Trouble in Salem

Chapter one Moving Day

"Mum I hate you, why do we have to move again?" Alice screams at y/n who is packing the last of the house up into the moving van.
"First we leave New York, move to this dump now we have to move again?
"Alice, calm down y/n says while sealing the box of cups"
Yes we move a lot, it's stressful, you can talk to your friends online, you can video call. Better than the early 00s you'd have to wait forever for a letter in the mail. "Yes mum you're old I know"
Hey fuck you Alice I'm only in my late 30s, "yes and I'm 15 mum" y/n rolls her eyes, have you finished packing?
Yes, mum Alice says in an annoyed tone.
Well? We have to go, put your stuff in the van, we have a long drive. "4 hours mum"
Yes and you're not driving Alice, so it's easy for you "sigh, Alice picks up her packed box and follows y/n to the van" make sure you have everything because we aren't coming back.
"Ugh, Alice walks upstairs to see if she's left anything behind"
Y/n puts the boxes in the van, and starts the engine, "oops, I've lived in America for nearly 7 years and I still get into the wrong side of the car"
Alice comes out of the house, shutting the door. Pulling out her phone taking one last selfie and getting into the car. "Mum, can I pick the music? Alice asks"
I guess so y/n says, for the first two hours the radio is yours, the last two hours it's mine.
Alice grabs her phone and hooks up the Bluetooth, ok mum this is a song I love "rap" ugh really? Y/n says.
Oh mum you and your weird taste, "yes, I have weird taste"
Alice and y/n drive for about an hour before taking a rest stop, "mum I need to pee" hang on Alice I'll pull into maccas "mum it's McDonald's "
Same thing Alice, just because we live here in America now doesn't mean I won't use slang from Australia "
Alice rolls her eyes, "ok go" y/n says parking the car, and feel free to get something to eat "y/n hands Alice a 20 note. "Thanks, Alice gets out, shutting the door"
Y/n pulls out her phone, calling her boss:
Hey I am about three hours out, made a stop for a bathroom break,
"how's the drive?"
Slow, but we are fine, I'll call you when we get to the house.
So the address is number 665? Right? And it's at the back of the old heritage town?
Yes, go to the town hall and they'll give you the keys and information brochure "you start work in two weeks"
Ok, thank you bye y/n hangs up.
Hey mum, little help Alice says standing outside the door. "Y/n opens the door for Alice"
Here got you "fries"
Thanks, y/n takes them and starts the van. "Seatbelt Alice"
Yeah yeah....
Y/n and Alice continue driving for the next hour, mixing up the music "singing, laughing"
Look, y/n points to a sign 50 miles to Salem "what is that in kms? Y/n asks Alice"
It's funny mum you don't understand miles and I don't understand kilometres "
50 miles is 80kms so an hour or so mum. "Ah thanks"

Alice falls asleep "y/n turns the music down"
Humming and singing along for the next hour. "Mum are we there yet? Alice asks opening her eyes"
We are nearly there, 30 minutes till we reach the house, "according to the navigation system with the annoying accent"
Hm ok, I am tired when we get there I may go sleep "that's fine Alice"
Y/n drives into Salem, "look we are here" well in town, 15 minutes and we are at the house.
"When do I start school? "
Two weeks, same time I start working again "I have enough money saved for the next three months don't worry"

Pulling up outside town hall, y/n and Alice walk in "wow, they both say" y/n approaches reception, hi I'm y/n new to town here to pick up the keys for 665, "ah yes ID please?"
Y/n hands her ID over, and 5e receptionist hands y/n the keys and paperwork. "Oh by the way don't go out after dark, especially your daughter"
Oh? Why?
Because people go missing the Sanderson Sisters capture and killl children and their parents.
Oh ok, so why aren't they in jail?
No proof
Ok I see, "sounds like bullshit Alice says"
Alice shhh y/n says
Hey mum look at all those missing children posters, "wow, y/n says"
There's a curfew too, nobody is allowed out past sun down"
Haha superstitious town, y/n kind of agrees "mum maybe you can join their coven cos you're a witch"
Y/n rolls her eyes, I cast spells and I am a solo practitioner "Alice, you know that"
Yeah sure mum, if you were really a witch you could win lotto.
No Alice that's personal gain "yeah ok mum"
Come on let's go home, "home is 4 hours away"
Not anymore Alice this is our home now "get use to it Alice"
Walking to the car a man approaches, "hey I hear you're a witch, haha"
Mum is a witch and she'll kill you if you bother her "Alice shush y/n says, she's joking"
I hope so he says, I'm Bobby welcome to Salem "thanks, I move a lot for work" so this is our next stop for the next 10 years.
"Why can't we go out after sundown? Alice asks Bobby"
Because you'll get abducted, the Sanderson sisters "yeah we heard about it, I think it's a scare tactic"
"It's not, the town knows they do it but they have no proof so they can't be convicted "
"Right cos they came back" y/n says I read about the legend.
It's true so beware, Bobby walks off....
"Alice laughs, y/n laughs"
Let's go, hopping into the car Alice and y/n drive to their new house.

We are here, y/n says pulling up to the house "this shit hole is our house?"
Yes, for how long? 10 years y/n says "ugh"
It's the best the company could do, come on hop out. "The company would've set up the beds and stuff for us, shall we?
Y/n takes out the keys from her pocket and opens the door, Alice walks in first. "Looks nicer in here"
A fireplace! Alice says happily "yes thought I'd surprise you, since you said you wanted one in the last house"
Alice runs around looking at the kitchen, dining room, lounge room and upstairs.
"Not much privacy"
I'll put up a curtain for you Alice, it's more like a cottage so no doors upstairs. "Other than the bathroom"
At least there's electricity and running water "yes well it's been modernised slightly"
Good!
I'll grab my special box and unpack it, Alice says.
Ok, I will start unpacking too.

3 hours later, y/n has unpacked the truck and set up most of the lounge room, kitchen and her room. "Mum look, Alice shows y/n her set up"
Here, I found this curtain, hang it here between the separate areas, yours and mine.

Great thanks, I'm gonna sleep now Mum "alright honey, I'll start cooking dinner and I'll wake you when it's ready"
Two hours ok?
Ok mum
Y/n walks downstairs and into the kitchen, preparing Alice's favourite stew. Humming and listening to the radio
"An announcement cuts out the music"
Two children missing since last week, if anyone knows their wearabouts please call the local police station. Thank you
Interesting y/n says, y/n reads the paperwork she was given while dinner cooks. "The Sanderson Sisters, evil witches that steal children's souls to stay young and beautiful forever"
Hm, interesting that's why they look so good. Y/n sets up her witches altar near the fireplace "ok there"
Opening a window, "agh " y/n shrieks
Who are you?
Sorry the woman says "I'm Billie, I live at number 660"
Hi Billie I am y/n and I have a daughter Alice, we are new here, "you know about the curfew ?"
Yes I've been informed, "protect your daughter at all costs"
I will thanks Billie, y/n continues reading the paperwork, filling out the forms for Alice's school, y/n's work and the deed for the house.
Alright tomorrow I'll hand these in and stop by the office and school, I need to pick up Alice's uniform.
"Ding, timer goes off"
Alice y / n yells out dinner
Alice comes downstairs 5 minutes later y/n has set up the table "eat up"
"Mum I had a strange dream, of three witches killing you and kidnapping me"
Wow that's creepy "just a dream honey, don't let the townsfolk scare you"
It's ok mum "I'll eat and shower then go to bed.
Me too I'm tired. Y/n and Alice eat and finish "Alice, don't forget to wash your plate"
Mhm yeah, Alice washes her plate and goes upstairs to shower.
Y/n puts the leftovers away, and prepares for her shower. "Turning off the lights downstairs, going upstairs sitting on her bed"
MUM shower is yours Alice calls out. Y/n goes and showers, drying her hair and climbing into bed. Falling asleep.