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Fiction Urban Fantasy

Tales of Amethyst

It's not easy being a witch today, unlike back in the old country. I come from a generation of Anglican witches. We don't believe in the dark magic. I have seen first hand the pain that it has caused to many people. My grandmother witness a dark witch being pulled by her hair in the depth of hell by evil spirits for all her wrong doings. She told me that it was terrible sight to see. The evil witch would scream for days on in of being tortured for her sinful ways. It was a omen for the rest of us who was willing to cross over to the dark side of the craft. My mother and grandmother has long gone now. I still practice my craft because it's my destiny. That's the way my mother and grandmother would have wanted me to do. I keep to myself growing herbs, elixirs and flowers in my garden. I'm a believer in alternatives medicine because man made medicine has the most horrible side effects on the body. I love the country because of the fresh air and ethereal quietness. I moved her in Willow Springs, Alabama in 2022. It's a quiet family community. I sit on my porch with my warm cup of herbal orange tea and watch the people go about their lives. My trusted feline companion Fiona by my side. Fiona and I have seen a lot in our days of living all around the world. One of the main reasons that I can't stay in one place long is the warlock Maverick. I try to stay one pace ahead of him to keep him away for me. Fiona can sense his presents and I can tell by the way she reacts especially into the night. I watch as she arches her back and she began hissing like a snake. There is something about the night air that brings about her senses to a heightening point. I have planted many of sage vines around my house to ward off evil spirits. Warlocks can't stand to hear the soulful sounds wind chimes. The sound does something to their sensory nerves and makes them go mad. I have about twenty of them all around my house. The warlock Maverick is a medieval entity. There had been a feud starting back in the 1800's with his great aunt Nivea and my great grandmother Manfred. The feud was started over an amulet that my great grandmother was given by the high witch Terra. My great grandmother was a powerful witch. She could conjure up a spell at the drop of a frogs tails. On the other hand Nivea barely could get any of her spells to work. Nivea was so jealous of my great grandmother that she tossed around a lies of treachery that her family still believes until this day. Maverick believes that his family is the rightful owner of the amulet. I have had the amulet for over ten years and it's put into a safe underneath floor of my home. I'm constantly looking over my shoulders and forever vigilant to my surroundings. I have to be to survive. Tomorrow is the sixtieth anniversary of the Autumn festival. I have been the fortuneteller for two years and I really enjoy being around the people in the community. Their so kind and no one knows of my secret. I always take my faithful side kick Fiona with me. She gets so excited as well. She loves to see the young children and runs and plays with them. I cast a protection spell around my house at night before I go to sleep. Maverick almost crept up on me one night. Thanks to the quick wits of Fiona, he spun around in the darkness and disappeared. The super moon shines brightly tonight. I say my prayers and fall asleep.

It's the morning of the Autumn festival. I see many people in the neighbor hood putting bake goods, picnic baskets and other items into their cars. I gather all the items that I need and put hem into a box. I take one last look at myself in the mirror. I look like a young gypsy lady. My dark curly long hair and green eyes tells a different story. Before I go outside my door, I get my protection amulet that was given to me by mu mother. I put it around my neck always wearing it close to my heart. “For thrice a heart beat a hundred times protection against the evil one.”

A spell cast by my grandmother on the amulet to keep us safe from the darkness. Before I can open the front door, Fiona began to hiss. Her ears stand on end and her back hunches forward. I step back from the front door. I see a shadow of a man through the window curtains. The figure begins to glide by from the window to the front door. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears and my mouth goes dry. There is a knock on the door.

“Hey neighbor,” said the voice.

I lift back the curtain slightly to see who it is. It's Mr. Reed from down the block. A sigh of relief comes over me as a smile comes over my face. I opened the door to see the chubby, bald headed

old man standing there with a folding chair.

“I thought you might need this,' said Mr. Reed.

“I do,' I said. “Thank you so much.”

“I saw you needed one last year,” said Mr. Reed “Best to be safe than sorry.”

I took the chair from Mr. Reed as he waved good bye and walked away.

“Whew!” I said.

I looked over at Fiona and tried to pick her up to take her outside. She wouldn't let me come near her.

“What is it girl?” I asked.

Fiona was focused on the folding chair for some reason. She just kept hissing at it. I took the folding and sat it outside the door. Fiona ran to the door and began to push it close with her forehead.

“What is your problem kitty?” I asked.

I knew something had to be wrong it wasn't like her to act this way no reason. I locked the front door and stared a the folding chair from inside the window. Right before my eyes the folding chair turned into a black mamba. I looked in amazement at Fiona. The snake began to stand upward hissing madly and spitting venom at the door. Fiona continued to hiss back the snake. I was paralyze with fear and couldn't move. The snake was startled by some teenagers in a black Dodge charger with their music turned up loudly. This frighten the snake and it darted across the street getting ran over by the car. I watched out he window as one of the boys got out of the passengers seat of the car.

“Man!” said the boy. “Did we kill it?”

“I don't know,” said the driver. “Let me back up and look.”

The young man backed his car up to see if he had ran over the snake. There was no snake in sight. Only a dark red stain where the snake should have been.

“Freaky!” said the boys.

The two of them drove off slowly looking for the snake as the disappeared down the block. I looked at Fiona as she sat curled up near the door licking her paw.

“You smart girl.” I said.

“Next time you'll listen to me,” said Fiona.

“Fiona!” I exclaimed. “You can talk?”

“Yes,” said Fiona. “I don't believe we'll have anymore trouble out of our friend Maverick.”

“I guess not,” I said.

After all the excitement, Fiona and I left for the Autumn festival. There were so many people there this year. Everyone seemed to have a great time. Fiona ran and played with young children and I continue to use my fortuneteller skills to impress the towns people. We never heard from the warlock Maverick ever again.

November 08, 2024 20:00

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