24. Witch-Finder Neighbor

Chapter 24

Witch-Finder Neighbor

J ohanna sipped her tea as she leaned back in the chair. She held the white porcelain cup with both hands. She breathed in the steam rising from the hot liquid. The hints of lavender and honey filled her with calmness. She almost let herself feel peace. She took another sip. The sweetness of the honey excited her taste buds. Her daily ritual was nearly completed.

Johanna watched the activity of Ravenhill Drive through her window. The street silent—the way she liked it. The evening sky grew darker. Splashes of oranges, yellows, purples, and reds filled the air as it drew closer to sunset. She took another sip. Johanna took her role as self-appointed neighborhood watch very seriously. She expected peace and quiet on her street. She would not tolerate shenanigans. She would not tolerate the abomination of a purple house across the street.

Her eyes focused on the purple wood siding of the Folk Victorian home. The gray porch. The black door. Johanna wanted nothing more than to take Alice down. She wanted her gone from the neighborhood. She wanted her gone from Hugo’s life. She wanted things the way they were before .

There was movement at the door. Johanna sat up in the chair. Her eyes focused on what was about to transpire. Hugo Dodds emerged from the house. She glared at him. The thought that he could betray Elizabeth with not just anyone, but her , permeated through Johanna’s mind. Hugo marched off toward his silver car parked in front of his house.

She emerged from the black door. Alice Primrose—the bane of Ravenhill Drive—the one who disrupted everything. Johanna’s eyes focused on her every movement. Johanna could tell they were arguing. Their arms flailed about. Furious expressions on their faces. She only wished she could hear what was being said.

Hugo continued his march to his car. He entered, started the engine, and took off. Alice followed him. She raised both hands and snapped her fingers. An explosion of purple arcane magick erupted from under the hood of the car.

The tea sloshed back and forth as Johanna’s hands shook. Her nostrils flared. She set the cup down on the table next to her. The porcelain clanking against the saucer dish was the only noise in the room besides the tick of the clock. Johanna knew. She always knew. She could never prove it, but this was all the proof she needed. Her neighbor, her nemesis, was a witch.

Johanna rose from her chair. She strode with purpose over to her display table. She turned the key, releasing the drawers. She pulled out the wood box and set it on the table top. She opened the box to reveal the amulet of witch’s fire. She withdrew the black, twisting anti-magick wand from the other drawer. She examined both items. Malice manifested in her thoughts. This was the day she had waited for. The day she prepared for. The day she knew would come for centuries. This was the day she would get her vengeance.

Alice closed the front door and leaned against it. Her hair covered her face, and she buried her head in her hands, sobbing. She hadn’t wanted to upset Hugo. She only wanted to help him. She wiped away a tear with her index finger and sniffled twice. Her eyes were bloodshot red. Galahad knocked furiously on the door upstairs.

“It’s okay, Gally,” Alice yelled up. “It’s okay.” The knocking stopped.

Alice removed her hat and tailcoat, placing them back on the coat rack. She went into her living room. In a room full of oddities and macabre curiosities, she felt empty. She trudged over to a bookshelf. She removed a book with purple leather binding and opened the cover. The book was not a book at all. It was hollow; a secret compartment inside held a special item.

She removed the black onyx ring and examined it. It felt cold to the touch, smooth, yet well-worn with age. This one little item held so much power over Hugo. It handcuffed him to a life he couldn’t let go of. It was Alice who finally removed it and freed him… or so Alice thought. She put the book back and headed to the couch.

Before she could sit down, there was a knock at the door. Hugo!

She pocketed the ring and moved to answer the door. She turned the diamond shaped knob and flung it open. She was surprised, not by Hugo, but a new visitor. A visitor who had only stopped over once before.

“Johanna,” Alice said. “I’m not in the mood for any more insults.” She shut the door, but Johanna braced it with her foot.

“I’m not here for any insults,” Johanna said. “I saw your argument, and I thought maybe you could use some girl talk. You know.”

Alice glared at her, curious as to why she came over now. “Why?”

“Look, I know we’ve had our issues in the past. I also know how lonely it can be without someone to talk to. I thought maybe you needed an ear to listen.”

Alice held the door. She blinked a few times, trying to clear any remaining tears.

“You can tell me to leave at any time,” Johanna offered.

Alice opened the door to let her in.

“Thank you,” Johanna said as she entered .

Alice shut the door behind her. She noticed Johanna scrutinizing her home or at least the items visible in the entryway. Johanna leaned over to examine her console table. The purple and white crystals scattered across them. The black candelabras holding melted candles. Johanna recoiled at the sight, drawing her hands and arms closer to her as if to not touch anything by accident.

Johanna peeked into the living room. Alice watched her check out the red, velvet couch. The black high-back chair. The gold trimmed red drapes. The various plants and other oddities visible from the hallway. Johanna kept her arms and hands close to her chest, but Alice could tell she wanted to explore.

Knocking came from upstairs. They both snapped to view the stairs, shocked at the sounds from above.

“What’s upstairs?” Johanna asked.

Alice wanted to yell up to Gally to knock it off, but that would draw too many questions from Johanna. She struggled to think of something. Anything. Then she remembered. Galahad was not alone.

“Max,” Alice said. “Hugo put her up in her cage. She must be excited and knocking against the cage.”

“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.

She backed away and glanced up the stairs. Johanna was careful to keep a watchful eye on Alice. Another bolt shot from the wand. Alice shrieked.

“Who’s Gally?”

The knocks grew louder. Max barked at the commotion.

“Help me!” Alice screamed.

The knocks grew louder and louder. Max’s bark was nearly drowned out by the sound of wood against wood. It echoed and then stopped. Johanna tried to look up the stairs while never losing sight of Alice .

The sound of wood shattering emanated from upstairs as the bedroom door exploded from a collision. Galahad raced down the stairs, bouncing off the walls as it turned in the tight corners toward Alice below. Johanna shot at the charging broomstick, but missed. The broom smacked Johanna against her chin in a glancing blow. She spun around, knocking over a candelabra on the console table.

Galahad flew into the living room. It circled around and charged back at Johanna. She ducked behind the wall as Galahad flew past and back up the stairs. Alice rose to one knee. Johanna flicked her wrist and sent another black bolt to meet Alice. She screamed yet again as she collapsed to the floor.

Johanna fired another bolt back toward Galahad. It flew up the stairs as the bolt dissipated in an inky cloud against the wall. She waited for it to return, furiously looking up and then back to Alice.

The hardwood floor felt cold against Alice’s face. She could barely move. She wanted the pain to end. Alice mustered enough willpower to reach into her pocket. She pulled out the black onyx ring. Her fingers collapsed around it as she drew her hand close to her heart.

“Find Hugo,” Alice yelled. “You have to go find Hugo at the cemetery.”

The sound of glass shattering came from the bedroom upstairs. Galahad was gone, off to find Hugo Dodds.

Johanna shocked Alice again. She released the ring in the excruciating pain. It rolled across the hardwood floor, into the living room through the other entryway. It wavered and fell over in the middle of the room.

Alice laid helpless on the floor, crying in pain. In agony. In torment. Her mind raced for anything that could help her in that moment, but could only offer a solitary thought. Why?

Johanna moved and stood over her body. She grabbed Alice’s shoulder and flipped her over onto her back. Johanna was careful to never let the wand point away from Alice. She squatted down, inches from her. Johanna traced the wand along Alice’s face.

“Do you feel that?” Johanna asked .

A line of fire burned across Alice’s skin as it followed the tip of the wand, yet, there was no flame. Tears ran down Alice’s face, but they could not quell the burning sensation. She wanted to scream, but the numerous hits temporarily paralyzed her.

“That’s the feeling of fear. Of dread. Of hopelessness. Centuries ago, that’s what I felt. I want those feelings to be seared into your memory as they were into mine.”

Alice’s eyes widened. She tried to snap her fingers. To call forth her powers of arcane magick. Nothing happened. In that moment, she was powerless to act.

Johanna stood up. The wand remained pointed at Alice. “Grab your keys,” Johanna commanded. “We’re going for a drive.”