The Witching Hour by Katie Brethorst (room on the broom read aloud TXT) 📖

I guess he was expecting a different reaction, because he tugged one of my headphones out. He did not just touch my head phones. I mean I just got them, and unlike Sabine, I do not have Bieber fever. I put on my calmest attitude and replyed in my sweetest voice.
"What do you want?" I asked super sweetly and nonchalant. I really hate this guy, but I'm going to have to put up with it for pretty much the rest of my life, so. He looked a little shaken by my response, but he pulled it together surprisingly fast.
"Well I heard you are going to be one of the new upcoming singers, so I figured I should probably say hello." He smiled his smile that makes me sick, but every other girl in the universe go all melty inside. Weirdo.
"So Justin, I have a question. What were you doing in Maine?" I asked in my most clueless voice. I actually curious, but I didn't think I would like the answer.
"I came to see you silly." he said. I knew I wouldn't like the answer. Now I was really suspicious. Did he know something about me being a witch. Oh God, I hoped not. If he did it would not be a good outcome.
"So it was you who left the necklace on my front porch?" I asked. I got a brief nod and a smile. I mentally rolled my eyes. Who did this guy think he was. I am going to have some serious words with Robert some crazy guy my address. "It was really pretty. I have another quick question. Could you sign a picture for my friend? It would really mean a lot to her." I saw I hit some famous nerve of his and he smiled real big. Jeez. He took a picture out of his briefcase. (Seriously dude?) He signed it with a fourish and handed it back to me. I stuck it in a folder and turned my iPod back on. I was listening to 'I'm Into You' by JLo, when he finally left. I was so glad. I turned my phone on and texted Sabine back. 'you'll nevr guess who i just met.' I texted her quickly so the flight attendant wouldn't see me. Even though I was about to become famous, (hopefully)I didn't like to disrespect authority. She quickly put back 'Who?' I smirked. I knew as soon as she got this next text she would probably start jumping up and down and screaming. 'Oh just the biggest jerk in history Justin Bieber.' About thirty seconds after I sent that, I heard my phone ring. I put it to my ear, and all I could hear was screaming on the other end. I smiled.
"Calm it down Sabine."I said. She quieted down just a little, but she was jabbering a million miles an hour. I heard so many questions in about five seconds it should be in a world records book. "He is on the plane with me and I think he would like to speak to you." I look over and I see him looking at me. I handed him the phone and I'm pretty sure he got a busted eardrum on how loud Sabine was screaming. I just laughed. After maybe ten minutes, he handed the phone back to me. Sabine was practically crying on the other end she was so happy. I told her that I got her the picture she wanted, and I got a happy squeal out of her. We talked a few more minutes before I hung up and turned my phone off. I slept the rest of the flight.


Chapter Eight


When I got off the plane, the bright sun hurt my eyes. You see, ever since the Salem witch trials, brightness hurts us. Badly. If we stay out in it too long, we get extremely exhausted. I ran into the airport and met up with Robert. I got mad at the sight of him. Who gives some crazy stalker dude my address. A weirdo that's who. I was fuming by the time I got up there.
"My dear Persephone, what has gotten into you? Anger is not a good look for you dear." Robert said. Since when is am I his dear? So confused.
"The problem, my dear Robert," I said in my coldest voice. "is that you gave some psycho weirdo my address, and he is leaving weird gifts for me." God I was mad. Beyond mad. Robert gave me a weird look. He looked confused for a second and then he realized what I meant.
"Oh, honey," he said in an equally cold voice. "Justin was just being a gentleman. If you don't like him, all you have to do is say so." His voice had lost its hostility, but pain filled it for not trusting him with my personal information.
"I'm sorry Robert, but he kept pestering me my whole flight, and I didn't get a lot of sleep." I gave him a quick hug to let him know I meant it. He looked at least a little bit better at least.
"Come on Persephone, I am going to show you to your new home." Oh dear.


Chapter Nine


We drove at least twenty miles. But traffic was so bad, we might as well as been traveling one hundred. I took in the sights as we drove though,(Which was probably what was causing the traffic.)I saw the Hollywood sign and Beverly Hills. At long last we reached this huge skyscraper, that had a french name on it. At first, I thought it was a recording studio.
"Here you are Persephone. This is your new condo." Robert said with a lot of pride in his voice. Holy cheese. I can't believe even a part of this skyscraper is mine. Robert took me to the eigty-ninth floor. I about had a heart attack from fright. There was a balcony that I was pretty sure I wasn't going on. Yes, you must be thinking, aren't witches supposed to fly on magic brooms really high in the air? Anybody who is thinking that, shut up. I don't even want to think about me being up that high. Robert showed me around my floor.(Yes, my floor. It is so cool.) It had a master bedroom with a master bath. The master bedroom was painted the color of a pomegranate seed. Ironic right?
Okay anybody who doesn't know the Persephone myth here it is, in a condensed version. Persephone was having fun with her friends when the god of the Underworld, Hades, came up out of the ground and snatched her. Her mom went into a rage and wouldn't allow anything to grow. That is how we got fall and winter. Persephone wasn't allowed to eat anything in the Underworld. Her mother finally convinced Zeus (God of the Gods) to make Hades let her go. Right before he did though he fed Persephone seven pomegranate seeds. One for each month. Now she has to stay down there for seven months out of the year. September, October, November, December, January, February, and March. The other five months, she's with her mom, which is why we have spring and summer. God what a mouthful. Well on with the story.
There was a living room, its walls made completely out of glass. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be looking out onto traffic anytime soon. There was a kitchen that would have a twenty four hour maid waiting for my every call. Um no. I put that idea out, almost before it started. I didn't like the idea of slavery, and I definitely was not going to own one. I could make my own food. And in every room, there was a big screen TV. I also turned that idea down. I told Robert I only needed one in my bedroom. That was it. I told him to give the others to charity. Plus I knew if I wanted one in my living room, all I had to do is point my finger,and poof! There would be a new one. Robert left a few minutes later. I went to unpack,and I realized I left my suitcase in the limo. I wasn't going to look down and see if the car was still there. I said a few words and it was transported to my bedroom. I unpacked some pictures and put them on the walls that weren't glass. I put my books into a saphire blue bookcase. I put all my CD's and DVD's under the sound system on a shelf. I put my ring on my finger, and was already unpacked. How sad is that? I took out my laptop and found a really cool painting depicting Persephone walking through a meadow. I'll bet it was right before Hades came and picked her up. I ordered it and it was only fifty bucks. I wanted my namesake to be somewhere in this condominium. Then I put on some pajama's and went to bed.


Chapter Ten


I wanted to go look around my new home. I wanted to go to the beach, so I put on my swim suit and some shorts and hit the road. I got into the limo and sped off. We got there shortly after nine. Thank God the traffic wasn't so bad. I got a chair and laid out. I grabbed my book and read. After a little bit I got up and stretched. I walked by the water and looked out. I saw something moving out in the water. At first I thought it was some kind of dorsal fin. Then I realized it was a hand. Waving for help. No one else seemed to notice it. I jumped in the water and swam like I've never swam before. I got within 10 yards when the hand went down. I hated to use my powers in public but this was an emergency. I muttered "I can't see the person down there, please magic glow their hair.' Instantaneously I saw the glow. I took a breath and dove. I got to the person and dragged them up. I pulled him to the beach exhausted. I yelled for a lifeguard, but it seemed everyone had cleared our section of the beach. I had to take the matters into my own hands. I started pounding his chest in the Hymlech maneuver. He started to sputter and cough up sea water. I sighed in relief. No sooner had I done that, there was a knife at my throat.


Chapter Eleven


The boy had flipped us to where I was on the bottom. He still had the knife to my throat. I was utterly scared. I was about to scream, when he put a hand over my mouth. I glared at him. That was when he started to talk.
"Your Persephone, right?" he asked in a bitter voice. I nodded. I bet he could see the terror in my eyes. "You know I'm supposed to kill you." I shook my head. What was I supposed to say, 'Yeah I knew you were gonna kill me, so I walked right up onto you like,here I am Mr. Killer. Guys. I could see pain in his eyes though. Like he really didn't want to kill me. All of a sudden he released his hand off my mouth. Now it was my turn to speak.
"Who sent you to do this? Weren't you just drowning? Why