Cursed (The Spellbound Series, #2)

1 | From Seattle, With Love

A/N: Pause for a moment and vote for this chapter. Thanks!

Chapter 1 – From Seattle, With Love

The wind whipped across Edgewood, bringing with it a chilling howl, like a tortured spirit failing to escape its burdens, while the trees of the forest below shook in obedience. A dark brown Kia Rio eased down the road, passing by a pickup that was parked in the middle of the street, and Melissa sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window as she went by.

She caught sight of her face in the side view mirror; she was virtually expressionless, but from her swollen cheeks and the red tinge in the corners of her blue eyes, it was obvious that she'd been crying not too long ago. She ignored her reflection, and absentmindedly neatened the hem of her coat, under which she wore a knee-length black dress and stockings that ran down to her grey boots.

She had thought that Seattle would've been different. Obviously, she hadn't expected the buildings and the roads and the people to have physically altered much while she was gone, or anything. But she'd just thought it would have at least felt different. It had been a year, after all. In a way, it had been calming to feel a sense of familiarity while she was in the city. But she had so many bittersweet memories there, and it seemed there were some things she could not forget – some burdens she could not escape.

"You alright, honey?"

It was the voice of her caring – but unintentionally overbearing – Aunt Vera, who was seated behind the wheel. Melissa had known Vera her whole life, and had lived with her for the past year, and her aunt never had the tendency to hover. Except for now. But Melissa didn't complain, or worry herself about it. She admitted it was understandable, considering the circumstances.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered her quiet reply, taking the slightest of glances at her aunt. Her brown eyes were on the road, but it was clear they were fraught with concern and empathy. Her dark had grown longer; it almost reached her shoulder, though it wasn't quite long enough to tie up in a ponytail yet. Melissa returned her gaze on the passing town.

"Okay," her aunt replied, seemingly uncertain of what to say. A silence passed, and only the hum of the car's engine could be heard. "Well, we're almost home."

It was an obvious fact, since they didn't live too far from the edge of town. But Melissa knew it was just an attempt at making conversation. An attempt at bringing both their spirits up. She watched the buildings and trees go by, slow and ever-present, like the pain in her heart.

They finally pulled up onto their street, the Rio turning into the driveway of their blue-walled house. Vera stopped the car a few feet from the garage door, the engine still running. She stared forward for a moment, before turning to Melissa. "We'll be alright, honey," she said quietly, but with earnestness in her voice. "I promise you, we will."

Melissa nodded gravely. She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned towards her aunt, embracing her warmly. She felt like the burn of unshed tears at the corners of her eyes, her grief threatening to flow out of her, uncontrollable and unending. But she wouldn't let it. They'd told her not to let it keep her from living her life, and she wasn't going to.

"You go on," Vera sighed after they'd pulled apart. She rubbed Melissa's shoulder gently. "I'll park the car so long."

Melissa smiled thinly and opened her door. She reached for her bag in the backseat, hoisted it towards herself, and stepped out into the cold. Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she shut the door behind her and started walking to the house. She went up the stairs into the portico and opened the front door.