by Mark Hockley
blurry and looked down the steps that led up to the doorway to see a young man staring up at her. Beth tried to focus but everything was indistinct. "Zack?" she said hopefully.
"No," came the voice, an odd fusion of disappointment and joy. "It's me, Luke."
"Luke?" she repeated, wiping her tears away with a hand.
The boy bounded up the steps and there was a desperate intensity in the way he gazed at her. "Are you okay?" he asked, "what's been happening? I've been out of my mind with worry."
Beth steadied herself, regaining her composure. "I guess I'm okay. I came to see Ellie. How are you doing? You look really tired."
"You've been crying," he said gently, reaching out to touch her arm.
Without really meaning to, Beth pulled away from him. It was an instinctive movement, but she saw the hurt on his face. "Sorry," she offered, "I'm okay, really. I just have bad moments, you know."
Luke glanced away, fighting with his own wayward emotions. He looked down at himself and saw how dishevelled and dirty he was."We've been working in the fields," he told her off-handedly with a vague gesture over his shoulder.
"You and Zack?" the girl questioned, a note of excitement entering her voice and she looked beyond him as if hoping that the other boy might appear.
When Luke spoke again his tone was flat. "You won't see him. He's always with Leonie anyway." He watched her, waiting for the reaction he knew would come.
"Who's Leonie?" Beth's queried uneasily.
"One of the witches who keep an eye on us," he advised her casually, knowing exactly what he was doing.. "My personal watchdog, Allana, let me come back here for a rest. I hurt my arm." He gave it a tentative wave. "Just a strain, but it gives me a break so I'm not complaining." Luke watched her features as she absorbed his words. "But Zack is still fit for action. So he's out there with Leonie. They've become pretty close." Beth didn't say anything. She seemed lost in her own thoughts. "Do you want to come in?" he suggested affably, even though he felt as though his heart was withering in his chest."We could catch up a bit." He paused, reaching for the words he really wanted to say. "I didn't know if I would even see you again." His voice was raw now and Luke found it difficult to speak. "I...I wanted to come and find you...but I just couldn't. They wouldn't let me." His face was distraught. "I'm so sorry."
The girl focused on him again at last and managed a brief smile. For the moment she had managed to set aside whatever feelings she was battling with concerning Zack. "Don't worry. I know how it is here." Then she motioned towards the house. "I'm not sure we would be allowed in there until Ellie comes back."
Now Luke remembered something that made him feel very cold inside. Beth didn't know.
"I live here too," he ventured, not wanting to tell her the reason.
With a confused look, Beth raised a questioning eyebrow. "How come?"
Luke stood motionless wishing there was a way to avoid this entire, ludicrous situation. Was he really going to have to tell the girl he loved that he was married to her best friend!? Not that she would be upset or bothered. No, never that. If Zack had got married on the other hand, now that would be a very big deal indeed.
He schooled his thoughts, trying his best to rid himself of the bitterness that was gradually dominating his mind. "It's a long story," he offered evenly, despite the fact that in his head a war between affection and resentment raged on.
"What are you doing to the baby boys?" Ellie wasn't there to pussyfoot around. She wanted answers. And she wanted to help Beth.
"Your friend has been talking I see." Abigail's features were a mask of hospitality.
"That's not important. I want to know what's going on."
The woman regarded her amiably. They were standing in Abigail's room, the full length painting of the witch herself peering down upon the confrontation. "But it is important. As now you must surely understand I will need to punish the girl for her betrayal of my trust."
Ellie bridled at this. "If you do anything to Beth, I will see to it that you pay."
Abigail chuckled slightly, but her eyes were like flints. "Threatening me when you are a guest in my House is not very wise. And lest you forget, you are only a level three and barely that." She gripped her white cloak and pulled it around her a little. "Do not fancy yourself strong enough to challenge me."
With grim determination, Ellie showed no sign of fear and intimidation. "Beth came to me as you asked her to. You want information so I'm here to give it to you. She did what she was supposed to do so just leave her out of it!"
The witch considered the girl doubtfully. "You have come here to reveal your Coven's secrets? Is your allegiance so feeble?"
"The only allegiance I have," countered Ellie, "is to my friends."
Abigail gave a cursory nod. "Indeed? So what will you tell me? I am eager to hear."
The girl stood upright, determined to demonstrate that she would not back down. "Whatever you are doing to those babies, I know it can't be something you want everyone to know about. So here's the deal. You leave Beth alone, you leave me alone and I won't say anything. It's as simple as that."
This time Abigail laughed, an uproarious sound of gaiety. "Please tell me this? Who will you tell? Margaret? One of the other Heads of the Covens? They already know you foolish girl. We have been neutering the boys since Witch Town's very beginning."
"What do you mean, neutering?" Ellie demanded, horrified.
"Exactly that. Do you really expect us to let them grow to share our power? You are one of us, a Mother, would you really want the men to challenge our dominion?"
The girl could not quite believe what she was hearing. Her head swam as she tried to make sense of it. "And the others are doing this as well?" she asked, as a chill began to creep down her neck and spine.
"Of course," snapped the White witch, "but only the Heads of the Covens. It is their responsibility to see it done. Our Sisters do not need to be burdened with such things. And even if they knew it would make no difference. Every Mother would see that it is something that must be done to preserve our heritage."
With a growl of fury, Ellie stepped forward, jabbing a finger at her. "You are sick, all of you. Sick, disgusting monsters!"
Abigail was once more serene and unruffled. "You have so much to learn. But at least now you must see that there is little point in you telling our fellow Mothers. They really would not care."
Ellie's rage faded as rapidly as it had came and now she gave a hard, humourless smile. "You're probably right," she agreed, "but it wasn't the women I was intending to tell. It was the men."
Zack was at war with himself.
He knew that what Jeremiah had said was true. He was putting Leonie in terrible danger. But how could he ever give her up.
This new life that had claimed him had brought with it things that were both unexpected and unwanted. But not Leonie. No, she was something he did want and need. She was something worth the pain of change and trial.
He finished his daily tasks working alongside several of the other men. They went about their business with methodical deliberation, unsmiling, uncomplaining. But in some of their eyes he saw quiet anger.
One of those with him was the bearded man he had met during the clandestine gathering in the barn. But he never acknowledged the boy, nor gave him even the slightest glance.
After tidying up, all of the men went their separate ways leaving Zack alone.
Except for Leonie. She waited for him outside.
With a reluctance that hurt him in ways he had never realised were possible, he walked out across straw covered ground and faced her, an ever tightening sensation cramping his stomach.
The young witch smiled at him, but he could not return it.
"What is it?" she asked, knowing that something was wrong.
Zack brushed dirt and debris from his clothes and he felt very tired. "I can't let them hurt you," he spoke softly.
With a small shake of her head, Leonie searched his face. "What do you mean?
Who will hurt me?"
The boy's expression was desolate. "Your sisters!" he spat the words, surprising himself with the venom he felt. "When they find out about us, they will hurt you won't they. Hurt you or kill you. Isn't that the truth!?"
Her mouth tried to form words to answer, but nothing came. Her eyes were filling with tears. Finally she managed to say in a barely audible whisper. "I can't change the way I feel."
This nearly broke him. He felt his fingernails pressing into his palms. "But I can't let the way I feel hurt you."
Now the tears were trickling freely over her cheeks and onto her lips. It was all Zack could do not to mirror her, his own eyes stinging. "What are you saying?" Leonie's voice wavered, but her gaze was steady.
It was time for the boy to say what he knew had to be said. He had rehearsed it over and over since his conversation with Jeremiah. But even though he had gone over the words in his mind, now that it came to it, they would not form, would not leave his mouth. "I..." was all that would come out.
Leonie came to him, moving quickly, wrapping her arms around him, holding him so tightly that it almost took his breath away. "Please don't say anything else," she breathed at his ear.
But Zack could not let selfishness or weakness keep him from doing what he knew was right. "If we carry on with this it would be like I was killing you myself. Maybe if I get out of here...".
But he didn't get any further. The girl pushed him away with a low moan of pain and fury.
"Don't make promises you will never keep,"
