✓ 𝐖.𝐈.𝐓.𝐂.𝐇. | ʜᴏᴄᴜꜱ ᴘᴏᴄᴜꜱ

𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲

"REBECCA!"

the young girl turned around as quickly as she should.

"thackery!" she called, running towards the boy with her arms wide. "thackery binx!"

but it seemed thackery was by no means calm or collected. his eyes wandered over her and through the trees despite being in a tight hug.

"what's wrong, love?" she asked, her scottish accent thicker than her bushy red hair.

thackery's eyes switched to hers like a switchblade. "have you seen my sister?"

rebecca shook her head. "last i saw her was with you, a fortnight ago."

"can you help me find her?" his hands curled onto her shoulder as reality came clearer and clearer to him. "thomas, he-he just vanished, and emily is no where to be seen, and-"

"thackery!" rebecca shouted, cupping her hands around his face, trying to soothe him before any rash decisions were made. "witches, they conjure."

thackery let out a gasp of air. "oh god, the woods!"

the pair raced along the path just along the outskirts of the town. thackery's brother, thomas, was still nowhere to be seen and neither was his young sister, emily.

rebecca then saw a small girl gallivanting down a path, following a blonde. a sanderson sister.

"i must leave," he said to the girl. "wake my father, summon the elders."

as thackery ran off to get his sister, rebecca grabbed his arm. "i'm coming with thee."

thackery removed the girls hand from his arm. and as hard as it was for him to let her go, he knew it was a sacrifice he had to make. never in a million years would be let the girl he loved be taken by the witches. even if they were less likely to hurt her than they were him.

"rebecca, please," he said softly, trying his hardest to not let the pain get to him.

"what if you die and i'm still here?" she asked through a sob.

thackery grabbed her hand in his and pulled her close. "well then you'll be all grown up, and you won't need me."

"i think i'll always need you," she admitted, wiping her eyes.

"goodbye, rebecca." thackery said, his eyes glued to hers.

"thackery?" she asked, her hands becoming sweaty and her head throbbing. "promise me one thing."

"i love you, my love, so much, please know that. i don't think i'll ever fall out of love with you. you're the one and i know it," said thackery.

"is this goodbye forever?" rebecca asked the boy, tears begging to brim her eyes.

"of course not, i'll always be right beside you." thackery pulled her closer.

"how will i know?" she said into his shoulder, snot clumping onto his shirt.

"when you dance alone, i'll be dancing too."

"i love you, thackery binx." she forced herself away from him. "if you somehow don't return, i'll look for you always."

"goodbye, rebecca."

"goodbye, thackery."