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Supernatural

By Jennifer J. Arend

The bus came to a halt alongside a tall brick apartment building in Manhattan. It slid a little on a patch of ice, but no one seemed to notice. A slushy February day in New York City was nothing new to anyone.

Bianca Alexandra stepped out onto the sidewalk and pushed her way through the crowds. Singing softly to herself, she walked through the entrance of the complex. She climbed two flights of stairs up to her sister's apartment where they both lived.

Ringing the doorbell, she waited about five minutes for her sister, nineteen year-old Clara, to answer.

" Sorry, I had my hands in flour. " " I'm making homemade chocolate-chip cookies to go with dinner---mom's recipe. " She smiled, and pointed to Bianca's backpack. " A lot of homework? "

" Not really. " Bianca tossed her book bag onto the couch and sat down at the breakfast nook in the kitchen. The room was warm from the dinner her sister was preparing. The smell of the delicious roast that cooked slowly in the oven made Bianca's mouth water. Lunch had been awful today at school. Worse than usual. It seemed strange that she went to a private school, but the food was just as bad as when she attended public school back home.

Just a year ago, she had been an eighth-grade student at Remembrance Junior High School, in the small town of Remembrance, New York. There, she and her sister had lived the perfect suburban life. Then their mother and father told them something that both girls wished they never had. They were adopted. Ever since then, Clara had become like a mother to Bianca who refused to stay with "those people" when her sister got a scholarship to NYU.

Bianca knew that she had hurt the Alexandras deeply by what she did, but she had been hurting too. Why hadn't they told them before? Imagine waking up one morning, going to school, coming home, and out of the blue finding out the people you've loved and called mom and dad all your life aren't really your parents. It had been devastating. Clara wasn't nearly as upset. Or maybe she was and just hid it. She still called the Alexandras mom and dad, while Bianca called them Deb and Dave. They were nice people despite what they did. They were the one's who paid the astronomical rent for this beautiful apartment in one of the nicest buildings in Manhattan. They also paid for her schooling, and some more odds and ends.

But none of that seemed to matter right now. Bianca got up from the tall stool and looked out the window. The postman was coming up the stairs.

" Should I go for the mail, Clara? " She asked. Clara nodded in reply.

The mailboxes for all six-hundred ninety-nine apartments were on the first floor. Bianca pulled out her key and opened the deep box. There was a catalog, two magazines, several bills, and an important-looking letter right on top. She carried the mail back upstairs and handed it to her sister. Clara leafed through it as they ate their meal.

Everything seemed so normal, and Bianca found herself wishing something would happen. Anything. Then something did.

" Oh my God! " " Bianca, you have got to read this! " Excitement filled her sister's statement. Bianca took the important-looking letter out of her sister's hand. She read it in utter amazement.

Law office of Jenkins and Dean Miss Clara Alexandra

P.O. Box 729 Ivy Street Apartments

Bradford City, Maine Apartment 316

Manhattan, New York

Dear Miss Alexandra,

We at the law office of Jenkins and Dean have important news to discuss with you. We would prefer to arrange a meeting as soon as possible. Under theses circumstances, we feel we will need to inform you of our intent first.

Your biological parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kellerbeth have recently passed away in a tragic automobile accident. Their legal will states that everything they owned belongs to you and your sister Bianca Alexandra.

If you could get in touch with us concerning your inheritance as soon as possible we would be much abliged. Our toll-free number is 1-800-345-7824. Please feel free to call and schedule an appointment.

Thank-you.

Sincerely,

Peter Jenkins and William Dean

" Wow! " " Cool! " Bianca grinned. " When are you going to call? "

" Right now! " Clara exclaimed and grabbed the phone.

Bianca listened intently to her sister's side of the conversation, but Clara deliberately kept her in the dark until she hung up the receiver.

" Well? " Bianca inquired curiously.

Clara laughed out loud and hugged her. " Bianca! " " We're in the money! "

Bianca's eyes grew wide. That was the statement Dave always used for people who won the lottery or had a stroke of luck in finances. What did Clara mean?

" The Kellerbeth's owned a mansion, Bianca! " " A mansion! " " The Kellerbeth Estate! " " They were millionaires! " " And they left everything to us! "

" Sounds like there has to be a catch. " Bianca replied.

" No catch! " Clara giggled. " No catch. "

So, that was that. Clara immediately dropped out of NYU and they sold their furniture to a near-by second hand store. They packed all of their personal belongings, which fit neatly inside the trunk and back seat of Clara's little white jeep. Just a week from receiving the letter, the new millionaire sisters began their drive to Bradford City, Maine.

It was a long drive, and Bianca was extremely relieved when they arrived at the lawyer’s office. Clara went in to sign the papers and discuss the important matters with Mr. Dean while Bianca waited in the waiting room reading Teen-Age Magazine, a local publication.

When Clara returned she looked pleasantly happy, and she sat down beside Bianca to tell her something.

" Mr. and Mrs. Kellerbeth had another daughter a little younger than you that lived with them. " " She is also their biological daughter, but unlike us she wasn't adopted out. " There was a slight bitterness behind her smiling face. " Her name is Ebony. " " She's...um.....thirteen I think. " " She's going to stay with us. "

" It'll be great. " " We can all catch up. " The bitterness in her voice was undisguisable, and Bianca felt for her sister. She was a little upset too. But it was hard to get mad at two parents she had never met.

" Well c'mon, Bianca, let's go check the estate out. " A brilliant smile lit up her face, as they drove up town. Minutes later, they reached the long, paved driveway leading to the Kellerbeth Mansion at the top of the hill. It was a sunny afternoon, giving the illusion of warmth on this chilly Winter day. The sunshine reflected off the windows of the great home. The sisters stepped out of the car‘7 c c c c,‘7 c

The two said hello and entered. The butler's name was James Clark. He said that he had worked there for five years and would continue to do so if they wished. Clara said yes of course. She wished to have as many servants as possible. She could never handle this all by herself. Clara and Bianca met all the servants that day. There were far too many to know them all by name. The fourth floor maid was the single servant who was soon to become Clara's good friend. Her name was Rebecca. She was just out of high school and had just begun working there. Being around the same age, they just clicked.

Clara and Bianca did not meet Ebony until dinner hour came around. She was a quiet, young teenage girl, with long dark-brown hair, and penetrating green eyes that would have been beautiful if she were to smile. But she didn't smile and Bianca told Clara later that she felt she was peculiar. Clara only laughed.

When it came time to decide on a bedroom, Bianca chose a room on the fourth floor because Rebecca worked there. So did her sister. Bianca's was an astonishing room with an enormous picture window overlooking the ocean shore. The interior decorating was done all in sea-green, Bianca's favorite color. She had been informed that it had been only a guest room (there were many of them). Bianca had felt the need to ask, just to make sure she wasn't sleeping where her dead parents did, or anyone else who had died for that matter. The thought of ghosts made her shiver.

Bianca had always believed in ghosts, no question about that. She enjoyed studying supernatural occurrences of any kind. Sometimes, she would get scared though. Nightmares were common in her life. But no nightmare had ever frightened her as much as the one she had on her first night in Kellerbeth Estate.

She was walking outside the mansion. There was a gazebo to the west where she sat down. She was waiting for someone. Then he appeared. A handsome boy in eighteenth century dress. That's when she realized that she, herself was dressed in old-fashioned attire.

There were not many details to the dream, but Bianca remembered everything that happened. She decided to write it in her diary.

He kissed her softly. He whispered of his love in her ear. She kissed him back so softly....so gently. Then there was lightning. Rain began to pour down on the gazebo. She began to giggle. "Looks like we are stuck here dear----"

Bianca remembered clearly saying his name, but her memory could not seem to recall it.

"Never. " He grinned and ran from the gazebo. She chased him, getting soaked from head to toe, as did he. They seemed to run forever. Then they ended up outside the stables. He stopped and kissed her again. "Marry me someday----"

Again a name escaped her memory. This time what he had called her.

"If it were my choice it would be now." She answered. "But it is not." She frowned and he kissed her. "Cheer up." "Come on inside the stables." "We'll get wet." She laughed. "We're already wet." The stables were warm and they smelled of horse's and hay. In an empty stall they practically fell into the hay. He started to kiss her again and she returned each one eagerly. Suddenly there was a crash. Lightning flashed and a fire began in the stables. He grabbed her hand and they ran out of the flames. She began to cry. "-------, my horse."

Another name forgotten bothered Bianca, but she continued to write down the dream in her diary. She had the strong feeling that she must not forget it.

"Wait a moment." He ran back into the fire. She waited nervously for him to return. He didn't. The roof collapsed on top of him before he could make it, and the dream ended with a scream of anguish that was unlike any scream she had ever done.

Bianca cried as she re-locked her diary. It was incredibly sad---and frightening. She was shaking as she dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast.

The dining room was set for breakfast and everyone began arriving shortly after herself. Ebony had a curious smile on her face.

" Did you sleep well, dear Bianca? " She asked, coldly.

" No, " Bianca answered. " But it is only my first night here. "

Ebony nodded. " That's true. "

Bianca shivered. It was almost as if Ebony had caused the dream. But she couldn't have right? And even if she could have, why would she?

Having reassured herself, she ate breakfast with a smile, but silently.

After breakfast was over, Bianca decided to explore the grounds. She

found the gazebo almost right away. It looked older than it had in her dream, and

almost as if it hadn't been used in years. That's when she realized her dream had

happened here, right here at the Kellerbeth Estate. Her smile faded when she saw

Ebony approaching.

" Well, I see you've found my secret place, " she said to her.

" Hardly, a secret place, " Bianca answered.

" Well no one but me has ever been here before. " " At least no one alive. "

Her tone chilled Bianca to the bone. " What do you mean? " She inquired.

" What I said, " she replied without haste.

" Who lived here before our family? " Bianca asked.

" How should I know? " Ebony laughed. " As far as I know our family built this place way back when Maine was part of the colony of Massachusetts. " She smiled slightly. " It's so old....and so haunted. "

" Haunted? " Bianca was startled.

" That's what I said. " " The ghosts of ancestors......and people gone forever. " " I suppose our parents will soon be among them if they are not already. "

Bianca nodded. " I believe in ghosts. "

" I know, " was Ebony's reply.

" How could you have? " Bianca remarked.

" The minute I saw your face after one night in that room I knew. "

Bianca was startled again by these words. " I had an awful dream.... "

" When I was a little child my room was on the second floor in the

nursery. " " Well by the time I was eight I was allowed to pick my own bedroom. " " I could not decide. " " So, every year I changed bedrooms. " " When I was twelve I slept in that room for one night, and I was so spooked I never went back in it. "

Bianca nodded. She was beginning to like Ebony. She was smiling now, and her eyes sparkled.

" You know? " " It's kinda nice to have someone to talk to about ghosts. "

" My friends think I'm crazy. " " Especially when I tell them about that room. "

Bianca laughed. " My friends were always the same way. "

The two girls ended up staying in the gazebo for hours talking about ghosts, and telling each other their life stories. Ebony told Bianca some things about their parents.

" They were always on the go. " " Whether it was a party or business--didn't matter. " " They were never home. " " You probably know them just as well as I do, and you have never met them. " She sighed, and Bianca sensed a hint of sadness in her voice.

By lunch time they were friends, and by dinner Bianca felt all right about calling her "sister". A year apart in age she knew they would share everything, or at least she hoped so.

That night, Bianca dreamed of the same boy. But the dream was different. It wasn't a nightmare. It was just a dream. A very vivid dream.

It was Summer. She was dressed all in black. A lovely breeze blew from the ocean. She sat in her room staring out the big window. Tears came to her eyes. He loved the ocean. Every Summer they would go swimming. When they wanted to go alone, they went at night. She remembered the heated kisses that burned in the Summer heat. But it had always been like that. Ever since they had met three years ago. It had been the fireworks show downtown. Independence Day..........

She began to recollect memories of her times with the boy then. Bianca wrote this dream in her diary along with the other. The memory that she had recalled last night was so sweet. But she had no idea how many more there would be.

She had been sitting alone. Her family was on the beach, while she watched from the hilltop. A lot of people liked to swim while the fireworks went off, but she preferred to see them close up. All of a sudden a young man sat beside her. He was around her age, fourteen. He had the most radiant red hair she had ever seen, and a few freckles scattered on his face. His smile made her giggle. She smiled back. " My name is......."

Bianca sighed. Would their names ever be revealed to her? She thought she heard a whisper in her ear. " Yes. " " Soon, Bianca. " She shook it off as nothing, but it had scared her. It was suddenly cold in the room. Goosebumps prickled her flesh.

" And mine is........ " She smiled some more, and they began to chat about everything. Then he kissed her. The passion was there right away. There was never an introductory kiss on the cheek or anything like that. She knew from that day that they were meant to be together. Now she sat by this window. The window from which she would jump. But not until she had written the memories all down.

That was where Bianca had awakened. After that she was certain of one thing. This was a ghost of her ancestor. But she was unaware of what the ghost wanted her to do. Had she already written all of those memories down? Or was she reaching out for Bianca to do so? She decided to continue to write each dream down just in case. She had a feeling that the ghost was not ready to tell her her purpose yet.

After being at the estate two nights, Bianca had to start school. Bradford City Academy towered over the rest of the city. It housed every grade from kindergarten up. So naturally, it was huge and had a lot of students. Ebony went there too. She pointed out a few of her enemies, some nerds, and a lot of jerks. She introduced Bianca to all of her friends. By the end of the day, Bianca felt she belonged.

After school seemed uneventful, and dull. She found herself anxious to sleep again. Before long she realized she was anxious to see him again. She sighed. I hope I'm not falling in love with a ghost, was her final thought before she fell asleep.

The girl was still remembering things in this dream, and the story seemed to be becoming more depressing and sad.

After they had met at the fireworks show, they saw much of each other. She could not recall every single moment, although she longed to. Another memory that she could recall with a smile was that day at the city ball. Every one high up in the world was there. Including herself. He was there too, although he was not as "high up" as her family. They danced. They talked. They went into the pantry and kissed for a long time. It was a wonderful time. That was when he first said it. " I love you------" She responded with the same. She could not believe all that was happening to her at fourteen. The night he had first told her that he loved her.....she would treasure that moment forever.......... especially now that he was not here to cherish it with her.

Bianca woke up crying. Ebony was perplexed when she told her of her latest dream.

" Why don't you just use another bedroom if these dreams bother you so much? "

" Ebony, she's trying to tell me something. " " She wants something from me. " " I don't know what yet, but I need to find out. " " There's some reason for this. " " Besides....I want to know what happens next. " " It's like a movie or a book or something. " " You know? "

Ebony had only nodded.

So that was that. The next night she dreamed again. This time the girl was older. Fifteen? Almost sixteen? She wasn't sure. Just older.

They were swimming. It was Summer of course. She spoke to him these words. "------I know that-------is jealous of us. " " She wishes for you to swim at night with her, and kiss her as you do me. " He laughed. " And you are worried right? " " You silly thing. "

" Did I not tell you that I loved you? " She sighed. " But it was so long ago. " " Time has not changed the way that I feel and it never will. " She smiled and he kissed her once again. In the shadows------was watching, but neither of them cared.

Bianca smiled at the dream. It was so beautiful despite it's sadness. It wouldn't be sad if it weren't for the fact that it is no more. She sighed, as once again she felt tears come to her eyes.

The day she met Alex was when she stopped crying. Indeed, it seemed just his presence made the dreams less sad. But, before she met him there were two more dreams, and she cried after both of them.

She was still about sixteen. They were in the gazebo as they were on his dying night. It was the only night that she could remember when he did not kiss her. They had had a fight. To her despair, it was her who had started it. "--------you love someone else!" "I saw you and--------" "You were kissing her as you used to kiss me." He frowned. "What do you mean used to?" He leaned forward to kiss her, but she pushed him away. "I can not kiss the lips that kissed hers. " Now he looked angry. "She kissed me." "I did not kiss her back!" "I would never do that!" "I love you------" "There is no one else for me." Now she had become angry. "If you can not tell the truth like a man then I do not want to see you again." She had run into the house. He had not followed. Next to his death, it was the sadest night in her life.

That was the end of the first dream. The second dream picked up where she left off.

Then one day she saw him in the general store. Their eyes met. He pulled her out the back way and into the woods. Ending up rolling and laughing in the meadow. She smiled. "Well I guess I must forgive you now." He grinned back. They kissed. After not being kissed by him in so long she felt everything with more passion. She began to think about the situation with the two of them as she looked out the big window. They had been so in love, and kissing had seemed so important. They had had wonderful conversations too, but it was so hard to remember the words now. But those kisses would forever burn in her memory until she finally jumped out that window, into the sea.

Bianca met Alex at school. She was walking to her fourth period English class and he ran right into her. He startled her greatly because he looked just like the boy in her dreams. From the red hair to the freckles to the eyes as blue as the sky. They could have been twins.

He helped her pick up her books and his grin was unmistakably just like the boy's in her dreams. He introduced himself, and she herself. They sat together at lunch. They talked forever. They seemed to have so much in common. And it didn't hurt that she could look into his eyes forever.

Ebony told Bianca later that Alex had been going to school there for two years, and that she barely knew him. Bianca already completely knew him, and she filled Ebony in on everything from his ethnic heritage to his favorite type of music.

The dream that night was the first one she did not cry after.

Their parents disapproved of them, but never tried to stop them from seeing each other. They did say that they could not marry until they were eighteen. By then his parents hoped that he would have her out of his system, and her parents hoped she would grow tired of him. But on her seventeenth birthday, they were still in love. She made a calendar to count down the days until the wedding day. She drew a heart after each day was gone. The gazebo became their favorite place to meet. They met there at night when their households were asleep. On one particular night, she remembered him taking her hands in his, and telling her that his sister had died the night before. She had been sick for a long time, but she did not die of illness. She drowned in the ocean swimming alone. She had comforted him. The night had been so solemn. He cried in her arms, and begged her to tell no one that he had. The ocean crashed against the shore as she stared at the ocean, and wondered how cruel it must be to have swallowed a little girl up just like that.

" I just don't understand algebra. "

He smiled. " I don't either. " " Mrs. Fitz says that I make it more complicated then it is. "

" She says the same to me. "

He laughed nervously. " Bianca, did you ever get the feeling that you've known someone for a long time when you've only known them minutes. "

" Not until I met you. "

He kissed her. A breeze in the gazebo made her shiver, and he put his arm around her. " Are you cold? "

" Not anymore. " She grinned as she kissed him back.

It was so much like her dreams that she almost pinched herself to see if she was awake. Her modern clothing told her that she was.

Suddenly she pulled herself from him. She felt someone was watching. The same feeling that she had when she first had come to Kellerbeth ached inside of her. Something was not right.

She decided to ignore it, and she let him kiss her again. She wished that her dre c, cShe stepped to the window and just as she had said she would, she flung herself into the raging ocean where the sky and earth met and the stars were street lamps lighting the way back to her---------

Bianca woke up shaking. She had committed suicide. And she had written the book. She wanted Bianca to read it, but she just couldn't remember where she had said it was. And would she ever find out their names? Hadn't the ghost promised? Suddenly there was an even clearer whisper in her ear. " Soon,

Bianca. " " Soon. " " I promise. " But the dreams did not return, and Bianca was sure she would never know the truth.

Bianca soon forgot about the dreams though. After two weeks they were nothing, but distant memories, and clutter in her diary that should only be filled with her memories of her and Alex, which it mostly was.

School was out for summer vacation in what seemed like years. And when it finally came around Bianca was ready for it. Her and Alex went swimming (sometimes at night), and everything was cool. Then the fourth of July came.

They were at the top of Westmont Hill, watching the fireworks. Kissing, and talking. Laughing, and holding each other close. Yet there was something so familiar about it all.

That night Bianca had one of the dreams a second time, the Independence Day dream. This time the names were filled in, and it frightened her so bad that she woke up shaking and crying like a baby.

The names that were filled in were Alexander and Bianca. It's not us, she told herself. They are ancestors. Only ancestors of ours. Purely coincidental. But the dream burned in her mind, and a voice whispered softly. " History always repeats itself. "

Then there was the school dance. Just like in the dream they talked, and danced. And they ended up in the Janitor's closet kissing. And he told her that he loved her and she said that she loved him.

The dream of the ball came back then, and there again were the haunting words: " History repeats itself. " And their names were filled in once again.

Bianca now expected the next dream to be fulfilled and it was. Ebony developed a crush on Alex. She admitted it to Bianca, who only sighed. What was there to do? What was there to say?

They went swimming that night, and just like in the dream she told him that Ebony was jealous, and he responded with his reassurance of his love.

The dream was the same with Ebony's name filled in. Could it really all be a coincidence? All these names? Were they really all ancestors? Or was history literally repeating itself?

When she told Ebony about all this she looked scared.

" Bianca get out of that room! " " Are you crazy! " " It's the ghost that's making this all happen! " " Bianca, Alex could die! "

The words hit Bianca hard, but she could not give up sleeping in the room. If the ghost was making this all happen, then she made Alex like her, and she didn't want him to stop liking her. That was so selfish she wanted to scream, but she could not help it.

The next prophetic dream to become true was the fight. Bianca saw Alex kissing Ebony on the back porch. Everything happened accordingly. Right down to the fact that he never kissed her. The dream was filled in the same way.

Of course, Bianca knew it would be all right, and it was. They saw each other at the supermarket. Their eyes met. They ended up in Shadow Meadow.

Alex had no sister. But his brother drowned in the ocean as the next step. And as the girl in her dreams had done she comforted him. Just as the girl had, she now saw the ocean as a cruel monster.

Their parents were not all that happy about them seeing each other either, well his parents weren't, and Clara didn't approve. But it was the same deal. They could get married when they were eighteen. Bianca made a calendar and began counting the days with hearts. It was Ebony who awoke her from her trance.

" Bianca, are you insane! " " The next step in this nightmare is Alex's death! " " And here you are making that calendar like you want to fulfill this sick prophecy of this deranged ghost. " " You're nuts! "

Bianca began to cry. " Ebony, I don't know what to do! " " I don't know if I can stop it now! " " And if I do will Alex still like me? "

Ebony was surprised, but she realized what was going on anyway. " Bianca, Alex loves you for you. " " It's not because some ghost is making him. " " You've got to stop it now. " " Before this goes any further. " She picked up the calendar and threw it into the fireplace. She lit it and Bianca cried.

That night Bianca slept in Ebony's room. But there was no stopping the ghost. Soon there was a stone thrown at the window. Alex was waiting for her. She got dressed and went outside. They went into the gazebo and talked and kissed. Then the storm began. Everything happened as it was supposed to. Down to them ending up in the stables. Bianca stared at her horse Applesauce. Suddenly she knew what she must do.

The lightning hit the stable right on time. They ran out. " My horse Applesauce! " She exclaimed. " Wait a minute! " He called back. He started to run, but she held him back. Suddenly there was joyful laughter. Two images appeared before them. Images of the ghosts in her dreams.

The girl spoke. " Bianca, my dear, it is finally time for you to know the truth. " Bianca felt like she couldn't breathe.

" I have come to you both in your dreams for a purpose. " " To keep history from repeating itself. " There were tears in her eyes. " May your love endure all throughout your mortal lives and beyond. "

" And don't ever let anything come between you. " " Time is too short. " The boy ghost said smiling wearily.

All the two could do was straight ahead as the ghosts kissed and disappeared into the night. Bianca started to cry. " I thought she was out to get

me. " " I thought she was going to make you die. " " I thought.....I thought...."

He put his finger to her lips. " It doesn't matter what we thought now. " She knew then that he had thought the same thing. " It's only that we heed their

words. " She smiled, and he kissed her. Tears were in both of their eyes.

" I almost lost you. " She whispered in his ear, crying.

" And I you. "

Suddenly both of them felt older than their years. Everything had happened so fast. Now just one summer of their lives was coming to a close, neither of them aged over fifteen.

That night Bianca went to sleep in the ghost's room again. She no longer feared it. The dream she had was the dream of the night of the boy's death, but this time he didn't die. That's where the dreams ended. Bianca never had the dreams of the girl and boy again. Eventually, she found the blank book that the girl wrote in an old attic room. She read it cover to cover, and gave it to Alex to read. The names were theirs proclaiming the fate of their long-gone ancestors for whom they had been named.

Everything had a happy ending, which is so uncommon in life or in the supernatural for that matter. On Bianca's eighteenth birthday, Alex and herself were married. Just as two teenage lovers should have been long ago.

The End

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