CHAPTER 3 BEYOND MISERY
921 Words
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Carmella thought carefully before speaking. “Why do you want to help me? And how do you know about witches if you’re not one?”
Mrs. Emma leaned forward. “I come from a family of witches. How could I not know? What I’m saying is, you have a great gift—it practically glows around you. I want to help you train that gift for the witch world, because one thing I can tell you: the witch world won’t train you to be a better witch. They assume you already know the witch way.”
Carmella crossed her arms. “If I accept this, what’s in it for you?”
Mrs. Emma’s expression turned serious. “I want your help to free my brother from the dungeon. He was framed for killing someone in the witch world and has been locked up for years. Neither my mother nor I have the power to save him—her powers are fading. We need a young, fresh witch like you to help, or he’ll die. Please, I’ll teach you more than even your mother knows.” She clasped her hands together earnestly.
Carmella muttered, “My mum barely taught me anything.”
“Please, just think about it,” Mrs. Emma said, sliding a small card across the table. “Here’s my number.”
Carmella took the card and stood up. “Okay, goodbye ma’am.”
She left the cafe, the card clutched in her hand.
---
That evening, Carmella sat in her room meditating, but sudden flashes from a vision gave her sharp headaches.
“Ah! Ahhh!” she gasped, stopping abruptly. “I need that necklace.”
Peering downstairs, she saw her mother and the twins watching TV. Quietly, she slipped into her mother’s room.
“There it is…” Carmella muttered, searching for the box.
Her mother entered suddenly. “Looking for something, Carmie?”
Carmella said nothing.
“If it’s the box you want, I’ve hidden it somewhere you won’t find.”
“Your assumptions are wrong, Mother. I’m here for some of my things that went missing from my box. Is that wrong?”
Her mother sighed. “I know you think I don’t support you, but I’m doing this to protect you. I just…”
Carmella turned and left the room, frustrated.
Back in her room, she slammed the door behind her, breathing heavily. Her eyes caught Mrs. Emma’s card lying on the floor. She picked it up and, with fierce determination, dialed the number.
“Hello?” came the voice on the other end.
“When do we start training?!” Carmella demanded.
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The next morning, Carmella sat cross-legged on her bed, eyes closed, meditating deeply. Suddenly, her mother’s voice called from downstairs.
“Kids, come on! You’re going to be late!”
Carmella sighed loudly. *My continuous misery,* she thought as she slowly stood, grabbed her bag, and headed downstairs.
In the living room, her mother was busy arranging things while her father entered, adjusting his tie.
“Ready for your first day?” he asked.
“Yeah, I am,” her mother replied with a small smile. “But I’m a little worried.”
“About what?” Dad asked.
“We’re living in the city where it all started—the witch world and my mother’s history—and then Carmella…” she trailed off.
Dad gave her a reassuring look. “She’s still far from all that. We didn’t send her to Hart City High, and our house is far from that history. Don’t worry, she’s fine… we’re fine.”
“Thanks, honey,” Mum said, and they shared a warm hug.
---
Upstairs, Carmella walked quietly down the corridor, passing her sister Maya’s room. She paused, hearing her name.
Inside, Maya and Mason were talking.
“Really? She asked you that?” Mason asked.
- “Yeah,” Maya replied, “Mrs Elena kept asking about Carmella—why her hair is like that, why she’s so cold. That lady’s creepy.”
Carmella opened the door and stepped inside.
“Who asked you about me?” she demanded.
“Mrs Elena,” Maya said nervously.
Carmella’s mind flashed back to the moment Principal Karlton had asked Mrs Elena to take the twins to their class.
“Okay,” Carmella said firmly. “I want you two to watch Mrs Elena carefully. Find out everything you can about her. If anything feels off, tell me immediately.”
She paused and lowered her voice. “This stays between the three of us. Don’t tell Mum or Dad.”
Both twins nodded.
Suddenly, a shout came from downstairs.
“Kids, let’s go!” their father called.
“Coming!” Mason yelled back.
---
Later, at school, Lisa, Daniel, and Alex laughed loudly in the hallway.
“That’s your best joke yet, Alex!” Lisa giggled.
Daniel smiled. “So, where’s your new friend, Lisa? The quiet one?”
Lisa shrugged. “She’s around.”
Alex frowned. “Why is she so… weird?”
“Maybe that’s just her,” Lisa said uncertainly.
Daniel pointed. “Isn’t that her?”
Carmella walked down the hall, every eye fixed on her. She entered the classroom where three perfect girls stared at her.
Alex whispered, “She’s definitely attracting attention.”
Daniel nodded. “No doubt.”
Lisa acted like she didn’t see Carmella.
“Aren’t you going to say hi?” Alex asked Lisa.
Lisa shook her head. “Nope. Not interested.”
- Writer
