Blood Moon

Chapter Two: Nina's Brook

There was a timelessness that had always surrounded Nina's cottage. Even before Nina came to town Albie used to give it longing stares on the way to school. At that point the place had been a ruin but a beautiful one. The thatched roof was broken and birds could always be seen darting in and out, as well as from the ivy that had covered the place. Since Nina's family had moved to the place it had developed a huge glass extension and birds no longer clung to it as they once had. As well, the garden which had been an exciting mess of brambles, now was covered in wildflowers (Lilo's handiwork). In a matter of years, the place had gone from a witch's cottage to instagram cottagecore but Albie loved it in all its phases.

The cottage was not even her favourite part, the whole property curved around a racing river and at the bottom of the garden was an oak that bent right over it. This was where the three currently perched. On the lowest branch lay Nina immersed in Albie's book about a green economy, which though good, looked far too heavy to be lifting up a tree. Meanwhile, at the end of a spindly branch Lilo lay reading 'Charms and Me'. She was chattering about something, seemingly content that neither of them were listening.

Albie stood at the top, if she could just jump from the branch before Nina noticed... but it was too late. "Albie, don't think I haven't seen you eyeing up that water. You know the rules, third branch or below, I'm not having anyone drowning in my brook."

"I'd save you." Lilo piped in. For context, she was fully dressed and had always been more of a thrasher than a swimmer.

Nothing but birdsong could be heard as Nina and Albie held each other's gaze. Then winking and with a seemingly graceful swoop Albie jumped at the river, in the last minute, becoming a weighty cannonball. The water around her splashed out, dousing the tree and its inhabitants. So that when Albie arose from the water, spitting and smiling, she was met by the glares of a soaking Nina and a slightly less wet but still formidable Lilo. After her throat recovered she gave out a yelp of joy and began to swim against the current.

Ignoring the yells of complaint, Albie continued swimming upriver feeling the familiar stabbing of cold as numbness spread through her fingertips. It was when she was about to turn around that a flash of metal buried against the bottom of the river bed caught her vision. The sun was bright, making the water more translucent but even so she could only just make out the sharp point of the thing glinting below the water. It was about an arms length and ended in a t-shaped metal handle. What was a sword doing in Nina's river? Curiosity burning, along with her muscles, Albie dived down scouring the river bed.

There was nothing there.

By the time Albie crawled up the oak's bank she was truly numb. The sort where everything goes all warm and you shake so much you can barely wriggle back into your clothes. She was also very happy though, it felt good to be free.

"Are you seriously saying there's going to be a storm this evening?" Nina hadn't noticed Albie come back, too busy locked in friendly combat with Lilo.

"Look I've already told you my witch weather app has been right twice and not just any storm the best of the decade." There was a blazing wildness in Lilo's eyes that meant a scheme. Albie had seen it enough times before to be a little scared, Nina clearly had too.

"And you want us to go out into this storm?"

"Yes, it's the most magical time."

It was clear Nina enjoyed Lilo's madness, even if she couldn't even admit it to herself. "Except we can't actually do spells."

"Not yet. What better way to celebrate the end of exams though? We could pick an easy spell like summoning a cat or something I don't know but like my spell -"

"I'll come." Albie interjected.

Nina looked surprised. "You have a party tonight I swear?"

She shrugged. "Yeah but like this is an adventure, plus Gywnn will probably be at the party."

Lilo's branch began to bob with excitement. "Yes! That's the spell we do." What had Albie agreed to? "We can curse Gywnn to have warts, it's in this book! You got an old jumper lying around?"

Albie nodded. None of Lilo's spells worked but if this did it would make her year.

"I'll come." Nina was clearly suppressing a smile. "Gotta make sure the both of you don't fall in some hole." Lilo's excited movements were now causing her skinny branch to shake so dramatically that Albie was sure it would break at any moment. "If you promise to actually do the English coursework this holiday. You'll have plenty of time as you're staying at mine."

The branch promptly stopped shaking and only from where Albie lay on the ground could she see Lilo's fingers were crossed as she agreed. Then it began to sway again. "You have to wear your pointy hat as well, show the magic we mean business."

Nina laughed. "Fine! If it gets me struck by lightning though..."

"Oh so you do believe they'll be a storm?" They grinned at each other.