A Witch Can Teach

The trip to the small village on our island Elaine decided to live in, Willmore, was cute. The island was small in itself, the lore of olden times kept alive through bedtime stories. We had to park the car quite a distance from her home. Something about us breaking her formations with the hunk of metal.

I watched as Thomas walked rather listlessly, his gait getting slower and slower, the closer we got to Elaine. The busty woman was standing on her porch, looking as sour as ever. Despite her being older than Thomas, she barely looked older than thirty. Her magic sustained her.

When we were close enough, we greeted her. I received a less than welcoming greeting.

“Really, the least you could have done was dress nice.” I looked over my outfit. A pair of jeans and an oversized hoodie. Shrugging my shoulders, I continued to climb the stairs until I was in front of her.

“Your knowledge of fashion is very little, much like your height.” If I were anyone else, I would have likely been offended. But Elaine had her own way of showing affection. Unless, of course, it was directed at Thomas. He was doing everything to stay behind me.

“Thomas, amore mio!” He recoiled when she made a grab for his arm. “Are you dodging me?” She looked excited.

“Elaine, we really need to talk with you.” She thankfully saw our appearance and ushered us inside. Her house was made mostly of wood, some elemental reason. I wasn't entirely sure what the wood actually did, but it looked really nice.

Her couches were made from expensive material, and a floral scent hung in the air. We sat down. Thomas, against his better judgment, decided to sit right next to me. Earning me a glare from the witch.

“What do you want?” The woman sat straight, her blond hair hanging loosely over her shoulder, stopping shy of her hips.

“Thomas has been experiencing odd sensations lately.” This caused Elaine’s eyebrows to arch high.

“Aren’t you too old to be hitting puberty. Better yet, aren’t you, you know…” She shrugged, swerving her head around. “Dead?”

Thomas looked unamused. He sat glaring at the floor. Knowing that I’d get nothing out of him. I told Elaine a summarised version of the events.

“So he’s experiencing things with you that make more sense in the spirit world?” I nodded. She hummed, her lips thinning as she came to a conclusion.

“You’re dying.” She said it so calmly, I thought I must have misheard her. “Did you know, or have I just ruined the surprise for you?”

Despite her weird choice of words, I could tell she was concerned. Studying my face for a while, she likely figured I already knew.

“Because you’re closer to the spirit world now, it’s not that unusual that he would be able to experience this. However…” She glanced at me, worried.

“This might leave you in more dangers than you would think.” I tilted my head unconsciously, confused for the hundredth time this week.

“What do you mean?” It was Thomas who voiced his confusion.

“I’m not sure how much time she has left, but the closer she gets to the end, the more she’ll be hunted.” Standing up, Elaine moved to a different room, rummaging through some things.

“Hunted by what exactly?” Elaine was bent over, her voice muffled.

“Demons.” She was too nonchalant with the way she gave bad news. A few odd pieces were thrown about. Some landed in the room we were in. She finally returned to the living room with a large book, covered in dust.

“What do you mean, demons might hunt me?” She tsked and threw the book on the coffee table. The dust exploded everywhere.

"Where are your ears? I said, they will hunt you down, they will!" I winced at her tone. Thomas gave me a sympathetic smile. Which I returned.

“Anyway, here’s homework.” She said, shoving the book my way. I took the book hesitantly onto my leg, sneezing uncontrollably. When I looked back up, the two other people in the room had their eyes locked. The atmosphere was strange, and not in a good way.

“I need to see you alone.” Elaine, for the first time, had a harsh tone when she addressed Thomas. I opened my mouth about to say something, but she waved a hand and shut my mouth for me.

This was the first time I ever got hexed, and I hated it. Thomas eyes were flaming when he realised what she did. Elaine merely rolled her eyes at him and motioned him to step out of the house with her.

I watched the two of them walk down the trail, my mouth still shut up, but limbs able to move.  When I made the door, the handle wouldn’t budge. Figures.

I suppose the spell lifted when they were a good distance away since I realised I could speak a few minutes after struggling with the door. I was still unable to move out of the house, I may as well do some investigating.

This was the first time I was invited to Elaine’s house. A witch house was off limits unless they invited you. Witches were not the most hospitable people, I had heard from others within my circle about how they got into a house and left it paralysed.

Hexing, despite being romanticised in movies, is and was always extremely dangerous. I remember an old friend of mine telling me they lost a family member to a witch. She consumed him, or something like that.

It was a known fact that some witches even resorted to killing or mutilating people, especially if they were unique. Discolored eyes, or extra limbs, were things witches looked out for. I wasn’t knowledgeable as to what they did with them, but I would bet it was something dangerous.

Witches, much like mediums, were able to see and communicate with the dead. There was a large difference, though. Mediums acted as a funnel to help spirits cross over, while witches communicated with spirits to use them for harm or as a source of energy.

Their reputation for this reason prevented the two groups from fully seeing each other eye to eye. Mediums still viewed the spirits of humans as being human. While witches took them as entities that are useful.

I looked around the house, finding a room filled with glass jars and preserved body parts floating in them. A little disgusted, I closed the door and found another opened one. This time, the room was a totally different style as the rest of the cool themes I’ve seen. The wooden walls had fake vines across them. Toys littered the floor, and a few story books laid open on the bed. The bed, itself, was made up with frilly cotton baby blue sheets. A room that likely belonged to a little girl.

I couldn’t really be sure if this was Elaine’s room when she was younger or if her past ran a lot deeper than what I knew. Then again, it wasn’t my place to pry. Feeling guilty for snooping around, I went back to the table with the books I still hadn’t started reading.

Sighing, I made myself comfortable, taking the huge one first. There was no title, so I opened it to the very first page. It would appear that this book was on the hierarchy of the spirit world and handlers.

Handlers, I knew, were those that had an influence in the spirit world. There were Seers that ranked the lowest. Spirits used them to send visions. Oracles, or mediums , had a stronger connection with spirits than normal. We, too, had the ability to use spirits, but possession was guaranteed.  The reason for this is that our spiritual energy becomes corrupt the more we go against the laws, laws that bind us not to cause spirits to turn evil. A medium can cause a spirit to turn evil if she uses them to haunt someone. Or, if they use them to possess people frequently. As a result, we become more vulnerable to being possessed.

Typically, because of our abilities, we have a natural immunity against possessions. But with more negative interactions, this immunity gets compromised.

I was always wondering how a spirit as old as Thomas could still maintain his control. It’s nearly impossible for a spirit that refuses to cross over to remain in control. They start losing their human side over time.

Thomas was easily 200 years old, if not older. He spoke about things that sounded even older than the time periods taught in school. I turned a page seeing the cover for the next chapter, I was had a figure cloaked in dark robes, their wrists chained.

The next chapter was on reapers. The wardens of the spirit world. Granted, Reapers were known to take the deceased to their final destinations, but it was much more than that. There were more than just ghosts they had to maintain control of. Demons and fallen ranked angels were amongst the stronger entities that easily disrupted peace on earth.

Above everything else was an ancient spirit who kept the spirit world intact. Death.  He was present everywhere, 24/7. Typically, Death would send some reapers to investigate any disturbances and allow mediums to help trace any evil spirits. Gargoyles and hellhounds were two of the common options reapers used to take these troublemakers back.

Reapers were only allowed to reap and take back things belonging to the spirit world. This didn’t allow them to attack or interfere with all evil spirits since most were either possessing someone living or they had a contract with a witch.

Because exorcists were handlers too, disruptions sometimes gave this rare opportunity of a coalition. There hasn’t been such a coalition since the last war.  Evil spirits tended to thrive through wars.

The information on the reapers was interesting. Apparently, they were the products of angels and humans. Not having any place in hades or heaven. So, most of these children were used to ensuring nothing like those unions would ever happen again.

My musings were cut short when the pair came back. I looked at Thomas’s haggard face and a satisfied Elaine. My gut twisted, and seeing a happy Elaine was a bit unsettling. The only reason she would ever smile is when she gets her way. It made me anxious to know just what these two did alone.

“Get up and take those books with you.” She threw a bag at me. I barely caught it, sending a silent question Thomas’s way. He ran both hands over his face.

“We decided on a road trip.” He sounded reluctant, so I doubt it was a ‘we’ decision and more of an Elaine said so.

“Where to?” With a heavy sigh, Thomas told me we were going to another island called Sailor’s Trail. Known for some interesting creatures.

“Why are we going there?” I didn’t think going to an island infested with creatures of nightmares was a good idea, given my condition.

“Apparently, Elaine needs an ingredient that may help you mask yourself from demons.” I sat up, impressed there was such a thing.

“Wouldn’t a holy relic do?” Elaine snorted.

“I never knew you were that religious.” She rolled her eyes and brought her hands to her hips.

“Trust me, if you had any connection with holy energy, you wouldn’t be needing this, but with your constant living with this guy, it’s a little low.” She continued.

“There’s a reason you aren’t an exorcist. Those guys are just built differently.” She chuckled, thinking of another man most likely. Thomas took a deep breath, probably to prevent himself from calling her something he shouldn’t.

“Can we go? Like you said, time is limited.” Elaine nodded, snapping her fingers, and a bag immediately slung over her left shoulder.

“Right, let’s go, amore.” Thomas shook his had as the woman left out the door, hips swaying seductively.

“So, what did you guys talk about?” He shook his head.

“I’ll tell you later.” I nodded but had a feeling this was likely something he’d avoid as long as possible. We both walked out the door, and my jaw almost dropped to the floor when I saw what was waiting for us.

“We are not driving that!” Thomas looked green.

“What! This is more economical. Besides, you will not be disrupting my miasma with your metal monster.” She glared, flipping her long hair to her back.

“Wolves! You’re having wolves drag a carriage?” Thomas was not impressed. “You’re insane.”

“Don’t insult them by calling them wolves.” She looked offended.

“What are they, then?” He asked incredulously. “Your children?” He suddenly turned serious.

“Don’t tell me you turned your kids into wolves…” He was serious.

“No!” Elaine looked annoyed. “And leave my children out of it.”

“Then what else could they be?” This exchange between them was nothing I’ve witnessed before. I wasn’t too fond of the idea of them getting close.

“Are you blind? These are werewolves!” As if to prove a point, one growled. It’s canines look larger than normal.

“Only you, only you would use werewolves as drivers.” He shook his head, giving me a hand to help me into the wobbly carriage. I walked in a large semicircle, trying my best not to get close to these large animals.

One found my attempt amusing because it snorted at me. I rushed inside. Nearly tipping the vehicle over.

“For someone so small, you sure carry the weight of a mountain.” I glared at the witch, fully knowing she was calling me fat.

“If she’s a mountain, you must be the sea.” Looking confused, Thomas expanded. “You're wide enough.” I bit my lip to stop the smile wanting to form.

“Heh, impressive.” Elaine grumble. She then turned to place her head out the window and shouted at the wolves to head off. With a jerk, we went speeding faster than I could have anticipated.

We remained silent for the ride. My eyes glued to the view outside the carriage. There was a shimmer around us, giving whatever I saw a more amazing experience.

I took a chance to look at Thomas, who had once again a drawn appearance. Whatever that discussion he had with Elaine was, it was affecting him in a way that made me worried.

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