Page 96 of The Neighborhood Witch

“Ah,” Johanna replied. “Of course.”

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Tea. That is, if you have some.”

“I can put on a pot.” Alice retreated into the kitchen.

She strode over to a kettle resting on the counter. She picked it up and moved to the sink to fill it with water before placing it on the stove. The blue gas flame of the burner ignited to life with a snap of her finger.

Alice stepped back into the hallway. Johanna was gone.

“Do you prefer anything in your tea?” Alice called out, trying to find her.

“Just plain, thank you,” Johanna replied from the living room. “You have a very interesting collection.”

“Thank you,” Alice said as she peeked into the living room.Johanna was examining the various oddities. “I’m a bit of a maximalist. I like to fill in all the space.”

Johanna smiled at Alice. “You’ve done that very well. Every inch covered.”

Alice returned to the kitchen. She didn’t have time to wait for the water to boil on its own. She snapped her fingers. Steam poured out of the spout, and the black kettle whistled. She picked it up and grabbed a few tea bags from her tea cabinet. She threw them into a purple, ceramic teapot followed by the steaming water.

Alice heard Johanna moving down the hallway, but then she stopped. There was a rattle.The basement doorknob. Alice popped into the kitchen entryway. Johanna’s hand was firmly wrapped around the knob, ready to open the basement door.

“Please don’t go down there,” Alice said. “It’s a mess. Nothing is down there except old boxes.” Alice retreated back into the kitchen.

“You have a very interesting home.”

“Thank you,” Alice replied.

She wanted to get back to Johanna as fast as possible, so she would have to rely on a little magick. She snapped her fingers. Two cups flew out of the cabinet and landed on the counter. The teapot rose and poured the steeping tea into the waiting cups.

“A lot of interesting stuff.”

“I’ve collected a few things over the years.” Alice picked up one of the black and orange tea cups.

“I’ve collected a few items myself,” Johanna said. “Items that you might find interesting.”

Alice emerged from the kitchen carrying the cup. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

Johanna produced the black, twisting anti-magick wand hidden within her shoulder bag. “Interesting things like this.” She held it aloft for Alice to see.

Alice stopped in her tracks, and a sinking feeling filled her gut. Her breath froze in her chest. Her heart raced at the sight. “Where did you get that?”

“So, you do know what this is,” Johanna said with a wicked grin. “Standard issue for all appointed Witch-Finders.”

“I thought they didn’t have any more of those,” Alice proclaimed. Her hands shook. Drops of tea spilled over the lip of the cup and onto the floor.

“I took this off of a dead man who did unspeakable acts to me. He sentenced me to a life of hell,” Johanna said. “And now, you will feel what I felt.”

Alice dropped the tea cup. It fell to the hardwood floor and shattered into tiny pieces. The liquid splattered all over. She raised her hand, ready to snap her fingers. She was about to make a motion to disarm Johanna when a black bolt of energy struck her chest.

It was like fire and electricity coursing through her body. Every muscle contracted at once. Alice was awash in great agony. She let out a scream, at least, she assumed she did. She was in far too much pain to hear herself. Her body reverberated from the shock.

Johanna moved toward Alice’s prostrate body. Slowly. One foot in front of the other like stalking prey going in for the kill. She kept pointing the wand at Alice. Johanna flicked her wrist, and another bolt shot her. Alice’s agony echoed throughout the house. It felt as if her whole body was exploding.

Knocks on the upstairs bedroom door reverberated throughout the house. “GALLY!” Alice yelled. “HELP!”

“Who’s Gally?” Johanna demanded.

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