Candy Corn #3, Flavors Of The Month: Buttercream #9 & Sea Salt #8
Author: Hali
Title: To Turn Towards Witches
Flavors: Candy Corn #3 (witch’s broom), [FOTM] Buttercream #9 (basket), [FOTM] Sea Salt #8 (foam)
Toppings: Chopped Nuts (non-canon AU)
Extras: Brownie (5K+ words), Wafer Cookie (sketch)
Story/Fandom: Change of Heart
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Blood & Violence
Word Count: 5,993
Summary: A mountain lion attack sends Kamali into the hands of a witch. Will she help save Michael, or are both boys doomed?
Notes: I kind of like this alternative universe. I think I might write more for it. The Sea Salt flavor prompts gave me the idea for this universe, so there might be a few more stories where the CoH characters are in this world. :) If I continue it, I’ll probably name this the Oceanview ‘Verse. Also, yay! With as much as I like to write, I figured I’d end up getting a brownie sooner or later. Looks like I finally got passed 5,000 words when writing one of these stories. :D Oh and I drew a sketch for the story? ;) Woop! Enjoy!
Late summer left the area mildly warm, but the cool breeze and current overcast dropped the usually unbearable temperatures. The terrain was high in most places but dipped once at Gull’s Cove. That was the only place where the ocean’s waves gently lapped the rocky shores. It was also the only place where there were small amounts of sand. Luckily, the shore here wasn’t covered in thousands of tiny pebbles that were ready to cut into the bottom of your feet either. Everywhere else held high hanging cliffs where the waves crashed against their sides. Besides the dangerous waters, the land itself was beautiful and lush. The many hills of the land were eloquently green. The vibrant tufts of grass swayed gently through the wind as a few farms were scattered here and there with sheep and cattle herds roaming around.
Two children of fifteen and eleven were playing down at Gull’s Cove. The older of the two had golden-colored hair as bright as sunbeams and comforting eyes the color of chocolate bars. He stood on the foamy shores with the legs of his jeans rolled up to his knees. With a glossy pebble in his hand, he grinned. “You wanna call it, Mali-o-mal?”
Those chocolate brown eyes gazed back behind him at the skinny boy who had a shaggy mop of brunette hair falling all over his face. Blue eyes brighter than the rough, murky ocean waves peered forward at his friend. Clutched in front of him with both hands was a straw basket with a white and red, checkered blanket draped over it. Inside the basket were different kinds of bread loaves that the two of them had traded Miss Wells for. The two kids weren’t exactly rolling in wealth. They were like most of the townsfolk around here. When money was scarce, they had to trade what they had most of for other needs and to help others who also needed what they had. For the three loaves of bread that were in the basket, Michael had to sell some of the deer meat his father hunted.
“One,” Kamali snickered with a teasing grin. He broke character a second or two after though with a quiet laugh. With an honest answer this time, Kamali smiled and called out, “Four skips!”
“Four?!” Michael gasped dramatically, pretending to still be offended by Kamali's guess. “Only four?!”
The brunette was flustered for a moment before Michael winked at him. “I’m just messin’ with ya, Mali.” When he turned back towards the ocean, he proudly boasted, “You’re still wrong though. I’m gonna say at least six skips.”
Sure enough, the moment that Michael let the stone fly through the air, it zipped right across the water. It jumped across the surface five times before one of the waves gobbled it up. It wasn’t quite six skips, but Michael didn’t seem discouraged by it. He only laughed. “Drat. Well, it would have been six skips if we were skipping rocks at the lake.”
Michael took a few steps forward to allow the water to lap over his bare feet. The last thing he needed was foam sticking to him. Sure, the sand would certainly stick to him now, but his feet and legs wouldn’t be itchy because of it. Warm foam felt comfortable on the skin on a cold day, but if it was left too long, it’d start to irritate the skin. While trying to avoid the foam on the shore, Michael turned to walk back over to where Kamali was standing, which was a good few feet away from where the water could get at him. Michael’s smile fell off his face when he saw Kamali staring somberly down at the ground. With a worried expression, Kamali watched his toes bury themselves under the gravel.
“Michael?”
“Hmm?”
There was a bit of a pause. Although Michael didn’t say anything, he knew what Kamali was about to say. “I can’t take this bread from you.”
Michael pulled Kamali into a half hug when he threw his arm around his shoulder. “Kamali,” Michael reminded gently, “You can’t take it from me if I’m freely giving it to you.”
Kamali lifted his head up. Blue eyes stared seriously at the other as he tried to push his point again. “You and your dad need it. You two don’t have much.”
“And you have more than I do?” Michael asked sternly, removing his arm from Kamali’s shoulders. “Your foster parents aren’t hunters or farmers.”
“They work,” Kamali huffed, but there was hardly any venom in his words as he averted his gaze down again.
Michael frowned, but he didn’t say anything more. He didn’t want to remind Kamali of how his foster parents were. It wasn’t like Kamali didn’t already know. Margaret was a maid who didn’t have a regular pay. She got whatever the people would pay her. Then her husband, Cliff, worked at the convenience store. He did get paid regularly, but it still wasn’t much. Then even when they did get big breaks, they’d spend it selfishly. The last big break they received, Cliff bought himself some more pipes, tobacco, and whisky while Margaret bought herself some new clothes. Kamali had been completely cut out of the picture, which unfortunately wasn’t unusual.
Michael gave a small nod out of respect, but told him, “You’re still taking one of those loaves home. Please, Kamali. You need to eat too.”
Without looking up, Kamali mumbled out reluctantly, “Okay.”
Before they could walk but a few feet up the slope to head out of Gull’s Cove, a low, rolling growl froze them both in place. They both whipped their heads up. Perched on a cliff not far from where both of them were was a large, mountain lion. There were a couple of coyote packs here in the area, but the true threats to everyone and not just livestock were these massive felines. They were powerful and merciless whenever they decided to attack. From the looks of it, this one didn’t need to be provoked. It already wanted to hurt them.
It was unusual for a mountain lion to be all the way out here at the cove, but it looked like they were just having a stroke of bad luck today. Kamali’s blue eyes were wide in terror as the mountain lion’s eyes peered right through him. One of them was a shiny amber while the other was an ice blue. They were abnormal and distinct, which made its glare even more intense. Michael’s heart was beating heavily in his chest as he cautiously took one step backwards to enable him to grab a hold of Kamali. Under his breath, Michael reassured out of habit, “Mali, it’s okay. Just take a few steps back, alright? Follow my lead. Just take baby steps.”
Kamali nodded vigorously, even though his gaze was still locked onto the wildcat. Slowly, the two of them took a few steps backwards. The moment they paced backwards for a second time, the mountain lion hissed and straightened up. Both of them stopped abruptly. “Michael--?”
“Get ready to run.” Michael glanced over to find that Kamali was staring wide-eyed at him now. There was panic written all over his face, and it only made Michael’s heart sink into his stomach. He tried not to let his own unease be heard in his voice. “Victor’s house isn’t that far. On the count of three, I want you to run for it, okay?”
After swallowing thickly, Kamali gave a slow nod as his eyes rolled back over to the feline. His knuckles were starting to turn white from how hard he was gripping the basket handle. “One.”
As they both kept their attention on the mountain lion, they both took another step back. “Two.” It appeared to have provoked the cat further, since it snarled and rolled its shoulders. In a matter of seconds, it reared back in order to push itself off the ledge. The moment its paws connected with the shore, both of the children had turned and began to run.
“Three!”
The two of them dashed up the slope as fast as they could, trying their hardest to escape the wildcat. They both knew the truth in the back of their minds though. There was no way they’d manage to outrun a mountain lion on foot. Still, they ran for as far as they could. It wasn’t until they got towards the top of the hill that had led down into Gull’s Cove that trouble ran into them. Suddenly, the wildcat pounced forward and managed to tackle Michael down. When the teen let out a scream of pain, Kamali whipped around.
The large cat’s slick fangs revealed themselves as it hissed angrily. Although Michael had his arms up in an attempt to shield his head from the attack, massive claws were raking at his forearms. Blood streaked down his skin as those thick claws slashed up his arms. Shock temporarily froze Kamali in place as Michael’s yells rang through his ears. The surprise didn’t last long for adrenaline rushed through him then. He had to act and act quickly. With determination hardening his features, he dropped the basket and half lunged for a pile of nearby rocks.
After picking up one that looked fairly hefty, Kamali jerked his attention up and chunked it as hard as he could at the cat. It wasn’t graceful, but the rock smashed right into the cat’s neck. The moment the jagged stone cut into the feline, the mountain lion stopped its onslaught on Michael. It whipped its head up and let out a yowl as its wild eyes targetted the other boy. The ground seemed to shift violently underneath Kamali as panic struck him all over again. Now with Michael momentarily safe, the mountain lion seemed determined for payback.
The wildcat leaped forward towards Kamali, but he managed to stumble back in time so not to get tackled and suffer the same fate as Michael. With blood still dripping from the open wounds on his arms, Michael sat up and shouted in terror, “Kamali, no!”
One of the mountain lion’s forelimbs whipped forward with its claws outstretched. Kamali tried to back away from the blow, but he lost his footing. The claws barely ghosted over his chest before Kamali toppled backwards and was sent rolling downhill. Fortunately, it was the grassy side of the hill which headed away from Gull’s Cove, but the slope was very steep. It didn’t seem to matter though to the mountain lion. He was ready to dart after Kamali.
The mountain lion was stopped short from being able to pounce forward after him though. Michael had gotten up onto his feet again. Before the feline could make the leap, Michael yanked its tail as hard as he possibly could. The wildcat’s fur prickled up as it let out a screech. The shrill sound rang clear over the moorlands. It was only a few seconds after that the feline sharply jerked around and proceeded towards Michael for a second time.
Meanwhile, Kamali tumbled down the tall hillside. The moorlands around here were just as animate in size as they were in color. Kamali thudded onto his face the moment he reached the bottom of the hill. As he lied there trying to shake himself of the dizziness, he half expected the mountain lion to assault him at any time. When it didn’t, a wave of confusion passed over him. Once Kamali clumsily pushed himself up, the sounds of the wildcat’s yowling up on top of the hill soon echoed in his head. Kamali’s head snapped up as fear pierced through him. Michael was still up on the hill.
Bloody images flashed through Kamali’s mind as he pictured Michael pinned down to the ground in a mangled, gory mess as the mountain lion tore into him. Kamali couldn’t see what was going on at the top of the hill, but for all he knew, Michael could be dead already. Just when remorse was starting to catch hold of him, Kamali could hear Michael screaming down at him from the top of the hill. “Kamali, run! Run!”
Relief didn’t glance once at Kamali, but remorse didn’t manage to seep into him either. Michael was alive…for now. Kamali wanted to disagree. He wanted to object, but there was nothing more he could do, was there? At least, he couldn’t manage to take down an aggressive, out of its mind monster by himself. If Kamali was to charge up the mountain again, both him and Michael’s fates would be sealed. He needed help and fast. How quickly could he get to Victor’s house? Kamali wasn’t sure, but he’d have to at least try.
“Hang on, Michael,” Kamali whispered dejectedly under his breath before pushing to his feet and dashing off.
Kamali wasn’t as fast as Neil, who was another boy that they usually hung out with. He couldn’t just chase and catch rabbits like Neil, but Kamali considered himself to be a fairly good runner. Wildly, Kamali crashed through the thick field that had blades of grass taller than himself. The Earth felt like it was spinning all over again. It almost felt like he was dreaming. Well, it felt like he was having a nightmare anyway. The kind where no matter how fast you try to run, snails run faster than you while the villains can somehow dash faster than freight trains. Kamali knew in his mind that this wasn’t the case, but it sure did feel like it.
In a fit of fright, Kamali realized too late that he headed in the wrong direction. The field didn’t progressively get thinner and smaller. The land didn’t slope up again to allow Kamali to head over the hill where Victor’s cabin rested just on the other side. No, the grassland became denser and weeds darker. The moment Kamali realized his mistake, he tripped over a twig and was sent rolling downhill again. He was tossed out of the field, but he didn’t roll too far this time. Still, he inwardly groaned at his clumsiness. The last one saved his life, but this one could have easily just gotten Michael killed.
There wasn’t enough time for misery to set in. Kamali hadn’t realized someone was humming until an eerie silence rolled through the area. With heavy dread, Kamali’s attention jerked up. There was a rickety, old cabin about a yard and a half in front of him. It was small and looked rather musty on the outside. The two windows had busted up, wooden blinds covering them so the sun wasn’t let inside. One of the few steps that led up to the wrap around porch was busted and standing just before the steps was a woman.
Yes, Kamali knew exactly where he was. He was exactly where he wasn’t supposed to be: the Witch’s Cabin.
A woman who looked well into her eighties stood there on the porch in a long, black robe. Just like Kamali, she was barefooted. The hood of her robe had been down, revealing her wrinkly, scrunched up face. Her nose wasn’t crooked but pointed nonetheless. Her hair was as white as lightning and was pulled back into a tight bun that was held together with two shiny, black sticks. Bony fingers clutched a wooden broomstick as it appeared she had been dusting the porch prior to Kamali’s entrance.
Kamali sucked in a gasp as the woman’s beady, black eyes squinted. It almost looked like her face would threaten to snap in two at the gesture. She was watching him closely now, and it took every part of Kamali just to will himself to breathe. Although he had heard tales and rumors of her, he had never seen her for himself, much less be but a yard away from her! He was definitely where he wasn’t supposed to be.
“Y-You’re…” Kamali’s voice was shaking. He couldn’t help it. “You’re the witch. Witch Hagglethorn.”
The frown on her face looked permanent, engraved in her shrivelled skin. She lifted her broom and slammed the end down at her side instead of having it in front of her. As she stood there with the broomstick in grasp, she rested her other hand onto her hip. Her long, yellow fingernails tapped away at her waist as she continued to examine Kamali. “Aye,” She affirmed. Her voice was scratchy, which came as no surprise to Kamali. Still, it sent a chill through him. “What exactly are you doing here on my property?”
The hair on the back of Kamali’s neck rose as he tried to scoot backwards but couldn’t. The woman’s gaze had him locked in place, and he couldn’t decide if it was his own fear holding him there or something more wicked. As he stared wide-eyed at the witch, he had a sinking feeling that doom was about to rain down upon him.
***
Only a few seconds after Michael tugged on the wildcat’s tail, the beast was on him again. Michael leaped back away from one blow, dodged another, but the third one nicked his leg. The teen fell onto his back with a heavy thud. Brown eyes tightly closed as his wounded arms hit the ground. Blood smeared across the blades of grass as Michael tried to prepare himself for another onslaught. That was much easier said than done. The wildcat pounced on top of him again, but Michael fortunately had the upperhand this time. He had scooted back far enough to where he could reach out to grab himself a rock.
Before the mountain lion clawed at him, Michael bashed the stone against the side of its head. The mountain lion reared back and wailed instantly. Michael used this opportunity to kick the large wildcat off and scurried back as fast as he could. He couldn’t stop his body from shaking when he finally managed to get onto his feet again. His arms stung bitterly against the wind and were still oozing blood. He didn’t have time to rest though. The teen raced across the hillside, not wanting to trip down the steeper part of the slope as Kamali did.
Luck wasn’t siding with him as much as Michael would have hoped. The mountain lion had swiftly recovered and was right on his trail. Michael didn’t get far. A minute or two passed before the wildcat tackled him down. Roughly, Michael was slammed down onto his stomach with the feline’s weight crushing him. A cry escaped his lips when those killer claws slashed right into his back, instantly ripping up his shirt and skin. He was pinned down for sure this time. The wildcat was too heavy, and this position was too much at a disadvantage. Tears began to form in his closed eyes when he realized that he was going to ripped to shreds.
Scarlet liquid gushed from the slices as the mountain lion raked its claws against Michael’s back again. He shuddered from the pain as a scream of agony rattled out from inside him. Desperately, he kicked and squirmed. He tried to get away, but all of his attempts were in vain. He was stuck there. However, that didn’t mean he was doomed to die. Fate had other plans for him. At least, for right now.
An electrifying roar that didn’t sound at all like the mountain lion’s yowls rang through the air before Michael felt the weight of the mountain lion on top of him disappear. Michael felt lightheaded, but he could still hear the noises of a fight behind him. With his heart beating brutally against his chest, Michael lied there and just tried to breathe. He was fighting pain too much to be afraid of what was about to happen to him. All he knew was that he wasn’t being attacked now, and he was going to take advantage of this opportunity of relief, whether it was to be momentary or not.
Michael wasn’t sure how long he lied there with his face pressed against the ground. The dizziness hadn’t left him yet, but he was still conscious. He was at least alive, even though he wasn’t sure how long and though his sore body was trembling. It took him a minute or two, but it came to his attention that only the wind could be heard now. The chaotic noises behind him had stopped. When he wasn’t assaulted soon after that, he decided to try to turn over. Michael realized he wouldn’t just be able to flip over onto his slashed up back. He’d have to sit up.
It took more attempts than he first thought it would. First, second, third, and fourth attempts ended up with him in more pain than before. All his muscles were tense, the injuries on his back were throbbing, and his arms were still stinging. Fever consumed his entire body, and it was then that he wondered just exactly how much blood he had lost. Sure, Michael had gotten his fair share of injuries, but he’d never been torn up quite like this. A mixture of a sigh and hiss passed between him lips when he managed to at least roll onto his side.
The world blurred around him momentarily. Michael blinked his eyes rapidly in an attempt to clear up his hazy vision. Blobs of color that looked like an outline of a person were before him. He frowned in confusion as he tried to stay focus. Slowly but surely, the image improved. A young woman maybe a year or two older than himself was standing in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. Black strands from her bobbed hairstyle fell just along her jawline. Her hair was the same length all the way around, not being shorter in the back or the other way around. Shiny bangs fell down to where her thin eyebrows rested. Her cheeks were smoothed, and faded freckles smothered her entire face. As the woman’s brilliant, emerald eyes stared down at him, what Michael noticed the most was how her lips were tugged into a smirk.
“You dead?” It wasn’t really a question. It was more of a light taunting, but there didn’t sound like there was any malice in her voice either, just amusement.
Michael only shook his head before he tried to maneuver himself into a sitting position again. It took him a few minutes and some honest struggling, but he did manage it. After he ran a hand over his face, he realized that the woman had proceeded further towards him. Michael’s brown eyes widened when he found the woman’s face to be right in front of his. Her hands were still on her hips as she leaned over. A toothy grin stretched across her face as her eyes shined even in the dim, overcast weather.
“What’s your name?” She asked curiously with her grin still wide and clear.
Hoarsely, he mumbled, “Michael.”
Michael squinted his eyes and glanced behind the woman. When he brought his attention back to her, he asked with mild uncertainty, “Where’s the mountain lion?”
The woman straightened up proudly with her chin tilted up. There was a gleam in her eyes when she declared, “Chased him off.”
Michael gave her a skeptical look as he gazed her over. That shouldn’t have been possible. She didn’t appear to have any weapons on her, and there wasn’t a gun lying around anywhere either. Michael had been out of it, but surely he would have heard the firing of a buckshot. It didn’t matter much to him though. The wildcat was gone, and Michael was still breathing. That’s all that he really cared about at the moment.
He didn’t quite feel safe though. This woman was giving off a strange, unnerving vibe. Michael wasn’t quite sure what it was exactly, but it was enough to make him uneasy. Once his attention fell onto the straw basket that was sitting not too far away, his thoughts were drawn back to Kamali. Did he reach Victor? That’s where Michael really needed to be. He needed to be there to reassure everyone that he was alright. Well, he needed to at least ease their panic and let them know he wasn’t dead.
First thing was first though. Michael needed to figure out how to get himself onto his feet. Would he be able to walk? Would he be able to hold himself up without toppling back over onto the ground? Michael wasn’t sure, but he was going to have to try. He couldn’t stay here, and he certainly didn’t want to risk that wildcat coming back for him. What was with that mountain lion anyway? Sure, Michael had heard about animal attacks before, but he never imaged animals to be so...driven.
“Aw, where are you going in such a hurry?” The woman cooed with amusement still ringing in her voice. “Move around too much, and you’ll bleed to death, you know.”
“I need to go.” It was all Michael could choke out as he tried desperately to climb to his feet. The woman was right though. He probably needed to go to the hospital immediately if he didn’t want to bleed out. This was bad. There was no way his father could afford to pay medical bills. They’d be paying off the debt for a year if not more.
Before Michael fretted over it any longer, he was jarred out of his thoughts by the woman’s hands being placed on his shoulder and chest. His head snapped up in surprise. That smirk had turned into a gentle smile as she helped him to his feet. The moment he was standing though, the kind expression was gone and pride covered her face once more. Michael gave a small nod and whispered a thank you before turning to walk off. He only wobbled a few paces forward before the woman’s words stopped him.
“You’re always so worried for others, Michael,” The woman thought aloud. “It’s rather sweet actually. You’re going to look for him, right? To make sure he’s okay too?”
An eerie chill raced up Michael’s spine. “What?”
“The other boy,” She clarified. “The one you were sacrificing your life for. You’re a real hero, I’d say. Not many people would think about pulling on a wildcat’s tail like that just to make sure their friend’s life was secure. I haven’t seen chivalry like that in a long time.”
Michael turned. While staring wide-eyed at the woman, he gaped, “You saw that?”
A wicked grin stretched her lips. “I saw the whole thing.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed. Perhaps he wasn’t out of danger just yet. She had been watching them? Why? For how long exactly? There was something definitely off about this woman, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. His mouth tightened into a frown as he questioned, “Who are you?”
She never gave him an answer. A mocking smile was all she gave in reply. Michael didn’t have enough time to deal with her right now. He was still in pain and needed to get to Victor’s house. Behind him, the woman gestured to the path Michael was about to walk. He didn’t get to take one step before her words rang through his ears again.
“I hope you know you’re going the wrong way.”
Michael paused but didn’t turn around. Hesitantly, he asked, “What do you mean?”
“Your friend. He’s not at the Livingstone Quarters.”
Michael turned around for a second time. Warily, his eyes glanced over her. With a spark of fear passing through him, Michael had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had an idea that she knew exactly where Kamali was, and from the sounds of it, his whereabouts didn’t sound like good news. “Where is he?”
The woman turned and gave a slight head nod in gesture to a place down below the vast hill at her side. Michael’s attention rolled over to where she was trying to hint at. It didn’t click. His squinted in confusion. Before he could say anything, Michael’s attention snapped over to a flock of crows that began to squawk and rise into the air. It caught him off guard momentarily, but something much greater shook him off balance. When Michael cast his gaze back over to where the woman had been standing, only the grassy hilltop was visible. The woman was gone.
Michael gazed about him, trying to see where she disappeared to, but his attempts were in vain. How did she--? Michael peered down the hill in the direction that the woman had gestured towards before disappearing from view. Finally, the truth flashed through his mind. He knew exactly what she had been hinting at now. Terror like ice pierced through him. He began to shake his head instinctively as he murmured under his breath, “Oh no.”
With what little strength he had, Michael tried his best to carefully move himself down the steep side of the hill. Kamali had fallen down here earlier, and if the woman was right, he never made it to Victor’s house. Michael winced when he accidentally brushed his back up against the hill before making it down to the thick field of weeds that was there. Honestly, it was difficult to move at all. Michael didn’t have to brush up against anything. Movement itself was too much of a strain. His heart was beating heavily in his chest now as he tried to whack the tall stalks out of his way.
“Kamali? Kamali?!” Michael began to shout as he wildly made his way through the field, hurrying straight for where the witch lived. He was heading straight into the Witch’s Corner. No one ventured there unless they were stupid enough or had a death wish. Everyone knew who she was, even though hardly anyone had seen her. They didn’t have to. They knew what she was capable of.
When Michael came to the clearing, he stopped. The house wasn’t too far away from him now, and he could see from where he stood that the witch was outside on her porch. She lifted her head the moment Michael appeared. She was sitting on a porch swing with her hands intertwined in her lap. Michael eyed the broomstick that rested right beside her against the wall near the closed door of her house. Michael swallowed nervously, but he didn’t back down. If Kamali was here, he needed to retrieve him.
A trail of blood followed behind Michael. Drying blood caked around the slices on his forearms, but blood was continuing to streak down his back. Michael lowered his head an inch or two nervously but continued boldly forward. When he was only a few feet away from the front steps of the house, the witch stood. Her hands were folded in front of her as she stood before the teen. The two of them stood there in silence just a small distance away from each other. Even though every muscle in his body screamed at him not to, Michael didn’t break eye contact with her.
“Well.” The words rolled slowly off the witch’s tongue. “I’m guessing you’re Michael.”
Michael cleared his throat before asking, “Where’s Kamali?” If that girl had been wrong and Kamali wasn’t here, then today would be his death date after all. As if to emphasize that, Michael was quickly reminded of how weak he was right now. His dizziness caused him to stumble forward a step, but his legs didn’t quite give out on him yet.
The witch didn’t say anything at first. She glanced back at the door before returning her gaze. A smile stretched her thin lips. “Ah, yes. Kamali’s inside.”
The earlier fear shook into anger. So, Kamali was here and in her hands. Michael’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t lash out. Guardedly, Michael half demanded, “How is he?”
“Better than you,” She huffed. She raised an eyebrow at him before noting, “I hear you had a run in with Azlof.”
“Who?”
The witch gestured one of her bony hands in Michael’s direction. “That mangy feline who butchered you.” She sounded a bit annoyed. “That cat that’s got one reddish eye and one blue one. Azlof.”
There was a pause between them before she mentioned calmly, “That adrenaline pumping through you’s going to run out sooner than later. You don’t have as much strength as you think you have, Michael.”
“I’m not leaving,” Michael stated instantly. He knew in the back of his head that he wasn’t going to last for much longer, but that didn’t change his decision. “Not without Kamali.”
“You won’t get very far if you leave either,” The witch pointed out simply as her beady eyes rolled over him again. “You won’t last another half mile.”
The meow of a cat passed through Michael’s ears. A black cat strolled along the porch, walking right for the witch. Of course. All witches had black cats, didn’t they? That’s what everyone in town said anyway. Maybe this was why it seemed to be common knowledge. The old woman scooped up the cat into her arms, and the feline instantly began to purr. A small smirk tugged at the corner of the witch’s lips momentarily before the previous, bitter mask returned. “Come on,” The witch snapped lightly at Michael. “Fiona didn’t save you just so you could bleed out in my yard.”
It wasn’t much of a yard actually. The only grass was back in the tall field of weeds. The Witch’s Cabin was surrounded by a circle of dry and cracked dirt. It wasn’t at all vibrant and thriving like most of the rest of the land. Michael stared over the cat for a moment, tensing for reasons unknown to him when the feline’s bright green eyes gleamed for a second or two. He didn’t have time to think it over because the front door of the house forcefully flung open and slammed against the wall. Kamali was standing wide-eyed in the entrance. “Michael, you’re hurt!”
Michael’s own eyes widened slightly at his friend’s presence. “You’re okay,” he murmured under his breath to himself.
From the immediate looks of it, there didn’t appear to be anything wrong with Kamali. He wasn’t green and purple all over, he didn’t have tree limbs growing out of him, and he certainly wasn’t beat up like Michael was. True comfort washed over Michael then, and it wasn’t long after that his legs felt like they were turning to jelly. Grumpily, the witch yapped, “Yes, let’s just stand around and gawk at each other like a bunch of old hags! Kamali, get him inside.”
Kamali nodded vigorously before rushing forward to help Michael stand properly. Huh. Michael must have been standing more lopsided than he first realized if Kamali was in that much of a hurry to give him some support. That along with the fact that Kamali was probably having an internal, panic attack at the sight of Michael all clawed up and bloody. Once he was at Michael’s side, Kamali whispered reassuringly, “It’s okay. She’ll help you.”
Michael gave a hesitant nod before beginning to wobble towards the porch. The witch and her cat had already gone inside and left the door open for the two of them. As Kamali escorted Michael up the walkway, Michael wondered exactly what the witch’s motives were. Was she really about to willingly help the two of them, or had she just been waiting for Michael to show up before really starting the dark magic and evil witchcraft? It wasn’t as if Michael had much choice though. The witch had been right. He probably wouldn’t make it to Victor’s house if he tried now. Michael didn’t have long to ponder their fate though. After taking about two steps inside the house, he lost consciousness.
Title: To Turn Towards Witches
Flavors: Candy Corn #3 (witch’s broom), [FOTM] Buttercream #9 (basket), [FOTM] Sea Salt #8 (foam)
Toppings: Chopped Nuts (non-canon AU)
Extras: Brownie (5K+ words), Wafer Cookie (sketch)
Story/Fandom: Change of Heart
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Blood & Violence
Word Count: 5,993
Summary: A mountain lion attack sends Kamali into the hands of a witch. Will she help save Michael, or are both boys doomed?
Notes: I kind of like this alternative universe. I think I might write more for it. The Sea Salt flavor prompts gave me the idea for this universe, so there might be a few more stories where the CoH characters are in this world. :) If I continue it, I’ll probably name this the Oceanview ‘Verse. Also, yay! With as much as I like to write, I figured I’d end up getting a brownie sooner or later. Looks like I finally got passed 5,000 words when writing one of these stories. :D Oh and I drew a sketch for the story? ;) Woop! Enjoy!
Late summer left the area mildly warm, but the cool breeze and current overcast dropped the usually unbearable temperatures. The terrain was high in most places but dipped once at Gull’s Cove. That was the only place where the ocean’s waves gently lapped the rocky shores. It was also the only place where there were small amounts of sand. Luckily, the shore here wasn’t covered in thousands of tiny pebbles that were ready to cut into the bottom of your feet either. Everywhere else held high hanging cliffs where the waves crashed against their sides. Besides the dangerous waters, the land itself was beautiful and lush. The many hills of the land were eloquently green. The vibrant tufts of grass swayed gently through the wind as a few farms were scattered here and there with sheep and cattle herds roaming around.
Two children of fifteen and eleven were playing down at Gull’s Cove. The older of the two had golden-colored hair as bright as sunbeams and comforting eyes the color of chocolate bars. He stood on the foamy shores with the legs of his jeans rolled up to his knees. With a glossy pebble in his hand, he grinned. “You wanna call it, Mali-o-mal?”
Those chocolate brown eyes gazed back behind him at the skinny boy who had a shaggy mop of brunette hair falling all over his face. Blue eyes brighter than the rough, murky ocean waves peered forward at his friend. Clutched in front of him with both hands was a straw basket with a white and red, checkered blanket draped over it. Inside the basket were different kinds of bread loaves that the two of them had traded Miss Wells for. The two kids weren’t exactly rolling in wealth. They were like most of the townsfolk around here. When money was scarce, they had to trade what they had most of for other needs and to help others who also needed what they had. For the three loaves of bread that were in the basket, Michael had to sell some of the deer meat his father hunted.
“One,” Kamali snickered with a teasing grin. He broke character a second or two after though with a quiet laugh. With an honest answer this time, Kamali smiled and called out, “Four skips!”
“Four?!” Michael gasped dramatically, pretending to still be offended by Kamali's guess. “Only four?!”
The brunette was flustered for a moment before Michael winked at him. “I’m just messin’ with ya, Mali.” When he turned back towards the ocean, he proudly boasted, “You’re still wrong though. I’m gonna say at least six skips.”
Sure enough, the moment that Michael let the stone fly through the air, it zipped right across the water. It jumped across the surface five times before one of the waves gobbled it up. It wasn’t quite six skips, but Michael didn’t seem discouraged by it. He only laughed. “Drat. Well, it would have been six skips if we were skipping rocks at the lake.”
Michael took a few steps forward to allow the water to lap over his bare feet. The last thing he needed was foam sticking to him. Sure, the sand would certainly stick to him now, but his feet and legs wouldn’t be itchy because of it. Warm foam felt comfortable on the skin on a cold day, but if it was left too long, it’d start to irritate the skin. While trying to avoid the foam on the shore, Michael turned to walk back over to where Kamali was standing, which was a good few feet away from where the water could get at him. Michael’s smile fell off his face when he saw Kamali staring somberly down at the ground. With a worried expression, Kamali watched his toes bury themselves under the gravel.
“Michael?”
“Hmm?”
There was a bit of a pause. Although Michael didn’t say anything, he knew what Kamali was about to say. “I can’t take this bread from you.”
Michael pulled Kamali into a half hug when he threw his arm around his shoulder. “Kamali,” Michael reminded gently, “You can’t take it from me if I’m freely giving it to you.”
Kamali lifted his head up. Blue eyes stared seriously at the other as he tried to push his point again. “You and your dad need it. You two don’t have much.”
“And you have more than I do?” Michael asked sternly, removing his arm from Kamali’s shoulders. “Your foster parents aren’t hunters or farmers.”
“They work,” Kamali huffed, but there was hardly any venom in his words as he averted his gaze down again.
Michael frowned, but he didn’t say anything more. He didn’t want to remind Kamali of how his foster parents were. It wasn’t like Kamali didn’t already know. Margaret was a maid who didn’t have a regular pay. She got whatever the people would pay her. Then her husband, Cliff, worked at the convenience store. He did get paid regularly, but it still wasn’t much. Then even when they did get big breaks, they’d spend it selfishly. The last big break they received, Cliff bought himself some more pipes, tobacco, and whisky while Margaret bought herself some new clothes. Kamali had been completely cut out of the picture, which unfortunately wasn’t unusual.
Michael gave a small nod out of respect, but told him, “You’re still taking one of those loaves home. Please, Kamali. You need to eat too.”
Without looking up, Kamali mumbled out reluctantly, “Okay.”
Before they could walk but a few feet up the slope to head out of Gull’s Cove, a low, rolling growl froze them both in place. They both whipped their heads up. Perched on a cliff not far from where both of them were was a large, mountain lion. There were a couple of coyote packs here in the area, but the true threats to everyone and not just livestock were these massive felines. They were powerful and merciless whenever they decided to attack. From the looks of it, this one didn’t need to be provoked. It already wanted to hurt them.
It was unusual for a mountain lion to be all the way out here at the cove, but it looked like they were just having a stroke of bad luck today. Kamali’s blue eyes were wide in terror as the mountain lion’s eyes peered right through him. One of them was a shiny amber while the other was an ice blue. They were abnormal and distinct, which made its glare even more intense. Michael’s heart was beating heavily in his chest as he cautiously took one step backwards to enable him to grab a hold of Kamali. Under his breath, Michael reassured out of habit, “Mali, it’s okay. Just take a few steps back, alright? Follow my lead. Just take baby steps.”
Kamali nodded vigorously, even though his gaze was still locked onto the wildcat. Slowly, the two of them took a few steps backwards. The moment they paced backwards for a second time, the mountain lion hissed and straightened up. Both of them stopped abruptly. “Michael--?”
“Get ready to run.” Michael glanced over to find that Kamali was staring wide-eyed at him now. There was panic written all over his face, and it only made Michael’s heart sink into his stomach. He tried not to let his own unease be heard in his voice. “Victor’s house isn’t that far. On the count of three, I want you to run for it, okay?”
After swallowing thickly, Kamali gave a slow nod as his eyes rolled back over to the feline. His knuckles were starting to turn white from how hard he was gripping the basket handle. “One.”
As they both kept their attention on the mountain lion, they both took another step back. “Two.” It appeared to have provoked the cat further, since it snarled and rolled its shoulders. In a matter of seconds, it reared back in order to push itself off the ledge. The moment its paws connected with the shore, both of the children had turned and began to run.
“Three!”
The two of them dashed up the slope as fast as they could, trying their hardest to escape the wildcat. They both knew the truth in the back of their minds though. There was no way they’d manage to outrun a mountain lion on foot. Still, they ran for as far as they could. It wasn’t until they got towards the top of the hill that had led down into Gull’s Cove that trouble ran into them. Suddenly, the wildcat pounced forward and managed to tackle Michael down. When the teen let out a scream of pain, Kamali whipped around.
The large cat’s slick fangs revealed themselves as it hissed angrily. Although Michael had his arms up in an attempt to shield his head from the attack, massive claws were raking at his forearms. Blood streaked down his skin as those thick claws slashed up his arms. Shock temporarily froze Kamali in place as Michael’s yells rang through his ears. The surprise didn’t last long for adrenaline rushed through him then. He had to act and act quickly. With determination hardening his features, he dropped the basket and half lunged for a pile of nearby rocks.
After picking up one that looked fairly hefty, Kamali jerked his attention up and chunked it as hard as he could at the cat. It wasn’t graceful, but the rock smashed right into the cat’s neck. The moment the jagged stone cut into the feline, the mountain lion stopped its onslaught on Michael. It whipped its head up and let out a yowl as its wild eyes targetted the other boy. The ground seemed to shift violently underneath Kamali as panic struck him all over again. Now with Michael momentarily safe, the mountain lion seemed determined for payback.
The wildcat leaped forward towards Kamali, but he managed to stumble back in time so not to get tackled and suffer the same fate as Michael. With blood still dripping from the open wounds on his arms, Michael sat up and shouted in terror, “Kamali, no!”
One of the mountain lion’s forelimbs whipped forward with its claws outstretched. Kamali tried to back away from the blow, but he lost his footing. The claws barely ghosted over his chest before Kamali toppled backwards and was sent rolling downhill. Fortunately, it was the grassy side of the hill which headed away from Gull’s Cove, but the slope was very steep. It didn’t seem to matter though to the mountain lion. He was ready to dart after Kamali.
The mountain lion was stopped short from being able to pounce forward after him though. Michael had gotten up onto his feet again. Before the feline could make the leap, Michael yanked its tail as hard as he possibly could. The wildcat’s fur prickled up as it let out a screech. The shrill sound rang clear over the moorlands. It was only a few seconds after that the feline sharply jerked around and proceeded towards Michael for a second time.
Meanwhile, Kamali tumbled down the tall hillside. The moorlands around here were just as animate in size as they were in color. Kamali thudded onto his face the moment he reached the bottom of the hill. As he lied there trying to shake himself of the dizziness, he half expected the mountain lion to assault him at any time. When it didn’t, a wave of confusion passed over him. Once Kamali clumsily pushed himself up, the sounds of the wildcat’s yowling up on top of the hill soon echoed in his head. Kamali’s head snapped up as fear pierced through him. Michael was still up on the hill.
Bloody images flashed through Kamali’s mind as he pictured Michael pinned down to the ground in a mangled, gory mess as the mountain lion tore into him. Kamali couldn’t see what was going on at the top of the hill, but for all he knew, Michael could be dead already. Just when remorse was starting to catch hold of him, Kamali could hear Michael screaming down at him from the top of the hill. “Kamali, run! Run!”
Relief didn’t glance once at Kamali, but remorse didn’t manage to seep into him either. Michael was alive…for now. Kamali wanted to disagree. He wanted to object, but there was nothing more he could do, was there? At least, he couldn’t manage to take down an aggressive, out of its mind monster by himself. If Kamali was to charge up the mountain again, both him and Michael’s fates would be sealed. He needed help and fast. How quickly could he get to Victor’s house? Kamali wasn’t sure, but he’d have to at least try.
“Hang on, Michael,” Kamali whispered dejectedly under his breath before pushing to his feet and dashing off.
Kamali wasn’t as fast as Neil, who was another boy that they usually hung out with. He couldn’t just chase and catch rabbits like Neil, but Kamali considered himself to be a fairly good runner. Wildly, Kamali crashed through the thick field that had blades of grass taller than himself. The Earth felt like it was spinning all over again. It almost felt like he was dreaming. Well, it felt like he was having a nightmare anyway. The kind where no matter how fast you try to run, snails run faster than you while the villains can somehow dash faster than freight trains. Kamali knew in his mind that this wasn’t the case, but it sure did feel like it.
In a fit of fright, Kamali realized too late that he headed in the wrong direction. The field didn’t progressively get thinner and smaller. The land didn’t slope up again to allow Kamali to head over the hill where Victor’s cabin rested just on the other side. No, the grassland became denser and weeds darker. The moment Kamali realized his mistake, he tripped over a twig and was sent rolling downhill again. He was tossed out of the field, but he didn’t roll too far this time. Still, he inwardly groaned at his clumsiness. The last one saved his life, but this one could have easily just gotten Michael killed.
There wasn’t enough time for misery to set in. Kamali hadn’t realized someone was humming until an eerie silence rolled through the area. With heavy dread, Kamali’s attention jerked up. There was a rickety, old cabin about a yard and a half in front of him. It was small and looked rather musty on the outside. The two windows had busted up, wooden blinds covering them so the sun wasn’t let inside. One of the few steps that led up to the wrap around porch was busted and standing just before the steps was a woman.
Yes, Kamali knew exactly where he was. He was exactly where he wasn’t supposed to be: the Witch’s Cabin.
A woman who looked well into her eighties stood there on the porch in a long, black robe. Just like Kamali, she was barefooted. The hood of her robe had been down, revealing her wrinkly, scrunched up face. Her nose wasn’t crooked but pointed nonetheless. Her hair was as white as lightning and was pulled back into a tight bun that was held together with two shiny, black sticks. Bony fingers clutched a wooden broomstick as it appeared she had been dusting the porch prior to Kamali’s entrance.
Kamali sucked in a gasp as the woman’s beady, black eyes squinted. It almost looked like her face would threaten to snap in two at the gesture. She was watching him closely now, and it took every part of Kamali just to will himself to breathe. Although he had heard tales and rumors of her, he had never seen her for himself, much less be but a yard away from her! He was definitely where he wasn’t supposed to be.
“Y-You’re…” Kamali’s voice was shaking. He couldn’t help it. “You’re the witch. Witch Hagglethorn.”
The frown on her face looked permanent, engraved in her shrivelled skin. She lifted her broom and slammed the end down at her side instead of having it in front of her. As she stood there with the broomstick in grasp, she rested her other hand onto her hip. Her long, yellow fingernails tapped away at her waist as she continued to examine Kamali. “Aye,” She affirmed. Her voice was scratchy, which came as no surprise to Kamali. Still, it sent a chill through him. “What exactly are you doing here on my property?”
The hair on the back of Kamali’s neck rose as he tried to scoot backwards but couldn’t. The woman’s gaze had him locked in place, and he couldn’t decide if it was his own fear holding him there or something more wicked. As he stared wide-eyed at the witch, he had a sinking feeling that doom was about to rain down upon him.
***
Only a few seconds after Michael tugged on the wildcat’s tail, the beast was on him again. Michael leaped back away from one blow, dodged another, but the third one nicked his leg. The teen fell onto his back with a heavy thud. Brown eyes tightly closed as his wounded arms hit the ground. Blood smeared across the blades of grass as Michael tried to prepare himself for another onslaught. That was much easier said than done. The wildcat pounced on top of him again, but Michael fortunately had the upperhand this time. He had scooted back far enough to where he could reach out to grab himself a rock.
Before the mountain lion clawed at him, Michael bashed the stone against the side of its head. The mountain lion reared back and wailed instantly. Michael used this opportunity to kick the large wildcat off and scurried back as fast as he could. He couldn’t stop his body from shaking when he finally managed to get onto his feet again. His arms stung bitterly against the wind and were still oozing blood. He didn’t have time to rest though. The teen raced across the hillside, not wanting to trip down the steeper part of the slope as Kamali did.
Luck wasn’t siding with him as much as Michael would have hoped. The mountain lion had swiftly recovered and was right on his trail. Michael didn’t get far. A minute or two passed before the wildcat tackled him down. Roughly, Michael was slammed down onto his stomach with the feline’s weight crushing him. A cry escaped his lips when those killer claws slashed right into his back, instantly ripping up his shirt and skin. He was pinned down for sure this time. The wildcat was too heavy, and this position was too much at a disadvantage. Tears began to form in his closed eyes when he realized that he was going to ripped to shreds.
Scarlet liquid gushed from the slices as the mountain lion raked its claws against Michael’s back again. He shuddered from the pain as a scream of agony rattled out from inside him. Desperately, he kicked and squirmed. He tried to get away, but all of his attempts were in vain. He was stuck there. However, that didn’t mean he was doomed to die. Fate had other plans for him. At least, for right now.
An electrifying roar that didn’t sound at all like the mountain lion’s yowls rang through the air before Michael felt the weight of the mountain lion on top of him disappear. Michael felt lightheaded, but he could still hear the noises of a fight behind him. With his heart beating brutally against his chest, Michael lied there and just tried to breathe. He was fighting pain too much to be afraid of what was about to happen to him. All he knew was that he wasn’t being attacked now, and he was going to take advantage of this opportunity of relief, whether it was to be momentary or not.
Michael wasn’t sure how long he lied there with his face pressed against the ground. The dizziness hadn’t left him yet, but he was still conscious. He was at least alive, even though he wasn’t sure how long and though his sore body was trembling. It took him a minute or two, but it came to his attention that only the wind could be heard now. The chaotic noises behind him had stopped. When he wasn’t assaulted soon after that, he decided to try to turn over. Michael realized he wouldn’t just be able to flip over onto his slashed up back. He’d have to sit up.
It took more attempts than he first thought it would. First, second, third, and fourth attempts ended up with him in more pain than before. All his muscles were tense, the injuries on his back were throbbing, and his arms were still stinging. Fever consumed his entire body, and it was then that he wondered just exactly how much blood he had lost. Sure, Michael had gotten his fair share of injuries, but he’d never been torn up quite like this. A mixture of a sigh and hiss passed between him lips when he managed to at least roll onto his side.
The world blurred around him momentarily. Michael blinked his eyes rapidly in an attempt to clear up his hazy vision. Blobs of color that looked like an outline of a person were before him. He frowned in confusion as he tried to stay focus. Slowly but surely, the image improved. A young woman maybe a year or two older than himself was standing in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. Black strands from her bobbed hairstyle fell just along her jawline. Her hair was the same length all the way around, not being shorter in the back or the other way around. Shiny bangs fell down to where her thin eyebrows rested. Her cheeks were smoothed, and faded freckles smothered her entire face. As the woman’s brilliant, emerald eyes stared down at him, what Michael noticed the most was how her lips were tugged into a smirk.
“You dead?” It wasn’t really a question. It was more of a light taunting, but there didn’t sound like there was any malice in her voice either, just amusement.
Michael only shook his head before he tried to maneuver himself into a sitting position again. It took him a few minutes and some honest struggling, but he did manage it. After he ran a hand over his face, he realized that the woman had proceeded further towards him. Michael’s brown eyes widened when he found the woman’s face to be right in front of his. Her hands were still on her hips as she leaned over. A toothy grin stretched across her face as her eyes shined even in the dim, overcast weather.
“What’s your name?” She asked curiously with her grin still wide and clear.
Hoarsely, he mumbled, “Michael.”
Michael squinted his eyes and glanced behind the woman. When he brought his attention back to her, he asked with mild uncertainty, “Where’s the mountain lion?”
The woman straightened up proudly with her chin tilted up. There was a gleam in her eyes when she declared, “Chased him off.”
Michael gave her a skeptical look as he gazed her over. That shouldn’t have been possible. She didn’t appear to have any weapons on her, and there wasn’t a gun lying around anywhere either. Michael had been out of it, but surely he would have heard the firing of a buckshot. It didn’t matter much to him though. The wildcat was gone, and Michael was still breathing. That’s all that he really cared about at the moment.
He didn’t quite feel safe though. This woman was giving off a strange, unnerving vibe. Michael wasn’t quite sure what it was exactly, but it was enough to make him uneasy. Once his attention fell onto the straw basket that was sitting not too far away, his thoughts were drawn back to Kamali. Did he reach Victor? That’s where Michael really needed to be. He needed to be there to reassure everyone that he was alright. Well, he needed to at least ease their panic and let them know he wasn’t dead.
First thing was first though. Michael needed to figure out how to get himself onto his feet. Would he be able to walk? Would he be able to hold himself up without toppling back over onto the ground? Michael wasn’t sure, but he was going to have to try. He couldn’t stay here, and he certainly didn’t want to risk that wildcat coming back for him. What was with that mountain lion anyway? Sure, Michael had heard about animal attacks before, but he never imaged animals to be so...driven.
“Aw, where are you going in such a hurry?” The woman cooed with amusement still ringing in her voice. “Move around too much, and you’ll bleed to death, you know.”
“I need to go.” It was all Michael could choke out as he tried desperately to climb to his feet. The woman was right though. He probably needed to go to the hospital immediately if he didn’t want to bleed out. This was bad. There was no way his father could afford to pay medical bills. They’d be paying off the debt for a year if not more.
Before Michael fretted over it any longer, he was jarred out of his thoughts by the woman’s hands being placed on his shoulder and chest. His head snapped up in surprise. That smirk had turned into a gentle smile as she helped him to his feet. The moment he was standing though, the kind expression was gone and pride covered her face once more. Michael gave a small nod and whispered a thank you before turning to walk off. He only wobbled a few paces forward before the woman’s words stopped him.
“You’re always so worried for others, Michael,” The woman thought aloud. “It’s rather sweet actually. You’re going to look for him, right? To make sure he’s okay too?”
An eerie chill raced up Michael’s spine. “What?”
“The other boy,” She clarified. “The one you were sacrificing your life for. You’re a real hero, I’d say. Not many people would think about pulling on a wildcat’s tail like that just to make sure their friend’s life was secure. I haven’t seen chivalry like that in a long time.”
Michael turned. While staring wide-eyed at the woman, he gaped, “You saw that?”
A wicked grin stretched her lips. “I saw the whole thing.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed. Perhaps he wasn’t out of danger just yet. She had been watching them? Why? For how long exactly? There was something definitely off about this woman, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. His mouth tightened into a frown as he questioned, “Who are you?”
She never gave him an answer. A mocking smile was all she gave in reply. Michael didn’t have enough time to deal with her right now. He was still in pain and needed to get to Victor’s house. Behind him, the woman gestured to the path Michael was about to walk. He didn’t get to take one step before her words rang through his ears again.
“I hope you know you’re going the wrong way.”
Michael paused but didn’t turn around. Hesitantly, he asked, “What do you mean?”
“Your friend. He’s not at the Livingstone Quarters.”
Michael turned around for a second time. Warily, his eyes glanced over her. With a spark of fear passing through him, Michael had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had an idea that she knew exactly where Kamali was, and from the sounds of it, his whereabouts didn’t sound like good news. “Where is he?”
The woman turned and gave a slight head nod in gesture to a place down below the vast hill at her side. Michael’s attention rolled over to where she was trying to hint at. It didn’t click. His squinted in confusion. Before he could say anything, Michael’s attention snapped over to a flock of crows that began to squawk and rise into the air. It caught him off guard momentarily, but something much greater shook him off balance. When Michael cast his gaze back over to where the woman had been standing, only the grassy hilltop was visible. The woman was gone.
Michael gazed about him, trying to see where she disappeared to, but his attempts were in vain. How did she--? Michael peered down the hill in the direction that the woman had gestured towards before disappearing from view. Finally, the truth flashed through his mind. He knew exactly what she had been hinting at now. Terror like ice pierced through him. He began to shake his head instinctively as he murmured under his breath, “Oh no.”
With what little strength he had, Michael tried his best to carefully move himself down the steep side of the hill. Kamali had fallen down here earlier, and if the woman was right, he never made it to Victor’s house. Michael winced when he accidentally brushed his back up against the hill before making it down to the thick field of weeds that was there. Honestly, it was difficult to move at all. Michael didn’t have to brush up against anything. Movement itself was too much of a strain. His heart was beating heavily in his chest now as he tried to whack the tall stalks out of his way.
“Kamali? Kamali?!” Michael began to shout as he wildly made his way through the field, hurrying straight for where the witch lived. He was heading straight into the Witch’s Corner. No one ventured there unless they were stupid enough or had a death wish. Everyone knew who she was, even though hardly anyone had seen her. They didn’t have to. They knew what she was capable of.
When Michael came to the clearing, he stopped. The house wasn’t too far away from him now, and he could see from where he stood that the witch was outside on her porch. She lifted her head the moment Michael appeared. She was sitting on a porch swing with her hands intertwined in her lap. Michael eyed the broomstick that rested right beside her against the wall near the closed door of her house. Michael swallowed nervously, but he didn’t back down. If Kamali was here, he needed to retrieve him.
A trail of blood followed behind Michael. Drying blood caked around the slices on his forearms, but blood was continuing to streak down his back. Michael lowered his head an inch or two nervously but continued boldly forward. When he was only a few feet away from the front steps of the house, the witch stood. Her hands were folded in front of her as she stood before the teen. The two of them stood there in silence just a small distance away from each other. Even though every muscle in his body screamed at him not to, Michael didn’t break eye contact with her.
“Well.” The words rolled slowly off the witch’s tongue. “I’m guessing you’re Michael.”
Michael cleared his throat before asking, “Where’s Kamali?” If that girl had been wrong and Kamali wasn’t here, then today would be his death date after all. As if to emphasize that, Michael was quickly reminded of how weak he was right now. His dizziness caused him to stumble forward a step, but his legs didn’t quite give out on him yet.
The witch didn’t say anything at first. She glanced back at the door before returning her gaze. A smile stretched her thin lips. “Ah, yes. Kamali’s inside.”
The earlier fear shook into anger. So, Kamali was here and in her hands. Michael’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t lash out. Guardedly, Michael half demanded, “How is he?”
“Better than you,” She huffed. She raised an eyebrow at him before noting, “I hear you had a run in with Azlof.”
“Who?”
The witch gestured one of her bony hands in Michael’s direction. “That mangy feline who butchered you.” She sounded a bit annoyed. “That cat that’s got one reddish eye and one blue one. Azlof.”
There was a pause between them before she mentioned calmly, “That adrenaline pumping through you’s going to run out sooner than later. You don’t have as much strength as you think you have, Michael.”
“I’m not leaving,” Michael stated instantly. He knew in the back of his head that he wasn’t going to last for much longer, but that didn’t change his decision. “Not without Kamali.”
“You won’t get very far if you leave either,” The witch pointed out simply as her beady eyes rolled over him again. “You won’t last another half mile.”
The meow of a cat passed through Michael’s ears. A black cat strolled along the porch, walking right for the witch. Of course. All witches had black cats, didn’t they? That’s what everyone in town said anyway. Maybe this was why it seemed to be common knowledge. The old woman scooped up the cat into her arms, and the feline instantly began to purr. A small smirk tugged at the corner of the witch’s lips momentarily before the previous, bitter mask returned. “Come on,” The witch snapped lightly at Michael. “Fiona didn’t save you just so you could bleed out in my yard.”
It wasn’t much of a yard actually. The only grass was back in the tall field of weeds. The Witch’s Cabin was surrounded by a circle of dry and cracked dirt. It wasn’t at all vibrant and thriving like most of the rest of the land. Michael stared over the cat for a moment, tensing for reasons unknown to him when the feline’s bright green eyes gleamed for a second or two. He didn’t have time to think it over because the front door of the house forcefully flung open and slammed against the wall. Kamali was standing wide-eyed in the entrance. “Michael, you’re hurt!”
Michael’s own eyes widened slightly at his friend’s presence. “You’re okay,” he murmured under his breath to himself.
From the immediate looks of it, there didn’t appear to be anything wrong with Kamali. He wasn’t green and purple all over, he didn’t have tree limbs growing out of him, and he certainly wasn’t beat up like Michael was. True comfort washed over Michael then, and it wasn’t long after that his legs felt like they were turning to jelly. Grumpily, the witch yapped, “Yes, let’s just stand around and gawk at each other like a bunch of old hags! Kamali, get him inside.”
Kamali nodded vigorously before rushing forward to help Michael stand properly. Huh. Michael must have been standing more lopsided than he first realized if Kamali was in that much of a hurry to give him some support. That along with the fact that Kamali was probably having an internal, panic attack at the sight of Michael all clawed up and bloody. Once he was at Michael’s side, Kamali whispered reassuringly, “It’s okay. She’ll help you.”
Michael gave a hesitant nod before beginning to wobble towards the porch. The witch and her cat had already gone inside and left the door open for the two of them. As Kamali escorted Michael up the walkway, Michael wondered exactly what the witch’s motives were. Was she really about to willingly help the two of them, or had she just been waiting for Michael to show up before really starting the dark magic and evil witchcraft? It wasn’t as if Michael had much choice though. The witch had been right. He probably wouldn’t make it to Victor’s house if he tried now. Michael didn’t have long to ponder their fate though. After taking about two steps inside the house, he lost consciousness.