something like this ever happened in Glenfallen. Every day they deal with speeding or noisy neighbours, but wow.


    "So, a girl called being attacked, then a man was killed at the morgue an hour later after the call, and today the girl was found dead. What possibly..." he was at loss of words. His colleague also stayed silent, no one knew what to say. Their secretary walked in.


    "Sorry Sergeant Higgins, and O''Hara. The girl is here. Darla O''Doherty, waiting to be interviewed."


    "Thank you, Murphy, let her in." The man nodded and let the girl in. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she sniffed the entire way inside.


    "You are Darla O''Doherty, am I correct?"


    "Yes." She whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. Do you mind if we ask few questions?"


    She sniffed. "Not at all." She clutched at a green bracelet and looked down at the ground.


    The man nodded. "When did you meet Miss Os-trow-ska?"


    "We met when I was 15 and she 14, at an art club."


    "I see. Have you ever met Mr Ostrowski?"


    She shook her head. "No. But she didn''t really like him."


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation."Did you see anything weird with Aniela along the years?"


    "Well, she told me she met this one guy Albert Federov, but when I asked around, no one ever heard of a man called like that. She also would talk about this book, and spells in this book. She thought she could revive her mother. She really loved her mother. I''m sorry, I just-" her eyes stared to flood.


    "I''m sorry for distressing you. Have you ever seen this book?"


    "The thing is, we had an argument couple weeks ago, and she said she was showing me her book, but there was nothing in her hands. I wanted to ask about it but she just slammed the door in my face."


    "Have you seen Miss Ostrowska any time after?"


    "No, I have not."


    "Alright. Last question. Where were you Friday night?"


    "I was at my house, playing video games."


    "Was there anyone with you?"


    "Yes. My mum.¡±


    "Alright. Thank you."


    The girl nodded and sobbed her way out.


    The next couple weeks Sergeant Higgins explored the possibilities at hand. When trying to find records of the man called Albert Federov, non were ever found. He and his crew went through the morgue, the Ostrowski house, Nadia''s house and Aniela''s locker and no book was found. Just piles of paper with scribbles and photos of the girl''s mother.


    Sergeant Higgins walked out of the Garda¨ª station and looked across the town. It was a tough week for him. He looked over time flooding river, the wind howling in his ears which made the water gush as fast as a racehorse.


    The man looked at it thoughtfully, wishing it would tell him how to solve this tragedy of a girl with an obsession with her mother.