Long Lost Love

A story of mystery, tragedy, and romance. A witch named Anais moves into a haunted house, and meets the ghost of a young man. Over time, the two fall in love.

              I had just finished looking at my dream house, a huge Victorian sitting alone on a hill. Most people would be put off by the house’s appearance, but to me it was perfect. You see, I’m a witch, and I really needed a house that offered a lot of privacy. The agent looked over her clipboard at me, obviously wondering why a young girl would want to buy such a rundown house all on her own. I’m only 19 years old, and my parents are dead. They died in a horrible accident about a year ago, and I had to get away from my old hometown. They left me a huge fortune, and I was using some of the money to buy this house in the hopes of starting over. My green eyes surveyed the yard, then moved to survey the house itself, admiring the single turret that rose high into the sky. For a second, I thought I saw a curtain moving like someone was looking out, but I shook my head and looked over at the agent. “This house is perfect, I’ll take it.” I said with a bright smile crossing my face. The agent gave me a strange look, before forcing a smile and holding out her hand to me. We shook hands and made our way back to the car, getting in and driving back to the real estate office to negotiate a price for the house.

A week later the deal went through, and the house was mine. I was so happy and eager for a fresh start in a new place. I stood in my old house, muttering incantations and shrinking the furniture down so it would be easier to handle. Once I had everything, I looked around at the house one last time, feeling my eyes getting watery with unshed tears. This had been my home for almost twenty years, and now it’s time for me to find my own way. Feeling overwhelmed and slightly melancholy, I went outside and put all the furniture in my car. I got in and started driving to my new house, thinking about everything on the way. Before long, I was pulling up to the new house, and I got out and grabbed everything and made my way inside. The last time I was here, I put an enchantment on the house, so I wouldn’t have to set up the furniture. I got everything out and snapped my fingers, in a bright flash of light, all the furniture was back to normal size and everything was just where I wanted it. Smiling, I went to the attic to see how my workspace looked. There was one thing I held in my hands that still needed to be placed. The alchemy table was right in front of the huge stained glass window, and I walked over and carefully set down my book of shadows on the little book holder that was right above a huge cauldron. The book of shadows was on old family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation, and each had added spells and potion recipes to it. I stood there looking at the leather bound book, a melancholic smile on my face as I reached out to touch it. My eyes started to water with unshed tears as I touched the sacred book that had been given to me by my mother. Just as I was about to cry, the atmosphere in the attic changed.

                It almost felt like someone or something was watching me, which is impossible since I’m here alone. I looked around in confusion and started to get a little scared, turning sharply when I heard the floor creaking. A dim shadow moved near the door, like someone fleeing. I ran toward it, looking out and getting more confused when nothing was there. I tried to shrug off the somewhat creepy feeling, and headed downstairs to my room. My room had the turret, since that was my favorite part of the house, and it was close to the attic door. I went in my room and flopped onto the bed, about ready to take a nap. I looked around and the first thing I saw when I looked over was a small picture of my parents smiling and looking like they didn’t have a care in the world. A slightly bigger picture was next to that, this one was taken not too long before the accident that claimed their lives. I was in this one with them, and we were on vacation at the time. We had gone to see a lighthouse that we had visited many times before. A sad smile made its way to my face as I looked at how happy we used to be, and I had to wipe away a stray tear. Oh how I missed them so much, not a day goes by when I don’t think about them. After their deaths, I just felt like I couldn’t stay in that old house, so I moved here to get a fresh start and try and heal myself so I don’t feel so lonely and lost anymore. I curled up and yawned, before falling into a light sleep.

~~ Oli’s POV ~~

             This house had been empty for the last decade, and all of a sudden someone is moving in. I honestly never thought anyone ever would, and now that someone has, it makes me kind of happy. I just hope they don’t scare too easy. She almost saw me up in the attic, and when I was looking out from the window. I have to say though, she is quite beautiful and I found myself starting to like her already. I wandered around the house, looking at the furniture and other things she put up. The one thing I couldn’t understand was why she was all alone. In the pictures around the house, she was with two other people and they all looked so happy. But earlier when I saw her, she looked so sad and lonely. I think that’s why I’m so drawn to her, we’re both so lonely and sad. I kept walking around, phasing through a door and stopping short. I found her, and she was all curled up on her bed sleeping, she finally looked peaceful. I made my way over and got a closer look at her, and found that she was even more beautiful than I had first thought. I smiled down at her, reaching down and brushing back a stray strand of her long brown hair. She moved a little when I did that, and I pulled away and moved back so I wouldn’t wake her up. I suddenly had an idea, and I quickly turned and phased through the door. I found a vase and then went outside to pick some flowers. I ended up finding some pink stargazer lilies, and I carefully picked them and arranged them in the vase, putting some water in the bottom so they wouldn’t die. Then I went back inside and phased through her door with the flowers in hand. She was still sleeping, and I gently set the vase on her dresser next to a music box. It seemed like she was going to wake up soon, so I quietly phased back out to give her some privacy.

~~ Normal POV ~~

I felt strange while I was sleeping, the first thing I noticed was a cold breeze on my face. It was almost like someone was moving my hair from my face. I started to wake up a little while later, blinking slowly and trying to wake up all the way. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, before stretching and patting down my hair. Once my eyes adjusted to being awake again, I started to get off the bed, but stopped when I noticed that something in the room was different. On my dresser right next to my Haunted Mansion music box, was a small vase holding beautiful pink lilies. I found a smile forming on my face as I looked at them, since they were some of my favorite flowers. “I wonder how these got here?” I thought out loud as I got up and went over to look at them. They were so pretty, and they really added some color to the somewhat plain bedroom. I hadn’t exactly gotten around to decorating it just yet, and I still had a few things to place. Mainly some more pictures of my parents and some charms to protect the house. My mom had pretty much taught me everything there is to know about the craft. She helped me practice small spells, and she also taught me the proper way to mix and prepare potions. If anything ever went wrong, she was always there to help me. Still thinking of her, I turned and opened my music box, the soft music tinkling sweetly. I reached in and pulled out a small locket that she had once given me as a present. She said that it would help enhance my powers, and to think of her when I wore it. She gave me the necklace the day of the fatal accident, and I never wore it. I really wanted to, but I couldn’t bring myself to unclasp it and put it on. Maybe someday I would be strong enough, but not right now.

Sighing lightly, I put the pendant back in the box and just listened to the soft music floating through the air. I really loved the music box, and it was one of my most prized possessions. It’s not very big by any means, but it’s where I keep small things that are important to me. I read the small epitaph written on the lid, and smiled at the joke within the words. The music box was from the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney World in Florida, and it featured Madame Leota on the lid. The poem read like this: “Dear sweet Leota beloved by all, in regions beyond now, but having a ball.” I always thought the last part was kind of funny since on the ride, she is the gypsy head in the crystal ball. She only talks in rhyme which is also pretty cool, some people find that annoying, but I like it a lot. Kind of reminds me of Edgar Allen Poe and all his awesome poems. Once the music started to slow down, I gently closed the lid and just looked at the box, touching the top and tracing the patterns with my finger. I found it kind of strange that those flowers literally showed up out of nowhere, but I didn’t really think much on the subject. I thought of it as a good omen, almost like someone welcoming me to the house.

That wasn’t the only strange thing to happen around the house though. I would notice that some things would be out of place, but I would dismiss it and put them back in their proper place. I really just decided that I was being careless about leaving things lying around the house and then forgetting about it, which wasn’t really unusual for me. A few days after the flowers showed up, I was outside gathering some herbs that I would need to start making some potions. I went back inside and the bags I use to store the herbs were already laid out for me. I knew that they were all put away in drawers before I went outside. I found this to be really odd, but I didn’t think much of it and put the herbs in them. Feeling kind of stupid, I turned and looked around, half expecting to see someone or at least that shadowy shape I saw when I first moved in. “Um thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it.” I said softly, before grabbing the small bags and walking toward the stairs to go up to the attic. That cold breeze was brushing past me again as I walked into the attic. I set the herbs on the alchemy table, and opened the book of shadows, carefully leafing through the worn pages. I finally found what I was looking for, and grabbed the ingredients I would need. I set to work and carefully followed the instructions listed in the spell book. I was almost finished making a vial of something that would help me have more insight into my dreams. My mom would always tell me how important it was to be in touch with everything and to try and improve my psychic abilities. A lot of strange things had been happening lately, and for some reason a few nights ago I started having strange dreams. They almost seemed like memories, but they were too hazy and disconnected for me to make any sense of it. That was why I was going to drink the serum before I went to sleep.

The potion was complete and I smiled in satisfaction that I hadn’t messed it up. It had been awhile since I last mixed something like this, since I rarely had dreams that were trying to reveal something to me. I gently shut the book of shadows and started to clear away the residue from my potion making. The cauldron was enchanted to clean itself, so I didn’t have to worry about that. Then I grabbed the vial and went into my bedroom, setting it on the dresser tray next to my music box. I had enchanted the flowers so they wouldn’t wilt and die. I really did like seeing them, and they made me feel happy for some reason. I went downstairs to get something to eat, and then cleaned everything up when I was finished. A storm was rolling in, and I was eagerly awaiting the sound of thunder. Lightning flashed and illuminated the hallway, just as I made it into my room. I noticed that the pictures I had been meaning to hang up, were on the walls right where I wanted them to be. I smiled, having gotten used to strange things like this happening. It seemed like there was something in the house that wanted to help me out. I was no longer worried about what it was, but at the same time I really did want to know. I yawned and started to get ready for bed, stopping to open the music box so I could hear the pretty music. The storm was getting closer and louder, so the music box barely reached my ears, but still I let it play in the background. I turned off the overhead light, leaving a small bedside lamp on. Then I grabbed the vial and uncorked the top, drinking the contents before setting the empty bottle on my bedside table. I got in bed and snuggled under the covers, reaching up and turning the light off just as a flash of lightning lit up the room. The potion started to take effect, and it got harder to stay awake. I realized that I had forgotten to close the music box, and it was still playing softly. I fell asleep before I was able to get up and close it.

In my dream, I was walking into the house, and it was rather dark. Nothing looked out of place, but something about it just felt different. I kept walking and then stopped when I saw a man walking up the stairs. I almost called out to him, but thought better of it and stopped myself just in time. He disappeared from my sight and I quietly followed after him. He stopped just outside the attic, and turned when he heard me on the stairs. “I know you’re there, you don’t have to sneak around anymore.” I heard a voice say from the top of the stairs. I blushed and then walked the rest of the way up. He was awfully tall and skinny too, and his hair was kind of long, but not girly looking long. It framed his handsome face perfectly, his bangs falling into his eye on one side of his face. I was tempted to reach out and brush it back, but I stopped myself. We just stood there, staring at each other for a long time. I was starting to get antsy, even shuffling around and fidgeting. He stepped closer to me and I stopped moving, just stood there and watched him get closer to me. “W-who are you?” I managed to stutter out, feeling my face flush as I looked up at him. He tilted his head as he looked down at me, most likely wondering if I had any good sense. He sure took his time answering, as he was studying me closely. “My name’s Oliver, but call me Oli.” He finally said, reaching out to push my bangs out of my eyes. I blushed about 20 different shades of red, looking down at the ground that had become a lot more interesting all of a sudden. He cleared his throat after a few seconds, causing me to look up at him. “So what’s your name?” He asked softly, it almost seemed like he was trying not to scare me off. “My name is Anais.” I said, proud that my voice wasn’t shaky or nervous sounding.

Things weren’t so awkward after we had introduced ourselves, and I started to relax. We didn’t really talk about anything specific, and we moved so that we were standing in the attic. The attic had better lighting, and I noticed that both his arms were covered in tattoo sleeves. The look really suited him, sometimes people like that come across as creepy or dangerous, but that wasn’t the case with him. I cleared off a random loveseat that didn’t really have a place in the house, and sat down after dusting it off with my hand. Oli stayed standing, and I patted the spot next to me, indicating that it was alright for him to sit next to me. He hesitated for a second, but finally sat down, though he did leave a reasonable amount of space between us. I turned to him and studied his appearance, almost similar to the way that he was studying me earlier. “If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? I’m 19.” I said, messing with my hair as I asked him. He seemed taken aback by the question, almost like no one had asked him that question in a long time. “I’m 23.” Was his answer. He was staring at me again with his golden brown eyes, he almost looked like he was staring into my soul. I meet his gaze, until I had to look away from embarrassment. I was never very good around guys, and this time was no exception, though I was doing a little bit better than normal.

The conversation was starting to wind down, and I had a feeling that it wouldn’t last much longer. I really didn’t want to go, but I knew that I was going to wake up soon. He seemed to sense that at well, and he got really quiet and just looked at me. “U-um well it was nice to meet you Oli.” I stuttered out, meeting his gaze for a split second. I got up and started walking back the way I came, looking back at him to see that he was standing now. He made his way over to me, stopping when he was in front of me. “It was nice meeting you too, Anais.” He said, leaning down and hesitantly putting his arms around me. I flushed again and put my arms around him as well, we stood there hugging for a few seconds before pulling apart. I felt kind of sad that our meeting was coming to an end, and I started walking again. He followed me down the stairs and started to look nervous for some reason. “Anais, wait.” He said softly, holding his hands behind his back. I stopped walking and turned to him, my brown hair spinning when I looked at him. He looked down at the ground, the tiniest hint of pink dusting his cheeks. Then he revealed what he was holding, a single perfect red rose. I gasped and reached for the flower, smiling brightly. He slowly looked up and saw the smile on my face, his lips turning up in a smile that mirrored mine. Our hands brushed, and we both blushed at the small contact. “Goodbye Anais. I hope to see you again.” He said, sounding lonely, looking down at me again with an almost pained look. I missed his lonely look as I admired the rose for a second, then looked up and met his gaze, which had returned to normal by that time. “Goodbye Oli, thanks for the rose. I really had a nice time talking to you.” I said smiling down at the rose, then took a deep breath. I gathered my courage and stood on tiptoe, lightly pressing my lips to his cheek. Then I turned and ran through a glowing door, not looking back to see how he reacted. I missed a lot by not looking back, for one thing he was still standing there looking at where I had just been, reaching out for me longingly. His arms dropped back to his sides, and he looked at the ground. “Hurry back…” He trailed off, fading away in a blue flash a few seconds later.

I woke up, already missing the mystery man from my dream. He seemed so real, and I knew that it was kind of stupid to hold out on the thought that I might dream about him again. “Hm what a strange dream, but still it was kind of nice.” I thought as I pushed the blankets down and swung my legs over the side of my bed. I got up and walked over to the mirror, wincing when I saw my reflection. I never really looked good first thing in the morning, and I grabbed my brush and started carefully on the ends, moving my way up. My music box was closed now, although it had still been open when I fell asleep after drinking the potion. I set down the brush and picked up the box, carefully winding it up and setting it back down. I lifted the lid and let the cute melody fill the room, picking up the brush and continuing on my hair. Something reflected in the mirror caught my eye, and I set the brush down again and turned to see what it was. There on my pillow, lay a single red rose, like the one Oli gave me in my dream. It was in that moment that I decided that I was going to work more on my psychic abilities and the way I perceive the things around me.

~~ Time skip to a few months later ~~

I had been living in the huge house for about three months, and strange things continued to happen. I had come to accept that I wasn’t alone in the house, and just went about my daily routine. The dreams continued, though I never really had a conversation with Oli again, much to my disappointment. I would see little flashes of him, but they played out more like someone else’s memories. Hazy and incoherent, I could never really piece them together. The potion didn’t really have as great as an effect as the first time I used it, and I was starting to get discouraged. I got used to the feeling that someone was watching me, and I found myself paying more attention to things that happened around the house. More and more I was catching shadowy shapes out of the corner of my eye, and I would smile lightly every time I saw it. Everything was going great, and I had managed to get a good job working in a nursing home.

My job was to serve the elderly patients their meals, and remove the dirty dishes and clean them. It was simple work for me, and I put my all into doing the very best job I could. While I was there, I made some very nice friends with some of the women. One of them even recognized the pendant I wore around my neck, and gently pulled me aside. The pendant was one that is commonly associated with witches throughout the centuries. It was a small silver triquetra with three small crescent moons on each point. One was silver, another was white, and the last one was black. A moonstone sat right in the middle, and the pendant hung on my collarbone. “Dearie, what a beautiful pendant you wear around your neck. I haven’t seen one like it in many years.” The woman said smiling fondly at me. I smiled back at her, feeling slightly confused. She let go of my arm, and reached to her neck, pulling a pendant out from under her shirt. Her pendant was beautiful, and was a triquetra too, although hers was slightly weathered. It looked like she had owned it her whole life, and I found myself smiling brightly. To say I was surprised to find another witch would be an understatement. Plus she had seniority, which made it even better since she would know tips and secrets that my mother hadn’t been able to tell me.

 I sat down and started talking to her, and she seemed happy enough to answer any question that came to mind. We really connected and soon we were sharing stories of our childhood, and how we first found out we were destined to be a part of the craft. She was so cute, and she shared some tips with me on ways to improve my lucid dreaming. “There is something strange going on in my new house, Louise. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like it could be something wonderful. Like I have the chance to truly help someone who really needs me.” I confided in her, then proceeded to tell her about the dream I had when I met Oli. “My dear, there are some things in this world that are beyond understanding, and I believe that there is someone reaching out to you from the other side. Tell me, what do you know of the paranormal?” Louise asked me, tilting her head and regarding me wisely. I meet her gaze and reached up to hold my pendant, something I did when I got nervous. “Well to be honest, I don’t really know all that much. Why do you ask?” I said quietly, feeling like I was in the dark about some big secret. “Oh no reason dearie. I do have some old books from my younger years that could really help you improve your potions and strengthen your psychic powers if you are interested in taking them. I would really like for you to have them.” She said with a kind smile on her face. I looked at her in disbelief, then smiled brightly, even leaning forward and giving her a big hug. “Oh thank you Louise!” I exclaimed. She laughed at my enthusiasm, and returned the hug. “You’re welcome dearie.”

I left work that day with a small stack of various books, ranging from potion making to simple spells to fix things around the house. Louise was such a sweet older woman, and I was glad that we were going to be friends. Before I left, she told me that if I ever had a problem or needed anything that I could come to her for help and guidance. I carefully set the old books on my passenger seat in my car, then walked around and got in the driver’s seat. I drove home, and got the books out, eager to start reading them as soon as possible. Walking into the house, I felt the familiar blast of cold air, making me smile as I walked into the living room. One of the books that really interested me was the one on making potions that increase intuition and perception, so I sat down and started reading. I read even though I was tired and slightly hungry, but I really wanted to find something that would help me have another dream where I could interact with Oli.  

~~ Oli’s POV ~~

Anais had been here for about three months, and still didn’t seem to know that I was there. I didn’t really mind much, I had gotten used to the fact that people can’t see me anymore. Sometimes I would send her dreams of memories, or other small things that had to do with me. I was still kind of weak from the first dream, where I had actually been there talking to her. It was the first time I had attempted something like that, and it left me feeling drained. That was why I was unable to visit her again, and it made me kind of sad because it was really nice to talk to her like that. I had been alone for so long in this huge house, ever since my family abandoned it after my death. She really was beautiful, maybe a little strange, but I wasn’t one to complain. She seemed like the perfect one for me, and I longed for her company, even daring to hope that someday through some kind of miracle she would be able to see me. It might sound weird, but I think I was starting to fall in love with her. Even after a short amount of time, I found myself thinking about her and worrying about her when she left the house. I always felt relieved when she got back safe and sound, and on some occasions I would get her flowers like I had done the first day she was here. She would always smile when she walked in the front door, and I was standing there. She couldn’t see me, but I knew that she felt a cold chill around where I was standing. Just seeing her smile made me feel happy, and I wanted to keep feeling like that. As long as she was happy, I was happy.

~~ Normal POV ~~

I read the book until my tired eyes started to burn, and I was forced to put it down. “Remember to thank Louise again for these books the next time you see her.” I said to myself, as I stood up and stretched. There were some great things in that book, and I wanted to try some of the recipes. I grabbed some leftovers and tucked the book under my arm and made my way to the attic. Once I got up there, I set the book on the table and opened it to a page that had a recipe that would strengthen the first potion I used. The ingredients were simple, just some rosemary and thyme, which I happened to have with the rest of my herbs. I opened the book of shadows and leafed through it until I found the recipe for what I referred to as the vial of clarity. The cauldron roared to life, and I started preparing everything so I could throw it in. A few minutes later, the process was complete, and I dumped it all into the cauldron. I stirred the ingredients together, waiting patiently for it to turn a light bluish green. When it was ready, I poured it into a glass vial and corked the top. The potion was glowing dimly, signaling that I had made it correctly. I smiled in triumph and closed both the books, then went down to my room with the vial in hand.

The book only said to drink about a fourth of the potion at a time, otherwise there would be awful side effects. I grabbed a small chalice from a box in my closet, and poured some in it. I set the potion down after corking it, and set the chalice down too. I changed quickly into my nightgown, the one that my mom had bought for me from an Elizabethan reenactment event. She knew that I loved things like that, and she bought it for me when she was out looking for certain herbs that are hard to find in most stores. She stumbled across the event by accident, and was able to find what she was looking for along with the nightgown. I unhooked my necklace, and switched the silver chain for a simple brown cord, so I wouldn’t break it. I put the necklace back on and brushed through my hair one last time, before grabbing the chalice and looking at it. I sat on the bed and turned off the bedside light before I started. The liquid was glowing and for a second I reconsidered using it. The thought of seeing Oli again made me finalize my decision, and I shut my eyes and threw back the potion, wincing at the harsh flavor of it. It took effect immediately, and luckily I already had all the lights off. I fell back onto my pillow, eyes already closed as I slipped into dream world, my hopes getting stronger that I would be able to see him again. The last thing I heard in my waking moments, was the chalice falling from my hand and bouncing onto the carpet.

Darkness surrounded me at first, and I walked forward blindly, until a light appeared farther away. The same door appeared in front of me, and I reached out and opened it. Peering inside I didn’t see anything, and I wasn’t sure that my dream had transported me to the right place. “Oli?” I called out, hoping that I was right about doing this. “Anais? Is that you?” I heard a male’s voice come from somewhere in the house. “Yes it’s me.” I said as I stepped out from the glowing door, looking around. I heard him before I saw him, it sounded like he was running down the stairs. I turned toward the sound just as he got to me, picking me up and spinning me around before setting me back on the ground and pulling me into a hug. My now burning face was pressed to his chest, and he was holding onto me for dear life. I felt tears in my eyes, and I was so happy to see him again, and I guess he felt the same way. We stayed like that for a long time, neither one wanting to let go of the other. Finally he loosened his grip on me, and I looked up at him with shimmery green eyes. “I missed you.” We both said at the same time, then laughed about saying the same thing. We finally let go of each other after a few minutes, stepping back and just smiled at each other. I’m not going to lie, I felt kind of awkward in my old fashioned nightgown. Oli looked good though, and I was finally able to see his tattoo sleeves, though his black shirt covered the top parts. There were too many designs to make out just what they were, but I thought they were awesome. He took my hand and led me over to the living room to sit on the sofa. We talked for a long time and I told him about everything that had happened to me recently. He didn’t really tell me much, but I was just so happy to see him that I didn’t really notice it. Pretty soon I was feeling the tug that meant I needed to get back through the glowing door before too long. Oli seemed to understand, and put his head down sadly. He looked so lonely, and it hurt me, and I leaned over and brushed his hair away from his eyes the way I had wanted to do when I first saw him. He looked at me and managed a small smile, causing me to smile too. I hugged him tightly, and buried my face in his black shirt. He hugged me back and rested his head on top of mine, holding me close. “I really don’t want to go, but I have to. I promise that I’ll try to see you again.” I said softly into his shirt. He released me and brushed my hair back from my face, looking deep into my eyes. “I’m gonna miss you Anais.” He said softly, caressing my cheek. We got up and he walked me over to the glowing door, hugging me quickly. I turned and went through the door, waving at Oli before everything started to fade away.

I woke up and felt happy and sad at the same time, looking over at the flowers on my dresser. “Now I really have to do something nice for Louise since she gave me those books.” I thought as I stretched my arms above my head. There were no random flowers on my pillow this time, but I was able to remember everything that had happened in the dream. This is going to sound totally crazy, but I think I’m starting to fall for the man in my dreams. I got up and went into the bathroom, taking a quick shower and changing into an oversized Nightmare before Christmas sweater and some comfy sweatpants. Today was my day off, and I was going to take advantage of it by reading some more of those books, and thinking about something nice for Louise since she helped me out so much. I started brushing through my wet hair, careful not to rip it out. I set the brush down and went up to the attic, grabbing the books and making my way to the living room. The cold spot was gone, and I looked around in confusion since I had gotten used to it. I flopped onto the loveseat and opened the book, starting from where I left off. Then I felt a cold chill seeping into the room, and I shivered lightly at the sudden change.

Today I made up my mind that I was going to use the potion that would enhance my psychic abilities, and I leafed through one of the books Louise gave me. Some of the ingredients were going to be hard to find, and I got up immediately and took the book with me. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a few of my herb bags, then took everything with me outside to the garden. I carefully set the old book down on the ground next to me, and started digging around in the plants trying to find what I needed. I managed to find the vervain and wolfs bane fairly easily, but I was having some trouble finding the mandrake roots and valerian roots. “Well I have some of the things I need, guess I’ll have to keep looking around for the others.” I said to myself as I gathered everything and went back inside, feeling the cold breeze again. I set the ingredients down and put away the extra bags in the drawer. The book said that it was best to make a big number of small vials full of the potion, and to drink them only at night. It was only about noon, and I really wanted to try it out, but I would have to wait. “Too bad I can’t find the mandrake roots and valerian…” I muttered to myself sadly. Right after I said that, the room got warm again, signaling that the cold breeze was on the move. “Hm that was strange.” I said as I looked around the living room.

A few days passed and during that time I kept trying to find the missing ingredients that I would need. I was never able to find them, and I was sure that it would be impossible. I had even looked around in random stores after my shift at the nursing home ended, and still nothing. Louise had no ideas on how to find it either, and I hung my head down in despair. I got home feeling dejected, and I walked past the cold breeze and went into my room. I changed out of my uniform and put on my pajamas, then got in bed and curled up with the blankets over my head. For some reason, the fact that I couldn’t find the roots made me feel really sad. I wanted to know what the presence in my house was, and that potion was necessary. My room seemed to get colder for a second, and I burrowed deeper under the blankets. Then the room got warm again, and I stayed under the blanket, trying to think of another way to find what I needed. I must have drifted off to sleep at some point, because I woke with a start a little while later. Then something caught my eye on my dresser, right next to my music box, I saw two bags. I got up as fast as I could, ignoring the rush of dizziness that followed, and ran over to see what it was. One bag held the mandrake roots and the other one held the valerian roots. I felt tears pricking my eyes, and I looked around my room and smiled happily.

A few hours later, as night was approaching, I was busy at work in the attic. The potion had some complicated instructions, but I was able to do them all correctly. I was excited to say the least, and I finished the recipe and put some of it into a small vial just like the book said. I filled the rest of the vials, and ended up with about six altogether. It wasn’t dark yet, and I looked out the window starting to feel impatient. There was about half an hour until night fall, and I carefully put the vials away in a safe compartment on the alchemy table. My stomach growled and I grabbed one of the vials and made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I ate fairly quickly, and washed the dishes as fast as I could. Night was approaching, and I was eager to take the first potion. Once everything was cleaned up in the kitchen, I made my way upstairs to get ready for bed. I had changed into my Nightmare sweater and some black shorts, and was now sitting in front of the mirror. My triquetra glinted dimly in the light, and my music box tinkled softly as I brushed through my hair. I looked out the window and smiled when I saw that it was finally nightfall. I put down the brush and uncorked the vial, taking a deep breath, before putting the vial to my lips and tilting it back.

The liquid burned my throat a little, and I winced as I swallowed it. This potion didn’t really have much of a side effect, and I was glad about that. I set the empty bottle down on my dresser and wiped at my face. My room got colder all of a sudden, and I looked up at my reflection in the mirror, almost hoping that I would see something. My eyes widened when I noticed a shadow that was slightly darker than the others that shrouded my room. It was barely perceptible, but there it was, and I was thrilled to find that the potion was already helping. I should be able to see what it was clearly once I drank the remaining five potions. The shadow was just staying in one place, almost like it was watching me. I found the presence to be oddly comforting. Before all this, I probably would have been running out of the house screaming. Funny how quickly you can adjust to something you had never experienced before, especially when it was something strange like this.

Five days and nights passed quickly, and I would drink one of the vials every night. I was really starting to notice a difference, the shadow was staring to look more distinct. The figure didn’t seem to hang around as much, and I was always looking for it. Mostly I was busy with work and talking with Louise, so I wasn’t home as much as I used to be. When I was home, I was usually sleeping or gathering herbs for various potions. It wasn’t that the figure didn’t hang around as much, I just wasn’t home enough to try and find out what it was. I felt bad about not being home as much, but there really wasn’t all that much I could do about it.

I had just finished cleaning up the kitchen after eating some dinner, a storm was brewing not too far from the house. I went around and closed the windows in the living room, then snapped my fingers and closed the rest of them with magic. I was about to go upstairs when I heard something scratching at the door. I froze and looked toward the door, tilting my head and slowly moving forward. The wind was picking up, and I could hear some low rumbles of thunder in the distance. The scratching continued, and I slowly opened the door and peered out onto the porch. A small tan bundle of fur sat huddled by the door, shivering slightly. I tilted my head in confusion at the sight, not really knowing what I was looking at. The furry bundle moved around and let out a small pitiful sounding meow. My heart broke at the sad sound, and I opened the door wider and leaned down to the poor creature. The small kitten looked up at me with big blue eyes, meowing softly. I reached out and gently picked him up, pulling him close and holding him against my chest. He snuggled into me and started purring loudly, rubbing against me with his head.

I smiled and started stroking his fluffy fur, turning back to go inside. I pulled the door shut behind me, and carried the kitten to the living room. I conjured up a fluffy towel and gently wrapped it around the kitten’s shivering form. The thunderstorm hit not too long after I got him inside, and the rain pounded against the windows. I muttered an incantation and a bottle of milk appeared along with a small litter pan. A few minutes later, the kitten started to warm up, and the storm got worse. He didn’t seem to be scared by the thunder and lightning, and that gave me an idea of what to name him. “I think I’ll call you Thor, after the god of thunder.” I smiled down at him as I said this, watching him trying to crawl up the loveseat. I picked him up before he fell off the back, and set him down on my lap. He started purring again, and curled up. I stroked his fur and scratched behind his ears, listening to the storm as I sat there. He was pretty calm, until the room suddenly got cold. He sat up fast and looked at the doorway, ears perked up and eyes widening.

I looked over at the spot, and before I could see what it was, the power went out. Lightning briefly illuminated the room, and I was able to see a man’s outline for a split second. I froze and tensed as I held Thor closer. He started squirming, and I let go of him when he started kicking his back legs. He ran off to hide somewhere, leaving me alone with a possible intruder. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I was getting scared. I was nowhere near the phone, and I had no way of knowing if the man had seen me before the lights went out. Lightning flashed again, and I ducked down on the loveseat, waiting for the darkness once more. When it shrouded the room once more, I lowered myself to the floor and crawled over to the wall. Then I stood up and pressed my back against the wall, hearing footsteps making their way into the living room.

I held my hand up and it was engulfed in flames, once of my specialties. The fire was just waiting for me to form it into a ball and throw it at my target. Fireballs were one of the best ways that I defended myself against a surprise attack, since they dealt a lot of damage without using a lot of energy. I turned sharply, and ran into something and bounced off it, almost falling over. I looked up and saw the man shrouded in darkness, I threw the fireball at him. To my shock, the fireball went right through him, hitting a small bouquet of flowers and setting them ablaze. My eyes widened and I backed away from him, then screamed and ran up the stairs. I could hear him following behind me, and I ran into my room and slammed the door. Scrambling to lock it, I backed away and charged another fireball in my hand. A few seconds later, I heard him running to my door, and I tensed. I was expecting him to start pounding on the door, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when he phased right through it. The flames glowed brighter and lit up the room just as I was about to throw it, and I was finally able to see who was in my house. The fire in my hand sputtered and died as my arm dropped back down to my side. “O-Oli?” I stuttered, staring wide eyed at the man standing in front of me.

“Y-you can see me?” He said, sounding just as confused as I felt. I took a deep breath, and moved closer to him. He looked down at me, and I looked up at him with a confused expression. "W-what are you, and what are you doing in my house?” I asked, looking into his golden brown eyes. “Well, I-I’m a ghost, and I’ve been haunting this house for the last decade since my death. I used to live here when I was alive.” He replied, looking away from me. I moved closer to him and reached out, gently touching his face. He looked at me, with a sad expression on his face, and I felt tears building up in my eyes. “You must be so lonely.” I said softly, brushing some of his hair away from his eye. He kept looking at me with the saddest eyes I had ever seen in my entire life. “My family pretty much abandoned this place after my accident. I’ve been alone ever since.” He managed to say, sighing sadly at the end. My heart was breaking at his every word, and I felt a tear slid down my face. “I-I’m so sorry Oli. That must have been awful for you to lose everything like that.” I said, pulling him into a hug. He rested his head on mine, while I buried my face in his shirt. By that time we both had tears running down our faces, and I hugged him tighter. He did the same to me, and we stayed like that for a long time.

When we finally parted, he wiped the tears from my face, and I smiled sadly at him. I put a hand on his cheek, and he leaned into my touch. “As long as I’m around, you’ll never be alone.” I whispered just loud enough for him to hear. He smiled brightly at my words, and picked me up, spinning me around once. He set me back on the ground, looking happy, which made me feel happy as well. I stood on tiptoe again, pressing a kiss to his cheek, when he suddenly turned his head before I could pull back. He kissed me on the lips, and I closed my eyes at once, kissing him back. His arms went around my waist, and I pressed my hands to his chest. The kiss was sweet, and soon we were pulling away. We both were grinning like idiots, and I felt my face flushing again. “This is going to sound weird Anais, but over the last few months I’ve come to really care for you. Well love would be the right word, and I understand if you don’t feel the same way about me. I just thought it would be a good idea to tell you.” He said, scratching the back of his neck and looking at the ground. I smiled brightly and pulled him down to my level, kissing him quickly. He looked shocked, and I giggled at his reaction. “Oh Oli, of course I feel the same way about you. I really started to fall for you shortly after the first dream I had of you.” I confessed, blushing lightly as I said it.

“I can’t believe it was you around the house the whole time, I never would have guessed. I honestly thought you were some wonderful man who only existed in my dreams.” I said absent mindedly. By that time I was sitting on my bed, and he was sitting across from me on a random chair. “I’m a real person, or at least I was at one time.” He replied, looking around at my room. Suddenly, the power came back on and I was able to see him better. He looked exactly the same as he did in my dreams. His brown hair was framing his face, and his bangs were falling into his eyes as he studied my book shelf. “Oli?” He looked up at the sound of my voice. I avoided his gaze and started messing with my hair as I decided the best way to ask my question. “So um, how did you erm die?” I finally blurted out, looking at the ground. He was quiet for a moment, then he took a deep breath. I already regretted asking him the question. I heard him getting up from the chair, and for a second I was afraid that he was leaving. He got up and walked over to me instead of going out the door like I thought he was going to do. I felt his hand under my chin, making me look up at him. Then he took my hands in his, and looked deep into my eyes. “Do you really want to know?” He asked, his expression unreadable. Words were failing me now, and I nodded instead.

He pulled me up so I was standing in front of him, never breaking eye contact. “Do you trust me?” He gazed deep into my eyes, studying my reaction closely. “I trust you.” I said, meeting his intense gaze. He closed his eyes and looked like he was concentrating with all his energy. My hands started to warm up, and I felt a strange sense of detachment. It was almost like I was being transported somewhere else. The world around me faded, and I found myself standing alone in pure darkness. “Oli?” I called out, looking around and getting more and more confused when nothing happened. Then the darkness started to coalesce into hazy images that slowly started to become more distinct.

I was standing near the house, and it was night time. The house looked much better, almost like it was still new. My attention was dragged away from the house when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. A young man was out in the garden, making his way back to the house, and I recognized him immediately. “Oli?” I gasped, then scrambled to hide behind something when someone came galloping over on a huge stallion. He was riding bareback and had a look of extreme terror on his face. “Oliver, the barn’s on fire! The horses are trapped inside, we need your help!” The man yelled as he held out his hand to Oli. He grabbed on and swung himself onto the horse behind the other man. They galloped off, and the view changed to a huge burning barn. The fire was spreading fast, and I could hear the high pitched screams of the frightened horses inside. They got closer to the barn, and they were illuminated by the flames. Oli jumped from the horse, the man following close behind him. “You stay here, I’ll get the horses out!” He yelled over the sound of crackling flames. Before the man could stop him, Oli was running inside the barn, ignoring the yells and warnings. “Oliver get back here, it’s too dangerous!” I watched as the flames grew brighter and higher, squinting when I saw a shape emerging from the flames. A black horse ran out from the chaos of the barn, followed by a brown horse and a soot covered white one. Four more horses ran out and my heart clenched when I didn’t see Oli, he was still in there.

The other man was gathering the horses into a cluster, and once he had a hold on them, he turned back to the barn. “OLIVER!! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!” The man screamed over the horses and the sounds of the fire. There was no answer, and the silence was unnerving. “Don’t just stand there, do something to help him!” I screamed at the man, but he didn’t seem to be able to hear me. The man kept screaming for Oli, but there was never an answer. I ran inside the barn, and I saw Oli making his way to one last horse. He ripped open the stall door and the horse galloped out, neighing loudly when the barn started to creak and groan. Oli started making his way out to the exit, coughing violently from all the smoke flying around in the barn. He was getting closer, when all of a sudden, a support beam cracked and fell down on him. He was pinned under a fallen beam, and I heard a sickening crack along with one of the worst screams I had ever heard. I ran forward to help him, but when I reached out to touch him, my hand went right through him. I had forgotten that this was just a vision, but I still felt so helpless just standing there. The barn was starting to cave in on itself, and I looked around in horror. They were just going to leave him there, I felt tears burning my eyes when I realized what was about to happen. He kept coughing violently, sounding weaker every time. I squinted through the smoke and flames, barely making out his form. His head was lolling back, and the flames were getting closer to him. He coughed one last time, and then fell silent, I watched in horror as he took one last breath. Tears were stinging my eyes and I had to look away from his motionless body. “OLIVER!!” The man outside kept screaming for him, hoping for an answer that would never come. The vision was starting to fade away, as I kneeled down next to Oli and tried again to touch him. Soon I was ripped entirely from this awful scene, coming back to reality with tears flowing from my eyes.

Author's Note

Basically let me know what you think, and this is still a work in progress. I would appreciate constructive criticisms, and thanks for taking the time to read this little story.