evermore

My name is Evernora, and I am a witch. It doesn't sound important right now, but it will.

Right now, I'm sitting on the road, cradling my sister, who can't seem to sleep. The stars are like bright grains of salt spewed over coals, yet tonight they provide no comfort. Adair whines again, and I am helpless, I have no food to feed her, let alone myself. My home is gone.

And my friend, who I have not seen many moons.

My long fingers tuck the cloth under her chin, the tears falling down my face tracing the grime on my face. I place her in the basket, then gently let her down in the river. I sob as she disappears in the lulling current, knowing my situation is too dangerous for my little sister.

I shudder, and my face grows weary, not knowing what to do now. What I need to do, I think, is to find Mira.

I walk dejectedly back to the forest, the dark and twisted trails a comfort. The trees shudder away from me, the darkness following me making the forest itself wary.

"Evernora!" the voice behind me hisses. I ignore it, the air around me now sticky. My shadow bends, and its outlined with red. "Evernora!" it snaps, my shadow getting nothing but my sulking.

My shadow's name is Arlo, She is my blessing, and my curse. Every day, she possesses my body, but at night, I have my own body, with incredible powers in return. I never remember anything when she possesses me but claims that she only does everything out of love, wanting to protect me. That is very hard to believe.

I rub my neck with a grimace. A rope is very uncomfortable on my windpipes.

I'm thinking of finding Mira. My best friend who I wrote to every day after he moved out of Salem, until one day, the letters stopped abruptly. I secretly need to find a way to get rid of Arlo. I loved her dearly once, but she killed my parents.

That was the last straw.

I found the trunk I was looking for. A huge oak tree that I converted to a home, the trunk serving as a staircase down into the ground. I skipped the last step, not remembering why I do. I just can't bring myself to step on it.

The whole one room has this; a nook in the roots with a bunch of moss for me to sleep on, one wall filled with spellbooks on a bookshelf and a wardrobe of birch with my clothing, which wouldn't be very many, the wood scratched and burnt on one corner from a potion gone wrong. The other wall has dug out nooks, filled with plants and empty and filled bottles, and a section filled with letters from Mira and a few photos of my parents.

Arlo keeps calling my name angrily, but I still ignore her, or the way her outline blurs into a vibrant scarlet. I pull some letters out, and put my wand in my teeth, slouching on the floor, Arlo trying to poke me hard on the face, but forgetting she is merely a shadow.

My wand is a russet-wood, finely crafted, chiseled by craftsmen, and....covered in teeth marks. Bad habits die hard.

I smell something over-sweet, and my eyes burn. Did something break?

I try standing up, but the smell is so strong, I stumble in surprise at it seems to get stronger. It's right on top of us, and I grab my wand and a jagged knife that Mira had said was only for mortals, not other witches.

I slowly climb up the stairs, and peek out of the opening hidden by tall grass. A group of kids is sitting together in the dewy grass, taking videos of nature, an owl catching their attention.

" What strange clothing. " I say out loud, hiding the knife in my apron, comparing it to my dress. My dress is of the usual fashion, the dress having a wide, low neckline similar to evening gowns, but with long sleeves. The skirt was pleated into the waistband of the bodice and held out with starched petticoats of linen, the skirt a violet purple with black lace shaping into moons. My neck held a lace choker matching my dress, my boots clicking with silver buckles and threaded laces.

The girl was wearing a strange dress, at her knees, very thin, and the neckline making me blush. The boy on the left wearing a shirt with no buttons and the sleeves a couple inches above the elbow. I tried creeping closer, but I tripped, and landed loudly in the grass. They both swiveled their heads and the boy recognized me immediately, and likewise.

" Evernora?" Mira asked fervently, helping me to my feet.

"Mira, where have you been?" I practically screeched like a barn owl. He looked confused.

" No, my name is Connor, and this is Dex," pointing to the girl, who nodded at me, making me uncomfortable, trying not to look at her bosom.

"I'm Mira's great-grandson. He told me about you, and pictures.." he trailed off after seeing my face. The sun was rising.

" No, you have to leave!" I pushed them away, ready to run off. I did know Arlo hated Mira, so I couldn't think of what she'd do to his great-grandson.

He followed me, grabbing my hands, the girl was gone.

" Evernora, I can help." His hands glowed white, my shadow fading. Arlo's screams made me wince. I collapsed.

" Keep...going." I gasped for air as Arlo was ripped from me, like peeling raw skin. I screamed as it was like my soul was ripping, then cold relief as she disappeared, my shadow was gone.

I smiled as I fainted.

When I woke up, I was in bed. A bed with a fluffy cloth and a soft rectangle under me. I was in an absurd dress like the girl, Dez, or whatever her name was. I heard the door creak open, and I covered my chest with my arms protectively.

" Hey, Evernora." The boy, Connor walked in and sat at the edge of the bed. " How are you feeling?"

" Like I've been asleep for two hundred years," I said sarcastically. He paled.

"Actually, about that...."

He broke it down for me. Two hundred years had passed. Arlo had fully taken control and transmitted false dreams that were my memories. I paled and vomited all over my lap.

I apologized, flustered as he cleaned it up, and helped me change into a dress, stepping out after explaining how to put it on.

I joined him outside, nervous, as we waited for a very special visitor. Mica.

He was still a witch, so he lived much longer and aged slower appearance-wise. A strange carriage without any wheels, in the most hideous yellow, pulled up, and my heart stopped when a foot poked out. Mica.

He was still recognizable, just looking like he was in his late-twenties and his hair was darker. I smiled and ran up to him, and was frozen when he frowned and pushed me away.

"Evernora. I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"What?" My voice trembled.

"Papi, wait-" Connor was silenced. A woman followed him out. My heart shattered in two as she, my own sister, clenched his arm lovingly. Traitor.

"Evernora?" she asked, in a red dress that looked like it suffocated her. I stepped backward. Arlo. What had she done?

Now, her story played in my mind. She had taken my body and I tried murdering his whole family. He had fled, and ever since, Arlo had put me to sleep, knowing the whole time my search was useless.

My tears turned sticky, and they turned to an amber pigment. My feet were grounded to the floor. Connor and Mica looked horrified.

I was turning into a tree.

" Mica, why did you leave me?" I asked quietly, my limbs fading to a dark brown, my skin hardened.

"I-I"

I laughed, a dry, empty laugh. " I always loved you, Mira Bayer, but never did you return it. I am glad, truly, that you were there sometimes. I only wish I knew what you'd say if you loved me back."

My dress and skin melted together, Adair shrieking as my last spell was for her to turn into a toad, which turned out lovely, for a warted frog. Connor ran to the building, searching for help he'd never find.

Mica touched my face. My tears beaded into a

"I did, for-"

"Evermore?" I sighed, and my face disappeared into the bark, my soul fading away to nothing but the life in the tree.

At least my shadow couldn't talk.