A Hillcrest Witch Mystery Collection

by Amorette Anderson

  Azure shakes her head. She smiles, mischievously. “Penny, you’re a witch in training—you’ve learned your three Ps, I presume?”

  I nod, staring at the broom. Is she seriously proposing that we ride these things, up to Rainbow Lake?

  Still staring at the broom, I speak. “Patience, precision, and playfulness.”

  “Well, it’s time to play a little bit,” Azure says. Then she laughs. “I can’t wait to see you try to ride this thing.”

  “Azure! Cora is my witch sister. That means that once you two are sisters-in-law, it’s like I’ll be your sister, too. You can’t be mean to me!”

  “I’m not being mean,” Azure protests.

  “You want to watch me fall off of a broom from above the treetops,” I say. “Are you going to get a kick out of that? Because that sounds pretty mean to me.”

  Azure steps over her broom. Once it’s between her legs she says, “Penny, I don’t want to see you fall. But it is going to be funny to see you try to get through the window. You have to be in a good mood to ride a broom. You literally have to lighten up. Think of something funny.”

  “I’m too nervous to think of something funny!” I protest.

  “Sit on your broomstick,” Azure says. She’s smiling. She starts to giggle, and she rises up, a foot into the air.

  I look down at Turkey, still nestled in my bag. He gives me a solemn nod. “We can do this,” he says.

  “You want to come along?” I ask him.

  He looks grim. “I don’t particularly want to go on your maiden voyage on a broomstick,” he says. “But I’m your familiar. I should.”

  “You don’t have to,” I say. “It could be dangerous. I’d rather you were here, safe and sound.”

  “Penelope, I want to be at your side. I want to offer assistance, should—”

  “Turkey,” I say, interrupting him. We don’t have much time. “I think I might be able to survive a tumble off of a broomstick. But my bones are a lot bigger than yours. I’d hate for one of your little bones to crack in half.”

  At the mention of cracking bones, Turkey tucks his head farther into my bag.

  “It’s okay,” I say, reading his body language. “The only reason we’ve gotten this far is because of you. I can take it from here.” I unshoulder my bag and place it on a kitchen chair. Then I lean down and kiss the top of his head.

  He’s quivering slightly. “Thanks, Penelope,” he says. “I do wish that I was a bit braver.”

  “You’re a part of me,” I say. “I know that. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

  I stand up, but then immediately stoop back down again. I can’t help it. This might be my last chance to snuggle my fur baby! I pat his head twice more and then finish with another kiss to his forehead. “I love you, Turkey Werky,” I whisper aloud.

  “Are you ready?” Azure asks.

  No! I think, as I tentatively step over the broomstick. I’m not ready for this.

  But it’s happening, nevertheless. So I’d better try to make the best of it. With this in mind, I squeeze my eyes closed, and try my hardest to think of something funny.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sitting on the broomstick with my eyes closed, I search my memory for a funny scene.

  It doesn’t take me long to find one.

  I’m lying in my bed, in my apartment. No—it’s not my apartment. I’m only 15. It’s my mother’s apartment. It’s two years before she passes away.

  I’m sick with a cold. My throat hurts. It’s scratchy and raw. My mom always made the best honey lemonade when I was sick. There’s a mug of that on my nightstand. I hear the apartment door open.

  I want to call out and see if it’s Mom. She went out to the market to get me some chicken soup.

  My throat hurts too much to call out.

  Footsteps.

  The bedroom door swings open—

  —and there’s Mom, standing in the doorway—dressed as a chicken!

  I burst out laughing. I can barely see her face in the little gap where the mega-sized chicken’s beak opened up.

  “Mom!” I say, between giggles. “What are you doing?”

  She starts doing the chicken dance.

  I smile, just thinking about it. I feel my feet leave the ground. Now I’m hovering in the air.

  I open my eyes. Azure’s watching me. “Good!” she says, giving me a thumbs up. “Keep going!”

  I squeeze my eyes shut again.

  Mom is in the doorway of my bedroom, doing the chicken dance in her giant bright yellow and red chicken suit, while I giggled uncontrollably. She dances right up to my bed. “Did you say you wanted me to pick up a chicken suit?” she says.

  “No, Mom!” I manage, between laughing fits. “I said chicken soup!”

  “Oh... silly me... is that what you said?” Then, she reaches into a pocket that’s tucked away in the suit’s folds. “Well, look at that!” she says. “I got a chicken suit and chicken soup!”

  She sits on the side of the bed.

  “Mom!” I say, reaching out to touch the fuzzy suit. I’m finally able to catch my breath. “My throat doesn’t hurt anymore!”

  “That’s because laughter is the best medicine, Sweet Pea,” my mom says. She reaches out with one of the suit’s feathered wings, and runs it lightly across my forehead.

  Even now, I remember how it tickled.

  I giggle. The broom starts to move beneath me.

  “Steer it!” Azure says. “Over towards the window. Come on!”

  I apply light pressure to one side of the broom, and the stick swerves slightly to the left, towards the kitchen window. Azure has opened it, and she ducks down and tucks her legs up as she swoops out of it.

  I copy her, and soon I’m swooping through her window too, out onto the sidewalk.

  We cruise down the walkway. I’m chasing after Azure, who is moving fast. We’re about four feet up in the air. As we’re about to emerge out onto the sidewalk in front of Blackbear Apartments, a figure turns onto the walkway, heading in our direction.

  It’s Chris!

  Azure swerves around him, laughing the whole time.

  I’m still laughing about my memory, too. My whole being feels bright and bubbly, like I’m a giant glass of champagne, fizzing up and over-flowing over my own edges.

  I swerve around Chris, just barely catching the shocked expression on his face as I pass by.

  “Penny?” he says, swiveling around.

  I don’t even look back. For one thing, I’m afraid that if I turn around, I’ll fall off of my broomstick. For another thing, I’m having too much fun! I want to go higher!

  “Can’t talk now!” I shout. Then I give a big “Yippee!” as I take off after Azure, higher and higher into the sky.

  We travel over town, flying over the rooftops along with ravens and falcons. I thought I’d been foolish to ride my bike without gloves, but now I realize that was nothing compared to flying a broomstick. My hands have become icicles. At least the numb sensation takes away what’s left of the pain in my wrist!

  When we near the library, Azure loops around so that she’s next to me. She shouts something over to me. The breeze that’s been constant all day has now picked up force. Wind whips around us, and it’s hard to hear Azure.

  “What?” I call out.

  She shouts again. This time I’m able to read her lips. “I don’t know where the cabin is!” she shouts.

  I smile. “I’ll lead the way!” I say. I make a sharp turn to the right. For a plain old broomstick, this thing sure is responsive!

  I lead the way up the mountain, flying well above a sea of green trees below. I can see the Rainbow Lake path, snaking through the trees. I keep it in sight, and within ten minutes, I spot the sparkling blue of Rainbow Lake. The surface is wavy due to the wind, but from up here the waves look like wrinkles on a sheet.

  I see a lone cabin, on the lake’s shore.

  I slow down, and Azure cruises up behind me.

  “How should we do
this?” I ask.

  I’ve been so excited about flying that I’ve entirely forgotten to come up with any sort of plan. I realize suddenly that we don’t even know for sure if Simone is in the cabin. Sure, I had a hunch, but—

  Before I can stress about this too much, I see the cabin door begin to open.

  I call out to Azure. “Should we hide?” I ask, urgently. “So that we can try to sneak up on her?”

  Azure looks down. “I think it’s too late for that,” she says.

  I follow the direction of Azure’s gaze. Simone is standing in the cabin’s doorway. Even from up here, I can see that she’s not happy. She’s shaking her fist at us. It almost looks like there’s smoke, coming off of her fist.

  “What is she doing?” I shout over to Azure. We’re hovering, side by side. A strong wind pushes me to the side, and I have to fight to correct myself.

  “She’s a fire witch!” Azure shouts. “That’s smoke, coming out of her hand! I’m afraid she’s going to do something drastic!”

  “Like what?” I ask.

  “Like that!” Azure says, pointing down at the cabin. Flickering orange flames have just become visible inside one of the windows.

  “Oh, no!” I shout. “My book is in there!”

  We watch in horror as Simone steps out of the cabin’s front door again. This time, she has a broom in her hand.

  She gets on the broom.

  “She’s going to make a getaway!” I say.

  “I’ll go try to save the book!” Azure calls out.

  I look down at the fire. It’s growing quickly, due to the wind. “No, Azure, don’t!” I shout. “It’s too dangerous!”

  “It’s okay,” Azure returns. “I’m an air witch. I’ll create a vacuum. Fire can’t survive without oxygen. Follow Simone! Stop her before she makes it out through the portal!” With that, Azure points her broom groundwards, and zooms towards the cabin.

  I want to stick around and make sure that she’s safe, but Simone is moving fast. If I don’t follow her now, she’s going to get away.

  I know how close she is to breaking my portal-locking spell.

  I have to catch her! I pull a quick U-turn, and take off after her.

  We speed down the mountain, back towards town. Simone turns right, heading towards Hillcrest Pass. I do my best to keep up with her, and soon I’m only twenty feet behind her.

  “You lied to me!” I shout. I’m not sure if she can hear me, but it feels good to yell. It actually makes me go a little bit faster, too. “I spent my friend Annie’s money to take that test!” I yell. “You messed everything up! You just set my most prized possession on fire! You caused a fight between one of my best friends and me! And worst of all, you killed Hiroku Itsu!”

  We reach the beginning of Hillcrest Pass.

  Simone is leaning down, so that her back is almost flat. I do the same, and speed up even more. I feel my body slice through the ice-cold wind.

  It’s a good thing we’re almost to the pass. I don’t know how much more of this I can take!

  Simone turns her broomstick down towards the ground.

  Uh-oh. I’m not really sure how to land this thing.

  I point my broom down too.

  I’d better think some light thoughts.

  As I hurtle towards the ground, I start thinking about the last time Marley and I questioned a suspect together. Marley pretended to be a bad cop, and I took the role of good cop. I remember how much Marley played up her bit, and I feel a smile play across my lips.

  It works! I’m nearing the ground, but I have that floaty, bubbly feeling inside of me again, and my feet touch down lightly. The ground feels soft and springy beneath my feet. It’s magical!

  I don’t have long to celebrate my success, because now Simone is running on foot, towards a gate that is up across the dirt road.

  I follow her. “Not so fast!” I say. “I know you’ve been trying to break my spell, but you’re not going to. Not this time!”

  She can’t run very fast in her heeled ankle boots. I’m closer now. I reach out, and my fingertips brush the back of her blazer, which is flapping out behind her as she runs.

  “I will break your spell,” Simone says, turning to look over her shoulder. Her hair, so neatly pulled back before, is now a frazzled mess. There are streaks of ash on her cheeks. A sneer plays on her lips.

  Turning like that slows her down. I reach forward again, and this time I catch a handful of material. I yank on it, causing Simone to trip. She lands in a heap, and I launch myself on top of her.

  “Ha!” I say. “Didn’t think I would catch you, did you?” I ask. “I’m not a trained runner or anything, but I do some running. My friend Max gave me tips. Well—he’s more than a friend, actually, he’s—”

  “You stupid, foolish girl,” Simone says. “You just never stop talking, do you?”

  “I’m not stupid!” I say. In truth, her words have shaken me. I’m not the most self-confident person when it comes to my intelligence.

  “I wanted you to catch me,” she says. Though I have her face pressed down into the dirt, I can tell from her tone that she’s sneering at me. “I bet you don’t even know any protection spells. You call yourself a member of the Terra Coven, but you know nothing of your element. You’re a disgrace to the title of ‘witch.’”

  “Oh, please,” I say. “You did not want me to catch you.”

  “I did, Penny,” Simone says. “I wanted you to catch me. It makes it so much easier to do this.”

  Suddenly, I feel a burning sensation. I’m on top of her, trying to hold her down against the ground, but now I feel heat in all the places where I have contact with her. It’s as though I’m touching a stove that’s just been turned on, at a low heat.

  Not only that, but the heat is growing. I don’t wait to see how hot she can get. I get off of her, as fast as I can.

  She cackles, merrily.

  “You silly, stupid girl! You thought you could defeat me alone. I’ve been a witch for 30 years! You’ve only been a witch for a few months. And now, your short-lived venture into the world of witchcraft is over. Without your book, you’ll be unable to progress.”

  “You’re not going to get away with this!” I say. “You killed a woman, Simone. I can’t let you leave. It’s my responsibility to this town to make sure that you face justice!”

  I shout this at the top of my lungs, which earns me another hearty cackle from Simone.

  “Brave words, Penny. Brave words. But what can you do?” She raises both of her hands, and points them towards the gate. “I’ve been weakening your spell... little by little. This last hit should do the trick. Once I’m through that portal, you’ll never catch me.”

  I suspect she’s right about that. The Fire Realm doesn’t seem like a very hospitable environment to strangers.

  “Goodbye, Penny!” Simone says.

  She holds her palms up, facing the fence. Electric bolts of bright green shoot outwards. I feel my hair whip out behind me. Her powerful spell seems to be creating weather of its own.

  I grit my teeth. The wind is so forceful, that it pushes me backwards, away from Simone. I can see the green lightning bolts hit the metal fence.

  The gate begins to break apart, one rung at a time.

  “No!” I shout, through my barred teeth. I begin forcing my body forward, against the howling gale.

  A hunk of metal flies in my direction. I duck and narrowly avoid being hit by it. Standing up again, I take another step forward. It’s hard to move against the force of her magic. I feel as though I’m trudging through a roaring river, in an attempt to move upstream.

  “You are not going to get away with this!” I say. Another step; another inch gained. Then another.

  I’m thinking of Hillcrest. I’m thinking of Hiroku. I’m thinking of Hiroku’s daughter.

  I’m thinking of Blueberry Muffin, Hiroku’s orphaned pet.

  “You... are... not... going... to get away with... murder!” I take one more powerf
ul step, so that I’m right in between Simone and the metal gate.

  She raises her palms so that they are facing right at me. I see green bolts of light emanate from the center of each of her hands.

  The instinct to duck and dodge her attack fills me, but I can’t move fast enough. Before I know it, a hot, burning sensation fills my body as the bolts of lightning streaming from her palms hit me.

  My feet leave the ground as electricity flows through me. I feel my whole body begin to convulse.

  I close my eyes.

  The burning reaches a new level, searing through my veins.

  I grit my teeth. Is this it? Is this how I’m going to die? Alone, at the hands of a fire witch? I’ve only just begun my study of magic. I’ve only just begun my relationship with Max. There’s so much that I haven’t yet experienced.

  Pain. I feel sharp, burning pain ripping me apart, from the inside out. It’s not only physical. I feel the aching emotion of regret. There’s so much I’ve left undone. Unfinished. Unexplored.

  I can’t die now. Not here. Not like this.

  My thoughts become hazy. I know I’m close to passing out. I fight to hang on. Though it’s painful, I force myself to stay awake. Aware.

  There are sounds of an explosion around me. I hear the fence splintering. Stones and earth, disturbed by the force of Simone’s spell, rain down on us. The wind whistles through the trees. And on top of that, I hear—sirens. Wailing sirens. Coming from down, lower on the pass.

  I open my eyes.

  I see a police car, rushing towards us. A second one is close behind. The first car skids to a stop, angled sideways on the dirt road. A plume of dust and dirt rises up behind it, almost hiding the second car, which has now skidded to a stop too.

  Chris jumps out of the first car. Ted and Chief Holcomb jump out of the second. All three officers run towards me, Chris in the lead.

  I try to call out, to warn them about Simone, but I find that I can’t speak a word. I’m paralyzed by the electricity running through me; I’m still convulsing. Chris is getting closer to me. ‘Watch out!’ I want to say. Then I feel Chris tackle me, pushing me out of the stream of electricity.