In the Forest of Light and Dark

by Kasniak, Mark

  “Of course, any knowledge of the girls transgressions by the village leaders would be dealt with swift punishment for all involved, and it ultimately did.

  “But as time passed, Abellona, Emma, and the other girls continued on visiting Alcina out in the forest, and only after having been caught doing so did they admit to having really grown fond of her. They eventually even confessed to Alcina having taught them many things about the forest, for she truly was a very knowledgeable woman and had been at one point a much respected member of their village community.

  “As the girls continued visiting Alcina. One day a village boy by the name of, Simon Gay, who was widely known in the village for being somewhat of a peeping Tom, followed Abellona and her friends into the forest as he spied on them. From his hiding spot perched up in a tree he saw the girls with Alcina, and he watched as they dance and played in the forest with her like they were suddenly possessed—under Alcina’s power somehow. Simon then took what he saw back to the village where he then informed the elders of what he had seen.

  “The villagers set off at once to find their children, but when they had arrived at Alcina’s cabin, they only found Abellona and Emma Barrett still there. For the others had left for home mere moments before the villagers had found their way to Alcina’s cabin.

  “At this point the village vicar, Joseph Baker, accuses Alcina of witchcraft and for having poisoned Abellona and Emma’s minds—who he then also accuses of partaking in the craft. All three were then subsequently arrested.

  “Alcina, who was given no trial, no defense, was quickly condemned to death by the vicar, her execution would be carried out by burning. He, had convinced the villagers it was the only way he, a man of God, could save her soul, and free the village from her dark magic. Purification by fire, he had called it.

  “Abellona and Emma were later questioned and then locked away in a shed that’d been used to store the village’s excess food supplies, but had recently, for the past few years at least, remained empty.”

  “Wait…” I then said, stopping Terra because I was becoming somewhat confused. “I thought Abellona was the only girl the villagers had arrested, and that they had put her in the stocks where Emma had then visited her during the night?”

  “No. I’m afraid not, Cera.” Terra said, and I then glanced over at Katelyn who just shrugged her shoulders at me saying, “I told you I didn’t know every detail as an absolute fact. And, your grandmother wouldn’t divulge that much to me.”

  “Oh, Abellona did have a visitor in the middle of the night, though it wasn’t Emma.” Terra then said picking back up where she’d left off. “It wasn’t Emma because she’d been locked in the shed with her. The visitor was, Victoria Barrett, Emma’s sister.” Terra then opened the book to a page which contained an etching of a family photo consisting of Victoria, Emma, and their parents. “Victoria had visited both Abellona and her sister in the middle of the night and had informed them that the villagers had executed Alcina by fire that evening and were planning on doing the same to the two of them at first sun up if they didn’t confess.

  “It was Emma, though, who had refused to believe that the villagers would do anything of the sort to her and Abellona. She believed that their parents would never allow such a thing to happen, and that the vicar and the rest of the villagers were just out to scare them as a form of behavior modification.

  “Abellona although, had taken the news of Alcina being executed much more seriously, and had begged Victoria to help them find a way to break out of the shed and escape the village. To which Victoria denied her fearing that she would only get in trouble and would then be accused of witchcraft as well.

  “After Victoria had left them, Abellona went on trying—for it was her only recourse—to convince Emma that they needed to find a way to escape. She told Emma that they could run to the forest where nobody would ever find them and that they could live out their days all by themselves like Alcina had. She’d been convinced that between what they had already learned from the village elders and what they had learned from Alcina about forest life, they would be just fine.

  “Emma, had remained inexorably stubborn and convinced that no harm would come to either of them come sun up. She even tried herself to convince Abellona, who by this point had worked herself into hysterics, that they’d be just fine.

  “Eventually, Abellona became angered and enraged with Emma’s refusal to accept what Victoria had told them the villagers had planned to do being true. The girls then argued most of the night away whiles Abellona worked feverishly to find a way out of the shed to which she ultimately failed.

  “Near morning, Emma had fallen asleep, and when Abellona had not been able to find a way out of the shed, she began to stare at the moon as she looked out the room’s only small window, and then she began to pray.

  “It is believed that at first she prayed to the good Lord for help, and when he hadn’t answered her prayers she began praying to Hecate the Greek goddess and mother of all witches from whom she had learned about from Alcina. But praying, to that deity also hadn’t provided her with any answers to her predicament. Then, just as the sun was beginning to break over the horizon, Abellona having gone delirious with fright began praying to Satan as a last resort, and in him her prayers became answered.

  “The fallen angel had appeared before her offering a deal, her soul in exchange for powers. Powers she could then use to protect herself and that she could also use to exact any revenge on the villagers that she wished.

  “Abellona reluctantly agrees to the deal, but then Satan tells her that because this realm that she currently resides in wasn’t built by him and that it belongs to God. He cannot do anything for her until after she is dead. For her soul belongs to her, but her body forever remains bound to the earth. He then informs her that once the villagers have destroyed her earthly body her soul will be free having been released from it. Soon afterwards the powers that he had promised her would then come into existence.

  “Now, so that Abellona’s vengeance could be carried out, Satan also grants her a two hundred year lease on her soul before he would come to collect.”

  “Wait! So, the Devil’s real then?” I asked, stopping Terra again and surely sounding astonished. And, while my mind was busy struggling to take everything in she answered, “Well, yes. You believe in God, don’t you, Cera?”

  “Well, yes but…”

  “Well, if you believe in God. Then why wouldn’t there be a Devil? The greatest trick the Devil ever played was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”

  I didn’t know what to think or if I even believed her. But, I definitely didn’t know what to say. So, I just kept quiet and let Terra go on with her story.

  “So, Abellona again agreed to his terms and the Devil—as deceitful as he may be—holds up his end of the bargain.

  “A short while later the villagers along with the vicar then came to gather Abellona and Emma from the shed. They then took them down to the river where they tied both girls into dunking chairs which they would then dip down into the cold waters of the Genesee until the girls confessed to their alleged crimes.

  “Abellona went kicking and screaming the whole way as she swore and cursed the villagers for what they were about to do. She also cursed, Emma for her betrayal in not having helped her find a way out of the shed during the night.

  “Emma though had remained convinced, even up until her death, that what was about to happen was only a trick and that the villagers were just out to scare them.

  “After being tied down, Emma was the first to be pushed into the Genesee after refusing to confess. The vicar, Joseph Baker, had shoved her into the river even before the villagers had finished attaching the chains to her chair needed to pull her back up and out of the water.

  “Emma’s parents, Elizabeth and John Barrett, went crazy when they saw that Joseph Baker had pushed their daughter in the chair backwards into the river. They immediately demanded and pleaded with him and the ot
her villagers that she be pulled up from the frigid water. Having thought themselves that what was taking place was only a scare tactic designed to modify the girls’ behavior.

  “While some of the other villagers forcefully held Emma’s parents back, their daughter drowned in the cold, current-swept waters of the Genesee.

  “Then, before they could do the same to Abellona. The villagers had to also do the same with her parents. The both of them having now realized that the vicar was seriously going to execute both of the girls and their daughter was next.

  “After Emma’s corpse been pulled from the river, Joseph Baker confronted Abellona and asked her if she would like to confess to witchcraft. Then, it’s said that Abellona proceeded to spit in his face before speaking in a language that the villagers could not understand and been frightened by, having believed it to be the language of the Devil.

  “Abellona then went on to curse the villagers saying that she would come for them, but first she would come for their children.

  “Then, right before the vicar had pushed her into the river. She looked at Elizabeth and John Barrett, who were sobbing and distraught over their daughter’s death, and she told them that it was their daughters fault that this happened. Both Emma and Victoria for letting this happen to her. She told them that she would not rest and would unrelentingly torment the people of the village until every Barrett was either dead or gone from Mount Harrison forever.

  “The vicar waited for Abellona to stop seething before he had asked her if she had anything else she wanted to say or confess to. She then told him to go to Hell, to which he replied, ‘After you’, before pushing her into the river like he had done with Emma.

  “The next day, Emma’s parents had buried their daughter in an area of the village cemetery, considered unconsecrated because the villagers didn’t want somebody associated with witchcraft being buried with the rest of them. That unconsecrated ground is where the rest of your family is also buried today, Cera.

  “And as for Abellona, they didn’t want anything to do with her whatsoever for fear of the curse she had put on them. So, it’s believed that they buried her in the forest high atop Mt. Harrison under a piece of obsidian stone, and not so much as even marking it with her name, Abellona Savannah Abbott. The villagers just etched the stone with a symbol that designated it as being the grave of a witch.”

  “Savannah!” Katelyn and I exclaimed at the same time. We then looked at each other nervously.

  “That’s right, Abellona Abbott’s middle name is Savannah.” Terra responded to us as she began turning over a few more pages in the book and then I saw her point to a picture of Abellona with her parents. Only Abellona wasn’t the name of the girl in the picture as I knew her. I knew her as Savannah.

  “I know this girl!” I alleged excitedly and then I suddenly became alarmed. “We know this girl.” I then said, referring to me and Katelyn.

  “You’ve seen this girl?” Terra asked showing concern.

  “Yes. I know her.”

  “Cera, if you’ve already seen her, let alone have already met her, then things here are already much worse than I could have imagined.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked now feeling an even greater sense of dread creeping up inside me, but still kind of already knowing what Terra meant.

  “Cera, Abellona Abbott is real. This truly isn’t just a bunch of hokum made up by a village full of idiots with nothing better to do with their time. These stories of Abellona and what she has done to this village are very much true. Your grandmother knew that. She was the only one responsible for keeping this village relatively as safe as can be from Abellona for over the past forty years. Your whole family has taken on those responsibilities throughout the centuries.”

  “What are you tellin’ me?”

  “What I’m telling you is that you have powers, Cera. All Barrett women do as long as they’re on Mount Harrison. And, I’m also telling you that you’re in trouble, big trouble, if Abellona has already reached out to you. Ever since I’d heard from Katelyn here that you and your mother had come back to Mt. Harrison, I’ve been doing my best to help keep you safe from Abellona. Saying spells, chants, working with a lot of powerful sorcery—I have as well as my sister witches. But I’m afraid that my abilities just aren’t strong enough. Not if Abellona has already made contact with you or your mother.”

  “Who are your sisters?” I then asked Terra hesitantly. Not really even sure if I wanted to know.

  “You and your mother along with me and Katelyn here aren’t the only witches in town, you know.” She then said, only now giving me that little coy smile that Katelyn shared.

  “Terra, Cera’s step dad was involved in a bad car accident a couple of days ago. He’s been at Saint Christopher’s under observation ever since.” Katelyn then chimed in, filling in a pause in the conversation.

  “Oh, dear, I hope he’ll be alright?” Terra then asked turning her attention back to me.

  “Yes, I believe so.” I told her. “The doctors said that he’ll be fine.”

  “Cera, I’m sorry to say this, but I’m afraid that the best thing might be for you and your family to just leave Mount Harrison before it is too late. If, Abellona has already gone after a member of your family with that much ferocity then it’s only a matter of time before she succeeds. Usually, she likes to toy with people before she unleashes her wickedness on them. But in hearing this, I just don’t know if any of us will be able to stop her the next time she comes out of the forest. Your Grandmother Lyanna was able to handle her, but with her being gone now, there’s nobody left in the village who is strong enough to keep her at bay.”

  “What about Cera and her mom?” Katelyn then asked which caught me off guard taking me aback a little.

  “I don’t know.” Terra said with a sigh. “Cera’s mother has been gone from Mount Harrison an awfully long time. I just don’t know if hers or Cera’s powers will ever be strong enough in time to stop Abellona before she kills again. We don’t even know if either of them can control their powers at all yet either. Can you… Can you control them, Cera?”

  “Control my powers?” I asked, somewhat perplexed, but having a vague idea as to what Terra was referring to. “What powers?”

  “We’ll have an awful lot of work to do then.” she replied.

  “Again, what powers?” I reiterated. “Sometimes I feel like it starts to rain when I get upset, and there’s been other weird stuff that’s happened to me since I’ve been here, but really what powers? Where the hell did these powers come from?”

  “Victoria,” Terra then said before flipping back a dozen or so pages in the book until she found the page again with the drawing of Victoria and Emma Barrett along with their parents. “Victoria is the one who made you what you and your mother and your grandmother truly are, a very powerful family of witches. It was Victoria Barrett, who first had the powers endowed to her by Hecate in hopes of fighting off Abellona and the bearer of light’s influence he had over her. Which was now a powerful force inside of Abellona after she had sold her soul to him. Victoria and every Barrett woman for generations since then have had the gift and have used it to save this village time-and-time again. Cera, your powers are not like mine or Katelyn’s. We’re not even in the same ballpark compared to you and your mother.”

  “Oh, thanks.” Katelyn said making light of Terra’s dismissiveness towards her abilities.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, dear, but you know what I mean.” Terra replied back sorrowfully to Katelyn accompanied by a sympathetic look.

  “I know, I know, I was just teasing.” Katelyn then told her as she cracked a smile.

  “Cera, please tell me that you’ll be careful for now on, and that you’ll come back here to see me again soon. I think I can help you discover and develop your powers. I’ve learned a lot over the years from working with your Grandmother Lyanna. I also believe I could help your mother with her powers too, if you could convince her to come. And whatever you do, stay out o
f the forest. That’s Abellona’s domain ever since the villagers buried her body up on the mountain.”

  Buried her body, I thought, and then it dawned on me, “Terra, you said that the villagers had buried Abellona’s body under a piece of… of…”

  “Obsidian. It’s a glass like volcanic rock.”

  “Does it look anything like this?” I asked and then showed her the picture I had taken with my cell phone of the weird, shiny, coal-like rock I had seen up at the top of Mt. Harrison hidden away among the birches. The one that I had discovered the first time I went hiking up the mountain. The one I had come across right before I had met Savannah for the first time.

  Terra studied the picture on my phone as she traced her finger on its screen around the circular symbol that been carved deep within the rock.

  Again she went back over to the old book still left on the table, its pages still open to the drawing of Victoria and Emma along with their parents. Terra then started flipping through the books rough sheets again until finally settling on the one she was searching for. At that point I had already known what it was I had found before Terra had even told me anything about it. On the book’s page was a drawing of the exact same symbol.

  “Cera, do you know what you’ve found?” she asked with distressed eyes.

  “Not really.” I said lying. “But I bet it has something to do with witchcraft, it’s probably not good, and you’re about to tell me.” I said telling the truth.

  “Cera, this is the marking. This is her grave. This is where they buried Abellona Abbott all those years ago. Nobody has found this site on the mountain for almost three hundred years.”

  “Yeah, well, tell me why I found it so easily then? I was just out for a hike and I just happened upon it. It wasn’t like it was super-well hidden or anything.”