Snippet #1358883

Lilith crept up the stairs of her parents’ newest project, another rundown Victorian house upstate. It had only taken a few days to memorize which steps squeaked and not to lean on the railing to much until the repairs were made; so jumping over every other step and careful to keep her balance, she made it to the top of the stair case and flipped on the switch to the upstairs hall… Only to be greeted by a hum and pop as the only working bulb died along with the other four. “Great. I guess the electrician couldn’t make it today.”

Cradling the bookstore sack with her newest purchase inside, Lilith carefully ran a hand along the wall as she made her way to her room.

Creak

Mid-step and wide eyed she froze as the sound came from behind her. Breathe held, Lilith lowered her foot back to the ground and let out a sigh at what must have been a random board shifting. But feeling something touch her leg, Lilith let out a small shriek and shot down the hall into her room and slammed the door shut as she hopped onto her bed. Unbeknownst to her as she calmed her breathing, the family cat was sitting very confused in the hall after it had rubbed against her wanting a snack; watching it’s owner run away like frantic mouse.

“I’ve gotta get out of this house. Something to give me a break and a change of scenery.” Rearranging her position from clutching her pillow for dear life to instead sitting cross-legged on the bed, Lilith opened the bag and pulled out a book. “The Enchanted Castle, childish, perhaps. But you shall make the perfect side companion until the next teen vampire or wolf book comes out… That should give me a week.” Musing out loud to herself and the book, she opened and skimmed for the first chapter; finding it easily as an envelope was tucked inside and the pages automatically fell open to it.

“What?” Opening it up and seeing the personal invite to stay at a castle, Lilith had to debate on whether this was a prank or not; but seeing her name, it was obvious it wasn’t random. “This must be some kind of promotional contest or something. A real castle… That sounds so neat! And it would give me the break I wanted!” Flipping the book over to look at the picture of a castle on the front, she couldn’t help but feel this was just chance she needed… and she was going to take it.