everlong| hocus pocus

08. virgin jerk

       "BECAUSE OF ME, MY LITTLE SISTERS LIFE WAS STOLEN," Binx explained somberly. "For years I waited for my life to end so I could be reunited with my family. But Winifred's curse of immortality kept me alive. Then one day I figured out what to do with my eternal life. Now I'd failed Emily, but I wouldn't fail again. When Winifred and her sisters returned, I'd be there to stop them."
      Jasper stared in utter fascination and sympathy. Imagine seeing all of your loved ones passing until you had nobody? They had to end this curse. "So for three centuries I've guarded the house on All Hallows' Night, when I knew some airhead virgin might light that candle." everyone's heads turned to Max. The Dennison rolled his eyes in teen angst.
     "Nice going, airhead." Dani sassed. Max glared at Tatum before looking back at his snippy sister.
     "Hey, look, I'm sorry okay?" Max stood up, walking over to a twisted old tree. "We're talking about three ancient hags verses the 20th century. How bad can be?" Max stated confidently. The three stared at the over-confident boy with doubt.
     "Bad." Binx and Tatum said in unison.
     "This is your fault Max, you virgin jerk!" Jasper exclaims, standing up.
     "Alright, Jasper—"
As the two erupted into an argument, the faint crinkle of paper in the old book was heard as Binx glanced over to see Dani cautiously opening the spell book. "Stay out of there!" Binx warned. Dani immediately shut it, obeying the cat's orders.
     "Why?" Dani asked with childish curiosity.
     "It hold Winifreds most dangerous spells. She must not get it." "It holds Winifred's most dangerous spells. She must not get it." Max snatched the book out of the younger Dennison's hands, pulling out his lighter.
     "Well, lets torch the sucker." Max said with a slight rasp. Jasper stood next to the Dennison and snatched the book out of his hands, throwing it on the ground. "Hey!"
     "You've done enough with that lighter of yours." Max looks down at his hands where his lighter is supposed to be. Max quickly looked towards Jasper with his lighter in her hands. "Can I do the honors this time?" Max nods. The two lean down, bringing the lighter close to the book. It resisted the flame. Jasper angrily flicks the lighter off, running her fingers through her knotted hair.
"It's protected by magic." Binx informs as if it was obvious. Just in time, devilish laughter rang from above, and they all knew who it was. Jasper brings the little Dennison close to her brother while Jasper, fearing for her life, unknowingly holds Max's hand, gripping it tightly. In her head she knew it looked pathetic but it did give her a sense of comfort. Little did she know, Max felt the same way.
"It's just a bunch of hocus pocus!" Winifred cackled. The three took shelter behind a huge rock with Binx sitting on it. Lord knows how he must've felt. "Sarah!" Winifred pointed her sharp finger to the left. "Mary..." Winifred pointed to the right. The witches separated, leaving Winifred alone in the purple painted sky. Soon appeared Sarah cornering the three against a stone wall.
     "Brave little virgin who lit the candle..." Sarah smiled flirtatiously. Jasper's eyebrows furrowed, taking the lead in front of the two scared Dennison's. "I'll be thy friend." Sarah reached for Max, hoping to seduce him. Jasper snatched a long, sharp stick on the ground, still full with sharp, decaying leaves.
     "Take a hike, witch!" Jasper yelled, trying not to say a different word as she flew the stick around in the Sanderson's face.
     "Ooh! Ouch!" Sarah yelled before retreating back into the air. The three ducked down once more with Max bringing his arms around the two girls, shoving them closer to him.
     "Book!" Winifred sang hypnotically. The book floated up, widening the eyes of all three kids. Jasper led the two others while they scrambled to get to the book on time. Before they could, Binx hopped onto the book, stopping it's quick floating.
     "Fraid not!"
     "Thackary Binx, thou mangy feline!" Winifred mocked. The three kids had finally caught up, surrounding Thackary. "Still alive?"
     "And waiting for you!" Binx snapped back, bringing his little cat paw up to the witch.
     "Oh! Thou hast waited in vain! And thou will fail to save thy friends, just as thou failed to save thy sister!" Winifred yelled. Binx hissed, loudly overlapping Winifred's yelling. She hovered down from the sky quicker than ever but still giving the kids enough time to grab the book and run away. Their running wasn't fast enough with Mary coming at them with full force. Jasper did some quick thinking, grabbing Dani and maneuvering themselves out of Mary's way.
     "They can't touch us here, right?" Max asked out of breath, holding onto Jasper's shoulder for support.
     "Well, they can't" Binx emphasized. The three heads whipped towards Binx.
     "I don't like the way you said that" Dani quivered.
     "Unfaithful lover long since dead, deep asleep in thy wormy bed. Wiggle thy toes, open thine eyes, twist thy fingers towards the sky. Life is sweet. Be not to shy. On thy feet! So sayeth I!" Winifred announced. The ground shook uncontrollably just like in the Sanderson house. Winifred's sickening cackle rings in Jasper's ears while she twists and shakes towards a gravestone which she leans on with Max and Dani right by her side. She held Dani in her arms while they screamed hoarsely. Dani gripped Jasper's cold hands while their knees turned to jelly. The shaking forced the three down onto the ground. The Dennison boy and Weiss girl cling onto to Dani making sure she didn't have a scratch on her. Their arms wrap around each other with their other around Dani. She holds it tightly, hoping the witches would be gone by now.
The dirt in front of the gravestone they faced started to pop out from the ground making the three scream even more. At least the ground stopped shaking anyways. The Dennison and Stauder coughed up whatever dirt flew into their mouths from the roaring wind, bearly paying attention to what event was going on right in front of them. At least right until someone popped out of grave. The vile smell, the green-ish toned skin, the mouth sewn shut...

A zombie.

     "Huh?" The zombie grunted in confusion. The two teens glared at each other, then the vile smelling zombie.
     "AHHH!"