by c a king
“You’re on!” Thomas exclaimed.
“What?!” Cali screeched. “We most definitely are not on.” One hand swatted Thomas with force, coming in direct contact with his upper arm. “We haven’t even agreed to go yet.”
“Too late,” Frankie replied, skipping in a circle around her shovel, her posse watching on from a safe distance. “Unless you want to forfeit now. If you do, we all go to the headmistress and tell her about your little plan. I’m sure she’d be very interested in your activities.”
“No!” Makayla exclaimed. “We’ll go. If we win, you’ll tell us why you transferred here from another academy.”
Frankie’s face drained of what little colour it normally held. “Fine,” she snapped. “Guys, grab your shovels. It’s grave digging time.”
“I have a really bad feeling about this,” Cali whined, shaky fingers taking hold of a handle. She clenched her eyes tightly closed.
“Everyone ready?” Makayla asked.
“Ready here,” Frankie chuckled, blowing a small bubble. “See you in town. Losers buy lunch for everyone.”
“Loser tells all,” Makayla announced. “Let’s do it. Everyone think of the cemetery by the outskirts of town—the one we saw on the way in.”
“On the count of three,” Frankie interrupted. She nodded at Iggie, Sven, and the third addition to their party.
Makayla glanced down the row. They’d had ample time in school, and yet she couldn’t remember one instance of the last member of the bubblegum squad’s name being used. As if feeling her stare his head cocked to the side, glowing amber eyes locking on hers. Her foot jolted forward, pressing down on the shovel.
Vertigo was possibly the worst feeling anyone could experience. The world spun out of control. She could see everything and nothing at the same time. The scenery whizzed by faster than her vision could keep up with. Then came the waves of nausea, bile filling her mouth. Clenched lips refused to let vomit pass, cheeks filling to the brim. The gag reflex was fully engaged. It wouldn’t be long before she couldn’t stop the inevitable from happening.
Makayla amended her original thoughts: Falling with vertigo was the worst possible feeling a person could have. The ground came fast, her body battered by its frozen hardness. She rolled a few times, tucking in her knees to stop in an on all fours position. It was just in time. A mouthful of bile mixed with bits of breakfast landed on what little grass still poked through the frozen tundra beneath her. One sleeve became a napkin, wiping the remnants from her face. She glanced around. It was a cemetery, but which one? None of it looked familiar.
It was rather late to realize it, but there were rather large holes in her plans. First, she’d only seen the cemetery by the town once and even that was from a distance. Second, the grounds covered a rather large area of land. There was no way to know if she was in the right place or on the other side of the continent. She pushed herself up, hoping to catch sight of one of the others. That was wishful thinking, though. There wasn’t another soul to be found, or heard.
An eerie silence made its presence known. There were no howls, hoots, rustling leaves, or anything else for that matter. The place she stood in was completely void of all life—as dead as the bodies buried there.
The pendant on her necklace swung free. The small orb filled with red smoke. That couldn’t be a good sign. Something terrible was about to happen. She was sure of it.
Chapter Twenty-One
Thomas’s jaw dropped open but continued to chatter. “She really did it!” he exclaimed. “I thought she was kidding... it was like a stupid joke.”
“Where do you think she went?” Cali asked.
“Who knows? She could be in a mummy’s tomb right now,” Thomas announced, eyes bulging, but still glued to the spot Makayla had been standing. “I bet it’s warmer there.”
“She’s not alone,” Leo said, nodding down the line. “Frankie and followers are missing too.” He gripped tight on the handle of his shovel.
“Wait!” Thomas exclaimed. “What are you doing? You can’t seriously be thinking about trying to follow her.”
“We can’t leave her alone out there,” Leo snapped. “It’s four to one.”
“They aren’t hunting her,” Cali shrieked. “It’s just a race to town. She should be fine, right? She seemed confident enough.”
“Sure, she could be fine,” Leo said, scuffing one shoe in frozen dirt and snow. “Or she ended up in some godforsaken place and is being torn apart by the undead right now.”
“The undead!” Thomas yelled. “We don’t know how to stop them. We don’t even know any magic yet.”
“We have our kits from Woolly’s class and our helpers,” Leo argued. “I’m sure we will be fine.”
“I have a squirrel,” Thomas declared, arms flailing about, “and a pack full of squirrel food... a bunch of nuts and berries. What good is that? Wouldn’t a member of the faculty be a better choice to help Makayla if there are undead involved?”
“Good point,” Leo agreed. “You two cowards go for help. I’ll aid in holding the hoards off until the cavalry arrives. Better hurry, we don’t have many weapons in our arsenal.” One foot came down hard on the edge of the spade, digging it deep into the semi-frozen ground. Nothing happened. Leo licked his lips, preparing for a second harder dig. “Ow!” He stumbled backward. This time the shovel didn’t so much as budge.
“Cowards and heroes stuck together. Imagine that,” Thomas snickered. “Guess we’ll all be going for help.”
“I don’t understand,” Leo complained, staring at the row of trowels. “Why didn’t it work? Did I do something wrong?”
“How do we know?” Thomas questioned, rolling his eyes. “We haven’t learned how to do this stuff, remember? We aren’t even supposed to be here.”
Leo’s pupils darted back and forth. “But they all managed the spell. I know more than anyone in the class. I should easily be able to handle what they can.”
“This isn’t a competition!” Cali exclaimed. “Makayla could be in real trouble. We need to get her some help. Are you coming back with us or not?”
“Not,” Leo answered, without glancing away from the shovels. “If they can do this, so can I.” He sidestepped to the next spade in the row, grabbing the handle tightly. “You two do what you need to do. I’m staying here until I figure this out.” His foot came down hard, but still he remained in place. “Damn!” He moved on to the next in line.
“I think he’s lost his mind,” Thomas whispered, leaning into Cali’s shoulder. “He might need more help than Makayla.”
“Yeah,” Cali agreed. “We better hurry before he hurts himself or one of the shovels. I wonder why they don’t work for him.”
Thomas offered a shoulder shrug as a reply. “If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say it’s a toss up: either he’s not magically inclined, or something is blocking this particular type of transportation. I’d rather not stick around to find out which it is. He looks like he is on the verge of a meltdown.”
Cali’s lip turned up. “Why would anyone want to block a grave digger shovel? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Maybe it’s a teacher,” Thomas suggested. “If not, the faculty is better equipped to figure out what is going on.”
A thunderous boom exploded, lightning striking a nearby tree. Cali jumped back. “That's enough of the great outdoors for me. Let’s go.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Thomas agreed, scurrying after her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Walking through a cemetery wasn’t a huge problem. Not being able to see the ground or sky was a different story. Fog and clouds were pretty much the same thing, except one loomed overhead, while the other clung close to the earth. One turned day to night, casting darkness over the land. The other hid potential dangers, threatening to trip up any who trod in its path. With a layer of snow and ice lurking below, it was a recipe for disaster.
Makayla ducked behind a marker, desperately trying to keep her brea
th under control. This time she was positive she’d seen it: the shadow figure who had haunted her since arriving at the academy. It wasn’t her imagination, after all. Her head tilted, peeking around the stone. It was still there, darting between graves as if searching for one in particular. A loud pop nearly caused her to jump out of her own skin.
“What are you doing?” Frankie asked, the wad of bubble gum churning in her mouth as she spoke.
“Shh,” Makayla hushed, her back held firmly against the grave marker. “Get down here.”
“Why would I do that?” Frankie questioned, one hand on her hip, the other left to waggle about at the wrist.
“Don’t you see it?” Makayla asked, pointing toward where she last saw the shadow figure. Her voice lowered. “It’s right there.”
The chewing halted. Frankie glanced around the cemetery. “Yeah... no.” A bubble grew from her lips, popping almost immediately after forming. “There is nothing there. Look for yourself.”
Makayla licked her lips, debating the trustworthiness of the girl standing before her. In the long run it didn’t matter. If Frankie was in cahoots with the shadow, she’d already been made. Her head slowly peered around the stone.
Nothing! Makayla huffed, standing. In a flash, whatever she had seen was gone. She turned to face her classmate head on. “It was there...” Enlarged eyes blinked several times. “I think we should go.”
“What?!” Frankie turned. “That’s not good.” Rolling fog crept nearer—this variety was thicker and higher than the ankle biting clouds currently surrounding them. “That’s the sort of weather horror movies are made about. Anything could be lurking inside that mess.”
“Not helping,” Makayla complained. A brisk walk turned to a light jog. “Do you know where we are?”
“In a graveyard,” Frankie replied, taking the lead. Her long legs needed only one stride to every two of Makayla’s.
“Funny,” Makayla blurted out. “I figured that part out already. Got anything a bit more helpful?”
“We are in the wrong part of the right cemetery,” Frankie explained. “The grounds are bordered by the road, Grave Digger Academy, town, and the old Necromancer Academy.”
“I thought necromancy was illegal,” Makayla huffed, the breath carrying her words froze as each formed.
“It wasn’t always,” Frankie answered. “The old campus is still there. It just isn’t used anymore. There it is.” She pointed. “Right past that hill. You can see the top part of it sticking up.”
Makayla froze. “If it isn’t used anymore, why are there lights on?”
Frankie stood beside her. “That’s a good question, and one for another day.” She nodded behind them. “That fog is still coming. We’ll never find our way out of this place, or any of the others who came after us.”
“You mean you weren’t the only one stupid enough to follow me?” Makayla screeched. “That’s crazy.”
“It was a bet,” Frankie mused. “I am assuming we all used the shovels. Winning is what matters.”
“If this is all about winning, why aren’t you on your way to town? You seem to know your way around this place.” A stick tangled with Makayla’s legs. She tumbled back to the ground, coming to a stop in front of yet another grave marker.
“Because I saw you crouched in a ball looking all pathetic,” Frankie admitted. “I couldn’t leave you shivering in a fetal position.”
“I wasn’t in a fetal position, or shivering,” Makayla argued. “Okay, maybe I was shivering. It’s cold and I was biding my time.”
“Until what?” Frankie questioned, both hands on her hips, offering a chilling glare down at her classmate. “Waiting for the fog to completely surround you, rendering you lost for who knows how long? The temperature is sure to drop. You could have froze to death, waiting.”
“No!” Makayla yelled. “Until the shadow figure left. I know you don’t believe me, but it’s real. I’ve seen it more than once and in multiple locations.”
Frankie offered a hand. “It’s easy to see things when you are cold and scared. Come on. If we stick close to the fence, we should find a way out of here.”
Makayla’s eyes widened. One shaky finger extended. “That’s no shadow.” A person approached, their face hidden by the hood of their grey cloak. Symbols that held no meaning to her covered the material—only one or two had she seen before. One hand rubbed over her side and the birthmark well hidden from view. A mirror image of it was sewn into fabric and approaching quickly; as was an exact duplicate of a tattoo a certain professor had on his hand.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Slow down,” the headmistress ordered. “Take a few deep breaths and relax. I can’t understand a word of what you are trying to say.”
Thomas wheezed, his lungs still begging for air. The stairs kicked his butt from the bottom to the top. An athlete he wasn’t. One finger popped into the air, requesting a minute.
“Move over.” Cali pushed him to the side. “Something horrible has happened. A bunch of students used the grave digger shovels.”
“Relax,” the headmistress replied. “It’s quite natural for senior students to come and go. One day you’ll be able to as well.”
“Except,” Thomas huffed, holding his chest. “These weren’t seniors.”
“What are you saying?” The headmistress sat forward, eyes narrowing.
“Our classmates are gone,” Cali blurted out. “I know it was wrong, but we all went onto the hallowed ground.”
“I didn’t think she was actually going to do it,” Thomas added, plunking down in a chair. “It was a crazy plan.”
“Didn’t think who was going to do what?” the headmistress asked, standing. One hand extended. Boris flew down to meet it. “I want names and actions.”
“Iggie and Sven,” Cali replied. “Frankie and that guy who hangs around with them. I can never seem to remember his name.”
“And Makayla,” Thomas added. “They used the shovels.”
“I’m not sure what the two of you are up to,” the headmistress said, her tone stern and fierce, “but that is quite impossible. The power of grave digger shovels cannot be accessed by every witch simply standing on the corner. It takes years of practice to master them, much the same as a wand to a dueller. If that weren’t enough, there are enchantments in place to stop any such activities from happening.”
“That explains Leo,” Thomas muttered.
“And, pray tell, where is Leo?” the headmistress asked, looking down at the two over top of her glasses.
“We left him standing in the plot,” Cali admitted, biting her bottom lip.
“He was hell-bent on following Makayla!” Thomas exclaimed. “He’s completely obsessed with making the shovels work... a madman. It was scary.”
“The two of you are sticking to this story?” the headmistress asked, adding a hmm to the end. “I suppose I have no choice but to look into it then.” The window broke open, wind howling inside. A single kiss on the head and Boris took flight in the dark sky. As the window shut, the door opened. “Come in.”
“You wanted to see us?” Ms. Moth said, her hands clasped neatly together, folded fan clenched between them. Tallen moved out from behind her.
“Yes,” the headmistress replied. “We have a rather odd report of missing students. Tallen, please take the exterior campus, especially around any hallowed grounds. Ms. Moth, search the premises.”
“Who might we be looking for?” Ms. Moth questioned, expressionless.
“Most of the first-year class, apparently,” the headmistress scoffed. “Bring them back here when you find them. Thank you.” One hand waved, dismissing her faculty. “Oh, and do hurry. According to our young couple here, some of their classmates found a way to leave the academy without proper authorization or escort. I’d like those rumours squashed as soon as possible.” The door closed behind them.
“Shouldn’t we help?” Cali asked. “We were the ones to last see them, after all.”
&
nbsp; “You two are staying right here,” the headmistress announced. “I’m not about to let either one of you out of my sight until this whole mess is fully resolved. Someone is in quite a slew of trouble, and I’m not yet convinced of who the guilty party is.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“What do we have here?” a man’s voice asked. “Two young girls out for a walk in the moonlight?”
“We can’t see the moon,” Makayla blurted out, scrunching as far back as the marker behind her would allow. “It’s rather cloudy, in case you didn’t notice.”
“Is it?” the man asked, waving one hand.
Soft light glistened on the back of her hand. The clouds were all but gone; a bright sphere casting its glow over the circular patch of ground she sat on. “How did you do that?” Makayla questioned.
“It’s quite easy, actually,” the man replied. “If one knows how and has the ability to make use of said knowledge. You, my dear, have both.”
“Who are you?” Makayla asked.
“I’m rather hurt you don’t know,” the man chuckled. “You’ll find out in due time. Shall we get on with things?”
Makayla glanced down at the swirling red inside her pendant. A chill reserved for people four times her age made its way deep into her joints and bones—the cold dampness surrounding them wreaking havoc on her body and leaving pain as its calling card.
One hand dove into her backpack, pulling out one of the concoctions she’d made in class. Relief came with the first sprinkle. If she’d made it correctly, it would ward against harm and keep the dead from rising at the same time.
Every witch, no matter what their age, knew a circle was used for protection and spells. Makayla poured the dry potion in a spherical pattern, enclosing herself and the gravestone inside it. It wasn’t much, but it was the best plan she had.