Crossed Spells

Chapter 17: Echoes of the Past (Part 1)

The days following the winter ball brought with them a strange and troubling atmosphere that seemed to settle over Ravenswood like a persistent fog. What had started as isolated rumors and unexplained incidents quickly grew in magnitude, becoming impossible for the inhabitants of the small town to ignore.

Lucas Blackwood noticed the first signs one morning on his way to high school. The streetlights lining the streets were flickering erratically, some turning on and off without any apparent logic, others emitting a flickering and unsettling glow. He frowned, wondering if it was simply an electrical problem or something more... supernatural.

At school, conversations in the hallways no longer revolved around the ball or the latest gossip, but about the strange events that seemed to be multiplying in town. Lucas listened in, catching snippets of conversations that made him shiver.

"My dad says he saw shadows moving by themselves in our garden last night," a girl whispered to her friend.

"My grandmother swears she heard voices in the wind, but there was no one outside," another replied.

Lucas exchanged a worried look with Aria when they crossed paths near their lockers. They didn't need words to understand that something serious was happening.

During lunch, they met in an isolated corner of the cafeteria, away from prying ears.

"Have you heard all these stories?" Aria asked in a low voice, her eyes reflecting the worry gnawing at Lucas.

He nodded gravely. "Yes, and that's not all. This morning, I saw the streetlights acting weird. And last night, I could have sworn I saw shadows moving in my room, but it wasn't me controlling them."

Aria shivered. "Strange things are happening at my house too. My mother pretends not to notice anything, but I've seen her casting worried glances out the window several times."

Lucas leaned forward, lowering his voice even more. "Do you think it has something to do with... you know, our powers?"

Aria bit her lip, hesitant. "I don't know. Maybe. Or maybe it's related to that curse our parents told us about."

A heavy silence settled between them, each lost in thought. Their parents' warnings echoed in their minds, reminding them of the heavy legacy they carried and the dangers associated with it.

"We should investigate," Lucas finally said, a glimmer of determination in his eyes. "If these events are related to our families, to the curse, we need to know more."

Aria nodded slowly. "You're right. But we have to be careful. If our parents find out what we're doing..."

"They won't find out," Lucas assured. "We'll be discreet."

They spent the rest of the lunch break devising a plan. They decided to start with the municipal library, hoping to find information in old newspapers and town archives.

After classes, they went directly to the library. The atmosphere inside was hushed and slightly dusty, the smell of old books hanging in the air. The librarian, an elderly woman with thick glasses, looked at them suspiciously when they asked to consult the archives.

"The archives? Why would young people like you be interested in dusty old papers?" she asked, squinting.

"It's for a history project," Aria quickly replied, offering her most innocent smile. "We're studying the local history of Ravenswood."

The librarian stared at them for a moment longer before reluctantly nodding. "Very well. Follow me."

She led them to a small room at the back of the library, filled with shelves groaning under the weight of old books and archive boxes. The air was even more dust-laden here, and Lucas had to stifle a sneeze.