• Molly woke up at midnight with a pounding on the door to her small room; everyone around her was waking up and grumbling complaints. Who was up at this hour? Which one of the occupants in this room could they possibly want to talk to? Of course, Molly knew the answer. She was always the one that someone needed to talk to…
    “Molly! Molly open the door! Now!” Of course, that was the voice always calling for Molly in the middle of the night, Ms. Welchin, the orphanage‘s director, as well as the orphan’s school teacher. What does she want now? Molly reluctantly got out of bed as the other orphans grumbled and complained. Molly walked over to the door and opened it to see Ms. Welchin about to pound on the door yet again, her brown and gray hair a complete mess, her floral nightgown coffee stained and her eyelids drooping over her disbelieving eyes.
    “What?” Molly grumbled in a barely audible, sleepy voice as she stepped into the hall way and shut the door behind her.
    “Molly, come with me,” Ms. Welchin looked scared, but excited. She turned and hurried down the hall with Molly not far behind, “You have received an important letter, it’s from a-” Ms. Welchin paused as if to search for a word, “a school. They are interested in your talents and wish for you to attend classes there starting in the fall.”
    Molly pondered this thought for a while. No being taught by boring, old Ms. Welchin! But what talents? Molly had never done anything but draw, write and play the violin, but they couldn’t be interested in those things, especially sense, as Molly thought, she was terrible at those things.
    “Where exactly is the school? What is the school called? What talents? And why me?” Molly’s head was swimming with questions. Ms. Welchin looked back briefly and then replied as they turned into a room.
    “All your questions will be answered soon, along with the other orphan child being excepted.” As soon as Ms. Welchin got the last word out of her mouth, Molly’s head went searching through all the orphans she knew trying to find one she might be able to relate to. She didn’t find any possibilities, but she never would have expected to see who she saw there.

    Arion was sitting in a chair at a small table waiting as Ms. Welchin went to fetch the other student. His mind was reeling with suspicions and thoughts. He was trying to listen to hear voices coming down the hall. Finally he heard voices, one belonging to Ms. Welchin, and the other was a mystery, although it was obvious it was female, and she sounded about his age and sleepy, yet alert. He was frantically trying to remember the mystery voice. He had heard it before, but where?
    At last his questions were answered. Ms. Welchin entered the room, Molly tentatively following her, twirling her long dark green hair between her fingers and biting her lip. As soon as Arion and Molly made eyes contact she froze and gasped, letting the strand of hair between her fingers fall.
    “You’re the other student?!” Molly gasped in disbelief. Her eyes wide with disbelief and wonder. Obviously Ms. Welchin told her no more than she told him. They came over and sat with him. Arion was excited; he never imagined that he would be accepted to a school outside the orphanage that wanted him for a special talent of his. What was his talent? What was Molly’s?
    “Okay, you two have been accepted to a school, the Starlight Castle. A school for special talents. And you two have been the only two chosen in a boy & girl pair.” Ms. Welchin began to explain. When she said “pair” Molly looked over at Arion and widened her eyes a bit more. Leave it to a girl to twist things into some weird “couple” thing. Arion let it go as Ms. Welchin continued, “This school is a “boarding school” as you may call it, which means you will be leaving at the beginning of fall, which is in two days, only to return, if you wish to do so, during winter, spring and summer break. They already have all your supplies there and will give you a uniform and all your books.”
    “What talents are we getting accepted for?” Molly looked uneasy as she seemed to pondered that thought.
    “Well,” Ms. Welchin looked nervous as she began to answer that question. “You are a witch,” she pointed to Molly, who sat up straight as if she were being accused of something, “and you are a warlock.” slowly her hand made it over to point in Arion’s direction. Arion froze, speech-less. How could I be a warlock? Why me? What is this school going to do with my “talent”? How did they find out about this “talent” of mine?



    Molly was speech-less with shock. In fact, Molly was so shocked she didn’t even crack a smile at the weird look on Arion’s face. And it was funny! His eyes were huge, his mouth hanging open, and his skin as pale as a snowman‘s! He seemed to be as shocked as Molly, who was also white as snow, and had huge, round eyes. She saw the questions burning in his big brown eyes as Ms. Welchin continued.
    “You will be leaving three days from now, off to mysterious Kansas. There you will be exposed to many different professors and their training styles, to help you grow as a “talented” young person.”
    Molly finally found her voice and squeaked, “W-what will they teach us there? And why me?” She looked at Arion, “I-I mean us…” Arion looked dazed, almost calm. How could someone be calm at a time like this? I’m freaking out!
    “The professors at Starlight Castle will teach you to control your “talent” and use it wisely!” She looked Molly right in the eyes, giving her a stern ‘No messing with your “talent”’ look, then turned to do the same to Arion. “I will not tolerate any mischief making or silliness when you are out there representing my orphanage! Got that!?” Molly always knew Ms. Welchin was crazy when it came to her orphanages’ reputation, but now that her face was red and serious, it was obvious that she was crazy! How could anyone so creepy, crazy and weird run an orphanage? “You each will see children from the orphanage at Starlight Castle, as well as other children from all over the world!” Arion’s eyes lit up at the mention of people from all over the world. “Not all the students there will be witches and warlocks! There will be werewolves, vampires, demi-gods and any other mythical being accepted into the school.” Other mythical beings? Molly was excited by the thought of seeing real demi-gods and possibly a unicorn! She wasn’t very excited about the werewolves and vampires though…

    Arion was just thinking about all the girls he would meet at the Starlight Castle. All the foreign girls, on their first year, like him, but maybe he could act like he knew the in’s-and-out’s of the castle… He sat there thinking as Ms. Welchin continued, “Two days from tonight you will depart for the Starlight Castle along with the other children from the orphanage. They will help you from there. Now go pack… unless you have questions…” Molly’s eyes seemed to brighten as the chance came to ask questions.
    “Where do we sleep? How will we know our schedule? Are there special rooming arrangements? How will we know where to go once we get there? Where will we-” Molly peppered Ms. Welchin with questions until her hand went up to stop her.
    “Okay then, good night! Go pack! Quietly, don’t tell anyone where your going! Got that!?” Ms. Welchin sent them off without even trying to answer Molly’s questions.

    Molly want back to her room sulking. Ms. Welchin hadn’t answered a single one of her questions. She got to a quiet room full of beds and darkness, back to where her life was changed forever. She walked, blindly, over to her bed and grabbed the stuff she needed for school. Clothes for weekends, the money she hid in her socks, and all her toiletries, hairbrush, toothbrush, etc. She sat on the edge of her bed and reflected on her life at the orphanage. Her memories flashed through her eyes and almost every memory involved a small cream cat with huge pink eyes. And that cat was Molly. She snuck out late at night and explored the streets at night, going to the 24-hour library to look for information on her family. Then she realized what that might mean to her. Is turning into a cat part of being a witch?

    Arion sat on the edge of his bed when he got back to his room. He stared at his best friend Matt as he slept. He seemed peaceful and calm, and made Arion think that nothing had changed, he was going back to sleep and decided to glance over at his little buddy. Unfortunately Matt was not going to the Starlight Castle, and probably won’t go in 3 years, when he’s in 6th grade. It made Arion’s heart ache and tear well to think of leaving the person who seemed to be his brother. For years they had been getting in trouble, making mischief and messes for years, ever sense Arion’s parents died and he came to the orphanage. His life was about to change, and he was going to face a new school with other people, and only Molly to stand by his side. Maybe it wouldn’t be terrible, I mean, Molly does seem nice, and she is kind of -He didn’t exactly want to think the word- cute. He might make friends, he might make enemies, but no matter what, he always would see Molly over vacation. But he hardly knew her, and he promised Matt he wouldn’t get all hung up on a girl.