The Enchanted

Chapter-8

I looked at the mess on the bed and sighed. I had spent the last hour on deciding a dress to wear to Ethan's place. I bit my lip and ran a hand through my hair in frustration. I had to go shopping soon. But as I glanced at the wall clock, I felt my worry increasing. It was six already and I had to reach there at eight. I wanted to make a good impression and for that, I needed something nice to wear. Oh well, it couldn't be helped. Putting on a sky blue dress, I pulled out my phone to text Sabrina. I still needed directions to Ethan's house.

'Why do you need them?' she texted back. 'I am coming over right now!'

Two minutes later, there was a knock on the front door. I sighed and went to open it. Sabrina stood there looking worried.

"Why do you need his address?" she demanded.

"Um, his sister Elara invited me to dinner today..." I said meekly.

"Adriana, you simply can't go there!" she said, sounding frantic.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. To say Sabrina was overreacting would be an understatement.

"Why not? His sister made me promise to come and I said I would."

"Why do you want to go so badly?" she said, stomping into the living room. She groaned. "Don't tell me you have fallen in love with Ethan because he helped you when you were a damsel in distress!"

"What? I barely know him." I protested.

"That's what they all say," she muttered darkly, sprawling on the sofa.

"Why don't you want me to go?" I demanded. "Didn't you say you had known him since you were kids?"

"I said I knew him, not I trusted him," she said. "They are practically strangers to you! Are you really this dense?"

"Well, no offence, but everyone here is a stranger to me." I sighed and took Sabrina's hand which was dangling off the edge of the sofa."

"Sabrina, you can tell me, you know."

"You will think I am crazy for believing these dumb small town stories or rumours or whatever they are..."


"Sabrina."

"Okay! Fine. I will tell you. But you have to promise you will call off this dinner after that."

"Sabrina you know I can't do that..."

"At least say you will think about it."

"I will think about it."

"So my grandfather used to say that Ethan's family is one
of the oldest families around and is full of tragic history. Since the old times, they have been fond of inviting guests over and once these guests returned, they weren't the same anymore. They became blank, emotionless corpses who kept returning to the old manor on the hill."

"That sounds made up to me," I said sceptically. "All guests became zombies?"

"Just wait," she said. "I don't know whether the rumours about these zombies are true but what came next is true. All the hosts of the dinners killed themselves when the guests became zombies. From guilt, they say. Well, I don't know the real reason but Ethan's family has seen a lot of tragedy over the years. All those people dying for no apparent reason."

"Sabrina, all this happened years ago, you can't possibly think that I am going to become some blank zombie just by having dinner with Elara."

"Oh yeah? Why did she even invite you? I mean, no offence, but they aren't very fond of company, especially that of newcomers."

"She invited me because..." I said, racking my brains for something to say but came up blank. "I don't know."

"See?" she said triumphantly.

"Maybe she just wanted to make friends or something."

"Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound?"

I sighed.

"Why do you even want to go?"

"Because I said I would and it would be rude not to!" I snapped, losing my temper. "And I am not afraid of some stupid old tale."

I took in a deep breath.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you, I know you are just trying to help."

She pulled out a piece of gum from her pocket and stuck it in her mouth. 

"The suicides didn't just happen years ago okay? The last person who did that was Ethan's mother. It happened just a few years ago and it shattered the whole family. It rekindled those old rumours all over the town."

"I don't think it's suspicious or creepy," I said biting my lip. "It's just sad. Besides, you know where I am going. Feel free to call the police if I act like a zombie."

I felt bad going like this. She looked too concerned about me.

"Well if you have decided to go, there's nothing I can do about it."

She eyed my dress and sighed.

"But you would have to change that thing you are wearing."

"What's wrong with my dress?" I said, twirling about.

"There would have been nothing wrong with it if you had been going to a picnic. Which you are not."

"I don't have any other dress."

"I know."

"You know?"

"Yeah, I figured it out. Now stay right here while I get something for you to wear."

She went out, slamming the door. I shivered as a blast of cold air hit me. The weather here was way too cold.

She returned carrying an armful of dresses, her face pink from the cold, her blonde hair in a disarray.

"Stand," she ordered, holding up several dresses against my body and frowning in concentration.

She finally picked out two dresses and shoved them at me.

"Put these on."

I tried on the dresses and twirled about.

"I like the red one," I said. "What do you think?"

"The black one."


"It's too tight," I complained. "I couldn't possibly..."


"No offence, but you have zero fashion sense. Now stand still while I do your hair," she said rolling her eyes.

I stood there patiently while she made an elaborate knot in my hair. She threw a pair of black heels at me and nodded in satisfaction.

"How do I look?" I asked pulling down the hem of the dress nervously.

"Pretty. In fact, you look too damn pretty. Let's just hope Ethan doesn't fall in love with you."

"Yeah, like that will happen." I scoffed, looking at my reflection.

I saw Sabrina sigh in the mirror.


"With your luck, it probably will."