Coon Hollow Coven Tales 1-3

by Marsha A. Moore

  I pushed those thoughts out of my head. I wanted a place of my own more than anything else, and not in the tiny town of New Wish where everyone knew me…or thought they did. They all said I was the spitting image of my aunt Faye, with the same light blond straight hair, deep blue eyes, dark brows, and quiet personality. Everyone thought I’d grow up to be like her with a houseful of kids, seven or more. Fact was, they didn’t know me. I wasn’t sure I even knew myself. There was so much I wanted to learn and do that wouldn’t happen if I stayed at my parents’ home.

  Cerise struggled to open the stuck window. “Aggie, can you help me here? Some fresh air might tempt a few spirits outside. This place has been vacant since my mother passed in 2009. We might find just about anything in here after five years.”

  I stood beside her, and together we lifted. After a few groans, the frame relented and a chilly autumn gust pushed us back a few feet. Dust swirled, and I coughed and secured my whipping blond braid. “Maybe we should open a few in the back to blow some dust out as well.”

  “Don’t worry. My three sons and I will help you clean up the place. Just wait. In a week’s time, it’ll be your cozy, new home.” Cerise led me to a country kitchen and jiggled open the window above the sink, while I worked on the back door.

  As if I was an unwelcome guest, the wind fought against me to shut the door, until I showed it who was boss with the use of a nearby vintage sadiron used as a make-shift doorstop.

  Cerise let a gale blow her onto the back porch. “Let’s give the house a chance to air out while we have a look at the other buildings.” She looked down at my handy use of the old clothes iron. “I haven’t seen one of those in a while.” She reached inside and flicked the kitchen light switch. A frosted ceiling globe filled with silhouetted dead bugs gave a yellow glow. “At least the electric company did what I asked. You have power, and the iron can keep its place as a doorstop.”

  “My aunt still uses those heavy things to do her clothes.” I looked down at the relic and a gust pushed me a step forward onto the back stoop, a cement slab that ran half the length of the house. A pair of metal glider chairs sat in puddles of rust.

  Cerise followed and continued down the steps. “I didn’t have a chance to check the shed, but Toby and our boys told me about a few things they found. What a great husband I have to help me out.”

  I nodded. “His cousins in New Wish are nice folks.”

  Tall oaks and hickories, accompanied by their dense undergrowth, threatened to overtake the rough lawn. I couldn’t tell whether the trees were guardians or invaders. With winter coming on, I’d learn soon enough.

  Halfway to the leaning shed that still wore a few traces of its last coat of rust-red paint, a thud sounded behind us. I jerked my head around. The kitchen window was shut and the door half-closed, the iron inching toward the stoop. I thought about the spirits of Cerise’s deceased family members. Cold air lifted my braid and snaked down the collar of my jacket, chilling me down to my tailbone. I scurried to catch up to Cerise. “Is it colder up here in Coon Hollow than in New Wish? Maybe I didn’t bring the right clothes.”

  She inspected me. “This is unusually cold and breezy for the last of September anywhere in southern Indiana. But about your clothes, those overalls and boots will have to go. To live here, you need to dress in styles of the 1930s.”

  I rolled my eyes. “My mom told me. Why is that?”

  “We keep the lifestyle that existed when our covenant was written. Some say it helps the magic stay pure.”

  “I wanted to ask where I can buy some of the clothing I’m expected to wear.” I dug my hands into the cozy warmth of my deep pockets.

  “I already talked with a few local ladies who own shops. We’ll go this week.” She gave the barn door an unsuccessful shove.

  I considered her flared cotton dress that swept around her calves and framed her face with a pretty rounded collar. The padded shoulders and puffed sleeves of her slim-fitting short jacket made her waist look tiny, like a princess, and pearl earrings decorated her earlobes. She’d always looked so feminine when she arrived at New Wish, visiting her husband Toby’s cousins. As a girl, I’d always dreamed of looking like Cerise, rather than in the overalls and flannel shirts I usually wore. I dreaded growing up to wear stiff, homespun dresses like my mother and aunts. I’d managed to escape those dresses, but not by much. Another reason I left home. I swallowed hard, wondering how I’d learn to dress correctly. What sorts of things would I like to wear now that I had new choices?

  I motioned Cerise to move aside. Planting my time-trusted hiking boots, I put my weight into the wooden shed door. One push and its runner scraped along its rusty track.

  “Good job, Aggie. You’re strong, for one so small.”

  “I did plenty of hard work back home since my brother was younger.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt embarrassed. I was here to escape my tomboy image, but it was a habit, comfortable when faced with so many changes. To hide my feelings, I stepped inside the large shed, not quite as large as barns back home that stabled horses.

  A bevy of bats flew out of the darkness inside, their wings grazing Cerise’s hair. “Eek! Bats are horrible creatures. I’ll have Toby see if he can get rid of them. You don’t want them in your house.”

  “I’m plenty used to bats. And if he moves them from their home, they’ll likely end up in the house. Just let them be.”

  As soon as the words left my mouth, one bat caught the end of my braid and, with a screech, tugged on it until I yelped. Even though my pulse raced from the aggressive attack, I assured myself they were just ordinary bats. I took a deep inhale and forced a grin at Cerise.

  She shrugged. “Well, okay, if you don’t mind them here.”

  I moved around a sleeping tractor and barrels of rakes and spades to an emerald green sedan. I ran a finger along the car’s large curving fender to the name in chrome letters. “Nash Lafayette.” I faced Cerise while I trailed my hand past the doors to the steep slant of the rounded trunk. “Does it run? Can I learn to drive it?” Back home, the place was so small, most everyone walked. Learning to drive wasn’t a priority, but I longed for the freedom.

  Cerise let out a laugh. “I knew that would be high on your list. Toby agreed to teach you and he’s already been working on the car.”

  I rushed to her and tackled her with a hug. “Thank you. And Toby. You have the best husband. Thank you for inviting me to live here.” I let go and raced back to the car. I didn’t mind the layer of dust or the car being ages old. It was mine to use. “If I can drive, I might be able to get a decent job.”

  “I wondered what sort of job you’d like to pursue. You’ve got your grandma’s inheritance coming monthly, but that won’t afford you all the things a young woman might like. I can help find you something in the coven right away, or you can look around in town.”

  “In town? Really? I’ve spent time in the Evansville library learning computer skills that might help, since there’s almost no internet signal in New Wish. I wanted to see what was happening in the world.”

  Cerise grinned. “I felt the same way when I was your age.” She moved toward the door and gave a sigh. “I often still do.”

  I called to her from inside the shed, “Like you having a cell phone? That can’t be allowed.”

  “Shh. Keep quiet about that,” Cerise said in a low tone. “It’s not permitted now, but some of the Council members are trying to bring a few modern conveniences to us, at least to help with our jobs.”

  “You don’t have a job.” I laughed as I closed the shed door.

  “I raise three boys, and I assist the local seamstresses with their supply orders. A phone comes in handy for that.”

  Voices came from the smaller cabin west of the main log home, and my head snapped in that direction.

  “That place is used by the coven as a haunted house attraction to bring in revenue.” Cerise motioned us in the direction of the voices.

  “So the smaller cabin
is your property?” I followed toward the smaller cabin that stood about a hundred yards, beyond a small hill. The roof peek was just visible from where I stood.

  “As the owner of the family property, the coven leases the cabin from me. I’ll split the profit from the lease income with you if you keep an eye on the place. Electric and gas for the small cabin and summer mowing for the whole place comes out first, though.”

  “Thanks. That money will help.” I nodded with a grin. “How does the coven use the little cabin?”

  “They put on several public attractions through the year to earn income for the collective fund. That money supports our school and elder care. Individuals can also make money by providing concessions or services at the events. Our haunted Halloween house is widely known as the best in the state. People come from all over, and the town of Bentbone profits from the tourists.”

  I nodded. “People even talked about it down where I was, along the Ohio River. When does it open? Soon probably.”

  “The night after next and ends the first Sunday in November. Thursdays and weekends only, but every night closer to Samhain.”

  The building sat close to the road on a circular driveway. The roofline rose into two gables, an odd construction compared to the log homes I knew. “What was the smaller cabin originally used for?”

  “Back before the coven was founded, it was a home for the carriage driver and his family, who serviced this southern leg of Owls Tail Creek Road. Around 1870, my family came to Coon Hollow with enough money to afford a larger property than most along this stretch. There was a big barn at one time for horses, but the main house is the same.”

  “I guess the smaller gable on the far side housed the carriage.”

  “You’re right. Two carriages. They’re still part of the attraction.” She pointed to the field on the other side. “The public parks there, so you won’t be bothered with intruders at your house.”

  Outside, a long black sedan with curving fenders similar to the Nash, was parked on the gravel drive. A middle-aged woman and a young girl loaded things into the car.

  Cerise waved to them and called out in a cheery voice, “Kandice, hello!”

  The woman returned the wave and called back greetings, but her stiff salt and pepper hairdo didn’t move.

  Cerise picked up the pace, and we joined the others at their car. “All finished?”

  “Yes, at last. My son, Kyle, just left and gave it the official Coven Council approval. It’s ready for the coven’s open house tomorrow night. My husband delegated Kyle.” She rolled her eyes and shared a laugh with Cerise, although the older woman seemed haughty and insincere.

  Her daughter, who looked to be about ten years old, blew huge pink bubbles and stared at me as if I were something she’d never seen before. I felt uncomfortable in my overalls and worn boots, hair blowing loose from my messy braid. The mother dressed in a smart outfit of pleated, wide-legged trousers and a fitted cotton blouse. The daughter wore a full-skirted, pink-flowered dress that matched her hair ribbons.

  “Aggie, this is Kandice Kerry. Her husband Art and son Kyle hold council seats.” Cerise leaned around the older woman and grinned at the girl. “And this is Kelly, the youngest Kerry. Kandice and Kelly, this is Toby’s cousin, Aggie. She’ll be moving into my homestead house as soon as she and I get it cleaned up.”

  Kandice held out a hand. “Welcome, Aggie. You must be from New Wish then?”

  I shook her hand. “Yes, I wanted my own place.”

  A polite smile lit Kandice’s face. “It’s natural at your age, and what a wonderful place to learn to live on your own, with Cerise close. She’s a dear.”

  “What’s wonderful about this place?” From the house across the road, an old man’s white head craned our way. His hunched form lumbered toward us, leaning heavily on a sturdy cane.

  Cerise twisted the curled front ends of her bobbed hair.

  The old man crooked a finger. “Apparently you’ve forgotten there’s a curse on this homestead. No one should be living here. Cerise, you as the owner should know better.”

  A gust upended Cerise’s hair. She pushed it from her eyes and glared at him. “Mr. Murdock, that’s just an old witch’s tale.” Her voice rose higher than usual, and her pert smile seemed forced. “There’s been no vandalism or damage done in any way to this property since I’ve owned it. Even when my mother lived here, she emphatically denied that curse and so do I.”

  Kelly Kerry stopped blowing bubbles and fixed her attention on the elderly man. He was a sight with red suspenders holding up trousers big enough for two of him.

  “What’s the curse?” I tried not to sound concerned.

  The old man gave a rattling chuckle that shook his frail ribs and spread a strange jaundice color over his unshaven face. “In the Hollow, words of the dead ring truer than voices of the living.” He scowled at his vintage flatbed truck. “Three times in the past month: traced in dew on my windshield; on this here gravel drive we’re standing on; and voices at dusk coming from your main house. All said the same thing: Our property is ours. Sounds to me like now that Cerise’s ma passed, they intend to keep others out.”

  I swallowed hard. Since the first of the year when Cerise had offered me her mother’s old home place, I’d thought of nothing else. But the mysterious spirit world of Coon Hollow Coven was something my upbringing as a witch in the New Wish coven hadn’t prepared me for.

  “You’re not gonna stay there, are you?” the girl asked, her eyes wide.

  “Kelly, I’ve taught you better than to be so outspoken,” her mother chided but kept her eyes fixed on me.

  I straightened my spine and looked at everyone in turn while hiding my trembling hands deep in my overall pockets. “Of course I’m staying. I’ll show those spirits some magic they’ve never seen before.”

  “That’s the way. They’ll quiet right down when they see what you can do.” Cerise patted my shoulder. “Probably be amused by it and want to learn how.”

  Kandice nodded like a doll with a spring in her neck.

  “For your sake, gal, I hope you’ve got some right good tricks up your sleeve.” Mr. Murdock spun on a heel and made his way across the road with a spry gait, not using his cane once.

  I stared after him wondering what to believe.

  Cerise moved my way. “Let’s be getting back to my house. Toby will have dinner ready. Kandice and Kelly, see you both tomorrow night.” Cerise took my elbow and herded me to the main house, where we quickly shut the windows and doors. The locks fell into place by themselves.

  As we headed to her blue Buick Roadmaster, I looked over my shoulder at the house. My foot missed the last step off the porch and I stumbled.

  Inside the car, Cerise planted her hands on the steering wheel. “Don’t listen to Mr. Murdock. He created that nonsense when he heard us talking about you moving in. My mother had no use for him. He’s a busybody set on stirring up trouble. Caused her all sorts of problems.”

  As we drove away, I looked down the long lane to the main log home. The windows of the second story shifted colors from light to dark, as if someone inside opened white blinds or curtains to watch us leave.

  Chapter Two: Intruders

  Boisterous shouts from Cerise’s boys woke me the next morning. Their brotherly quarrel reminded me of my little brother Aaron, who’d just turned ten.

  I pushed back the flowered quilt on the twin brass bed in the attic room of the tall Victorian house. Cool air lifted hairs on my arms. I hugged myself while moving to the window overlooking the front porch, where voices sounded.

  I lifted the sheer curtain and watched the three grade-school-aged boys darted ahead of their tall, lanky father. The boys’ hair was medium brown and curly like his, and they took turns shoving each other as they ambled along the sidewalk.

  Toby adjusted his dark fedora, and swept his sons ahead with his arms open wide and a cheery whistled tune. They fell into line, along with a whirl of fallen yellow maple leaves, as if ga
thered by a rake. Foliage damp with last night’s rain stuck to the boys’ scuffed oxfords, while other leaves magically floated into their father’s brown sedan with them. Did the leaves lift on a breeze or with Toby’s spell?

  The sleek car pulled around the circular gravel driveway and onto the road. I leaned into the window, imagining driving the long, green Nash I’d found in the homestead’s shed. When Toby and his sons were out of sight, I pulled on crocheted slippers, the ones Mom had made for my last birthday. The wooden attic steps creaked underneath my feet on my way to the second floor stairwell landing.

  “Good morning, Aggie.” Cerise met me at the head of the stairs with a sunny smile. “Did you sleep well?” She pulled a barrette from the front of her short dark hair and dropped it into the pocket of her pink chenille robe.

  “Okay, I guess,” I replied with a yawn. “I didn’t get to sleep for a while.” I shrugged. “Maybe the rain.”

  Cerise rubbed a hand along my upper arm. “You were so cheery yesterday before we got to the homestead. Are you having second thoughts?”

  “Oh no.” I stood straighter. “I’m still excited. Really. I just couldn’t stop thinking about what magic I know from home. Something to give that old fart across the road, Mr. Murdock, a reason to stay away.”

  She chuckled and patted my shoulder. “That’s the right attitude. Toby said you’d be up for the challenge. But if there’s anything that worries you or anything you need to talk about, I’ll always listen. You’re part of our family now.”

  I grinned and hesitated for a few seconds before wrapping my arms around her. Through touching, I could sense her character, intentions, worries, fears, and just about anything that registered as a strong emotion or value. This was a common skill in my coven, called the haptic sense, which was not at all typical here. In a flash, I read Cerise’s sincerity and compassion. She was like an older sister I’d always wished I had. My kid brother wasn’t worth much for talking to, but for fishing he was always my best buddy. I pulled away. “Thanks.” I wanted to say more, but didn’t want to show I was worried about that ghostly curse. Was it real? And if it was, what might the spirits do to me? I had no experience with the magic of the dead that was so common in this coven. I wondered if any of my magic would block the curse. I stepped back from Cerise and my gaze met hers.