HEX

by Stacy Charasidis

  “What about Venius?” Dean asked.

  “He’s busy with Beth. They’re an item,” Wayman said with distaste.

  “Eww,” Nathalie said, disgusted. “Still?”

  “My sentiments…and yes,” Wayman muttered.

  “Advice?” Luke asked.

  “Stay out of their way. They’re bigger, stronger, faster and murderous. They have absolutely no conscience to speak of. If you find yourself face to face with one of them, run.”

  “Right,” Luke nodded.

  “No, I mean run now. Here they come,” Wayman said, shoving Luke behind him towards the barn door at the back. The others followed.

  Nathalie looked back. Wayman started to flicker with a blue light, cracking his knuckles and smiling.

  DAY 15

  Willow’s Book of Record

  Bethiah’s suggestion for our sacrifice was a good one, but our attempt to take the Croft twins failed. Clovis, that idiot, got distracted. I doubt we’ll have another chance to grab the two little brats. Such youth would have meant great power, and the power of twins on top of it! ‘Tis a shame. After I punished Clovis I gave him leave to capture Ella Croft, but my spies tell me that she is also being kept on the estate for protection now. Too bad the other Croft children have no trace of magic in their blood. They’re about as useful as rabbits—only suitable for stew. That leaves me only one other option, and that will be tricky.

  Sadie grows weak inside me. She is still linked to her physical person, which I am starving. When I transform, the treacherous wretch will die along with her body. Regardless of all the rantings and ravings from the blathering Barrington bonehead, she will not survive to betray her family another day, and I will destroy her lover along with her.

  DAY 25

  The Barrington Estate

  Not long now, Luke thought to himself. Six more days until D-day. He stood on the edge of the Barrington property. The evil emanating from Willow’s presence had killed all the foliage around the church. The huge maple at the front was dying. The apple trees running along East Road were dying as well. Luke felt helpless fury at their situation.

  They tried to change the tide. Waiting, guarding, protecting…all they did was bide their time. Frustration, boredom, sick anticipation and fear of the unknown were catching up with them.

  A few days earlier the boys had wanted to storm the church the day Willow gathered all of her followers for a meeting. Nathalie was terrified they would.

  Wayman had warned against it during a visit to the Barrington estate. “She’s too powerful now. You go in, she’ll take you.”

  “She can’t kill us,” Dean said. “She needs us for her spell.”

  “Actually, she could use you dead, Dean, being a Croft and all,” Wayman pointed out. Dean paled. “And just because she won’t kill you, doesn’t prevent her from making you wish for death,” Wayman said ominously. “You know, have a little fun first.”

  Echoes of his father’s warnings ran through Luke’s head.

  “No one goes in there,” Wayman repeated in his powerful voice, and Nathalie again got the impression he had grown a few feet.

  Father MacGunne walked in as Wayman was giving the directive. “Quit yer yellin’ and intimidation tactics. I’ll go have a look.”

  Wayman scowled at the small man who had started calling him “Wee Wayman” because of his race. It made the priest snicker.

  They watched as Father MacGunne snuck into the church through an outside secret passageway even John Barrington didn’t know about.

  “What?” Father MacGunne asked when he arrived back, in response to all the raised eyebrows in the room. “The church doesn’t reveal all its secrets, you know.”

  “Tell us, Edward.”

  “It’s all blather and hooky. She spoke of a new age and rewards for their loyalty. It’s a load of crap, if you ask me,” Father MacGunne said in disgust. “Those people will believe anything. They want to believe. They’re lost souls,” he said sadly.

  Wayman looked at him. “That’s your report? They’re lost souls? It’s a load of crap?”

  “Yes, wee one.”

  Wayman growled. His eyes brightened.

  “Did you see the hunters?” Dean asked hurriedly, attempting to stave off disaster brewing between the two men.

  “The big leather fellows? I surely did. Those two just looked bored. Forced to be in church…get it? Ha, ha,” he snickered, but nobody laughed, so he continued. “Bloodthirsty bastards they are, the lot of them. We’re just sport for them, like animals. And then…” He looked uncomfortable. “I left.”

  “Then—what?” Everyone waited.

  “They took off their bleedin’ clothes, that’s what! And started…you know…in my church!” Father MacGunne wailed. He was beside himself.

  Luke froze. He hoped Willow wasn’t putting Sadie through that, but somehow, he doubted it. Willow hated men with a deathly passion. Sex was a tool, not a pastime.

  As if thinking about her willed her to appear, Luke could see Willow walk out of the church and head to the Barrington Estate. Luke shouted involuntarily and bolted out of the salon. It had been so long since he’d seen her. He stopped at the property line and watched as she came towards him, walking like a puppet on strings, jerking and twitching. Luke’s heart tightened in his chest. He hadn’t seen her in many days, and she had changed for the worst. Sadie was degenerating. She was thinner than ever and now looked gaunt. Her nails had grown unnaturally long and were gray with black streaks making her hands look like claws. It didn’t look as of Willow bothered to wash. Her hair, clothes and body were dirty, and her skin was gray and sallow. Her white dress was filthy. She had trapped herself in that church without much fresh air or sun. Madness danced in her white eyes. He was pretty certain Willow was completely insane, and he tried not to panic when he couldn’t see anything but a flicker of Sadie’s life force.

  She came close and smiled. “Soon she’ll be dead, boy. Take a last look,” she said with a sneer. “When I transform I’ll shatter this body into pieces of meat.” She looked at Luke, her cracked lips bleeding from smiling. “You’ll all be pieces of meat for my brethren to feast on when I’m done with you.”

  Luke was horrified and fear wormed into his heart. They were beat. How do you fight something so evil? He took a step back and felt someone elbow him in the ribs. It was Nathalie.

  “Fight, Seer,” she whispered fiercely. Nathalie was trembling as well, but her voice was strong. “Willow is using her power to seduce you and suck your will. See. Win. Don’t give up. Use your voice.”

  Willow’s eyes narrowed. “Parker,” she hissed. “You’ll watch. You’ll watch me destroy everyone you love until you beg me to kill you as well. Spy on me all you want. The end is near.”

  Luke said the only thing that was giving him any hope right now. “Six days, my love!” Luke boomed out. Willow hissed as she took a step back and then retreated. “Soon, Sadie! Six days! Hold on!” he yelled. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a flicker of life.

  DAY 26

  Waiting…tense patrolling of the Barrington grounds.

  Willow attempts to send in armed townsfolk, under compulsion, to kill the senior Barringtons and snatch the Croft twins.

  They are disarmed and detained in the Sheriff’s office until Halloween, despite their confusion and protestations of innocence.

  “Sorry folks,” the Sheriff said without mercy.

  No more strangers are allowed onto the Barrington Estate.

  “How do we keep them out?” someone asked.

  “We scare the hell out of them.”

  DAY 27

  The following articles are published in The Barrington Bugle.

  THE BARRINGTON BUGLE – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

  Warning To All Citizens – Barrington Estate Cesspool Of Contagion!

  By X. Agerate

  This trusted reporter was contacted by the Mayor, John Barrington, himself to warn all citizens not to approach the Barrington
Estate. “We’re so sick we may die,” the mayor himself informed me. “We have the virus. Do not risk yourselves! Do not go anywhere near the Barrington Estate!”

  Even better, if you don’t have to go out at all, STAY HOME!

  Stop The Spread Of Disease! 10 Tips To Help You Stay Sanitary & Safe

  By X. Agerate

  Being sanitary isn’t innate in people. This knowledge needs to be passed on. Here are some important tips to improve bacteria control in your environment. Post it somewhere visible!

  Wash your hands with soap! Every time you sneeze, wipe your nose, or scratch your…

  Cough or sneeze into your elbow and not your hands. Touching people with germy hands transmits more germs than kissing!

  Close the toilet seat when you flush. It’s true! Bacteria laden mist can jet up to ten feet and land on your unprotected toothbrush…

  The Barrington Estate

  They put contamination warning signs around the estate.

  “Wow, the Doc was prepared in case something happened in Barrington,” one of the council members said approvingly.

  Sheriff Holt snorted. “He took them from his Halloween decorations. He never wanted to give the kids in town any candy, so he put those around his lawn and turned his light off.”

  Doc Peabody, who was sitting in the salon, just grunted.

  “Well, I saw someone cut through the Barrington Estate a few minutes ago,” Nathalie said. “The warnings didn’t deter them.”

  “Because they look like Halloween decorations,” the Sheriff said, sipping his coffee.

  Dean chuckled as he read Xander’s article on sanitation out loud, making Luke and Nathalie laugh.

  With raised eyebrows, Sheriff Holt looked at John Barrington who had come in to help himself to coffee from the sideboard.

  “Don’t look at me,” John said to the people in the room. “I only contributed to the virus article. The list of sanitation tips was Xander’s brainchild.”

  “Xander’s tips are accurate. You all do realize that, right?” Doc Peabody said to the room in general with raised eyebrows. “I mean, it’s too bad the moron chose some of the more stupid ones to mention, but they’re still accurate.” He looked down at the psychic medical journal he was reading. “Now this stuff,” he said as he waved the magazine in the air, “is crap.”

  DAY 28

  The Barrington Estate

  During a routine check of the estate perimeter, a vacant-eyed Austin Baker pushed Dean outside the protected boundary of the Barrington Estate. In the blink of an eye, Venius and Clovis appeared and grabbed a shocked Dean as Luke shouted for help. Luke was about to rush through to help his friend when Wayman appeared in a flicker of blue and streaked past Luke, pushing him back.

  But it was too late.

  It only took a second before Venius and Clovis were gone with their human cargo.

  Wayman roared in frustration and turned towards Austin, who stood there with a puzzled look on his face. Taline appeared in a flicker of blue, an armed bow in her hands and took a second to assess the situation. Wayman was furious and had grown large and fierce in his rage.

  “Leave the boy,” Taline commanded sternly in a powerful voice. She relaxed her stance and put away her weapons.

  “Traitor!” Wayman roared. Again, Luke could clearly see that Wayman was not human, and he no longer even tried to conceal it. Austin cowered in terror.

  “STAND DOWN, Wayman!” Taline said aggressively. Her form flickered with blue light.

  Luke was entranced by Taline’s beauty and unwittingly diffused the situation. “Listen to her, Wayman!” Luke said with awe. “She’s about to kick your ass!”

  Luke’s comment finally broke through Wayman’s rage and got his attention. Startled, he laughed out loud and shrank back to normal size. His fury dissipated in the wake of a wide smile and sparkling white teeth. He took a final disgusted look at Austin and brushed by him at a run to the house. His form flickered and Luke could see that he was already an impossible distance away.

  “Hurry up,” he called back to them.

  They bolted to the house, leaving Austin behind.

  In the salon the good gang rallied and debated their next steps.

  “Of course we have to get him!” Nathalie cried in horror when the adults considered and weighed the risks.

  “It’s no coincidence that Willow took a Croft,” Nettie said firmly. “She needs him for her ritual.”

  “We don’t even know what the ritual is,” Nathalie said, despairingly.

  Trapped on the estate, Luke, Nathalie, and Dean had been tasked with researching the Von Vixen spell book to see if Willow would be using one of her spells. They had given up once they had searched the book and discovered two pages towards the end of the book had been ripped out.

  “It’s no use! We know she wants to transform and murder us all…but none of Elanah’s spells covers both, and we don’t know what was on the missing pages. We just don’t know what she’s going to do or the ingredients she needs!” Nathalie said despondently. “It would only be our best guess.”

  “True, lass, and it’s important we get him back. If she uses him she’ll be unbeatable,” Nettie said very seriously. “A life for a life is very powerful revenge witchcraft.”

  That comment halted the conversation in the room.

  “Why a life for a life?” Luke asked her, his heart a tight ball in his chest.

  Nettie looked around with surprise. “Why, Saul Croft was the executioner. He was the one who released the gallows.”

  There was a stunned silence in the room.

  Nathalie was the first to speak. “Nettie, that’s not written anywhere in your ‘Book of Record,’” she said slowly, her thoughts racing.

  “Och, of course not lassie, to be sure. The executioner’s name was never written down, out of respect for his privacy. It was a hard task, and an uncomfortable one, which is why they always wore a head covering, at a minimum, to hide their identity. It wasn’t right to judge a God fearin’ man doin’ God’s work.”

  “But you sent the Crofts home. Livey Croft was fine…”

  “Saul was in a devil of a fury with Willow for having touched his child and terrifying his family. He offered his services to ensure the witch got her comeuppance.”

  Luke shook his head. “It makes sense now why the Crofts are on the list.”

  “If only we had shown the list to Nettie!” Nathalie said, angry with herself. “We have to get him back.”

  They all agreed, and the next hour was a flurry of activity.

  The team armed themselves with whatever they could find, knives, baseball bats, two police officers with guns, and they stormed the church at sunset. A huge fight ensued between the people in Willow’s gang and those in the Barrington gang, the results being black eyes, broken teeth, and many cuts and bruises.

  Willow laughed as she watched them try to reach her.

  “Did you think I would let you capture me again, Barrington?” she screamed incredulously. “You idiot! Where’s your torch this time, foolish man? Last time you threatened to burn down my house! I dare you to burn the church! I dare you!” she sneered and laughed wildly over the din.

  So that’s why she chose the church, Nathalie noted. She learned the hard way. You get burnt once, literally, you choose your hidey holes better next time. Nathalie was jumping pews to get to Willow because the aisles were tangled with people fighting. “Where’s Dean you crazy witch!” she screamed from one pew away.

  Willow glanced at Nathalie and laughed again. “He’s a dead man, PARKER! DEAD! You’ll rue the day you told on me! You’ll watch him die!” she said insanely and moved behind her wall of defenders.

  Father MacGunne was hopping around like he was on fire. “Watch the pews! Don’t smash the stained glass!! Don’t kill each other!” He started to pray loudly.

  “No, Father! Don’t pray!” Nathalie screeched.

  “She’s leaving!” someone yelled.

  Luke co
uld see the sanctuary start to glow brighter. Willow hissed and bared her teeth. Venius grabbed her and she disappeared. Clovis followed immediately after.

  “No!” Nathalie screamed with utter fury and burst into tears. After a few moments the fighting tapered off and stopped. The Barrington band watched warily as Willow’s people milled around looking confused. Luke worked his way to Nathalie and put his arms around her.

  “Now we’ll never find him,” she said, sobbing. Luke looked helplessly at his father. He understood exactly how she felt.

  “What the hell?” one of the men finally exclaimed, looking around at his surroundings and at the bloody and banged up faces. “What is going on here? What the hell am I doing here?” he yelled in a panic.

  One of the young women fainted while another one just looked at her bloody hands saying, “Oh my God, oh my God,” over and over again.

  “The last thing I remember is picking up a penny,” another said with confusion.

  Doc Peabody was ready. He had been waiting at the periphery of the fight in case he was needed to treat any serious injuries. “I’m a healer not a fighter!” he had exclaimed earlier when someone tried to give him a baseball bat as he ran with the mob to the church.

  He put his arms up and shouted in a booming voice over the wails rising from Willow’s victims. “Everyone, please! It’s Doc Peabody here! Please, nobody panic.”

  Things quieted down somewhat and only some moaning and sniffling could be heard.

  “You’ve all been suffering terrible hallucinations due to the contagion. Do not panic! The worst is over now and…” he was thinking frantically, “your fever has broken! We were using the church as a quarantine area.”

  Doc Peabody looked at Taline, who was standing next to him. “Missy,” he whispered to her from the side of his mouth, “I need my doc bag right now.” Within seconds Taline was back in the church with his bag. He took it from her as if her abilities were a normal occurrence. “Everyone, please line up in an orderly fashion and you’ll get your antiviral shot.”

  What Doc Peabody really gave them was a mild sedative.

  “What do we do with all the out-of-towners?” At least five of the people were not from Barrington.