On the fourth night, the children were abuzz with theories and questions as the old woman plopped herself down in her chair. She ignored each of their questions and shushed them, in order to begin the next part of the story of Marianna and the Lougaroo.

                                                                                                                     *****

     As promised, Justin had taken everyone to their rooms. Marianna didn’t seem to have a roommate, but if she did, they weren’t there now. So, she was able to lay on her bed in silence, thinking. Jason, who was Jason to her? Why was he so frightening, but so interesting at the same time? Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him? She thought, before sitting up and brushing her hair from her face. She needed to stop thinking of him. He was the least of her worries. Now, she had to figure out if she wanted to stay or run. They really hadn’t shown any motive to harming her, aside from binding her and tossing her, blindfolded into the back of a car. A knock sounded at her door and she got up, going to the door.

“Hey…Marianna, right? It’s Sapphire and Lysander. We heard you didn’t have a roommate and thought you could use some company,” Sapphire said, smiling at Marianna, who hesitantly smiled back. Lysander just waved shyly, before Marianna stepped aside to let them in.

“Yeah, it’s Marianna. But you can call me Mari or Anna or Anne or Mare,” She said as they went and sat down on the empty bed.

“So, who were you before this? Before the Lougaroo came for you?” Lysander asked quietly.

“I was a farm girl…” Marianna said, not really knowing who she was, taken aback by the question.

“A farm girl? Like tending animals, lowing fields?” Sapphire asked, looking interested in hearing Mari’s story.

“Well I didn’t plow fields…but I help with the harvest and fed the animals…I used to love canning too,” Marianna said, looking thoughtful, trying to remember who she really was.

“Wow…so you never wore dresses or played with dolls? Wore make-up?” Lysander asked, seeming to have the attributes of a city boy.

“No dolls, and dresses hindered harvests. Make-up would have been sweated away under the sun.” I told them, smiling softly. “What about you guys? Who were you before the Lougaroo?” I asked. These could be my friends…I’d finally have friends?

“I was an assistant to a lawyer. I never went anywhere but the city and had to handle paperwork. My parents never seemed to care about it. Letting me be out until midnight without bothering to call to find out where i was. Now…now I know why. It was because I wasn’t really their son. I was just some kid they took in,” Lysander said, his eyes somewhat sad. Sapphire patted his shoulder.

“I was an adoptive daughter of a very rich family. I had whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I had the perfect life. Then, the necklace and bracelet in the mail and…well my perfect life fell apart,” Sapphire said.

“You got a necklace and a bracelet? I got a ring and an armband,” Lysander said, pushing up his sleeve to show an armband around his upper arm, resting over a dragon tattoo.

“I got a ring and a necklace. Maybe it has to do with families. We can’t all be related. So maybe Sapphire, you’re from one family. Lysander you’re from another, and I’m from yet another,” Marianna said, trying to think it through.

“You think too much. They’ll probably tell us when classes start,” Sapphire said with a laugh.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Marianna said. But her mind still wondered and questioned, falling every now and again on thoughts of Jason. Jason, who both terrified and called to her. Jason, who probably knew more about her then she knew of him.

                                                                                                              *****

The children knew when the old women had finished the story for the day, looking at the clock and sighing. As they were ushered off to bed, the old women looked into the fire, the fire reflecting in eyes that seemed saddened as well as excited by the story. Eyes that seemed young in her wrinkled face.