It started like every other day. The sky clear, sun blindingly bright, sprinklers going at it like they always do, lawns a dark, healthy green, the bright houses of the only neighborhood reflecting the hot sun, the birds singing in the air. I took a deep breath as I have done every morning as I’ve done every morning since I moved to this small town about 12 years ago. I took a deep breath and froze, I would of liked to say I smelt the sweet smell of open air, of pine trees, of freedom, with a tint of mint from the cat mint that grew next to the stairs of my front porch, but that would be lying. What I smelt was the faint smell of burning wood. Normally you can only smell wood burning in the winter when people are lighting their fireplaces. I glanced around trying to find the source.
I had almost given up when I saw the blackness of smoke glide towards toward me through the trees. Once I saw that, I saw the smoke bellowing from the top of the trees. Every muscle locked down and I went numb. They found me. 12 years ago I left my suburban house I because witch hunters had caught a whiff of where the witch queen was. Where I was. I had been the witch queen since age 10 when my mother ; the previous queen died at the hands of her consort; my father who then killed himself so he didn’t have to deal with trial. After that my faithful nurse and loyal servants raised me best to their ability. After I realized I was found I have left and moved to the small town –if you could call it that-of Shearburg, Texas. Never heard of it? Well that’s how small it is, no ones heard of it, its not even on the maps. A good, secure spot it was, I wonder how they found me. I had sent my servants and nurse all over the world leaving false trails to give me time to escape. None of them would of broken if beaten anyway they were spelled so they couldn’t talk about me or anything concerning me at all.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts and choked on the smoke that curled and blocked my throat making every breath hard, scratchy, and almost impossible. I collapsed to my knees, hit the edge of the top stair, and promptly feel down the stairs to the rock path covering the grass. I continued coughing and curled into a ball trying to think through my panic muddled brain. That was how they found me. A group of about 20 laughed and grinned at the easy catch, while I felt shame at have been caught so easily. They bound my hands and stood me a distance from my home. A man stepped forward; his hair was cropped short –military style- his t-shirt strained against his chest and biceps, his cargo pants giving him a hint of a butt.
The man obviously in charge stepped into my house. It felt like years before he came out caring turtle my white cat. He brought the cat to my feet and set her down, she leapt free and scrambled at my legs and back, claws digging into my skin. Until she could sit on my shoulder. I winced but kept my eyes on the man but all he did was point to my house. I glanced past him and a sob escaped my throat. My house was on fire. Everything was burning. My every possession but turtle burning. My life in flames, a tear escaped before I steeled my expression and turned to the man. He grinned and brought his hand across my face. I crumpled to the ground- turtle hurled herself to the ground before I landed- and closed my eyes.
I blinked wondering were I was. I put my hand flat on the ground and stood up. I blinked once again and looked around everyone was staring aghast at my feet. I looked down confused and screamed a soundless scream. My body was lying on the ground. The body was still and pale. Her face a slight pink were the man backhanded her. My eyes were open and glazed over like they got when I was in the middle of an extremely powerful spell… or if I was dead. A blinding light flashed and an excruciating pain burned my heart. The body at my feet opened her mouth in German spilled out. “Sie können mich nicht töten. Ich werde mich auf, ich bin zu mächtig zu leben. Ich bin der Hexe Königin!” she stopped speaking as if realizing she wasn’t speaking English. “You can not kill me. I will live on, I am too powerful. I am the Witch Queen!” she repeated contempt color her voice. She gracefully relaxed and I stared confused, then I remembered.
“Mommy why am I sitting the middle of candles?” I asked her, my eyes widened frightened.
“Baby its okay I’m just making sure you’re safe in the future.” She looked at me her eyes soft and shiny with love and worry. I calmed and she started chanting.
I shivered, my ch’I tingling as mommy calls it. I listened trying to understand what she was mumbling but Latin wasn’t my language; each witch is drawn to a different language. I was drawn to German, mommy to Latin and daddy to polish.
My whole body started to tingle and I fell. I must up blacked because when I came back I was sitting at the dinner table and when I asked mommy what happened, she looked at me funny. I figured I just dreamed it all and tossed it from my mind.
I smile, relief making my shoulders sag. I would be fine. My people would be fine. The witches would be helped, and policed and protected. But before I could totally be care free I had to find a way back into my body. I looked around at the people still staring at my body in shock and giggled. The leader unfroze and looked around for Turtle. Concerned I started looking around too until I noticed the warm pressure between my feet. Looking down I saw Turtle sitting, regally, between my feet staring at the man. The man squatted down, held out his hand, and called out to her. Turtle looked at him in disdain and showed her delicate, white fangs. The mans eyebrows rose and he tried again. Turtle snarled and looked up at me. I grinned and stoked her nose. Her mouth closed and she started to purr. Glancing up I saw that the mans eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I snatched my hand back. Swearing under my breath I floated my way over to my body. Turtle followed at my heels, I bent down and touched my forehead. It felt solid to my ghostly form but I was unable to flow my soul back in top my body. I sat and crossed my legs. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath through my nose and slowly blew it out my mouth. I repeated the process again I dived inside my head. I shifted through my spell subconsionce held. No, no, no, no! I started to panic and lose my focus. Wait, there! YES! I swallowed my panic, forcing myself to calm down. The spell became clear and I remembered all the words, thankfully. I slowly backed out of my head and looked around. The man had stood and now was talking to a woman by the trees they came out of. My house was put out and turtle was sitting on my body; guarding it.
i devised a plan. i would sit and wait for everyone to not be paying attention and i'd slip back inside my body and run. When they came after me -because they would- i'll be ready with spells and traps for them.
So i sat calmly and watched my yard for the perfect moment. The leader was in my house about 10 people searching my half burnt things, ad the other lazed around in the middle of my lawn not having a care in the world.
I plced my right hand on my forehead and my left over my heart. Then i leaned down to whisper in my corpses ear, "immer liebe hass wie geht es ihnen er fast umgebracht sie daruber nachzudenken,mortalitat, ich weiB nicht ob krank lage sein, mit mir zu leben."
Then i placed my lips over my body's and breathed my soul back into my body.
I blinked, confused, for a moment. I was staring up at the sky, and my body felt as heavey as lead. i slowly turned my head to find everything the same as it had been before. i grinned slightly, and quietly as i could stood up. Swiftly, like a shadow in the night, I glided into the surrounding forest. the shadows and trees embraced me with their cool breeze and deep, dark shadows. no one had noticed my escape.
i took a deep breath and laughed an extremely happy laugh. then i turned and started chanting spells under my breath. the trees around me started to shift and stretch as if waking from a nap, and the shadows twisted and turned in delight. i shuddered and felt a lump of worry for the hunters in my gut. i shook the thought away and proceeded to mutter spells. Next little creatures -normally harmless, like rabbits and deer- came weaving out of the shifting trees and slithering shadows. But these were no ordianry hopping and leaping animals. They cam groaning in silent pain and rage as thier teeth lengthened and sharpened. Their blunt claws and hooves curved to dangerous points.
i heard the shouts of fear and dismay in the distance and told the spell mutated animals to hide in the living shadows behind me. then i commanded the shadows to hide them. i also commanded the trees to be still.
The hunters came crashing through the now still trees, eyeing me warily. I laughed as the leader came out last.
"How are you alive? We all saw you dead." The mans looked around me, his clever eyes taking in every detail.
I laughed "i told you 'you could not kill me'. I warned you and you did not believe me. That makes it your fault when all your men die today." I looked around and felt the slight stirrings of pity again, but ingored them. I called forththe trees and bade them no one pass, i called to the shadows to devour the men, and i called forth the animals and bid them to do as they may.
The hunters attacked, but were greatly outnumbered and out done. They fell like empty bottles in the wind. The small clearing was bloody, and empty. I was sweating from keeping my spells under control.
I looked at the animals and changed them back to themselves with no memory of this evening and told them to go home. I turned to the shadows and told them to leave this place, to go where they belonged, and i took back their animation. Finally i turned to the trees. I soothed them and stroked their trunks and thanked them for their help. Then hey had to go too. I uttered the last spell and everything was normal around me.
Turtle came out of the now lifeless trees and made her queenly way to me. I sat on the ground, leaned against a tree and soothed myself with Turtle's touch. I sat and stared at the bloddy ground, at the lifeless trees and shadows, and remembered the animals. I stared for a long time.
Everything had changed now. I no longer had a home, an identity, Because once one hunter found you the others found you as well. But i knew who i was, and what i could do.
I gave Turtle a kiss on the top of her head, and together we fell into a exhausted sleep.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 14.04.2011

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