Outside the rain was drizzling. It was the kind of spring day that everything is damp and miserable. It was the type of day that a person feels a chill down into their soul, making it impossible to get warm. The dreary, gray sky showed no sign of allowing the sun to break though the clouds. This atmosphere was very fitting for the events of that day.

A boy of nine sat slouched on a bench, starring out the window, watching rain drops slosh against the pane. He was dressed in a black suit, in which the pant legs came above his ankles. He had obviously outgrown the suit; but unfortunately there hadn't been enough time to buy a new one on such sort notice. A parent had attempted to slick back his unruly blonde hair, but it was apparent that the hair was winning the battle. His eyes were vacant as he stared out the window, his blue eyes reflecting the rain drops pounding against the window.

He was sitting on a wooden bench in narrow hallway. The bench was positioned outside of a giant room, from which soft murmurs of polite chatter escaped. He looked away from the window and starred at a painting of pink and white flowers on the wall directly in front of him.

A pregnant woman, with likeness to the boy, came out into the hallway. She was dressed in a black dress; her eyes were red and puffy.

"Benjamin! There you are! I've been looking all over for you. Now come back here and come see you sister."

Benjamin did not want to go and see Sarah. But he reluctantly followed his mother in silence; he didn't want to see her cry again.

They walked over to the casket in the back of the room. Benjamin peered at the girl lying inside.

"Sarah?" he whispered to her. The girl didn't answer. He knew she would not.

Sarah was perfectly still, her eyes were closed. She looked like one of her porcelain dolls. She as pale with crimson lips, her long blond curly hair was stretched out around her face. She wore a white frilly dress, something she would have hated to wear it when she was alive.

"Doesn't she look so peaceful?" his mother whispered.

Benjamin didn't think she looked very peaceful. He thought she didn't look like Sarah at all, more like a hollow shell. He didn't say this however, instead he responded with, "Yeah, mom, she does."

His mother patted him on the back. He looked at her. She was looking at the ceiling, she bit her lip. Benjamin saw a tear running down her cheek.

"Why don't you run along?" she said, still not looking at him. She gave him a gentle push on the back.

Benjamin left the room dragging his feet across the carpet. He slouched back onto his bench, his legs dangling. He forcefully swung them back and forth, digging his toes into the floor, starring down.

"You're Sarah's brother ain't ya?" a voice said, startling him and causing him to look up.

A girl stood in front of him. He recognized her; he had seen her playing with Sarah many times before. She had wild, red, curly hair pulled into a black bow. She was wearing a black dress that appeared to be very expensive. However, a rip in her white stocking below the knee, gave a ragamuffin appearance.

"Yeah," he answered her. "And ain't isn't a word, you know!" he added in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Sure it is! It's in the dictionary," She explained.

Benjamin didn't say anything; he looked back at the ground.

"I'm Addison; well you can call me Addy, if you didn't know. Most people call me Addy. Except my mom, she always calls me Addison. And sometimes she calls me Addison Lee, that's when you know I'm in trouble!" Addy chattered. "I know you're Ben. Sarah talks about you all the time. She's very fond of you. I'm here friend."

"You mean, were," he corrected.

"No!" Addy said forcefully, "I meant am."

"But Sarah died!" Benjamin protested, looking at her. "She isn't coming back. That's what mom and dad said."

"She ain't dead!" She insisted. "I saw her this morning! She told me there's a spell on her, and that I got to rescue her."

"Rescue her? She's right there!" he said pointing to the casket in the other room.

She leaned in to him and whispered, "That ain't really her! They just want us to think that."

"Who's they?" he whispered back.

"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me!" Addy exclaimed loudly. She quickly covered her mouth and looked around. Who knows who could have overheard.

Benjamin looked into the other room. He saw his father standing stiff with his hands in his pockets. His eyes, stony and glazed, were cast towards the ground. His face was pale; so pale, it was almost a shade of gray. He was standing next to Benjamin's mother. She was sobbing into his grandfather's shoulder. Benjamin turned back to Addy.

"I'm going to tell my parents everything is going to be ok."

Addy caught him by the arm as he rose. "No! you can't tell them! She told me you can't tell them."

"Why not!?" he demanded.

"Because they'll go looking for her, and then they'll kill her for real."

He bit his lip. He looked back in at his parents in the other room. "Can I help?" he asked.

"Oh yes! Of course, just not your parents! I don't know why, that's just what she said."

A red headed woman, with fair skin, walked out into the hall.

"Addison Lee! Look at you knee!" She grabbed girl by the arm. "Can't you behave yourself?"

"It was accident, honest!"

"Well, say good bye to your friend, we're going home!" her mother said angrily, yanking her by the arm.

"Bye Ben! I'll see you soon about you know what!" Addy called in an inappropriately loud voice that echoed through the hallway, as her mother dragged her away.

Benjamin starred after the girl. He suddenly felt all right. So Sarah was going to be all right after all. He and Addy would rescue Sarah, and everything could be like it was before.