Atticus

Penelope ran around the church and grabbed Azalea. "What happened? Did you find Naomi?". Azalea placed her hands at her side and then turned to look at her mother. "No, there was nobody there; it must have been the wind," She claimed. Her mother let her go and called Andrea, "Naomi isn't here." Andrea and Veronica walked out of the church. Andrea placed her hand on her knees and began weeping. Penelope walked over, put her hand on Andreas' shoulder, and started crying with her. Azalea took a deep breath and then joined her mother and Andrea. "We should leave," says Veronica.

Andrea looks at Veronica, wipes her eyes on her sleeve, and then starts walking back down the hill. She turns around, looks at Azalea in utter disgust, and says, "I am going to find my daughter!". Azalea nodded at her and started to follow them back down the hill. As soon as they got to the exit at the bottom of the mountain, Andrea separated from the others and walked home in a different direction. "She is just upset," Penelope said, looking at her daughter's upset face. Azalea put on a fake smile and nodded in understanding. Penelope smiled, putting her hand on Azalea's shoulder, "Let's go home," she said.

After arriving at the house, Azalea dashed up to her room. Walking into her room, she immediately looked around for her diary. On the floor next to the bed where Naomi had slept before laying her diary. The journal was not in the original spot she had left it before and was open. "Naomi, you read my diary," she whispered to herself. Azalea sighed and then sat on the floor beside the bed. It felt like forever since she had seen her friend. After what that mysterious man had said, she felt that maybe one day she would get to see her friend again.

Azalea flipped through her diary and decided it was time to part with it. For so long, her mother and everyone else around her had been telling her that she needed to get out of her fantasy land in her head. Azalea felt it was time to listen and walked over to the trash can in her room. Azalea took one last look at her diary and then started to tear the pages out and into the trash can. Penelope stood by the door, shaking her head, and said, "why did you do that? You loved writing stuff down." Azalea sighed and responded. "I think it's time I move on from my imagination." Penelope smiled and then replied, "It's time for dinner. Come on," she said, putting her hand out for Azalea to follow.

Azalea sat at the kitchen bar staring at her food. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" Penelope asked. "Just thinking," answered Azalea. Penelope stood up and picked up both plates; she then headed into the kitchen and used a fork to remove the leftovers into another bowl. Azalea got up and told her mother she would be getting ready for bed in her room. Azalea walked into her room and then closed her door, leaning against it and sighing. "What's with the dramatics?" a man said. Azalea attempted to scream, but the man grabbed her and covered her mouth. "Don't do that," he said.

The man started to slowly let her go and said, "Hear me out before you start screaming your head off." Azalea took a deep breath and then walked over to her bed. "Who are you?" Azalea asked the man. "I am Atticus," he responded while looking around her room. Azalea then asked the man, "Why are you here?" Atticus looked at her. Azalea realized the clothes he was wearing and his eyes. "You're the man from the church," she said excitedly. Atticus grinned. "Do you remember me then?" He said, smiling. "Yes, but your eyes? Why aren't they red like before?" She said curiously. He walked over to her, looked her in her eyes, and changed his eye color.

A dark red color overtook his dark brown eyes. Azalea's heart started to race. "What are you?" she asked out of fear. Atticus changed his eyes back to dark brown and smoothed his shiny black hair. "If I told you that there were things other than humans in this town, would you believe me?" He asked with a curious smile on his face. "That's impossible," responded Azalea. "You are the one with the ability to place yourself in possible futures, and you think it's impossible for there to be things other than humans living here?" Atticus said, laughing. "What are you talking about?" the now very confused Azalea asked. "You, my dear, are a caster," He explained to her. "What are you talking about? Everything you are saying is crazy." Azalea said in a hostile manner. "No, it's not, and I will prove that to you," Atticus said, putting his hand out for Azalea to take. Azalea took Atticus's hand, and they both vanished from her bedroom.