Toxic

Chapter 2

A thin piece of papyrus marked a page halfway through the bulky tome. I flipped to it and stared at the yellowed paper.

The archaic script read. 'Hypnosis Potion'. A spell that renders the drinkers voice unusable once drunk and if the verbal part is used by the brewer, they can be easily manipulated'.

A list of bizarre ingredients and instructions were printed beneath this. At the bottom was the incantation to control the drinker's mind.

'Voiceless you are,

Powerless you'll soon be,

Bend to my will,

Submit only to me.'

Footsteps tapped down the hall. I snapped the book shut, stuffing it approximately where I'd discovered it and sat bolt upright in the chair as Carly came upstairs.

"Sorry, my sister called." She apologized, looking ruffled.

"It's fine. I should get going."

Carly gave me a bag to carry all my new makeup in and saw me out.

As soon as I got home, I put it on my dressing table and flopped onto my bed, head reeling. Carly was a witch. I'd never suspected a thing.

Now that I thought about it though, it all made perfect sense. Carly had apparently joined the school a week ago, when the attacks began.

All the boys had died of poisoning, but unknown poisoning. This wasn't just salmonella. Witchcraft was involved.

She used the hypnosis potion to confuse them, and somehow killed them with toxins. There were no bite marks, so it couldn't be a snake, though some witches keep serpents as familiars. I'd never heard of a witch being poisonous herself, though. Even the most powerful of witches relied on potions and wands. Carly was a new type, a mutation perhaps.

I decided to go and see Gran. It's through her side that I inherited the Wiccan blood, but I haven't tried using my powers yet. My mum is a Wiccan too, but Dad has no magical genes at all. As soon as I was old enough to know what I could do, Mum insisted that I keep any magic under wraps until absolutely necessary.

Gran could maybe teach me a few spells. She waxes lyrical about the days when she was about my age, and brewed a love potion to attract my Grandad.

"Thorn, how lovely to see you," she exclaims in delight.

 "Gran, have you ever heard of a poisonous witch?" I broached the subject cautiously. Not because I'm scared she'll get cross, but because I'm even doubting my theory.

"Well, there's plenty of potions that will do just that, why do you ask, my dear?"

"It's about those boys who have died. They were supposed to have been poisoned, but a witch would have to reveal herself to do that, wouldn't she? To make sure he drank it?"

Gran's royal blue eyes blinked at me behind her glasses. "Good heavens, Thorn. You're quick off the mark as always."

"So have you heard of a witch like that?"

Gran sat back in her chair, clutching her floral tea cup. "You know, of course, that some witches take animals as familiars to assist with spells. There was one particular witch, who discovered that if she drank venom that her Tiger snake gave out, it would not harm her. Can you guess why?"

"She had formed a bond with it?"

"Yes. The venom spread through her bloodstream and became a part of her. Rosalind, I think her name was. Most witches seduce human men because they desire lovers. Rosalind was the most ruthless witch I had ever come across, because she lures them in, and kisses the boys until they die."

"Gran, a new girl joined our school on the day the attacks began."

Gran gasped, her breath wheezy from years of smoking, though she gave it up four years ago."This girl, is she pretty?"

"Very, so I'm guessing it's a disguise?"

"Most probably. Unexplained deaths, attacks beginning upon her arrival, yes it is rather suspicious."

"How do we prove that she is behind the murders? Who is going to believe me?"

"I see that the time has come for you to discover your powers. I shall endeavour to teach you some simple defense spells, should she turn on you, but I cannot promise anything will work. Wiccan though I am, our magic is diluted somewhat compared to full witches."

"Whatever it takes, I'll do it." No matter what the cost, I would keep Andre safe.

Carly greeted me the next day in maths with an approving smile at my new look. I'd discovered the product she'd given me that looked like a nail polish bottle was actually a red lip tint.  It was a gorgeous rosy red.

Andre sat a few rows in front of us, slouched in his plastic seat. The funny thing about him is that even though he barely tries in class and leaves homework until really late at night, he gets much better marks than me. On cue, he stopped writing and began munching on chocolate.  Our teacher, Mr Stevens, sighed but didn't comment.

Carly giggled at Andre's brazen attitude to life. He turned round and grinned at her, then after a sharp look from Sir, actually picked up his pen.

Fear whooshed through my body. Carly was staring intensely at him, her glance calculating.

"He's so funny, isn't he?" I had to find out her true intentions.

"Yeah, all the faces he pulls are hilarious. It's sexy how cheeky he is," she murmured, conveniently forgetting that Andre is mine.

I smiled briefly, unable to convey my dislike for her without her catching on, and busied myself with equations.

Five minutes before the end of the lesson, Andre came up the aisle between the rows of tables to talk to me.

Carly's books fell to the floor with a loud thud. "Oops," she exclaimed.

Unbelievably, Andre scooped them up and handed them to her.

Boys are oblivious to deliberate plays for attention, more is the pity.

I felt like she'd shoved a sword into my chest, so angered was I by this pathetic display.

"I'm going to get some toast, okay?" he told me when the bell rang. I don't know how the hell he's always so hungry. Andre has picnics in class, like last year when he scoffed sausage rolls in Design Technology.

Still, sometimes he doesn't have breakfast. I don't think sneaking a packet of Minstrels at the start of Chemistry really counts.

I nodded, and watched his retreating back as I hung on for my best friend Yasmin. She always takes ages to get out of class.

Eventually she appeared, waving coyly to Simon Ryder, a hottie from the year above.

"Guess what?" she sounds euphoric.

I had to play along with her. "What?"

"Si just asked me out! Isn't he gorgeous?" she replies, cheeks flushing peony.

"Oh, so its 'Si' now is it?" I tease her.

Yasmin is on cloud nine, gabbling about how much she's always fancied him while tapping at her phone, clearly announcing it on Facebook.

I listen to her endless chatter, hoping it will take my mind off the skittish feeling I get whenever I see Carly...