"I am the one hiding under your bed
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red"
I was so happy to return home after spending three days away from my family. I had given Sabrina out father's journal since I couldn't bear to read any more of our father's writings.
I go to my room and go to sleep almost immediately, tired of the lack of sleep I had at the academy. I can't wait to sleep all night and day tomorrow.
I jump out of bed the minute I hear my sister's scream, taking me out of any sleeplike trance I was in. I run to the foyer, knowing everyone would meet there soon. I hear a growl causing me to try to stifle the scream which is bubbling inside of me. Since I have the gift of banshee vocals, my screams can get out of hand, to the point where I could injure those around me.
My aunties and Sabrina rush down the stairs towards me and Ambrose come out of the lab room demanding to know what is going on.
"A demon, in the house", Sabrina pants, causing my heart to start erratically beating in my chest. Demons are terrifying and extremely deadly.
"What do you mean a demon, what kind of demon?", He panics, looking aroung for the demon.
"Whatever kind it is, we have protocols in place", Aunt Zelda breathes out.
"We do?" I ask confused, not even remembering a fire protocol.
"We seal the house to contain the entity, to prevent it from escaping into the world when it would cause rampant, wanton chaos", Aunt Zelda lectures.
"Okay, let's do this", Ambrose nods and they all link hands while I watch. It is times like this where I don't feel like a real witch. I can't even help my family with a simple spell without risking an injury.
"Ex spiritibus enim sie te aeris, Qui omnipotentiam Tuam parcendo Clavem ad Ostium ab grandus Cincinno", they chant, sealing the house so no one can go in or out.
"Spellmans...", I hear the demon growl making me slowly, turn my head to find the grotesque creature, at the top of the stairwell.
"You're his family, aren't you? My captor's kin, you smell like Spellmans" it hisses, it's presence causing chills to run down my back.
"Know this, demon. Our house is sealed with an incantation we, and only we, know. If you harm us, you'll never escape it", Aunt Zelda bravely states stepping in front of us.
The demon stalks down the stairwell in a slow, haunting pace.
"Another prison? No, no, no! Edward Spellman imprisoned me in the Acheron puzzle for 70 years. I'll not be caged again" it growls, nearing closer, ready to kill us. I rush to grab Ambrose's hand in fear.
"What do you want, hellspawn?" I ask shakily and it intently looks at me with a sick grin, making my skin crawl.
"First, revenge on the family of Edward Spellman", it scratches our banister.
"Did you have to ask, love?" Aunt Hilda speaks through her teeth in an annoyed tone while Ambrose hugs me tighter.
"And then, freedom, so I may fill the world with my sublime nightmares" it declares causing me to roll my eyes. Demons only want world domination.
It points a crooked finger at the radio, causing it to start playing Dream a Little Dream of Me.
'But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me'
"I don't understand, nightmares?" Sabrina looks at us in confusion.
"It's a sleep demon, Zelda, if it puts us to sleep we're at it's mercy" Aunt Hilda whispers, making Sabrina snap her head towards Aunt Zelda in fear.
"Thank you, for stating the obvious, Hilda, but not to worry, it won't get the chance to", Aunt Zelda runs and grabs an old urn on the table.
"Aunt Zelda, whatever you're about to do, do it fast", Sabrina panics as the demon reaches the bottom stair.
Aunt Zelda raises the urn, chanting, "Turpis et infernis in terris pariunt, Adiuro vos tamen hoc graecas munus."
The Demon screeches as it is sucked in the urn which Aunt Zelda slams shut.
"And that is how you trap a demon" she turns toward us with a smug look on her face.
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"A nice pot of calming tea might help soothe all our nerves", Aunt Hilda smiles, filling my teacup before going to fill the others. I happily sip the hot drink.
"My nerves are perfectly fine, sister. Which is more than I can say for you lot, running around like headless chickens" she shakes her head; Aunt Zee is always the bravest.
"At least this means father Blackwood has to let us into conjuring and potions class now, right? I mean, I solved the configuration", Sabrina hopefully states while I give her a high five.
"Yeah, you did", I smile at her, "that was awesome, sis!"
"I hope you learned a valuable lesson, never open a magic box if you don't know what's inside it", Aunt Zelda turns to us. I am about to object that we were told to but decide to just sip my tea instead.
"One thing I don't understand, why would our father trap a demon inside of it?", Sabrina asks and both of our aunts sigh.
"Your father suffered from terrible insomnia, he always said it was a sleep demon tormenting him", Aunt Zee gives an odd look to Aunt H who looks guilty.
"All those years, I assumed he was speaking metaphorically, but clearly not, and clearly he got the better of it."
"Surely he must've known the configuration would be opened one day?", Ambrose adds. He was right why would my father put someone in danger for no reason. Was it something against Father Blackwood? Did he never expect anyone to open it?
"Or perhaps, he never imagined that anyone would be uncanny enough to solve his puzzle", Aunt Zelda adds looks at Sabrina.
Sabrina turns to me, "Actually it was all my sister, she was the one who thought it was connected to my father and all I did was find the page it was mentioned."
I smile at her before hugging her, "It was both of us."
Sabrina bites her lip before whispering over the table, "My mom was the key. A sketch of her in one of Dad's journals gave me the clue to unlock it."
I smile at the thought of our mom helping us in her own way even though she is gone.
Aunt Hilda winks at us, "Witches couldn't solve it, but two half-witches could. Oh Oh, that's marvelous, isn't it Zelds?"
Aunt Zelda rolls her eyes, "Yes, it's divine that Gracelina and Sabrina's duality almost got us killed."
Although it was a mean insult towards the two of us, I couldn't help but laugh at the bluntness and honesty of the remark. Ambrose stifles his lighter next to me and hides his smile by drinking more of his tea.
Aunt Hilda rushed to speak before we got in trouble for laughing, "Okay, well let's let's finish our tea and call it a night, shall we? Have a little foxglove to help me sleep."
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As Auntie Hilda tucks me into bed that night, I can't help but let my curiosity get the best of me, "Auntie Hilda, what would have happened if we hadn't re-trapped the demon?"
Aunt Hilda looks up as if she is trying to remember before tentatively saying, "I mean, we wouldn't even be aware of this, but I imagine she would've lulled us to sleep, separated us so that our dreams don't cross over, and then plagued us with horrific nightmares", she notices my face contorted into fear that the demon trapped in a cheap urn in our kitchen would have done all of this, and pats my back to make me feel better.
I stammer out, "Why?"
She looks at me as though it were obvious, "Oh, so she could torture us until one of us broke ranks to unseal the house and set her free. But I don't want you to think of such sinister things before bed", she kisses me on my forehead, "Good night, my darling. Dream of sweet kisses"
With that I allow myself to fall in a deep, well-awaited sleep. As I am pulled into the darkest depths of my subconscious, I could have sworn I hear an evil voice lulling me.
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I open my eyes and find that I am dressed in my cheerleading uniform which is altered so you can see my midriff I look around and notice that I am in Baxter High, talking to the Weird Sisters who are dressed the same as me. We are laughing about some joke Dorcus just told us about the kid in her class.
Susie walks up to us with a smile on her face, "Hey, you won't believe what just happened!"
The Weird Sisters say goodbye as they depart allowing me to give Susie my full attention, "What, Suz?"
"Principle Hawthorne punished those boys who were bullying me. He said that he would no longer tolerate bullying of any kind. Isn't that awesome?"
I give her a hug, jumping up and down, "Yes! This is amazing, Suz. Now you don't have to be worried anymore."
Just after she said that I felt two strong arms wrap themselves around my waist. I tense, "Hey, babe."
I turn around in the stranger's arms to find Bast wearing a letterman's jacket and a goofy grin. I can't help but smile up at him. I furrow my eyebrows, not sure how to react to his unusual behavior. Bast was usually so closed off, and gloomy.
I also choose not to question why he is acting like we are together and instead just enjoy the moment, "Hello, Bast."
Susie gives me a wink before making up some WICCA thing she had to do and running away. Bast watches her leave before whispering into my ear, "I figured you and I could go into the forest and practice some of the conjuring spells we learned in class."
I look at him confused, "I don't take conjuring. You know that."
Bast laughs at me, without a care in the world, before taking my hand and leading us to the forests anyway, "You sure are funny, Lina. Or have you somehow forgotten that you are the best conjurer the academy has seen since your father? Or have you forgotten the head of the academy and High Priest too?"
My dad is alive? I just nod my head as I walk next to Bast deep into the forest. I don't feel the connection I usually do with the greenery, I brush it off though and continue to dodge the fallen tree trunks and roots.
When we stop we are in the clearing where my Dark Baptism was supposed to be held. We sit down in the middle and grab hands as we begin chanting a complex conjuring spell that I had never even heard of. As we begin to chant, I wait for the spell to blow over knowing I don't have the average amount of magic for a witch. Once we are done and have trapped the demon in our circle, I smile realizing that I successfully performed a spell.
I move to hug Bast and he quickly picks me up and twirls me in the air, "Amazing as always, princess."
Princess?
I blush as he sets me down. I quickly banish it with ease inside a trapping jar. When I turn to Bast so we can leave I notice that he is no longer with me. I turn around confused about where he is only to realize that I am alone.
I look down at the trapping jar trying to think of where Bast may have been.
My eyes widen, realizing that he was probably trapped in the jar with the demon and quickly summon for him to come out. When his body appears before me however I am frozen in my spot. His body is torn to shreds. Dead.
I fall to the ground, blinded by my tears. I quickly move to hug his body close to mine as I wailing in pain. I knew I couldn't heal him.
I can't help but scream in pain as I hold his lifeless body. I had only known him for a short second but I felt like we were developing a bond. Or at least I was.
I hear a disgusting, evil voice over my sniffling, "Poor Spellman. Always giving everything to others and never getting anything in return. Always the weak one. Tell me, dearie, does it hurt to lose the one you care for?"
I continue to cry in agony over Bast's dead body; indifferent to the sleep demon who was taunting me. I wipe my nose as begin blubbering, "h-h-he-he gone."
The demon growls in annoyance, "Tell me the spell that unseals this house!", I shake my head while my face configures into that of pure torment. The demon just smiles, "Not now, perhaps, but soon. I'll be listening for your cries."
I continue crying in the same spot for what feels like hours before I am once again shaken by someone else. Mrs. Wardwell.
"W-what are you d-d-doing here", I ask her, trying to stop crying enough to see her. She frowns at me, wiping my tears away, "Poor, baby. Young love is the worst," she frowns before shaking her head, as if she had gotten off track, "Now listen. We don't have much time before Batibat realizes I've been trolling her domain."
I suck up my tears before stammering, "What? Who is Batibat."
"She's a sleep demon. She manipulates her victims in their dreams. She's torturing you, all of you, until one of you tells her the spell to unlock the house or you all go insane."
I shake my head, as I think of Bast's body once again, "This isn't a dream," I blubber, as another onset of tears takes over, "It's real."
I heard Mrs. Wardwell saying something else but it was no use, as I was too involved in my own guilt to hear what she said.
After what felt like hours more of crying, I looked down at Bast's face. Although I knew what he looked like, I had never really gotten a good chance to see him when he was still. Slowly bringing my hands up to his hair, I brush through his curls. Just as I pulled my hand back, his body jolted up.
I was frozen in my spot as I screamed bloody murder watching as Bast jumped up from his position, turning to look at me, "Shut up, Grace," Bast complained, running up to me and placing his hand over my mouth to muffle my yell.
Trying to calm my breathing, I begin to grasp the situation at hand. Nodding my head I wait for Bast to remove his hand from my mouth.
Letting out a deep sigh, Bast runs his hand through his hair before looking at me with a smirk, "Were you dreaming of me?"
"I-" I begin to defend myself before realizing what he just said, "Wait. If this is a dream and I am dreaming then how are you?"
Bast shakes his head, "I am a part of your subconscious Grace. I am here to tell you that there is a sleep demon on the loose and that you need to run," he tells me
"A sleep demon?"
"Yes. But someone is gonna wake you up. And once you wake you up, you must get out of the house. Run. Run as fast as your tiny legs will carry you...It's your only chance of survival."
I shake my head with a newfound determination in my eye, "The demon said she wanted revenge. If I escape, what's to stop her from killing my sister, aunties, and Ambrose?"
"Right now the only thing you need to be worried about is yourself," Bats says, seriously, grabbing my hand, "You are going to wake up now. You shall feel a prick but remember my words. Get out of the house. Don't fall asleep. You'll only have one chance to escape her."
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I scream, feeling a sharp pain on my arm. I grab it and analyze the brand new cut going down my forearm. I hear Sabrina's scream and realize that Batibat will be looking for us and that I have to find her before she does. I quickly run through the secret passageway that leads to Sabrina's room.
I am about to enter when I hear Batibat walking in. I creak the door just a bit to get a better view and notice Sabrina hiding under her bed. I hold my breathe and hope to Satan that we don't get caught.
When Batibat, leaves, not noticing either of us. I rush to her and grab the Acheron Configuration on her bed table before we run to Ambrose's room, hoping to get some help.
The first thing I notice is the metronome sitting at the foot of his bed. I try to stop it but jump back when it burns me instead, adding more pain to my already painful injury on my arm.
"We can still use his books", Sabrina suggests before raiding his bookshelf. She grabs a particular demonology book and begins sifting through the pages in hopes of finding something that might be able to help us against the deadly demon currently trying to trap us in our own nightmares and kill us until we tell it the spell needed to break out of the house so it could spread its reign of misery and pain across the globe. I really did miss home.
"Exilium? Exilium is banishment", Sabrina speaks to herself while I continue to keep watch. I jump when I hear a meow come from behind Ambrose's bed and turn to see Astris and Salem coming up to Sabrina and I. Astris moves to cuddle next to me, knowing that I was stressed. I stroke her feathers in thanks.
Sabrina turns to see her familiar, "Salem! I know but we gave the Acheron Configuration and I found a spell to banish her." Sabrina informs out familiars who were curious as to how our plan would work out.
"But we do know her name, Ms. Wardwell told us it's Batibat and that might give us an edge" I add, looking at Astris for her approval.
Astris and Salem protest much to Sabrina's dismay. Astris grows to her true size after informing me that she has to prepare for us to make a quick escape.
"But we have to confront her Salem we can't run and lea e our family to be tortured by her. Right now our best shot is to surprise her!"
We rush down to where Batibat is with our familiars following us.
"Looking for us?" Sabrina asks as we enter the parlor Batibat is in.
"We banish thee, Batibat. Tu me misisti, etcontentiones sint causa doloris mei" Sabrina chants holding the Acheron Configuration towards the demoness.
"That's but a plaything in your inexperienced hands, you're not half the witch your father was, no witch at all, no power, no conviction, no will. And with three other Spellmans in my thrall, your children, may die!", she growls cutting Sabrina's arm causing Salem to jump towards Batibat as a distraction so we can escape.
"Open sesame", I whisper, unlocking the enchanted escape door. I grab her arm to make sure she is okay and after deciding it wasn't going to scar, we continued to head to our aunties room. Sabrina and I attempt to wake them up in vain knowing that it was useless. I hear the soft noises of Astris and Salem, "Salem, Astris, where did you leave Batibat, still downstairs?"
"Wait, we can go back", I gasp realizing that all we had to do was find a way to enter into our aunts' minds.
"Like Heaven. I am going to let my little sister risk her life by attempting to slip into our aunts' minds", Sabrina scoffs. I roll my eyes, we are only two minutes apart. I give her a look and she bit her lip knowing it is the only way.
"I know Ms. Wardwell said not to go back to sleep but if we're quick enough and focused enough to lucid dream, we could go and come right back", I continue.
"Fine", Sabrina states before telling me what Ms. Wardwell told her about lucid dreaming in someone else's mind. We rush to get the necessary ingredient before meeting back at the lab.
"Remember, too much can kill you", Sabrina warns me.
"I know. I've got this, sis."
"Where are you hiding?"
I shrug my shoulders before looking at the examination table, "Well it's risky...but in plain sight, and I'm gonna need Salem and Astris's help."
After filling Sabrina in on my plan she quickly glamours Astris and Salem. Who lead Batibat away from the two of us who are hiding in the storage units in the walls.
I get out and move to lie down on the table. I take two drops of foxglove before letting out a deep sigh and closing my eyes.
"A gin-clear mind, self-induced sleep and clear intent", Brina silently chants.
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"Aunt Zelda", I gasp once I see her crouched on the floor in a fetal position.
"I was always so cruel to her, and now she's gone", she whimpers.
"Who's gone?" I trail off seeing the rotting corpse of Aunt Hilda on the wall.
"I killed her", she cried. I had never seen her so broken in all my life and know there is no way of getting through to her.
"My only sister and I treated her like hell-rot."
I get up and scramble into the living room. I find Aunt Hilda conjoined at the hip with Aunt Zelda, "Aunt Hilda?! Aunt Hilda! What has she done to you?"
Aunt Hilda scuffles on the floor so she can look at me better, "Gracie, you have to cut me free."
I shake my head praying that she is in a better mental state than her sister, "Aunt Hilda, this is a dream. The sleep demon, this is her doing, she's torturing you."
She continues to try to break free from Aunt Zelda, "Sleep demon?"
I nod before continuing, " Batibat, and I have about 30 seconds before I wake up. Do you know what I can do to stop her?"
Aunt Hilda stops and looks towards me, "A demon? Uh Uh She's the embodiment of nightmares, isn't she, Batibat? Grace, you have to be clever, you have to trap her."
"How? Can you tell me?", i beg wanting more details.
"I can't...Uh...Yes...What is a nightmare, but a dream gone bad? A dream gone sour? You have to trap a nightmare the same way you trap a dream", Aunt Hilda grunts before panting, "oh, my familiars can help."
I am perplexed by the riddle, "Your spiders?", webs. trap a nightmare...the same way you would trap a dream. A Dream Catcher!, "Of course."
I run towards the lab calling for Ambrose, hoping to get some more help before my time is up, "Cousin?"
I sigh in relief when I see him, choosing to ignore the fact that he is cutting himself open, "There's a sleep demon named Batibat on the loose in the house. You're dreaming this."
The dead Ambrose and the live one both turn their heads to me in unison, "I am?"
"Yes, but I have a plan and you're gonna help me."
"Tell me what to do", they both say before turning to each other, "Shut up, you."
I interrupt their petty staring contest, "Distract her...Keep her occupied."
Both Ambroses turn to me with fear but I wake up before they can object. I gasp once I hear the alarm go off. I turn to look around for Sabrina but can't find her anywhere. As I hop off of the examination table, Sabrina runs into the room with Aunt Hilda's spiders, "You know you talk in your sleep, right?"
I ignore the statement and rush to grab the rope hanging from the doorknob in the lab. We rush into the parlor knowing Ambrose won't be able to distract Batibat for long.
"Oh Sabrina, Gracelina, this little game has come to an end", she spits with an evil smirk.
"You think those spiders can save you? Not even the Dark Lord can save you."
Sabrina steps forward and begins chanting the spell while I nimbly twist and stretch the rope to trap Batibat, "Turpis et infernis in terris pariunt, et furantur verba haec locutus sum vobis laetitia, Punctum baculus parit malediction Adiuro vos tamen hoc graecas munus."
"Dream catchers don't just trap dreams Batibat, they trap nightmares, sometimes the oldest, simplest magic works best", Sabrina and I state in unison before giving each other a high five, proud of our work.
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"Not as intricate as an Acheron Configuration, but a jam jar will do just as well", Aunt Zelda sighs as she sips on her tea.
"How does it feel now?"
"Better, Auntie Hilda."
Auntie Z chuckles softly, before sighing, "I, um I owe you an apology, Gracelina. When you came to me, in my dream, I was lily-livered. Hysterical. Cowardly."
Sabrina and I look and each other before laughing, "Only in the dream, Aunt Zelda."
Aunt Hilda winced, "So you walked through all of our dreams, then?"
"I did.", I state but after noticing their embarrassed expressions, adding, "But I can barely remember it, it's all so fuzzy. So fuzzy." I begin to think about my own nightmare. Why was Bast my boyfriend?
I decide it's best if I just go to sleep right now and worry about everything else later, much to Sabrina's protests that we have to confront Mrs. Wardwell. I had a big day tomorrow since it was my first official day at the academy without my sister, and I needed all the sleep I could get.