She could remember her mother's cracked and ancient voice telling her: "Oh my dear Lorissa, you know that midnight, 12 o' clock AM, is a very bad time, don't you?" She paused and gave an old, wizened smile, showing her black and yellow teeth. "It is a time," she lowered her voice and leaned closer, "it is a time when bad things happen. Witchcraft and black magic, and...and...oh, you are far too young too know this kind of things. Maybe another time..." And she had cackled wickedly and swung around to stir the pot on the stove, chuckling audibly.
Lorissa sighed deeply and leaned her head on the bed's headboard with her eyes closed, thinking of all the happy times when the castle had been her family's home. Lorissa was suddenly jolted back into reality when she realized what had woken her up. She remembered the howls she had heard. She knew there were plenty of strays in the basement, but they rarely made a sound. Lorissa often threw down leftovers and rotten food into the basement for the dogs. She knew them very well, and she knew they had never howled. Well, perhaps they had howled once or twice, but even that was very rare. Lorissa vaguely wondered what was bad enough to make them all howl so much, and so loudly. She lay in bed for a moment, but came to the conclusion that she must go and see what was wrong. After all, mother and everyone else left her the castle. It was her rightful duty to take care of the ancient castle.
Lorissa was one of the last descendants of an ancient family. She had always been the youngest, so everyone died before her, leaving her everything. She remembered very clearly how all her siblings and cousins had been jealous of her, but when they were upon their deathbeds, they knew their wealth and possessions would be the safest with Lorissa, who would evidently live the longest.
Lorissa shuddered as she drew her shawl around her and picked up a flashlight. How terrifying could something be if it scared a pack of dogs who rarely uttered a peep into howling like hell? Surely, something magical. Animals did not like magic, because they knew very well it could do strange things. Of course, due to her family, Lorissa had a strong belief in magic.She swung her feet off the bed and pulled on her slippers, which were very unlike any other slippers. They were hard and thick-soled boots, with long black laces, which Lorissa proceeded to lace up carefully. You may have thought this poor treatment for sensitive, sleep-ridden feet, but the inside of them was lined with soft and nourishing gel and atop that there was a soft lining of real arctic fur. These wonderful boots provided Lorissa with extreme comfort and not the least bit of pain.
Lorissa sighed deeply and leaned her head on the bed's headboard with her eyes closed, thinking of all the happy times when the castle had been her family's home. Lorissa was suddenly jolted back into reality when she realized what had woken her up. She remembered the howls she had heard. She knew there were plenty of strays in the basement, but they rarely made a sound. Lorissa often threw down leftovers and rotten food into the basement for the dogs. She knew them very well, and she knew they had never howled. Well, perhaps they had howled once or twice, but even that was very rare. Lorissa vaguely wondered what was bad enough to make them all howl so much, and so loudly. She lay in bed for a moment, but came to the conclusion that she must go and see what was wrong. After all, mother and everyone else left her the castle. It was her rightful duty to take care of the ancient castle.
Lorissa was one of the last descendants of an ancient family. She had always been the youngest, so everyone died before her, leaving her everything. She remembered very clearly how all her siblings and cousins had been jealous of her, but when they were upon their deathbeds, they knew their wealth and possessions would be the safest with Lorissa, who would evidently live the longest.
Lorissa shuddered as she drew her shawl around her and picked up a flashlight. How terrifying could something be if it scared a pack of dogs who rarely uttered a peep into howling like hell? Surely, something magical. Animals did not like magic, because they knew very well it could do strange things. Of course, due to her family, Lorissa had a strong belief in magic.She swung her feet off the bed and pulled on her slippers, which were very unlike any other slippers. They were hard and thick-soled boots, with long black laces, which Lorissa proceeded to lace up carefully. You may have thought this poor treatment for sensitive, sleep-ridden feet, but the inside of them was lined with soft and nourishing gel and atop that there was a soft lining of real arctic fur. These wonderful boots provided Lorissa with extreme comfort and not the least bit of pain.
