Pumpkin Spice, стр. 16

her dead in the eye and asked her if any of the rumours were true, if she were a witch. Sibyl denied the claims and explained she had no idea where these accusations were coming from. That was when the front door burst open, and her “cousin” Esthrum marched in. He walked towards her and ripped open the top drawer of her dresser. He removed a talisman and raised it above his head for all the townspeople to see. He looked down at Sibyl with a devilish glare “Kill the witch!” he shouted. Sibyl looked over at Madok who was in disbelief, and heartbroken. “Our child.” Sibyl cried out, “What about our child?” tears were flowing down her cheeks. “If she’s a witch, your unborn child’s a witch.” Esthrum stated in a dry serious tone to his brother-in-law. Madok stayed motionless as the mob dragged his wife out of their house.

A tickling sensation brushed the bottom of her feet, waking Sibyl up. She looked around in dismay. Her right hand was tied while she could feel the grip on her left-hand be tied to something. She looked over and saw none other than Esthrum tying her to a stake. He looked into her eyes and smiled “No one double crosses the Mapap. May the devil have mercy on the soul of you and your unborn child. May the flames from this immolation stay with you for all eternity.” He walked away from Sybil never looking back. Madok held a torch up high and walked towards his wife. Sibyl cried out “Madok, no. Madok I love you. You know me. Madok!” It was too late. The verdict had been set. The town had indicted Sibyl and there was no turning back. The constable fought back tears; he could not bring himself to look at his former wife. He set his torch down on the straw beneath her feet and let the flames spread. “Kill the witch!” the constable cried out.

Sibyl took a deep breath. She began chanting an incantation. It was not of a dialect the Mapap was familiar with. “What’s she doing?” Madok inquired? “She’s casting a spell on us all.” Esthrum replied, “Not to worry. She’ll be dead before it can take effect.” The flames hurried fast and as they reached up to her face the townsfolk braced for a loud scream. Instead Sibyl remained calm and chanted her incantation. The flames grew higher and higher before encompassing Sibyl whole. There was a loud burst, a scream, and some folk claim they witnessed the soul of the witch eject from her body and vanquish into the clouds. Suddenly the chaos relinquished. The fire extinguished as fast as it started. There was no body. No Sibyl. The townspeople believed she was a witch, and her vanishing was proof. Madok walked to the stake, dropped to his knees and cried.

Weeks and months went by. Madok could never find it in his heart to marry again, though his sisters begged him too. Soon Edith was with child, Esthrum was thrilled. He had a large festival the night her pregnancy was announced, and had a raven deliver the news to the witching council. Soon they would be reunited with the humans. Soon they would have their dominance.

Edith’s labour was long and agonizing. Esthrum was there to witness the birth of his child. The child that would reunite the two realms and allow witches to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. Edith pushed and pushed until finally the baby was delivered. Both Esthrum and Edith waited to hear the cries and screams from their newborn child. Instead only silence. Esthrum looked at the midwife who had tears running down her face, and a look of shock.

A still birth. The child was born but never breathed a breath of air. Esthrum rushed to the midwife and grabbed his child. He cradled it in his arms, a boy. He hugged the baby and cried. All of the lights in the room suddenly extinguished. Esthrum stood up straight. He looked around, Edith and the midwife were frozen in time. A specter appeared before him. It was Sibyl, dressed in the clothes the day Esthrum sent her into the human realm. “You betrayed me.” The ghost’s voice was hollow and sharp. “No I…” Esthrum ‘started to speak but the phantom would not let him finish. “Silence!” Winds blew through the curtains. “You betrayed your kind, yet it is your kind who betray you.” Esthrum was confused by apparition. “The witching world and the human world will merge, but at a price. Witches will be sequestered to darkness for five years, and on the fifth year they will emerge. From the Devil’s night until Anterus witches will be free to wander the human realm. But, at the stroke of twelve on the Ansterus witches shall be banished to darkness once again.” Esthrum was confused, “You have no place here! I am the Mapap!” Esthrum shouted. “And I am the Dark Queen who is ruling over all kinds. Witches, Beasts, Humans and beyond! My word is my pledge. From this day forth and until the fifth season each and every witch shall be a banished to darkness! HEAR ME NO LONGER!” She shouted flames at the Mapap and then the spirit of Sibyl vanished.

The candle flames in the room lit up once again. Edith lay in her bed, the midwife at her feet. Esthrum and the child were nowhere to be seen.

All across the lands hundreds if not thousands of people were being reported missing. All this time the witches and warlocks lived in peace with man. But now, because of the greed of a few, their freedoms were taken from them.

No longer were witches burned at the stake, or drown, there were no more witches to be seen or heard from. With this newfound curse and exile came new rules. Since Sibyl lived with a priest and was married in a Christian church the only way to kill a