Salvation

Chapter 41

She gathered her contents. The brass bowl filled with thick, dark red liquid, the poppets resembling the figure of two men and her several herbs. Candles were lit around the table she stood at, working hard. Her smile grew darker and sinister as she placed the poppets in the middle. She was furious at what they had done. All her sisters she lost and their severed connection, she would avenge.

"What are you doing?" Dhanika demanded an answer this time. "Do you know what she did? They burned down the cemetery! We have nothing left!" She cried out, throwing her arms in the air in defeat.

"My dear daughter, they may have destroyed our home but let them rejoice for what I have planned will surely squash their triumph." Her dark chuckle turned into a cackle.

Dhanika backed away. "You're scaring me."

Dipping her fingers into the blood she scoffed. "Sophia thinks she destroyed every witch...two days ago I dug up twelve bodies-bones to be accurate, so not all hope is gone daughter."

"It still doesn't answer my question. What are you doing?"

Lifting up a poppet made out of wool she pressed down hard on the temples. "I'm punishing her by using her brothers."

"She's dying what's the point?!" She spat out.

"There is a point!" Jameela snapped. "I want her dead now and besides, it'll be much easier to use her when she's dead."

She took her stance opposite her mother at the table and pulled open the wooden draw where several daggers and objects were nestled in neat rows. With one finger she brushed the perfectly reflected surface of the silver dagger. A smug smile split her mother's face, teeth gleaming in the flickering candle lights, she stretched her arm out; trembling she handed her mother her favourite dagger, struggling terribly as she did but under her mother's scrutiny, she composed herself. "What about her family?" What a stupid stupid thing to ask!

"I don't care about her family!" She answered bluntly, accepting the dagger. "Her death is enough to torture them."

"They'll fight for her; how can you be sure we'll succeed?"

"Oh, they won't." She sneered.

Her mother was diabolical but this time she wasn't positive she would achieve the outcome she desired. She opted for silence knowing it was far better than facing her mother's wrath. The woman was no stranger to punishment. Yet every part of her was twisting with pain. It bothered her and it wrung up a sequence of unending questions.

June 1923

Precious Dhanika was growing fast, yet little she was blooming like the flower she clutched so tightly in her hand. She ran to the fountain in Trafalgar Square to join the other children frolicking. Squeezing through the hustle and bustle, Sophia followed after her. As the days panned by, Jameela grew distant and spent less and less time with them. It left Sophia to manage Dhanika at all times and she did not mind, for she enjoyed taking care of the child and spending every second of her life with her. As she watched the glowing child splash around in the water, a laughter escaped her. It was a regular thing for her to kick water to the direction of the mean lads. Behind her came the soft drizzle of the waterfall, the loose flowers nodded and bopped in the clear water.

Noticing how aggressive the crowd of children grew, she hurried closer and stuck out her arm for Dhanika. "Take my hand, let's get you out." The child protested and turned away, splashing across to the other end. Using her speed, she vamped, catching her in the nick of time before she took a tumble. "You nearly hurt yourself!" Her tone slightly raised and so full of concern, not like Jameela's. Hauling her out the fountain, she was soaked from the waist down.