Monster High: Season of the Witch

A Monster High Tale

The bonfire's flames danced in Deuce's sunglasses.

"There was a time before Monster High, before New Salem or any human towns existed, when this mountain was barren and isolated." Deuce paused for dramatic effect. "... It was the perfect place for the cave dwellers to thrive.

"A reclusive monster clan, they hid within caves and only emerged from them at night.

"But as time passed, human settlements cropped up around the base of the mountain. Some humans dared to travel up the treacherous rocky cliffs, encroaching on the cave dweller's territory.

"Rumors of a monstrous clan spread among the humans, that the cave monsters gutted and killed any person who dared climb the mountain. Little did the humans know, the cave dwellers rarely crossed paths with them at all.

"But human fear is fickle. And dangerous. Normie scouts searched for the monsters and managed to capture some. No one knows exactly what the humans did to them, but it's said the bones of slaughtered monsters can be found buried in the forest."

Beatrix caught Grey looking at the perimeter fence that stood only a few yards away, separating Monster High from the woods.

He's not scared, is he? Beatrix wondered, amused at the thought of it. Grey's blacked-out eyes betrayed nothing—as usual—so Beatrix couldn't tell.

"The cave dwellers moved deeper within the mountain, further from the light of day, to flee their pursuers," Deuce said. "They traveled so deep, no human could reach them. There they hid, alone and tucked away from the world, unable to access food or water.

"Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the tunnels that winded through the mountain. It was impossible to tell where the steps were coming from, they echoed off every wall. All the cave dwellers knew was the footsteps were growing louder and louder, closer and closer to their colony.

"The echoing feet were erratic, inconsistent, jittery, like the person was trying to conceal their approach."

Deuce mimicked the dragging of footsteps, eerily shuffling his sneakers.

After Deuce had played up the theatrics, he continued, "The cave dwellers waited in terror, trapped inside the stone walls of their cave, unwilling to make a sound because they were afraid they'd reveal their location. Finally, the footsteps reached them, stopping at the mouth of the cavern.

"To their surprise, they heard a woman crying. The monsters couldn't resist their better nature and offered to help her. They found her covered in blood, so they tried using ancient healing remedies. However, when they examined her body, there were no wounds to be seen.

"In their confusion, the woman stepped back and revealed her true nature. She was a powerful sorceress tasked with rooting out and destroying the cave-dwelling pests."

Autumn laced her soft fingers in Beatrix's and squeezed. She was gripped with fright.

"Is he saying the witch was sent by humans?" Beatrix whispered. "Since when do humans and witches work together? Hasn't anyone here heard of Salem?"

Someone shushed them. Everyone around the fire was locked into the story.

Deuce kept going, his voice growing graver. "She used her dark magic, sending the monsters flying with the flick of her wrist, contorting their bodies like a demented puppet master. No one could hear their screams from deep within the mountain.

"The torture lasted for hours, days, weeks—the monsters couldn't tell. They were at her mercy. Until one of them finally snuck up from behind and sunk a claw into the sorceress's side.

"The sorceress collapsed, using her final breath to utter a spell in a demented tongue. She cursed the cave dwellers to live forever, only to seal them up in the tunnel walls, where they were unable to move or speak or escape. And there they stay to this day, forever trapped in their stone tombs down in the earth, alone in the dark.

"However, there's more to this story. The witch's spell backfired."

"What happened?" Frankie asked in a thin voice, looking as scared as Autumn.

"When she cursed the monsters with eternal life, she'd accidentally trapped her own soul here for eternity as well.

"Now, she roams the lands Monster High was built on, rising up from the depths of the mountain. She vowed to take revenge on any monster who crosses her path. Some say they can hear her wailing voice in the school halls late at night, begging for an escape from limbo. For both heaven and hell haven't answered her pleas for a millenia."

Silence hung over the group as Deuce's story ended.

"Witches are scary," Frankie said apprehensively. "Thank ghoulness you're not like that, Beatrix."

"Wait, you're the witch on campus?" Deuce realized.

All attention was on her now.

"The one and only," Beatrix said.

Deuce rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Shoot, I didn't know. Sorry, dude."

The monsters around them muttered and Beatrix heard a few pointed comments.

"Watch out or she'll curse you... like she did Bram and Vilhelm..."

"I heard she doesn't know how to practice magic..."

"She's lying. She's just waiting until the right moment to strike..."

Cleo strutted over and held her hand out to Deuce, beckoning him to rise to his feet. "Twyla is reading my tarot cards and I want you to join me. Come."

"Yes, your highness," Deuce playfully obeyed.

"Tarot cards? I wanna see!" Frankie said, joining them. "C'mon, Autumn!"

Autumn jumped up with Frankie and, before Beatrix could get her bearings, they were gone.

Now there was no one sitting between her and Grey.

Beatrix didn't know what would be worse: leaving, which would make it obvious she was avoiding him, or sitting in silence.

She hated both options.

"Hi," she said.

"... Hey."