"Whoa there! Linda, what's wrong?" Seferina literally ran into the girl as she walked into their front yard.

"Oh Seferina! It was horrible! They..." Linda choked through the tears, "They're dead! Mom and Dad! Dead!"

She just held her neice and comforted her for the next fifteen minutes. When Linda had run out of tears she managed to speak, "Where have you been? I thought you were going to help them cook supper like you always do."

"Oh, I was at the store. We ran out of milk, but the store was out. Now, I'll have to make arrangements for the funeral and burial," Seferina said before walking back into the house.

Linda just ran. She didn't know where she would go; she just knew she had to run away from it all. Her tears and anger blinded her from where she was going so the next thing she knew she was at the Door.

The Door was the back door of an old salon. The place had been condemned for as long as she could remember. Her parents had always told her to stay away from it, that it held many evil creatures. They never told her exactly what it was so her curiousity was blooming, of course. Only magical beings could see the door, but anyone could walk through it if it were left open. That she knew.

She couldn't stop herself; she put her hand on the old handle and pulled with all her strength. Before her was a wide street bustling with people, and many were trying to sell things. It was a marketplace! Why would her parents keep her from that?

Most of the people didn't notice her, but a few did. A young man apparently in his early twenties walked up to her. He was in raggy old robes and needed a shave. He said, "Hello there young lady. You look like a girl who likes a rose every now and then."

He turned in a circle and was automatically transformed into a handsome version of himself in a tuxedo and holding a rose. Because she hadn't grown up around much magic in the mortal realm, the man amused her. She took the rose and smelled it, but when she looked up again, he was gone.

Linda kept on walking through the marketplace and lifted the rose to her nose to smell it again, but it was dead and rotten. She quickly dropped it in disgust, and an old lady tried to catch her attention. She was only about five feet tall and was wearing rags. The woman was missing a lot of teeth and was wearing too much jewelry. She smiled through the wrinkles in her face, "Dear girl, you must be exhausted! Walking through this wretched place all by your lonesome! Come with me and have a rest."

'Twas true. She had been wandering for quite awhile, and she *was* tired. The old lady led her into a tent that was only lit by a candle in the center of the table. It was small, with only two chairs and the table. The tent was drab, but when one entered, the noice of the marketplace disappeared.

"So Young One, why have you come here?"

"I found an entrance and decided to find out what was behind the door."

"I see. Something is troubling you, is it not?"

"Yes. I'm worried about what's going to happen, but I really wouldn't like to tell a stranger about it, though..."

"It's okay Dearie. Would you care to see what shall happen? I can allow you to see what is to come if your path stays the same."

"I don't know... Well, I suppose I could..."

"Good! Now close your eyes. I will do it all for you. All you have to do is keep your eyes closed and concentrate."

Ermelinda did as she was told. She was in shock, but she couldn't move, couldn't open her eyes. She saw a world ruled by evil, full of pain and despair. She saw her loved ones being tortured. Everyone was turning to the dark side, and she was the only one left. Eventually they would gang up on her and she would change too. The mortal race would end, and evil would reign until the world died in melancholy.

Then she was released from the horrible trance, but she wasn't in the tent anymore. She was standing in the marketplace with tears in her eyes. She ran and ran, looking for a way out. She finally found the door and went through it. She raced home to get away from it all and think. She knew she had to find out who was behind all of this and stop them before her visions became truth...

Meanwhile back at the marketplace, the old lady stood in front of where her tent was and transformed into a young woman with still too much jewelry. She let out an evil cackle, knowing that a terrified little girl with almost no magical know-how couldn't possibly prevent one of the most evil and powerful sorceresses in the immortal realm from following through with her scheme. Now that she had scared the only one who might stop her, no one could interfere. Linda wouldn't dare mess with her after knowing what she could do. She could now begin carrying out the next part of her plan...

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Another short chapter, sorry. I think I'm cursed because I can never write a long one. She will probably start her schooling in the next chapter so the story will probably either start to pick up or slow down for a bit. Well, don't forget to review! ^_^