The Book of Spells

by Kate Brian

  “Since when is that staircase a wind tunnel?” I asked.

  Noelle’s carefully brushed hair stuck out from behind her ears, and some of her bangs stood up straight on her forehead.

  “Must be that window,” Noelle said, gesturing at the pane behind the desk. The top was completely bare, as if someone had broken it, removed all the shards, and never replaced it. My insides squirmed as I stared at the bending and swaying branches of the trees outside.

  “I don’t remember that being broken before,” I said.

  “Well, it is now,” she replied. “Come on. Let’s clean up and get back to Pemberly. We need to talk guest list for your party.”

  “Okay.”

  I tried to sound as excited as she did, but as we walked out I took one last trembling look at the window, half expecting to see Elizabeth Williams’s ghost reaching out to me. I closed the door firmly behind me and jogged to catch up with Noelle.

  If I really wanted a life with no drama, maybe it was time I stopped walking around in the middle of the night, looking for it.