Lonely Ghosts

1986. May 31st. 
3:12AM. Saturday morning.

"Tori, sweetheart, wake up," Tori barely heard the words, too entangled in her dreams to realize she was being nudged awake. Finally processing the words and movement, Tori's eyes slowly opened. She blinked, her hand reaching up to wipe the sleep from her eyes. Her eyes focused on the face in front of her, the lips curled in a smile and the familiar twinkle of their eye. Tori's mother gently shook her again, as if to further waken her and prevent her from returning to sleep. Tori made a sound and shifted in her bed, her hands moving to push the covers off her. 

"Today's the big day," Tori's mom spoke cheerfully, giving her a smile and a wink. "Get ready and then come downstairs. We're having breakfast before we leave," her mother told her, matter-of-factly. It didn't matter that it was 3am, or this might be one of the saddest days in any of their three lives, her mother would be damned if they didn't have a last meal together.

Tori was grinning by the time she rolled herself out of bed, headed for her bathroom. She took a quick shower, got dressed, and grabbed the last of her bags. She looked around her bedroom one last time, remembering the memories she had made here. Like any of their houses, it had only been a year or twos worth, but it was always sad to leave a place that held importance to her. To know that no new memories would be made in that space, and it would never be occupied by her again. The chip in the doorway that they made on the day they moved in, having bumped her bed frame against it. The scuff on the wall she had made one night during a sleepover, her and her friend having spun in circles until dizziness tumbled them to the ground, or into the wall. The closet they'd used for a Narnia adventure, that had somehow become way bigger on the inside. She'd later realize that her magic had potentially been responsible for that mystery. Tori shut the bedroom door and headed downstairs.

3:47AM. Their shuttle for their ride to the airport had arrived, and within minutes, Tori's belongings were loaded into the back. It wasn't everything she owned, of course, but it was most of it. Her clothes, and all the personal belongings she'd need to set up her own slice of home in Salem, without her parents. Anything she wanted to keep but didn't urgently need, she let her parents pack up to take to Brussels. They weren't happy about having to lug the stuff across the water, but they did it for Tori. But that also wasn't to say that a few garbage bags of things didn't go to Good Will.

The ride to the airport was mostly quiet. Tori and her parents had spent the night before together, having a special dinner and evening to prepare for their big split. Tori was acting much older than the 11 year old she was, seeming to care little to none that she was leaving her parents and would be on her own for a few years. She was excited, and it was her persistence that led her parents to moving to Brussels without her, while she pursued her magic career in Salem. Tori wanted to go alone, she wanted her own adventure. She knew there would be people at Salem to watch after her, so she wouldn't completely and entirely be left to her own devices. 

Tori watched the island pass before her eyes as the shuttle headed for the airport. It was bittersweet, knowing she was headed for a new adventure and a new chapter in her life, but leaving behind a wonderful piece of paradise, and her parents. Her parents were starting their own adventure, and Tori tried to remind herself of that. They'd have all the time in the world, not having to look out for her. Her mind wandered to all the time she'd spent with her parents, all the time they'd spent with her. She tried to push the thoughts and memories from her mind, already feeling the unfamiliar pang of missing someone. Having her parents by her side through her entire life, the only other time she'd experienced this feeling was after Penny's death. The feeling itself easily stirred memories of Penny's death, and Tori quickly changed her train of thought.

Having lived in so many states, Tori began to wonder what she'd be walking into when she landed in Massachusetts. It would be a whole new state, a whole new town, and with no parents to hold her hand or have her back. Tori focused on being excited, knowing that this would have happened sooner or later in life. At least this way, Tori would be getting a phenomenal and magical education, as well as having people to watch over her.

Tori and her parents arrived at the airport in what seemed like moments. Tori had been so lost in her wandering thoughts that she hadn't actually even realized them pulling into the airport until they were parking. The Reyes family piled out of the shuttle and with some help, unloaded Tori's belongings. They thanked the driver and headed inside to check in.

Checking in was easy and, with little hassle, Tori's parents went with her as far as possible into the airport. With her passport and ticket in hand, Tori said a final goodbye to her parents. 'It's not a goodbye, it's a 'see you later'!' her mother insisted, making sure she got half a dozen more kisses in before letting Tori head through security. Her dad wasn't nearly as emotional as her mother, but it was sad just the same. Tori reminded herself that she would see them soon, and she was headed for an exciting new adventure.

Tori was almost in a daze as she passed through security and made her way to her gate. She settled into an empty seat by the door of the gate and took a breath for what felt like the first time all morning. She took a slow look around her. She was actually here, doing this, without her parents. She tried not to think about whether she should be excited or terrified, far too aware that excitement could change to fear or terror quite easily. It happened when the realization of what you'd just gotten yourself into dawned. Tori was trying to keep that feeling at bay.

5:34AM. Tori almost didn't hear the words over the loud speaker, even being so close to one. Her flight to Boston, Massachusetts was beginning to board. She brought the ticket in her hand up from her lap, looking at her boarding zone and seat number. She was apart of the boarding zone they had just called. Tori gave a heavy exhale, as if gathering all the energy in her body for this maneuver. She stood from her seat and turned, reaching for and grabbing her bag. She slung it over her shoulder and with her ticket in hand, joined the short line that had formed.

Tori's ticket was scanned and she was allowed passage to board the flight without issue. She almost couldn't believe it. She realized it was because in the back of her mind, she had just thought something would go wrong. Thought.. or hoped, she couldn't figure out. She didn't want to figure out. She loved her parents, but this was her newest adventure. But she missed her parents, and began to wonder if she had made the right choice. Her parents certainly would have stopped her if she wasn't making the best choice for herself.. right?

Tori focused on her breathing and finding her seat. Her only condition when her parents booked her flight was that she wanted a window seat. It didn't matter how long the flight was, nearly 13 hours, or what time it left, which was currently potentially too early for her. Boarding first was nice, but it left her plenty of time to dwell in her thoughts. Tori was going to school, for an education, there was no way she'd made the wrong call. But had she messed up by not making her parents move to Salem, or at least fly there with her? Tori pulled out her Discman and slid her headphones over her head. She adjusted the ears and took the music player in her hand, pressing the power button. She'd listen to music until all these old folks finished boarding.

5:59AM. The flight crew had made it through boarding and overhead luggage checking, as well as the flight instructions and safety precautions. Even though Tori had been younger, she had flown a couple of times. But being alone, and beginning to doubt her potential to be without her parents, it was almost like she was flying for the first time. Alone. They had begun their take-off procedures, and Tori considered the long flight ahead.

Tori pulled the balled up blanket out of her backpack, and settled it over herself. She snuggled into the blanket, the one her mom had made her when she was first born. Somehow, it smelt like her mother. She hugged it close to herself, letting her eyes close and willing herself to sleep for the long flight ahead.


6:38PM. Tori stirred awake to the sound of the seat belt sign pinging. Her eyes fluttered open, and her small hand reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes for the second time that day. Had she really slept the entire flight? A small smile of relief came over her lips, listening to the announcement that came over the speakers.

The descent was easy, and Tori relaxed back in her chair as she focused on the scene unfolding before her. The land below her was beautiful, just as she always thought when seeing it from above. She knew that the state and towns below were a new experience and chapter, just waiting for her. But she had already started to miss her parents, and couldn't imagine the years ahead without them constantly by her side. She lost her best friend, and this almost felt like that all over again. Shortly after Penny had died, they'd packed up and moved. And the only reason she'd made it through that, was because of her parents.

Tori disembarked with her bag, and headed to the designated baggage claim terminal that the captain had mentioned. The airport so far seemed like any other airport she'd been in, minus the extra bells and whistles for each specific town or location. Tori navigated the airport with the posted signs, making her way to the luggage claim. She knew it would take the staff a few minutes to unload the airplane, so she had time. 

7:16PM. Turning the corner into the baggage claim, her eyes immediately flicked up to the numbers of the terminals around the room. Giving up almost instantly and settling to explore her way to the right terminal, her eyes came down to focus on the people who had assigned drivers to pick them up. Leo W., Phoebe H., Phillip G., Tori R., Shannon K.. Tori froze. Her eyes went back to the last sign she had read. Tori R? She looked up to the person holding the sign and almost choked. 

Before her stood not a random hired driver, but her mother and father. Her mother almost dropped the sign she was holding when Tori met her eyes, her heart in her throat. She nearly ran full force at her parents, colliding into them like attracting atoms. She couldn't believe her eyes and almost dared not to pull away from them in fear that it would be an illusion that vanished. Surely her magic wasn't that strong yet.

Tori finally pulled away from them, either of them keeping a hand on her. She looked between the two of them, almost too stunned for words. It was definitely them. Down to the same clothes they'd been wearing when they dropped her off at the airport.

"How did you.... Why did you..." Tori could barely get a coherent sentence together. They both chuckled, her mother pulling her into another hug before kissing her forehead. 

"We couldn't just let you make this move yourself," Her mother started, "We caught another flight shortly after you left, and thankfully managed to beat your flight here," her mother told her. Tori couldn't believe it, staring at her parents in front of her. Her little 11 year old brain could barely handle all of the emotions she was feeling right now, thankful being the heaviest and brightest one.

Tori finally managed to detach herself from her parents, and together they made their way to the proper baggage claim. The belt had just begun to move and within a few minutes, her father had collected her three bags from it. Tori's hand clutched her moms, almost reluctant to not be holding onto one of them. She knew it might have been silly, but she couldn't care less. Her parents had hopped a flight and beat her to Boston, Massachusetts to be able to surprise her. She couldn't help but feel like one of the luckiest girls in the entire state. Knowing it would eventually end only made her want to cherish the time even more.

7:31PM. Tori and her parents once again loaded into a shuttle after her belongings, and headed from Boston to Salem. She was torn between sitting between them or sitting by the window, inevitably opting to sit by the window. The sun looked like it was about to set, and Tori wanted to see her first sunset in Massachusetts. 

The drive from Boston to Salem was beautiful, and Tori barely realized the time because she was so distracted with absorbing her first experience and sights of Massachusetts. She knew this wasn't where she'd be settled and living, but she was enjoying it none the less. It was her new surroundings, her new town, her new state, her next chapter. She couldn't wait to see what Salem had in store for her, and what the culture would be like. She'd done a little research, and knew some of the history of Salem. Attending school for witches and magic only made her more excited for her upcoming experience. 

8:17PM. Pulling up to the Salem Institute of Magic was like nothing Tori Reyes had ever experienced before. It was almost like you could feel the magic of the Institute. She wanted to run and explore every inch of the grounds. But it was short lived, as her parents had other plans. They dropped her belongings off then got back in the car, and headed back out into the surrounding area. They wanted to have dinner with Tori before they caught their late flight to Brussels. Tori was more than okay with this, even if her itch to explore SIM would only worsen by the minute.

The image she had of the Salem Institute of Magic was almost like a single photograph in her mind at the moment. It was the only image, the only real life reference she had for her new school. And with the limited time they had there before her parents got them back into the car, she hadn't been able to see much more than that snapshot.

Tori focused her eyes on the Salem outside her car window. She was excited for the new town, the new culture, the entirely new experience; even if it would be alone. Each place she had visited and lived had been different, no two towns alike. They each had their own culture, their own way of doing things, their own community or lack-thereof in some towns. She had loved, and hated, each placed she'd lived in for various reasons.

The shuttle driver brought them to Witchcraft Heights. Tori's parents had surrendered to asking the driver if he knew any decent places in the area for a late dinner. The driver ended up bringing them to a diner, called 'The Witching Hour'. It only brought a small grin to 11 year old Tori's face. The grin almost seemed to stay in place as her and her parents walked through the door and across the threshold. She swore she could feel the crackle of magic in the diner, her eyes scanning the patrons one by one. She knew some obviously had to be tourists, like them, but other had to be.. witches and.. wizards? Tori wasn't even sure what to call them, as she had never discussed it much with her parents.

A woman named Doris came to their assistance, and within moments the Reyes family was headed to a booth. On the way to the tooth, Tori couldn't help but notice someone they passed who seemed to be on their way out. He was older, obviously, with sandy brown curly hair and a look on his face that she couldn't seem to place. She also couldn't decided if he was one of the tourists, or not. She couldn't help but watch him until he left, instead seeing him stop momentarily at the end of the diner counter.

"Hey man, that f***in' burrito was fuc-king delicious," he called into the kitchen through the service window. 

Tori's brows knitted together. She wasn't entire sure he was old enough to be speaking like that. Than again, it wasn't entirely her business or concern. Tori shrugged, turning her attention back to the booth they'd just arrived at. Tori shuffled into the seat first, her mother sliding in next to her. Her father took the other side of the booth. Doris gave them their menus, mentioned the server who would be with them, told them a menu favorite, and disappeared. Tori blinked and shook her head, opening The Witching Hour menu in front of her. She had no idea what she wanted, or what they even had, and began to read the many descriptions of items on the menu. She wondered where the burrito was..