Craft, page 14
part #2 of Springbrook Chronicles Series
“That was a dumb idea.” Markus bickered. “You killed my sister over something so petty? You two are worthless scum, you know that?”
Aliyah sobbed into her hands.
“How could you? I haven’t done anything wrong to either of you!” She cried.
“That’s just the name of the game!” Meg laughed. “Isn’t that right, babe?”
Rick nodded his head. “Yup, it sure is.”
“See Kenya, I knew from the start you were tailing me. Always trying to figure me out, but like I said, you’re not the only one with power. I have the power to make Rick do anything I want.” Meg laughed again.
“You’re a Solitary Witch?” Kenya muttered.
“You can say that,” Meg laughed, menacingly. “I’ve been practicing on Rick here and when it finally worked with Aliyah, I knew that I can control him to do anything that I want with the power I’ve attained.”
Before Kenya could respond, she had felt a gust of wind next to her dash toward Rick and tackled him onto the ground. Markus was that wind. He and Rick wrestled with each other. He landed two blows to Rick’s face but the third one was stopped when Rick ducked and punched Markus in the ribs, bringing him to his knees.
“Stop it!” Aliyah yelled, but Meg held her back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Meg snarled. “Your brother will be joining you soon! Rick, do as I say and end this!”
Rick was now kicking Markus in the ribs. He doubled over in pain and it was more that Kenya could take. The brightening was large now and it felt like it would explode. Purple lightning flashed through the black and mauve night sky. Thunder rolled and boomed almost shaking the ground.
Kenya closed her eyes, feeling the thunder and lightning in her body as it boomed and danced through the sky. Her lips parted as the brightening now controlled her.
“Montezula etut nonum etum I release you from deaths eternal grip! Teku likta nichi you are free from your box of pine! Getra nikta geshu Dig forth from your hole! Come forth! Come forth! Meku ti nonuife I am your master now!” She chanted.
The ground moved beneath them, shaking them. The ground broke bringing forth purple light emitting from the cracks. Kenya opened her eyes and her pupils produced a fiery purple light. Meg stared in horror while Markus got away from Rick.
Rick tried to keep his balance, but the earth opened underneath his legs causing him to fall back.
“Kenya, stop!” Aliyah cried out, but Kenya could not hear her friend’s voice. Her power over took her and she was engulfed in its euphoria.
“Montezula etut nonum etum I release you from deaths eternal grip! Teku likta nichi you are free from your box of pine! Getra nikta geshu Dig forth from your hole! Come forth! Come forth! Meku ti nonuife I am your master now!” She chanted, again. This time, hands emerged from the ground pulling at anything they could grasp. Each one of them a leathery, gray sight. Some were bloody, some weren’t, but each one was grotesque none the less.
One of the zombified hands felt around the cracked earth, finding Rick’s pant leg.
“No!” Meg shouted. “Rick, run!”
“Make her stop!” Rick yelled at Markus and Aliyah.
“W-We can’t!” Markus shouted. No matter how much he wanted to help Rick, he couldn’t forgive him for killing Aliyah.
The purple lightening flashed in the sky almost blinding them. Rick tried to pull his leg from the zombie’s death grip, but it was too strong for him. It tugged and pulled bringing him closer to the ground.
“You will be atoned.” Kenya whispered to Aliyah. She turned her hand into a fist and the zombie pulled Rick, dragging him inside of the earth. All that could be heard was his final screams as he clutched the grass trying to pull himself up. Suddenly, the zombie hands descended upon him pulling him underneath the earth. The earth closed holding Rick inside of itself; sealed forever in death.
The purple lightening subsided and so did the thunder that rolled. It was over. Meg let out a shrill cry, holding herself as she shook in shock.
“This isn’t over!” Meg yelled. “This isn’t over by a longshot!”
She looked at them with sadness and fear in her eyes, when she noticed Kenya’s look of disdain, she took off running, disappearing into Springbrook woods, leaving Markus and Aliyah with stunned looks.
“It’s…over…” Kenya breathed, smiling. She could feel the brightening dim inside of her almost to an ember of light. Her eyes felt heavy and her breathing slowed. Kenya fainted, falling hard onto the ground.
“Kenya!” Aliyah cried out. “Her powers…it…it…”
“Keke, wake up!” Markus screamed, now holding Kenya in his arms. Aliyah started to cry as Kenya laid lifeless in Markus’s arms.
They heard Kenya’s name being called in the distance. When they looked over, it was Bryan calling out for her. Markus waved and her father came running to them, squinting in the darkness, trying to see what was going on. When everyone finally came into view, his heart almost stopped when he noticed Kenya in Markus’s arms.
“No! No, no, no!” He bellowed. “What happened?” He asked. He took Kenya from Markus gently. His tears fell onto his daughter’s cheeks as Markus and Aliyah tried to figure out the answer to tell a grieving father.
****
Kenya was floating in the darkness hearing voices all around her. One voice in particular seemed to stand out to her. A voice that she had missed for so long; her grandmother’s.
“You passed the trial, little one…” She said.
“I know, but I’m dead now.” Kenya sobbed. “A witch is still out there vowing revenge…”
“No…you have more to live for…”
A warm light shone through warming Kenya’s body in the darkness. She floated toward it, relishing in it.
“Go…little one you’re not ready to join me yet.”
Kenya followed the light, leaving her grandmother and darkness behind.
Chapter 14.
It was the day after the ordeal with Rick and Meg in the graveyard. Kenya was walking around getting things in order for Aliyah’s final sendoff. Mother Zelda decided to keep Aliyah alive only for today so that she could say goodbye to her family. Violet and Bryan had agreed for Aliyah to see her parents one last time. Markus brought her home with him the night Kenya almost died.
Violet explained everything to Mr. and Mrs. Campbell and although they doubted, once they’d seen Aliyah, they finally believed.
Kenya had lost all of her power that night. She hasn’t noticed any zombie that was being conjured from her emotions. She hadn’t even felt the brightening anymore, either. Although she missed her power, she was happy to be normal; whatever that meant.
Kenya checked her phone and noticed that the time was winding down for Aliyah. If she didn’t get to the cemetery, she would become a mindless zombie without any thought or reason. That was Mother Zelda’s stipulation.
She sent a text message to Markus letting him know to meet her at the cemetery in ten minutes:
Markus: I’ll b right there. Just waiting on Mom and Dad to start the car.
Kenya: ok, see you soon.
“Keke? Can I come in?” Bryan knocked.
“Sure, dad.”
Bryan walked in with Iris in his hands. She was enjoying her favorite pastime of sleeping.
“I just came in to see if you’re ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.”
“Good.” He said, turning to leave.
“Dad?” Kenya called.
“Yes, sweetie?”
“Are you mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“Because I didn’t listen to you the first time? I almost died yesterday.”
“No, I’m not mad. Just grateful.”
“Really?”
“Mhmm. Honey, I’ve come to terms with your powers over the years and I also have come to terms that you’re growing up. You’re not small like Iris, anymore. You’re going off to college soon and I need to let you grow up into the young woman you were meant to be; I can’t always protect you.”
Kenya made a face then smiled at her father. “Dad, you know I’ll always be your baby girl. I’ll need you to protect me all the time.”
Bryan smiled back and opened his free arm. Kenya ran into them hugging her father and Iris.
“I know. I was just testing you to see if you’ll say it.” He laughed. “Besides, I still have Markus to fry.”
“Dad!” Kenya giggled. “He’s a gentleman.”
“He better be. Now, let’s go downstairs, your mom is waiting for us in the car.”
****
When they arrived to the cemetery, the coven was already there wearing their black velvet cloaks. Mother Zelda stood at the center of them smiling with her hands clasped in the front.
Kenya and her family got out of the car to find Markus, Aliyah and their parents already standing at their car waiting with the coven. Aliyah and her mother held onto each other, basking in each other’s arms.
She looked ecstatic to be around her family and for once, Kenya thought she looked as humanly possible as if she never died.
“Are you all ready for the ceremony?” Mother Zelda asked, she focused her attention mostly on the Campbells.
“Yes,” Mrs. Campbell sniffled.
“I don’t have a choice, but yes.” Mr. Campbell answered, sternly.
Markus only nodded his head.
“Alright. Onward to her grave then.” Mother Zelda replied. The Bennetts and the Campbells all followed the coven into the cemetery to begin putting Aliyah back to rest. Kenya, Markus and Aliyah walked slowly behind their parents taking one last time to talk about school, social media, celebrity gossip; just about anything that they could talk about that provided some sense of regularity.
When they made it, Aliyah’s grave was undug and her casket was already repaired, brought up from under six feet, and opened for her to climb back in.
“Now, please say goodbye to your loved ones.” Mother Zelda said. “The ceremony will begin in a minute.”
Aliyah walked up to her parents with Markus’s hand in one of hers while Kenya held onto the next one. Kenya could feel herself wanting to cry. Like always, she held down the tears in fear of the brightening. Violet glanced at her daughter and smiled.
“Go ahead and cry, sweetie. You passed the trial.” She whispered.
“I-I did?” Kenya sniffled, asking.
“Yes.”
“What about my powers?”
“They haven’t left; they’ve matured after the trial. A zombie won’t show up if you cry.”
Kenya looked at her mother, letting the hot tears drench her cold cheeks. The autumn wind blew onto her face, almost freezing the waterworks.
Aliyah hugged her father, then her mother. They both stood there crying hysterically.
“I’ll miss you so much.” Mrs. Campbell spilled. “You will always be in my heart.”
“I’ll miss you too, mom. I love you and daddy so much.” Aliyah wailed. Both of her parents hugged her tightly. Markus came up to them and they opened to embrace him in their hug as well.
“I’ll miss you, twin. I promise to come every day to see you.” Markus choked. He let tears fall from his own eyes.
“You know I’ll miss you, twin. Campbells for life.” Aliyah giggled, wiping away her tears. She turned to Kenya who was crying.
“Sis, I want to thank you for all that you have done for me. I always knew you possessed magic and that magic was being the best friend that I ever had.” Aliyah smiled.
“You’re welcome, sis. I’m gonna miss you.” Kenya answered.
“Same here. Take care of my brother, please.”
“I will.”
“Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, I’ll miss you both and thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome, Liyah.” Violet replied.
“We’ll miss you, too and so will Iris.” Bryan smiled.
Iris cooed and stretched her arms out to Aliyah. She pinched her chubby cheeks gently and kissed her tiny hands.
“I’ll miss you, too little sister.” Aliyah whispered to Iris.
“The time is now, child.” Mother Zelda said gently. The earth rumbled softly underneath them while the evening sky became a dark purple. Aliyah walked to her grave, waved to everyone one last time, and climbed into the grave. Kenya ran up to her and watched her smile to her. Kenya smiled back and waved as she watched Aliyah close the coffin.
“By thine will I close the Northern Gate. By thine will I close the Southern Gate. By thine will I close the Western Gate. By thine will I close the Eastern Gate. Oh goddess, lay Aliyah Campbell to rest and oh god embrace her soul in the gates of heaven for all time.” Mother Zelda bellowed. Thunder boomed in the sky and the wind started to pick up. Soil from the dirt pile fell onto Aliyah’s coffin filling the grave to capacity. Her coffin sank into the earth gently as a cloud of white smoke surrounded it. It was over.
Kenya let out a breath that turned into a sob. She wasn’t sad though, she was happy that her best friend was finally able to rest in peace.
“Kenya?” Markus asked, startling her.
“Yeah?”
“You okay?”
“Mhmm.”
“Same. I don’t feel sad anymore.”
“Me either.” Kenya smiled.
Markus and Kenya stood there for a while and for the first time in a long time since Aliyah passed, the sun showed itself, warming their hearts.
****
Kenya and Markus made it to her porch. They went ahead of their parents who wanted to talk at the Campbell’s home. Markus parked the car on the curb, got out, while Kenya did as well.
“So, this has been an eventful month.” Markus joked. “I can finally say that my sister was a zombie.”
“You should write it for your college entrance essay.” Kenya laughed.
“I should, huh?”
Kenya nodded her head in agreeance. “Oh, I wanted to ask you about us.”
“Ah, all of this mystery solving made me forget.” He grinned.
“Well?”
“I like you, a lot. I would love for us to be a couple.” Markus said. Kenya’s heart fluttered at the idea. She thought she would raise a zombie from the emotion but still, nothing happened.
Maybe my powers did mature.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, you know how long I’ve been waiting to ask you that?”
“Well, I do want to be your girlfriend.”
“Then it’s settled; you and I are now a couple.” Markus walked up to Kenya, held her close and kissed her lips, tenderly.
The beginning of falling in love. Kenya thought to herself. Her eyes opened when bright car headlights came heading toward them. They both broke the kiss and stared as the car stopped.
Two legs covered in jeans, wearing sneakers stepped out then a head and torso followed. Kenya immediately knew it was Detective Carter. She closed her car door, placed her hands in her pockets and walked up to Kenya and Markus.
“Hey, you two.” Detective Carter smiled. “Enjoying the night?”
“Hi, Detective Carter.” Kenya greeted. Markus waved, but looked as if he weren’t happy to see her.
“I’m glad I bumped into you—I had just left Rick Zanotti’s home.”
“Really?” Markus asked, finally.
“Yup. I wanted to take him into the station personally for questioning in your twin sister’s case, but apparently, he hasn’t been home since yesterday. Now, he might be a missing person.”
Kenya’s eyes widened as her and Markus looked at one another with scared glances. Each of them trying not to let their fearful looks turn into suspicion to Detective Carter.
“What about, Meg?” Kenya asked. “He’s usually with her.”
“I talked to her parents as well. Meg won’t come out of her room; her mother said she was frightened of something, but won’t speak about it. Yet, they hear her at night chanting something in the dark.”
Kenya thought of Meg sitting alone in her room rocking back and forth with all of the lights dimmed, plotting and learning more witch craft that she could cram for her revenge.
“That’s uh, weird.” Markus muttered. Detective Carter gave a sly smile.
“After that, I wanted to at least speak to your family about Rick. Seems liked Rick may have been the one to have murdered your sister.” She said.
“How would you know that?” Kenya asked.
“I’m a detective, I have my ways.” She smirked. “Well, I better get going. Markus, tell your mom and dad I’ll be calling them soon about this.”
Detective Elise Carter started walking back to her car, but not before stopping. She eyed the fearful Kenya and the now stoic Markus.
“Don’t worry, Kenya. Your dad told me everything about your power and coven.” Elise said.
Kenya gulped and walked up to the car. She eyed Elise trying to figure out why her father would tell her of all people about her being a necromancer. Then she remembered that he might have heard them outside of the door the night that they were going to meet Rick and Meg at the cemetery.
It explains why he was there when I almost died.
“H-He killed—’’
“I know.” Detective Carter got into her car, closed the door and started the engine. She rolled down the window looking at Kenya intently.
“Don’t worry; your secret is safe with me. This is Springbrook after all.” Detective Carter winked and drove off, leaving Kenya with a smirk on her face.
She went back over to Markus who was watching Detective Carter’s car drive off in the distance.
“What’d she say?” Markus asked.
“Nothing much.” Kenya replied. However, Elise Carter’s words rang true in her mind like a church bell.
This is Springbrook after all…
About The Author
Chanel Harry has been writing ever since she was four years old and her calling came when she wrote her first horror story to her parents after they put her on time out.
Chanel has since authored five books and doesn't plan on stopping until her fingers fall off. They are available where books are sold on the world wide web. When she isn't writing horror tales to scare her readers half to death, she's playing The Sims 4 or The Witcher with her brothers, or living for drama. For more information, prizes, giveaways, book signings and release dates on The Springbrook Chronicles, visit us online at; http://thespringbrookchronicles.com/.
