The Blood Witch

6

The next morning was tragic. Scarlet was tired. All night her dreams had been plagued by the glowing eyes. Different forms but the same eyes, sometimes a man, sometimes an animal, and sometimes a child. Always in the shadows, always watching. Each time she had come close enough to see a face, she had been thrust out of her own dream. How was that possible. Once she had even run outside looking for her new stalker, to find nothing. After, everything she had learned in the last few days, she knew the dreams were nothing to disregard. When she told charlotte about the dreams, she had simply said their paths will cross and only them would I know if he was friend or foe.

By the time she had dozed off, the sun had been rising, and she was woken up by her grandmother announcing that the Order would be coming soon. So the tragedy was that she was supposed to meet all these awesome people and stay awake, which she was finding increasingly hard to do.

After packing and taking bags outside. They had sat down for tea to calm her nerves. AS tired as she was, she was also anxious. The smallest sound had her on high alert and in her peripheral she kept seeing shadows. They just lingered, never coming too close, and if she turned to look, there was nothing there. Scarlett thought, maybe it was a part of her new power, and kept it to herself, as her grandma also seemed anxious.

Scarlett watched Charlotte zoom through the house, back and forwards. She was muttering to herself and sometimes, she'd stop and look at Scarlett before continuing her march through the house. Finally, she came to a stop in front of the kitchen table.

"The order will be here momentarily," Charlotte announced. "Be calm, child. Do not let them see your nerves. They will pick you apart from the moment they meet you. Keep your head high and a protection spell in your head. Firm hand shakes and eye contact are key. They will know you are not to be played with. Except for the wolves, do not look into their eyes for them, it's a challenge."

I nodded once, trying to commit her advice to memory, but even as i did my eyes strayed to the table. A gentle finger on my chin lifted my head.

"Chin up, baby," Charlotte said proudly. "You come from a strong line of witches. Always chin up. I am so proud of you, Scarlett. You will be a great witch one day." Charlotte pulled her to her feet and engulfed her in a warm hug. For the first time that day, Scarlett felt at ease.

"Now, I'm going to lower the wards," Charlotte said, stepping to the door. "Double check your things and meet me outside."

Scarlet glanced around the small home, that she had grown up in. Sadly, there was nothing left to take. Charlotte had said they would be at the Hall until she found a guardian or was appointed one. Sometimes it happens quickly and sometimes, it took months. Either way, chances are she was going to have a new home. Scarlet glanced around the kitchen one more time and then went outside. To chaos.

*****

Scarlett came to a holt as she exited the small house. She had looked out the window before her conversation with her grandma. it had been a bright day. Now everything was different. The sky had grown dark, and the wind was swirling around. A spirit sailed through the air and shimmered before disappearing. From the treeline came people in dark cloaks, their faces fully covered. They held different weapons, and they marched in formation.

In the center of the clearing, Charlotte stood with both hands in the sky. She wasn't even looking at the marching figures. Spirits of soldiers past gathered around her like a fence, guns at the ready. The skies above swirled to life lightening struck in turns, striking the cloaked figures, as they got closer, to her.

Scarlet was so entranced that she did not notice the two cloaked figures coming towards her. At the last minute, she tried to run in the opposite direction, only to run into another. Colliding with a chest that felt more like a wall, Scarlet hit the ground. One man held her down as another began to tie her feet, with twine. Her first instinct should have been to drain them, that's what she had been training to do the last few days. Instead, Scarlett screamed and thrashed, trying to get away.

There was a loud crash, and the men were gone instantly. Scarlett set up her eyes, first going to their smoking bodies and then to her grandmother, who now stood facing her. They smiled at each other and both sighed in relief. The moment was short lived as Charlotte stiffened, her smiled died and she blinked slowly. The skies began to clear, and the lightening stopped.

Scarlet knew something was very wrong as the people continued to come from the woods in droves and Charlotte stood motionless. Scarlett stood and stumbled, kicking the rope aside, before breaking into a full run to Charlotte. She was about one hundred feet away, when Charlotte fell to her knees. Her face twisted in anguish and a single tear fell from her eye.

Scarlet stopped and stared at the small figure standing behind her grandmother. It was the same bastard who had been in her apartment. He smiled as he tasted the blood, rapidly drying on the knife he held. Then, as if he couldn't help himself, he pulled Charlotte's head back, bearing her throat.

Scarlet watched in horror as he slid the knife across Charlotte's bare neck. She watched her grandma hit the grass with a soft whoosh, blood gushing from the wounds. Her eyes fluttered and with her last breath she said, "drain them."

Scarlett was already one step ahead. Her body had heated as soon as her grandmother fell to her knees. Each breath hurt as she was grabbed by multiple hands. The tugged, and the pulled and all she wanted was to return the blood and life back to her last living family member. She screamed and used every body part as a weapon, twisting wandering hands and elbowing a few men in the face.

With a war cry that was foreign for her, Scarlet lept from the fray. It was as if she floated to her grandmother's killer. Now standing before him, he was no longer smiling. She felt the energy rushing through her. She knew she had changed into the orange, red version of herself. He opened his mouth, as if to say something. His lips moved, but she heard nothing. As if on their own, her hands shot out and grabbed his neck.

As if he weighed nothing, she lifted him from the ground. He shook with fear, and swung the knife, cutting her arm a few times. She felt nothing. Within seconds, he was as dry as a decade old corps. Dropping him, she watched his blood form into sickles, sharp and long. The cloaked figures advanced on her. With a scream that shook the forest, the sickles flew, striking them down like bullets from a gun.

When they were down, Scarlet stood above her grandmother's body. Chest heaving, she cried as she knelt beside her. Remembering the goat, she let her hands hover over Charlotte's still form. Willing the blood to return and the wounds to close. It was happening, albeit slowly, and soon she began to feel tired. Her head began to swim and her vision became blurry. Still, she tried to focus, for just a moment more. Even as the world went dark and her eyes fluttered closed, she hoped it worked just this once.