Excerpt
"Vi, let's go! We're going to be late for school," Diane chided. She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and looked at me.
"So?"
"It's Halloween!" she exclaimed in delight as if it was a fact everyone should know about. Diane, my fifteen-year-old sister, did a little dance around the room. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with glee and a bright smile illuminated her face.
I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe she was making such a fuss over such a trivial matter. Oh goodie, how could I ever forget the worst celebration on the planet? I was seventeen years old and being a high school student was anything but fun. The final exams were fast approaching, and I was studying very hard since I wanted to pass into a great college and finally leave this town. On top of the stress, I had to deal with this ridiculous celebration.
Halloween seemed so fake and unfortunately, I lived in a town where they celebrated with elaborate decorations and parties. Witches on broomsticks, skeletons, and vampires! They were not real, just fairy tales and scary stories. I used to believe in them when I was a child, but now that I was all grown up, I believed in the ugly reality and I was more than certain that this stuff didn't exist. In fact, I was fairly certain it was an obvious trick for merchants to obtain more money since people shopped like crazy. The real history of the holiday was much darker than what it had become now as it was banishing the evil spirits and welcoming the dead among the living again.
Diane, on the other hand, was in her own little world all the time and kept her dreams alive. Halloween was her favorite holiday, and that meant she would be over the moon and going all out tonight.
Ugh. I was so over that stuff. Fortunately, we purchased all the things she thought we needed a couple of weeks ago and that meant I could have some alone time to study before she dragged me to the party downtown. The city council felt obliged to throw the party every single year as it attracted tourists so my torture was constant. Of course, each year they looked for more extravagant activities and decorations but to my eyes, they all seemed silly and a waste of my time. What struck me as odd was that all the people loved the celebration and had to participate without exception. I couldn't be the only person to hate it. That just wasn't natural!
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go." Bored, I cast a quick glance at the mirror and found the familiar girl with the olive eyes, staring back at me. I ran my fingers through my onyx hair to straighten it out and grabbed my school bag.
I went outside while waiting for my sister and watched people going about their business. We lived in a charming little town with picturesque buildings and blue paved streets. I loved our town because it held artistic festivals all year round and famous artists often came to attend, but even with all these miracles around me, I wanted to leave and discover the world. The rays of the sun were starting peek out, and I smiled. Suddenly, a white spot filled my vision, and I blinked.
Concentrating, I watched as a bunny hopped out on a bench and I wondered where it had come from. Not many animals came wandering into town, they much preferred the secluded woods nearby. Suddenly, the bunny stopped its funny dance and looked me right in the eyes. Its beady blue eyes returned my gaze and then, it raised its foot and waved. I froze in place. I blinked, but the bunny was still there, watching me and for a moment, I thought it gazed at me disapprovingly. The strange thing was that the white-furred thing looked at me like it could really see me. It felt like it had a conscience and could see into the deepest recesses of my soul.
"You must be the only person in Emberfall who isn't thrilled with Halloween," my sister said, breaking the spell and I jumped. I looked at her and shrugged and when I turned back to the bunny, it had vanished.
Our parents were already at work, and since the school was near our house, we walked back and forth every day, but that was fine by me as I loved to walk and see the town in the early light, before the general hustle and bustle started.
"I must have been born in the wrong town," I said, still mystified by the strange event that had occurred only moments ago. Could I have imagined it? White bunnies couldn't just stare at you, but still, I couldn't make up fantasy stories on my own. I didn't believe in them.
What our town lacked in size it made up for with its enthusiasm for Halloween. Every house would be decorated during the holiday, and everyone would be on the streets celebrating. Even the adults.
"And with the wrong last name." Diane giggled and my shoulders tensed as I thought of what was to come during the school day.
"Don't remind me." Everyone always made fun of my last name this time of the year and snickering every time it was pronounced.
"Hello Webb," our friend, Ellen greeted me, as if to illustrate my point.
"Not again," I grumbled. She was nice, but she could not even resist the urge to make the stereotypical joke.
She shrugged. "It's Halloween!"
"So, I've heard."
