Hocus Pocus: Rising of a Little Witch

Chapter 30: The Time is Now

   Winnie stared at me with fear and a touch of anger on her face.
"Oh god I-" I started.
  Winnie hushed me and began pulling me back toward the cottage.
   Once we entered, I saw that Mary and Sarah had also gotten out of bed and were downstairs. Winnie shut the door behind us.
"Thou looked at his blue light!" She hissed.

"I know I...I kept hearing someone that sounded like Mallory and I just looked outside...I didn't even know I walked out of the cottage...and I keep having these fucking nightmares and I just don't..."

"Nightmares?! Of what child?!" Winnie questioned.

I shook my head and fought back sobs.

"I keep finding myself in the woods. I saw Mallory die and I kept hearing her scream and I..." a sob escaped and I wiped my face with my hand.
"And then I saw a hooded figure who I'm guessing is supposed to be Bartholomew. He tried to grab me."
  I breathed deep and used my thumbs to wipe away my tears.
Winnie stared at me with wide eyes before whipping her head to her sisters.

"Sisters! He hath started tormenting her mind."
Winnie cried. She dashed away from me and over to where her book sat on its stand.
  Sarah and Mary looked at eachother worriedly and then at me and then to Winnie, who was flipping wildly through her book.

"H-he can do that?" Mary asked nervously.

Winnie quickly glanced at her before looking back down at her book.

"Evidently!" She replied, motioning to me shaking in the corner.
   By now, Sarah had made her way over and began to try and comfort me. She took my hand and sat me in a nearby chair and began playing with my hair.
   Winnie seemingly found whatever spell she was looking for, and picked the book up. She brought it over to the table I sat at, and ran her finger under the lines silently before looking at me. She placed her hand on my forehead and muttered the spell under her breath. Though I didn't understand a word she said, I instantly felt an odd sensation shoot through me, before returning to normal.

"There". Winnie finally said, "He shan't be able to access your mind now."
  She walked away with her book and placed it back on the stand before looking around at the three of us.

"I fear now he is ready to make his next move".
She declared.
She turned to me.
"Dost thou feel ready?"

Oh shit we're going after him now?!

"Uh I think so?" I replied.
I remembered feeling so determined and ready the week prior, but I was also hopped up on adrenaline after almost being murdered by my mother.

"Thou must be!" She said back.
"The time is now!"

  I looked around at Mary and Sarah and saw their faces turning from worry and concern, to evil determination.
I looked back at Winnie and nodded.
"Ok" I said finally "Let's do it."
   With that, we all hastily got dressed. When we were ready, the sisters grabbed their brooms and we exited the cottage.

Before taking off, I stopped and looked around in the air.
"What is it, child?" Winnie asked, holding out her broom, ready to mount it.

"I smell smoke." I answered and turned my head to the right. I walked down the remaining steps and a little further up the path.
   I raised my head a bit more and took a big whiff of the early December air. The strong smokey scent stung my already irritated nostrils and throat, but gave me an idea on where to look for the son of a bitch nonetheless.
I looked back at the sisters on the cottage steps.

"That way!" I said, pointing west.

   They all looked at each other and nodded and Winnie and Mary took off immediately. Sarah waited for me to join her in her broom, before the two of us took off together.
   Though our flight was just as exhilarating as when we flew to Mallory's house, my mind was more focused on what we were gonna do when and If we found Bartholomew. If Winnie's prediction was correct, he already had a plan laid out and was waiting for us.
No longer than five minutes after leaving the ground, the smell of smoke grew stronger. I looked down and saw a plume rising out of the dark and vast woods below us.
   At the exact same time, Winnie, Mary and Sarah all dove towards the ground, landing a little ways away from where I pointed. When I was back on my feet, I looked around and got my bearings. I soon realized we were in that circle of pine trees I found myself in on the day of the fire. I walked forward a bit and looked around.
"This is where I was when I found that cloak and torch".