My name is Anthony Rogers. I am turning Fourteen on September Twenty Fifth. The town I live in, Westchester, is a quaint place. My life until today I would say was fairly average. I am not the best student, yet pull off good grades. I don't see myself becoming a valedictorian when I graduate in a few years.


Westchester is a small town with only Twenty-Seven thousand people living here. It's not hard to tell when we get new people in town. I, by the way, am about to start my high school years with Westchester secondary school. The school is old but it still is running thanks to avid community members.


It seems I got lost in my head again. I stand up to take my eyes from my computer screen to relax my eyes. I stretch out my muscles by raising my arms and twisting around, various cracks can be heard as I move. I walk to my bedroom door and sigh.


I get out of my room and head down the hall to the kitchen. My stomach is in pain. I find myself clambering through the deep blue walls around me. I know I can keep pressing into the kitchen.


The soft yellow walls greet me along with our deep oak grandmother clock. The pendulum clicks repetitively and I tap my hand against my leg with the rhythm. I open the fridge door and take a look around.


I won't be seeing my parents until tonight. They both work late. My father, Timothy Rogers, works as a surgeon. My mother is a lawyer. I hardly see either of them anymore. My friend Alex Simmons, has a way of helping me keep busy while they are at work.


I grab leftover meatloaf from the fridge and smirk to myself. I can at least enjoy the idea I am able to skip the veggies without a lecture. It's not like they will assign me a babysitter at my age. I can cook, clean and even work with my own laundry. I also help by keeping the yard work done. I find I am very productive.


I make my way into my room again to sit at my desk. I put my plate down and rub my eyes. They are sore. Maybe I should try to go outside today.


I look at the time on my computer, it is only noon. I am actually surprised I lost track of time on my games again. I know I shouldn't be that forgetful.


I eat the meatloaf off of my plate and try to think of what I should do today. I find myself puzzled, doing more thinking than eating. What should I do?


My days are usually pretty dull unless school is in. My buddies are usually online playing games or even biking, some would be at the skate park downtown. Either way, I should figure it out.


I finish my plate and walk to the kitchen once more to wash my plate and let it dry. My dad, always likes me to hand dry my dishes. My mom, however, is the opposite. I don't know how many times I heard them fight over that.


I honestly wonder if maybe one of my parents has a compulsion disorder. I just can't figure out which one, or why. I make my way back into my bedroom, lost in thought.


The house phone rings as I open my bedroom door. I groan as I return to the kitchen and grab the cordless home phone. I answer the call without checking.


"Hello? Rogers residence." I say to a static filled air.


"Hey, is this Anthony?" A familiar female voice responds.


"Oh, hey Janine." I reply. "It is."


"Can you meet me at the library around Three?" She asks.


"Sure, what's up?" I ask.


"I found a box in my basement that I thought you may want to see." She says.


"Oh?"


"Apparently I live in the house a witch lived in back when Westchester first was founded." She laughs.


"Jackpot!" I say excitedly.


Janine and myself have always had a fascination with supernatural stuff. From poltergeists to werewolves, vampires to Bigfoot, witches to demons. Anything we couldn't properly explain had us filled with curiosity.


I even got our parents to agree to take us to the Salem Witches Museum. Favourite shows always had magic. Some of the best had cards involved.


"So, at three?" She repeats.

"Yeah! The library, see ya there." I say before ending the call.


This makes me excited. Real witch stuff from our little town. This is so cool. I can't believe Janine was so lucky to find something like that. It's a dream come true.


I can't help but think of Janine as a sibling, as my being an only child. However, Janine being like a sister and Alex like my brother, the three of us feel like family anyways. Alex lost his mom last year to multiple sclerosis and Janine lost her dad in a car wreck four years ago. Between their parents almost always hanging around each other, it's hard not to see it this way.


She and him are the closest of my friends. Alex loves to read mystery and crime books. We all can be watching a documentary and he would be the one to want to read about it anyways. I laugh sometimes at his ways. Janine likes board games, art and music. So we are a different bunch with only one thing in common, we all know how it is to feel a parent not present, even if my parents are alive.


The time passes as I think about what could possibly be lurking in that box. What kind of witch was this one? I wonder if we will see their grimoire.


I look at the time once more and it hits two o'clock. I know I should leave to meet with Janine. I dart to the kitchen to grab a cola and make my way out of the front door.


I make sure to lock the house as always, hiding the spare for my parents and myself in our hollowed garden rock. We always have a way of knowing that rock is the one we keep the key in. I usually tap a pen on the rock to hear the hollow sounds.


I walk to the end of my driveway, hanging left, heading for the bus stop. I love the sweet smell of the fall air. The warm colors of the autumn leaves has me filled with a warm glow I would only know as being content.


I take in the bright greens of the lawns with the reds, purples and yellows of flowers popping around the garden beds. Dandelions are all turned into their seeded white forms. Many of the houses have maple or pine trees in the yards, the lush green pines are the brightest colors here in the winter time. I can't help but take in the sweet smell attached to the air from the trees.


The hilltop overlooking the city keeps an appeal from the city itself below, only the military would reside up there with their respective family. It helps me feel a bit safer, knowing we have a base here. Although it seems it does not prevent most of the typically seen crimes in other cities, in comparison. But that added sense of security helps bring my comfort.


I watch the bus pull up in the distance just as I reach the bus stop. My heart sinks as I think about my wallet and reach to my pocket. To my relief it is there and I pull out the change for the bus fare.


I get onto the bus and drop the change into the bus fares slot. The high pitched ping greets my money as I find my seat. More pings get through as a couple others dart onto the bus last minute. I sigh as I wait for the bus to pull away.


I twiddle my thumbs as I feel the bus shift to a halt. I look up to see a mother lifting a stroller into the bus. The driver waves and seems as if maybe he is too old to help her. I get up from my seat and help her lift the stroller. To my surprise her infant was asleep and remained so, even with us moving the entire stroller.


I get to my knees and the driver points to each level I need to handle before strapping the stroller in. I smile softly after she thanks me. I can't help it, but this always has felt good. Helping people means something special, it's a change I can make for someone, even if it is only for a moment.


I sit down as the bus pulls up to continue along the route. It feels like it takes forever for the bus to get to the terminal, only being a few minutes from the library on foot. I sigh and get off the bus. I walk to the vending machine and grab a bottle of soda for the time being.


I begin my journey to the library, walking fast. The rushing air is most of the sound I hear as I rush my way over. I stop almost missing my signal light on the walkway. I chuckle nervously. Perhaps I'm just a bit too excited to see Janine.


The light shows the walking man. I rush to the other side immediately. I see Janine up the block as I turn right, facing the libraries parking lot. It is a bit of a distance, but I run the rest of it, just to see her as soon as I can.