Spell Catcher Chapter Four (working title)

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The door loomed ahead and the two sisters’s stood frozen down the hallway. The floor felt cold beneath their bare feet and the torchlight flickered dimly on it polished surface.2

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“Baylee?” I heard faintly.4

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Sonia grasped her little sister, Ione’s hand, squeezing it as she tiptoed toward to heavily scrolled door.6

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“Baylee,” again I heard my name still faintly, but louder then before. I tried ignoring it.8

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A crack of light seeped out from underneath it and shadows played on the thin shaft of light.9

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The book was suddenly wrenched from my hands. “Baylee Renee Younge!” My mom shouted. Her hands were on her hips and her eyes were flashing. Not a good sign. If this were a cartoon smoke would have been billowing out her nose and ears. I tried not to laugh.11

“Mom, I was at a good part.” I protested loudly.12

“Did you not hear me calling you?”13

“No,” I said while trying to grab the book back from her.14

“Stop it.”15

I sat back and crossed my arms over my chest. I waited while she sighed and sat down on my bed across from me. I was sitting on my window seat. The window over looked out front yard and street. Before me and on the ground around me sat my homework.16

Witch school is a lot like regular school, with English and math, but there’s also a class on colors and stones, which I had a test on Monday in.17

“What’s up mom?” I asked innocently but my heart was going really fast and I could feel my palms getting sweaty. I’m not sure if it was because I had them under my armpits or if I was nervous about the afternoon.18

She handed my book back and then said, “I got a call from Mrs. Tiddle today.” She leaned forward to put her forearms on her knees. “What were you three looking for this afternoon?”19

As I stated before I don’t usually lie. It really never does any good. But this time I had to. Jenna was right I didn’t have any proof.20

So I made something up. “We have a research paper coming up and the three of us were thinking about doing it on a powerful statue or something.”21

“Oh, well if that’s all it was…” She left off.22

“Why mom? Was there something else it could have been?” I wanted to see if she’d slip something out.23

But instead I got this response. “No dear, nothing at all. Good to see the three of you taking the initiative.”24

She got up, gave me a hug which I returned and left. Boy that was weird. I opened my book again, got comfortable and started reading. My mind wandered back to the conversation. Mom had started to say something but had stopped. I wonder what it was?25

Sometimes later after I had finished studying for my colors and stones test. I heard my mother starting to clean up for the night.26

It was only the two of us. It always has been. I don’t mind much that don’t have a dad. Except on fathers day and Christmas. Mom says dad died while she was pregnant. We’ve got a couple of pictures of him but mom doesn’t talk about him much. Painful subject I guess.27

I knew it wouldn’t be much longer before she would be in bed and then I would make my move.28

“Baylee?” Mom stood in my doorway leaning against the molding. She looked tired, but something else was bothering her.29

“Yeah mom.” I closed my book.30

“Things might get hectic around here in a little while and I just wanted you to remember to go where it’s safe if I say ‘Dad’s coming home’. You do remember that don’t you?”31

“Yes mom, but’s what’s going on?”32

“Nothing you need to worry about, dear.” She pushed her bangs out of her eyes.33

“You tell me not to worry but then you remind me of our safe place. How am I not going to worry?” My voice took on that high half whiney half pleading sound. I tossed my book to the side and crossed over to her. “Please tell me what is going to happen.”34

She just stared at me. Her pale blue eyes blinked at me. Finally she looked down at the floor and uncrossed her arms. “I can’t. I’m not even sure if anything is going to happen. I just wanted you to know that I love you.”35

“Alright mom. I’ll leave this alone for tonight but I won’t forget and you know I’m going to ask questions.”36


She was quiet, so I continued, “also mom I love you too. Now go to bed you look terrible.”37

“Oh thanks a lot!” She smiled.38

I smiled back and she shuffled off to bed.39

* * *40

The workroom’s door creaked slightly as I pushed it close. I did leave it cracked so I could hear if mother came down. It was a solid oak door so I wouldn’t hear anything if it was closed.41

I took a couple of steps into the room. The walls and ceiling were white, so not to disturb my mother’s energy and concentration. The table in the middle was mostly made of bay wood, but four small triangles about the size of a banana at each compass points made out of rowan. It had been polished so many time that even the scars of past spills gleamed in the light. It sat on a round gold rug with a border of silver. Colors mean a lot to an Elder or any witch.42

As I racked my brain trying to remember what the wood and colors mean I started to search the rest of the room.43

I first place I looked was the table. It was completely empty. It suddenly hit me, “bay means psychic powers, healing,” I ticked them off on my fingers. See studying helps. “Strength, protection and purification. Now what about the rowan?”44

I couldn’t think of it so I moved off to my right. Four chairs of brown leather sat two by two facing each other. This was where mom entertained the Elders. Nothing of interest there. But behind them was mom’s cabinet. It’s where I hide when I’m spying on her. It’s where I heard her say Tamora was going to be at the ‘Advancement’ and her practice her speech.45

I heard a creak and muffled voices outside the door and I quickly shoved myself inside the cabinet. A jar of some herb poked into my side and I kept hitting my head on the top. Through the crack between the doors I could see my mom opening the door all the way.46

“Please come right in Elder McCarthy and Elder Eden.” Behind her came two tall fully caped Elders. Mom looked around with one eyebrow raised. I had turned the light on when I had entered the room. Mom knew I was here.47

Elder McCarthy and Elder Eden sat in the two leather chairs facing away from the cabinet so I couldn’t tell who was who. They both wore heavy blue capes with the hoods drawn up.48

“Will you please excuse me while I put on something more appropriate for this meeting? I will only be a moment.” Mom was looking straight at the place I was hiding. I shifted slightly under her piercing stare. I could feel sweat running down my temples and beading on my upper lip.49

“Very well, we will wait.” Boomed a deep baritone voice, Elder McCarthy. 50

Mother walked purposely out of the room while Elders settled back to wait.51

“It’s in this room. Can’t you feel the power?” Asked Elder Eden in a light bell-like voice.52

“Of course I do. Why do you think we’re here for?” Countered Elder McCarthy.53

“Yes, fin where it is. There aren’t many hiding places in here. I’ll check the bookcase. Why don’t you see what’s in those trunks?”54

Elder McCarthy cleared his throat as he pushed himself out of the oversized chair. “She is the High Elder you know. She could have it hading in plain sight and we’d never see it.”55

Elder Eden’s hood had fallen back and a shock of frizzy blond hair stood out around her head. “You can’t feel it, Orson? I thought you were sensitive to powerful objects.” She had stopped flipping through one of my mom’s book. Carefully she slid the book back in its spot. “Look, Leeanna wants the…”56

“But why?” Asked Elder Orson McCarthy. His walrus mustache twitched as though he smelled something unpleasant.57

“She didn’t tell me. Just keep looking. We don’t have a lot of time.”58

“This doesn’t feel right.” He fingered an end of his brown mustache.59

“It doesn’t but if we don’t do what she says she’ll expose up.” Elder Eden picked up another book and flipped through it.60

“I don’t care. I’m tired of doing her dirty work.”61

“Shh…here she comes. Sit down.” She ran over to the chairs.62

Mom walked into the room wearing blue jeans and a purple t-shirt. “Well now, what brings you both here at this time of night?”63

Elder McCarthy cleared his throat, “well River, it seems we have a situation that needs to be taken care of.”64

“I see and what do you propose to do?” Asked my mom calmly.65

Elder Eden sat forward. It looked to me like she was about to fall off the chair, “give it up.”66

“Give it up to whom?” Mom asked. Her eyes were wide and her lips were clamped shut in a tight line.67

Hands held tight together, Elder Eden lanced at Elder McCarthy before going on. “Elder Graves seems to have away to contain the item.”68

“I see,” I hate it when she says that to me and twice in one conversation is not a good sign. “And what exactly does Leeanna want to do, Ellen?”69

I wondered how Ellen Eden had ever advanced to be an Elder. She seemed squeamish, too nervous even. It was hard to respect and fear someone who didn’t have a backbone.70

“I don’t have all the details River.” She shifted in her seat, avoiding the question, “but Leeanna assures me she will have it under control.”71

“Ellen I’m sure that Leeanna is doing what she thinks is right, but by sending the two of you to search my workroom and try to convince me to hand over such a powerful object to her shows she has no respect for me or the object.”72

They both started to protest but mom cut them off. “Now I suggest you go back to her and tell her you didn’t find the object. Please tell her personally from me that the item in question is quite safe for the time being and that the council of thirteen will decide what to do about it.”73

Mom stood up and ushered them out the door. Before she closed the door she paused to look right at the cabinet where I was hiding. “Please turn off the light and go to bed. I’ll speak to you later.”74

I stayed still. She really didn’t know if I was there or not, right?75

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