When Coral Crowther was four years old, she was pushed by the bully Veronica Highlands out of the sandbox in kindergarten, making her knee scrape the ledge of the sandbox and earn a bright red gash in return. Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks as she gripped her knee to stop the bleeding, but she didn't sob. Nobody took notice, of course, so she wrapped her handkerchief around the wound and limped out of the playground. Nobody noticed that, either. Coral headed for the acacia trees, hoping to find something or someone to help her ease the wound. She knew that help wouldn't be given to her easily, so she looked for it.
She found Shadow Street hiding behind the acacia trees. There was a long, winding path leading to the village where she lived in. She turned away from the path and felt intrigued with what lay before her. Antique structures stood in the middle of cobwebs and dust. She forgot about the wound in her knee and started to peer through murky windows filled with crystal orbs and books written in runes.
"What are you doing here?"
She peeled her eyes off the ingredients store and jumped back in shock, making pain shoot throughout her body. Blood was now slowly staining her handkerchief. A boy, probably a few years older than her, stood in front of her. His hazel eyes surveyed Coral from head-to-toe. He must've been scowling, but there was this plastic mask obscuring his mouth. Coral blinked back in reply, not sure what to say. "I said, what are you doing here? This place is haunted; did you know that?"
"Haunted?" Coral repeated. "I didn't know that."
"Well, now you know. Scram!" he shouted, waving his arms wildly. Coral was fazed. She ran away at top speed despite the pain burning in her knee, and headed back to the playground. She didn't dare look back or stop to rest, she just kept on running. She didn't want to see that boy again.