chapter 12

After visiting Uncle Drew in the hospital the next day, we headed to my Grandma Jane and Grandpa Dougald’s house. My cousins Alexa, Mickey, Stefanie, Lara, Derrick, Jasmine, Nicky, and Meagan, my Aunts Kristy, Margo, and Diana, my uncles Glen and George, and my great aunts Lisa and Naomi were going to be there for a special Christmas dinner. When we got there, there was an elderly woman with a black cane. “Kieyra, Nathen, this is your great aunt Ellie.” I shook Ellie’s hand, and she scowled at me. “Um, okay.” I said, letting her shake Nathen’s hand too. She seemed to like everyone else but me. Whenever I tried to make an effort to get along with her, she glared at me and scowled. After supper, Grandma Jane went outside to talk to Great- Aunt Ellie. I snuck around the house and hid beside the porch. “That granddaughter of yours, Kieyra, is a demon!” Ellie rasped, waving her fist in the air angrily. “Now, now, Eleanor, she’s just the same as all of my other grandchildren.” Grandma reassured. “No! Did you not pay attention to any of my stories?” Ellie asked. “Ellie, your stories were nonsense. They were bedtime stories for my children. Nobody actually believed them!” exclaimed Grandma. “The Petrova curse! The one story that always scared your oldest, Jeanette, as a child.” “She thought you were picking on her!” Grandma replied. “It wasn’t my fault. I was telling the truth. In Katherine’s own words, ‘your sister’s oldest child’s oldest daughter will be the third Petrova doppelganger, and when she reaches the age of thirteen, she will assist me in finishing the deed you refused to carry out’ And then Alexandria placed the curse on your family. The child’s name was to be Katherine though, but I guess a middle name could suffice…” “Eleanor Isabelle Pierce! You have got to stop saying that! There is no such thing as a doppelganger, we are not witches, and there are no such things as vampires! Our cousin Katherine scarred you for life, we get it, but that is no reason to fill my children’s minds with such filth!” “It is not filth, Jane. It is the truth! You can’t deny the fact that Kieyra bears much resemblance to Katherine, it is a simple fact. It can’t be changed. But with the cosmetic surgery nowadays-” “Eleanor! We are not forcing my granddaughter into plastic surgery because she looks like a relative of ours!” Good ‘ole sensible Grandma Jane. When she’s gone, her rationality will be missed. “If you would simply help me with finding the things needed to reverse the curse, we could change this.” I popped out from beside the porch. “How do you reverse the curse?” I asked Ellie. “Look what you have done, Eleanor. Kieyra, sweetie, your Great-Aunt is delusional. There is no curse, and you are not a doppelganger.” Grandma said to me. “I don’t think Ellie is delusional, I think she is telling the truth. I believe her.” “Honey, you are not a doppelganger! This is just like when you were younger, and you pretended you were Hermione, and then when you wanted to be Melinda Gordon from Ghost Whisperer. You should be old enough to know what’s real and what isn’t. You’re thirteen now Kieyra. Get your head out from the clouds and down to reality.” I shook my head. “No. This is different.” Aunt Margo came outside with Alexa. “Your mom says you can sleep over tonight, and go swimming with us in our pool.” Alexa said. Alexa is nine, one year older than Nathen, and she absolutely idolizes me. According to Aunt Margo, anyways. Mickey too. And I love spending time with them, which is perfect. “I just remembered I have nowhere to stay! May I stay with you, Margo?” Ellie asked. “Sure, aunt Ellie.” I packed my stuff into a small bag and climbed into the backseat of Aunt Margo’s car. When we got to Aunt Margo’s condo, we changed into our bathing suits and rode the elevator to the third floor where the pool is. I dipped one toe in and cried out in pain. My toe was burned, but healed as quickly as it came. “What is it, Kieyra?” “I have very sensitive skin.” I replied. “Kieyra, did you know that there’s a priest who lives on the fifth floor. He practically blesses the pool when he swims. This pool water is pretty much holy.” Ellie said, winking. Aunt Margo nodded. “Except when he wears his Speedo.” She shuddered. I ran over to Ellie. “You know.” I said. “Kieyra,” she lowered her voice, “You’re a Petrova doppelganger. I didn’t expect anything less.” “I don’t think I can swim today, Aunt Margo.” I said. “Why not?” Alexa whined. “My skin’s so dry, the chemicals burn it.” I shrugged. “Sorry.” “Maybe tomorrow.” Aunt Margo said. “Maybe.” I lied. I sat on a beach chair beside Ellie. “The curse. How do you reverse it.” I said casually. “I don’t know. It’s in the Petrova family book.” Ellie said. “Where’s that?” I asked. “I’m not sure. Our old secret library, I guess.” “Where is that?” “Jane’s old house, out in the country. I’m so old though, I don’t remember where that house is.” I sighed. I suddenly had a flashback from when I was four, driving to the old house in the outskirts of London. I remembered every turn, every road, and every sign. I couldn’t tell Ellie, for she might want to kill me instead of using the book to help me. She couldn’t be trusted, so I had to go tonight, alone.

It was around 1 o’clock in the morning. Everyone was asleep. I tiptoed across Alexa’s room and crept out the door. Just as I was about to leave, Alexa and Mickey appeared behind me. “Where are you going?” Mickey asked in his cute little 6 year old voice. “Nowhere.” I said. “She’s going to look for the Petrova book.” Ellie said. When did she get there? “How did you know that?” she pointed to herself and said “Witch.” “Great.” I said sarcastically. “I will distract Margo if she wakes. You go with Alexa and Mickey. They might be able to help you. They’re witches too, you know.” Mickey pointed to himself and said “Warlock.” “Right, right.” Ellie said. We quietly snuck outside and went to a random room on the second floor and knocked on the door. A young man answered the door. “What?” he asked angrily. “What’s your license plate number?” I asked. “Huh? ST4 7G9L.” he replied sleepily. “Now, what kind of car is it?” I asked. “Toyota Corolla.” He replied. “May I borrow your keys?” I asked. “No way! What kind of game are you kids playing?” he asked. “I’m not sure you heard me. Can I borrow your keys?” ah, the beauty of compulsion. He searched through his closet until he found his car keys and then gave them to me. “What was that?” Alexa asked after we were in the man’s car. “Nothing. He was just a very nice man who decided to give us his car keys.” I replied. “Do you know how to drive a car?” Alexa asked. I sighed. “You ask too many questions.”