Katelyn and The Witch Party

Chapter 7: The Death

When Victoria had taken Katelyn home, Katelyn's parents had already been there, sitting in the kitchen. Katelyn's mother had risen from the table as they entered and walked into the main kitchen area, a small square room connected to the table but sheltered from it by a tan wall. Katelyn's father had sat on one of the small wooden chairs with his head resting in his hands on the table. His newspaper had been in front of him, open to the third page or so, but he had not even glanced up. He almost never stopped reading the paper partway through. It seemed almost like a dark shadow hung over the room, though Katelyn could not place the feeling.

"The Constant?" Victoria had exclaimed seeming surprised. It had been the same paper Katelyn's father had read when she was younger. By then, Katelyn had known it took a predominantly conservative viewpoint. She had even heard the members of the Social Unity Party accuse it of being authored by the Conservative Party while complaining about their non-magical neighbours. Brittney had mentioned that it was highly rhetorical and propagandistic. Katelyn's father had looked up and there was an expression of sadness on his face.

"Won't you sit down and have some tea, Victoria?" Katelyn's mother had asked, smiling, though her smile did not reach her eyes. She had emerged from the kitchen carrying a pot of tea and a stack of four teacups. As she had laid them on the table, Katelyn's father had shaken his head at Victoria, but she took a seat at the table. Katelyn's mother had poured her a cup of tea.

"Have you read the news, Victoria?" Katelyn's father had questioned somewhat anxiously. "The Conservatives are planning to harden the sentences for witchcraft, especially against Miss Ecclestie, bringing them ahead in the polls."

"I don't read The Constant," Victoria had retorted irritably.

"But you heard the news?" he had pressed.

Victoria had sipped the tea, but immediately set it down as she had started choking. Katelyn's mother had taken Victoria's purse. Katelyn had stood in shock, but she had done nothing. Katelyn's father had hung his head and glanced up at his wife desperately, but had also done nothing. Moments later, Victoria had collapsed and laid completely still. Katelyn's hands had shook but she had remained standing completely still.

The bloody body of Victoria Leste swam before her eyes, haunting her. She had done nothing and unlike in Kindergarten, it had totally been her responsibility to act.

She looked up into Ki's kind eyes and shook her head, the tears pouring from her eyes once more. "I don't care."

"About returning to class?" He questioned. She had been silent for a long time as the memories flowed through her aching brain.

"About anything," Katelyn clarified and bit her lip. She did not like to admit it. She would rather keep her pain to herself and then die silently all alone.

Ki stared at her with a soft look on his face asking the silent question, "Why?"

A rushing pain crushed Katelyn's ribs like a large pounding wave and she shuddered and crumpled forward, locking her eyes with the ground. She whimpered, but all the anger and red fire had died from her. She wanted it all to be over. She wanted everything to just pass over her head and flood away from her spirit. The crushing feeling of her soul that she had felt long ago when she had first run away returned to her. The debilitating heart burn rushed up to her chest. She wanted to scream, but she did not. Instead, she held it back even as the pain shot through her like a crack in the ice if the ice were her soul and her soul were trapped in her burning heart.