What Man Was That? - Aim To Engage 2020

What Man Was That?

"Hannah, are you on drugs?" I didn't realize my fingers are shaking until my brother took my hand by the wrist, shooting me a concerned look. "Why are you up so early? What's the rush?" My breathing was fast as I stared at Leo.

I wanted to go upstairs to confirm what I heard Yesterday was real. "Hannah-"

"Yesterday upon the stairs... I met a man who wasn't there."

_

My fingers slid through the spines of trapped memories and lessons from witches. My Mother had dressed the attic with walls of bookshelves while I was away.

After a few seconds, I localized the Grimoire at the top of one bookshelf. I sighed. "Brilliant, mom." Positioning all my focus on the book, I raised my hand, feeling the magic beneath my fingers tingling. "Accio," I cast, feeling the wind becoming my accomplice, bringing the book flying into my hands.

What I didn't expect was to end crashing into the mahogany floor. I hissed as tea spilled from my steamy mug into my arm, letting the peppermint scent perfume my sweater. "Oh, this is splendid!" I said, snorting as I lifted the heavy book from my chest.

"Emily, is that you?" A raspy voice said. I looked around, hoping to find my brother, but I saw nothing. "Leo, are you there?" I asked an empty doorway.

"No, it's Greg." It sounded like it was next to me, but I was alone. I took the Grimoire in my arms, trying to focus on where the sound was coming. "What, Greg?" I walked to the scarlet couch in the room, looking around, not finding anyone. "I'm not in the mood for hide-and-seek." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"You're not Emily." The voice sounded disappointed. The warmth of wood was prickling through my pores. Magic reacted to the moonlight rays caressing my skin from the window. Alerted by the sudden scene.

"Are you a ghost? Or invisible?" My mouth went dry as I panicked. "Oh, right," It giggled. "Hello, I'm Greg, and I'm a man, a warlock."

"And why can't I see you?" Noise filled my brain from how puzzled I felt. Was I insane? "You can hear me, as I hear you, but you can't see me because I'm trapped in a tower in the 1900s. A parallel time spell possesses your room and mine."

As a witch, these things didn't surprise me, but this time, I was petrified. "May I at least know who you are?" The man asked. "I-I, I'm Hannah, I'm a witch. My family moved here a while ago."

"Nice to meet you, Hannah. I bet you think this is all in your head, huh?" Greg seemed calm. "A little," I answered, trying to understand what was happening.

"I'll tell you everything there is to know if you come tomorrow, same time."