Jenna's Story

The Witches Of Snow Hollow

Book One

Jenna's Secret

Written by

Lizzy Stevens

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book

may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or

by any means, electronic or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording, or by any

information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the author,

except in the case of brief quotations embodied

in reviews.

Publishers Note
: This is a work of fiction. All

names, characters, places, and events are the

work of the author’s imagination. Any

resemblance to real person, places, or events is

coincidental.

Solstice Publishing
Ó 2010

Chapter One

Jenna Addison looked up at the moon and felt uneasy. She was only six years old, but she knew things that other people didn't.
She had not yet come into her full powers.
She couldn't pinpoint exactly what would happen,
but she knew how to read the
signs—the
leaves on the trees all turned upside down, and the red glowing ring around the moon.

There were other things too. Most people would walk right past not even realizing any of it, but Jenna was different. Her entire family was different.
Her sister
Jamie was four and Jackie was two. Their parents wanted children close in age so they would
feel close to each other as they grew
.
When her parents told her that, Jenna did not quite understand, but she knew she loved her sisters very much.

Today was Jenna's sixth birthday, and she
was expecting her grandmother to show up. She had to talk to her about the signs. Her grandmother would know what to do. She always knew what to do.

When Grandma pulled
into the drive, Jenna took off running. “Grandma Elena. I'm so glad you're here. I've been waiting for you.”

Elena Hastings—a strong woman who never seemed to age—
didn't look a day older than forty.
But
in fact she was sixty. “Hello, Dear. How is my big grown up granddaughter today on her birthday?” She scooped her up into a big bear hug.

Jenna loved her grandmother dearly. “
Grandma,
I need to talk to you.
I saw
some signs today.”

“I know honey. I've seen them too. It's not good. You should prepare yourself for bad news.” She pulled her granddaughter in closer.

“But Grandma, what is going to happen?” She knew that her grandmother knew more than she was telling.

“I don't know sweetie, but it's something bad. I can't get a reading on it, which tells me that it's about me or somebody close to me.”

Jenna could see the concern in her grandmother's eyes. All the signs told her
something bad would happen that evening,
but they didn't tell her what
the bad thing would be.
Jenna went to bed
that night
knowing things would be different in the morning.

She heard
her grandmother crying.
It woke her in the middle of the night, and
she ran downstairs
, yelling,
“Grandma, what is it? What's wrong?”

Jenna stood there starring at her grandma. She saw her tears coming and felt her own building up inside. Something bad had happened to her parents. She could feel it. The look on her grandma's face told her everything she needed to know. Silence filled the air, and Jenna wanted to go back in time somehow. She didn't know what happened, but she knew it wasn't good.

She stood there still as she could be as she listened to her grandmother explain to her that her parents were dead. It was a car crash. A drunk driver had ran a stop light and hit them head on. The police report said they died instantly. Jenna's whole body started to shake as she stood in her living room listening to her whole world crumble in front of her. Everything was about to change.
People always say change if for the good, but did those people every loose both of their parents, she wondered.

“
You girls are going to be just fine. I will take care of you.”

Jenna wiped the tears away from her face. “What do you mean, Grandma? What's going to happen to us?”

Elena looked down at the precious child. “You will go back to Snow Hollow with me of course.”

* * *

Jenna wiped her tears as she awoke in a strange bed, sobbing and calling for Mommy. But Mommy didn't answer. She called to Daddy. But no one came. The hurting in her chest was back again, and her breath came in short gasps as she sat up and looked around the room. Minutes passed before she remembered.

Then she reminded herself her parents could never come back. Never again. Grandma had said so—and Grandma always knew.

But Jenna also knew that her grandmother loved her very much and would take good care of her. And when she walked into Jamie and Jackie's room and saw them there in peaceful sleep, she was sure Grandma would take great care of them too. And a little bit of her pain went away.

The smell of bacon filled the air as Jenna walked down the stairs.
Grandma stood at the kitchen stove.

“Hello my dear child. How are you feeling this morning?”

Jenna smiled up at her. “I'm okay Grandma.”

“Jenna, Honey. I know things are different right now and you're sad, but I promise you in time things will be better. It may not seem like it now, but they will.”

Jenna fought back tears as she sat at the table and ate in silence. She loved her grandmother but
didn't feel like talking.

When Elena went to check on her sisters, Jenna sat alone in the kitchen and looked around with a sense that someone else was there. The strange, new sensation made her feel comfortable and safe, and not afraid.

Elena came back to the kitchen minutes later
as Jenna placed her dish in the sink.

“Jenna Honey. I want to talk to you for a minute. Do you ever have feelings like the one
you had on your birthday?

“Sometimes. I feel things.” Jenna said as she glanced around the kitchen again. Still not sure what she felt in that room.

“What kind of things?” Elena asked.

Jenna shrugged her shoulders. “I don't know. It's hard to tell you what I mean. Like right now. I feel like somebody is in the room with us, but I can't see anyone.”

Elena looked over at her granddaughter and smiled deep inside. She was right about her. She hadn't seen it in the other two girls, but she saw it in Jenna. The other two may be too young or they may never have the gift that Jenna does. Only time would tell.

“Okay, sweetie. I was just wondering. You can go play now. I'll clean up the kitchen.”

Jenna and her sisters ran and laughed and played in the fenced back yard where the little ones could not wander off. The most beautiful bluebird Jenna had ever seen rested on the birdbath. Jenna held out her hand as she walked toward it, and the bird landed on her hand.
Jenna looked up
and smiled
. “I won't hurt you.”

Seconds later, the bird flew away. But as
Elena watched from the porch,
she knew
Jenna had a way with nature. It was going to be easier than she thought to train her.
This child
had a very special gift
, and it would be Elena’s job
to teach Jenna how to use her gift.

Jamie and Jackie sat in the sand box building sand castles, but Jenna fed the squirrels and birds. It was as if she was talking to them and they understood her.
As Elena stood and watched she couldn't be
sure how much power Jenna had but she knew she would grow up to be much more powerful than herself.

* * *

Elena put the younger girls to bed for an afternoon nap, then went to
Jenna's room
, where she sat
on the floor playing with her
B
arbie doll.

She looked up. “Hi Grandma. Want to play?”

Elena smiled . “Sure Jenna. I would love to play. I want to teach you a secret way that you can only play with me.”

Jenna was very excited by all the secrecy. “Okay Grandma. How do you play?”

Elena had to know if Jenna had any powers yet. “Jenna, see that car for your doll over by the door
?” I want you to hold out your hand and then tell that car to come to your hand.”

Jenna did as she said, but
the car did not move.

“Okay Jenna. Now I want you to think real hard that you want that car to come to your hand.”

Jenna stared at the car and thought as hard as she could.
The
car started moving toward her.

“Grandma, how is this happening?”

Elena smiled with joy. She was right. Jenna was very gifted. Her powers were starting at an early age. Jenna would
not
get her full powers until she was twenty- six.
Elena
wouldn't tell her everything until then.
No need for her
to worry about what lies ahead.

Back in the kitchen, Elena
planned
protection potions to scatter around the house. She would have to protect those girls with everything she had. Once the underworld found out they were there their lives would be in danger.
But she would not bother them with that sooner than necessary. Their lives should be as normal as possible.

Elena
filled
her tea kettle. She loved the smell of apple cinnamon tea brewing on the stove top.

“I have to protect the girls.”

Jenna came running in the door for a cold drink. “Who are you talking to Grandma?”

Elena looked up from her tea kettle. “Nobody. I was just talking to myself.”

Jenna laughed. “You're silly Grandma. I'm going back out to play.”