Bad Holiday in Witch Town
Page 8
away from Luke and what she had somehow created around him. There was no doubt in her own mind that it was she who had done it. Something deep within her had stirred and moved, a force beyond anything she had ever experienced. Despite the fact that she still felt horrified that the amulet had invaded her flesh, something that felt startlingly alien, there was still another part of her being that accepted its presence and acknowledged its place there.
The elder witch in black glowered at her counterpart in white. "Diana is dead," she said this as if not quite believing. "And you, Abigail," she glared at the woman with open hostility, "you let her die. A sacrifice you were willing to make." They held a long, meaningful look, but then she returned her attention to Ellie and there was a cold determination in her gaze. "This is now a matter of combat between the girl and I."
The other woman only regarded her calmly. "I am sorry for the loss of your daughter." This was spoken with little show of compassion and now Ellie looked upon the elderly woman in a different light. Her grief was palpable in her lined, weathered features. "But it was necessary," Abigail went on. "Even so, I cannot let this continue."
"You cannot? Do you presume to instruct me? Would you intervene on behalf of murderers!?" Margaret spat the words.
Abigail gave a rueful look around, taking in the boys and then finally Ellie. "The White Coven makes an offer to the new Mother," she said with clarity so that everyone heard. "We offer her a place within our House."
This caused an audible stir amongst those in attendance.
Margaret of the Black Coven almost snarled her response. "No! This is not the time for that! Do not interfere."
"You cannot deny the right of a Coven to offer a new Mother a place and once offered, she is under our protection, " responded the other woman evenly.
Margaret's expression became ferocious and was terrifying to witness. "This...Mother has transgressed. She has protected these vile killers. Did you not witness this yourself Abigail, are you so blind!? Or is it merely that your blind ambition motivates you?"
"We all saw what there was to see," Abigail said coldly. "These others," she gestured with her hand to indicate Zack, Luke and Beth, "will have to face our judgement. But you cannot deny the old laws. A Mother must choose their Coven. And any Coven can offer a new Mother incentive to join them. This is our way."
Margaret's face contorted with fury and it seemed she would say something, but before she could speak, another woman, this time clad in a green cloak stepped forward from the crowd of onlookers.
"I, Rosemary of the Green Coven, offer this new Mother a place within our House."
Now there was an excited buzz amongst everyone there.
Zack, whose head was slowly clearing, allowing his own thoughts to take precedence over the consciousness that had infected his mind, struggled to make sense of what happening. Luke, on the other hand, tried desperately to not let his eyes keep returning to the charred mass that lay on the ground before him. He was feeling physically sick and he was finding it difficult to remain upright. While Beth's eyes never left those of Ellie, trying to read her friend's thoughts, trying to figure out if she was still the same person who she had known for so long.
For Ellie none of these things seemed to really matter. She was aware of what was going on around her, but in a distant, almost dream-like way. It was all beyond her understanding. Now the woman in the red cloak came forward, her eyes glittering with both displeasure and something far more potent, greed. "I, Isobel of the Red Coven also offer a place."
"As do the Blue Coven," came another voice and everyone looked to see a white haired witch wearing a cloak of blue join the others.
Now a strange silence fell among them and all turned their attention back to Margaret. Her focus was set solely on Ellie. She appeared to be debating something internally, her expression clouded by uncertainty. Her eyes moved restlessly to the two boys, anguish scarring her features.
Finally she spoke, the words coming slowly but with undeniable force. "So be it. I offer a place in our House to the new Mother. " The old woman's gaze strayed to the pile of ash that had once been her daughter and she strangled a sob.
Beside Zack he heard one of the woman whisper to her neighbour and in her voice there was unmistakable awe. "All five."
Now everyone watched Ellie. But she had no idea what she was supposed to do or say.
Then Abigail moved to stand beside her. "Now you must enter a time of deliberation while you consider which Coven you will choose. And each Coven will offer you an inducement to join with them. This is the way of Witch Town."
Ellie tried her best to get to grips with what was being said to her. "And what about my friends?" she asked, ready to fight if their safety was threatened again.
The congregation of witches appeared content to let Abigail speak on their behalf. "They will be held to await judgement." Already many of the witches had gathered closer to the two boys and the girl and seemed ready to take action against them if they felt it necessary.
For Ellie there seemed little choice. She had made her stand. And she now understood that she was indeed one of them. A witch. She wanted to feel sick at the very idea. But the truth was she didn't. She felt power pulsing through her. Like electricity. And it excited her.
I am a witch, she thought. I have come home. Home to Witch Town.
Zack and Luke were back in their room. They were surprised that this was where they would wait while the witches decided what to do with them. They had expected some kind of prison cell.
Outside Jeremiah was apparently on guard, accompanied by three other burly looking men. Zack felt little confidence in fighting their way out now.
Luke just gave him a dismal look, but said nothing. And the truth was Zack had no idea of what to say either. Everything was insane. They really hadn't meant to hurt that woman, not really. But she was dead. He struggled with the memory. Also, he still felt violated, his mind reeling with the sensation that someone had been able to take over his thoughts and influence him from within. It was terrible in a way that he was finding very difficult to process. And Luke was not managing well at all. His eyes said everything. Guilt, shame, horror were all evident there.
"It's not our fault," Zack offered finally, a little feebly.
His friend looked at him for several long moments. "I killed her," he managed, his voice hoarse.
"No," snapped back Zack, his emotions rising, "We didn't know."
Luke's expression became darker than ever. "So what did you think would happen?"
This caught Zack off-guard. "I...," he started and then faltered. He had to face up to the truth. He knew something bad would happen if they were forced to take action against that woman. Of course, he hadn't known exactly what it would be, but he had known. He tried to tell himself that he had believed it would never come to that. But once they had made the threat it was always a real possibility. "I'm sorry," was all he could utter, his eyes beginning to well up.
The other boy turned away and sat down heavily on the bed. "It doesn't matter now. Ellie is one of them. And what chance do we have?"
Zack wanted to say that there was always a chance. But he was finding it hard to believe and the words just would not come.
For Beth, being alone in the room without Ellie was the worst thing of all. She felt so alone.
But who was Ellie really?
She had know her friend since they were just kids together. They had played, occasionally fought, fantasised about boys, all the things best friends do. Ellie was just a girl. Like her. Except now she knew differently.
There were no such things as witches, a voice in her head tried to tell her. But she pushed it violently away.
Grow up!
The voice within that screamed that at her was angry, scared and hurt.
She knew that nothing would ever be the same.
If she was still around to even get a chance to think about it. This thought sobered her and she felt her body begin to tremble.
Beth was determined not to cy. She would not lose it and let these people crush everything that she was.
All grown up now, a small voice said inside her mind. And now I have to face the future, however much is left of it.
Outside she could hear low voices in conversation. The witches were no doubt in deep discussion about her slim prospects for survival.
But Ellie had saved Luke. She had. Beth didn't have the vaguest notion how, but she had seen it. Could Ellie do the same for her? She doubted it, but she hoped all the same. In the end hope was all she had left now.
Ellie waited.
She knew they would come.
But what would they ask of her? Or more to the point, what would they offer?
She now understood that they wanted her. All of the five Covens. And she also knew that this was unusual. She had heard snatches of hushed conversation, enough to realise that something about what she had done had caught the interest of the other witches. Also the way many of them had looked at her had left her feeling uncomfortable and confused. In some eyes she saw something like admiration, but in others there were much more disturbing emotions. She had detected fear. And also jealousy.
The witch named Abigail had said something about inducements. What that meant was anyone's guess. But she sensed she was in a position to bargain. And there was only one thing that she wanted.
Her friend's safety was all that mattered. Whatever leverage she had she would use to