Here to Help

Chapter 9

"Kid, you really shouldn't be up and pacing around like that," Eda remarked as the human slowly made her way back and forth across the living room.

"I know, Eda," Luz sighed as she reached one end of the room before turning about-face on her crutches and made her way back towards the other side of the room. "I'm just really nervous."

"About the green-haired kid?"

"Yeah... Its just, its not like her not to text back and then Willow and Gus said she wasn't at a school today which would be fine if she hadn't of gone home yesterday to her asshole parents!"

Taken aback at the sudden outburst, Eda moved to meet the human where she was as she searched he mind for the right words to say. She had never heard Luz swear before nor had she ever seen the usually up-beat girl so anxious. Fear growing in her own stomach over the green haired girl, Eda placed a calm hand on Luz's shoulder. "Kid, I know you're scared and honestly, I am too but you can't keep on like this so why don't we go sit on the couch and you can tell me everything."

Staring at her mentor, Luz fought back the tears of worry forming in her eyes as she gave a solemn nod as the pair made their way to the couch. Settling in, Luz gently laid her head on the older witch's shoulder as she gathered the courage to speak. "It's Amity's parents," the human sighed, "they... they hurt her..."

Listening intently as the human spoke, Eda wrapped a comforting arm around the human as she contemplated how best to handle the situation. She had always known the Blight's to be low despite their elevated status but this, this was something else entirely. Rage and maternal instinct growing in side her, the older witch wracked her brain as she tried to determine her next move. Something had to be done.

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Stumbling through the woods, Amity felt like she had been walking for an eternity. Wishing she had the strength left in her to summon her abomination to carry her, the small girl sighed as she forced herself to trudge on. The numbing spell her sister had cast before she left the house was beginning to fade as pain slowly made its away across her body.

"You just have to think of something else," Amity muttered to herself as she pushed forward. Letting her mind drift as she walked, the realization of what she had done finally set in. After years of being subjected to her parent's abuse, she had finally left with the hopes of making a better life for herself. A life she would have never thought possible had it not been for human. "Luz..." she whispered as her thoughts continued. How lucky was she to have the human literally fall into her life? Luz had saved her without even realizing it, their conversations from over the weekend providing the spark of courage she needed to leave. Its not that she had never thought of leaving before. In fact, it was something she had dreamed of every day but prior to meeting the human, the young witch had little to no self worth. She was but a pawn in her parent's game.

The family's only adopted child, the difference between how the girl was treated versus her siblings was as apparent as night and day. She was treated like a failure, never living up to the expectations set by the people masquerading as her parents. With each failed expectation came different forms of punishment which increased in severity as time pressed on. As such, the young witch pushed herself to be perfect - to fit in in order to avoid being disciplined - and though her quest to be the best proved fruitful as she grew, ultimately she lost her sense of self in the process of becoming who her parents wanted her to be.

"I don't even know why they bothered..." Amity growled under her breath as she continued through the forest, thoughts racing as she pushed on. In spite of her line of rhetorical questioning, in her heart, Amity knew why her parents took her in. She was but a publicity stunt, adopted by the wealthy socialites in an attempt to soften their public appearance during a time in which the need to gain the public's support was at an all time high. Her father wanting to join the council of the emperor's coven knew he needed the political backing of a majority of Bonesborough and as such, he needed to appear strong but kind and relatable. As such, he and her mother made the decision to adopt, publicly bringing Amity into the Blight family thus earning her father the admiration and support from the public that he needed. Once on council, the Blight's treatment of the girl they had brought into their home slowly but surely began to sour as she lost her usefulness.