wicked witches 06.9 - you only witch once

by Amanda M. Lee

  Bay moved to Terry’s side, her face conflicted.

  “I’m really sorry,” Lila said. “You should know this wasn’t my fault. This is all Bay’s fault.”

  “Go to bed, Lila,” Terry snapped. He shifted his attention to me. “You were right. They’re monsters. Every single one of them is a monster.”

  Terry moved back toward the fire, not bothering to cast even a small look in Bay’s direction. I could see her lower lip quivering, but she didn’t call after him. She didn’t say a word.

  “Boys! Get in those canoes and get moving. I can’t stand to be here one more second. Let’s get away from the monsters. Everyone run for their lives.”

  Nine

  “Did any of them get up last night?” Marnie asked early the next morning, running in place and swinging her arms to get her circulation going. Her face was unnaturally pale, the shadows under her eyes pronounced. She looked as tired as I felt.

  “I didn’t hear a peep from them,” I said, rubbing my lower back. Despite Terry’s tirade, I opted to sleep in the hammock after all. I told myself I was doing it to make sure the unthinkable didn’t become a reality. Part of me wanted to be close in case Bay needed me, though. Her face after Terry’s outburst was enough to break my heart. He’d never ignored her before. She didn’t come to me, though, and that made for a restless night. Because I was up with the sun, I made sure my sisters shared the privilege. They’d been less than thrilled when I shook them awake.

  “Well, that’s something at least,” Marnie said. “Two more meals and we’re out of here.”

  “I can’t wait,” I said. “Next time I volunteer us for something like this, hit me over the head and lock me in a closet until I regain my senses. This was one of my worst ideas ever.”

  Marnie smirked. “Do you think Terry is going to bring the boys over for lunch? He was supposed to, but after last night … .”

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” I said.

  “I’ve never seen him that way before,” Twila said. “He never gets angry.”

  “He never gets filthy poop water thrown on him.”

  “Yeah, that was something,” Twila said. “Do you think Lila learned her lesson?”

  “I don’t think Lila is ever going to learn her lesson,” I said. “It’s not in her nature. She’s one of those people who will keep pushing people until she meets someone willing to push her back.”

  “The girls did push back,” Marnie said. “Instead of knocking her down a peg or two, though, all it did was make her go to a really … gross … place.”

  “Yeah, who thinks of something like that?” Twila asked, wrinkling her nose.

  “Rosemary.”

  Marnie and Twila turned to me, twin expressions of confusion etched on their faces. “Why do you think Rosemary thought of it?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “It’s just a feeling. I think Lila would have been more … generic … with her revenge choices.”

  “Well, Aunt Willa should be coming for her this afternoon,” Marnie said. “We’ll be free of her.”

  “It will be the highlight of our day,” I said. “Well, other than seeing Aunt Willa, that is. Maybe we can hide when we see her car. Why don’t you guys go wake the girls. I’ll finish getting breakfast ready.”

  “Are you sure you want to poke the sleeping beasts?”

  “Don’t you mean the monsters?”

  Marnie sighed. “He didn’t mean that about our monsters,” she said. “He was just … angry.”

  “I know he didn’t mean it,” I said. “Bay doesn’t know that he didn’t mean it, though. Did you see her face?”

  “Once Terry has time to cool down they’ll make up,” Marnie said. “I’m sure he has no idea how much he upset her. He’s going to feel awful when he realizes he hurt her feelings. He would never purposely do that.”

  “I’m sure he’s already sorry.” I shook my head, dislodging the morning melancholy. “Go get the girls up. The sooner we start this day the sooner we can end it.”

  “So mote it be,” Marnie said.

  “WHAT’S for breakfast this morning?”

  I jumped when I heard Lila’s voice, shifting so I could study her out of the corner of my eye before fixing my full attention on her. Her face was the same as before, red bumps everywhere, and she’d clearly been scratching at the infected areas, which was only making things worse. “Pancakes.”

  “I don’t like pancakes.”

  “Then don’t eat,” I said.

  Lila narrowed her eyes. “You don’t like me, do you?”

  Well, this was a sticky situation. I’m not big on lying, but should I really tell the truth to a vindictive child? “No, Lila,” I said. “I don’t like you.”

  “Is it because you wish Bay was more like me? That’s what my mother thinks.”

  “Your mother is an idiot,” I said. “I would much rather have ten of Bay than one of you.”

  “You know there’s something wrong with her, don’t you?”

  I forced myself to ignore her.

  “Of course you know there’s something wrong with her,” Lila said. “There’s something wrong with you, too. There’s something wrong with your entire family. I know all about it. Rosemary told me.”

  Things shifted into place. That’s why Rosemary was here. It wasn’t just to spy, although that was surely part of it. It was to spread Aunt Willa’s agenda. She did the same thing through Nettie when we were teenagers. I should have realized what she had planned.

  “I’m sure Rosemary told you a lot of things,” I said. “The problem is, Rosemary doesn’t know any more truth than you do, Lila. You make things up in your head to explain what you don’t understand. You purposely go after anyone who is different from you.

  “The thing is, you think that makes you special,” I continued. “But you’re not special, Lila. You’re never going to be special. You try to stomp out other people who are special. That’s not greatness, Lila. It’s jealousy. You’ll learn that someday.”

  Lila shook her head, haughty. “I am not jealous.”

  “You don’t even know what you are, Lila,” I said. “Maybe you should go look in a mirror. Then you could see what you really are.”

  “Whatever,” Lila said. “I don’t want pancakes.”

  “Then don’t eat.”

  “Winnie!”

  I turned, dread washing over me when I saw Marnie and Twila racing toward me. Clove and Thistle were close on their heels, but there was no blonde head following them.

  “Where’s Bay?”

  “She disappeared during the night,” Marnie said, struggling to catch her breath. “We don’t know when.”

  “Where did she go, Thistle?”

  “I don’t know,” Thistle said, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. “I didn’t know she left. Honest. I would have gone with her if she told me. I wouldn’t have let her go alone.”

  “Where would she go?” Twila asked.

  I knew exactly where she was. “Feed the girls,” I said.

  “Where are you going?”

  “After her.”

  TWO HOURS later, I was still wandering through the woods yelling Bay’s name, although I was nowhere closer to finding her. I’d expected to come across her quickly. That’s why I’d left Marnie and Twila behind. I didn’t think magic would be necessary, but now I was starting to doubt that decision.

  Either Bay couldn’t hear me or she refused to acknowledge me. I didn’t know which option scared me more.

  The sound of heavy footsteps on the trail behind me caused me to whirl around, hope welling in my chest. It wasn’t Bay’s face that jumped into view, though. It was Terry’s.

  “Did you find her?” he asked, panting.

  “Do you see her here?”

  Terry took an involuntary step back, my anger surprising him. “I know you’re upset,” he said. “Just … calm down.”

  “You know I’m upset? Really? Did you need your crack detective abilities to figure
that out?” In my head I knew this wasn’t his fault, but I kept picturing Bay’s face when he ignored her the night before. I kept seeing the look in her eyes when he called them all monsters.

  I was angry. I was angry with Lila. I was angry with Rosemary. Heck, I was even angry with myself. There was no one to take that anger out on but Terry, though, so that’s what I did.

  “We’ll find her,” Terry said. “She can’t have gone far. These woods aren’t that big. Even if she got lost, she wouldn’t be able to wander very far without coming across a road … or a house … or a person.”

  “Or a ghost,” I finished. “She’s out here looking for the ghost.”

  “I figured that much out myself,” Terry said. “I took the boys to the camp for breakfast – mostly because I didn’t feel like cooking. Twila and Marnie told me what happened. I left the boys with them to look for the two of you. She’ll probably go back to the camp when she’s done doing … whatever it is she’s doing out here.”

  “I’m not leaving these woods without her.”

  “Neither am I,” Terry said. “Now … come on. Let’s look for Bay.”

  I fell into step beside him, my heart pounding and my mind revving. “She’s upset.”

  “Because of what Lila was planning to do to her last night?”

  “Because of you,” I said, immediately regretting my words when Terry snapped his head in my direction.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You were furious last night,” I explained. “We all understand why. I should have just let you go. That wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t … hesitated. It’s my fault. You should have taken it out on me.”

  “I shouldn’t have taken it out on anyone,” Terry said. “Well, I should have taken it out on Lila and Rosemary, but they’re the only ones. I didn’t mean to yell and scare all the girls.”

  “It wasn’t the yelling that upset Bay,” I said. “She lives in a house with my family. She’s used to yelling.”

  “Then what upset her?”

  “She went to you … after,” I said. “I don’t know what she was going to say to you, but you brushed right past her and ignored her. Then you called them all monsters and stormed off. That’s what she’s upset about.”

  “I didn’t mean that she was a monster,” Terry said. “I meant … crap!”

  “It’s not your fault,” I said. “This whole weekend was a bad idea. When Bay pitched that fit before we left, I should have listened to her. I thought she was being dramatic. She must have known how this was all going to go. This is all on me.”

  “Let’s put blame where it’s due, shall we? This is Lila’s fault. We can’t focus on that now, though. We have to find Bay.”

  “I don’t know how,” I said.

  “You do,” Terry countered. “She’s your daughter. You know where she is. Just listen to your heart.”

  “I … .” I closed my eyes, sucking in a breath and focusing on the beating of my heart. Was he right? Did I know where she was? Could I feel her? Could I find her in a sea of trees?

  I snapped my eyes open and pointed. “She’s there.” I don’t know how I knew, only that I knew.

  “Then that’s where we’re going.”

  I HEARD Bay before I saw her. Her voice was small and plaintive, but I almost cried out in relief when I heard her talking.

  Terry pressed a finger to his lips to quiet me. His message was clear: Listen.

  “I’m sorry this happened to you,” Bay said. She kneeled on the ground. I couldn’t see who she talked to or what she looked at. “It’s a terrible thing. You can’t stay here, though. You’re not meant to stay here.”

  She cocked her head to the side, as though listening.

  “I’ll make sure you’re taken back to Hemlock Cove,” Bay said. “They’ll have a nice funeral for you. Your sisters won’t be left wondering what happened to you. I’ll make sure they understand that you didn’t run away. It’s going to be okay.”

  More silence. I shifted my attention to Terry’s face, although whatever he was thinking was beyond my comprehension.

  “I know you don’t want to go,” Bay said. “This isn’t where you belong now, though. There’s another place. I don’t know where it is, and I don’t know what happens there, but I do know you’re supposed be there. You’re not supposed to be here.”

  Terry cleared his throat and Bay jumped.

  “I … .”

  “We know what you’re doing, Bay,” Terry said. “We know why you came out here.”

  “It’s Mrs. Wilder,” Bay said. “She’s dead.”

  I moved around Terry so I could see what Bay kneeled next to. The body, ravaged by days in the woods, was the stuff of horror movies. I instinctively moved to pull Bay away, but Terry stilled me with a hand on my arm.

  “Tell me what happened, Bay.”

  “She came out to the camp to set up,” Bay said. “This was going to be her last season running the camp, so she wanted to spend some time out here alone. She loved the camp, and it made her sad to think this was the last time she would see it.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “There was something wrong with her heart,” Bay said. “The doctors told her she shouldn’t be running the camp this year, but she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. She walked out here, even though she knew it was dangerous. Her heart started beating really fast and she fell down. That’s the last thing she remembers. She shouldn’t have come out here alone.”

  “She wanted to see it one last time,” Terry said. “I get that. It’s a beautiful place. It’s a place that’s given a lot of kids great memories throughout the years. Donna always loved this camp, and she loved being a counselor.”

  “That’s why she doesn’t want to leave.”

  “You can’t be responsible for her decisions,” Terry said. “You found her. We’re going to make sure her body gets back to her sisters. We’re going to put her to rest.”

  “She has to put herself to rest,” Bay said. “We can’t do that for her.”

  “We can’t,” Terry said. “It’s sad. It really is. You’re not responsible for everything in this world, though. You’re not responsible for everyone who lives, and you’re certainly not responsible for everyone who dies.”

  “I had to find her.”

  “I know you did,” Terry said. He held his hand out to her. “Now you need to come back to camp and have some breakfast. I’ll call and have a team come out here. Donna will be home before it gets dark. I promise.”

  Bay studied his hand for a moment, unsure.

  Terry looked as though he wanted to say something, perhaps apologize. Instead, he shook his hand again to get her attention. “I can help you get Donna’s body home if you help me and come back to camp.”

  Bay took his hand, her smaller fingers wrapping around his larger digits and gripping tightly. “Okay.”

  Terry smiled. “Come on. We have a long walk back to camp. They were making pancakes last time I checked.”

  “I’m not really hungry,” Bay said.

  Terry glanced at the body. “I guess you probably aren’t. Don’t worry. By the time we get to camp you’ll get your appetite back.”

  “How can you know that?”

  “Because I know you,” Terry said, leading Bay back down the path toward camp. “You’re always hungry.”

  I followed them, silent. It seemed the one Bay needed help from this weekend wasn’t me after all. You learn something new every day.

  Ten

  “Are you okay?” Marnie asked, studying my face as I leaned against the picnic table. I was only half listening. Most of my attention was focused on the log next to the lake. Bay sat on one end of it and Terry sat on the other. They were talking, although I had no idea what the conversation entailed.

  “I’m fine,” I said.

  “I can’t believe Bay found Donna’s body,” Twila said. “She must have been terrified.”

  “She was more worked up because Donna didn�
��t want to cross over,” I said. “She was barely fazed by the body.”

  “Kids are resilient,” Marnie said. “Bay is resilient. I take it Terry apologized.”

  “He didn’t,” I said. “I thought he was going to, but instead he just held out his hand and made her come to him.”

  “Why do you think he did that?”

  “He said he was willing to help her, but she had to help him first,” I said. “She thought about it for a second, and then she … did it. It was like a miracle.”

  “I’m not sure it was a miracle,” Marnie said, chuckling. “I think it’s far more likely that Bay was ready for some help. She’s a lot like you. It takes her forever to admit when she needs someone to help her. She’d rather do it on her own. She gets that from you. You know that, right?”

  “I don’t think she’d like to hear that.”

  “Probably not,” Marnie said. “Still, she’s got a lot of you in her. Of course, she’s got a lot of Aunt Tillie in her, too. I even see a little bit of Mom in her. They’re all mixtures. None of them are exactly like us.”

  “That’s probably for the best,” I said. “I’m not sure I like myself some of the time.”

  “I like myself most of the time,” Marnie said. “I love Clove all of the time. I love Bay and Thistle all of the time, too.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “All of the time?”

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong, I want to strangle them sometimes. I still love them.”

  I snorted. “Can you finish cleaning up? I want to … .”

  “Go and eavesdrop on Terry and Bay?” Marnie asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Go. We’ve got this.”

  I approached Bay and Terry quietly, not wanting to disturb them. The magic of their relationship was in the simplicity, and when they thought someone was watching they clammed up.

  “I shouldn’t have yelled at you,” Terry said. “It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t nice.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “It’s not fine,” Terry said. “You’re not a monster. None of you are monsters.”

  “What about Lila?”