Jane's eye sockets widened, the blackness inside her skull appeared to become deeper the wider they opened. She was slightly shocked. "Explain something to me. Who is the witch exactly?"
Annabelle nodded and started to explain how her mother practiced black magic. Her father didn't believe in it until she cast on him a curse of darkness. He became blind and the curse would not be lifted until his death. She was also practicing this art when she died. She tried to cast a spell of everlasting health upon her mother, but she didn't have enough energy. The spell worked, but it had killed her in the process. Her mother bound her spirit to the doll to keep her alive.
Jane listened and became intrigued with the fact. Annabelle went on to explain how she found the family. Her mother had placed her in an antique store and waited for someone to buy her. After Lucy did, Annabelle was told to get them to move into the house. After time they moved in. The witch had met Allen when he went into the cellar to find a small wooded door. He had crawled through it to find her mother, creating the illusion that she had been trapped there.
After a while Allen's wife, Amber, called down to him but it was too late. Her mother had explained the concept of her bindings and that she could only be freed if he killed his wife in an attempt to scientifically create the curse of darkness. He left her there and ran to his wife. Amber was no more than twenty-five, but she looked as though she was still eighteen. Her black hair, just like Lucy's, trailed down to her knees. Her big green eyes were like gems, the way they sparkled in the light.
After the experiment failed, Lucy became afraid. She could not find Amber. Her mother had taken the body and fed off of Lucy's fear. The more fear that was present, the younger she stayed. That's how the spell works. If she doesn't find a source of fear, she goes through stages before death.
First, her appearance changes. She loses her beauty and she becomes wrinkled and old. Her hair turns white and she becomes fragile. Second, she loses all of her energy. She can't cast spells or curses, she can't move further than a foot without being exhausted. Third and final, is death. She starts to turn to ash. First her legs turn then her torso. Her entire body turns and all that's left is the clothes she wore.
After her death starts, she has until the disintegration reaches her waist to find fear to feed on before it's too late. Annabelle sighed, "The only way to kill her is to abandon all of your fear. She can't feed on you then. I'll show you the way to the cellar, but you must be careful. Your noble light cannot beat the ruby glow for long periods of time. The cellar is empty so you will have to wait until the death stage to enter."
"When you get in, she will have no power to cast a spell and you will have the freedom of mind to walk up to her and cut off her head. This will quicken the death process. After she is decapitated, her whole body will turn to ash immediately."
Annabelle raised her hand, the sleeves on the white dress hanging off her arm. She flicked her wrist slightly and the door creaked open. Jane turned around and peered into the hallway. The lights flickered and the plants were dead. The wood walls and flooring were molded and worn.
Jane walked out into the hall and peered down the right side. There was another specter standing, or more floating, by the end of the hall.
Her small hand was held out towards a door and a woman came out of the room and joined the girls hand with her own. The girl looked back into the room and held out her other hand. A man exited the room and took her other hand. They came down the hallway and the closer they got the more they were recognized. The small family stopped at the door across from Jane. The little girl looked back and smiled. It was Lucy and her parents.
