It was dark.  No, that is a s***ty beginning to this story.    Okay, it was late. No it was, dark and uncomfortable. Yeah.
My name is Lyanna Bordeaux.  I live in Mandeville, Louisiana.  It is just across the river from New Orleans.  The story I am about to tell you is dark and uncomfortable.  I could care less if you like it or not.  I certainly hated the events that took place, but they are truthful and real.  Here they are.
         It was 1982.  The main thing you need to know about me is that, I am a traditional southern girl, but my family is different.  We are what are called “casters,”  Which are witches and wizards of the southern United States.  Caster’s have control over the elements, fire, water, earth and air.  My momma killed my daddy when I was 2 and ran off to become a more powerful dark caster.  She left me with her brother, Carlisle.  My mother is known as one of the most powerful dark casters of all time.   The thing about caster’s is that each of us has unique set of capabilities.  Mine is called “The Curse.”  I can look at someone and cause them the worst physical and emotional pain they have and will ever experience.  By the age of 18, a caster’s powers will be claimed for either the light or the dark.  My family is split in half.  Half-light and half-dark.  My 18th birthday is in four months.  I want to be light more than anything, but my powers are telling me otherwise. My family has always told me that being a  caster is one of the most unique and amazing opportunities a person can have.  I don’t see the appeal in hiding my powers, being afraid I’ll hurt someone or worse.  I need to get my mind off all this caster nonsense.
   I am sitting in a diner, drinking a bottle of Coke.  As I sit in the red, squishy booth, I can feel the room fill with cold air.  As soon as I look up, I see my best friends, Coy and Leona. They have been my best friends for ten years now.  Coy and I used to date off and on. Coy is tall, dark short hair, and olive skin.  Leona is a dirty blonde with a gorgeous face.  One time,
when she had the flu, someone asked if she was a supermodel.  As Leona sits down, she gestures to the waiter to come towards us.  She orders the same thing she has been ordering for ten years.  A grilled cheese with a chocolate shake.  They knew of my family and my powers.  They couldn’t care less. 
“Lyanna, you wanna go down to the football game at the school in an hour?” Coy asked wrapping his arm around me. 
“I was planning on going home to do absolutely nothing.”  I said with a snap. 
“Come on, Lyanna.  Just come!”  Leona said stuffing her face with her grilled cheese.
“Fine,”  I say, throwing in an eye roll.
Before I say anything else, I can see a woman looking at me from across the diner.  She is just staring at us.  She is wearing a dark robe with circular reading glasses.  She walks over and says, “Lyanna Bordeaux, you will be the ruin of your friends and your family.  The curse has only just begun.”  She walks away.  I am shocked, scared and shook. 
“What the hell was she talking about?”   Leona says taking an awkward sip of her milkshake. 
“I need to go,”  I say, rushing out of the diner.
It’s hot, muggy and my heart is pounding.  I try to sprint home, as soon as I’m a block from the diner, I hear a male voice. 
“Well aint she pretty.”  It’s Russ Jenkins, a fellow in my class.  He’s drunk obviously. “Come and give me a kiss.” He says stumbling towards me.
“Get the hell away from me.”  I say backing away. 
“Come on sweetheart.”  He says jumping at me. As soon as he jumps, everything goes black.  “Pain,” I say calmly. 
He stops, and drops to his knees, screaming in agony.  He then rises to the air, with his arms and legs stretched out.  I’m just staring at him, knowing I am doing this to him.  I can hear the screams of everyone around me.  Police sirens are nearing, and I can’t seem to let Russ go.  The thing you gotta know about caster’s is that, it takes years of training and experience to have complete control over your powers. .  I was terrified, angry and shocked.   Police men watch me with their guns pointed at me.  It didn’t dawn on me that Russ and I were the only ones in the middle of the street.
“Drop him now!”  Says an officer.  So, I drop him.  I can hear his bones break and crack like popcorn.  I turn to  the police officers and they all collapse, screaming.  Throughout this extraordinary moment, my mind is racin’.  I can hear Coy and Leona yelling at me to stop.  Coy tries to run towards me, but I push him back at least 5 feet.  The skies are getting darker, I’m getting more terrified.  I don’t know what to do.  As I see everyone run away, I see Coy on the ground knocked out, and Leona crying hunched over him as if she was his guardian angel.  Amid the crowd of people running, I see the old woman.   She walks towards me without a shred of fear, a slight grin and says, “darlin’, you have no idea how powerful you can be.”  “How do I control my powers?”  I say crying hysterically collapsing to the ground.  She starts to cackle, “sweetheart, you’re talkin’ to the wrong woman.  You need to talk to your momma!”  I was surprised she knew of my mother.  “You knew my momma?”  I say wiping the tears off my face.  “Sugar, Cortenza and I were best friends at a time.  She told me to make sure you were alright after she left.”  She says offering me a hand up.  “You have to go on and find her, if you really wanna control your powers.”  I didn’t know what to do.  This woman killed my father and left me when I was a baby.  How could I even want to be in the same room as her.   I walk over with the woman to Coy who’s just awaking and Leona.  “You alright, babe?”  I say hugging and kissing him.  “I’m fine.  Just a little sore.”  He says blinking slowly.  “How are you?”  Leona says with a concerning look, looking around at the wreckage.  “Confused, upset and nervous.”  I say looking at the broken Russ Jenkins lying on the ground.  “Nervous for what?”  Coy says.  “Meeting my mother.”  They all seem confused.  “Lyanna, I didn’t mean for you to actually go lookin’ for her!” The old woman said grabbin’ my arm.   “I have to.  I need answers.”  I say walking with my friends and the old woman back into the diner. The woman was right.  The curse had already begun.