A Witch's Confession

9

January 17, 1928:

I write this with tears pouring out on the pages. I am not okay. I will never be okay. Today is the day I am forever changed. My heart is shattered.
We were attacked again. Joseph got word his clan was attacked while they were moving into New York. Most didn't survive. Joseph was bit by another werewolf and was dying. I only knew one way to save him. I made him bite me. I told him I'd rather lose my magic than lose him. And then I left him. He is better off without me.
I failed. I cannot unify the Salem Coven. I must return to Boston, and force myself to rebuild my life from nothing.
I am so sorry.
Sybil

Two more days went by. I opened the map to see that we were fast approaching Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I fumbled with a few stones in my pocket out of anxiety, remembering the nightmares that haunted the back of my mind. Kessem stopped walking and turned back to look at me.

"Are you okay? I hear you messing with those rocks in your pocket. You do that when you're nervous about something." His brow peaked at the sounds of the rocks.

"I'm as okay as I can be. We're coming up to Pittsfield..." I trailed off as the vivid memory of the dream flashed through my mind. Kessem adjusted his backpack.

"Oh," He looked unsure as well. Finally, he sighed. "Well, it's not like we can avoid going across this part of the state." He continued treading through the snow.

The moon shone through the trees, now glowing high in the sky. I saw the city lights glimmer off in the distance. I continued to clank the rocks together in my pocket out of pure habit. The stones always brought me a calming energy. I had found them on our adventure days prior, and Kessem didn't understand the metaphysical use I sought in them. We found a thick group of trees, far off from the trail we were hiking.

"Let's see if we survive this night." Kessem anxiously commented as he was putting up our tent. I braided the strands of my hair while chewing on my lip.

"I don't know if I will be able to sleep." I said.

Both of us lay awake in the tent. I heaved out another restless sigh.

"Are you still awake?" I whispered. He let out a chuckle.

"Yes." I shifted around in my sleeping bag.

"Are you scared, too?" I turned on my side to face him.

"Yes, I am." I took out the rocks and placed them between us.

"Here, maybe these will help." His smile grew so large, I could see the faint white from his teeth in the moonlight.

"What is it?" I laughed in response to his reaction.

"You just—well, maybe it's all witches, but sometimes you do cute, funny things." I pushed the rocks closer to him.

"Really?" He nodded in response, causing me to blush.

"Thank you," I said. After a moment, I spoke again. "Sometimes you are cute, too." We both sat there in silence. I wondered what he was thinking.

"Can I ask you something?" I whispered again to Kessem. He turned on his side, nodding.

"Of course you can." I stared at the other end of the tent, trying to muster up enough courage to ask Kessem what I wanted to.

"The attack...the attack that killed your parents. What happened?" I rolled to my stomach, placing a hand under my chin. He grew quiet, thinking of what to say.

"I don't remember much. I remember looking for my parents, and then my grandparents found me. I was in too much pain to remember much," He rubbed at his face.