The Witches (Book #1)

𝔇𝔢𝔣𝔞𝔲𝔩𝔱 𝔱𝔬 𝔖𝔞𝔯𝔠𝔞𝔰𝔪

"'Seulgi!" I yell as she chokes.

Changbin grabs me by the neck, his strong hand making it impossible to speak.

"You are behind the horse. Focusing on the wrong things," he spits. The pressure on my neck increases.

I start to lose consciousness and can't hold on to the vision. I try to pry his hand away, but it's no use. My eyes shoot open, and Joohyuk's shaking me. "Breathe, Sooji!"

I gasp. "Seulgi," I manage. "It was Seulgi hanging." I stand, panting. "We have to go to her house. Do you know where it is?"

"Yes. What did you see, exactly?"

I want to get out of the graveyard. I gather my things and walk as quickly as my body allows. I can explain the man's prayer and the crowd as Joohyuk and I make our way onto the street. I describe every detail and every word I can remember. He's particularly interested in the face of the man on the cart.

"Kang Junho," he concludes as we walk along, "He was the only minister convicted of witchcraft. He was accused of being the ringleader of all the witches in Manyeo. People said he recited a prayer before he hanged. Witches were thought unable to do such things."

I trip on the uneven sidewalk. "The crowd seemed affected. I mean, until Changbin convinced them he was guilty, anyway. So what I saw really happened during the Trials?"

"I do not know. I need to locate the story's origin."

"What do you think he meant by I'm focusing on the wrong things?" I ask.

"Probably just that. But it begs the question, what are the right things?" Joohyuk stops walking. "Seulgi's house." He points up a small stone walkway to a forest green sliding door.

I walk toward her stoop. Why was Changbin so angry? Was it what I said about him, or is he really mad that I'm missing something? I raise my hand to knock, but the door opens before my hand touches the wood. Seulgi stands on the other side, looking worried.

"Seu—"

"Shhh. Keep your voice down," she warns. "It's not a good time, Sooji." Her eyes are puffy from tears.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wouldn't have come, but it's important. Remember when we were in the woods the first time?"

She nods and glances over her shoulder.

"That guy we saw crushed under the piece of metal must've been Kai."

"I didn't see anyone get crushed ." Her frown deepens.

Wait, she didn't see that? We talked about it. Actually, no, Wendy told everyone to shut up and then we only discussed the blurred faces.  I just assumed the other girls saw it, too. "Oh, man. Well, I did see that. I didn't know what it meant, until after Kai died."

"Why didn't you say anything? We could have stopped it." Her voice is now full volume.

Seulgi's mother comes to the door just as she finishes her sentence. "Seulgi, no visitors." Apparently, she knows who I am.

"I didn't know this was gonna happen. I swear. I didn't know it would be Kai," I say before Seulgi's mother pull her away. "But I had another vision—"

At the mention of Kai's name, Seulgi's mother turns angry. "Get off my property, or I will call the police!"

I have to tell her. "Please, Seulgi, you've got to listen. I saw you hanging in my vision. I think you're next!" I yell. The door slams in my face.

That was really bad. "I'm an idiot."

Joohyuk follows me toward my house. "You told the truth. You would never have forgiven yourself if you did not warn her." He's trying to be nice, but we both know I screwed up.