The Witch of Willow Lake - 1

The sound of crunching twigs and leaves below my feet filled my ears as I walked along the vast river that led to Willow Lake. The calls of birds chirping, waking from a peaceful night’s sleep swam in the air like a soft lullaby.

A black crow flew above me, and my eyes watched in wonder as his black feathers shimmered in the recently risen sun as he carried a worm in his beak.

Rabbits hopped out of their dens, looking around, their noses twitching before they scattered off. Squirrels hurled down tree trunks, on the hunt for the nuts and food they loved so much.

I couldn't help but wonder at the beauty of nature, as I looked at my surroundings as I tried to figure out which way I needed to go.

A cool breeze whistled in the air, cooling my warm cheeks. I’d been walking for at least an hour since I left the safe house. I stopped for a moment, my eyes scanning the array of bushes, trees, and plants until my eyes found a small wooden sign. Willow Lake Village, three miles.

I was almost home, and nerves reared its horrendous claws and began to grip at me. I had no idea what to expect once I’d gotten there. Had anyone survived? What was left of our small village? I had no idea, but I knew I had to see. I needed to know so I could put it all behind me and start my new life. If I didn’t, I would always be wondering what had happened and had become of the fight the vampires had started.

As I walked further, my heart began racing, and I started to notice signs of the fight. Ashened bushes and the tree’s which had burned and fallen, no sign of their past green’s, only ash and black soot.

My feet stopped as I reached the edge, and my heart sank. Where once a total of five homes and a couple of larger buildings stood, was now nothing more than an empty, barren land. No sign of life, no sign of wildlife or any members of my coven. Had any of them survived? What had become of the young ones who’d escaped? Had they’d made a new village elsewhere? Or where they like me, out here alone?

If you hadn’t known what had happened, you’d have thought this area of the forest had succumbed to a forest fire and nothing more.

I stepped into the burned down village further. The smell of the burning wood, plastics, and flesh took over. The scent of the memories of that day overtook me as I looked to the area my home once stood tall.

Bile rose as the scent grew stronger — the visions of the burning trees and buildings coming to the forefront of my mind. I couldn’t stay here, I’d come to see what had become of my home and now I knew. It was nothing but piles of rubble, soot, and ash.

I said a quiet goodbye to my home, a small tear falling down my cheeks. A tear for the past now gone as I came to accept thatmy parents were gone, and so was my brother. I was alone.

-------

Three days had passed since I walked away from Willow Lake for the last time. I walked by daylight and found shelter under trees and in small caves at night. I wasn’t sure exactly how far away I was from Willow Lake now, but my feet stopped outside a small, busy town.

There was an array of buildings, homes, and small shops scattered neatly. But not one’s I was familiar with. My fingers brushed a small spot on one side of a building, it felt rough on my finger tips but solid. If I recalled from my fathers lessons, this was brick, however we never had the money to rebuild our wooden homes. Brick didn’t come cheap so all we had was a couple of blocks for the sake of lessons. After all, they couldn’t solely teach us magic and history.

On the roads that weaved in and out of the building sat a few cars. My father had one, although really it belonged to the whole village and only ever used if elders had to travel greater lengths for supplies.

People were walking around, talking to their friends, or family members as they went about their business. Men in suits were going about their working day and women walking with young babies and toddlers.

In the center of the town sat a large green area with an eloquent stone fountain. A statue of a man on a horse sat tall in the middle. It looked modern with all the latest technology and materials, worlds away from my village that looked like it still belonged in the eighteen hundreds.

“Can I help you?” A young woman who could not have been much older than thirty smiled sweetly. “You look a little lost, and in need of a bath.”

“Oh.” I sighed as I looked down at my arms. They were covered in muck and dirt, accompanied by a few scratches and bruises. I’d taken a bath in the lake two days ago, but living in the forest didn’t make for the cleanest living. “I’m new here.”

“Are you alone?” The woman’s soft pink, thin lips screwed up in concern as she studied me with her kind green eyes.

“Yes. My...my family died.” My heart sank with the words, and I knew that it was something I should not have shared with a stranger, but I didn't really know what to tell her. I hadn't thought of coming up with some story, or really thought any of this through.

“Oh my love,” She gasped in horror as her soft looking hands clapped over her mouth,“you poor thing. What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Hallie,” I replied quietly.

“My name is Mary.” She released her hands and held one out to me,“Here, I can’t leave a young thing out here alone. You can come to stay with me for a little while. I live alone and have a spare room.”

“No, that’s okay-”

“Nonsense, I insist. I cannot in good faith leave such a young thing alone knowing not all will have well intentions with a pretty thing like you. So please, let me take you somewhere safe and get you a bath and something to eat.”

I paused, hesitant, we were always warned about the danger that strangers, especially humans could pose to us. However, I feared I didn’t have much choice other than to take the risk so I gave the kind woman a small smile, “okay, thank you.”

-------

“So, Hallie, where are you from?” Mary asked me after she’d allowed me to bathe and cooked a meal of ham, served with boiled carrots and peas.

“Just a small village near along the lake in the forest. How come you live alone?”

“Oh, my husband passed away six months ago." She waved a hand aimlessly in the air, as if what she said was no big deal, "A nasty infection he’d gotten from a cut. We never got around to having children, so it’s just me now.With that said, you’re welcome to stay as long as you need and keep an old widow company.”

My heart saddened for Mary; she seemed lovely and sweet in the short time I had known her. She was alone, like me and that caused my heart to sink. “I’m sorry about your husband.”

“Sadly, my dear, such things happen, but life must go on, he wouldn’t have wanted me to stop living. In fact, once we knew his chances of survival were low, he made me promise to continue on. So, that is what I am doing. I know he's still with me, every day, right here." She raised a hand to her chest, above where her heart would be and gave it a gentle tap, "What happened to your family?”

“Fire. My family got me to safety, but they didn’t survive. I had a twin brother.” A sharp pain struck my chest and I recalled my brothers dazzling blue eyes and playful smile. For a moment, I could almost feel his warm embrace but as quick as it came, it left.

“Oh, that is awful, you poor thing!" Her eyes shone with sadness and sincerity as her lips curved in a sweet, but sympathetic smile, "Well, we can keep each other company now, can’t we? How old are you?”

“Sixteen, in eight days, I think. June twenty-first.”

“Seven days, it’s June fourteenth today, sweetheart. Well, we shall have to make sure there is a cake for you for your special day. Now, eat your food, tomorrow we’ll take you to buy some new clothes and see about getting you a small job shall we? Women around here don’t work much, but we can find you a small cleaning job or something of the sort. To give you a little money.”

I nodded and gave her a small smile, “Thank you, Mary.”

“It’s not a problem at all. Now eat up, and I’ll show you where you can sleep.”