The Lost Luna

Chapter-1

Penelope Wills lives with her mom and dad in Jane Valley, a place under Bridgetta kingdom. She is totally unfamiliar with the other world that exists along with hers. Her birthday is tomorrow and she is turning 18. She is so excited because she will be able to work in the palace. The problem is that she has not yet asked her parents about working in the palace. Would they allow her or not was the only question that kept her away from asking them. Now that she is turning 18 tomorrow, she will be able to ask them about it on her birthday and they will not be able to refuse her.

Their house is near the Witch Forest. It's a forest where nobody goes in. It is said to have some kind of magic. The strange thing about Bridgetta kingdom is that the king never comes out of the palace and no one has seen him. It's been so many years now that they have not been able to see the king. To find out about the king and to meet with him was the only reason she wanted to work there. She is so excited and nervous to ask her parents about it, but tomorrow she can.

Penelope was sitting in her room, which was on the second floor of the house. Her room is colored in baby pink. She loves to look out at the moon every night. She hates it when there is no moon day. Her favorite night to look out of her window is always when the full moon was out. She looked out of her window at the moon. It's a full moon on her birthday. She can not be as happy as she was. Her birthday and her favorite moon on the same day were like a blessing to her. As she was looking out of her window, she saw the Witch Forest. It occurred to her then that she should go and explore it tomorrow, but she could not tell this to her mom and dad, they would never agree to that.

She threw her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. I hope that tomorrow will bring something new for me. I hope that they will agree with me to work in the palace.

***

The sun was poring light on her. She opened her eyes. Well, today I would be able to go to the palace and meet the Mysterious King, she thought. She quickly got dressed. She wore a short white dress, which was just above her knees, it was a full sleeved dress. After getting dressed, she went downstairs to meet her parents. Her mom was making the breakfast. When she saw her, she said, "Good morning and happy birthday Pen!" "Thank you mom!" She replied. The kitchen where her mom was working is green in color, it's not a massive one but workable for them all. "Where's dad?" Pen asked. "Oh, he? He went to the bakery to... oh no! I was not supposed to tell you." Pen's mom finished. While smiling, Penelope said, "Now that you almost told me, I think you should be out with it now." The door bell rang.

"I'll take it." Pen said and ran towards the living room, which was on the right of the house. When she entered the living room, she immediately ran to the door in the front to open it. When she opened the door, she saw her best friend standing outside. "Good morning Delly!" Pen greeted her. Delian has been her best friend since childhood. She lives only two houses away from her. Delian is three years older than Pen and has four elder sisters. She is the youngest. Delian wished her happy birthday and handed her the gift she bought for her. She invited Delly in. They both entered the kitchen. Penelope's mom looked at them both and said, "Good morning Delly, how's your mother doing?" "Good morning to you too and congratulations on your daughter's birthday. Mom is doing absolutely fine, Mrs. Wills," Delian replied. "I just noticed your dress, you look so stunning Pen. Especially your hair, it being tied over your head in two braids, they look like a crown on your head. I think we should collect the white flowers to match with your dress and stick them on your braids. They'll make you look like a Goddess." Delly said to Pen while sitting at the table.

When Mrs. Wills saw them sitting, she said to both of them, "I think you girls should go upstairs and talk and when I am done in the kitchen I will call you guys over." "But mom, what about dad? Won't he be coming to breakfast?" Pen asked mom. "No Pen, he's got work to finish if he wants to be at your birthday party. You know how our furniture shop is not working?" Her mom replied. Pen and her friend both went upstairs to talk.

In Penelope's bedroom, she told Delian about her plan to go to work at the palace. Her friend encouraged her that she should go for it, but deep down Penelope was still afraid. She then told her that she was planning to tell them tonight. Delly said excitedly “Pen, you should tell them about that. I think they will agree to this because they are not doing well with their finances, and you working at the palace will also bring them more money. I am sure that they will agree to this.” After this, Pen decided to tell Delian about her plan to sneak out of the house to go to the Witch Forest, but she thought better of it.

***

At night, after all of the celebrations, Pen thought that this was the time to tell her family about her plan to work at the palace. Her mom was doing the dishes and her dad was reading a book in the living room which he had just rented for tonight. “Mom, dad, I have something which I want to talk to you guys about. Can you guys come in to sit in one place? I don’t like to yell.” She yelled, standing in the living room. Her dad came in to sit at the dining table. “Much better.” She appreciated them for taking her seriously.

“Be done with it already, Penelope.” Her father said. “I... want to... go to the palace to work.” As she finished she looked at both of her parents, for them to say something. After a few minutes of silence, her mom spoke, “Penelope, child, you are asking for too much. This is not at all possible. WE can not let you go like this.” Her mom looked at her dad, and nodded for him to say something.

He cleared his throat and said “I think she can go, we are already not doing what we used to do financially. I think, if she is willing to help, we should let her.” As dad completed himself, mom banged her hands on the table and stood, “enough with you guys. If she ever puts a step on that palace, I will leave this house forever.” Her mom yelled.

Penelope was not able to face it. Her eyes turned completely white and she looked at her mom and whispered, “I am going to go to the palace and nobody can stop me, not even you. You understand?” “Yes! I do.” Her mom replied to her immediately. After that, she came back to normal, her eyes turned hazel as they were always.

What just happened to me? Why did I talk to mom like that? How did she just agree? Penelope thought. Without a word, she left the dining room in a hurry. In her bedroom, she replayed the scene which just happened downstairs. She could not quite tell what happened to her and why she said that and why her mother agreed so quickly, when she had just started to throw a tantrum.

***

After everyone was asleep in their room, she thought that it would be great to sneak out of the house and go to the Witch Forest, and see what everyone kept on talking about. She first thought that it would be great to sneak out of the house from the front door, but the thought of getting caught was what kept her away from doing it. As she was looking around about how to sneak out of the house, she saw her room's window, from where she always looked out at the moon. That's it! I am going to sneak out of my window, we do have a long rope in the kitchen, that would be perfect for me to get down from up here, she thought.

She took the rope from her kitchen to her bedroom. One step is down and the second to go, she thought. She put the rope down from her window and tied the end, to her bed's foot. Her bed's foot was close to the window, which made it all easy for her. She was easily able to sneak out of the house.

Down from the back garden of her house she looked up at her window, smiled and said "Well done, Penelope." With that she sneaked out to the Witch Forest, which was only five minutes' walk away from her house. On her way out she noticed that every house was dark, which meant that nobody was awake. "Good for me," she said to herself.

In the Witch Forest, she was not able to find any kind of magic. It only looked like a normal forest. She did not know how long she was walking, but when she started to get tired she thought that it would be better for her to return home. While returning, she heard footsteps behind her. She looked back but nobody was there, so she continued her walk. Again, she heard it. This time she was sure, so she said. "Who is there?" As if that thing heard her, it came out of the woods. It was a giant black wolf. From fear, she started running towards her home.

She was running as fast as she could, but when she looked down at herself she noticed that instead of her feet there were paws. Paws of a wolf. Just like the wolf who was behind her, chasing her. Maybe this is the type of magic everyone keeps on talking about. I am sure this black wolf did something to me...

Her thoughts broke away when she felt something fall on her. She halted. She looked around. It was a CAGE.