Social worker Jack Dillon is presented with a strange gift from an old lady: five wishes.

Here is an excerpt from ‘Five Wishes’.

“Now Jack, tell me something else. Do you believe in magic?” asked Sarah looking into my eyes.

                Until that moment everything about Sarah and her house had appeared normal. She seemed to be fit and active for her age and looking after herself. There had been nothing out of the ordinary which had started any alarm bells ringing in my head. But they were certainly ringing now. Don had told me that she was a little bit different. I maintained eye contact with her as I attempted to answer her strange question.

                “Er, I’m not sure what you mean by magic, Sarah,” I said. “Do you mean by describing something as magic. For example, if you say you like something, you would say, that’s magic.”

                “No, that’s not what I mean, Jack,” said Sarah smiling at me.

                “Well, what about a magic trick, you know with cards and rabbits in hats. Sort of like magic and illusions. I think that there are a lot of magicians out there who can be quite believable,” I said.

                “That’s not what I mean either. I mean a magical force that is in the world that can be used for good,” said Sarah.

                The alarm bells in my head were ringing louder and louder. I wasn’t sure whether Sarah was slightly delusional or perhaps because of her age she may be suffering from the onset of dementia or Alzheimers. Also, at that moment I was thinking about schizophrenia and running through a checklist in my mind. This was something I definitely needed to talk to Don about the next time I saw him at the centre. Still, I had to come up with a response.

                “It would be good if there was something like that in this world, Sarah,” I said politely.

                “But there is, Jack. Let me assure you there is. I come from a line of people who were skilled in magic. When I worked in the pharmacy customers and patients would often marvel at what our drugs could do for them. It was the same for my mother, my grandmother and also my great grandmother so I’ve been told. They worked with healing agents and used their own natural abilities to improve on the effectiveness of the substances,” said Sarah.

                I was torn between leaving the kitchen right then to phone for the centre and getting medical help for the lady and listening to what she had to say. Sarah was not exactly threatening and so I felt safe enough. What she was saying intrigued me and maybe it was only a belief she had in her own abilities and those of her ancestors.

                “I think pharmaceuticals and medicines can help patients in many ways. I’m sure you and your mum, grandmother and great grandmother helped many people,” I said sitting firmly in my chair.

                “Yes, we did and they were grateful for it. We were good people who did good things. But magic can also manifest itself in other ways,” said Sarah.

                “I’m sure it can,” I replied.

                “As I said, I think you are a good person in your heart and I think that you can do good things,” said Sarah.

This novel is available in both eBook and paperback formats from Amazon.

Kind Regards

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

The battle is still being won by Blane and Brendan until a plan is put into action by Nathan.

After the battle the wounded are treated and the dead are buried and remembered.

In a different time, Anastasia awakes to find Dougal gone. She then discovers the truth about Dougal and her children.

Karen is determined to see her father again and Samantha becomes part of the coven.

Here is a sample from the novella ‘A Tale of Witchcraft: Afterwards’.

10. AFTERWARDS

PART I

Elizabeth woke up from a restless sleep and she could see the lightning flashing in the distance. It flashed once more and lit up the entire room provoking her to wake up her husband from his deep slumber. She shook his shoulder until he stirred.

               “Stephen, wake up there is a storm in the distance,” said Elizabeth.

               Stephen propped himself up in bed and groggily looked at his wife.

               “What’s the matter? It shouldn’t be that bad,” said Stephen.

               “It’s not just the storm,” said Elizabeth. “You know I’ve had trouble sleeping since Samantha was taken from us.”

               “I know, Elizabeth, but we just have to get on with our lives and realise that she is never coming back to us. The locals would never accept her now after what has happened and because of what she is,” said Stephen

               “She was such a nice girl though,” said Elizabeth lowering her head and starting to tear up.

               “I’m sorry love, but maybe try to get some sleep,” said Stephen placing his head back on the pillow as he laid back in bed.

               The room lit up once more as another bolt of lightning flashed in the distance. Elizabeth stood up in her night dress and opened the curtains of the window to get a better look at the sky.

               “I don’t know, but there seems to be something unnatural about this storm,” said Elizabeth.

               As she looked up at the sky she could see in the distance another fork of lightning descend from the sky and strike the earth.

               “The lightning seems to be striking the same area. The storm doesn’t appear to be moving forward or backwards,” said Elizabeth.

               Stephen could see the look of agitation on his wife’s face. He pulled the blankets from over him before rising from his bed to comfort her. He placed his hand on her shoulder as the sky flashed once more.

               Stephen and Elizabeth weren’t the only ones who had been awoken by the freakish storm so early in the morning. Many of the locals had stirred from their slumber, gotten dressed and taken to the streets.

               The couple quickly changed from their bedclothes into their day clothes and made their way onto the street. They joined the locals who were gazing into the sky at the storm which was some distance away from them. They noted that some locals kept their distance and turned their backs as they approached. They had not forgotten what their daughter Samantha had done to the community.

               “Perhaps we should go someplace where it is safe,” said Stephen.

               As he spoke a man ran towards them out of breath. Either he had some compassion and forgiveness for the couple or in his agitated condition and state of panic he did not care.

               “The tavern owner, Mr Baird is opening his tavern for everyone to congregate. There will be safety in numbers there. Come on everyone, let’s go,” said the man before turning and running in the direction of the tavern.

               Stephen grabbed his wife by the hand and began to run following the man in front of them. About a dozen others joined them as they all made their way frantically towards the local tavern. When they reached it Mr Baird was at the door welcoming them all in. He looked at Stephen and Elizabeth warily for a second but nevertheless allowed them into his premise in this time of chaos. He too looked up at the sky at the lightning which was still hitting the same location.

               “What do you reckon is happening, Mr Baird? Do you think that storm will head in our direction?” asked Stephen.

               “That is no natural storm,” replied Mr Baird. Storms normally move in one direction, pass and move on. Those lightning bolts are hitting the same area every time. I bet that it is the work of witches and wizards. They are using their magic and their evil ways to control the weather and bring destruction down.”

               Stephen turned white as he looked up at the sky as another fork of lightning brightened up the sky in the distance.

               “But what could be happening?” asked Stephen. “What’s going on to provoke such action?”

               “Something unworldly, and I’m just glad that it is happening away from this town and not within it,” said Mr Baird.

               The lightning flashed again brightening up the inside of the tavern. There were many locals in the premise at this time, cowering in fear at the ferocity of nature. Family members and neighbours hugged each other to comfort themselves

               “What it if does come here Mr Baird?” asked Elizabeth. “What if those witches and wizards decide to come here and bring the weather down upon us?”

               “Let us just hope that will never happen to us,” said Mr Baird. “For now we should all stay here together and comfort each other until the weather returns to normal.”

Nathan’s worst nightmares were coming true as he surveyed the battlefield which was in fact his own coven area. The body of Henrietta lay in front of him in flames. Nathan could see the look of agony on it as it burned. He noted that Brendan and Blane were still fully in control of the weather as they brought lightning bolt after lightning bolt down onto the witches and wizards of his own coven. The numbers on his side were now dwindling and the chances of Brendan and Blane claiming victory and annihilating his own coven increased by the minute.

               Dougal continued to fight hard for the sake of Nathan and the coven and any thought of one day seeing his own family, however impossible that may be. He stretched his hand forward and pointed to a rock laying on the ground, with all his magic and his might he projected the rock to a wizard flying above them on a broom. The rock struck him square in the chest stunning him and causing him to fall off his broom and hurtle to the ground. He landed with a sickening thud. Dougal immediately looked for his next victim in the battle area.

No sooner than had Dougal claimed his victim, Brendan directed another bolt of lightning onto a nearby witch. As the bolt struck her and electrified her entire body she writhed and jerked before slumping to the ground.

               Brendan looked round and saw that his and Blane’s coven were in the superior position. They were claiming more lives on the battlefield and getting stronger as Nathan and his coven were becoming weaker. He looked at the bodies strewn on the ground and realised that there more of Nathan’s coven than his own. He yelled for his coven members to fight harder and bring the battle to an end as quickly as they could.

Nathan looked round and viewed another of his coven being struck down. Shards from a cauldron hit the wizard in the back of the head sending blood and bits of skull in many directions as the wizard fell to the ground. Nathan knew that decisive action had to be taken if he and his coven were to survive the battle. Desperately turning his head, he located Dougal who was still fighting hard and valiantly. He ran towards the wizard and grabbed him by the arm.

               “Dougal, I need to get hold of some others,” yelled Nathan. “Where are Devlin, Jezabel and Jessmay?”

               Dougal observed the devastation all around him. Through the fire, smoke and illumination he could see that Devlin was close by. He conjured a large fireball and projected it at a witch on a broom flying above him. The fireball hit her on the back as she screamed in agony as she plummeted towards the ground.

               “Devlin is over there,” said Dougal pointing at the wizard. “I haven’t seen either Jessmay or Jezabel though.”

               “Go and get Devlin and bring him to me immediately,” said Dougal. “I’ll look for Jezabel and Jessmay.”

               As Dougal ran towards Devlin, Nathan scanned the battlefield in all directions. Thankfully, Jezabel and Jessmay were nearby and had so far survived the harrowing battle. He ran towards them and waved to grab their attention. A bolt of lightning narrowly missed him as he caught their attention. He smiled at his wife and looked in her eyes. She had a look of determination but he could tell that she was as fearful as he was in that moment.

               Nathan placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder just to make sure that his wife was there and he wasn’t imagining things in the confusion of the battle.

               “I am so glad that you are still alive, love,” said Nathan.

               “I too am glad that you are still with us,” replied Jezabel.

               Just then Dougal came running towards them with Devlin alongside.

               “Well we are all here,” said Nathan. “Now we have to get hold of Brendan and Blane as soon as possible.”

               Dougal looked round at the carnage which surrounded them. Spirits flew in all directions creating damage amongst the enemy. Witches and wizards fought each other both in the air and on the ground. The bellow of the battle was deafening with a mixture of screams, yells, screeches and roaring fire in all directions. Through the fire and the smoke Dougal could make out the two leaders battling hard and directing their coven members to destroy their enemy.

               “Over there,” said Dougal as he ducked his head to avoid an object which was flying in his direction.

               Nathan squinted his eyes and observed where Dougal was pointing. Sure enough Brendan and Blane were close to each other trying to direct their forces as best as they could in the confusion of the battle.

               “Good, that is them Dougal, well done. Now we need to separate them from the others in the battle field. Pursue them as best as you can and harass them with fireballs, rocks, spirits, spells and whatever you can. We need to cut them off from their witches and wizards,” yelled Nathan. “Everyone stick together and let’s get this done.”

               “Right away,” said Devlin nodding his head. He too had seen Henrietta die in the battlefield and other witches and wizards that he knew well. He put those thoughts behind him as he beckoned some spirits who were close to him

               The spirits flew immediately in his direction ready to carry out any order that was given to them.

               “Look in front of you. You can see two older wizards through the debris. Move through them and harry them as much as possible. Let them know that you have them as a target,” said Devlin.

               No sooner than the spirits had identified their targets they moved in their direction rapidly. Blane turned to see the spirit move through his body. Confused, he twisted his head to see the spirit back track and head in his direction once more. Blane stepped to the side and noticed that Brendan too was being harassed by a similar spirit.

               At this time the pack of Nathan, Dougal, Devlin, Jessmay and Jezabel were also upon them. Nathan and Dougal conjured fireballs and cast them in the direction of the coven leaders, one for Blane and one for Brendan. Both coven leaders slumped back narrowly avoiding the balls of flames. They looked at each other, petrified as they realised that they were being separated from everyone else on the battlefield. They regained their footing only to notice that other objects were being hurled in their direction.

               Blane noticed that the witches and wizards of his coven were preoccupied with the battle. He yelled out to them for their assistance but could not be heard over the distance and the roar of the battle.

This novella is available in both eBook and paperback formats from Amazon.

Kind Regards

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

Dougal is back with the coven and finds out whether or not his remedy is effective.

Brendan and Blane train their combined coven for war against Nathan.

Greatly outnumbered, Nathan with the help of Dougal comes up with a battle strategy.

Initial success in the battle goes to Brendan and Blane until the tables are turned. Despite the reversal of fortune, Brendan and Blane still appear to have the upper hand.

Here is a sample from the novella ‘A Tale of Witchcraft: War’.

9. WAR

PART I

The pain in Dougal’s head subsided as he looked forward. Nathan stood in front of him in the long cave, holding the flickering torch above his head. For Dougal, it had been more than thirty years since he had seen his coven leader.

               Nathan looked at the tall middle aged man who was now in front of him. Only a few seconds ago a 14 year old fresh faced boy had been standing in front of him. A young jubilant boy, willing to take on the challenge that had been set before him.

               Nathan looked at Dougal and saw that he was almost the same height as him, his hair had some grey in it and his face was slightly wrinkled. He could still see the curl of hair that annoyed Dougal at the front of his forehead. It too had a tinge of grey about it.  He noticed through the flickering torchlight that Dougal’s eyes were moist and he was sure that he could see tracks made by tears on his face. Dougal carried a heaviness and a sadness in his heart.

               “Was it harder that you thought it would be?” asked Nathan.

               Dougal was still thinking of the family he had left behind. His beautiful wife Anastasia, his gorgeous children Karan and James and also Dean who had not yet been born and who he would never see. He was aware that there was a strong possibility of a war and that he could possibly lose his life. He swallowed hard before replying to his leader.

               “Yes, it was a lot harder than I could ever have thought it would be,” said Dougal nodding his head.

               “Do you have what we require?” asked Nathan.

               Dougal raised the cloth bundle which was within his hand. “Yes, I have it here,” replied Dougal.

               “Will it be effective? Does it work?” asked Nathan.

               “It is as effective as I could make it. It took many of us many years to make it, but it has had great results and so it should work,” replied Dougal.

               “Then that is good enough for me. Now we must go now because we have no time to lose,” said Nathan. He handed Dougal his broom back which had been left in the cave before he walked through the seal as a young boy. Dougal took the broom and they both strode forward as fast as they could back through the cave.

The pair hurried out of the deep cave as quickly as they could muster. At the entrance to the cave Nathan extinguished the flame from the torch and discarded it before mounting his broom. He took off into the night sky followed immediately by Dougal.

Dougal loved being up on the broom and flying through the air once more. He had missed it for so many years and he had to admit that his flying was a little rusty. The flight was exhilarating and he could feel the adrenaline pumping through him once more. He took in sharp breaths as he did his best to keep up with the older and faster wizard. He felt that he had kept up more as a younger wizard and that with lack of practice he was now struggling.

               Nathan was aware that he was ahead of Dougal but he dare not decrease his speed. Time was of the essence and they had to reach Jezabel and Samantha as quickly as they could. For all he knew it could have already been too late, but all that he could do was hope that his wife had kept Samantha under control. He looked back to see that Dougal was trailing him. He smiled and beckoned the younger wizard on before looking forward and flying as fast as he could.

               Dougal gulped in air and held the broom tightly as he willed himself to fly faster. He did not want to let Nathan or jezebel down. They were flying over the woods now and Dougal was glad to see that Nathan was descending towards the canopy of the trees. They flew towards the opening in the woods and Nathan was the first to touch down in the overgrown garden. Dougal was amazed to see that everything had been as he had left it, but then realised that for Nathan they had only been gone for a couple of hours.

Nathan was the first to run into the cottage followed by Dougal. They heard the screaming coming from the bedroom before they entered. Samantha was yelling at Jezabel who was trying to calm her down. Nathan and Dougal burst into the small bedroom and Samantha in her enraged state seemed to take no notice of them. Jezabel looked up, relieved to see her husband and she was then surprised to see who she thought was a stranger beside him. She then realised that it was Dougal and turned her attention once more to the young witch on the bed.

               “Calm down Samantha, everything will be alright,” said Jezabel. “All we want to do is help you.”

               Samantha seethed once more as her eyes lit up. “I don’t need anyone to help me. I don’t want anyone to help me.”

               With that Samantha stretched her hands forward and Jezabel found herself in a vice like invisible grip. She was then thrown across the room and her back hit the wall before her head collided with it.

               Dougal realised that he was now in the nightmare he had had for so many nights. Those ghastly events he had imagined were now becoming a reality. His heart beat rapidly and was almost bursting through his chest as he looked at Jezabel on the floor. Her head had been cut, but only slightly and she was able to raise herself off the floor. Nathan looked on in relief as he saw his wife stand up once more. He knew that she had taken a lot of punishment, but that she would not be able to deal with much more of it.

               “Samantha, please calm down,” implored Jezabel. “We are your friends and we are here to look after you. We know that you can be calm and pleasant. Please be that quiet child again.”

               The words seemed to have no effect as her skin became a deeper shade of green. Her eyes shone brightly and she bared her teeth as she looked at the old witch menacingly.

               “I will not be quiet and you do not have the right to tell me what to do,” said Samantha.

               Nathan realised that if he was to save his wife and Dougal and himself that he had to take immediate action. He lunged forward and grabbed Samantha by the arm before she could raise it once more to strike down Jezabel. She took the cue and jumped on the other arm. Between the two of them they had her arms pinned to her body.

               The young witch was restrained but the demonic anger was swelling within her body. The couple were holding her as tightly as they could but they could feel Samantha becoming stronger and their grip beginning to loosen.

               “Quick Dougal, get the remedy ready and give it to her while we have her pinned down,” said Nathan.

               Dougal took the cloth bundle out from his robe relieved to see that it was still there. He placed it on the bedroom table and unrolled it to ensure the contents were all intact. He placed the needle to the syringe into one of the vials with the gene therapy remedy within it. He pulled on the plunger to bring the solution into the syringe. So far everything was working as he thought it would.

               “Hurry up Dougal, we can’t hold her down much longer,” said Nathan.

               “Pull her sleeve up so that I can see her shoulder,” said Dougal advancing with the prepared needle.

               Holding her wrist with one hand Nathan was able to expose Samantha’s shoulder.

               Dougal remembered the last time he had done this that the more irate patients had been held down by straps and with burly men. There was less movement and the administration of the therapy had been easier. The conditions were not in his favour now and the stakes were far higher.

               “Try to stop her from wriggling as much as you can,” said Dougal.

               Nathan and Jezabel held onto the young witch as tightly as they could but they could feel that their own strength was fading. Dougal knew that she would not be completely still but that he still had to administer the injection as best as he could.

               He found a suitable injection site in her shoulder and placed the needle on the skin. Applying some pressure the needle pierced the skin and entered the muscle. Samantha hissed and finding strength deep within her wriggled even more. Nathan and Jezabel mustered some more strength and tightened their grip on the young witch.

               Dougal kept as still as he could as he depressed the plunger on the syringe. Samantha let out a scream as the fluid went into her muscle. Once all the fluid had been released from the syringe through the needle Dougal retracted the syringe and stepped back. He was aware that now it was only a matter of waiting to allow the gene therapy to work within the young witch.

               Samantha relaxed slightly and Nathan felt safe enough to release his grip upon her. Jezabel waited for a minute longer and when she was convinced that Samantha’s rage had subsided she released the young witch’s arm and stepped back.

               “What happens now?” asked Jezabel.

               “We allow the remedy to take effect on Samantha. We tried this on many patients with great success and I am hoping that the therapy should cure Samantha from her ailment,” said Dougal.

               Jezabel allowed herself to smile and the anxiety she had felt since looking after Samantha for the past few hours subsided. She had faith in Dougal and his remedy and believed that whatever he had done would save Samantha and the coven.

               Samantha seemed to relax on the bed and her breathing returned to normal. Dougal knew that it took a few hours for the remedy to have optimal effect but the response that Samantha was showing to the injection was typical and that she was being cured.

               Jezabel looked at the child and could see that she was almost returning to her normal self. She could almost see a smile spreading on the young witch’s face.

               “Are you okay my child? How do you feel now? Do you feel any better?” asked Jezabel.

               The cloud seemed to be lifting from within Samantha’s mind. She could now think clearer and she was aware that she was in the room with three older beings, two wizards and one witch.

               “I don’t feel so warm now and my thinking isn’t as fuzzy,” said Samantha.

               “That is very good to hear my child,” said Nathan. “All you have to do is rest for a bit more and you should be as right as rain.”

               “Where are my mum and dad?” asked Samantha becoming excited. “Do they know where I am? Will they be coming for me?”

               Nathan was aware that bringing Samantha back to her mum and dad would be problematic. The citizens of Port Town were now aware that Samantha was a witch and although she was young they would still want to exact revenge for what she had done within the town. Taking Samantha back to her parents would endanger her and her parents and was out of the question.

This novella is available in both eBook and paperback formats from Amazon.

Kind Regards.

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

Cursed by nightmares Dougal is spurred on to find a remedy for Samantha.

As he settles into family life, he and his team experience success in the laboratory. His bonds to the present time are strengthened by two new additions to the family. He discovers that his children have inherited his magical abilities.

With a third child on the way a proposed local development forces Dougal to make a heartbreaking decision.

8. REMEDY

PART I

Dougal would delay going to sleep at night times. Eventually he would lay his head on the pillow after a full day of work. He would doze off and sometime in the night the bad dreams would come. Those dreams that never seemed to leave him alone.

…Samantha began to sweat as she lay on the bed. She sat up slightly as she became uncomfortable, recognising within herself that the change was about to come about. Her breathing became laboured as Jezabel looked at the young girl with concern in her face.

               “Samantha, everything will be alright,” implored Jezabel. “Concentrate on what I am saying and on my thoughts. You will be okay and you will calm down. Everything is well my child.”

               “I can’t think properly and my skin is burning up,” said Samantha beginning to cry. “Everything is becoming blurry again.”

               “You are okay my child,” said Jezabel. “Breathe deeply and concentrate and everything will be alright.”

               As Jezabel looked on she sensed that everything would not be alright. Samantha’s breathing had become louder and erratic. The sweat was pouring from her brow, making her hair stick to her forehead. As she looked closer she could see that her skin colour was changing from pale white to that worrying tinge of green. She tossed from side to side and flailed her arms about.

               Jezabel realised that her words and her thoughts were having no effect on the young girl. Her inner rage was taking hold of her and would soon determine her actions. The older witch tried to cuddle the young girl to pull her close to her but the flailing arms kept her at bay. With more strength she gripped the girl harder to prevent her movements.

               The young girls face became contorted as it turned a deeper shade of green. With an increasing inner strength she easily threw off the older witch who was now startled and growing petrified by her inability to pacify the young witch.

               “Leave me alone, you have no right to touch me,” said Samantha as she glared at Jezebel.

               The older witch made an attempt to grab her once more but Samantha pushed her away with a mighty shove. The old witch found herself flying backward through the air once more. Her head and back struck against the wall before she landed on the floor at the other end of the room.

               Groggily she held her head and concentrated on using her telepathic power to reach Samantha with her mind. “Calm down my child. All will be well.”

               Nathan had been sitting in the other room and had heard the calamity coming from the bedroom. He raced in to see his wife lying on the floor with blood pouring from the back of her head and down her back. The wall and the floor where she had landed were smeared in blood.

               “It’s okay Nathan, I still have this,” said Jezabel pulling herself off the ground.

               Nathan was shocked and could see that was far from being the truth. Samantha had been consumed by her uncontrollable rage once more. The young witch stretched out her hand and pointed at Jezabel before making a large swiping motion. Jezabel felt her clothing being gripped before she was picked off the floor and hurled to the other side off the room. There was a sickening crack as her head struck off the wall before her body flopped onto the floor.

Nathan looked on in fear and shock at his wife who was lying motionless on the floor.

“Jezabel, are you alright? Jezabel please speak to me,” said Nathan with alarm rising in his voice.

               He strode over to his wife and bent down to see the deep crack in her head where it had collided harshly with the wall. He noticed that clear fluid was running from her ear and mixing with the red blood. He placed his hands on her and noticed that they were both shaking.

“Jezabel, please speak to me. Tell me that you are alright,” said Nathan with a quivering voice.

               But he already knew that it was too late. The loud thud and the crumpling of the body to the floor had told him everything. The young witch had killed his dear wife. He braced himself and stood up beside her body taking in the sight of the demented young witch. Her face ever contorted, as she seethed on the bed, staring at him with enraged eyes. Nathan did not have the power of telepathy and could not attempt to reach Samantha with his mind. Still he knew that he had to do everything possible to control the young witch.

               “Samantha, I order you to be still. I order you to calm yourself at once,” said Nathan as he walked towards her.

               Samantha sat up and thrust her palms forward towards him. Nathan felt the force in his shoulders before he was sent crashing into the wall behind him. The force ran up and down his back jarring him. He fell to his knees more shaken than anything. His head felt sore but he could not feel any blood running down him. He straightened himself up before attempting once more to take hold of Samantha.

               The young witch pointed to him and slowly raised her hand to the ceiling. A force grabbed hold of him and pulled him off his feet, levitating him off the floor before he was pinned with his back to the ceiling. There was nothing he could do as he looked down at the green faced witch who had her teeth clenched as she looked at her victim. Nathan felt his chest being crushed by the force Samantha was exerting on him. The pressure increased until it became unbearable. He breathed as much as he could but the breaths were becoming shallower and shallower. As he gasped for air his face reddened.

               Samantha dropped her hand extinguishing the grip on him and he plummeted from the ceiling to the floor. He was winded on impact but his chest was now free to fully open and function normally and he could draw air into his lungs. He gladly inhaled the air as he registered the further damage to his body from the hard landing. This time he could feel blood trickling down the side of his head.

               He rose from the floor as quickly as he could as Samantha conjured up a small fireball and hurled it in his direction. With his senses heightened he deftly dodged the fireball which hit the wall behind him causing it to burn before it burst into flames. Nathan made to pounce upon Samantha once more in an attempt to hold her down, but he was too late and she slipped off the bed as he lunged forward. Samantha hurled another fireball, but this time not at Nathan but at the body of his wife which was lying at the foot of the wall. The flames licked over her body and it was quickly on fire. Nathan’s eyes moistened as he did his best to suppress tears but he could not prevent a small cry of agony as he saw the flames and smoke rising from her.

               He clenched his teeth and stepped forward once more to see Samantha launch another fireball. This one hit him in the centre of the chest and the flames quickly caught onto his clothing. He screamed in agony as he continued to step forward towards Samantha. The young witch stepped to the side before the flames totally engulfed him. She felt the warmth from the burning walls and the two burning bodies in the small room. Nathan let out a final cry before he fell to the floor close to his wife.

               The rage in Samantha only intensified as the heat rose and the smoke accumulated in the room. She stepped out of the room and saw the two brooms lying in front of her. She picked up the broom which had belonged to Jezabel and made her way to the front door and out into the garden.

               The bodies had been consumed by the fire and the room was now ablaze with the smoke rising high. It wouldn’t be long until the rest of the small cottage caught fire.

               Samantha stepped into the middle of the garden and she placed the broom between her legs and launched herself into the air. She could feel the flames rising and smell the smoke as she flew off from the cottage. Soon she was flying over the canopy of the forest and making her flight towards the coven.

               Jessmay and Devlin stood at the front of the coven expecting to see Nathan with news any time soon. They had advised the other witches to be packed and ready to leave the coven should that be required. All the witches and the wizards of the coven had been suitably warned and had made arrangements for rapidly leaving their homes should that be required. Devlin saw the object flying towards him first.

               “I knew he would come, you can see him up in the sky flying towards us,” said Devlin excitedly to Jessmay.

               Devlin looked up once more as the flying object was closer. He noticed that whoever was on the broom was not Nathan, but was a lot smaller and had a green face.

               “Something’s happened, it’s not Nathan, it’s the young dangerous witch,” cried Devlin.

               The green face flew closer and closer to the transfixed wizard and witch on the ground. Devlin then noticed that fireballs were being projected in their direction.

               “She is attacking our coven,” cried Devlin. “Take cover.”

               The large fireball flew past Devlin and smashed into the tent that was directly behind him…

At that moment Dougal woke up screaming and gasping for air. He had been sweating as he slept and he was now breathing hard, trying to forget the images in his dream. He held onto his chest as the dreadful images flooded his mind. Those images of the horrific death and destruction of his friends and coven members.

               Anastasia was stirred by her anxious husband. She reached over and turned on her bedside light as she sat up in bed blinking.

               “Oh love, have you been having nightmares again?” asked Anastasia.

               “It’s fine, it’s nothing really,” said Dougal apologetically but still out of breath. “I’m sorry that I woke you up, again.”

               “It’s not fine and I think that this is a problem for you,” said Anastasia putting her arm around her husband to comfort him. “This has been going on for far too long. It’s not normal that you should wake up night after night in such an agitated condition. I think you may need to see a professional to sort yourself out. Speaking to a psychiatrist or a psychologist or a counsellor about what’s in those dreams may actually help you. They could sort out whatever is going on in your mind so that it is no longer a problem for you”

               “The situation is actually getting better,” said Dougal trying to downplay what was going on. “The dreams aren’t as bad as they used to be and I’m sure that I’ll soon be back to normal. This will sort itself out, you can mark my words.”

               “Hmm. I’m not too sure about that,” replied Anastasia.

               Dougal looked at his alarm clock. It was four o’clock in the morning.

               “Look, since I’m up I think I’ll head to the laboratory to get some work done. You know how I like working by myself when there is no one else there to bother me. I can take advantage of waking up at this time,” said Dougal.

This novella is available in both eBook and paperback formats on Amazon.

Kind Regards

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

Dougal is in a new time and a new place. He has been sent there to find a remedy for Samantha.

He embarks on his search and is enabled by those he meets. Although he was warned by Nathan not to use his magic, he finds himself casting spells to prevent crime and to help others and himself.

The warning of allegiances also seems to have fallen on deaf ears as he grows closer and closer to Anastasia.

Here is a sample from the novella ‘A Tale Of Witchcraft: Search’.

 

7. SEARCH

PART I

The pain in his head gradually subsided and the darkness was replaced by light. The light was dim at first but then became brighter and brighter as Dougal stepped forward. He raised his arm up to prevent being blinded by the intensity of the light after being in a dark cave for so long. It seemed as though he had only taken several steps before he was at the entrance of the cave.

Dougal realised that he had to take stock of where he was so that he would know where to return to as soon as he had the remedy which would cure Samantha. He turned immediately round and saw that he had in fact been in a cave although very much smaller than the one he had entered. In the future he would have to be careful not to step inside it unless he had the cure with him. He faced forward again and took in everything around him. From first impressions, he appeared to be in a park of some sort. He stepped forward a few more paces onto a wide pathway, wider than the paths and roads which he had seen in Port Town. He looked to the side of him and could make out a small lake or a pond. There in the water were many ducks, swans and geese swimming and enjoying the bright sunlight which was radiating down. He could see adults beside the pond looking after children who were throwing bread from bags and baskets into the water to feed the birds.

Looking round he could see that the park was very green and had been well tended. The grass was short, the plants were well looked after the trees and bushes looked as if they were well cared for. On the other side he could make out children playing on steel contraptions as their parents looked on. He had never seen anything like it back in the coven or Port Town, but by the screams of delight and laughter he could tell that the children were having fun.

A boy on roller blades was winding his way down the path, picking up as much speed as he could as he overtook those who were walking on foot. As he skated he listened to music on his headphones which was attached to a personal stereo. Dougal didn’t know what to make of it as the skater came closer and closer to him on footwear that he had never seen in his life and listening to a noise he had never heard before. It looked as if the skater was about to collide with him but at the last moment he veered to Dougal’s side narrowly brushing past him.

“Hey, watch out buddy,” shouted the skater turning his head for a second before looking forward with an intent to break his own speed record.

Dougal couldn’t help noticing the differences from the place he had come from and the time to the place and time he was in now. It seemed that everyone was dressed differently from him and were a lot cleaner too. On leaving Nathan in the cave, he had been dressed in a cloak which was tied at the waist with a long belt. He wore sandals on his feet.

Those who passed by him and were at the pond and the playpark were all dressed to enjoy the pleasures of a warm sunny day. Most of the children were dressed in shorts and t-shirts and had trainers on their feet. Some wore sunglasses to stop themselves squinting. The adults were also dressed down, some wore track suits, and some wore light jeans.

Dougal couldn’t help feeling that he was the odd person out and was bewildered by the vast array of clothing, most of which he had never seen before. Initially the passers-by took no notice of him but then some of them began pointing at him. He became embarrassed by what they were saying.

“Mum look at that boy there. Why is he dressed like that?” asked a young boy.

“I don’t know son. Maybe he just felt like dressing differently today,” replied his mum.

He also heard others speaking.

“Gee look at that guy there. Are those clothes old or what? He smells as if he could do with a good bath or shower as well,” said another passer-by.

On hearing that Dougal noticed that a few people had actually been keeping their distance from him. Maybe he did smell slightly offensive. He thought that he had smelled no different from everyone else in his coven. As he walked forward he heard a rumbling noise coming from his stomach. It had been a few hours since he had eaten and with all the drama that had happened recently he hadn’t noticed how hungry he was. He knew he could go a long time without having food and normally never ate that much anyway. Nevertheless the loud rumbling continued to come from his stomach so that it was audible to those that were nearby. A young man came up to him with a sandwich.

“I hope you don’t think I’m being rude, but it sounds like you could do with something to eat. I’m not as hungry as I thought I was and thought maybe you could have this. It’s a tuna and cucumber sandwich,” said the man holding the sandwich in the plastic container up to Dougal.

The young man opened the plastic cover allowing Dougal to smell the aroma coming from the sandwich.

“Well I am a bit hungry. Thank you, you are very kind,” said Dougal.

“No problem. You have a nice day now,” said the young man going on his way.

Dougal nodded before ravenously taking a bite from the sandwich. It tasted so good and slid down his throat so easily. He hungrily ate through the first sandwich which was hastily followed by the second until it was all gone.

He had noticed that even though some people had made unkind comments there were in fact some good people in the park looking out for him. Up ahead he saw a large receptacle that people were throwing leftovers into. He walked up to it and dropped the plastic sandwich cover inside.

The park became busier and busier as Dougal walked along the path. Some people stared at him and his unusual attire. Some kind people smiled, but most of them ignored him as they strolled through the park with their partners, friends or families. Feeling tired he sat down on a bench which was not occupied. He could feel the strain in his legs and the feeling of some pain in his feet. He leaned over and rubbed them slightly while grimacing. At that moment he had no idea what his next move would be. He knew what he had to do in the long term, but sitting there on the bench in this strange location and surrounded by theses strange people, he had no idea how to do it. He asked himself, why out of all the great witches and wizards in the coven why he had been sent on this most important mission. Surely Nathan had made a mistake and sent the wrong wizard.

As he thought he shook his head at the impossibility of what he had to achieve. A passer-by took notice of the young boy, who was unclean and seemed to be dressed in rags. He stopped and brought out his wallet from his pocket.

“Here son, you look as if you are down on your luck,” said the man taking some notes and some coins out of his wallet. “Use this to get some food and maybe a place to stay for the night. There are plenty of places that will take in the young and homeless.”

Dougal held out his hand and took the unusual notes and the coins.

“Thank you for your kindness,” said Dougal.

“Don’t mention it. Now take care and remember to get some shelter for the night. It’s warm now but it can get cold later on,” said the man smiling before moving on.

Dougal looked at the notes which were again strange to him. He had never been in the position to see any paper money back in his time. He had seen plenty of gold, silver and bronze coins but this money was different. The notes were all green and the coins appeared to be silver and in various sizes.

He wished that Nathan had spent longer telling him about what to do and where to go and how to look after himself when he got there. He never understood the strong magic that Nathan had used to get this accomplished. He knew that Nathan had been pressed by circumstances and time was of the essence to get everything done. Perhaps the kindness of the people here was part of the magic that Nathan had used. But then again, back home he was a wizard and apart from the kindness of those in his coven he had not received any support from anyone else.

The hours wore on and he remained in the park, as close to the cave as he could, while he planned his next step. Slowly the number of people in the park became fewer. Mums and dads took the hands of their children and led them from the side of the pond and the playpark. The sun begun to set and as the passer-by had predicted it began to get colder. Dougal didn’t know exactly where he was, or when he was, or where he could go even for the night. He didn’t feel sorry for himself as he knew that those he had left behind, the members of his coven were in more of a plight than he was. He also knew that the entire coven depended on him.

 

He heard the shouting and loud voices before he saw who it was coming from.

“Save the grass. Donate money now to save the grass,” yelled one of the young men.

Another man stood beside him holding a collection box and a bunch of leaflets. He rattled the box to make some noise and demonstrate that others had already donated to the cause. Both had tags around their necks with credentials saying they were working for the local environmentalists.

“Excuse me, do you have time to hear about our party’s new campaign?” asked one of the men.

“It seems that I have plenty of time,” replied Dougal.

“We work for the local green party and we campaign and raise funds for environmental issues. We are mainly interested in conservation and sustainability issues. We help to conserve the natural goodness that is around us,” said the man.

“Well, that sounds good,” said Dougal.

“There is a special type of grass and the supply of it is being greatly depleted. We are raising money to help to produce more of the grass seed and spread it around so we do not lose it entirely. In the past few years we have noticed that this grass is disappearing and no one is doing anything to replace it. It is imperative to do something about it now. If we do not and if we lose this opportunity then the grass will be forever lost to us,” said the young man enthusiastically.

“Would you like to help us by donating to this worthy cause? Anything you can give us will help to save this grass. There is no donation that is too little,” said the other man raising the collection box to Dougal.

“Well, er, saving the grass sounds like a good idea. I have some money,” said Dougal opening his hand and looking at the notes and coins which he had received earlier. “You can have some of it.”

Dougal took a few of the coins and a note and placed it in the collection box.

 

This novella is available in both eBook and paperback formats on Amazon.

Kind Regards.

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

Samantha has not been feeling well lately. As prophesised she is about to become a witch with deadly powers fuelled by a raging anger. The lives of the people of Port Town are in jeopardy.

 

Nathan, the elder of the coven, and his wife Jezabel must take a calculated risk to come to the aid of Samantha to protect the townsfolk and their own coven. Nathan realises that the magic, spells and potions currently at their disposal would not be enough to save the young witch.

 

Nathan decides that powerful magic must be used and that a member of the coven must be sent on a mission to find a remedy for Samantha.

 

Here is a sample from the novella ‘A Tale Of Witchcraft: Uncontrollable’.

 

6.  UNCONTROLLABLE

PART I

Samantha had accompanied her father and mother, Stephen and Elizabeth, to the market. The stall holders had been very friendly to the young family. The products had been fresh and ripe and she assisted her mother in choosing the best fruits and vegetables from the stalls. As she had been a good girl all day, Elizabeth gave her an apple for helping them. She smiled as she looked at the large juicy fruit and then munched on the apple happily.

With the basket laden, the parents and Samantha made their way home. Samantha liked to skip ahead before stopping and returning to her father who looked a bit wary. He never liked Samantha getting so far ahead that she would disappear from his sight. Stephen was forever on edge about the presence of undesirables and wizards and witches within the town. He still remembered the day that Samantha had been taken from them and a search party had to be gathered to find her.

Samantha dutifully ran back to her father and as if she was bored again, skipped ahead once more. The street was busy with locals going to and from the market and others heading to their place of business and homes.

Samantha skipped along and looked up at a bird which was perched on one of the rooftops. The bird hopped along the roof looking down with interest at the people below. Then, it was as if the bird was taking an interest in Samantha as it focussed on her. Samantha saw the bird looking at her and she extended her arm forward with her hand flat as if inviting the bird to land on it.

“Look at that, Elizabeth,” said Stephen. “She has taken a fancy to the bird. Maybe we should get a pet for her.”

Elizabeth was about to answer when her mouth fell open in amazement. As she looked on the small bird took off from the rooftop and flew down to Samantha landing on her outstretched hand. Samantha smiled at the bird and looked at it for a while as it chirruped and walked on the surface of the back of her hand. Then as if bored, Samantha raised her hand slightly and the bird took it as a cue to fly off once more.

Elizabeth with her eyes wide open looked at Stephen. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I mean never in my life have I seen wild bird come to anyone like that. They are normally so wary and timid,” said Elizabeth.

“Yes, they normally are,” said Stephen. “Maybe animals are attracted to her good nature. Maybe the animals can sense she has a good spirit and can approach her without fear.”

Stephen thought about what he had just said and that there could be some truth in it. It was only recently at the parade for the arrival of the witch hunters that a dog had behaved the same way as that bird and made its way quite willingly towards Samantha.

Samantha skipped on, not too far ahead of her parents as the people walked past her. On the other side of the road a horse was pulling a cart with a driver and a full load of wares on it. Samantha paying no attention to the driver looked towards the horse and smiled once more. The horse suddenly turned its head and faced Samantha. The driver felt the pull on the rein and jerked it back to direct the horse’s head to the front. Stubbornly, the horse looked to the side again and walked towards Samantha, pulling the driver and cart with it. There was nothing the driver could do to pull the horse back into line.

As it neared Samantha it bowed its head and Samantha reached up to clap it’s mane. Many of the locals stopped on their tracks to see this sight. The driver of the cart was embarrassed that he had lost control of his normally well behaved horse. Stephen and Elizabeth both blushed at what had happened.

“Samantha, leave that horse alone,” shouted Stephen. “It has its work to do.”

“Okay dad,” said Samantha lowering her hand and walking on.

The flustered driver pulled on the reins again and this time the horse obeyed by redirecting it’s head and pulling the cart back to the proper side of the road.

Elizabeth squeezed on her husband’s hand and held it tighter.

“Samantha does have a way with animals, but it seems strange the way they make a beeline for her,” said Elizabeth.

“It is a little bit queer, but it’s nothing to worry about,” said Stephen not sounding too convincing.

The young family arrived home and Samantha helped her mum to unpack the laden basket and store away the fruit and vegetables. Elizabeth made a start on the meal in the kitchen while Stephen sat down at the table. He asked Samantha to sit down next to her.

“Do you like birds and horses, Samantha?” asked Stephen.

“I do, I love them. I love to watch them whenever I can. I like all sorts of birds and animals, dad. I like the big birds and the small birds, but mainly the small birds. I also like the animals such as dogs and cats, horses, ponies and any foxes that are running about,” said Samantha.

“Do the birds and the animals always come to you?” asked Stephen.

“They didn’t all the time but recently they have. I like it when they do that and they are gentle to me. They don’t do me any harm and I don’t do them any harm,” said Samantha.

“Don’t you find that strange though that the animals come to you like that? What I mean is the animals don’t come to me or your mum like that,” said Stephen.

“I love you and mum and I think it’s sad that the animals don’t come up to you. Maybe they are scared for some reason,” said Samantha.

“What about your friends? Do the animals ever approach your friends the way they approach you?” asked Stephen.

Samantha looked up to the ceiling as she thought about the question. “I have never seen them come up to my friends the way they come up to me, but I’m not with my friends all the time. Maybe they do it while I am not looking. I don’t know really,” said Samantha.

“When we were walking down the street a few moments ago, you stretched out your hand and the sparrow flew down from the rooftop and landed on it. Do the birds always come to you like that? What makes them do it?” asked Stephen becoming slightly anxious.

“I saw the small bird and I stretched out my hand because I wanted it to land on it. When my hand was out the bird flew down just like I wanted it to. Maybe it wanted to be on my hand as much as I wanted it on my hand,” said Samantha. “It was just like the horse. I wanted to clap the horse and it came over to me so I could do so. Animals and birds just like me, I think.”

“That must be it Samantha and nothing else,” said Stephen smiling at her.

 

That night Stephen went to the local tavern early for some ale that he had been looking forward to all day. Already there were a few people in the establishment occupying some of the tables. Some of the locals liked to go there often to release the tension of the day and talk about what was going on around town.

Stephen approached the pub landlord, Mr Baird who he had known for a while. Mr Baird knew and was on speaking terms with most of his patrons and offered him a welcoming smile. Stephen ordered a tankard of ale and paid for it then and there. He got into a conversation with the pub landlord about their professions. Mr Baird was happy to discuss how the pub was faring and Stephen readily talked about his cobbler business. Soon his tankard was empty and he asked for more ale which Mr Baird was only too happy to oblige him with. As he handed over the full tankard some more patrons walked into the pub. The landlord turned to address them as Stephen tipped his head and made his way to an empty table and sat down.

Although he had not been showing it, he was deeply troubled about the behaviour of his daughter over the past few weeks. He could not fathom what it was about her which made her so different from the other children. He noticed that she was slightly taller and bigger for her age, but that was sometimes normal and someone was bound to be the biggest anyway. What concerned him mostly was that other peopled within the town were beginning to notice as well.

He raised the tankard to his lips and quaffed the ale to ease his tensions. As he did so a local sat down next to him.

“Do you mind if I take this seat, if no one else is using it,” said the man.

“No problem, no one is using it so you can freely sit down,” said Stephen smiling.

“You’re the cobbler aren’t you? You made some good quality shoes for me some time ago,” said the man. He sat down and raised one leg up placing his foot with the shoe on the table. “You can see that the shoes are in good condition.”

“That’s good to hear,” said Stephen.

“I hear that you have a daughter too. I think they call her Samantha,” said the man.

“Yes, that’s right,” said Stephen, curious over why his daughter had been mentioned.

“How old is your daughter now?” asked the man.

“She’s eight years old now, why do you ask?” said Stephen becoming restless. He took a gulp of ale as he waited for the man to respond.

“I have a son who is around about the same age. He knows your daughter, and he tells me that she looks a bit older than eight years old,” said the man

At that moment another man arrived at the table.

“Do you mind if my friend sits down with us?” asked the first man.

“Feel free to sit down,” said Stephen who was already regretting haven’t come to the tavern at all.

“Do you know Stephen? He is the cobbler who has the daughter called Samantha,” said the first man.

“Yes, I know him and for many years. It’s a small town and I know his daughter Samantha as well,” said the second man as he placed his tankard of ale on the table and sat down.

Stephen felt himself becoming really agitated now. He grasped the handle of his tankard tightly and he could feel the blood boil in his veins the more his daughter was mentioned.

“My son knows Stephen’s daughter Samantha and he says that she can be a bit strange at times,” said the first man.

“Excuse me gentlemen, but my daughter is not strange. She is a good girl and we have brought her up to be well mannered and thoughtful,” said Stephen doing everything in his power to control himself.

“When I say strange I mean she can be a bit different. She is a bit stand offish with people and for some reasons animals seem to be attracted to her. My son has seen dogs, birds, cats and even rats coming up to her,” said the first man.

Stephen had to admit that he had also been concerned about that, but there was always a perfectly good explanation for everything.

“Some people have a way with animals and she is just one of them. Maybe she will work on a farm or handle animals when she is older,” said Stephen.

 

 

This novella is available in both eBook and paperback formats.

Kind Regards

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

 

These books have been read over 600 times.

Short Stories

Mixed Bag: 10 Short Stories

Novellas

Unsettling

Descent into Darkness: A Novella             (available separately)

Big Ambitions                                                    (available separately)

Witch Trial                                                           (available separately)

A Tale Of Witchcraft. Birth

A Tale Of Witchcraft. Sacrifice

A Tale Of Witchcraft. Recovery

A Tale Of Witchcraft. Treaty

A Tale Of Witchcraft. Hunters

Novels

Dana’s Coffee

Affidavit

 

All books are available in eBook and paperback formats from Amazon.

Kind Regards.

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

The baron of Port Town decides to take action against the witches that are causing so much trouble in his town. Witch hunters are summoned to the area to capture the witches. The members of the town rejoice as they welcome the group to their community.

The leader of the group of hunters assures the baron, that for a price, all his worries will be taken care of.

Here is a sample from the novella ‘A Tale Of Witchcraft: Hunters’.

 

5. HUNTERS

PART I

The town hall was packed to capacity as the baron walked in escorted by his soldiers. The people demanded protection and justice for what had happened to them recently. The witches and wizards scared them to the point that some of them could no longer sleep. An emergency meeting had been called which the baron was only too willing to attend.

“Could we please have silence in the hall as the baron addresses you,” said an announcer.

A hush came over the premise as they looked at the important gentleman.

“I realise why you have called me here and why you are all assembled here,” said the baron. “I too am frustrated by what is going on.”

A gentlemen raised his hand and the baron pointed to him.

“Recently a witch cast a spell on my merchandise causing it to rot. Since then I have lost a lot of my regular customers. They no longer trust the condition of the fruit and vegetables that I bring to the market. I don’t know who the witches are and whether they will cast another spell on my produce,” said the stall holders.

“Witches have powerful spells and can use them at any time. I also know that they can easily blend in among us,” said the baron.

The pub landlord Mr Baird then raised his hand. The baron motioned to him to speak.

“I hear the complaints from many of my patrons as they drink at my pub. Some feel ill and they are not sure whether or not the illness has been caused by a witch. We have also lost many of our patrons from the Black Death which has been caused by witches. Others have reported that property has gone missing, again caused by witches and wizards. These people are rampant through our community and something must do done urgently. The Witchery Act which should be helping us, has not been effective as far as I can see. Those witches are still flying over our town and almost every day,” said the Landlord. He realised that he was seething and ranting now and thought that he had best stop and let someone else speak.

“I agree with you Mr Baird,” said the baron. “The witches are oppressing our community and getting away with it.”

A middle aged woman was the next to raise her hand. The baron pointed in her direction indicating that she should speak.

“My husband was a law abiding citizen and a good member of this community. He attended, what should have been the execution of a witch where he was horrifically struck down by lightning. I mean he was a good man and yet he wasn’t protected from these evil people,” said the woman who began to cry. She sat down quickly no longer able to control herself.

“We all know what happened on the day of the execution. The old witch was whisked away by another witch and one of my own soldiers was also killed by the lightning,” said the baron.

The bodies of the local and the soldier were picked up from where they had been struck down by lightning and the blood cleaned away shortly after. The funerals for the soldier and the local were held at the same church and at the same time. The coffins were sealed as the lightning had disfigured both of the bodies so badly. Six soldiers carried the coffin containing the dead soldier to the front of the church. Members of the family and the friends of the dead man carried his coffin to the front of the church. On the day the church was packed with family and friends of the soldier and the local man. Many of the soldiers in the town were there to pay their respects. Locals also turned out to show sympathy meaning that the church was packed. During the ceremony the locals were told about the short life of the soldier and all he had done in service for his country and community. He had been a diligent soldier who was liked by his fellow soldiers.  They were also told about the longer life of the local who was well known within the town. The sense of grief was apparent as many wept within the church as they looked on at the coffins. That day was a time for mourning and remembrance. After the service the sealed coffins were taken to the local cemetery which was already burgeoning with the dead. The holes had been dug for two more people who had been taken before their time. The minister held a short service at the gravesite before the bodies were lowered and buried.

The baron and the locals remembered that day of grieving. It was a time for reflection. Now the baron and the locals knew that it was a time for action.

“We all know that something needs to be done. Those witches have killed us with plague and lightning. They harass and oppress us on an almost daily basis. We are a critical point where either we succumb to the tyranny of the witch or we do more to protect ourselves,” said the baron.

“What will we do?” shouted one man. “Those witches kill us whenever they please and we are defenceless against them.”

“We have thought long and hard about this matter and we have come up with a response. At this moment in many cities and towns, bands of people known as witch hunters are rounding up and killing witches. These people travel to places that are oppressed by the witch and carry out this essential duty. We have heard of one such witch hunter and his group who are operating very close to us. His name is Lucius Dearth and he is a very successful witch hunter. We propose that we should bring him to our town to take care of our problem,” said the baron.

The baron looked upon the seated audience before him. He could see that there was a murmur going round and the locals were talking amongst themselves at the proposal. Two of the locals became heated in their discussion until one finally put his hand up to speak.

“Yes, you put your hand up. Would you like to tell us something?” asked the baron.

“I have heard about some of these so called witch hunters. They promise you the earth initially. They promise you security and safety from the witch and say that they will destroy them. However, some of them do not know what they are doing,” said the concerned resident.

“What do you mean?” asked the baron. “Are you saying that they are incompetent in their duties?”

“Well, yes or so I have heard. Some of them do not know how to recognise the witch or the wizard and have mistaken normal people for witches. This has had disastrous results as innocent people have been killed. They kill the innocents while the witches and wizards are still out their causing the problems. Also, some of them are only fly by night scoundrels. Those rogues will take our money from us for their supposed service and then disappear out of sight with our money and without having done anything for us. Quite simply there are frauds and charlatans out there who will take advantage of our plight and our good natures,” said the resident.

This caused the locals to shout and yell out that they would not put up with such people.

The baron waved his hands until the hubbub had died down. “I know that you may have concerns about this matter and I have had them too, that is why I have been asking around. Lucius Dearth is very well known I am assured. Many of my friends and family members in other parts of the country have heard about him and they say he is an honest person who can recognise witches and destroy them,” said the baron.

“How can you be so sure? We do not want them to kill us?” said another resident.

“They are experienced and I have been told they are very well equipped with all sorts of weapons they use to kill witches and wizards. I have invited them to our town and they will arrive here in the next few days. I know that you will all like to see them. I have told them that they can parade around the town before I invite them to the castle for a meal. I will then discuss terms with Lucius Dearth the leader of this group of Witch Hunters. We will discuss how are problems with witches will soon be over and they will no longer be able to wreck our lives,” said the baron.

The locals stood up within the hall and clapped in approval at what their leader had told them.

 

The carpenter had the horse by the harness and led him through the town square. The horse was pulling a cart full of newly cut timber taken from a nearby forest which would be put to good use. The carpenter reached what would be his job for the next few days. The old gallows had been wrecked by lightning which had struck it in the centre and split it in half. The carpenter could clearly see where the lighting had done the most damage. After the initial strike most of the wooden structure had caught fire.

He unloaded the timber from the cart and placed it at the side of gallows. He then laboriously took what was left of the old gallows apart and placed them on his cart. The wood was burnt and damaged beyond repair and he could not use it for any other structure. If he could, he would use it for firewood, but the charred pieces would have to be discarded.

As the carpenter was working on the job he thought of those that had been executed on the old gallows. He now wondered who would be the first to hang from the new one.

 

Lucius Dearth was the first to enter the walled area of Port Town on horseback. The gate was wide open and the guards stood to the side. The streets were thronged with people who had had been told of their coming and awaited their arrival with eager anticipation. Lucius felt as if he and his men were receiving a hero’s welcome.

Lucius was the leader of the witch hunters. Those accused of being witches or have the shadow of suspicion hanging over them live in fear. He believes that his service, no matter how it is carried out, provides relief to villages. He is tall with long black hair and a beard. He rides on a black stallion and wears the finest of clothes. He wears a cross to symbolise his religious beliefs. He carries a small bible with him at all times.

Immediately behind him on horseback was his second in command and oldest accomplice, Bartholomew. He had worked with Lucius for many years hunting down witches. Out of them all, Lucius had the most confidence in him. Bartholomew gave Lucius his full respect and support, he would do anything for him.

Riding behind the front two were Griffin and Geoffrey who had been in the witch hunters for just over a year. They were not as enthusiastic as Bartholomew, however, they were willing to do whatever was commanded of them…

 

 

This novella is available in both eBook and paperback formats from Amazon.

Kind Regards.

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 

Nathan is in possession of an ancient treaty. Agatha is resurrected to explain the treaty to the coven members. Its meaning has serious ramifications for the witches and wizards.

Later, Devlin and Henrietta carry out a dastardly deed which may have consequences for the entire coven.

Here is a sample from the novella ‘A Tale Of Witchcraft: Treaty’.

4.TREATY

PART I

Nathan looked at the dried and brittle ancient parchment which he held in his hand. He held it carefully to avoid doing it any damage. It was a document, which as the leader of the coven, he had in his possession for many years. He knew how to read the document and had gone over the contents of it. He was not however, aware of the context of how it was made and the actual or imagined calamity which had forced those who had drawn it up to agree and put their affirmation towards it. From the feel of the parchment, its dryness and fragility, he could tell roughly when it had been made. What he required was someone from that time who could explain the document to him and what was taking place then. He placed the parchment on his old wooden desk before stepping out of his tent.

The members of the coven were busy with their daily lives and activities. Some witches were training diligently on their skills in an effort to hone them as much as possible, others were practicing spells. Nathan could see the children were being taught lessons by the senior witches and wizards. He looked round the training area and in the teaching areas but he could not see the witch that he needed at that particular time and for a specific purpose. Nathan walked up a row of tents until he came to the one he needed. He called out to see if anyone was there. Shortly after, a middle aged witch stuck her head out from the tent.

“Hello Nathan, how can I help you this morning,” said Rachel.

“Hi Rachel, as you know we all have a serious problem involving the prophecies from the crystal ball and the young girl who recently came into this coven. We need to find out more about the prophecies, but there is no one in this coven who can give us this information. I need you to use your resurrection powers to raise up someone who may have been alive at the time a certain ancient document which I have in my possession was created. I have been to the witch graveyard many times and know that we have buried many people there from that time,” said Nathan.

“What exactly would you like me to do Nathan?” asked Rachel.

“I would like you to fly to the witch graveyard as soon as possible and resurrect the witch called Agatha. As I remember there is only one Agatha and she has a head stone with her name on it. I will be convening a council of elders later this morning and I would like you to bring her to this special meeting. There is a valuable service that Agatha can do for us,” said Nathan.

“Very well I will do as you have instructed, I shall fetch my broom and fly to the witch graveyard straight away,” said Rachel.

 

There was a slight breeze which felt fresh on her cheeks when Rachel touched down on the grass with her broomstick. Rachel could smell the countryside and the smell of nearby flowers as she walked towards the old witch graveyard. It was unkempt with the stones at irregular intervals and of all shapes and sizes. The grass was high around all the stones as no one had tended the area recently. With her powers she could feel the presence of those underneath her who had departed from this earth. Some had been dead for hundreds of years and others more recently but this area, this sacred ground was where most of them were taken to be buried. It was a travesty when any witch or wizard died, but it was a greater blow if that person could not be buried in this important piece of land.

Most of the dead were in advanced states of decomposition, merely bones now, with some rotten flesh and the decayed clothes that they were buried in. Nevertheless, Rachel could still feel that they were there, six feet under her.

Nathan had told her the name of the witch that the coven now required. She made her way through the old rocks and stones to the one with the witch’s name engraved. Rachel knelt down on one knee and bowed her head in reverence to the place and the stone markers. Raising her head she knelt down with both knees making herself as comfortable as possible before she performed her crucial task for the coven.

She took three deep breaths and closed her eyes as she cleared her mind of any obtrusive and unnecessary thoughts. She opened her eyes and placed both hands on the deep grass in front of her, digging her fingers down so she could feel the earth. She was now in contact with the ground and those departed who were below it. The witch concentrated before saying the words “Wake and arise”. After saying those words her breathing became heavy as if she was preforming some arduous work or running. Her eyes began to illuminate ever so slightly as she focused on what was happening directly beneath her. She could see the departed witch in her decayed state unsettling the earth around her and making her way to the surface. She breathed heavier and her eyes began to shine and through her fingers she could feel the earth moving. There was a slight tremor beneath her indicating that her magic was bearing fruition. Rachel could feel the strain that the magic was having upon her body. With her mind she pushed away any thoughts of resting as she continued to summon the departed to live once more. The tremors were palpable now and Rachel could feel the soil below her rising slightly and being pushed up. She could now feel the warmth from her eyes as they glowed.

Then she felt it as it pushed through the surface of the grassed earth. A skeletal finger touched her own spread out fingers. Rachel looked down to see another finger coming through and the soil and the grass being pushed aside to make way for the rest of the hand. She noticed it was mainly bone with no flesh attached to it at all. Rachel continued to focus on her task and soon the entire hand had broken the surface.

The witch rose, lifted one knee off the ground before grasping the cold skeletal hand in front of her. To aid the newly awoken witch she raised herself from the ground ever so slowly. The bones of the forearm appeared before she could then see the upper arm. Again there was no flesh attached and only some decayed rags hanging off the bones. As Rachel stood up further the skull made its way through the surface with some hair attached. Apart from the bones it had completely decomposed. As it rose higher the skull looked up and Rachel locked her own eyes with the empty sockets and smiled at the effect her magic was having. Slowly the rest of the skeleton appeared, the neck, the rib cage, the other arm, the pelvis and then the legs and feet. Rachel rose as more of the skeleton appeared until she was standing up fully with the skeleton in front of her with only some old rotten rags hanging off it.

The effort had taken a lot out of the witch but she knew that her work was not yet complete. With her eyes still shining she embraced the skeleton and willed it to be as it was before it was laid to rest. She held the skeleton as close to her as possible with her hands placed at the back of the rib cage. This allowed a greater transfer of her magical energy to it. Soon the magic took hold and muscles, organs, flesh and skin began to regenerate on the bones of the skeleton. The rags also turned into the clothes she was wearing as she rested.

Rachel embraced the witch for some moments as she could feel the frame filling out. It had been some time since she had actually done this and she was glad that the touch still remained with her. The action placed a great toll on her and she could feel herself weakening. She felt that instead of keeping the resurrected witch up, it was now keeping her standing. Then she felt some breath on her cheeks indicating that the resurrection was almost complete. She held the embrace for a few more minutes before she stepped back and smiled at the fully clothed, rejuvenated and resurrected witch in front of her.

“Hello Agatha,” said Rachel. “How are you today?”

The witch in front of her took a deep breath before looking round and smiling. “I feel good today, it is a beautiful feeling to be alive again.”

“Now then, it is time for you to do some work for us,” said Rachel as she led the way with Agatha following.

 

Agatha stepped inside and looked upon the well-appointed tent. She could see those objects which she remembered while she was living. Similar to her coven, there was a crystal ball in the main tent and this tent contained many candles which were used in the evening. She marvelled at the large wooden table and the well-dressed witches and wizards who surrounded it.  There was not a sound in the tent and all eyes were on Agatha as she told her story. The elders were about to discover why the treaty was so necessary.

“I was about fifteen years old at the time and life for me was good. I felt safe in the coven which was fairly much like this one except maybe larger. The set up seemed to be the same with the sacrificial area, the training area and the area for the living tents. I remember the smells of the coven and the bright colours and all those characters who were part of the community that I grew up in. There were well over 200 witches and wizards in the coven and part of our community. My mother and father loved me, looked after me and made sure that I was safe. They weren’t the only ones doing that as everyone chipped in and we were all well protected,” said Agatha talking about a safer time. “We had witches and wizards who had extraordinary abilities that could make you stop and stare. They could levitate, fly on brooms, transform at will into beasts of the earth and of the air of all sizes, make potions, cast spells, and throw fire balls, everything that you can do yourselves. They were fast and powerful and because of that I felt safe amongst them although my powers were nowhere near as strong and advanced as they were. I felt safe from the villagers and townspeople and any other witch or wizard from another coven who would wish our community harm. I should say I felt safe until that day when she came.”

“You felt safe until who came? Are you talking about the all-powerful witch?” asked Henrietta….

 

This novella is available as an eBook on Amazon.

Kind Regards.

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com

 

Bethany, an older witch from the coven, has been captured by the locals of Port Town and is tried in the local court house for the abduction of Samantha and for practicing witchcraft.

Later on the coven has to decide what it will do with the wayward Anna. The coven members are also concerned about who the young girl Samantha really is.

Here is a sample from the novella ‘A Tale Of Witchcraft: Recovery’.

 

3.RECOVERY

PART I

Bethany’s hands were tied with rope and she had guards at either side of her as she was taken into the jail house. The constable strode in front of the guards leading the way.  She was dragged past a few cells and the prisoners came to the bars to see who the new inmate would be. The guard knocked on the bars to frighten them away as they led Bethany into another room.

“Take care of this woman while I report to the magistrate about what has happened,” said Constable Pike. “We should be able to have her in front of the magistrate first thing tomorrow morning as this is a serious manner. I will leave you to question her and put her in a cell for the night. Make sure that she is ready for the court appearance in the morning.”

With that the constable departed as quickly as he could to the magistrate’s house. Bethany was left under the custody of the two guards who did not appear to be too friendly towards her. She could sense the hatred that they had for her. The door to the room was open and the old lady was thrown onto the hard floor. She shrieked in agony as her body hit the hard cobbles. Pain shot through her joints once more as she attempted to bring herself to her knees to stand up.

“I’m an old defenceless, woman,” cried Bethany. “You shouldn’t be doing this to me. It’s not right.”

“You are an old witch and you mean nothing but to bring this town harm,” said the guard. “You kidnapped a young girl and we caught you in the act.”

“I told you the girl was lost and I was bringing her home,” said Bethany. “If I had been kidnapping her wouldn’t I have been heading in the other direction, away from the town?”

“That does not explain anything,” said the guard. “Anyway we are sure that you have performed other acts of witchcraft in this town.”

“Just because I am an old woman does not mean that I am a witch,” said Bethany. “I have not done anything to the people of this town.”

Bethany knew those words weren’t true and that if she had been younger the townsfolk capture of her would not have been so easy. Many years ago Bethany would have thrust them away with magic before levitating over the walls of the town. Either that or taking off on her broom. Now in her frail condition that was impossible.

“You have been responsible for the spread of the Black Death in this town. My friends and members of my family have been killed because of you,” said the guard.

“That is ridiculous, I have not been near this town for a while. How could I have possibly done that anyway,” said Bethany.

The tall guard slapped her on the face hard knocking her onto the cold cobbled floor again. Bethany felt the strike on her face and heard the crack of her cheekbone as she fell. She could tell that her face would swell up later because of that.

“Get her up and place her on the chair next to the table,” said the tall guard gruffly to the other one. “I know how to get her to confess to the crime of witchcraft.”

The tall guard disappeared and a moment later reappeared with a metal implement in his hands. Bethany did not know what the metal apparatus was, but she guessed that its use would not be pleasurable for her. The tall guard slammed the implement on the table with such ferocity that it shook Bethany. As she looked on she realised what the metal contraption would be used for and backed away slightly on the chair.

“Hold her steady and stretch her left hand forward,” said the guard to his companion.

The smaller guard held Bethany roughly and reached for her bound hands. He opened the left hand and forced the thumb out before he extended it forward toward the metal implement.

“This thumbscrew will make you confess your crimes of witchcraft against this town,” seethed the guard.

The thumbscrew was fully opened and Bethany’s thumb was placed inside it. The guard began screwing it down until her thumb was held firmly between the metal. At this point there was no pain.

“Now, to avoid any unnecessary agony, tell us what crimes you have committed against us,” said the guard. “Let’s start with the kidnapping. Did you kidnap young Samantha from this town?”

“I’ve already told you I didn’t,” said Bethany beginning to shake from fear. “I saw her wandering outside the town and brought her home.”

“That is a lie,” said the guard twisting the screw down.

Bethany looked on in horror as she could feel the pain building up in her thumb. Her thumb nail was pressed in and blood began to squeeze from each side of her thumb. The old woman screamed in agony.

“Confess and we will stop. Keep on lying and the pain will continue,” threatened the guard.

“I did not kidnap the young girl,” screamed Bethany.

The guard shook his head smiling at his companion before he turned the thumbscrew further. Blood began squirting from Bethany’s thumb as she could feel the bone being crushed.

“Enough of this,” said the guard releasing the pressure and unscrewing the implement. Bethany believed that the punishment was over but was dismayed as the guard withdrew the thumb of her left hand only to replace it with the thumb of her right hand.

“Not again,” said Bethany.

“You are making us do this to you,” yelled the guard. “Tell us that you are a witch. Tell us that you have performed the crimes of magic and witchcraft on our townspeople and this punishment and torture will end.”

Bethany looked at her torturer before she lied. In the past she had committed magical felonies against the townsfolk, but recently she had not been near the town.

“I have not committed witchcraft against the people of this town,” cried Bethany.

“Tell us that you are responsible for the recent spate of Black Death in this town,” yelled the guard.

“I have done nothing of the sort,” sobbed Bethany.

The guard gave Bethany a sordid malevolent smile before twisting the thumbscrew fully down. This time Bethany could hear the bone crack as the thumbscrew was tightened. The pain shot through her arm and was as excruciating as anything she had ever felt in her life. She screamed out for the guard to stop.

With all his strength the guard twisted the thumbscrew as far as he could. Bethany continued to scream but did not confess. The guard realised that the torture was futile and was not rendering the result he had anticipated. Giving up he unscrewed the implement releasing Bethany’s thumb.

The implement and the table were covered in Bethany’s blood and she was aware that her thumbs would never be the same again.

“Bind her thumbs to stop her bleeding then take her to her cell,” said the guard to his colleague. “We’ll take her in front of the magistrate tomorrow morning.”

Bethany moaned as the guard produced some rags and wound them round the squashed and bleeding thumbs. She cried as the guard applied pressure to fix the rags in place. She was then unceremoniously pulled out from her chair and dragged out of the room and down the cold corridor to an awaiting empty cell. The guard shoved her in and slammed the door behind her before leaving her to take in her new home for the evening.

 

He returned to the taller guard who was ruminating on his thoughts.

“Well that was a waste of time,” said the smaller guard. “She didn’t confess to anything.”

“Are you sure about that,” said the taller guard. “Tomorrow it will be her word against ours and no one is going to believe what an old witch has said.”

“I don’t understand, we don’t have proof,” protested the smaller guard. “We put her to the thumbscrews and we slapped her about and she did not confess to anything.”

“I’ll speak for us tomorrow in front of the magistrate as long as you back me up,” said the taller guard. “They’ll have to believe that she confessed to us, you mark my words.”

 

Justice Knight, the judge of the local court was briefed by Constable Pike about what had happened the night before. A young girl had possibly been abducted by a witch and it was only fortunate that a search party had recovered the girl before any serious injury had happened to her. Due to the severity of the crime and the spate of witchcraft related activities which had occurred recently he thought it prudent that the case should be dealt with immediately.

Word got round the town fast and soon enough everyone knew about the trial which would be held that very day in the local courthouse. It was dangerous to allow potential witches to remain locked in the cells. The locals knew that their incantations could be more powerful the closer the witch was.

The courthouse filled quickly with the locals eager to see what would happen to the woman accused of being a witch. The jury that had been quickly chosen were led in and took their place in the jury box. Members of the public hissed as Bethany was brought out to the accused’s table. A jailhouse guard was at either side of her.

Mr Steed, the court clerk, entered the court and asked for quiet as the magistrate prepared himself in his chamber. The magistrate then made it known that he was ready.

“All rise for the honourable Justice Knight,” shouted Mr Steed.

The middle aged man strode into the court and saw that all seats were taken. The case before him was more serious than most and he demonstrated that with his austere repose. He stood by his chair and looked around to ensure that all the relevant players were present. Satisfied that the proceedings appeared ready to commence he took his seat.

“Please sit,” said the judge before he looked down at his notes.

The prosecutor took his cue from the judge and stood up to outline the case.

Bethany was sandwiched between two different guards from the ones she had the previous night. She was aware of many unfriendly and hateful eyes one her. The old woman did not see the point of the trial as she was sure that the town had already adjudged her of being guilty of crimes and witchcraft which she had not committed. Of course she had committed witchcraft in the past, but she was not on trial for that. She was convinced that that there could be nothing which could transpire in the proceedings to demonstrate her innocence. There was no one in the court who could vouch for her character. As an alleged witch she would have no lawyers or defence counsel vouching for her or stating her claim for innocence. Her defence was in her own hands and she was completely on her own.

The prosecutor highlighted that his witnesses would be the young girl who had been abducted, Samantha. A young girl who had witnessed the abduction would also be testifying. Stephen, the girl’s father could testify to his child being missing and how she was later found. The two guards who had questioned Bethany would be able to reveal some confessions that had been made while Bethany was in their custody.

Mr Steed asked for the first witness to be brought in to the court. Samantha was led by the court bailiff to the witness stand and appeared to be embarrassed and slightly scared as she looked at the court room full of people…

 

 

This novella is available as an eBook on Amazon.

Kind Regards.

Alan

alanrove@hotmail.com