Page 101 of The Neighborhood Witch

Alice nodded.

Johanna raised the wand, pointing it at Alice’s head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

Alice turned her gaze toward Johanna. The tip of the wand was mere inches from her eyes. Alice cleared her throat. Johanna’s face wore a condescending expression, waiting for an answer she already knew.

“I understand,” Alice replied in a low voice.

“Now that we understand each other, drive on. We can’t be late.” Johanna motioned down the road with her head.

A shadowy tunnel of barren trees lined the path. Their branches swayed in the breeze as they beckoned the pair to proceed furtherinto the darkness. The SUV rolled forward and disappeared into the woods. Alice carefully navigated down the service road. The dirt path carved a winding procession to their final destination. They stopped at the end of the path; trees blocked any further progress deeper into the forest.

“Turn it off and open the door,” Johanna commanded. “Slowly.”

Alice did as instructed and gripped the handle to open the door.

“Slowly,” Johanna reiterated.

The door creaked as Alice exited the vehicle. Johanna sprung out of the passenger side and shuffled around the front. She kept her ever-watchful eyes and wand trained on Alice’s every movement.

Alice gave a quick glance around. There was no movement. She listened for any signs of life. She only heard the sound of the branches swaying in the breeze like the cackling of laughter at what awaited further in the woods.

“Walk,” Johanna ordered. “We’re late. Walk!”

Alice proceeded past the first line of trees. Their smaller tree trunks swayed in the breeze as if they were giddy with glee. Alice grabbed one to balance herself on the rugged terrain. She took a few more steps and then spun around.

She tried to produce arcane bolts of energy, but was met with that far too familiar searing pain as another black bolt hit her. Another and then another. She fell to her knees. Her body hunched over to deal with the pain.

Johanna approached her. She placed the tip of the wand under Alice’s chin, lifting it so they met eye to eye.

Tears of pain welled in Alice’s eyes. A helpless expression. “Why are you doing this?”

Johanna stood over her with the wand inches from Alice’s face. “What I’m doing is showing you mercy. The same mercy afforded to me years ago. Now get up. Slowly.”

Johanna backed away as Alice rose to her feet. Tears rolled down Alice’s face.

“A few more feet. We need a good view of the sunset,” Johanna said.

Alice was in visible agony from the lingering effects of the wand. She held her side where she had been hit and searched around, as if hoping for help to arrive. Any help. But there was nothing. It was only her, Johanna, and the cackling trees.

Johanna focused on the setting sun. The deeper shades of orange and red filled the sky.

“This will do,” Johanna said. “Put your back to that tree.”

Alice did as she was told.

Johanna produced a rope from her bag. She tied it around Alice’s body multiple times. The rope constricted Alice’s chest with each pass, binding her closer to the trunk of the tree. Johanna tied the ropes as tightly as she could. She then produced a smaller length of rope and bound Alice’s hands together. She marched around to face Alice.

“What is this?” Alice asked. “Some sort of ritual sacrifice?” Those words brought back memories of her and Hugo many months ago when he had first learned to ride Galahad.

“You could say that,” Johanna said as she dug into her bag.

Alice’s eyes widened as the gold disk emerged. The yellow jewel surrounded by eight orange gems. Her face went blank and pale.

Johanna smiled. “Oh! You know what this is, don’t you?”

“I… I thought it was a legend,” Alice replied.

“Oh, it’s real. Very real,” Johanna said. “It has caused more destruction, pain, and misery than you will ever know.”

---