Coven Fowler

Chapter 2 - Coven Reunion

"For a crocodile?" Uncle Cain laughs. "No, no. I brought it in. Come downstairs, Maurice."

Apparently, Uncle Cain brought the crocodile into the basement after Clara went to bed. It's flopped down on the basement floor, over a blue tarp completely soaked by crocodile blood. I can still see the slit wound from me killing the thing yesterday. Uncle Cain seemed to have stuffed cloth in there to prevent more blood from spilling.

"It's huge, isn't it?" Uncle Cain tells me. It's true. This crocodile isn't something I've ever seen in a zoo before, and it has a glint in its dead eyes that displays violence.

"Well, there were always rumors of a Loch Ness monster in Skiff Lake." I retort.

"I have suspicions that this isn't your usual urban myth." Uncle Cain said. Without a second warning, he opens the crocodile's mouth to reveal a strange set of teeth.

"These are alligator teeth, Maurice. I noticed it last night."

Okay, I'm done doubting Uncle Cain now. He lived in Australia for a couple of years before coming back to New Brunswick to see my parents be wed. Back before he went blind. He studied a lot of animals, including crocodiles.

"Put on that nice band, please!" I hear Gum say as all of us load back into Clara's car, crocodile in the trunk. I'm driving and giving Clara a break from the wheel.

"Yep, I'll put on Foo Fighters," I tell Gum. His tablet is out of battery, so putting on a band he likes could at least have something to be distracted by.

"Oh, I wish I could wear my nicer dress to such an occasion," Clara mumbled, wearing her signature bonnet that she thankfully did not bring on the fishing trip. The dress she's wearing right now isn't even bad. It's more than beautiful, actually. It's another frock, admittedly worse than her best one, though.

My family and I are outside the gates to this massive building next door to the public library in Woodstock (Yes, New Brunswick has a Woodstock. It's nowhere near as fancy as the other ones, but you don't sign up for much when you decide to live here in the first place). Victoria, her daughter, and the rest of our coven lives here.

I must admit, standing behind these gates is sort of intimidating. Not for Pepper though, as she opens them carelessly and begins to walk in. The rest of us follow behind her, admiring the polished stone outlining the perimeter of the building.

When we reach the big brown wooden door, it creaks open automatically. Inside is an elderly man, no older than his 60's. He has a very well-trimmed beard and mustache, accompanied by his blonde hair and square glasses.

I couldn't be happier to see such a face.

"Constantine!" I exclaim. Constatine and his family have been serving our coven for generations on end, although Constatine is the last of his bloodline- he's infertile, and an only child. I'm surprised such an old man can operate so efficiently still, but that's why I love Constantine.

"Maurice. And Pepper, too." Constantine speaks, gruff. "And the rest. It's a joy to have you back."

"Yeah, yeah. Move. I wanna see Veronica." Pepper says, shoving me out of the way and narrowly avoiding Constatine as she goes inside the house. Constantine doesn't stop to lecture her because he's already suffered a dose of Pepper for years on end, and doesn't want more.

"Shall I help escort you, Mr. Cain?" Constantine gently says as he spots Uncle Cain walking towards us with help from his walking stick.

"Ah, that'd be divine, Constantine. You go in, children. I'll meet you later." Uncle Cain says, ordering the remaining three of us to go in.