Bad Holiday in Witch Town

by Mark Hockley

taking a torch to the whole town, burning it to the ground. Some think this would force change. But I want no part of killing. I've told them as much. But mine is not the only voice. Others are more radical, more reckless."

  This was a sobering idea and Zack found himself momentarily distracted from his own personal misery. "We can't let them do that. Anyone could get caught up in it. Surely they know that, don't they?"

  "Desperate people will do desperate things," was all the man answered.

  "But don't the women know, don't they understand how far you are being pushed!?"

  Jeremiah gave a shrug. "They don't care. The heads of the Covens such as my wife see the men as nothing more than slaves. In every way."

  "But they would care, if someone took a torch to their precious Houses!"

  "Maybe they could just put the flames out anyway," the man mused, "I don't know. Abigail is very strong, stronger than most of them. Who can say what they are capable of."

  "This isn't getting us anywhere," Zack said irritably. His mind strayed to Leonie and he felt his mood darken. "Is there really no way out of this place? Couldn't we just escape?"

  "In with power..." the man intoned.

  "I know, I know," snapped the boy. "Aren't any of the women sympathetic. Leonie..." He stopped himself, realising that he would not help things by talking about her.

  But Jeremiah only shook his head. "Even those few know very well they can do nothing. They are bound by their laws and their honour."

  "What kind of honour is that!?"

  "The only honour they know," was the immediate reply. Jeremiah rubbed his temple. "It's late. We will achieve little through weariness."

  As much as Zack might have wanted to debate the point, he knew that it was true and it didn't make any difference arguing about it.

  But now faced with the prospect of going to bed and sleep, he did not relish the long night ahead, turning over and over in his head the things he had said to Leonie.

  And worse still, when the morning came, he would have to face her again.

  The boy knew he needed to keep his distance for her own safety, but it would kill him to do so. "Good night then," he said to the man distractedly, realising this was something that he would have to endure alone.

  Jeremiah made no response. He didn't need to. The conversation was over, at least for a time. And tomorrow would bring more of the same. More heartache, more pain, more ill-will.

  All seething and festering behind the blank stares of the men who laboured in the fields of Witch Town.

  There had been no time for goodbyes. Helen and Grace had not allowed it. They had come for her as the night became impenetrable and announced that it was time to leave. She had considered making an excuse to at least tell Luke, but then she had recalled their last conversation and decided not to bother.

  One thing at least she had received and she kept it in close to her. A note from Zack. Luke had reluctantly passed it to her earlier and she had been elated to read it, however brief it might be. It had come at the time she most needed some encouragement.

  Sis, I know this is all really hard, but keep fighting. Don't forget who you are. Don't forget I'm your brother. We will get through this and all be together again. Love you.

  Now Ellie found herself out beyond the buildings of Witch Town, walking along the same gravel path she had trodden when she had arrived. The fact was that she knew she could have come out here any time since she had joined the Black Coven and maybe, just maybe, walk right out of there and leave them all behind. She didn't know whether that was just a fantasy and witches were guarding the way in and out, although she saw no sign of anyone now. But, whatever the case, something had always stopped her from even trying, whether it be the obvious reason, her concern for the others and not wanting to leave them behind, or more disturbingly, that she found her new life here fascinating and exciting.

  She had to accept that her appetite for knowledge had overridden everything else. Could she have smuggled out Luke, maybe Zack as well, if she had really wanted to? It would have been far more difficult to take Beth, at least until recently. The reality was that she hadn't even considered it seriously. There was a desire growing within her, an undeniable need to discover more about the power she possessed. From the moment the amulet had attached itself to her she had been irrevocably changed. There was no point fighting the truth of it. Ellie knew.

  With casual efficiency Grace had spoken 'light,' and she had been surrounded by a glow of illumination that was enough for the three of them to find their way in the gloom.

  They had reached the sign that had signalled such consternation when they had seen it for the first time. Now Witch Town seemed to Ellie to be more real than anything she had experienced before.

  She tried to clear her head, focus on what they were actually doing. Ellie still knew very little about the logistics of this mission.

  Going off to find Rebecca's original SpiritHeart was one thing, but how far away was it and how were they going to get there. She glanced over at the other two women and for the first time in a while, noted that their clothing was not exactly conventional. She had just got used to it she decided. Even her own identical outfit had become almost second nature to her.

  They passed under the signpost. She felt nothing at all. Ellie had expected some kind of sensation, but there was nothing.

  "They will be looking for me. It's been weeks since we got here." Ellie said this aloud as it occurred to her and then wondered if she should have kept this observation to herself. But these two women really annoyed her and she wanted to let them know that they hadn't got every angle covered.

  Helen cast a cursory glance in her direction and her expression was dismissive. "We will deal with that if it becomes necessary."

  They trudged on and Ellie was shocked how close the road was to where they had left the borders of witch town. She found herself looking for their car, but there was no sign of it. Surely it would have been taken away for forensic study by the police anyway.

  Ellie still persisted, trying to goad the two witches. "The police could still be in the area. They won't have given up searching for evidence. They're probably thinking we've been murdered."

  "Why would they look here?" Helen sounded entirely disinterested. Grace wasn't even taking any notice of this exchange, intent on negotiating a rutted field, making for a wooden gate adjoining the road.

  Ellie was puzzled at this. "They would have found the car. They would know we had to be around here somewhere."

  Helen's grin was enough to tell the girl that she had been foolish. "Do you really think we know nothing of the world outside Witch Town? We understand only too well the petty, small minds of these people. Their ancestors hunted us and we learnt the art of concealment well. Your transportation is safely hidden from the eyes of those who might have come looking for you. They found nothing. You and your friends are just four more who went missing and will never be found."

  With a horrible, knotted feeling in her stomach, Ellie didn't know what to say in response. She realised dismally that these women would do whatever they needed to survive. They had been doing it for centuries after all.

  But she would still find a way to find help her friends. Now she was out she would not return without it. And Helen and Grace would not stop her.

  One way or the other she was going to end this.

  28

  Now that I'm out I'm not sure not what I'm supposed to do. I know I can beat these two witches, or at least I did before. Maybe I just got lucky. Why would Margaret send them with me when she knows that anyway? Does she want me to make a run for it. And what would she do to the others if I have to really hurt these two women in the process? Is this some kind of trap? That thought keeps passing through my mind. But what about Rebecca's amulet? Why wait until now to go and get it? Something doesn't feel right about this. And as usual I'm caught right in the middle.

  The road was very dark and there were no street lights. Also
there were no footpaths, so the three women walked along the side keeping to the grass verge.

  "Is it far?" Ellie enquired, feeling immediately stupid as she said it.

  Neither of her companions replied.

  Ellie could not help herself but think what a strange trio they must make wandering along a country road in their long, antiquated dresses. She was definitely having another of her surreal life experiences. Just one of many on her list lately.

  Ahead, they saw a light flicker through the trees and hedges. Car headlights.

  The girl wondered if she would be asked to hide in the bushes and did not relish having to struggle across a ditch in the murk and probably end up flat on her face in the mud.

  But Grace had other ideas.

  The witch walked straight out into the middle of the road and just stood there. She was no longer lit by the power of her Word so she appeared as only a vague outline.

  Ellie watched mystified as the headlights drew nearer, coming slowly around several bends before reaching them. Grace stood her ground and held out one hand imperiously to indicate that the vehicle should come to a halt.

  Whoever the driver might be they would not have much choice as the only way to get past on the narrow road would be to run the woman over.

  When the car came around the final turn in the road and its beam hit the woman standing there, brakes were abruptly applied and it came to a halt. For several moments the