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Witch of Apple Hill ~ Epilogue

Epilogue

Thanksgiving

Elise walked up the walk to the Badger Hill Bed and Breakfast with a pumpkin pie in her hand and Roark on her shoulder. Rosemary, Dorothea, and Ernest followed behind her.

“That pumpkin pie smells divine,” said Dorothea.

“You think all food smells divine,” snapped Ernest. “We can’t even smell.”

“Of course, it does,” said Rosemary, “and I’m sure Dorothea is remembering the way food smelled when she was alive. Don’t be such a grump. This is the first community Thanksgiving dinner we’ve ever been invited to and you best mind your manners.”

Elise smiled as she heard the giddiness in Rosemary’s tone. The townspeople had insisted Rosemary, Dorothea, and Ernest stop hiding themselves now that the secret was out that they knew about Elise and her ghost-y friends the whole time.

Cage walked out the front door and smiled at his guests. “Hello, friends! Thanks for coming.”

As Elise stepped up onto the porch Roark crawled out of her pocket and scrambled up onto her shoulder. He crouched down and let out a low growl at Cage.

Cage furrowed his brow and growled back. Elise fought the urge to step back. She thought Roark and Cage had put their differences aside. She felt her fingers tingle, thinking of a spell to defuse the situation. Then Cage broke into a smile and she could fell her spider friend vibrating as if chuckling.

Cage held his hand out close to Roark as if waiting for a high five and the spider lifted a large leg and gave it a slap.

“You two,” said Elise shaking her head.

“Come on in,” said Cage. He opened the door for Elise and she was pleased to see him continue to hold the door open for Rosemary, Dorothea, and Ernest, even though he knew they could walk through it, and greeted each one by name. She thought she heard Dorothea giggle when Cage thanked her for coming. Even Ernest mumbled a, “Thanks for having us” after being greeted.

“Hello,” said Elise as she saw Ms. Welch, Mr. King, Mayor Garver, Pammy and her family, already seated in the living room having a sip of wine. They returned her greetings with hellos of their own.

“How is Heather?” asked Elise. The spell that Elise had put on Heather, meant that even though the townspeople knew what happened with the Mozath, Paul Campbell, and Elise being a witch, it was all still new to her.

“She’s poured herself into books and keeps asking me what’s real and what’s not,” said Mr. King. “She’ll be over soon and I’m sure she’ll pepper you with questions, even though I’ve told her not to.”

Elise smiled. “I’ll answer them as best as I can, but not even I know what all is real and what comes from the power of the imagination. It’s such a clever thing, that imagination.” She gave Mr. King a wink.

Cage came in behind the ghosts and rubbed his hands together. “The turkey should be ready any moment.”

As if on cue the smoke alarm in the kitchen started to screech. Cage’s eyes widened as he rushed toward the sound. Elise followed, stopping momentarily to place her pie on the table. She walked into the kitchen just in time to see Cage pull out a black turkey as smoke billowed from the oven.

She waved her hand in front of her face and stifled a chuckle as she pointed at the smoke detector. It shut off as she wiggled her finger. Cage sat the bird on the table waving his pot holders over it, as if that would somehow salvage the main course.

Elise hurried to the windows and opened them, then wiggled again at the smoke as if enticing it toward the open windows and out of the kitchen.

“Gosh darn it!” snapped Cage, glaring at the bird. “I was sure that oven was fixed.”

“Probably a problem with the thermostat,” said Mr. King from the doorway. “Don’t worry, we have plenty of food.”

“But we need turkey,” said Cage, sounding defeated. “I was really looking forward to the whole Thanksgiving experience, now I’ve ruined it.”

“Nothing is ruined,” said Elise, with a coy smile.

“Do you not see this turkey?” asked Cage.

Elise twirled her fingers around her back and quickly imagined a golden, juicy turkey cooked to perfection. “Looks fine to me.”

“Are you blind?” asked Cage throwing his hands up in the air, “it’s completely bur…” He looked down. “What did you do?”

Elise shrugged. “Magic. I am a witch after all.”

The End

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 37

Paul’s eyes widened. “No, you can’t. I was your mentor. Let me stay here with you. I won’t cause any trouble I swear.”

“I would love to trust you, even put in a good word on your behalf,” said Cage allowing Mayor Garver to put the handcuffs on Paul, “but as my teacher taught me … trust no one, especially a fool who plays with dark magic.”

Paul screamed again as Cage pulled him to his feet and led him toward City Hall where they would meet the sheriff.

“Want to try to sit up?” asked Pammy. Elise nodded slightly.

“Okay, slowly now,” said Pammy.

With Pammy’s help, Elise pushed herself off the sidewalk and sat. She was surprised to see the townspeople still surrounding her. She remember how they had shielded her when she was fighting the mass and how they had stood with her when the battle started. Tears formed in her eyes as Roark slowly crawled off Pammy’s hand and onto Elise’s shoulder.

She looked at her friends … her family.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she said to them. “I’ve cursed you all these years. You knew and yet you came to my side anyway. I don’t understand.”

Mr. King looked to her fellow townsfolk before answering. “Our ancestors settled on your land, looking for gold. Gold that could have scarred this place for ages. You kept them from finding it, if any was here, which protected the way of life we know now. You protected the apples, which have made us all very wealthy, since the townspeople own the orchard and we all get a cut. You created a barrier that made it hard for anyone wanting to do this town, and therefore us, harm. Which is why it takes the sheriff’s department so long to get here, they don’t have to often. You build a library and kept us educated, even though you declared you didn’t like us much. You’ve been to every town hall meeting I can remember and participated in every event the town has thrown.”

He shrugged. “So the founding families decided long ago, we’d put up with curse and those that couldn’t handle it would need to move. You are this town, Elise, and we can’t thank you enough.”

Elise felt her tears fall on her cheeks as she smiled. “I have seen the love and light. I lift the curse and all the plights. I know now I’ve been wrong. Let us celebrate for centuries long.”

Her fingers tingled as the magic trickled from them and started to spread throughout the town. Pammy’s hair turned back to its lovely shade of blonde. Elise heard Ms. Welch ask someone for a sweater. The items broken on the streets due to the fight and the storm Elise had caused before fixed themselves, the wind swept the streets clear of debris, and the mums grew bigger and brighter than ever.

The townspeople oo’d and awed as if they were watching fireworks and for the first time in 83 years, Elise felt the world lift off her shoulders.

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 36

A brilliant light blazed across the skies like a shooting star in the middle of the day. It landed on the mass and exploded, knocking Elise and everyone else off their feet.

Elise rolled over and shielded her eyes, just in time to see a giant black spider crawl away from the light right before the back mass seemed to be vacuumed into the unknown.

Chapter 12

Elise laid her head on the sidewalk, thankful for it’s coolness. The mass was gone. She was sure the banishing spell had worked and that was one thing they wouldn’t have to worry about again.

Her mind turned to Cage as she heard the grunts and groans of a fight still raging. She wanted to get to her feet and help, but her body felt trained of life and her body felt disconnected to the demands that she stand up.

“Elise?”

A face popped in front of Elise and at first all she could see was bright orange hair.

“Elise?” the orange hair repeated.

Elise made her eyes focus on the face attached to the hair. It was Pammy.

“Are you okay? What can I do?” asked Pammy. She held up Roark in her hands. “I have your friend. He’s tired but okay. How can we help?”

Elise tried to smile as the picture of the prissy Pammy holding the giant spider seemed incredibly comical to her. She heard an anguished cry.

“Cage?” Elise whispered, again trying to rise.

“He’s okay,” said Pammy, placing a gentle hand on Elise’s shoulder keeping her down. “Stay still for a moment. Ms. Welch hit that Paul guy with her walker and he fell like an old man. Turns out when you banished that horrible black thing, Paul’s magic went with it. He’s now just a man.”

“The cry?” stated Elise, furrowing her brow. “The groans?”

“All from Paul,” said Pammy, “Cage has him locked in a head lock while the mayor ran to get the handcuffs from his office, Lord knows why he has handcuffs. The sheriff has been called, but you know it takes them forever to get to the valley.” Pammy clicked her tongue as if disappointed. “It appears Paul is throwing a hissy fit over losing.”

Elise couldn’t help but chuckle as she heard Paul snarling at Cage. “You’re a disgrace to your kind. I can’t believe you’d live here and let her live. I taught you better. You’re a failure.”

“And you’re going to jail for attempted murder,” said Cage. “We have quite a few witness that saw you attack our very own librarian.”

“Not to mention our new innkeeper,” said Ms. Welch. “Two counts of attempted murder should keep you in prison until you shrivel up and die.”

“But don’t worry,” said Cage, “now that Mozath has been banished and you can’t feed off his magic or the magic here in Apple Hill, I’m sure you’ll shrivel up and die much sooner than anyone expects. I’m sure Lucifer will be thrilled to get his hands on you.”

Paul’s eyes widened. “No, you can’t. I was your mentor. Let me stay here with you. I won’t cause any trouble I swear.”

“I would love to trust you, even put in a good word on your behalf,” said Cage allowing Mayor Garver to put the handcuffs on Paul, “but as my teacher taught me … trust no one, especially a fool who plays with dark magic.”

Paul screamed again as Cage pulled him to his feet and led him toward City Hall where they would meet the sheriff.

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 35

A flash of black followed the swarm in causing Elise to blink hard and focused on the black mass. At first she thought the fog had come back to aid Paul, but as the figure took form she realized it was not the dangerous mist, but a demonic looking humanoid that was fighting Paul, not helping him.

It took Elise only a moment to realize who the humanoid was, it was someone who had been by her side constantly, but she had only seen his true form once. It was Roark.

 The swarm dispersed as Roark picked up the fight. Elise couldn’t help but flinch every time Paul landed a hard blow to Roark’s body. She knew her familiar could handle a lot, but worried the cursed Paul might be more than Roark had signed up for.

Her fingers twitched as her mind turned to sunlight. She knew her brain wouldn’t be able to form the words as quickly as she needed to cast spells, so she turned to pictures.

A blazing sun for light. The townsfolk for courage. Cage for hunting prey. Roark for chivalry. A heart for love.

Her hands thrust forward as light streamed from her fingers once again, hitting Paul and knocking him off balance. He stumbled backwards, before opening his mouth in a cry that released the black mass again.

Elise fought back her own cry as the black mass swallowed Roark in its fog. She trained all her light, energy, and magic on the mass, hoping to keep Roark from being swallowed whole. Her heart just about jumped out of her chest from joy as she watched Ernest pull Dorothea from the black mass as they escaped through one of the holes her white magic was causing.

Rosemary hurried toward them, helping them to distance themselves from the black fog. Elise stepped closer to the mass and pushed her magic harder hoping to form a big enough hole for Roark to find his way out as well.

She saw Paul out of the corner of her eye as he started toward her in a run. Keeping her light trained on the black mass she braced herself for impact, hoping Roark could escape before Paul barreled into her.

Elise felt a presence to her side and realized the townspeople had once again lined up, this time to build a human wall between her and Paul.

“She has to keep that light going or we’ll all die,” yelled Ms. Welch. “Protect our witch!”

“No,” she screamed to the people, feeling the determination surrounding her as well as their love. “He’ll kill you!”

Elise felt her head spinning, waiting for Paul to pummel into the people she had grown to love, whether she would allow herself to admit it or not. Another flash of color seemed to envelope Paul and Elise realized it was Cage.

A bit of relief for the town’s people flooded her and she turned all her attention to the mass.

“This is a town of love and light. Together we will stand and fight. Be gone I say, for the last time. Be gone I say, for your crimes. I banish you to the pits of hell, and there forever you will dwell.”

A brilliant light blazed across the skies like a shooting star in the middle of the day. It landed on the mass and exploded, knocking Elise and everyone else off their feet.

Elise rolled over and shielded her eyes, just in time to see a giant black spider crawl away from the light right before the back mass seemed to be vacuumed into the unknown.

April Birthstone

It is April! 
If you were born this month, you are a Dazzling Diamond!

Diamond  “The Stone Of New Beginnings” 

I heal emotional and mental pain reducing fear and bringing about new beginnings! 

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 34

“You can’t be serious,” said Cage.

“I am,” said the mayor, “all this gentleman has to do is think wisely and agree to not hurt anyone else.” He turned to Elise. “I hope you’ll make the same agreement when this is all over. We’ve allowed your curse because of that dastardly act those men did so long ago, with the hope that you’ll realize we aren’t them. We aren’t them, Elise.” He turned back to Paul. “We aren’t here to harm anyone. Can you say the same? Wouldn’t you like to live in peace?”

“Peace you say?” said Paul as he scratched his chin.

“Yes,” said the mayor, “peace is what we’re offering.”

“No thanks.” Paul threw out his hand causing a vicious gust of wind to knock the mayor off his feet, sending him somersaulting across the street. Two of the townsmen rushed over to help the mayor to his feet once he stopped tumbling.

“I’m fine,” hollered the mayor. “Give him hell.”

Elise tried to think of the best spell going forward, but before the words could form or her fingers could flex, Cage took off into a run toward Paul.

Chapter 11

“No, wait,” cried Elise, but it was too late. Cage barreled into Paul, sending them both flying backwards into a scuffle. To the average eye, it looked like an old-fashioned fist fight as the two men rolled around punching each other on the sidewalk, but Elise knew every punch had the power of a sledgehammer.

She thought of what the mayor had said about the pixies moving in. She wished she could call on the fairies, but knew they wouldn’t get involved unless they had to. They had stayed away from human interaction for centuries and they weren’t about to show themselves to the townspeople of Apple Hill now, even if the town declared itself a haven. But she could ask nature for help. Nature would know that Paul’s destruction of the town would hurt both human, flora, and fauna.

“Mother Nature I call to thee, please Mother Nature hear my plea. In our mist we have a foe, one of which must surely go. Please send your help, we need it now. Please send your help, you have my vow. Help these souls keep this town and I will bestow to it a crown. This is a place a rest and peace, now please rid us of this beast.”

Elise heard Mother Nature answer her call as Cage let out a cry of anguish as Paul’s fist met with his rib, causing Cage to roll away.

“Now!” she cried.

A buzz filled the air causing the townspeople to drop to the ground and cover their ears as hundreds of bees, hornets, and wasps swarmed toward Paul. His arms flew up as he tried to cover his head from their stings, but Elise knew there were too many as they assaulted his skin and flew up his nose and into his ears and mouth.

A flash of black followed the swarm in causing Elise to blink hard and focused on the black mass. At first she thought the fog had come back to aid Paul, but as the figure took form she realized it was not the dangerous mist, but a demonic looking humanoid that was fighting Paul, not helping him.

It took Elise only a moment to realize who the humanoid was, it was someone who had been by her side constantly, but she had only seen his true form once. It was Roark.

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 33

Elise brought her attention back to where the fog had been and watched a man walked toward them clapping slowly. Cage leaned into her a snarl on his lips.

“It’s him.”

Elise squinted her eyes, trying to make out who the man was walking toward them. Even though there was something oddly familiar about him. Her eyes widened as her brain finally placed him. “Paul Campbell, in human form? How can that be?”

“I’ll answer that, sweetheart,” said Paul with a smirk. “You banished Mozath, stupid jerk just stood there and let you banish him with light. I fought, inside the fog, I fought and like always I won.”

“Not like always,” said Elise, with her own smirk. “Seems I banished you from this place before, don’t think I can’t do it again.”

Her body was fraught with fatigue as her heart pounded in her chest causing a throbbing sensation in her ears. Banishing Mozarth had taken a toll on her, but she would stand up to Cage. She wouldn’t let him win. She couldn’t.

Cage laughed loudly. “When you banished me, I was a mere mortal. Now I am a demon. I have more power, more magic, and more strength than you and your town of misfits. Funny thing is I was just going to kill you, but now that they’ve stood behind you, knowing full well what you are … well now they all have to die. I’m prepared to wipe this entire valley off the map.” He glanced down the line at townsfolk. “I hope you all have made peace with your maker.”

“That’s enough,” yelled Cage stepping forward.

Paul laughed louder. “Well, look what the cat drug in. My old student. I would say protégé, but you’re so far off the path I hate to even admit you were a pupil of mine, much less an outstanding one.”

“Just wait until you have to admit that the student has beaten the teacher,” said Cage.

Paul shook his head. “Your worst trait has always been your cockiness.”

“I call it confidence,” said Cage.

“Now listen here,” Mayor Garver stepped forward before Elise could stop him, “we’re a welcoming sort of town. Elise may have cursed the founding families, but it was a curse that was justified. We have learned to live with it. This town thrives because we stand together. We’ve welcomed Cage, knowing he’s a hunter and we have a family of Pixies getting ready to move in as long as they have retired from most of their mischief. We have learned from our ancestors that humans are not the only beings on the planet, just as we have learned from them that not all paranormal beings are bad. Some are simply delightful. Apple Hill is a haven to all and we’ll remains by standing together. We’ll stand together now, just as we did against that black foggy thing against you, and you’ll lose.”

“Is that so?” asked Paul, eyebrow raised.

“It is,” said Mayor Garver, “I’m the mayor of this city. I also vet all the people, supernatural or not, that want to live here. We have rules. Now, you haven’t hurt anyone terribly yet, other than some nightmares, but if you want to retire, let’s talk. There’s a nice little spot just down the road, perfect for a home and a garden.”

“You can’t be serious,” said Cage.

“I am,” said the mayor, “all this gentleman has to do is think wisely and agree to not hurt anyone else.” He turned to Elise. “I hope you’ll make the same agreement when this is all over. We’ve allowed your curse because of that dastardly act those men did so long ago, with the hope that you’ll realize we aren’t them. We aren’t them, Elise.” He turned back to Paul. “We aren’t here to harm anyone. Can you say the same? Wouldn’t you like to live in peace?”

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 32

Elise thought the touch would be hindering, but with each hand added to the line, she felt her power surge. The town … her town … was coming together, sharing their energy with her. Sharing their love with her.

She again flexed her fingers ready to cast a spell if the fog even twitched wrong. She closed her eyes for a moment and pictured the line, pictured all the people ready to help her defend her home … their home. She felt their pride, their bravery and their fear. She knew it took courage beyond word for them to face the fog that had made so many people fall to their knees screaming.

Mr. King’s hand released her shoulder for a moment, causing Elise to open her eyes and see Mr. King making way for Cage beside her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, just as Mr. King had done and she felt a rumble beneath her feet before a surge of magic flowed through her body. She let out a warrior cry as the magic fused itself to her soul, a magic of pure, genuine love and hope. A magic of light.

Elise thrust her hands out and watched as bright white light blazed from her fingers. “Be gone you monster to the pits of hell. Be gone you fiend to where evil dwells. You will not live to give fright. You will not win this fight, this night.”

The fog twisted and turned in what appeared to be agony and Elise could feel Cage’s hand tighten on her shoulder as the magic of light and love flowed through her fingers and into the beast. The ground started to rumble as Elise worked to keep her footing. She could see in her peripheral that a lot of the townspeople were falling to their knees, unable to stay standing, as the ground rolled under them.

The rumble stopped, but the light kept flowing through Elise’s fingers.

“I banish you to hell!” she screamed as a surge of light pulsed through her body hitting the fog with the force of a thousand suns. The fog let out a roar before folding up inside itself and disappearing with a simple whoosh.

Elise fell to her knees and panted, as every ounce of strength wilted into the ground. Cage was by her side in an instant.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She nodded, unable to find the energy to speak. She used what little energy she had left to look around. The fog was gone, but something was still not right. The world had gone eerily quiet. No birds sung, or bugs buzzed. Pammy no longer cried on the sidewalk and though Elise expected to hear some kind of gasps relief from the town people, it was all silent, as if the fog had taken all the ambient sound with it when it disappeared.

Cage helped her to her feet and she was a bit surprised to see they still bore her weight even when they felt as if they were made of nothing but jelly. She looked around, taking stock of the people and searching for any injuries she could heal, when a slow clap started to fill the silence.

Elise brought her attention back to where the fog had been and watched a man walked toward them clapping slowly. Cage leaned into her a snarl on his lips.

“It’s him.”

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 31

Movement caught Elise’s eyes as she saw Ms. Welch walking up to the fog with her walker.

“No,” cried Elise, but Ms. Welch either couldn’t hear her or didn’t want to.

“Listen here you beast,” yelled Ms. Welch as she clenched her fist at the fog, “You stop this right now.”

The fog swirled around as if to face Ms. Welch. Elise wasn’t sure a fog could have a face, but it appeared to be staring at the little old lady.

“I know what you are,” yelled Ms. Welch, “and you’re not welcome here. We are a kind and true people and evil has no place here.”

Elise watched in astonishment at Mr. King walked up behind Ms. Welch, a look of determination on his own face. “This is our town,” he scolded. “We’ll not let you ruin it.”

Elise watched as the fog twisted a bit. It was almost as if it were cocking it’s head at a row of ants marching food to their burrow. Soon the mayor was also standing with Ms. Welch and Mr. King.

“Our families built this place and we’ll protect with every means we’ve got,” stated the mayor.

Elise shook her head as the entire town not already affected by the black monster hurried up to stand with Ms. Welch, Mr. King, and Mayor Garver. All it would take would be for the fog to swirl around them and then the whole town would be gone.

She couldn’t let that happen. She might have been angry at the folks who invaded her town so many years ago, but as they stood together one by one to defend it from the scariest thing they had ever seen in their lives, she knew she loved them. She loved them because they were protecting Apple Hill the way she would. They were putting their safety aside for their beloved town and the folks that lived in that town. They were all sacrificing their lives for the very thing she had been trying to protect all these years … Apple Hill.

Elise knew what she had to do. She ran over and stood in front of Ms. Welch.

“I’ll not let you hurt them,” she yelled. “You leave this place now. You’ve been warned.”

“Now you’ve done it,” said Ms. Welch. “You’ve riled up our witch. Better move along now.”
Elise looked at Ms. Welch. “You knew?”

“Oh honey, we all know,” said Ms. Welch with a firm nod. “You want to do that thing you do now and chit chat later?”

“Stand back,” Elise ordered the townspeople.

“Oh no, it doesn’t work that way,” said Mr. King as he put his hand on her shoulder. “We’re here to help.”

“All of us,” said Ms. Welch as she put her hand on Elise’s other shoulder. She watched as the rest of the townspeople lined up and put their hands on each other’s shoulders on either side of her building a wall.

Elise thought the touch would be hindering, but with each hand added to the line, she felt her power surge. The town … her town … was coming together, sharing their energy with her. Sharing their love with her.

March Birthstone!

It is March!
If you were born this month you are an 
Adorable Aquamarine!

Aquamarine  " The Stone Of Enlightenment"

I am helpful in understanding underlying emotional states and interpreting how you really feel.  I sooth fear and increase sensitivity. Wear me close to your heart and feel the sea, recalling dolphin dances with childlike delight!

See all of beautiful Aquamarine Jewelry in our Etsy Store @ https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnasLegacyGiftShop?search_query=aquamarine

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 30

“Will someone please tell me what this Dark Onyx thing is?” cried Rosemary. “Dorothea and Ernest are in that thing and I need to know what we’re dealing with!”

Elise lifted her hand to her shoulder and Roark crawled onto it looking at her with sad eyes. “For every familiar that vows to protect a witch, there is an opposite. Roark’s opposite is, well was, in the Dark Onyx. Placing that evil demon in the onyx stone was the last thing my father did before he died.”

“The demon in the stone is said to have more power than ten familiars,” explained Cage, “especially if a hunter sacrifices his own life to free it from a confines spell. Paul was able to free Mozath and has now come to seek revenge from Elise and myself.”

Roark started to tremble and Elise knew he was about to change to his natural form.

“Roark no,” said Elise, snuggling the spider up to her cheek, “he’ll kill you.”

“We need Roark,” stated Cage, “in his true form.”

Elise shook her head. “No, he and Rosemary need to stay inside. As do you. I will face Paul and Mozath alone.”

“Absolutely not!” snapped Cage.

“Cage is right,” said Rosemary, “you can’t do this alone.”

“I’m the only one with the magic to contain him,” said Elise. She handed Roark to Cage, a bit surprised that the spider didn’t fight the transfer.

“Elise,” Cage warned, but she was already circling her fingers.

“Stay you must, inside this trust. Leaving this space is forbidden, please value the safety you’ve been given. This spell of safety will protect, while this demon I collect. ”

“No,” Cage gasped as Elise walked out of the shelving room and into the main part of the library. He tried to follow her but was barred from passing over the threshold of the door. “I know Paul. You have to let me help. We have to do this together.”

Rosemary and Roark also tried to pass through the door, both being stopped. Roark let out a roar, while Rosemary began to sob, “Don’t do this, Elise.”

Elise looked at her friend and fought to keep the fear from flooding her face. “I have to.”

Chapter 10

Elise walked out of the library with her arms hanging loosely by her side and her fingers moving ever so slightly to stir the magic inside. She knew she wouldn’t have time to cast spells and the magic that needed to flow from her would be raw and powerful. She cleared her mind, erasing the fear she saw on Cage, Roark, and Rosemary’s faces as she left them in the library.

They couldn’t help her. Rosemary was but a ghost, Roark hadn’t transformed into his true form in ages and Cage was a human who dabbled in magic. He knew how to hunt, but this wasn’t the typical prey. You couldn’t just punch or stab a powerful demon-human hybrid. She would have to figure out how to banish the creature. She wished she had a stone, like the powerful onyx her father had used when he captured Mozath the last time.

She turned the corner and saw the black fog. Her eyes flicked to Pammy who was on the ground in the fetal position, rocking back and forth as she sobbed. It should have brought Elise comfort to see Pammy’s father beside his daughter, but the look of agony on his face gave truth that he couldn’t protect Pammy and was enduring his own internal nightmare.

Movement caught Elise’s eyes as she saw Ms. Welch walking up to the fog with her walker.

“No,” cried Elise, but Ms. Welch either couldn’t hear her or didn’t want to.

“Listen here you beast,” yelled Ms. Welch as she clenched her fist at the fog, “You stop this right now.”

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 29

Heather shook her head violently. “No, no I’m not. That woman is see-through and Cage says you are responsible for that thing out there. I’m seeing things again, aren’t I Elise. The black thing has got me … unless … you’re the witch.” She grabbed Elise by the collar, then shriek as her fingers skimmed Roark’s body. “There’s a spider on you! A giant spider!”

“It’s okay,” Elise said again. She waved her finger. “This, my friend, is too much to bear. Go to sleep, you will, and forget to share. You’ll wake rested and full of love, forgetting all of the above.”

Heather looked at Elise for a moment and Elise couldn’t help but see gratitude instead of fear, just before Heather’s eyes drooped shut and she started to snore softly.

“Good thinking,” said Cage as he looked at Heather. “Come on.”

“Where are you going?” asked Rosemary.

“We have to go outside and stop the thing,” answered Elise.

“It’s not a thing, it’s a he,” said Cage.

“What?” Rosemary and Elise said together.

“It’s Paul,” Cage clarified. “The hunter who taught me everything I know.”

“Hunters can’t turn into black fog that shows and makes people feel their own pain,” stated Elise.

“He sold his soul,” said Cage. “I knew it had happened and I went to stop him, but I was too late. By the time I got to the cave, the very cage I found the life stone, Paul was gone. What I didn’t tell you earlier was that there’s something else in that cave. The Dark Onyx.”

“No.” Elise’s hand flew to her mouth.

“Who is Paul and what is the Dark Onyx?” asked Rosemary.

“Paul Campbell was a notorious hunter,” said Elise. “He showed no mercy and killed anything paranormal, regardless of whether their allegiances were with the light or the dark. He wiped out a whole family of Apple Blossom Fairies before I was able to banish him from the valley.”

“Something he had never forgotten,” said Cage. “He had never been bested by a witch and the fact that you were able to banish him from even coming close to getting revenge sent him over the top.” Cage looked at his feet and then back up at Elise. “He trained me with the sole purpose of killing you.”

Roark let out a fierce growl.

Cage held up his hands in a peaceful gesture. “I’m not going to do it. I never was. He tried to teach me to hate all things paranormal, but I saw through the hypocritical bigotry of it. How could I hate all thing magical, when I was a magical being? I didn’t want to go around hurting people for fun, so it reasoned with me that he was, indeed, the evil one. I used him for his training and knowledge and then I left. When I heard he was after the Dark Onyx, I knew he’d found a way to bypass your banishing.”

“Why now?” asked Elise.

“Because you started cursing again and because I’m here,” stated Cage.

“Will someone please tell me what this Dark Onyx thing is?” cried Rosemary. “Dorothea and Ernest are in that thing and I need to know what we’re dealing with!”

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 28

She felt her heart open up to the prospect of letting it all go. Actually, going to Paris for a couple of weeks and then coming back and fulling embracing the community.

Before she could say a word, Heather barged into the back room. “We have to hide! All hell is breaking loose outside. We’re all in grave danger!”

Chapter 9

“What do you mean?” asked Cage spinning around. Elise could tell all his senses were on high alert.

“There’s something out there,” stammered Heather. “I saw it. It’s black, like fog, but it’s not fog.”

“How did you see it?” asked Elise, feeling her own sense heighten.

“I was about to come check out the books on spells and I looked out the side window,” said Heather, tears falling frantically on her cheeks. “I saw Pammy out the there. The black stuff, it just wrapped around her like a snake, her eyes flashed red, and she started to scream as if her whole body was racked in pain. I dropped the books, ready to run out there and help her. But then the black stuff, it looked at me.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how, I mean it wasn’t like it had a face, but it looked at me and I saw myself … my teeth were breaking into pieces and falling out. I touched my mouth and my teeth were still there, but I just kept seeing my teeth breaking over and over and I knew if that black fog touched me, I’d not only see it. I’d feel it.”

Cage looked at Elise with narrowed eyes.

She stepped back as she felt Roark tremble. “It wasn’t me. I was here with you.”

“You didn’t conjure it earlier when you were angry with me?”

Elise shook her head frantically. “I wouldn’t do that.”

Rosemary appeared, her own face frantic. “Something is outside. It’s evil. You have to stop it. It … It …”

Rosemary lost her composer into a fit of sobs.  “It took Dorothea and Ernest. They went outside, thinking it was something you did. The thing … it just sucked them in.”

Cage shook his head. “If it wasn’t you, then who was it?”

“I don’t know,” said Elise, fear and rage gripping her body. “I would never hurt Dorothea and Ernest. They are my family.”

They heard a sob from the corner and saw Heather hunkered down, fear dripping from her face as she looked at the three of them. Elise’s heart jumped to her throat, she had forgotten Heather was in the room.

She walked gently to the woman and knelt in front of her. “Heather, you’re okay.”

Heather shook her head violently. “No, no I’m not. That woman is see-through and Cage says you are responsible for that thing out there. I’m seeing things again, aren’t I Elise. The black thing has got me … unless … you’re the witch.” She grabbed Elise by the color, then shriek as her fingers skimmed Roark’s body. “There’s a spider on you! A giant spider!”

“It’s okay,” Elise said again. She waved her finger. “This, my friend, is too much to bear. Go to sleep, you will, and forget to share. You’ll wake rested and full of love, forgetting all of the above.”

Heather looked at Elise for a moment and Elise couldn’t help but see gratitude instead of fear, just before Heather’s eyes drooped shut and she started to snore softly.

Witch of Apple Hill ~ Part 27

Elise hurried into the back room and was surprised to see Cage follow her. Her tears ran freely down her face. Roark ran up her side and perched on her shoulder, snuggling his large, black body into her cheek.

Cage closed the door causing Roark to growl. The hunter raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. “I won’t hurt her, in fact, if she’ll cease this curse, I won’t let anyone hurt her every again.”

“I can’t,” she whispered.

“You can,” Cage said gently. “Isn’t this exhausting? All this hate? Wouldn’t you like to ‘retire’ and come back to fully enjoy these neighbors? They are more than that, if you’d let yourself be honest, they are your friends.”

“They aren’t.”

“I think they are and they’d be even better friends if you’d just let them,” said Cage. “Do you know why I picked Apple Hill? I mean, there are other towns with paranormal beings that I could use to stay young. I picked Apple Hill for a reason.”

“Because you grew up here,” stated Elise.

“Yes,” said Cage, “that and because I see the good in you. I see the good in this town. I don’t want to live just anywhere. I want to live in a place that has a town-wide party for the retiring librarian. I want to be a part of a community where they have town hall meetings all the time, because they care what the community thinks. I want to be a part of a place that decorates for every holiday and throws a carnival for giggles.”

“You want to live on a television set,” countered Elise.

He chuckled. “No, I want to live here, because Apple Hill is a community that I want to be a part of and I want to make up for my father’s cruelty. I want you to forgive this community and place blame where it lies. I want to help you find closure so you can enjoy life again … so you can rid yourself of the hate.”

“You don’t even know me,” snapped Elise.

“I know enough and I’d like to get to know you better,” said Cage. “I want to make things right, but to start that, you have to stop the curse. I’m bound as a hunter.”

“I’m bound as a witch,” stated Elise, knowing it was the same kind of bind. If she wanted to she could stop the curse. She simple just had to stop. There was nothing but her own stubbornness keeping her from doing that. Cage was right, it wasn’t the town that hurt her. It was the three men that Roark took care of. The people who had stayed, they had done right by the valley. They put the orchard’s health over their profits. They never used pesticides and they worked hard to make their community included everyone, founding family or not.

Sure there had been snide remarks and a few squabbles, they were, after all, human, but hardly anyone got hurt other than some battered feelings.

She felt her heart open up to the prospect of letting it all go. Actually, going to Paris for a couple of weeks and then coming back and fulling embracing the community.

Before she could say a word, Heather barged into the back room. “We have to hide! All hell is breaking loose outside. We’re all in grave danger!”