Dear Editor,

Apologies for English. Is not so good.

In old world, I was goose. Spend many hours swimming, watching eggs, and doing bird things. Was special goose. People came from far away for my feathers. Special feathers. Write name with quill would bring good fortune to owner of name.

Much respect as goose.

In new world, not so much with the respect. Curse made me human. As human, no good fortune. My English is not so good, but there are no others who speak language curse gave to me. I know no one here. Curse took me from family. I am alone. Is very hard making the friends because no one want talk to me. Is hard in understanding, I know.

It fine in first curse. I lived in woods, alone. I make living making things. Candles and soaps and things people want special. Was special maker of things. People came from far away on other side of town, tell me special thing want, and I make.

I make for special people and not so special people and all people. I make. They buy. Was hard work but good. I live okay. I make apple smelling things for mayor and sandalwood smelling things for Ruby and cardamom smelling things for Hopper. I make good, and they always buy from me. Was simple life. Was good life.

Second curse make life very hard. No home this time. Is gone. Tents and people there now. No home, no place to make special things. No special things, no money. No money, very hard to live.

I try. I make special things in basement of church. I make special things for mayor, but mayor is no want now. Say too busy to buy. I make special things for Red, but she no buy. Say she no want smell like Ruby. I make special things for Hopper. He buy. Good man.

There are others like me. Curse leave homes behind, make life harder. No family brought here. Alone. People in town not care. Too caught up in magic troubles. Forget second curse leave some homeless. Church helps, but I want home and to make my special things again!

New curse bring new people and new homes here, leave some old people and homes behind. Is confusing. Is frustrating. I try. We try, but I have little, and second curse took so much. Why?

Why this curse take my home? Why people stop buying my special things?

I no want hand out. I want support self. Is hard, but I try. I learn. Belle teach me to read and write. Father Mallory teach me how maybe to speak English better. I ask people of town to remember people like me. Give help. Give jobs. Buy special things from us. We not lazy or thieves or dirty. We are working.

Always trying,

Olga Romanov