Read Online Enchanted, A Paranormal Romance / Fantasy (Forever Charmed) by Rachel Wells - Free Book Online Page B

to the side. It was dressed in outdated clothing in muted tones of brown. A blouse and long skirt. The breeze pushed it again, making it swing gleefully.
    This time the scream did find its way out of Mandy. She screamed and screamed, staring in unparalleled fear at the traumatizing sight in front of her eye. She wanted more than anything to back away, to run away, or to at least look away or close her eyes, but she couldn’t. It was as if her body was not under her control anymore. She continued to shriek until finally she located her legs and they began to respond to her commands and move her away.
    Mandy ran blindly, not caring which direction she went so long as she got away from this horrid place. She had only gotten a few paces away when she tripped over something, perhaps a tree root poking out of the ground. She fell on her stomach and found herself staring at something directly in front of her. It was a large gray stone. A slab. A headstone. Her eyes began to read the carving even though she knew what it said before she did so.
    “Here liest quite free from Lifes
    Distreƒsing Care,
    A loving Wife…”
    The scream gurgled up again in Mandy’s throat. She squeezed her eyes shut and let the scream surround her in the dark night until her throat felt like it would collapse in on itself.
    “Mandy!” Another voice, louder this time, more urgent and forceful. “Mandy, Mandy! Wake up!”
    Before she could sort out what was happening she felt her mother’s hand on her arm, shaking her gently. The scream cut off in Mandy’s throat. She hesitantly opened her eyes and took a cautious look. She was in her bedroom. Her mom was bent over her, a worried look on her face. Mandy gasped and gave a sigh of relief. It had just been a dream, but it had seemed so real.
    “Mandy, are you all right? What did you dream?” Mandy’s mom asked anxiously. “I’ve never heard you scream like that. Actually, I’ve never heard anyone scream like that. It was blood-curdling, bone chilling. I was ready to fight off alien abductors!” Her mother giggled nervously.
    Mandy forced a half smile to try to calm her mom down a bit. “Um, I don’t know, Mom. I can’t really remember what I was dreaming. I just remember being scared.” Mandy shrugged at her mom. She did remember the dream of course. In fact she was pretty sure she would never forget that one no matter how hard she tried to. “Sorry I woke you. I’m fine though, really.”
    “You sure, sweetie?”
    “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired. You can go back to bed.” Mandy laid down and pulled the blankets up over her shoulder like she was going to go back to sleep. Her mom gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.
    “Night, hon. If you need me call me! I’m right down the hall,” Mandy’s mom said as she stepped out and closed Mandy’s door.
    Mandy rolled over and looked at the alarm clock on her nightstand. The red numbers glared coldly at her. It was only 2:30a.m. She had lots of time to sleep still, she just wasn’t sure if she would be able to. The images from the dream kept replaying through Mandy’s mind over and over again. It had felt so real Mandy had trouble convincing herself even now that it had only been a scary dream. She was thinking about all of the weird things too much that she had witnessed since moving here.
    Okay, so what, Mandy? She tried to reason with herself. You found some old letters and they may or may not be written by someone who was a reputed witch. You may or may not be related to said witch. It doesn’t matter because you know there’s no such thing as witches! People liked to blame their problems on anyone they can. People accused people of witchcraft as scapegoats. It’s nothing to be scared of. You don’t even know how much of any of this is true anyway. Go back to sleep!
    Mandy sighed. She was right. And she was crazy. Crazy to be considering believing in witchcraft, crazy for talking to herself. She was going to have to make sure to