Passend zu unserer Themenwoche und um uns noch besser auf Halloween einstimmen zu können wollte ich euch meine Short Story rund um das Thema Hexen und Hexenzirkel nicht vorenthalten. Die Stimmung ist etwas düster und bedrückend. Kuschelt euch ein, zündet eine Kerze an, sippt euren Tee und lasst euch ein bisschen gruseln.
A peaceful goodnights sleep is something they all dearly need. „How will we tell her what happened?“ a worried voice broke through the night. „I have no idea.“ was the answer coming from the other corner of the dark room. The group of people that stood there was a funny bunch. Only lit by the full moon shining through the small window, it seemed like a usual night. Dark. Silent. Tranquil.
The head of each family which is part of the coven has to come to the woods each full moon to gather all their powers. Calling their lost sisters and brothers to help. It just happens that someone was missing, the leader of the Balfour Family, which was quite unusual as they were never late. All twelve other family elders have come into their circle and prepared for the night. Big candles placed to look like pentagrams, burning sage was passed on and their family stones were put into a big circle in the middle around a big golden bowl, which was filled with soil belonging to each families grave. With the Balfour still missing, the ritual had to be done at 12:13, thirteen minutes after the witching hour began. One minute for each family that is part of the Chauve-Souris Coven. Thirteen small circles come together to form a huge circle. Each was drawn on the ground with salt mixed with ash from their ancestors.
With only ten more minutes left until midnight everyone got nervous and more anxious with each passing second. Knowing they could not start with only twelve families. The leader of the Belvoir lit all the candles with the wave of the left hand even lighting the way to the circle from the missing family mansion. „We can’t keep the ancestors waiting. Last time they went really bad.“, the Repond man replied while he took off his necklace, „I will trace them.“ With a snap the fallen leaves and dry branches danced and stopped as soon as they mimicked the town. Closing his eyes he let his necklace draw circles over his made up map. At one point the pendant hanging on the chain weighed down. Indicating that the missing person was close to the bunch of witches.
„That can’t be true!“, the woman on his right exclaimed while moving closer to get a better look at his map. „I never fail to find someone, my dear.“ Opening his eyes, he looked at the Paver woman and made her shiver with his white eyes. Something that all Repond leaders gain with becoming the head of their family. They lose their eyesight but their third eye makes up for it, their whole family is known for their predictions and visions. „I am sorry.“ Paver moved away, more like backed down with her gaze still fixed on him. „I know that you are staring.“ The witch kneeing on the ground said in her direction but never received an answer because a piercing cry cut through the night. The candle flames moved and now burned as high as the lowest branches hanging from the trees. The wind changed drastically with the next cry. It was less a cry for help as it was a cry of pain.
Without talking through what to do all twelve leaders left their places and moved as quick as possible to the source, the tension in the air growing and growing.
The scene to which these twelve powerful witches came to was like a nightmare come true.
The thirteenth witch was hanged on the tree.
Exactly the same way their ancestors were killed.
By the same tree those poor members died.
By the same hand they were killed.
On the ground stood in blood dripping from the dead member of the coven.
„Witching hour change up. Whoever comes to hurt our coven will be left with more pain than what has been caused.“
As usual, a witch dies but all leaders go through his or her body therefore it takes way longer for them to die. Meaning all of the witches at the crime scene will feel the pain of the dead one hanging from the string.
The Balfour family was a powerful and huge family. By killing the leader the next in line is facing something just as hard to cope with as going blind. Going mute.
And as the message on the ground explains, a nearby coven attacked and killed Balfour. A new cry, the seventh so far, a small boys voice broke through only for it to be cut off. The sign of him being mute from now on.