Bad Holiday in Witch Town

by Mark Hockley

protect them. And if all else failed she knew she would fight for them.

  She wasn't stupid of course. Ellie knew full well she wouldn't have a chance against so many. But she would not just stand by and do nothing. That was not an option.

  There was a knock on the door of the expansive bedroom she had been left to wait in. She didn't know if she was supposed to invite them in, so she said nothing and just stared expectantly at the door.

  The knock came again and Ellie decided she had better say something. "Come in," she offered, her voice barely above a whisper.

  The door opened and a woman wearing a green cloak entered. She was alone.

  "I am Rosemary," she said with a kind smile. "You may remember that I spoke at the Testing."

  Ellie did her best to recall, but it was all a bit hazy. "Eh, yes, of course," she murmured.

  "It's of no consequence," the woman said with a wave of her hand. "As I think you understand, every Coven has offered you a place. This is...most uncommon."

  The girl fixed her with a determined gaze. "Why?"

  Rosemary returned her gaze steadily. "You do not know?"

  This made Ellie roll her eyes with exasperation. "Of course I don't know. I don't know anything!"

  Now the woman altered her expression and she became grave. "The word you spoke, 'Protect'. No Mother has ever used any word beyond level one at The Testing. Never. And 'Protect' is level three."

  Ellie tried to take this in. "So what does it mean?" she asked quietly.

  For a few moments Rosemary seemed to consider her response. "It means you are a very powerful witch," she stated at length. "With great potential. But you need to be nurtured and supported to develop your ability. That is why it is very important that you chose your Coven wisely."

  "And what if I don't want to join any of you!?" Ellie said this with defiance, her eyes flashing.

  "What will you do if you do not?" was the simple reply.

  With a frustrated sigh, Ellie went and sat down on the bed. "So why you?" She glanced briefly at the woman's green cloak. "All of this colour coded nonsense. How does that work exactly. You're all witches aren't you? What makes you different from the rest? Why should I join you?"

  Now Rosemary became business like and moved closer to the girl. "We in the Green Coven are a tolerant and open minded group. We would offer you a safe home to explore your ability. And we would not wish to exploit your gift as some others may wish to."

  "Exploit?" voiced Ellie with distaste.

  "Yes," confirmed the woman, her tone even, "there are those who would attempt to do so. There are those with agendas that differ from our own."

  Ellie thought about this for a while. "So what is your agenda?"

  Rosemary raised an eyebrow. "We all have things that we want to achieve. For some these things are small. For others they have a greater goal in mind. The Green Coven only wants to further the prospects of Witch Town."

  "Really?" Ellie couldn't help but be sceptical.

  "Each Coven varies in size. Ours admittedly is smaller in numbers than the others. But we prefer to think of it as quality over quantity."

  The girl found this interesting. "So even here it's all just a popularity contest?"

  "Not exactly," Rosemary said, "there are many factors why a new Mother will chose their Coven. Family ties or friendships are one reason. Some of course look to the past."

  "In what way?"

  "The Blacks always claim they are Rebecca's Coven. But this is misleading. Rebecca led before the creation of the five Houses. It has no bearing on how thing are now."

  "So is that your offer?" Ellie was less than impressed. "What about my friends? What will you do to help them?"

  It appeared to the girl that Rosemary was fully expecting this as she merely smiled. "There may be a way to save the girl. I can't promise anything. But I will do all I can. But the others. They have committed murder. Nothing can be done for them. When the Council meets to vote there can only be one outcome" This sent a chill through Ellie and she fought not to actually shudder. "Also we will offer land and property as is usual. In your case the offer will be very generous."

  "I see," was all Ellie said in return, her mind racing.

  "Think on what I have said," the woman advised her. "And choose wisely."

  With this she left Ellie alone with her thoughts. And her thoughts were muddled to say the very least.

  She was a powerful witch apparently. But she didn't feel very powerful that was for sure.

  Okay, it sounded as if something could be done to help Beth and that was a relief, but the boys were in terrible danger. If that was the best she was going to be offered, what chance was there of saving them.

  She would just have to hope the next Coven's offer would be more help. How about a one way ticket out of this madhouse. But of course, she was going nowhere. She knew that in the very depths of her being. Everything in her life had changed in a single day. Everything.

  And now she would have to do whatever was necessary to see it through until the end.

  The offer from the Blue Coven was really little better than the one from the Green. The only difference was the politics. Ellie found that the woman's line about seeking order from chaos and non judgmental acceptance had sounded too much like some hippie cult indoctrination speech.

  Actually just now Ellie felt very judgemental indeed. She really wanted to pass down a few judgements on these witches. They were really beginning to grate on her.

  And when she had asked the woman who called herself Anna about her friends, all she got was a vague assurance that everything that could be done would be done.

  Now alone once more she absently touched the pendant against her chest. She hesitated a moment and then let her fingers reach behind her neck to where the metal joined with her own fresh. It felt alien and yet somehow comforting to have it there.

  There was another knock on the door and Ellie called out in a strong voice "Come." She was getting the hang of this now.

  The door flew open and Isobel strode in, her red cloak flowing dramatically around her shoulders. She obviously liked to make a big entrance.

  Ellie stood silently waiting for the expected propaganda speech to begin, but the woman just eyed her with unnerving intensity.

  "I suppose you think you're very special," Isobel said with an edge of contempt that was unmistakable.

  The girl held the older woman's gaze. "Not particularly," she replied as casually as she could manage. "But you all seem to think I am."

  This brought a scowl to Isobel's face. "Such an insolent child. But you will learn that even the most spirited of children can be tamed."

  "If this is your best try at winning me over then you're really messing it up!" shot back Ellie with sarcasm.

  Isobel flashed a smile, but her eyes were hard. "So what do you want?"

  This caught Ellie by surprise and she had to take a moment to get her thoughts in order. "I want the safety of my friends guaranteed."

  The woman nodded very slightly. "Is that all?"

  Now Ellie was really on the back foot. "Can you do that? Can you save them? Even Zack and Luke!?"

  "There may be a way."

  Ellie's heart raced and hope surged within her. "How!? What can you do?"

  With an expression that was hard to read Isobel came a little closer to the girl, keeping her voice low. "There are always bargains to be struck, my dear. If the price is the right one."

  "So if I join you my friends will all be safe?" Ellie couldn't believe she was actually considering this woman's offer, but she knew she would do whatever it took to protect the others.

  "Perhaps," Isobel offered.

  Ellie didn't trust her at all but she was becoming increasingly desperate. "So what do the Red Coven stand for exactly?" She didn't really care to tell the truth, but it seemed like the right thing to ask.

  Now the woman smiled openly. "Power."

  9

  So I get to choose a colour? Well
my favourite colour is purple, but that one's not on offer! This whole thing is crazy anyway. I don't want to join these people. All I want is to get away from here. Far away. And forget everything that's happened. If I really am a witch and the evidence points to the answer being a big fat yes, then what am I going to do about it? It's not like I can just go back to being ordinary Ellie Landis. No, I have to find out who I really am. And it looks as though Witch Town holds all the answers. Even if what I find out are things I really wish I didn't have to know.

  "We can take the girl into our House. As a servant."

  Ellie looked at Abigail with little enthusiasm. "I'm not sure Beth will thank me for that."

  "Better than the alternative," observed the woman wryly.

  It was difficult to argue the point. Ellie found she liked what the Mother from the White Coven had to say a great deal more than anything she had heard previously. There was no lame attempt to persuade her that they represented her best interests. Just some straight forward deal making. You do this, you get that. Ellie could at least relate to that concept.

  "So what about my brother and Luke?" It was the one remaining issue and the most challenging one.

  Abigail considered this for a few long moments. "There will be a vote by the Council. The law demands that the penalty for murder of one of our own is death."

  Ellie knew this only too well. "But what can be done?" She tried unsuccessfully to keep a pleading tone out of her voice.

  "I could propose banishment as a alternative judgement."

  "But would they accept that? The others?" The girl's hopes ignited momentarily.

  "It's not probable," the woman admitted. "But I could