𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 ── chilling adventures of sabrina

xviii | the returned man

ACT I — CHAPTER XVIII
Tʜᴇ Rᴇᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ Mᴀɴ

───  ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅  ───

"Roz said that her grandma told her that she has these visions because she's going blind. She said that their family was cursed by a witch years ago so it happens to the women in their family at least once every generation. She called it the Cunning."

Lydia and Sabrina Spellman were walking home from school. Lydia had been unable to attend the WICCA meeting that day because she had to go to study hall for her math class, so Sabrina was catching her up on the conversation she had had with Roz.

"Wow," Lydia muttered, "Does Roz actually think it was a witch who cursed her?"

"No, she thinks her grandma has lost it. But, it would make sense if she was cursed by a witch and why so many people in her family have gone blind," Sabrina said.

As they walked, Lydia couldn't help but notice how tense Sabrina seemed.

"Has Tommy come back yet?" she asked.

Sabrina shook her head, "No. I need to go check his effigy to see if he has. You want to come with?"

Lydia shrugged in agreement and they went off their regular path and into the woods. Sabrina led them deep into them. Finally, they approached a small clearing, where it was clear the ritual had been held. However, Tommy's effigy was still there, lying in the middle of the pentagram Sabrina had drawn the night before. Sabrina's shoulders sunk in defeat.

"It's been over thirteen hours and nothing," Sabrina sighed. Lydia put her hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Well, at least nothing terrible happened. This is probably one of the best possible outcomes we could have hoped for," Lydia said, trying to be supportive.

"I guess," Sabrina sighed, again, "Let's just go home."

The twins left the woods and went back onto the road, continuing their walk home. As they walked down their driveway, Lydia could see Ambrose sitting on the porch, shining his shoes.

Upon seeing Sabrina's face, Ambrose gave out an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, sweet hell. What happened with Tommy?" he asked.

"Nothing happened, Ambrose," Sabrina answered, "It's been over thirteen hours, and it didn't work."

"Consider it a blessing," Ambrose said. Sabrina leaned against the side of the porch steps, as Lydia went farther up the stairs to stand by her cousin.

"Lydia and I went back to the woods and the effigy was just lying there," Sabrina continued.

"What do you mean, 'back to the woods'?" Ambrose asked, continuing to shine his shoes, "No, the soul returns to the body — wherever that is."

Lydia rubbed her hands over her face, realizing what this meant. Of course the soul would go back to the body. The body that was currently stuck under who knows how many rocks.

"What? But the rite didn't say —"

"You're playing with life and death and you don't even know the basics, Sabrina!" Ambrose yelled, standing up. Lydia backed away slightly, scared he might actually explode with anger.

"Oh my gosh," Sabrina muttered, "He's at the mines."

This prompted Sabrina to turn around and run off before Lydia or Ambrose could stop her. Ambrose turned to his cousin.

"You and your sister are the most irresponsible people I have ever met," he told her, before grabbing his shoes and walking into the house.

Lydia knew that she didn't always have the brightest ideas, and most of her and Sabrina's ideas were, in fact, very stupid. However, she also knew that she had tried to talk Sabrina out of bringing Tommy back, and she shouldn't be blamed for this. Maybe Lydia should have told someone who could stop her, but she also had a commitment as a sister not to rat her out.