Season of the Witch

Part 8

Genuinely love how the last one ended up
Just letting you know, you and your dad went home after that lmao
Word count: 1845
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While in the sanctuary of your own bedroom, you had an idea and shuffled around looking for your walkie-talkie hoping that Stella had hers charged up and was around to hear it.

"Stella? Stella, come in! Stella?!" You said urgently in a tone you hoped was quiet enough for your mother to not overhear. Silence greeted you from the other end. "Goddammit." You whispered to yourself, feeling utterly alone, but tried again. "Stella? Stella, if you're there, please pick up!" You implored. There were a few more seconds of silence and tears began to sting and prick in the corners of your eyes before you heard an electric crackle.

"Y/N? Is that you? You're all right?!"  Stella answered, overcome with relief from the other end.

"I don't know if I'd exactly say that, but...I'm alive and I'm home."

"Y/N, Chuck is...he's gone." She regretted to inform you.

"I know." You suddenly hoped his walkie wasn't on in his room, his parents able to hear this conversation. "Stell, change to the other frequency." You had picked another frequency for more private conversations and as a backup, just in case. You couldn't imagine ever using it for this reason, though. When she did and gave a test call, you explained, "I just didn't want Chuck or Auggie's parents to hear...just in case."

"We beat her. It's stopped." She told you, quickly. You blinked a few times in disbelief.

"Oh, haha... thats why I'm alive... What happened?"

"She came for us last night at the police station, but we figured it out. It's a long story, but it's over. I really think it's over and she's let go, Y/N."

"Then why aren't they back?" You asked in a broken voice. To you, it would only be truly resolved when you got back those that you loved most. Auggie's story didn't say he died and you all were pretty sure that Tommy now resided in his own field as a scarecrow. They had to be somewhere, not just dead.

"I...I don't know. I'm working on that. I think there's gotta be some way. The book-"

"You still have that damned thing?!" You tried not to shout and have your mother hear, but you were livid. It caused all of these problems but she still wanted to use it?

"It's hard to explain. Like I said, it's a long story. Can we meet in the park? Or you can come to my house?"

"I'll be lucky if my parents ever let me out again." You replied, coldly. "When my dad was driving me home my story started. He said I ran out of the car and disappeared for three hours, but then he found me. I guess thats when you solved it. They're not too happy with everything. Obviously," You scoffed. It was silent for a moment, neither of you sure what to say.

"What happened to you?" Stella finally asked.

"That's also a long story." Then you thought about it, and added, annoyed, "I'm sure you can read all about it in your book."  She hesitated again on the other end.

"I...I know what happened during. I'm sorry. I don't know what happened after, or how you got out. I didn't know...I wasn't sure if you were alive or around or whatever with the way it ended. Not until the sheriff told us that you had survived, but..."

"But what?"

"But you were much like Ruth." The memory of being at the hospital stung you with her words. The walkies were really failing you for communication, and this other frequency was a little less clear than your main one, too. So Stella said, "I'm coming over."